[sabehr]

Newbie Review:
i just got my senn hd497s in the mail. when i intially plugged them in they sounded like turd. after about an hour of breaking in they were really nice. in my opinion they are kind of weak on the mid and lowend side. for instance in the games love it or hate it. the bass sounds funny and kind of distorted. not much impact or extension either. same in jay z dirt off your shoulder. very detailed highs and not too bright. these headphones shine in most songs (mainly rock) but sometimes i feel let down.
btw they were driven either by my stock sound card or my ipod mini.

Overall not bad for 40 bucks shipped.

You guys think a better sound card would improve the bass quality?
Are there any better headphones in this price range? Or should I just save up and buy something expensive in the long run?

 

[Emon]

My HD497s after burn in sounded great. Give it at least a good 50 hours. I only got sufficient bass if I turned up the bass in my Audigy 2 volume control a few notches, I also usually kept the treble up like half a notch.

I found them great for all music genres, movies and games. They sounded best with classical though.

 

[SptsNaz]

I think the bass on my HD497 is more than adequate, with an amp of course. I cannot stand the lack of mids, however, that's why I don't listen to them very often. I think an amp will benefit them more than a new soundcard, since usually you'll need an amp to complement the new soundcard anyway. I think you should just save up for now

What soundcard do you have?

 

[sabehr]

not to familiar with the sound card.. i got a emachines t3092 so its integrated i think..
my video card on the other hand is dope.. nvidia 6600gt.. doom3 is awesome.
havent tried my senns with any video games yet.. ill let u guys know how it sounds.

 

[Natsuiro]

The 497s don't have that much bass so you may be happier getting the portpros (which sound like they have bass boost on) for types of music where you feel the 497s are lacking.

 

[SockMan!]

The only major issue that I had with my HD497s was that they were open cans. That's not really a bad thing, but it does make it less than ideal when used with a noisy computer. Also, the sides of the earcups tended to put pressure on the edge of my average-sized ears, which is not too comfortable for long listening sessions. Other than that, they make decent cheap entry-level headphones.

 

[Andrea]

The HD497 is great for its price... great 'audiophile quality' bass & treble; while the more you use it, the better, rounder and fuller, the midrange becomes.

 

[Emon]

The clamping pressure is easily solved by bending the headband outward, like on most headphones. Just because it's plastic doesn't mean it can't be cold bent. Just take it slow and coax it into bending, that's how I did mine. I got some paint chipping around the edges, but I could care less. They were actually quite comfortable after I made them my bitch, I mean got used to them. It also helps to keep the cups a little LOWER than what might feel "normal". They might touch the top of your ears at first, but after a few minutes to an hour you'll realize a lot of the clamping pressure isn't hurting. Was the same way on my HD414s...actually, sounds a little better too since the driver lines up with your ear a little more.

 

[individual6891]

I love my HD497s, but I decided to make a custom cable for them to see any differences. Using starquad / neutrik connectors the sound seems to have become a lot more clear. Also the cable's about 10 times more durable than the thin piece of wire of the stock cable.

 

[arspy87]

This is all in my opinion, of course. YMMV.

I found the bass on my HD497s to be more on the "boomy" side rather than punchy and extended; however, it's still quite good for the price. I'm surprised at how good the highs are - there's a good amount of detail and usually isn't too fatiguing. The midrange does seem a little recessed, but it seems to have improved after some burn-in/adjustment.

 

[odaen]

I actually just bought the HD 497s about a week ago.

First pair of 'audiophile headpones' and I'm impressed. They just sound so damn clean. Before listening to my Zen Micro>Ex-71s everything seemed to be totally muddy, but these are so damn easy to listen too. I havn't burned them in yet either. About listened to 8 hours of music worth.

One thing I'm having problems with is the way they sit on my ears. I've got it so the back of my ear sort of goes inside and seals on the inside edge of the pleather. Then my earlobe rests underneath. Kinda hard to describe but it gives the best fit I have yet.

One thing I will say is that I don't like the cable that comes with it. It's too short and it looks cheap and tacky

Source is the front panel of a 'Creative Live Platinum' using kX drivers through the headphone jack. This is playing of foobar2000 with Kernel Streaming.

Edit: I just realised I have the exact same setup as a couple of users with regards to the headphones used. Maybe its cause these are so easy to get in the UK.

Further edit: How much does the Cmoy help with the Ex-71's sound? Would the battery last long enough to travel to Manchester for Uni and back with a bit more for when I get bored?

 

[arspy87]

Does anyone know if the cable plugs (the ones that go into the earcups) are standard? Would love to do a DIY cable

 

[odaen]

Wierd, I just made a post and it didn't show up. O.o

Edit: Resolved, remember to switch to linear view. Damn hybrid BBS

 

[zaack]

@ individual6891

IS THAT HEAT-SHRINK TUBING USED AS SLEEVING??
just curious..
(since i tried that and i ended up with a pretty tough [to kink, bend] cable.)

 

[sabehr]

the 497 arent the most comfortable in the world. last night before i went to bed my right ear was hurting like hell. i have relatively small ears as well. i went to an apple store today so i could compare my headphones to their bose's. the 497 destroy the triports in every way. not too sure about the quiet comfort 2's though.. those things are super comfortable. like pillows on your ears. sound wise nothing constitute the 300 dollar price of the qc2's though.