[pp312]

Remember that while Hi-Fi Choice gave the 650 "Best Headphone Over £200", they gave the 595 "Best Headphone Under £200". Some may scoff, but from what I've heard of other phones, many of them, that was a pretty good call.

 

[OHPC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pp312 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Remember that while Hi-Fi Choice gave the 650 "Best Headphone Over £200", they gave the 595 "Best Headphone Under £200". Some may scoff, but from what I've heard of other phones, many of them, that was a pretty good call.

HD595 are indeed excellent, I love them!

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pp312 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Remember that while Hi-Fi Choice gave the 650 "Best Headphone Over £200", they gave the 595 "Best Headphone Under £200". Some may scoff, but from what I've heard of other phones, many of them, that was a pretty good call.

They also go into paroxysms of delight over the SR325i - it means nothing. Combined with Vinnie's experience with the Wadia and Onkyo iPod transports, kit that What Hi-Fi claimed couldnt better an entry-level CDP, I see the magazine as the audio equivalent of GQ - there are considerably better magazines and online sources for information.

As for the HD595, I'm way past scoffing, but thats another thread in itself.

 

[jsplice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pp312 /img/forum/go_quote.gif jsplice, if you find the 650 harsh I'd like to know what you find not harsh. This is not a dig at you....I actually want to know what would sound less harsh than a 650, as I have one and am open to suggestions. I find the 650 replicates better than any phone I've heard the sound of a symphony orchestra at about middle distance in a typical concert hall--but that's not to say it's perfect, and I'm not entirely in disagreement with your remarks about harsh highs (though I'm not sure about "metallic". Maybe you were listening to Metallica at the time). Trouble is the other phones I've tried--Beyer DT880pro, AT AD700/900, AKG 702 etc--all have much harsher highs, to the point of unlistenability. They may be OK for some types of music, but not classical. The 650 for me represents the current best compromise. Oh, I should have added that there's more than a slight possibility that your phones are not yet burnt in. The 650s take a hell of a long time, and can still seem to be mellowing even after a year or two.

I've had the 650s for 1.5 months now. If I had to guess I'd say they have a good 400 hours on them, and I have not noticed the treble change one bit in the last 300 hours. Yes, the bass changed significantly in the first 100 hours, and the sound loosened up quite a bit, but I doubt that the treble is going to get any better from here on out. I might add that I am fairly sensitive to treble harshness, while many others may not be. As for other phones that might not sound as harsh, I'm as curious as you, my friend. I have the DT770s, which to me sound much smoother in the highs (please don't start an argument about beyers always having harsh highs...I'm just telling it the way my ears hear it). Overall I *enjoy* the DT770 pro 80 ohm much more than the HD650s, simply because I can't listen to any type of rock or electronic music on the HD650s for more than 5 minutes before my ears start to ring. And this is with an Elekit TU-882 tube amp that sounds smooth, along with a very warm, smooth sounding PS Audio Digital Link III. I upgraded both my source AND my dac in an attempt to make the HD650s sound good to me, and neither worked. So at least I have the 650s to thank for opening the door to an upgrade of my other components...but that's about all I'm thankful for at this point. They're up for sale in the FS forum if anyone is interested....

In the meantime, maybe I'll keep burning them in, but at this point I'm not expecting anymore change...

 

[pp312]

Quote:

Originally Posted by estreeter /img/forum/go_quote.gif They also go into paroxysms of delight over the SR325i - it means nothing. Combined with Vinnie's experience with the Wadia and Onkyo iPod transports, kit that What Hi-Fi claimed couldnt better an entry-level CDP, I see the magazine as the audio equivalent of GQ - there are considerably better magazines and online sources for information. As for the HD595, I'm way past scoffing, but thats another thread in itself.

Given the way we hear the same thing so differently ("I found it so bright I couldn't listen" --- "Yeah? Mine doesn't sound bright at all") I sometimes wonder why anyone visits these forums looking to know what to buy. I've had several 595s over the years, 120 and 50ohm, and found them the most balanced, even-tempered, just plain listenable phones I've ever heard, and I've heard heaps. Many if not most of the comments I read here about them (though not elsewhere, which is curious) bear no resemblance to what I hear---but then most of the commenmts I read about 880s, 702, AD700s etc bear no resemblance to what I heard from those phones either. Conclusion? Nothing really useful is to be gained from reading other people's opinions in terms of making buying decisions, however entertaining it might be. A general consensus that a phone is bright MAY mean that a phone is bright, but then I've seen the 555/595 described as both bright and dull, with boomy bass and no bass. Sheesh. And this is with headphones, whose differences are relatively gross. Pity the poor blighters in the amp forum, trying to detect the subliminal differences between a Woo 6 and an LD 5. No wonder they resort to hyperbole.


As for Hi-Fi mags, I certainly don't take their reviews as gospel, but I do think when it comes to best of the year awards they're a little more cautious and thoughtful. I also would not interchange Hi-Fi Choice and What Hi-Fi so casually.

 

[DanielCox]

I suggest if you can you should sample them both. They sound completely different. I've got both and love them both though. I'd definitely take the K701s in case of a fire though.

 

[estreeter]

PP312, I think you know where I'm going to take this. I admit that my brief store audition was influenced by this product page, but how many folk would give such a blunt opinion of a pair of headphones if they were *not* as described:

Sennheiser: HD595 | Headphonic: Australian Headphone Specialists: Buy Etymotic, Alessandro, Audio Technica, Ultimate Ears, Talisman, Meier Audio and more

I agree that we all hear things differently, but Marcus claims that his opinion of these cans has been validated many times by unhappy customers. I didn't find them as boring as the HD555, and a different amp could well change the sound, but they didnt grab me the way the k501 or dt440 do. I will be looking at the price of HD600 in Singapore in 4 weeks time, but thats about it for Senns on my shortlist I'm afraid.

