[tbonner1]

I agree with the dialed back presentation comment between the 580 and 600.

Let's hope the D2000 does appear in the US soon, but I have found these delivery dates for hot new products tend to slip.

 

[jjhatfield]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spektrograf /img/forum/go_quote.gif jjhatfield, I ordered mine through Amazon Prime (gotta love the free 2-day shipping).

Wow, I didn't even know these were available in the US. I thought they had to be imported. I, too, am an amazon prime member, which makes resistance all the more futile.

Maybe in a few months....

 

[Spektrograf]

So, I received the D5000's in today... I thought I'd add some quick first impressions before I spend some time doing a more in-depth eval this weekend....

First off, I must say that they are very fine cans indeed. The overall sound quality is excellent. Also, for being closed cans, they provide very little isolation from the environment. I can easily hear everything that's going on in the office... it doesn't even reduce the very low hum of the fridge in the kitchen while I'm sitting in the living room... honestly, they might as well be open. Ambient attenuation is very poor, or rather, close to non-existent.

The imaging is more precise that my 580's. The detail presented is superb, if not a bit unreal. It's as if there's a high-shelf EQ around 10kHz. In fact, I tried adding up to a +10dB high-shelf @ 10kHz as a rough experiment. That's how much boost at that range it took to get the highs of the 580's to sound roughly similar in tonality. (note this was a 2 minute exercise, I didn't spend time to dial that in precisely)

The bass range is very full and extends deeper than my 580's, and isn't as dramatic as the Beyerdynamics DT770's. However, acoustic bass lines bloom disproportionately as they go lower in register (seemingly at ~80-100Hz). Rising bass lines recede disproportionately to the lower notes when the line crossing into the upper bass region.

Those two combined observations, make the presentation sound a bit "scooped" to me—accentuated airy highs and bloom in lower bass.

The overall subjective presentation is very relaxed and non-fatiguing, but detailed and precise. There's a certain midrange character/detail that seems attenuated around 3.5-4.0kHz... that contributes a bit to the "relaxed" character.

Definitely the best sound quality out of closed headphones I've had the pleasure to listen to—Senn HD25-1, Beyer DT250-80, Senn HD280, Senn EH250, AKG K271S, Beyer DT770. By far the closest in character to the Senn 580/600/650 line compared to those above that I've experienced, which is quite impressive.

SO... bearing that in mind, these are FANTASTIC headphones. Very enjoyable and pleasant to listen to. Those niggles I'm commenting on above are just that, details in the sound quality and presentation that I'm picking on. If you're reading this, and are wondering if they sound great....they sound great. You will enjoy them if you don't have anything else of this caliber to compare them to. You might even enjoy them if you haven't found satisfaction in what you have.

FOR ME, for five bills and in light of those details delineated above (especially the lack of ambient attenuation), I am currently inclined to send them back and wait patiently for the right closed cans to come along, however.... I haven't decided. Again, for me, the ambient attenuation is a BIG reason for having closed headphones, otherwise, my 580's do just fine leaking in the environment left and right.

I'll decide on it this weekend and post more.

 

[silverrain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jagathon /img/forum/go_quote.gif Congrats! I like your idea of comparing both 2000s and 5000s. By far the D2000's are my favorite headphones!

x2 here!

 

[iozz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spektrograf /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also, for being closed cans, they provide very little isolation from the environment. I can easily hear everything that's going on in the office... it doesn't even reduce the very low hum of the fridge in the kitchen while I'm sitting in the living room... honestly, they might as well be open. Ambient attenuation is very poor, or rather, close to non-existent.

Wow, I thought they'd provide a little more isolation

And compared to the DT770 on that point?

 

[naamanf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spektrograf /img/forum/go_quote.gif The bass range is very full and extends deeper than my 580's, and isn't as dramatic as the Beyerdynamics DT770's. However, acoustic bass lines bloom disproportionately as they go lower in register (seemingly at ~80-100Hz). Rising bass lines recede disproportionately to the lower notes when the line crossing into the upper bass region.

Thats the biggest problem I had with my D5ks when I first got them it. It does get better with time but doesn't go away completely. I think a lot of people mistook that peak in the upper bass range as deep bass.

 

[Jahn]

so it doesn't stop sound from coming in - but how is it with sound going out? that's the main reason i gotta use the DT770 some nights - they don't peep a note out to a sleeping baby!

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spektrograf /img/forum/go_quote.gif Definitely the best sound quality out of closed headphones I've had the pleasure to listen to—Senn HD25-1, Beyer DT250-80, Senn HD280, Senn EH250, AKG K251S, Beyer DT770.

What animal are those? Did you mean 271S?

 

[CooLBieRe]

enjoy

^ ^

 

[riceboy]

Thanks for your initial impressions. I too thought they would provide more isolation. It would interesting to hear what you think when you get them burned in more. Have fun

 

[Nebby]

from what I've experienced, the D5k's are not so good at keeping sound out, but do keep sound in relatively well. I'll do more testing when I'm back in Cali.

