[Anaxilus]

Quote:

I'm thinking of getting these, I'm looking for something with more bass and less highs than my SR-80s, and with less boom-boom and more air than my AKG K81 DJ. I really like the warmth of the AKG. I would be using these for folk, black, and doom metal(think Burzum, Korpiklaani, and Electric Wizard). Should I go for them? or the 558 maybe? I was considering Denon's D2000s but I think they may still be boomier than I am looking for.
EDIT: I know these aren't considered metal cans, but I want something that lets me listen to my dark ambient music(think Lustmord), and my techno(Infected Mushroom, and Mistabishi), they seem like good all rounders.

For air, separation, soundstage width the 598 reigns.  If you want more warmth, less highs (though neither 558/598 has objectionable or Grado like highs) for black/doom metal I would go with the 558.  Plus it looks waaaay better than the 598.  the bass on both should be to your liking.    

 

[pp312]

Let's all have a dremel. Here's to you, me lad!

 
Quote:

  The 558 is just more mid forward in presentation and intimate and won't change w/o a dremel me thinks.

 

[Blindness]

Well I have the HD598 and I do listen to a lot of metal and have to say they're really good for it. I can't really complain on any part, the bass is powerful and well controlled but not overpresented, so you get weighty kicks while still being able to hear the rest. Mids are probably my favourite on these headphones, both electric and acoustic guitars sound beautiful, also it manages to reproduces all kinds of vocals (clean/harsh female/male) very well. No problem on the high end of the spectrum, cymbals sound very realistic, not the annoying type.
 
None of the music you mentioned is really the audiophile type, especially not Burzum, but I really love it on the 598 and actually managed to discovery some new details, like there's a quiet drumming in the song Tomhet from the very beginning. Yeah, I mentioned Tomhet for a reason, these kind of ambient stuff goes hand in hand with these cans, since they have huge and totally three dimensional soundstage thus the music surrounds you proving a truly transcendental listen. All kind of ambient is a great match, black ambient like Burzum, Lustre, dark ambient like Lustmord or Kammarheit or the more neo-folkish acoustic/post-rock ones like Ulver, Vali and Kauan. I also like the "standard" black metal on these, I was really amazed when first listened the album Nattens Madrigal, I never though instruments could be separated so well in such a recording. As others said the 598 is very musical and a fun listen so folk is very engaging and uplifting on it. You might not get all the details here, but it will make you happy and I think that's what people expect from folk metal. Doom also sounds as it should heavy and desperate, due to the described bass (and low mids), I really like the kicks in Candlemass and vocals in Acid Witch with with these phones.
 
As you can see I'm totally positive on the 598, but to be fair here are some cons: Probably not the best price/value ratio, you could get more analytical headphones for this money, and they may crack, though warranty covers that.
 
(Sorry for my bad wording and grammar mistakes, I'm a bit tired.)
 
 
Quote:

I'm thinking of getting these, I'm looking for something with more bass and less highs than my SR-80s, and with less boom-boom and more air than my AKG K81 DJ. I really like the warmth of the AKG. I would be using these for folk, black, and doom metal(think Burzum, Korpiklaani, and Electric Wizard). Should I go for them? or the 558 maybe? I was considering Denon's D2000s but I think they may still be boomier than I am looking for.
EDIT: I know these aren't considered metal cans, but I want something that lets me listen to my dark ambient music(think Lustmord), and my techno(Infected Mushroom, and Mistabishi), they seem like good all rounders.

 

[MohawkUS]

Thank you for that review Blindness, you just described my perfect headphone, still I don't know whether or not to grab the 598 or the 558. I don't think I'm going to need my Grados anymore.

 

[WhiteCrow]

Well I think I'm going to sell my grados for some 558's

 

[clamp2]

I had a modded Sennheisser HD 555 and had a weak bass and the soundstage quite small, really they improve the previous ones?

 

[spaceconvoy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anaxilus /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
For air, separation, soundstage width the 598 reigns.  If you want more warmth, less highs (though neither 558/598 has objectionable or Grado like highs) for black/doom metal I would go with the 558.  Plus it looks waaaay better than the 598.  the bass on both should be to your liking.    

Thanks for the comparison... I just pulled the trigger on the 558, and every time I feel upgrade-itis pushing me towards the 598, I'll have to remember to read your post again.

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

I had a modded Sennheisser HD 555 and had a weak bass and the soundstage quite small, really they improve the previous ones?

Yes!  To my ears definitely.  I'm no Sennheiser fanboy, believe me.  It's not M50 or HFI 580 bass but it's present, balanced, punchy, not laid back like the 555.  If you want wide SS the 598 is the way to go.  Some of the widest I've heard but not too unnatural or artificial like most wide SS's I've heard which usually puts me off in favor of more intimate phones.  

 

[Kwijibro]

Does anybody know of a good place to find them for cheaper than the $250 I see everywhere?
 
Thanks in advance. =]

 

[tdockweiler]

I'd suggest calling JR.com and asking if they have any sales on the HD-598. You have to call them. I did this and they were able to sell me the HD-598 for around $175 I believe it was. I even got next day delivery for $14.

 
Quote:

Does anybody know of a good place to find them for cheaper than the $250 I see everywhere?
 
