[Butter123]

Definitely the HD598 if you are not gonna use it on the go. But the Momentum is one of the best sounding unamped headphone around though.

 

[dcstuurman]

Hi all posters, sorry to bring this thread out of a sleepmode... But if I read correctly the HD 598 is perhaps the best choice for connecting to my iMac (which sounds much better and has more power than my iPhone), but the Momentum is perhaps the best choice for my iPhone?
 
Brings it to my second question: is it worth upgrading my HD 595 to the newer HD 598? Or is it really just a small step?
 
I actually like the combo of the HD 595 on my iMac, before I bought the iMac in 2011 I also tried an Musical Fidelity amp, but I just couldn't justify the small difference. But as we all know there are headphones one price-class up, which probably are even more better, some of them probably need an amp, like the HD 6** and 7** series, but this combo is out of the budget...
 
When I play music with my HD 595 on my iPhone, there is clearly something lacking over here. Despite the low impedance, both quality and volume on low/normal level albums are lacking. That is one of the reasons, I almost never listen music on it, let alone outside... Too bad as laying on bed or couch can be relaxing... Too bad there isn't a Sennheiser (or other) that is a real improvement over the HD 595 on my iMac and has the ease to work more decently on my iPhone too... Or is there?
 
Ps. Thanks for all the helpful information and reviews of above!

 

[Beeba]

I am an Audio Enthusiast who is pretty much addicted to music, i listen to music A LOT on-the-go but unfortunately never had a decent pair of headphones, had A LOT but never a good awesome one, recently ive had a some of money almost 250$ but lets say 200$ for now and am interested in buying a pair of headphones, a fter a lot of hours on youtube, amazon and reading reviews i'm torn between the Sennheiser's Momentum ( Over the ear) , the AKG K545 even the sennheiser HD8 Dj ( i know it's a bit pricier and unlike the previous two), Audio Technica's ATH M50x, Sony MDR-1R,Sennheiser HD 598,Philips Fidelio X1 and the Sennheiser HD598 I know hey are all different in one way or another , i do not have any specific preferences music genre wise, i just want a pair that has an awesome performance and delivers the best music experience, i want to feel the music , get goosebumps you know Note: i am also planning on buy the Fiio X1 Player any additional suggestions are welcome thank you all in advance

 

[d2racing]

Hi, how's the sound leakge of the HD 598 compare to the HD 555 ?
 
I don't have any problems with my 555 at work and I really plan to buy the HD 598.
 
I'm using a Fiio E12A with my 555 right now.

 

[Whataudiophile]

  The HD 598 is still probably one of (if not the most) comfortable headphone I've ever tried. It certainly is one of the only ones I've spent an entire day listening to without being fatigued from the sound signature or strained from the physical discomfort.
 
For use at home, I personally have never reached for my Momentums. If I had to pick a single budget headphone to live with, the 598s would be it.

Dude,some say that 598s have boring sound signature.Is it true that it lacks bass?

 

[GREQ]

Dude,some say that 598s have boring sound signature.Is it true that it lacks bass?

This is totally subjective.
It's kinda like saying "some say that the Ferrari [insert model number] lacks speed. Is this true?"
 
Having tried it out myself, I can only give my subjective opinion that it does NOT lack bass... but if you want the 'teenage car-subwoofer' experience, you may want to look elsewhere 

 

[ThSGM]

  Hi all posters, sorry to bring this thread out of a sleepmode... But if I read correctly the HD 598 is perhaps the best choice for connecting to my iMac (which sounds much better and has more power than my iPhone), but the Momentum is perhaps the best choice for my iPhone?
 
Brings it to my second question: is it worth upgrading my HD 595 to the newer HD 598? Or is it really just a small step?
 
I actually like the combo of the HD 595 on my iMac, before I bought the iMac in 2011 I also tried an Musical Fidelity amp, but I just couldn't justify the small difference. But as we all know there are headphones one price-class up, which probably are even more better, some of them probably need an amp, like the HD 6** and 7** series, but this combo is out of the budget...
 
When I play music with my HD 595 on my iPhone, there is clearly something lacking over here. Despite the low impedance, both quality and volume on low/normal level albums are lacking. That is one of the reasons, I almost never listen music on it, let alone outside... Too bad as laying on bed or couch can be relaxing... Too bad there isn't a Sennheiser (or other) that is a real improvement over the HD 595 on my iMac and has the ease to work more decently on my iPhone too... Or is there?
 
Ps. Thanks for all the helpful information and reviews of above!

 
Hi, 
 
It's been a while since this thread, but I was curious whether you had a better understanding of combo-ing the HD 598 to an iMac without amp. 

 

[el boricua]