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn /img/forum/go_quote.gif so it doesn't stop sound from coming in - but how is it with sound going out? that's the main reason i gotta use the DT770 some nights - they don't peep a note out to a sleeping baby!

No issue with sound leaking out. It just doesn't isolate very well from external sound. Great night-time can.

 

[Spektrograf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT /img/forum/go_quote.gif What animal are those? Did you mean 271S?

Yep... corrected! Thanks, Andrew!

 

[Spektrograf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by riceboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for your initial impressions. I too thought they would provide more isolation. It would interesting to hear what you think when you get them burned in more. Have fun

They've been burning in for 14 hours today while I was at work (pink noise at moderately loud volume). The bass bloom is dramatically reduced (but still present) and the midrange detail has definitely snapped into focus. The attenuation I was experiencing last night (~3.5-4kHz) is now gone.

The presentation is now delicate and considerably balanced. The highs that was fairly pronounced (>10kHz) is now more tamed.

I'll keep them burning in through the week while I'm not listening to them... and report back in a bit.

 

[Spektrograf]

Well, now with about 50-ish hours of burn-in, they have evened out considerably since fresh-out-of-the-box. Most of the issues that I initially heard have gone away. The midrange detail is back and the gap is filled. The highs aren't so sizzle-y, and the bass bloat is quite mild now.

I'm listening to Diana Krall, "Live in Paris" right now. The presentation between the 580's and the D5000's is very similar (relative to all the different flavors of headphone sound presentation out there), except that the D5000's have a wider stage and image more precisely. Notes in the piano chords are more distinct rather than blended.

The difference between the 580's and D5000's is approximately the difference between sitting in a venue that is live in character or is using a brighter FOH speakers (D5000's) versus one that has more absorption or is using darker FOH speakers (580's).

To me, the 580's present a more natural image of a band on stage with this recording, while with the D5000's, members of the band are more spread apart and are given their own space on stage. Audience claps with the D5000's make it seem like I'm in a hall that is wider than long and that the stage is proportionately wide as well, with the band spread across the width. With the piano in the recording having been recorded with a wide stereo image, the piano seems to come across the entire stage with the D5000's, providing an exaggerated sense of imaging when listening to the spread between chords below middle C and the melody line drifting up a couple of octaves—a bit awkward if I'm listening critically. You still get that effect with the 580's, however, because the overall image is more narrow than the D5000's, the exaggeration doesn't stand out so much.

The "brightness" of the D5000's is only relative to the 580's. It's like the D5000's present the sound as recorded by the mic + a slight bit of acoustic absorption that you would naturally get in many venues vs. the 580's presenting the sound as you would experience more in an acoustic environment..... roughly.... since we all know that having a close-mic'd mix being pumped into our ears directly by drivers less than an inch away doesn't exactly reproduce an acoustic space most mixes were meant to live in. All that is to say that the D5000's aren't bright and the 580's aren't exactly dark. The difference is not as great as many other headphones out there. They both present recordings fairly evenly, with a different take in color.

Between wider stage and "brighter" presentation of the D5000's and the more "natural" presentation of the 580's. I prefer the 580's for small combo jazz recordings, though the D5000's are certainly enjoyable and "fun".

Shifting gears a bit to Tool, "Œnima - Forty Six & 2", what made the 580's relaxing for the Diana Krall recording puts it at a disadvantage when it comes to Tool. That natural, in-hall sound of the 580's is superseded by the D5000's presence when it comes to rock/metal. The mix comes alive. That wide stage and precision of imaging is fun and engaging (though it's so wide that it's still a bit disconcerting). It provides the presentation that makes headphone listening fun with this genre. All the precision with Diana Krall still makes the listening experience with Tool enjoyable.

With the D5000's, I am actually compelled to use Xin's crossfeed circuit—a feature I never use—for the first time. In fact, as I listen more to other material, I actually prefer the presentation with the crossfeed engaged.

I woke up this morning with the intention to listen critically to write this posting, wrap up the cans back into its original packaging and return 'em to Amazon. However, the multi-day burn-in has changed the character enough that I'm not so sure of that decision and may just keep 'em in the collection.

Ultimately, they don't isolate well, though they leak outwards only minimally. They are hands-down the most comfortable headphones I've ever put on my head! I've always been partial to the fit of the 580/600/650's on my head, but the D5000's just rest gently.

As for my pursuit for great closed cans that isolate well... I believe I'm just going to recable my HD25-1's. Having read a bunch of threads last night on recabling them, I tried my stock 580 cables on them and it's a dramatic difference—enough of a difference to take care of the most glaring issues that I have with them for the time being.

The D5000's present a very detailed, precise, balanced, and ultimately—enjoyable—headphone listening experience.

So, thank you to all of those who wrote all those detailed reviews and comparisons before me that led me to trying these out. That's the great thing about Head-fi.... all this sharing!! Cheers y'all!!