[webegrubbin]

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Originally Posted by lucky /img/forum/go_quote.gif Very interesting. I wonder what they sound like with-vs-without the foam.

i de-foamed my 555's and actually preferred them as they were, they sounded harsher without IMHO, a bit thin.

I may be the only person who agrees that this mod makes the sound harsher.  It takes away the laid-back sennheiser sound that I have come to love.  I put my foam back on.
 

 

[Anaxilus]

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It takes away the laid-back sennheiser sound that I have come to love.  I put my foam back on.

Ewww, gross....

 

 

[Jess101]

I know what u mean. I just did this to mine and it seems harsher. I'll give them a few weeks without foam but I may end up putting the foam back in.

 

[JustinGN]

I went ahead and ripped the foam out of my own 555s, since I've had a tinkering itch that's needed scratching for the longest time.  I gotta say, I have mixed feelings.  On the one hand, the sound stage "size" has doubled, like going from a school auditorium to a proper concert hall.  Everything seems a lot more separated, clear, and crisp/sharp.  On the other, it also feels like everything is spread out so far that the "background" is lost or muddled.  Bass isn't as deep, it feels, and lacks presence (a problem, since I listen to a lot of rock and electronica), whereas treble seems to meander in and out of the bass that -is- there.  There's more detail, but it's also harder to pick out amongst the muddied mess.
 
I think the foam is acting as a sort of sound trap, rather than letting the drivers work unobstructed.  It's that sound trap that makes them sound really good with my music, I think.  I'm still on the fence though - I'm going to test them with my Xbox here in a moment (I swap them between my PC and my console systems - PC uses X-Fi Analog Out [24/192] to Fiio E9, 360 uses Marantz SR6003 w/ straight effect [no processing]), and report back.  I'll also test them with my new Fiio E17 later today and see if a better DAC makes a difference.
 
For now, though...
 
iTunes Playback (mix of 128kbps MP3 to 24/96 AIFF files), analog out from X-Fi to Fiio E9:

1. +more detail
2. +clearer overall sound
3. -flatter sound
4. -treble can meander around inside bass
5. -bass isn't as quick or punchy

 
YouTube Playback:
 
     Goldfish - We Come Together

1. +Snappy Bass
2. +Crisp Highs
3. +"Higher" Soundstage
4. -Sections of heavy music can get muddled
5. -Less separation than before mod ("tighter" sound stage, like it was very high, but terribly narrow)

 
    Maroon 5 - Move Like Jagger

1. +Fast, punchy bass
2. +Clear whistles with much higher cut-offs than before
3. -Synthesizer likes to get lost in chorus sections.

 
Video Playback:
 
     Daria - s05e01 - Fizz Ed (DVD)

1. +Dialog is Clear and intelligible throughout
2. +Music & Dialog are clearly separated and distinct

 
     Darker Than Black - s00e01 - The Black Contractor (Subbed, MKV 720p)

1. +Dialog is clear
2. +Music & Dialog mix well, and overshadow each other when appropriate
3. -Bass seems lacking, with a higher cut off.

 
UPDATE:
 
After more testing, I decided to put my foam back on. I liked the character it gave my 555s.

 

[jesuscheung]

thx, it works! Loving it. Apart from a weaker bass, which I actually prefer, because HD555 was never that good at bass anyway, so, for the most parts, it's better!

 

[eef]

Hi,
 
Is it possible that some hd555s have foam only on one side? Yesterday I've opened my headhones, and foam piece is only on the right side, both sides sound pretty similar though...

 

[xnor]

No, equal rubber pieces should be in both cups.

 

[phaenius]

Hi,
 
I am new to this forum and hopefully get some info from audiophile enthusiasts. I do own a pair of Sennheiser HD595 and I don't want to trash them (which in fact I would love to, given all sort of things that gone wrong with them), but I do want to ask you two things, hopefully you can guide me and give me your view about the whole thing.
 
I bought the headphones 6 years ago, but used them (moderately) for 4 only. I didn't used them at high volumes or high bass levels (after all, my ears are more important), but now I am led to believe something has gone horribly wrong with them and don't know exactly what.
 
