Sennheiser HD 595 Headphones

Since my HD540s were old with deteriorated earpads I ordered the HD595, expecting the same SQ at least. I did not like it at all. Must say that I did not try it with a HQ amp, but nevertheless no comparison with the 540 reference, poorer definition, colored. 
With as biggest dispappointment that as the cable touches your clothes or something the sound enters the cans, even if the cable is touched 1m away from the cans. Either do not move while listening, of play very loud. I consider this a design fault. 
Anyway, sold it again after a couple of weeks. 

These were my first "audiophile" grade headphones, and I soon fell in love with them. I had never experienced such clear sound, as these were also my first open-ended headphones. In terms of audio quality, the mids and highs are crystal clear. Low-frequency bass sound is low in the soundstage, which makes these headphones great for ambient music, classical, jazz and other genres that do not primarily focus on bass. The lack of bass is a minor gripe though, as the overall sound quality is stellar otherwise- note that I have never used an amp for these. The HD 595 are also extremely comfortable, as I've worn them for several hours on end before without them becoming uncomfortable to wear. The build quality is commendable, as they are durable and are constructed from high quality materials. Unfortunately, the right can somehow ended up coming in contact with some water, which resulted in some distortion, but this is only vaguely audible at the worst. Overall I would recommend these to anyone introducing themselves to higher-end headphones, but I suspect there are better headphones out there for the price.

Overall a very solid headphone.  Can be used unamped, which may be a deciding factor for some.  HeadRoom got it right when it described a little "grain" in the presentation, but this headphone doesn't have many other faults.  At the same time, it doesn't have much to distinguish it from the increasingly good competitors.  If you are short on amps and want the Senn sound, then this is a solid choice.  Otherwise, go for the 600 or 650.

the hd595 were my first nice set of nice cans.
and, as a result they will always have a special place in my heart.
 
at $190 street price (as of this review), though, there are just so many other cans out there right now that will give you much more excitement for your dollar.
thing is, the hd595 borders on boring, in my opinion.
 
yes, they are fairly neutral, have a pretty respectable amount of detail retrieval, and are very comfortable to wear and listen to for hours.  sure, part of the whole "forget you are wearing them" thing is the comfort.  but another reason is the somewhat flat sound signature.
 
overall, i liked them fairly well.  but, quickly found that scaling up from the $190 hd595 to a $230 DT990 yielded a substantial improvement in sound quality.  i'm sorry to say that, in hindsight, this makes the 595 look a little overpriced.

First, I would like to say that the HD 595 are an excellent audiophile entry headphones, they are very very comfortable. I can wear them for about 8+ hours with no discomfort at all. Sometimes, I even forget that I am wearing them!
 
When I first put them on, they felt a little weird on my ears, the ear cups are very large but I soon got used to it. I did not say wow! or anything like that when I first heard them but after a while I start to hear all the little details that have been missing. I think that the HD 595 are very balanced and neutral headphones but they lack bass. I have auditioned (and owned) a lot of headphones and the HD 595 are one of the most darkest sounding headphones I have ever heard.
 
Summary: If you're are looking for an audiophile headphones that wont require an amp, and is a little tight on budget, you cant go wrong with the HD 595.