[MF309]

Hi all,


I have had my 58Xs for 4.5yrs now with Dekoni Elite Velour pads with braided single ended cable powered with a cheap smsl DAC/Amp, I have Eq'd them to sound as good as I can but I want a bit more.
I feel as though they're a bit muddy, everything can blend together as you start turning it up and want so good drum hits like the slap of snare, kick of a bass drum, some clearer treble, bit more sound stage and seperation.

The issue I'm having is there is lots of threads out there claiming how great they are and not worth upgrading.
I've done alot of research into what I think will be a good fit which is the Clear but will It be a noticeable difference to the look of being wowed or subtle?(There is nowhere to test them locally)

I listen to Metal, Rock, Instrumentals, Male and female vocalists - I watch rocket launches and motorsport - I also game with immersive RPGs where I want to hear the environment. I also have a small head so it's looking like Hifiman aren't going to work.

TLDR: Will Clears wow me after 4.5yrs of 58Xs and are they worth the upgrade?

Thanks,
Matt.

 

[PurpleAngel]

The HD58X are good music headphones, but not the best for detail.
I like the detail of my Massdrop/Hifiman HD5XX headphones.

 

[moneypit]

Are you looking at the MGs or OGs? 'Worth' is a difficult question to answer.

I don't have the 58x but have had 580 Precisions for 20 years. I received new Clear OGs last week. I don't regret my purchase. I did change out my amp because my old one was fatiguing with them. I tried EQ'ing but everything that fixed the fatiguing problem took away what I enjoyed from the headphones. The new amp fixed the issue.

All in with the new amp, new cables and the OGs, it is less than the price of the MG (which I haven't heard).

I think, if you buy Clears and don't listen to any other headphones in their price range or higher, you'll be fine.

One other thing of note - Some recordings are just muddy/compressed/brickwalled. You'll likely never notice on your current headphones. I didn't. You will once you start listening with other cans. You can't fix poorly mastered music with 'better' headphones.

 

[dunring]

Most of what holds them back is the "Sennheiser veil" which is the thick foam used to line the ear cups. I've had all models of Sennheiser (except the Orpheus) and the foam I use to lift the veil is these for $1.
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805972309958.html

A direct upgrade from those you'll notice is the Hifiman He5xx, HD650, or Hifiman Ananda sometimes if you can get a great price.

 

[MF309]

Moneypit: I'm looking at the OGs not so much worth, the cost is fine. It's more of a question if it's a noticeable wow upgrade and that it will do well in what I listen to.
I can also get Arya stealths for a similar price so they're also on the radar but the Clears seemed slight more fitting.
I was also going to get either a balanced Fiio K11 or K7 to match with it - finding the correct amp seems to be a completey different topic!

Dunring: So you don't think the clears are a good option? I was looking at Edititon XSs but I figured I can jump up to Arya Stealths of Focal clear OGs at their current price they have come down to here. Or are they just not a good upgrade from the 58x - as I mentioned earlier it really seems that all the threads for upgrade just say stick to the 58x which seems crazy to think $120 headphone that's 4.5yrs old is basically as good as $1000 new headphones, 10x the cost!

 

[PurpleAngel]

Moneypit: I'm looking at the OGs not so much worth, the cost is fine. It's more of a question if it's a noticeable wow upgrade and that it will do well in what I listen to.
I can also get Arya stealths for a similar price so they're also on the radar but the Clears seemed slight more fitting.
I was also going to get either a balanced Fiio K11 or K7 to match with it - finding the correct amp seems to be a completely different topic!

Dunring: So you don't think the clears are a good option? I was looking at Edition XSs but I figured I can jump up to Arya Stealths of Focal clear OGs at their current price they have come down to here. Or are they just not a good upgrade from the 58x - as I mentioned earlier it really seems that all the threads for upgrade just say stick to the 58x which seems crazy to think $120 headphone that's 4.5yrs old is basically as good as $1000 new headphones, 10x the cost!

I own the HD58X, great for music, but my $179 Drop/Hifiman HD5XX are an improvement.
https://drop.com/buy/drop-hifiman-he5xx

 

[haasaaroni]

Having heard the Clears many before, but never owned a pair, I don't know if "wowed" is what comes up for me when I hear them. Yes, I'm immediately impressed by their bass impact, tonal balance, and evenly-distributed soundstage, but as a good all-rounder, they won't make your jaw drop. They'll just do everything your 58X does, but better in almost all categories...that's my guess.

