[iJimmy]

Hey guys,
 
I basically have the choice of these two. I already own Monster Miles Davis Tributes. They sound great, but sometimes the bass is too much. I'm looking for something more balanced I can use at home. Has anyone compared these two? Which one is better, in your opinion. I could sell the MMDT too and buy both, but then the ATH-M50 would have to serve as portable. I tend to listen to (Instrumental) Rock, Classical, some Pop.
 
Thanks!
Jimmy

 

[danphan]

I too have the ATH-M50's and am interested in the Sennheiser HD598 (never tried). 
 
I liked the M50's alot but am deciding to sell them because they hurt my head after a few hours of use. I'm starting to discover that I'm not a big fan of on-ears. I also am in current possession of Bose QC15s and B&W P5s. Of the 3 the M50's sound the best but are the least comfortable. 
 
I'll keep an eye on this thread to see what people say about the HD598s. I love the style and they look very comfortable =)

 

[MegaMushroom]

I've heard that the M50s tend to be more bass oriented.  Can't vouch for them though... I can vouch for the 598s on the other hand.  Great, super comfy headphones, and yes... the cracking issues has been solved.  
 
Two things to keep in mind.
1) The M50s are closed headphones which will probably congest the sound stage quite a bit.  This should give them decent isolation vs an open can which brings me to...
2) The 598s are open cans giving them a nice airy sound.  Imagine sitting in an open venue at a concert.  They will leak sound like mad, so these are limited to home use.  Unless you don't care if other hear your musical tastes.  The bass slam isn't what I'd call tooth rattling, but it is there... Provided you can amp them a bit.
 
Both pairs seem to be highly regarded in head-fi, and I doubt you would be unhappy with either choice.

 

[viralcow]

IMO the 598's sound clearly better than the M50s. Neutral, laid back sound, wider soundstage, smoother mids and highs. And also more comfortable. For me the M50s hurt after about 3 hours of use.

 

[ssrock64]

For home use, there's no contest. The Sennheiser's are so much smoother and more spacious than the ATH-M50, and jive better with more genres.

 

[islewind]

I personally prefer the 598, but these two phones have very different characters - you really should listen to them yourself. I'd probably pick the M50 if I was focused on harder-driving, more dynamic and robust music, but the 598 for anything more nuanced and definitely for more varied listening.

 

[Emospence]

They're so different!
 
HD598 is a little more amp-dependent..
 
Pure technical ability I would say the Senns are just a hair better.

 

[iJimmy]

I forgot to say that comfort really matters to me, because when I'm home, I want to listen for hours. So, should I go for the HD598?
 
Thanks!
Jimmy

 

[ssrock64]

Quote:

I forgot to say that comfort really matters to me, because when I'm home, I want to listen for hours. So, should I go for the HD598?
 
Thanks!
Jimmy

Definitely. The Sennheiser HD5xx-8xx series headphones are some of the most comfortable cans on the market, whereas the ATH-M50 is cramped and clampy.

 

[291079]

Quote:

I forgot to say that comfort really matters to me, because when I'm home, I want to listen for hours. So, should I go for the HD598?
 
Thanks!
Jimmy

 
yes, hd598s are more comfy. not to say that in warm weather you'd prob sweat with the m50s.
 
though as some have pointed out, the hd598s are more amp dependent.

 

[BlancoTheBull]

I own the Senns (never listened to M50). HD598 sound great (after burn in) and are extremely comfy. I use them for hours without (consiously) noticing there on my head. 
I do use them with a Fiio E17, so that will make it sound better. I would strongly recommend that if you have the money buy a dac/amp combo. It will make a big difference (atleast in my case).

 

[Rekoj]

  I too have the ATH-M50's and am interested in the Sennheiser HD598 (never tried). 
 
I liked the M50's alot but am deciding to sell them because they hurt my head after a few hours of use. I'm starting to discover that I'm not a big fan of on-ears. I also am in current possession of Bose QC15s and B&W P5s. Of the 3 the M50's sound the best but are the least comfortable. 
 
I'll keep an eye on this thread to see what people say about the HD598s. I love the style and they look very comfortable =)

I also own the ATH-M50's and have used them for well over a year now. I definitely understand what you mean about them being uncomfortable wear after a few hours of use the same thing happened to me. The M50's as is have too much clamp out of the box. But a few months ago I used the stretch mod and it completely alleviated the problem.
 
Mad Lust Envy has a guide about stretching out the M50's and it works. I had some doubts about the headphones being able to bend that far without breaking, but as long as you take it slow it absolutely does work. For added measure, I also used the original box the M50's came in to hold the headphones apart over night and it worked as well.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/493838/stretching-your-m50s-for-less-clamp-and-much-more-comfort

 

[Koolpep]

Hi!
 
I have both, the ATH-M50 and the HD598. 
 