Since I bought them (brand new), from a local Sennheiser retailer, I had problems with right speaker. At high volume and bass (specially to test), but not insane levels, it felt like on the left speaker only, the coil rubbed the static magnet (hope you understand me, i don't know the exact terms) and it horribly distorted. Right speaker behaved correctly, nothing was wrong, in fact I could have gone way higher with the level and still won't distort. I didn't returned the pair, since at lower levels it worked fine. At the time, I was using them at the end of a PC sound card, Creative Audigy ZS. Lately, I replaced the card with a Creative X-Fi Champion Edition, which had a dedicated front panel thingy, that could properly outputted the sound at headphones dedicated levels and impedance, etc. Again, it worked fine. In the end, I connected the pair to a Denon AVR-1509 receiver and this sounded the best. I was very happy.
 
Now, for two years I don't use the receiver (personal issue, I still have it, works perfectly, but not using anymore) and I reverted to the Creative card from the computer (which worked before). Sound is now lacking any consistence, bass frequencies are totally gone, not a rich and powerful sound, too much trebles (and distorted) and lacking any harmonics. I thought the card is faulty and tested on other ones (even tested the headphones on my Samsung smartphone, result is bad, again, it's lacking any consistence). I bought another card, result is even worse, is worse than my old pair of AKG-66 or even the small in-ear phones I have. Other than that, I can't test the headphones in any other good and hi-end equipment.
 
My question is: could the headphones damaged themselves in such manner ? And why ? I was an occasional listener, no powerful sound (or insane enhanced EQ settings), I think I do have a good educated ear, I believe I know how it should sound (and how sounded in the beginning). What could have possibly gone wrong ? A pair of headphones are by definition a quite simple electrical piece of equipment, it's a coil. If mechanically something went wrong, what could have damaged the sound that lost "power" and harmonics ? If coil rubs the magnet, it will sound distorted at high bass, if coil is interrupted (or shorted), if will stop sound or sound at low levels. So, in your opinion, what exactly can be wrong ?
 
On another note, how do I open those headphones, to visually inspect the cabinets and drivers ? It seems that those velvet thingies that cover your ears are glued to the plastic housing.
 
And I could go on about other things that went wrong (with proper use, mind you, not abusing them), like letters and inscriptions going off, leather bend coming off the plastic stripe and so on, but won't insist.
 
Is there something I can do or should I start and looking for new headphones ?
 
Thanks.

 

[Ralphael]

I know this thread is several years old but it was this foam mod that made me re-buy a HD 555 again.
 
The HD 555 was the first headphones that blew me away with the open-back clear sound but due to non mobility of the HD555, 10 foot cord, I sold my HD 555 a year ago.
 
After discovering this mod, I decided to seek out a used pair of HD 555 from craigslist. I bought a pair for $50. 
 
So this is what I discovered after the mod.
 
1. The soundstage is larger.... making the music seem a bit more echoey!!
2. a bit of vibratory noise is introduced in the midrange,  almost like listening to a 128kbps mp3 versus 320kbps where you get a bit of bit noise as the notes changes.
3. everything is flatter, there is no bass excitement at all. The drums are now on a stage that is 50 feet away.
4. harsher I would say, almost like someone took the warmth from the music. 
 
So I un-modded and it brought back the smile that I had when I first listened to the HD 555 at the store...
 
and was shocked at the difference.
1. the music is now back to normal where the soundstage is 10 feet away from the musicians
2. the midrange is clearer without bit noises
3. the bass thumps (as thumpy as a sennheiser can get) but still much better then when modded.
4. warm, mellow, clear...
 
Although I never listen to a HD 595, I can tell you that I prefer an un-modded HD555. 
 
I've tried this type of mod on two different models of sennheisers'. The HD449 mod is similar in that you remove a tape to uncover 3 holes. On the 449, I found that with the holes uncovered, the bass was more echoey and it made the headphones cheaper sounding.
 
I can tell you that with the mod, the HD55 actually sounded much like the AKG 550's; of which I did not like and re-sold shortly after purchase from crags list. Both had a larger soundstage in which I think everyone confuses with greater ambience and heavier bass.
 
I prefer a more solid thump and a smaller soundstage in which the instruments sound almost next to you.
 
My other favourite headphones is the Sennheiser momentums on-ear for the heavy bass.
 
Since this mod is reverible, I would recommend that you give it a try. You might realize that sennheiser doesn't put tape willy nilly on their products
 
I had to create an account here just to have my say

 

[serman005]

So, are you suggesting that we shouldn't be modding the current 5xx series?