The Arya's and a lot of Hifiman's offerings are more "wow" you headphones. As such, I find them to be excellent specialists in one genre or another, but not great generalists. I tend to find the headphones that give you that "holy crap!" experience to get old fast, while the ones that take their time to win you over have the best staying power. If it weren't for comfort, I might have the Clear OG instead of my Auteur Classics. There's a reason Tyll was so crazy about them when they first came out.

 

[Coolmoose]

TLDR: Will Clears wow me after 4.5yrs of 58Xs and are they worth the upgrade?

Having owned the Clear for several years, I can attest to their value as a potential upgrade from the 58X, particularly considering their current pricing. The extent to which they impress you, however, is subjective.
Personally, my first foray into high-fidelity audio with the HD650, complemented by a quality DAC and amplifier, was a revelatory experience that left me impressed. Subsequent upgrades have refined my listening experience (Arya, Clear, Utopia, Susvara, Elite to name a few) , I mean they were definitly better than the HD650, but none have recaptured that initial moment of astonishment.

 

[MF309]

So it's sounding like what I didn't want to hear...

When I first got the 58Xs there was a bit of wow with the openness as they were my first open back - binaural recordings sounded great and immersive games sounded spacious - music in general though was never really great it was just ok.

I'm hunting for more in all areas Soundstage, slam, impact and clearer treble.
But in saying that it doesn't sound like I will be impressed with an upgrade, sounds like im stuck being to not too impressed with what I have and I won't be impressed with an upgrade so hindsight don't get a middle of the road set of cans as you will be in the situation I am in?

 

[haasaaroni]

So it's sounding like what I didn't want to hear...

When I first got the 58Xs there was a bit of wow with the openness as they were my first open back - binaural recordings sounded great and immersive games sounded spacious - music in general though was never really great it was just ok.

I'm hunting for more in all areas Soundstage, slam, impact and clearer treble.
But in saying that it doesn't sound like I will be impressed with an upgrade, sounds like im stuck being to not too impressed with what I have and I won't be impressed with an upgrade so hindsight don't get a middle of the road set of cans as you will be in the situation I am in?

I wouldn't say you won't be impressed with an upgrade, just maybe not blown away. There's nothing like your first experience in high end audio, especially with things being so good at such low price points.

For sure, the Focal Clear WILL wow you in slam/impact (I'm not sure I know the difference). It's their jam. Soundstage, not so much. It's hard to find a headphone that does both (the ZMF Auteur Classic and Atrium are two that do this IMO). Clearer treble vs the 58X, absolutely. But it might be a bit of a departure from the naturalness of the Sennheisers.

Are you able to find a place to audition any other headphones? Even if the Focal Clear OG isn't something you can find in an audio shop, doesn't mean that you won't learn a lot from just listening to some higher-end headphones.

 

[MF309]

The closest store for me that carries decent gear is about 2.5hrs away, I will try and get a day where I can do it buts that's few and far between as they're not open on Sundays.
At this stage I'm still thinking about pulling the trigger though

The ZMF's are about twice the price of the Clears where I am at the moment so unfortunately not an option - Arya's seem like an option but I'm not too keen on low low base I prefer the punch and it sounds like the Arya's are more deep base than punchy(I'm with you I think impact, slam, punch is all basically the same? more of a solid hit then the doof doof that people have in their cars?).

Below is my dodgy way of getting a measurement of the 58Xs (UMM-6 mic stuck under the pad at my ear canal on my head to get a rough response)
I am using the Peace equalizer APO for windows but the measuring bypasses the EQ for some reason - below is the EQ I have applied (modified oratory1990 harmen target)

 

[Coolmoose]

I'm hunting for more in all areas Soundstage, slam, impact and clearer treble.

From my experience, the clears have more slam, impact and treble (brighter). Some people find the clear to have a metallic treble, but I didn't have that issue. Soundstage wise, don't really notice that much of a difference, but then again I'm not a headphone soundstage kind of guy.

But in saying that it doesn't sound like I will be impressed with an upgrade, sounds like im stuck being to not too impressed with what I have and I won't be impressed with an upgrade

It’s important to note that the initial excitement over new equipment often stems from the novelty factor (new toy syndrome). Therefore, I always try to manage my expectations appropriately. The true measure of a product’s worth, in my view, isn’t how much it impresses in the first few days, but rather its long-term usability and satisfaction.
Consequently, my advice would be to purchase from a reputable vendor that offers a good return policy.