[redsevn]

Yes, the HD25 is spectacular. It's super detailed. Really the only flaw is a small soundstage and slightly rolled off highs/lows.

 

[matto]

Ah okay thanks for that mate, if I do get them It'll be in like 2-3 weeks first purchase is the Klipsch Custom 3's then this =) I've got a HP Envy 14, sound wise it's a little on the warm side, compared to the Sony X series walkman and iPhone 4 the lows are a little boosted, I may get my self a Fiio E7 amp =)

 

[Kiwikat]

Welcome to the club! 

 
Do look into a copper replacement cable...

 

[matto]

Quote:

Welcome to the club! 

 
Do look into a copper replacement cable...

Are there any cheap ones readily available ?? if so could you link me to one?

 

[Guest5]

Quote:

Welcome to the club! 

 
Do look into a copper replacement cable...

 
Glad to be an addition to the club, these are quite the headphones, even better than my ER4s because of bass, the amazing drive and ease of use, they also have a kind of warm pouring sound signature, a bit dark maybe, really enjoyable.
 
I have an ambiguous feeling about the copper cable. I have read in some other topic that after a good brake in the original cable is still the best plus I really like the way the cables are attached to the headphones, it makes it look more practical and unusual. So I am going to keep my steel cable. I am fully pleased with the sound anyway.  

 
But on the velour pads I said a no go.  

 

[Guest5]

 
 
Oh My! 45 hours brake-in and they are opening up now and I mean it open up, not any other word. Just when I was amazed enough with them  they start sounding even better, effortless now that is. In the first day the sound was very clear and really phenomenal for my expectations. But highs were a bit harsh and overall sound felt a bit forced going through the drivers, well not anymore, believe it, or not. The punch and bass got a bit bigger as well. Highly Recommended headphones!!!! Although they are closed type they don't sound thin, or congested like usual ones, forget those, you'll have to try these! The best words to describe this small piece of gear is "Truly Remarkable!" And probably world's absolutely best portable headphone in this form factor. 

 
 
I'd like to add a couple of words about the famous bass of these headphones, it is very controlled, if it is not in the recording you will not hear it as if these have no bas at all, but then you say oh, there it is, wow that's good bass! Bass is just the amount it is dosed into recording, I can see now why HD 25-1 II are so good for monitoring. It is hard to believe in such small package such nice deep bass can exist. Bravo Sennheiser!  

 

[nauxolo]

The dazzling dependent sprouts into the outstanding joke.

 

[Guest5]

The isolation is very very good, almost the same as Etymotic er4s/p (sound wise they are as well closest to er4s from everything else I've auditioned), while wearing them you hear your breath inside and you can still hear something from outside, but the cord is not microphonic which is nice. Simply put the isolation is the same as when you shut your ear canals with some cutton pieces. I am so used to the Etymotic I have never mentioned anything about isolation. It is great! The other great thing is that they don't leak sound outside. Please believe me when I say I am in love with these just as I am with the Etymotic er4s. These are phenomenal and by that I only mean sound quality, everything else is a bonus. After long listening and brake-in I can say is: the drive is nothing short of amazing, the headphones grab you and make you go into the tune and with the tune, are very detailed, very precise and also very tight sounding, well balanced, are NOT airy though which I like immensely that's why I left for me the ER4S and sold the HD 600's. I also find them loud , to the extreme expressive... even more so after brake-in. And keeping all that in mind to think that this is a closed headphone is more than a bit unbelievable.       

 

[fcpchop88]

I love my hd25's too, I will second the idea of getting an amp to go with it. I have a Total Bithead that I think really opens up the headphones. I've gotten so used to listening to them amped, they just don't sound as good without one to me any more. I also bought the hd650 cable from the sennhesier site, figured it was less than 20 bucks so why not. After testing the two out I feel I like the 650's cable's sound better. They both sound great, but the 650's cable is just a bit better with more noticeable bass. Great pair of headphones, enjoy them.

