A Head-Fi Handicap Steel Cage Match: XD400 vs. CD580/V6

[Damage]

These are bare basics of my impressions of putting the two side by side. I've been using until recently, the CD580s as my main home-lounging cans. They serve that purpose well, but compared to XD400s, I think the 580s are outclassed by the 400s. In certain areas, the 580s does a better job (most notably the vocals, where the XD400s butcher things I think).

Unless otherwise noted, my samples are tested in the following config:

MZ-RH910 (both MP3 and ATRAC3plus Files) -> Monster Cable iSplitter -> XD400 & CD580 or V6. For the testing purposes (quick and dirty), XD400s remain in MUSIC mode.

XD400 vs. CD580
Having a splitter means that I can go back and forth and come to a conclusion on phones rather quickly, spot differences and such. I'll note the usual, with SQ being the last:

Comfort: Both are rather comfortable, each having its own way of auto-adjusting the headband. While both are light and comfortable, the XD400s are noticably lighter. The CD580 takes the cake here because of its cloth/faux-velour padding vs. XD400s odd angled drivers and pleather padding.

Should be noted that both 580s and 400s have angled drivers, but the CD580's padding makes the whole affair much more comfortable than 400.

Handling: XD400s are by far easier to drive and will not require any sort of amp for even the wimpiest portables. CD580s on the other hand, are noticably hard to drive, and may require an amp for best results.

SQ:
Overall: I think I like the overall presentation from XD400s, though the CD580s are a good set, with better vocals on the CD580s over the XD400s. On the other hand, the XD400s does pretty much everything else better, and does more to envelop users in a more musical experience vs. the CD580s.

Bass: The bass impact on the XD400s are much more cleaner and tighter on the XD400s vs the CD580s. CD580s bass is less impactful, less detailed, less controlled, and possibly flabbier... Hard to put it in words, but XD400s does a better job, I think.

Vocals/midrange: Vocals do suffer greatly vs. the CD580s. I did get used to the nasalness of the XD400s vocals, but switching one from another, I noticed that it's still there. Instrument details are better presented in the XD400s, whereas I think the CD580s are fudging things just a little bit...

Trebles: Again, the XD400s present more detail here, to a point where some may consider them overly bright. Feels like there's more detail to the 400s, whereas the 580s are presenting things on a bit of a darker (maybe colder is better word for it) basis, with some of the "details" masked.

Soundstaging: XD400s sounds much more wide open, but there's some problems with certain instruments. Cymbols and such present themselves right above my head, which becomes at times, very disconcerting. Vocals are slightly more forward on the CD580s vs. the XD400s, where it's presented slightly behind the head of the listener.

Despite these odd soundstaging, XD400s does a better job enveloping the listener in the overall music presentation.

Coming Tomorrow, V6 vs. XD400

 

[kramer5150]

Thanks!!! Like you I like the vocals on my MDRCD cans.... Mine are the CD870s. Vocals are smooth and not harsh, very natural sounding IMHO.

Garrett

 

[Damage]

So, here's part two of the cage match, the XD400 has thus far performed very well vs. the CD580s in most areas.

To recap, the CD580s has more natural, less nasal vocals whereas the XD400 has that twinge or touch of the nasal vocals. However, the XD400s has better bass impact, mroe detailed (brighter) trebles, and wider soundstage. That said, the XD400s has some trouble presenting certain instruments in odd places. Overall, I thought that the CD580s has been supplanted by the XD400s in teh same price range.

Couple of notes and pieces. The XD200s reminds me a lot of CD580s. I wonder if the drivers used in the XD200s are similar to those of CD580s in a cheaper packaging? If so, you got a great bargain on your hands, or Sony's got a stockpile of those CD580 drivers. Either way, the XD200s are a great sub $30.

Now, then, here's the venerable V6s, some people like (me to a point a while back) swore by these as one of the best sub $100. Quite a few professional places uses these as monitors during vocal recording (see my avatar). And they do double duty as a pretty decent set of home cans. Now, let's see how these two match up.

Since you know what I think of XD400s by now, I'll focus on V6s and their major differences vs. the V6s. The setup remains the same as the last time:

MZ-RH910->Monster iSplitter->V6/XD400. I know the splitter changes things ultimately, but for these kinds of compare and contrast, they are very handy. No Equalizer applied, XD400 remains in MUSIC mode. Various MP3s have been used, ranging from Japanese Pop to Movie Soundtracks. Like last time, SQ comparison comes last, after we cover the basics, such as Comfort, seal and isolation. Unamped, so the V6s are probably at a disadvantage here.

