[tone]

I just received a pair of hd-600 headphones and my first impressions aren't all that great. i've been comparing them to my dt831 with a mg head otl and i must say that the dt831s headphones are much much better with horns and flutes as well as seeming to be more airy than the hd600.

the hd 600 definetly has better low end (which the dt831 lacks altogether) but notes seemed smeared on the hd600 especially the horns and flutes. the hd600s seem to lack the treble extension of the dt831. the dt831 just seems to be better focused when it comes to airy trebly music although this seems to be a detriment when playing hard rock because the dt831 starts to sizzle my ear drums!

do the hd600s open up substantially when they are burned in? i hope so! luckily i know a guy at work who wants to buy the hd600s from me but i want to wait until i can try out the hd600s with the audiovalve rkv i have on order.

how do the ety's sound compare to the dt831 and the hd600s? do they have the treble extension of the dt831 and the low end of the hd600s? do the etys sound as good with horns as the dt831 does?

 

[lextek]

I see in your profile you have a MG OTL. Which output are you using? And what is the switch postion? Also what are you running for tubes? When I had the MG I didn't think too, much of the OTL jack. And I think I had the switch set to OTL? (negative feedback) I'm not sure.

 

[tone]

Hi Lextek,

I using a 5751 rca tube with a pair of jj el84s. i always use the transformer socket with the feedback swith in the on position. i'm using a sony scd-sc222es cd player with outlaw cables (i should update my profile).

the otl jack didnt' sound all that great to me either. it had more bass but it was sloppy.

 

[Ebonyks]

Tone, while it costs a good bit more, getting the cardas cable for the HD-600's really opens up the high-end of them, and seem to provide the sound you're looking for

 

[FCJ]

The sound of the 600s should open up and change substantially with burn in (this is true of most, if not all, phones). I'd give them a second chance. The Cardas cable also makes a hugh difference.

 

[MacDEF]

The problem is that you're listening to two headphones with VERY different sounds. The DT831 are a bit bright and lacking in the bass. The HD 600 (stock) have good bass and mids but are a bit recessed in the treble. If you're used to the DT831, the HD 600 won't sound right

 

[tone]

I'll definetly give the hd600s a chance to burn in but my first impressions weren't all that great. i'm gonna hold off on getting $150 cardas cables until i can break the hd600s in and listen to them thru an rkv.

when i listen to brass, woodwinds, and flutes on the dt831 my jaw just drops, its that good. i just don't get that same effect with the hd600s right now but they do have good low end. maybe the hd600s are to recessed sounding for me but i'm going to give them a chance before i sell them.

 

[tone]

I remember reading about somebody improving sound of the hd600 by taking off the ear foam pads. i tried that and boy what a difference. instead of sounding like your in the backrow of a concert your somewhere near the front/middle (with the dt831 you are right next to the singer).

the foam thingees were acting like treble filters and murking things up. i'm liking the sound much better now. i can't wait till they break in, if they can match the detail of the dt831 i'll be extremely pleased.

 

[ricks584]

FCJ is right. Keep a steady signal going through the phones to burn them in asap. But give them at least a couple days, maybe more, of continuous break in before selling them!!

 

[Fadamacka]

Quote:

Originally posted by tone I remember reading about somebody improving sound of the hd600 by taking off the ear foam pads. i tried that and boy what a difference. instead of sounding like your in the backrow of a concert your somewhere near the front/middle (with the dt831 you are right next to the singer). the foam thingees were acting like treble filters and murking things up. i'm liking the sound much better now. i can't wait till they break in, if they can match the detail of the dt831 i'll be extremely pleased.

It sounds like youre in the market for a pair of Grados, and not senns...

 

[acs236]

I wonder if I should try taking the foam pads out of my 580s. Are they there for comfort or to protect the drivers?

 

[TaffyGuy]

wow so many posts today of bright can lovers, and i've never heard a pair labeled as such... makes me wonder how i'd react.

you wanted a comparison with the ety's. i've never heard phones with better soundstage than the HD600's but the ER4S undoubtably have more detail and sound much less muddied up in the middle (although when i listen to the senns they don't actually strike me as muddy in the least) but the clarity is definately superior.

i want to build an amp with crossfeed for the ety's though, i think that would help the soundstage sound as natural as the details... which is where the senns perhaps have an advantage?

(these are my only 2 phones, and i'm not big in the amp section yet, so take it with a grain of salt)

 

[tone]

hey acs236 i assume that the foam is there to protect the drivers from dust+hair. i guess you just have to make sure that blow out the lint every now and then.

TaffyGuy,
you mentioned superior detail but are you satisfied with the ety's bass extension and treble extension compared to the hd-600s? is it a balanced sound?

any grado lovers out there that care to recommend a headphone?

 

[FCJ]

Quote:

Originally posted by tone y, you mentioned superior detail but are you satisfied with the ety's bass extension and treble extension compared to the hd-600s? is it a balanced sound?

I own both, and both are satisfying. Ety's bass extension is different, but it's there and seemingly more real. Top end isn't exaggerated, and again it seems more real. If there was one word that I was looking for to describe Etys, it would be real (if I had to choose a second, it would be accurate).

You can't go wrong with either. Give those 600s some more time. . . .

 

[TaffyGuy]

yes the bass is definately different. with the ety's i'd consider what most people call the "break in" period the "getting used to it" period. You don't get the kind of slam that the HD600's produced (never realized how much they produced 'till it was gone) but what happens is that you seemingly can hear the whole spectrum with insane clarity. Some bright lovers like yourself actually like the ER4B, my theory is because the chart has a straighter line, or just to be cool and different (

) but hey you might want to give it a try. I don't find it lacking in the highs at all. my favorite thing to listen to so far on the etys is acoustic strings, esp. guitar/mandolin. so incredibly crisp its indescribable.

I generally prefer electronic and bass heavy music on the Senn's, and for that reason i'm anxious to try out other brands such as grado's to see what else is out there... i think i've got some akg501's on the way, perhaps that'll give a new perspective still.