[TidesCAL]

So I ended up purchasing some HD497's from shacktown for 70 bucks cuz I didn't want to wait for another pair of headphones. Now, to me, out of the box, these felt pretty comfortable and sounded a bit muddy but otherwise were not half bad.

Although they sure look cheap and to me something that feels cheap isn't always what I want to spend my hard earned money on... Which got me thinking, "perhaps I should return these and just pay an extra 80bucks on the HD580's."

What I want to know is... Purely from a soundcard, no amp, which headphones will sound better? I know the HD580's need some drive to get to full power, but would the lack of an amp and only a soundcard driving the headphones make the HD580's sound worse than the HD497's? Thanks.

Team Cheap(_(_)

 

[ls20]

the answer is very dependant on the soundcard ... some are 'weaker'--not just necessarily worse-sounding--than others

 

[TidesCAL]

i have an audigy 2 zs atm

 

[blessingx]

Are you considering the HD590s also?

And which soundcard? The 580/600s really really really need power.

Finally are you sticking to Senns or open to other brands? Sony CD780s, Alessandro MS1, and a few others are preferred by some members over the 497s at not much more cost (basically around $100).

 

[TidesCAL]

I have an audigy 2 zs, and not really biased towards one brand or another (although i do want circumnaural headphones and open).

 

[Daemoth]

I personally would go with HD580s driven out of a soundcard before HD497s. Only problem is the HD580s seem a little out of whack with bass, mid, and treble balance from the weak power but they seem to me to have a cleaner sound by far. But for the same price range, I personally love Grado SR-60s and SR-80s. Also, the Shure E2cs I like better than the HD497s.

 

[(yo_alexandru]

http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showt...?threadid=7806

http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showt...?threadid=6875

 

[lindrone]

HD580 will still have a cleaner presentation than HD497 coming out without an amp... It clearly shows that it has "superior potentials".. but it will lack warmth and fullness.

HD590 will have much punch and kick to it, but the sound signature won't be much like the HD580... it's not a bad headphone by any means, it's just not a typical Sennheiser.

I'm gonna have to throw my vote in with the Sony CD780... Personally I think they're the best under $100 headphone I've ever heard.

 

[TidesCAL]

You know...

The more I listen to these and the more I burn in the HD497's the more I enjoy the fact that they're light and comfortable. Something the HD280's definately weren't ;p... So for now (until I get/make an amp) I'll stick with these. They're not bad for my first 'real' set of headphones that weren't stock. I must thank the head-fi community for all the help that you guys continually give out. But god these headies are ugly...


I still really want the HD580's

-- will try to find them used on the boards sometime.

Team Cheap(_(_) strikes again!

 

[lindrone]

I have to agree with you on that one.. I've got both HD497 and HD280's now.. I don't like the HD280's nearly as much as I did the HD497's...

And I didn't like the 497's a whole lot... so...

I might be selling these HD280's soon..

 

[TidesCAL]

Yeah, I returned mine after just 3-4 minutes of testing them out; way too much pressure on my head felt like I was congested and coming down with something.

 

[HD-5000]

There is probably no way to make the HD-580's sound worse than the HD-497, a huge step up in my opinion.

About the issue of comfort. At first, the HD-580's may seem like they have a viselike grip on your head, but after a couple days of use, the pressure seems to loosen.

 

[(yo_alexandru]

http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showt...&threadid=8516
http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showt...&threadid=6655
http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showt...&threadid=7806

 

[TidesCAL]

nice links

 

[lindrone]

(yo, we're all very aware of the search function of the forum, so if we needed to look for reviews, we can find it ourselves. The question here is whether or not he should upgrade from his HD497, and where to if he chose to do so.

Posting links to previous HD497 reviews does absolutely nothing for anyone reading this thread. Yes, he's got the HD497 right now, and he's decided it may or may not be enough. What do you hope to accomplish by posting links and links to reviews of HD497 against equally weak headphones?

We know you just got the HD497, and you may think they are the greatest thing on earth right now. However, here at Head-Fi, HD497 is an entry-level headphone.

You can go back and dig up 10 more threads on the HD497, and it's not going to do anything constructive for this thread. Obviously he's got a HD497 already (and so do I, in fact), so why are you selling him on something he already owns?