[strato17]

I've been really thinking about getting the HD 598's for listening to music, watching movies, and playing video games.  My brother has an ATH-M50 and it sounds pretty awesome, but from what I was reading from other posts it seems like people are preferring the HD 598's.  However it has come up that they can sound slower when listening to fast music and the bass isn't what it should be.  Someone here posted the frequency vs. impedance chart and it has a big peak (about 275 dB) for 100 Hz, which I thought might explain the bass problem.  Yet people say it doesn't need an amp?  So I was wondering if the bass issue could be corrected with an e10 or something else portable?  Also I'm just getting into the audiophile thing and I'm not even sure if that graph means what I think it does.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

I've been really thinking about getting the HD 598's for listening to music, watching movies, and playing video games.  My brother has an ATH-M50 and it sounds pretty awesome, but from what I was reading from other posts it seems like people are preferring the HD 598's.  However it has come up that they can sound slower when listening to fast music and the bass isn't what it should be.  Someone here posted the frequency vs. impedance chart and it has a big peak (about 275 dB) for 100 Hz, which I thought might explain the bass problem.  Yet people say it doesn't need an amp?  So I was wondering if the bass issue could be corrected with an e10 or something else portable?  Also I'm just getting into the audiophile thing and I'm not even sure if that graph means what I think it does.

I've never used the ATH-M50 or HD-598 (just the HD-558s).
I'm guessing the ATH-M50 will have a fuller bass (thump), but the HD-598 does everything else better.
I've believe the ATH-M50 is great for music, but not really surround sound headphones for gaming.
I do not believe any headphone amplifier would add more thump to the HD-598, but I'm sure a good headphone amplifier would help slightly with over all sound for the HD-598.
My two cents
 
 
 

 

[edikat]

You can buy a pair of 600's in excellent condition for around the same price of a pair of new 598's. Have you considered the 600 (and 580)?

 

[strato17]

Hmm I haven't actually.  I'm finding the 598's for around 170 on amazon, are the 600's that cheap?  Hah choosing headphones is ridiculously hard

 

[AudioLurker]

Don't know what edikat is smoking but HD 600s have never ever, even in their lowest trough, come below the $280-300 mark.  The Senn 598s max up around 250 but are usually within 170-180, though price volatility for them has been insane for some time.

 

[strato17]

Haha okay that's more in line with what I've been seeing.  I've been reading about these Fischer Audio FA-011's though drawing comparisons with the HD650 and costing only about $120?  It would seem like they would blow HD598's out of the water, but there aren't as many reviews for it as I'd like.  I'll just keep searching

 

[edikat]

 
 

Don't know what edikat is smoking but HD 600s have never ever, even in their lowest trough, come below the $280-300 mark.  The Senn 598s max up around 250 but are usually within 170-180, though price volatility for them has been insane for some time.

 
Possibly in the US yes, but in the UK 600's at the low end on eBay go for around £140-£160 (note I said 'excellent condition' = used), with new 598's going for not much cheaper.
 
So I stand by my argument that used 600's go for about the same price as new 598's 

 
Well at least in the UK....

 

[Peddler]

I used to have the Audio Technica ATH M50's and now have the 598 SR's and I have to say that the Sennheiser's do sound better. Being open, they don't have quite the same bass punch the M50s have but I think they cover the complete frequency range much better. I have also found that my LG V20 drives them to higher levels than the M50's - although in all fairness the impedance on the 598's is sufficiently high enough to trigger its high output mode.

I'm pleased I got them.