[kurtzi]

Some days ago, after reading some posts here, I was in the store to try the Senn HD228. There was one for display and a HD238 next to it. I asked the store guy to try both and he let me, with a sony CD player + Yamaha amp set, playng some Diana Krall CD. I ended up buying the HD238, they were only 10 Euros more, and now I could not be happier.
A little thing that disappointed me a bit is the build quality. This HP does not give me the feeling that they won't brake under some abuse, especially the cable is really thin. But I won't use them for portable, so I think this maybe will not be an issue.

As for the sound, I really like this little headphone, taking price in consideration too. They have a warm, liquid tonality that is never fatiguing, they perform good with all genres and very good with some. Instruments separation is great and so is clarity. The bass is strong, but not to the point that it covers the other frequencies and only the mids are a little recessed, but still smooth sounding.
Here are some listening impressions (that do not pretend to be technical at all) and some PX100 comparisons.
All listenings have been made on a home desktop pc, with Samsung TS55 CD reader, Foobar2000 and a Terratec Aureon 5.1 USB Sound Card with Asio drivers. Burn in is at about 45-50 hrs.

Metal (mp3 320k CBR):
Dream theater - The count of Tuscany
Lamb Of God - Set to fail
Fleshcut - Torture basement

Good results from HD238 in the metal departement, especially with Dream theater track (there is a section at about 14 min. of keyboards only, and I was completely immersed in the music...) lots of details here, with a smooth, warm sound and wide soundstage. There are some traces of sibilance in the voice, but I think this is due to the recording and not a headphone fault. On Lamb Of God modern thrash the mids sound a bit recessed, but the song has the right punch. Torture basement is a death metal song, not too fast, but with a distorted and heavily downtuned riff: HD 238 performed well, but for this I still prefer my modded HD437, which gives a more aggressive guitar sound and texture and less darkness, at the expense of some details. PX100 is not even close in an AB test: muddy, darker and with a lot less separation.

Trance/Breakbeat (mp3 320k CBR)
The Prodigy - Firestarter
Armin Van Buuren - In and out of love

Not a big fan, but this is where I like HD238 the less. The warm, liquid, open sound has just not enough energy IMO. Not that they sound bad: details, separation and soundstage are still present, but my modded HD437 simply have that pneumatic drill factor that rocks with these tracks. Px100 and HD238 are in the same league here, the px loses something in the mid/bass zone (as they tend to blend together) and details.

Classical (CDDA)
Bruckner - Symphony n.5, 3rd movement
Beethoven - symphony n.3 Opus 55, 1st movement

Really good performance with classical. I especially liked Bruckner track, with a lot of impact in the more energetic parts, and still a good resolution/detailed sound in the quiet moments. PX 100 still performs good with classical music, but the overall tonal balance is for a darker and less wider sound. I think that classical lovers will not be disappointed by hd238 performance.

Jazz/Acid Jazz (CDDA)
Miles Davis - Basin street blues
The James Taylor Quartet - Wait a minute

This is where HD238 shines IMO. I was really impressed, Miles' trumpet sounds warm and textured, like it's in front of you. The bass is deep and the soundstage is very good, I was able to pick any instrument from the others. James Taylor track is even better, with a clean, clear and lively sound, very good instruments separation and that warm, liquid sound that makes the track run so smooth... Px100 is good too here, but in an AB test sounds too muffled, really not so lively and less balanced, with the mids being too much recessed, some harshness in the trebles and once again bass and mid bass that tend to blend together.


All in all I think that it's really worth the upgrade from px100, HD238 is becoming my main favourite home headphone. As a side note, this can is a little harder to drive than px100, but not by much. On my Terratec they run fast at 25-35% of volume. For comparision, i'd say they are a little easier to drive than my AKG k141 Studio (55ohm)

Hope you enjoy (and sorry for the long post and bad english)

Cheers
K

 

[violeta88]

Thanks for the great review, I now feel much better about the HD238's that I bought, which are arriving in the mail in a few days. I had seen reviews on how they are as portable cans, but not one with home equipment (I'll be using them for both as they are replacing a 3 yr old pair of HD595's that have seen better days, and a recently sold pair of AKG K601's). BTW, your English is actually much better than most of the posts I see on this forum, so there is no need for you to apologize for it.

Thanks again for the great review!

--Eric

 

[priest]

Great review. Thanks. These little headphones are moving up really quickly on my to-buy list. I bought the HD 228 and love the way they sound, but more important, the way they fit. Going back to the PX 100 from the HD 238, the PX 100 never really feel like they are on my ears right. So while I originally thought there was no reason to get the HD 238 if I have the PX 100, I am starting to think otherwise. Cheers!

 

[subseasniper]

Oh man, how gutted am I. The latest Amazon Vine had these cans but I never got to it in time, missed them. They also had the 228's and those new Custompaq IEM's but they were all gone. Dammit.

Really fancied those 238's they look nice.

 

[kurtzi]

Thanks to all for the compliments about the review! Really, I'm now in a sort of HD238 mania phase, I don't think px100 will get much more head-time...
Listening now while I'm typing to Liquid Tension Experiment first album is making me feel that I'm there with Jordan Rudess, and he is showing me how to play keyboards...

Cheers
K

 

[pekingduck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kurtzi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Some days ago, after reading some posts here, I was in the store to try the Senn HD228. There was one for display and a HD238 next to it. I asked the store guy to try both and he let me, with a sony CD player + Yamaha amp set, playng some Diana Krall CD. I ended up buying the HD238, they were only 10 Euros more, and now I could not be happier. ........ Hope you enjoy (and sorry for the long post and bad english) Cheers K

Hi Kurtzi,

Thanks for the review. I was looking for a pair of portable headphones mainly for classical music. It's good to hear that the HD238's work well with orchestral works (Bruckner and Beethoven are my favorite composers, by the way

)

I think I am going to get them this week

 

[vkvedam]

Thanks for posting your impressions.

 

[Azathoth]

Nice impressions dude, i'd have to agree with you that they excel with some specific metal genres (black, doom, and post-metal to be exact), where the added low-end and trademark Senn "dark" sig adds to the experience. Jazz fusion sounds great too, i've been listening to a good amount of Al DiMeola, Weather Report and Return To Forever on these.