[plainsong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob ? Of course, this is poopoo . . .

To each their own, just consider the fact that it's not poopoo to at least one person out there. I think cold and harsh and odd are excellent ways to describe the hd595. For me that headphone could take a symphony and turn it into a synth. Instruments did not sound like themselves or anywhere near themselves on that headphone.

The 595 has a strong following, so obviously either there's a strong preference for the sound, or there's some kind of synergy issue, but ummm yeah, I feel there's better there for these ears at least.

 

[kool bubba ice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Sade This Austrailan headphone site "headphones.com.au" says the Sennheiser HD595 is "cold", "harsh", and has an "odd bass". The "Headroom" site says the HD555 is warm. Yet most people claim the HD595 improves the highs and lows of the HD555. So why forsake the "warmth" of the HD555 for the "cold" HD595. Or is the HD595 only worth getting if you're going to do recabling and use a specialized headphone amplifier? http://www.headphones.com.au/prod_on...oductID=81#top

The 595's cold??

 

[Reputator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Sade This Austrailan headphone site "headphones.com.au" says the Sennheiser HD595 is "cold", "harsh", and has an "odd bass". The "Headroom" site says the HD555 is warm. Yet most people claim the HD595 improves the highs and lows of the HD555. So why forsake the "warmth" of the HD555 for the "cold" HD595. Or is the HD595 only worth getting if you're going to do recabling and use a specialized headphone amplifier? http://www.headphones.com.au/prod_on...oductID=81#top

You have to consider that maybe it was the source he used. There are many other factors that go into how a pair of headphones sounds to a particular person, but I'd listen to the general concensus before looking at what a single person says.

 

[iancraig10]

To my ears, the 595 has a more 'middly' sound in comparison to something like the 650. This also depends on what sort of recording you're listening to. For instance, reading this got me listening first to Suzanne Vega and I felt that the 595's did a great job and were really close to the 650's. On Prince's 'Graffiti Bridge', they give a lot of middle to the sound whereas the 650 puts more bass oomph in.

It's very balanced sounding but doesn't have the lows or clarity of its bigger brother. Certainly not weird in the bass or harsh though.

Ian

 

[Dr.Sade]

I auditioned the HD595 at Sound Plus (in Vancouver, B.C., Canada) on an all McIntosh solid sate system (using a demo CD that had all kinds of music on it); the solid state system consisted of the MCD201 (integrated CD player) and the MA6300 (integrated amplifier, flat/not equalized). The HD595 was run out of the MA6300 integrated amplifier. My description of the sound I heard is a description of the total SYSTEM sound. I do not know to what extent the recording, system hardware , or my ears/brain contributed to the overall sonic characteristeics. The HD595 was a stock unmodified (50 ohm) with a standard cable. I did not try it with movie sound effects or computer games.

The overall sound, with music, was imbalanced. While singers' voices (male and female) exploded in my face, the bass and treble sounded compressed, unclear, and uninteresting. The sound did not have any warmth to it, nor was it smooth. Compared to the sound I heard from an HD515/Apple ipod combination, it was even more unsatisfying.

It's reason for existing, ie., "improved" soundstage, headstage, headspace, and spatial enhancements over a conventional design was non-existent.

Although I did not like this sound, someone I met who bought them, (and
was using them as a portable and home system headphone), said they were better than the HD555 that he had previously. I found that scary.

Comfortwise, they felt like I was wearing 1/3 (the middle part) of a helmet.

Other people at Headfi have said they prefer the Goldring DR150.

If I get the chance, I will try out the HD555, HD485, and Goldring DR150.

Link to Sound Plus:

http://soundplus.ca/

 

[ODG]

Hmm.. Could be problem with their demo CD is crappy. Try using your own favorite cds to test. Also the headphone out of the MCD201 may not be good to drive the HD595 either. Try the phones with another gear would be good too.

 

[Firestarter]

listening to SOAD with my 595's right now, plenty of weight to the guitars, plenty of kick on the drums, plenty of attack on the snare, plenty of extention on the hihats. No complaints heter

depending on the quality of the record, the cymbals/hihats can be a bit gritty though

 

[parhelictriangle]

Seems like I'm always defending these phones.