I can see what people are on about with the 325, but they are still my favourite 'in your face' cans : many here wouldnt listen to them if they were being paid to do so. Horses for courses.

 

[pp312]

Ha! You went the wrong route quoting Mr. Headphonic to me; personally I think the man's out of his tree regarding the 595. I've crossed swords with him about it on his forum, and I simply deny he has any credibility on this subject. I know his chosen music is electronica, which is about as far from classical as it's possible to get, but I doubt if that entirely explains the mammoth discrepancy (he once referred to the 595 as "junk", which is utterly absurd). OTOH, he favours AT phones, particularly the AD700 & 900, both of which I've owned and could not sell fast enough (had I not known better, I'd have taken the AD700 for a $50 pair from K-Mart--no joke). All of which I suppose confirms what I said above about relying on other people's ears.

 

[Happy Camper]

Why is there no poll to vote?

In discussion, it turns into an argument based on opinion. A poll will let you measure without comment. K gets my vote with my amp. I've heard the HD sound better with a ECZD/recabled. I think each can be tweaked to sound very good depending on taste/equipment.

 

[estreeter]

It doesnt help that many of the reviews contain utter crap like this:

The only kind of music I felt didn't "work" on the Sennheisers was metal. Because to properly do metal, you have to have a 45-foot tall tower of vicious loudspeakers blaring music that makes you believe that life is, in fact, pain.

Really, Captain Audiophile ?

The big draw of these phones that brought me to them in the first place is that the reviews generally say that these phones split the difference between the (to me) overly harsh and bright Grado house sound and the dark and laid-back Sennheiser house sound.

Thanks for the stereotypes - grow a pair and try the Grados again.

(neither of the above quotes is from Head-Fi)

Here's a quote from Senn20 that the OP may find of interest :

The HD 600 is a full, warm, laid back headphone which contrary to popular belief CAN rock when fed the right music. It has a wide soundstage, great instrument separation, and is highly detailed even though the treble is not as exciting as that of headphones commonly thought of as such.

 

[jsplice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pp312 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Given the way we hear the same thing so differently ("I found it so bright I couldn't listen" --- "Yeah? Mine doesn't sound bright at all") I sometimes wonder why anyone visits these forums looking to know what to buy. I've had several 595s over the years, 120 and 50ohm, and found them the most balanced, even-tempered, just plain listenable phones I've ever heard, and I've heard heaps. Many if not most of the comments I read here about them (though not elsewhere, which is curious) bear no resemblance to what I hear---but then most of the commenmts I read about 880s, 702, AD700s etc bear no resemblance to what I heard from those phones either. Conclusion? Nothing really useful is to be gained from reading other people's opinions in terms of making buying decisions, however entertaining it might be.

I couldn't agree with this more. It really is a shame too, because not everyone has the ability to go to shops and hear every single set of headphones they are interested in. The next best thing would be to find a meet in your area, but I haven't come across any of them where I live.

 

[Sid-Fi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by estreeter /img/forum/go_quote.gif They also go into paroxysms of delight over the SR325i - it means nothing. Combined with Vinnie's experience with the Wadia and Onkyo iPod transports, kit that What Hi-Fi claimed couldnt better an entry-level CDP, I see the magazine as the audio equivalent of GQ - there are considerably better magazines and online sources for information. As for the HD595, I'm way past scoffing, but thats another thread in itself.

Well said. I couldn't agree more.

 

[MomijiTMO]

It would be nice if fanbois and anti-fanbois would keep their ugly faces from entering such threads. It does not help. If you want to come in and recommend your OMGWTFBBQ awesome <insert brand> <insert any model number> over anything else just because they are <insert brand> and therefore inherently better than other brands, take a dose of reality or bugger off.

I happen to think the 555 is a great phone, especially for those first stepping into the audio realm. I don't care if it has a narrower soundstage than a AD700. I don't care if the AD700 has lean bass. They are great performing phones for the price and neither is better than the other over all.

I really do like AKG yet didn't recommend the k702. Why? Too many people loathe it for it to be a safe option. There are a lot of people who also don't like the HD650 saying it has unnatural bass. HOWEVER, I honestly don't read too much into anyone else's opinion because as it has been stated in this thread, we have different ears, different musical tastes and different perceptions of what is 'ideal' in terms of sound. This means that what I find to have great mid bass could be far too much bass for your ears [or too little].

I still think forums like Head Fi are helpful at gathering contrasting opinions of headphone gear. No where is it mentioned that you must follow the crowd, yet people think it's all good to jump on the bandwagon and recommend or put down a product.

If pp312 has heard the headphones he mentions, then his opinion is noted. If eestreeter has a different opinion then it is also noted. It's not a pissing match. I don't think anyone needs to get flustered over headphones either =___=.

 

[mudhole]

Buy both used, then sell the one you dislike. You won't loss too much. or just keep both like me.

 

[rhythmdevils]

I just want to say that I think the new version of the HD650 is truly awesome. The HD650 was one of the first audiophile headphones I bought, and I've been trying to like them for 5 years. I recently bought them again for the 2nd time (I've also bought the HD600 3 times) and I now really like them. I'd say my tastes have evolved, but the phone has also improved.