[GLrunner13]

Have you tried them in multiple sources?  Maybe the headphone plug is defective and you are losing some quality in certain frequency ranges.

 

[Vitor Machado]

 
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The hd595 is making me seriously consider (not consider, i actually have already DECIDED) reriping my whole collection to FLAC, because even my mother and sister can notice a big difference between FLAC and 320kbps MP3s. 

Wow, really? I would understand if you said flac vs. 224kbps mp3 or less, but almost everyone agrees flac vs. 320kbps is really hard to distinguish (not impossible, but requires several replays of hard passages and a lot of concentration).
Have you tried an ABX test? I'm not challenging you, it's just that sometimes we're affected by our good ol' placebo.

 

[Argyris]

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I use Ibuds regularly for the comfort before I sleep.  What you may not be used to is that the Ibuds have a boosted upper mid-range and lower treble to make vocals easy to discern. They are meant to cellphone headsets so it would make sense that the vocals would be boosted on Ibuds.
 
I've never heard the HD595, so I have no comments there.

I was going to post the exact same thing. In fact, that's about the only thing that's easy to discern on them. Audio is subjective, and our ability to judge is rooted in whatever reference we're used to.
 
To those suggesting that the OP's unit is defective/needs burn-in/needs amping/etc, I don't think that's the issue here. wind016 has nailed it. It's merely an issue of reference. I think the OP would be happy with something with forward upper midrange, like a Grado/Alessandro. This kind of tonality will bring the vocals to the forefront, which is what the OP is after.

 

[keanex]

V0=320kbps, but the smart version who knows how to save time/space. I would be willing to be 9/10 people here couldn't ABX Flac/V0 consistently. 

 

[RexAeterna]

maybe you just don't like them and that is completely fine. if your more into the midrange nextime check akg offerings. i like how akg's sound with midrange especially female vocals.
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I also cant tell any sort of differance between playing flac and 128kbps mp3.

I'm not trying to be an a-hole, but I can do that even with my $20 Philips straight to my onboard audio.
 
Maybe you really got a defective unit, or maybe your ears are too used to crappy iBuds sound, I don't know really...

I listened to my friends hd25-II and they sound incredible. I can tell on nice speakers. Also the 595 just hurts to listen to. I really don't get it.
 

 

[wind016]

Yea. From his impression of the HD595, it seems like the 595 is a warmer headphone. Generally warmer/bassier headphones tend to sound more congested. Brighter headphones tend to have an easier time in instrument/vocal separation. Ibuds have like no bass, so...
 
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I use Ibuds regularly for the comfort before I sleep.  What you may not be used to is that the Ibuds have a boosted upper mid-range and lower treble to make vocals easy to discern. They are meant to cellphone headsets so it would make sense that the vocals would be boosted on Ibuds.
 
I've never heard the HD595, so I have no comments there.

I was going to post the exact same thing. In fact, that's about the only thing that's easy to discern on them. Audio is subjective, and our ability to judge is rooted in whatever reference we're used to.
 
To those suggesting that the OP's unit is defective/needs burn-in/needs amping/etc, I don't think that's the issue here. wind016 has nailed it. It's merely an issue of reference. I think the OP would be happy with something with forward upper midrange, like a Grado/Alessandro. This kind of tonality will bring the vocals to the forefront, which is what the OP is after.

 

[REB]

I like warmer headphones with good bass, but I have to admit I hated the hd595 as soon as I listened to it. Doesn't happen often (only other time was with the proline 750: that sibilance!). I found it to sound congested and not very articulated, despite running it through a rather powerful amp, designed for the hd6x0. Just not my kind of headphone I guess. Interestingly, I really like the sound sig of my noise cancelling pxc450s. these are of course closed cans, but have hd595 drivers in them... It seems that in this case it's the enclosure that makes the difference for me.

 

[esotericjester]

Since you are using these for gaming and movies do you have any effects like Dolby Headphone or CMSS-3D active?  I have found that these often make vocals hard to hear.  I realize that you said that you didn't have the same problem with other phones, but this could certainly exaggerate the differences between phones like the HD595 and others that accentuate the vocal range more.

 

[akgfan]

And check if you use some codecs and try to disable them. I had problem with libmad or libavcodec in k-lite codec pack for mp3. It sounded totaly horible and after I disabled it it sounded fine.

 

[Gogi]

I recently sold my 595's, after owning them for a month. I was disappointed by them initially, out of the box, but after about 50 hours burn in, they were absolutely fantastic. I was sad to give them away, but the sound leak was a problem for me ... I live upstairs and people downstairs would be coming up to me asking me if I could turn it down a tad :/
I'm using a D2000 right now and I'm happy...but I miss my Senn's, and will probably buy the HD600 to compare it to the D2000.
 
They should definitely be miles and miles better sounding than your buds.

 

[b0wl1ng]

The 595,s are not in any way shape or form as good as the 600s and 650s, but still far superior to the ridiculous ear buds,in ear monitors, now that is a completely different animal.

 

[Hayang]

I listened to Keane on my HD558s and I must say that the vocals of their songs are just mixed wayyyyyy down.  Listening to pretty much any other band, the vocals come through quite clear.