Ah, regarding isolation, both XD400 and CD580s don't provide a great deal of isolation. However, the V6s offer a great deal more. The cups do clamp against your ears, so a quite a bit of noise gets blocked out. However, I can still hear my keyboard clicking and clacking. TV background noise, PC fan noise, etc are blocked out well enough. V6s work well when you need some moment of silence, but they're no IEMs or NC phones. By Contrast, the XD400s uses more of a "nuclear option" to noise blocking with volume. At a loud volume, most noises will be blocked by the sound from the drivers. At same volume levels, the XD400s do worse job in letting in noise from the background, somuch so that it almost sounds like a set of open cans... Which they're not. V6 wins in isolation.

Comfort
Both uses the same pleather padding, so it attracts sweat, oil, dirt like a magnet. V6s has a bit of a grip or clamping action against your ears, and will probably hurt those of us with larger lobes. Thankfully, mine fits inside perfectly. The biggest things about V6s though, you're aware that they are there all the time, the headband does force down on your scalp more so than the XD400s or even the cheaper XD200s.

V6s are much heavier than XD400s, from the cord to the cans itself. And the twisted cords on the V6s can not be easily managed vs. straight cord on the XD400s. Both trap heat, so they're not good for summer usage or those of us with hot ears. Overall, the XD400s are much better on comfort.

Handling
Like a broken record, the XD400s win on this level.

Sound Quality

Bass: Both represent bass in the recording well. Having said that, the V6's bass does lack the visceral impact on the XD400s, but may represent bass more tighter and cleaner vs. the XD400s. In fact, I think the XD400s has less control on the bass here compared to the V6. Looser and more impactful vs. Controlled and tighter, but lacking quite a bit of the impact. Fun vs. Techinical if you want me to boil it down. It's a push here.

Vocals: V6s are much more forward on the vocals, more proper, and correct on its representation. Much less nasal, but grainier in some places, and as some have noted, easy to pick out poor recording or recording errors. Again, I think it boils down to Fun vs. Techinical. Vocals are much more forward soundstage and presentation wise. However, the XD's are at their weakest in vocal presentation (nasaly, odd placement). I can live with that, but I do prefer the V6s or CD580s' vocal abilities.

Trebles: V6s has been accused of being bassy, boomy, one-note wonder, and bright and shrilly. The first three accusations may have some leg to stand on, but my V6s (well into several hundreds of hours of use now) are not bright. The XD400s are brighter than my V6s, that much I'm sure of. That said, there's less separation of instrumentation, and slight less detail, but now that I've had the chance to sample different cans vs. the XD400s, I think it boils down to something entirely different. I'll repeat the theme here, the V6s are your workman phones compared to the XD400. I think it's a push, but XD400 sounds lush and detailed vs. the matter of fact like presentation of the V6.

Soundstaging: Again, like the last time, XD400s are much more open in its presentation than the two dimensional V6. I think that has more to do with XD400s being more enjoyable to listen to vs. the other cans. V6s sound fairly linear (like Techincs RP-DJ1200, it sounds like everything is presented on a 2D plane or a line right thorough your ear whereas the XD400s sounds wide open as if on a stage. Not sure if I'd consider that natural, but it's closer to what you'd expect on a actual performance.

XD400s are very sublime on live performances pieces, especially classical or instrumental pieces. V6s loses out terribly here, and makes everything sound flat and dull.

Overall, the V6s are the workman, matter-of-fact phones vs. the more open and laid back XD400s. Both has their place, and are worthy of your time. However, I think most would prefer the open and detailed presentation of XD400s--especially on classical, instrumental, and live pieces.

Sony's definitely headed in the right direction. The next obvious comparison are the SA1000s vs. XD400. I'd be interested in how the two sounds against one another.

 

[mintyfresh]

What kind of amp are you using to drive the Sennheisers?

 

[gshan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mintyfresh What kind of amp are you using to drive the Sennheisers?

I believe he ran the Sonys straight out of an MD player (MZ-RH910).

----
Btw thanks for all the reviewing Damage!

 

[Damage]

Quote:

Originally Posted by me MZ-RH910->Monster iSplitter->V6/XD400. ... Unamped, so the V6s are probably at a disadvantage here.

Huh, I didn't know I was using my Sennheisers... Wait, I had a pair of Senns all these time?

 

[mintyfresh]

The Sony headphones have an impedance of 24 ohms. The Sennheisers have an impedance of 300 ohms.

I suppose you could put a 30 hp lawn mower engine into a F1 race car and match it up with a lawn tractor.

People would be wondering why you'd choose to underpower the race car. (Not enough funds to buy a proper engine?) What's the point?

 

[mintyfresh]

Okay SORRY - I'm suffering from Sennheisercentrism and I'm behaving Sennheisernormatively...