[SteenWinther]

I do not hope that I need a $3000 amp to truly appreciate the sound of the HD650. If that is the case then most HD650owners are screwed...? Surly a less expensive alternative can be found.

 

[tinder]

Can't say that i've ever heard the HD595 but i do own the HD650 and would agree with the original posters description of them emphatically. The HD650 are FUN to listen to but audiophile gear they aint...for that i have a set of Grado RS1.

 

[SteenWinther]

ADD - Are you sure that you have not been listening to a faulty pair of HD595s? I agree that the tonality of individual instruments are inferior to that presented by the HD650s, but to suggest that HD595 responds poorly to Dolby Headphone is very strange.

I find a huge sound stage depth with HD595 and Dolby Headphone (via PowerDVD), and at a same time the overall sound becomes much warmer and treble details are noticeably attenuated - which probably is an advantage for the 595s relative harsh midtone?

 

[Gurra1980]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinder /img/forum/go_quote.gif The HD650 are FUN to listen to but audiophile gear they aint...for that i have a set of Grado RS1.

LOL, I have never heard anyone describe it like this, it use to be the other way around.

 

[tinder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gurra1980 /img/forum/go_quote.gif LOL, I have never heard anyone describe it like this, it use to be the other way around.

It's just that i think that the HD650 colour the sound of recordings so much that they are almost homoginised...everything sounds good on the Sennheisers...so much so that it makes it a really 'safe' sounding can in my book. The Grados on the other hand are more revealing of bad recordings and therefore more of a challenge...but it's a challenge worth responding to as they represent the recording more accurately to my ears.

 

[ADD]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteenWinther /img/forum/go_quote.gif ADD - Are you sure that you have not been listening to a faulty pair of HD595s? I agree that the tonality of individual instruments are inferior to that presented by the HD650s, but to suggest that HD595 responds poorly to Dolby Headphone is very strange. I find a huge sound stage depth with HD595 and Dolby Headphone (via PowerDVD), and at a same time the overall sound becomes much warmer and treble details are noticeably attenuated - which probably is an advantage for the 595s relative harsh midtone?

I doubt they were faulty. I bought them brand new and gave them 30 hours continuous burning-in before making any judgement (I then sold them to a fellow head-fier who unfortunately was no more impressed with them than I was).

I can't really agree with the stage depth of the HD595 with dolby headphone - I find the HD580 and HD555 do it far better. With dolby headphone, I found the HD595 stage to be excessively wide (as in first violins 89 degrees to my left and cellos about 100 degrees to my right. And the woodwinds and violas, for instance were not far enough back in the orchestra. I described it as having the depth of a photograph - an exaggeration perhaps, but in relative terms to the HD555 and HD580 I find there is no contest at all. The HD595 still sound like headphones but the HD555 sounds more like a pair of $500 stand mount speakers and the HD580 like a $2000 pair of stand mount speakers - everything is in the right place and at the right depth - the woodwinds are right near the back of the listening room, the timpani right at the back towards the left, the violas correctly positioned and the first violins about 50 degrees to my left instead of directly to my left as it was with the HD595.

As far as the treble attenuation is concerned, the extreme highs don't seem to be there at all in the HD595 - to me it is just grain everywhere from the high midrange to the top end of the audible spectrum. The HD555 is much more open and has much less grain, but the sacrifice is in the detail, which admittedly the HD595 has. I suspect though that if the HD650 is anything remotely like my HD580, then it would have all the detail with absolutely no graininess at all.

I just found it incredibly tiring to listen to the HD595 at all, because I know exactly what the timbres of orchestral instruments are supposed to sound like, but my brain is working overtime trying to reconcile the differences between real life and what actually comes out of the headphones.

I guess different listeners have different priorities. I want accurate timbre and a near-perfect soundstage above almost everything else and whilst the HD595 had certain strengths, I did not consider them nearly as important as it's weaknesses.

 

[Bob Jones]

I wonder the hrs on the 650's because they are so much more of the same than the 595's,imho ......

 

[jilgiljongiljing]

the 595's sound thin and weak compared to the 650. I had a listen to the 555/595 and 650 before I decided on the 650. There is absolutely no comparison at all. On a decent source/amp, the 650 is definitely better than the 595.

Maybe straight off an Mp3 player, the 595 might sound better, not sure though.

 

[regal]

I just found a spiky piercing point in the upper most mid frequency range with the 595's. Anyone else notice this?

 

[SteenWinther]

Yesterday I had - in all modesty - a brilliant insight, that shoved why I personally didn't like the HD650 sound: Being brand new, they had a far too tight fit on my head, which resulted in me almost hearing my blood circulate! (The effect is similar to being in a boiler room of a large building, where furnace and ventilation units giver a persistant low diffuse noise that masks other sounds and results in an unnatural ambience.)

By bending the metal parts of the headband outwards until the phones hardly press on my head at all, I feel that the sound is far more realistic - and much closer to that of the 595s.

Could this be the reason behind headphone burn-in?

To me the two headphones now sound very alike (with the HD595 somewhat brighter overall), but I am afraid that it is because I can no longer hear high frequencies. (Wife have been yelling too loud for too long?). No, seriously, when I was 20 I couldn't hear anything above 15 kHz and that is a looong time ago.

Thanks for your inputs. Gotta go looking for a DAC.

 

[Alleyman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by regal /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just found a spiky piercing point in the upper most mid frequency range with the 595's. Anyone else notice this?

Yes, around 2.5 kHz to 3 kHz? Found it when I was EQing by ear going through a range of tones.

 

[Gurra1980]

Quote:

Originally Posted by regal /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just found a spiky piercing point in the upper most mid frequency range with the 595's. Anyone else notice this?

I guess that's the peak that makes them a little fatiguing and quite fun with electrical guitars TME.

 

[Silwad]

I have the HD595 and I'm not that impressed. It sounds great with drums, electronic music, and doesn't have that much bass (which is a plus to me). But, most of my music is rock and instrumental and the HD595 is lacking. I'm looking for more clarity and instrument separation. So I think that it's a great pair of headphones, but not meant for the music that I listen to. What would you guys recommend? I don't like bass. I don't have a portable amp, but am willing to buy one (Pico) if necessary.

 

[dkpaul]

Get a good home amp to HD650.... You won't remember the HD595 any longer.

 

[Vaughn]

Yes, there is a reason why the HD650 is STILL talked about in these neurotic
waters.....it is excellent!

This why people are willing to spend megabucks on cables and amps and yet in comparison still have the relatively modest(ly priced) HD650's.

It is all down to what you are willing (able to afford?) to put down in front of them.

I was perfectly happy (until Stax) with NAD C542 -> DV 336I -> HD650's.
Not anything that is going to break the bank, but obviously more expensive than running 595's out of your soundcard!