[kevinhbh]

Hi
I have had the good fortune of acquiring a pair of Sennheiser HD850 phones and excitedly plugged them in 
to my Linn Kollektor pre amp and ............
 
oh dear!!!
 
Everything from all sources- cd, phono seem flat and distant. I have a pair of PX100 for my ipod, and comparing the 2
is like chalk and cheese with the PX100 sounding bright and dynamic. 
 
Now having looked through the forum, the HD850 are held in very high regard and so I am wondering if it is the Linn that is not driving them properly and i need to look at a headphone amp, or have i picked up a faulty pair.
 
Any thoughts greatfully received

 

[vid]

I assume you hear no bass on them at all, literally?

 

[Failed Engineer]

Quote:

Everything from all sources- cd, phono seem flat and distant.

 
 
This is exactly how an underpowered HD580 will sound like.  I'm not familiar with your amp, but I do know that's what I heard out of my HD580 when I acquired them.
 
The HD580 is absolutely my favorite budget/midfi headphones when properly amped.  I like it at the same level as many of the current flagships.  You may want to try a different amp.
 
Now, if you talking about the HD800, my observations don't apply.  Confusion is because your thread title says HD580, whereas your post body says HD850, which as far as I'm aware, do not exist.

 

[kevinhbh]

Sorry for the typo - HD 580 it is!!
 
And yes- no bass is exactly it!!

 

[kevinhbh]

Exactly that - no base

 

[vid]

Possibly a wire contact issue somewhere in the cabling or plug.