I love the Hd-595s. They are very, very source-dependant, but they're easy to drive. This leads to an interesting situation: you can get very good sound out of certain cheap sources, but with certain higher end sources they don't sound great. You'd expect to search for a synergizing set-up with the "superior" HD-600 series. Just because the 595s are 50 ohms doesn't mean you should expect anything different.

Incidentally, running straight out of my laptop right now, playing some Sunn O))) at relatively high volumes. If you know the band, you know what kind of a test this should be. Observations: Succeding remarkably. No problem with bass extention. No "weird bass." Instead: Deep, strong bass. Accurate to the recording, even. If you want something else, fine. But don't blame the cans for delivering what they promise, and what the frequency curve suggests: pretty well-extended, neutral bass.

No, they're not perfect. They can get grainy. But I have never once found them cold, harsh, etc. They're bright, but not overly so. The bass isn't huge, but it can be strong when it has to be (see Sunn O))) reference above); it's neutral. Plain and simple.

For under $200, these do not deserve the hostility they've been receiving of late. They might not be to your taste, and they probably aren't going to be what you expect from Sennhesier, if you're head-over-heals in love with the "house sound." And if you're a Grado fan, you'll probably hate them.

But by no means are these bad headphones, and by no means is there anything terribly "wrong" with them.

Edit: just to note, the bass is a lot "heavier" when I hook the 595s through my gf's ipod shuffle. Pretty nice, indeed, from my brief experience (hard to get that thing away from her).

 

[Dr.Sade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ODG Hmm.. Could be problem with their demo CD is crappy. Try using your own favorite cds to test. Also the headphone out of the MCD201 may not be good to drive the HD595 either. Try the phones with another gear would be good too.

Actually it was out of the integrated amplifier MA6300; but your point may still apply.

 

[Dr.Sade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by parhelictriangle Seems like I'm always defending these phones. For under $200, these do not deserve the hostility they've been receiving of late.

I have to laugh. Here, in Vancouver Canada, Sound Plus was asking the typical Vancouver Price of $395 Canadian dollars (currently about $350 US ). For the about same money I could get a 32 ohm Beyer DT880!

 

[Dr.Sade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ODG Hmm.. Could be problem with their demo CD is crappy. Try using your own favorite cds to test. Also the headphone out of the MCD201 may not be good to drive the HD595 either. Try the phones with another gear would be good too.

Assuming the sales person was trying to make the HD595 shine (to make the sale) I have to assume that he chose the combination of things that would do just that. The demo CD sounded fine over the high end speakers attached to the McIntosh integrated amp. Also, before handing the HD595 over to me he listened to them himself and seemed satisfied that everything sounded the way it was supposed to sound. But who knows, he could have been clueless and just faking audio expertise. That happens a lot in Vancouver. Years ago Commercial Electronics (also in Vancouver) had a new Sennheiser Orpheus HE90 on demo downstairs; the store owner must have been the typical clueless Canadian Hell's Angels moron, because they were playing the CD on a used $50 Panasonic player as a source! What they did to an AKG K1000 still brings tears to my eyes; the infamous AKG K1000 video is still making the rounds on the internet and stag parties; and they are currently treating a Stax Omega2 in a similar fashion; talk about throwing pearls before swine!

 

[ODG]

Yeah, headphones dont get same respect from speakers market. BTW what other phones did sound plus have in store to let people try? Any other high end phones?

 

[davve]

wich of hd 555 and 595 handles rock and much bass best?

 

[Dr.Sade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ODG Yeah, headphones dont get same respect from speakers market. BTW what other phones did sound plus have in store to let people try? Any other high end phones?

I saw Grado 325i, 225, 125, 60, 80. Did not see RS1, RS2, GS1000.

I saw Sennheiser HD650 (in the past), HD600 (in the past), HD555, HD570 (probably discontinued).

 

[Dr.Sade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by parhelictriangle Seems like I'm always defending these phones. For under $200, these do not deserve the hostility they've been receiving of late.

Through experience I've learned not to be hostile to any headphone; I believe every headphone can be made to shine in the right system or with the right modifications, including the Bose Triport and Sony V600. Heck, I've been floored by the beautiful sound quality of the dirt cheap Philips HP250 in some set ups.

I would be very interested in hearing your opinion of the Goldring DR150 which is also about $200.