Thanks in advance. =]

 

[MRiNiCK]

 
Quote:

Well I have the HD598 and I do listen to a lot of metal and have to say they're really good for it. I can't really complain on any part, the bass is powerful and well controlled but not overpresented, so you get weighty kicks while still being able to hear the rest. Mids are probably my favourite on these headphones, both electric and acoustic guitars sound beautiful, also it manages to reproduces all kinds of vocals (clean/harsh female/male) very well. No problem on the high end of the spectrum, cymbals sound very realistic, not the annoying type.
 
None of the music you mentioned is really the audiophile type, especially not Burzum, but I really love it on the 598 and actually managed to discovery some new details, like there's a quiet drumming in the song Tomhet from the very beginning. Yeah, I mentioned Tomhet for a reason, these kind of ambient stuff goes hand in hand with these cans, since they have huge and totally three dimensional soundstage thus the music surrounds you proving a truly transcendental listen. All kind of ambient is a great match, black ambient like Burzum, Lustre, dark ambient like Lustmord or Kammarheit or the more neo-folkish acoustic/post-rock ones like Ulver, Vali and Kauan. I also like the "standard" black metal on these, I was really amazed when first listened the album Nattens Madrigal, I never though instruments could be separated so well in such a recording. As others said the 598 is very musical and a fun listen so folk is very engaging and uplifting on it. You might not get all the details here, but it will make you happy and I think that's what people expect from folk metal. Doom also sounds as it should heavy and desperate, due to the described bass (and low mids), I really like the kicks in Candlemass and vocals in Acid Witch with with these phones.
 
As you can see I'm totally positive on the 598, but to be fair here are some cons: Probably not the best price/value ratio, you could get more analytical headphones for this money, and they may crack, though warranty covers that.
 
(Sorry for my bad wording and grammar mistakes, I'm a bit tired.)
 
 

Had mine crack on the side. And waiting for sennheiser to fix it or give me a new one

 

[Kwijibro]

 
Quote:

I'd suggest calling JR.com and asking if they have any sales on the HD-598. You have to call them. I did this and they were able to sell me the HD-598 for around $175 I believe it was. I even got next day delivery for $14.

 

 

Thanks! I'll give that a shot.

 

[MohawkUS]

I'm going to have to run these unamped for a month or two while I'm waiting for my motherboard to come back from an RMA(My dad won't let me install my Essence STX in his computer), Will the 598 sound good enough unamped to beat out the AKG K81 DJ I am using right now, or should I just wait until I have my computer back up and running? I'm on whatever onboard sound Acer uses in their Core 2 Quad computers(not a laptop).

 

[Rudolfs]

After some hesitation I ordered HD 598.
Spent a week with them, returning today.
HD 598 are 'nice' looking, they sound better than Koss PortaPro and, while unamped, they are at least as good as any phones I have. When amped, HD 598 are even better, and clearly better than my lesser phones. They are possibly on a par with DT 770 Pro (250), but still nowhere near K 701 or DT 880/600('05). But of course you cannot really use the last three unamped at all.
So HD 598 are really good unamped and still better when amped. As such they have an obvious niche.
The downside is that unamped they are not considerably better than old HD 515. Or Sony V6. Different, somewhat better, but not worth the outlay. Amped HD 598 are better than those two, but I already have headphones which I like considerably better when amped.
 
To characterise the sound, I would say they are kind of bland. V6 are in your face, 701 are larger than life, 880 are like a scalpel, 515 cause a nervous tic, PortaPro are nicely booming, 770 more so. 598 are covering everything in a fondant. When you listen carefully, everything is there - but under the fondant. Sweet, smooth, nice and polite. This might pass for 'neutral', but I rather feel that it is a clever cheat, since V6, 880, 701 and even 770 are revealing much more. 598 just did not involve me. Everything was passable, but nothing was exciting.
 
Moreover, apart from the grilles and cable, the build quality of HD 515 and 598 is substantially the same. All main elements are made of the same type of plastic. OK, HD 598 have metal grilles, I give them that, but that's about it. Who on Earth cares for fake wood and pleather and/or leatherette?? I did not mind the colour scheme, but given the materials it is not stylish, but rather tacky. And just try to extrapolate the traces of wear of HD 515 (or 555 or 595 for that) on creamy HD 598, - they do not develop patina, they start looking shabby in a year or two.
Finally, one of the reasons for new headphones was to use them with MP3 language course material - and for speech I actually prefer HD 515. So HD 515 and possibly PortaPro will have to do as the language course "workhorse".
However, I kind of enjoyed Senn sound, so I am getting HD 600 while I can (Amazon.fr for me).

 

[saisunil]

I had them for a week as well and are no where near the sound quality of AKG701 - not transparent enough - bass was wooly - was good sounding only with poor quality mp3. For lossless acoustic instruments and soundstaging it really fell short - I would pick up ATM50 over these anyday ...
 
I am sharing my impressions cause I bought them after reading glowing reviews by folks including Jude ... this phone just did not do it for any purpose - not for the money and not for the sound quality ... I have better choices for listening to MP3 and so many IEMs can do a better job for the same price ...
 
Cheers
Sunil.