howdy! i live in puerto rico and i hope I can introduce myself in this thread because i couldn't find the one for that purpose.
i'm almost 62 yo and before 2015 the only time i had full size HP's was in the 70's, they were a pair of koss and a pair of AT. since then I only used ear buds and cheap things like the sony portable 100 but i always tried to have a decent stereo setup in my living room.
last summer i got the incipio f38 to listen to music without bothering the tv watching of my son. but the HP bug got me and started reading reviews in amazon and watching videos in youtube.
i'm a person of modest means so i may appreciate the sexy lines of an aston martin but i'll never drive more than a hyundai, lol!
after the incipio i bought the tascam 02 when it was $16 in amazon and then the m30x which i got used like new for $29 when it was $69 new.
received yesterday the hd558 and i am very pleased with it. right out of the box I heard more bass than I was expecting but mids and highs were soooo right. I even compared one trumpet note, long and high, (played by chris botti) between the AT and the senn. the AT reproduced it without harshness but like the trumpet had a cold. the 558 sounded clean and sweet. right there I knew i have an excellent pair of HP's.
after listening to them and burning them in for about ten hours, i could not stop myself and did the mod, LOL!!! in spite of its great mids and highs, the bass was more than I like, in many songs it overpowered the rest of the frequencies and it seemed bloated to me. i listened for a while to the m30x's with their weaker bass, and when i came back to the senn it sounded powerful but dark.
I know I should have waited a couple of weeks before doing the mod but I have 30 days to return them to amazon and I wanted to know asap if I would keep'em or consider exchanging for the 598's.
the mod immediately gave me better bass, gone was the bloat and the impact stayed strong but cleaner.
I have two cheap HP amps, a lyxpro with four outputs and a line5. first i listened through the lyxpro because it lets me compare instantly between the HP's but it kind of accentuates bass. the line5 is giving me better sound so it matches better with the senn. the jazzradio.com app in my cell phone sounds beautiful through the 558's without an amp,they are made for each other.
thanks for reading my long introduction and i hope to learn a lot from the community.
see'ya!

 

[dcstuurman]

   
Hi, 
 
It's been a while since this thread, but I was curious whether you had a better understanding of combo-ing the HD 598 to an iMac without amp. 

Unfortunately no, but I do kind of like my HD-595 without any amp on my iMac, but when I om the couch or in bed and listening through the iPhone it is really a lot less good. It sounds flat and distance, it is really not the source/amp for this headphone...

 

[potterpastor]

These are two very different headphones. But the Momentum 1 and 2 are smoother and more refined than the 598, which has a lot of distortion at high volumes connected to a stereo receiver.

Connected to a tablet or a phone or a MacBook, the 598 keeps pace very well with its wide-open soundstage.

 

[VeggiePopper]

These are two very different headphones. But the Momentum 1 and 2 are smoother and more refined than the 598, which has a lot of distortion at high volumes connected to a stereo receiver.

Connected to a tablet or a phone or a MacBook, the 598 keeps pace very well with its wide-open soundstage.

Agree. The Momentum has a more capable driver in terms of refinement. It's like the Momentum is a 1080p TV whereas the HD598 is a 720p TV... But with 3D: the 598 provides a better reproduction of the space and environment (thus, a 3D TV), even though at a lower resolution that can show some distortion on close up (hence only a 720p), whereas the Momentum has a better resolutuon and definition (therefore, 1080p) but not as realistic (i.e., standard 2D).

Also, I'd say the Momentum feels like a Samsung Super AMOLED screen against the 598 being a regular LCD: the Momentum might be more catchy, but it's slightly colored and not as natural and realistic; in contrast, the 598 might be a bit boring, but it's more natural, just like a good ol' LCD.

Long-short story, both are extreme opposites in terms of technical prowess and characteristics, which makes them perfect complements yo each other

 

[VeggiePopper]

Agree. The Momentum has a more capable driver in terms of refinement. It's like the Momentum is a 1080p TV whereas the HD598 is a 720p TV... But with 3D: the 598 provides a better reproduction of the space and environment (thus, a 3D TV), even though at a lower resolution that can show some distortion on close up (hence only a 720p), whereas the Momentum has a better resolutuon and definition (therefore, 1080p) but not as realistic (i.e., standard 2D).

Also, I'd say the Momentum feels like a Samsung Super AMOLED screen against the 598 being a regular LCD: the Momentum might be more catchy, but it's slightly colored and not as natural and realistic; in contrast, the 598 might be a bit boring, but it's more natural, just like a good ol' LCD.

Long-short story, both are extreme opposites in terms of technical prowess and characteristics, which makes them perfect complements yo each other

To continue the analogy, the HD600 and 650 would be 3D 1080p screens (full HD!); with the 700 and 800 being 4k TVs (micro details ahoy!), 3D of course. The Orpheus might be a VR set, I guess?

P.S.: sorry for the double post.

 

[potterpastor]

Pretty interesting. Good analogies. The 598 definitely seems more three-dimensional.

After listening to the 598, the Momentum 1.0 seems like a bassy headphone. But after listening to the M2 or the M100 for a while, the original Momentum sounds more neutral and a even a bit bass light. My brain has to accommodate to the sound of a headphone after I've listened to another one right before it.

 

[Pedro Retador]

I've bought both, but not received it yet.
 
For a better warm and full sound, I'll plan to pair the HD598 (cost me just $100) with the HIFIME SABRE 9018 USB DAC ($83).
Here's the review: http://www.head-fi.org/products/hifime-sabre-9018-usb-dac/reviews/16195
 
In the case of the Momentum 2.0 over ear (cost me $180), I'm thinking to buy a CEntrance DACport Slim ($100 in Massdrop) because it will add soundstage and clarity, I believe. And works well with low impedance headphones (Momentum's has 18 ohms). The Hifime also works well with low impedance headphones, but has a warm sound, so with the Momentum could result in a congestioned sound.
Here's the review: http://www.head-fi.org/t/778966/review-centrance-dacport-slim-dac-amp-combo
 
I hope this work well.

 

[StanD]

To continue the analogy, the HD600 and 650 would be 3D 1080p screens (full HD!); with the 700 and 800 being 4k TVs (micro details ahoy!), 3D of course. The Orpheus might be a VR set, I guess?

P.S.: sorry for the double post.

Personally I find the HD700 a bit strident, I was ready to purchase one and it failed the audition.