 

[Guest5]

A really strange thing happening. Ok.. so out of interest I've plugged them into my ALC888 onboard audio(which on my MSI board is said to be very very good SQ wise(for onboard of course)) and was shocked out of my head. The onboard card doesn't drive them at all and I mean it, it's like a totally different headphone, cheap, thin, silent! See this.. Volume %100 everywhere and there is some to none bass and the sound is so tiny, also nowhere near good amount of loudness for normal listening. For a sec I thought something is broken, but then I realized it's not, it just doesn't drive them. So they are not equally easy to drive as it seems. The revolution 5.1 and E-MU 1616m drives them easily and there is so much power and meat, Revo 5.1 at %40-%50 and you feel the headphone as much as you can hear it, same goes for the e-mu . The onboard on the other hand is doing great with the PX100s and Porta Pros(which I use it with), at %50 they are really loud,  but with HD 25-1s it's a total disaster, I wonder why. I am thinking of buying a Zune for my outside listening, but I am going to check first if it is capable of delivering juice. It's really strange cause HD 25-1 II got 70 Ohm and 120db of sensitivity(isn't it?) and yet the onboard audio fails totally for delivering power to them. Why is that?  I mean the Porta Pro have 60Ohm yet they are loud with the onboard.       

 

[Guest5]

Quote:

I love my hd25's too, I will second the idea of getting an amp to go with it. I have a Total Bithead that I think really opens up the headphones. I've gotten so used to listening to them amped, they just don't sound as good without one to me any more. I also bought the hd650 cable from the sennhesier site, figured it was less than 20 bucks so why not. After testing the two out I feel I like the 650's cable's sound better. They both sound great, but the 650's cable is just a bit better with more noticeable bass. Great pair of headphones, enjoy them.

 
You're right. No one should get fooled by the specs of these headphones. So generally if you  want them to sound amazing, like a headphone that has great value you will need at least decent amping for it. And boy they really are amazing that is, everytime I put them on my head it's like the first time. I love Sennheiser for their products, oh well it's Germany so no doubt about quality to say the least, but these are really phenomenal. Too good for the price imo when you compare them overall to other headphones in this price range(I tried a couple of them at the store, I was going to buy The DT 770 Pros, but I didn't like them). I don't remember if I was so excited days later when I got the Er4S, the HD600 were meh, they were good, for Hi-Fi they are predictable enough. While the HD 25-1 II amaze me everytime I put them on. 

 

[Tordenskjold]

 
Edit: I discovered the thread about defoaming them, unfortunately noone has posted there since 2009, so here the question. As they seem to sound like crap without any foam - anyone ever thought of replacing the foam discs with some other material? Some kind of foam that is differently structured, so as to get better heights perhaps? Or thinning down the original one? 

 

[Guest5]

Quote:

 
Edit: I discovered the thread about defoaming them, unfortunately noone has posted there since 2009, so here the question. As they seem to sound like crap without any foam - anyone ever thought of replacing the foam discs with some other material? Some kind of foam that is differently structured, so as to get better heights perhaps? Or thinning down the original one? 

The foam discs make sure that HD 25-1 sound balanced as intended by the maker, making changes would alter the sound and I am not sure if that's good.  

 

[padam]

 
Quote:

Yes, the HD25 is spectacular. It's super detailed. Really the only flaw is a small soundstage and slightly rolled off highs/lows.

The HD250II sacrifices a bit of efficiency and portability (not foldable and a bit bigger) but it fixes all these problems. That said, a better source also improves upon all these things.

 

[talkinghead]

I ordered HD 25's too and they arrived today. I love the sound, but i have one really big problem with them:
Wearing them hurts, bad. Really bad.
In fact i've got a headache right now after listening for 2 hours. :/
Are there any more comfortable headphones with similar sound in this pricerange, or will i somehow adjust to the pressure from these phones?
 
Note: I wouldn't mind getting full-size headphones either, i just don't want to sacrifice sound quality...