Very different beasts indeed. Am not selling any of these two. If I could have only two headphones, I guess these two would be it. Get a Schiit Asgard or Magni and you are done. Pure bliss. 
 
However the sound signature is different. As previous posters already mentioned, soundstage and vocal performance is HD598 area, EDM is M50. From a comfort perspective there is no challenge, the HD598 is the most comfortable of the two by a long stretch.
 
Go for it. The Schiit amps are made with the Senns in mind, so they complement them. 
 
Cheers,
K

 

[Wrigley12345]

Conveniently I just happen to own both so here I go:

The Senns are much more comfortable than the m50s. But are strictly not portable. The build quality is a bit better on the Senns but it is also pretty good on the m50s. As for sound, the 598's have much clearer highs and mids than the m50s. But as far as bass goes, the Senns have punchy bass, but the m50s have more bass and it sounds similar. As for soundstage, the 598s blow the m50s out of the water, because of their open back design.

I usually use the m50s on the way to middle school. They actually are pretty portable and isolate and don't leak that much. I perfer them for when I listen to electro house, chillstep, and dubstep.

On the other hand, I use my 598's when im at home because they sound AWESOME. I primarily use them when I listen to ambient, jazz, Indie Electro ect. ( the genres that make the highs a bit more important).

I hope this helped you!

 

[HeadFiCart]

I own both.  Had ATH-M50's for 3 years.  Got Sennheiser HD598's last week.
 
Here's my in-depth but accessible comparison.
 
Balance
 
M50's emphasize high and low notes more than mids, but is still balanced compared to most headphones.  
HD598's are more balanced than the M50's though, and it gives me the quality mid notes I never got with M50's.
 
Bass
 
M50's bass punches right at you.  598's are great on bass too but in a different way.  Moreso, the bass gently
surrounds you.  It's every bit at noticeable with the 598's, but not so much in your face.
 
Noise
 
M50's cancel external noise very well.  598's do not cancel noise unless volume is high.  M50's are very tight
and don't leak out much sound.  598's leak out a lot of sound if the volume is high, but mid to low should be fine.
 
Volume
 
Totally subjective, but I find M50's at their best when you play a song full blast and go nuts.  With HD 598's,
less is more.  Often times, the most enjoyment I have with the HD 598's is mid-volume, but both are fine
at any volume.  ATH-M50's can reach a higher maximum volume though.
 
Comfort
 
ATH-M50's can get uncomfortable if you're using them for more than an hour.  
Even if you get custom pads for M50's ,598's are much more comfortable. 
M50's are smaller and clamp to your head.
598's are bigger and they firmly rest on it.
M50's put more pressure on ears - less on head.
598's put more pressure on head - less on ears
 
Design
 
M50's fold, bend and contort in different directions.  HD 598's don't, but they 
still fit me very well (and I have a George Lopez sized head).  
598's have WAYYY better earpads though.
 
Portability
 
M50's are better for traveling.  They fold, come with a leather pouch, cancel noise and don't leak sound.
598's are better for home use, but I'd still take them with me when I'm out to certain places.
 
Music
 
M50's are good for loud angry adrenaline pumping music like "Black Skinhead" by Kanye West.  HD 598's
are great for more soothing but still vigorous music like "Someone Like You" by Adele.  M50's can play
any song well.  HD 598's lacks that hardcore edge so some songs lack the emotional heft, but when you
find the songs that are right for the 598's you'll discover a totally new side of them.
 
Sense of Direction
 
M50's send the sound directly to your ear, like an IV injection.  Straight-forward.  Intense.  598's give more
of a surround-sound arena hall kind of effect.  Each have their merits.
 
Art Direction
 
M50's are dark mechanical industrial.  598's are warm and inviting.  They both sound like what they look like.
The 598's look and feel just like I imagined them in the picture.  I don't find M50's as good in that department
but they're still kinda stylish.
 
Sound Quality
 
I'd probably say the 598's does a little bit better job at conveying every single note and instrument.
Maybe 598's are better in sound quality overall.  Maybe not.  But the closed vs open feel of the
cans have a WAY bigger influence on your experience than the difference in the speakers themselves.
 
Accuracy
 
I'm treading into controversial grounds by saying which pair is truer to the artist's work.  598's are probably
more accurate in terms of the notes, balance and what instruments you hear.  But the airy nature of them
kind of elevates and livens up the sound.  It adds personality.  The M50's are more cut-and-dry like drinking
coffee with no milk.
 
Which is better?
 
Both have their individual strengths.  Both are different experiences.  There's a genuine reason to own both.
I personally prefer the 598's overall, but there are some things that the M50's do that the 598's simply cannot.
 
Recommendation
 
Both are great headphones that I highly recommend.  You win either way.  
For a first purchase, ATH-M50's are probably better because of the privacy and portability.
However, if you already have the ATH-M50's, you absolutely must buy the 598's.  They're great.