[shadowdude77]

Okay, so I can get the HD595s for $160 new. This seems like a pretty good deal to me, but I don't know if they're suitable for my type of music (mainly melodic death metal). I've heard that they're more forward than other Sennheiser cans, which is good for my type of music, but everyone tells me Grados are better for metal, even though I hate supra-aural headphones.

My budget was originally $150 max, but I can find $10 in the budget for the HD595s since they're usually around $200 when I look around. I did audition them and liked them a lot, but NOT with my own music (it was that wall of headphones with random songs at J&R), so I'm afraid of how they will mix with my music since Lady Gaga isn't exactly metal.

Should I go with the HD595s for this price, or is the Grado SR80i/SR125i still more suitable?

Thanks.

PS- Please don't tell me to look in the FS forum to fit more expensive headphones into my budget. I've never been a fan of buying things used, no matter how trustworthy the person is.

 

[priest]

If you hate supra-aurals, you have to eliminate the Grados. If you hate them because you value comfort, you will like the HD 595 on that score, since they are highly comfortable. They are indeed forward-sounding, and somewhat Grado-ish in that way. I don't listen to much metal, but I would still buy the HD 595 if I did. $160 seems like a fair price, so I say go for it, especially if that's from an authorized dealer with a good return policy.

 

[spinneresque]

DEFINITELY GO FOR IT. They are COMPLETELY worth that price. That is a good price. They are headphones that are made for falling in love with. Don't think about it anymore and definitely forget those Grados. I can almost guarantee you will not regret it.

 

[priest]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spinneresque /img/forum/go_quote.gif DEFINITELY GO FOR IT. They are COMPLETELY worth that price. That is a good price. They are headphones that are made for falling in love with. Don't think about it anymore and definitely forget those Grados. I can almost guarantee you will not regret it.

This is about how I felt about it too, but I was trying to restrain myself.

I also hold off on complete and total support for the HD 595 because of the slight graininess I believe they exhibit. I would still unquestionably go for them though. I saw some dude with a pair at LAX the other day, and I was wishing I had mine with me.

 

[TobaccoRoad]

Get the 595, but as for demoing at J&R, I wouldn't rely too much on it since the source on the wall isn't that great. The fact that 595 sounded much better than 650 should tell you the source isn't amplified at all.

 

[spinneresque]

The 595s are the most comfortable headphones I have ever used. You can literally sleep using them as pillows (I have done this.... on accident, of course.) They are very durable (I am ashamed to say I have dropped them several times) and they are very nice looking. I never noticed graininess in all the years I've had them, but I'm not really acquainted with that audio term (meaning I haven't heard it for myself). All my headphones are loved, my the 595's were my first love.

PS DEFINITELY GO FOR IT~!

 

[yashu]

do it.

At 160 I would buy a pair to replace my hd 555s. They weren't the best but they never sucked at any genre (some they really shined at with little in the way of needing special amplification, as they worked fine from an e-mu 0202). If the 595s are an upgrade to an assured pleasurable experience than go for it.

 

[Cage]

I listen to a lot of metal music myself (Epica, Opeth might be bands you listen to also). I own a HD555 and have listened to it for the past 3 years. I've always felt the need to equalize them because they lack bass impact and have a harshness in the upper mids. This makes listening to most metal unsatisfying and fatiguing. However, they are pretty good when listening to music that doesn't produce quite such a wall of sound (Jazz, Radiohead etc.).

I received my Ultrasone HFI-580 yesterday. I decided on these after reading many threads on Head-Fi for recommended headphones for metal. After a couple of hours of listening I can already say that these are much better suited to metal music that my Sennheisers. The guitar sound is great, and I mean great, there is bass impact and they have crisp highs. I've immediately turned off equalizing. I am listening on an M-Audio Revo 5.1 and a Go-Vibe V4 (i think, could be v5). Once they're burned in I might post some more extensive findings.

Now, I'm not saying you should buy the Ultrasone's. They are not very comfortable (though they are ok), they are closed headphones, bass can be too much for some and the highs are quite forward (albeit without burn in). But I do think there are better phones for your taste.

 

[yashu]

the 595s are going to be more laid back. I am surprised the 555s fatigued you with metal. They were so comfey and I literally could fall asleep in them. More to the point cymbal crashes and hats don't shred ears, and as far as bass slam, don't confuse accuracy for a lack of bass. I used the 555s for electronic music and big fat globules of bass would fall out when warrented, and I would pull them off to make sure I had my speakers shut off. The 595s as an upgrade to the 555s, I can't see a huge weak link, really... They may not be the best in the world, but I doubt they would let you down. The open design would play well with metal. the last record I listened to on my 555s was ufomammut and it was on my usb e-mu 0202 at work.

 

[Cage]

I said the comfort is great with the 595/555, so you could well fall asleep with those. Fatiguing was because of the sound. My ears get tired when listening to metal on the 555. It's also not the hi-hats or crashes I find fatiguing, the highs are fine, it's the guitars. I feel the upper mids are harsh on the 555, and especially metal has a lot of those in the distorted guitars.

As for the bass, I'm aware the 555's or 595's may be very accurate, but that doesn't make them more fun to listen to. This is my personal preference of course, I found out I don't particularly care for neutrality as much as I thought I did

I never heard anything resembling 'big fat globules of bass' out of the 555 though. There's bass, it's a accurate and reasonably deep, but it doesn't really have much impact, especially compared to the Ultrasones.

 

[pp312]

I must say I've never heard "graininess" from the 595. In fact I don't even know what the term means.

As for the 555 being harsh in the upper mids, that would be due entirely to the foam/rubber thingy behind the driver. Remove that and you've effectively got yourself a 595. The simplest, most effective tweak in Christendom.

 

[priest]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pp312 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I must say I've never heard "graininess" from the 595. In fact I don't even know what the term means.

slight lack of clarity, in the case of the HD 595 commonly noticed in the lower treble or upper mids. i can't exactly place it, but i know it's there for me. i never understood the term until i bought the HD 595, at which point i instantly recognized what people were talking about. not a deal killer for me at all -- i still love them -- but compared to the HD 650, K 702, DT 800 range of headphones, i definitely hear it. minor quibble as far as i'm concerned.

 

[pp312]

If you're talking about the slight reticence in the 595 upper mids, that's what makes these phones so easy to listen to and generally inoffensive. I'd never have described it as "graininess" though. That's a completely misleading term.

 

[spinneresque]

They are detailed enough on their own, but with an amp the soundstage widens and the details really shine. I could see why one would think they lack clarity compared to say Grados, the sound signature compared to grados is 'darker' like everyone says, and the details are not as up front. But like I say, if you need more detail, just amp them, even a little. I always recommend the total bithead, that combination completely blows me away. As for fatigue, I have NEVER experienced this with the 595's, but I experienced it all the time with my Grado SR60's and after a very short listening period. That's why I got rid of them.

BUT I never get fatigue with my HF-1's.

You can really tell a good headphone when people talk repeatedly use phrases like "love" and "in love." That was the deciding factor for me when i bought mine all those years ago. In several threads around here (2005) that's how people talked about their 595's. And like I said, the older headfiers tend to hang onto their 595's throughout the years, while the others come and go via upgrades, etc. They just have a really unique sound signature.

PS Can anyone answer me about the 50 or 120 ohm being visible on the headphones?

 

[priest]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pp312 /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you're talking about the slight reticence in the 595 upper mids, that's what makes these phones so easy to listen to and generally inoffensive. I'd never have described it as "graininess" though. That's a completely misleading term.

If you read my post, that's not what I'm talking about at all.