[Hogcryat]

Hi guys, I'm new here, and also a beginner audiophile, so please excuse my unprofessional wordings and kindly enlighten me. I will try to give as much detail about my preference I can (Although I am probably not very sure about my preferences as I don't have much experience listening to different equipment).

I currently own a Fiio X5ii and A5, Sennheiser HD598 and AKG N40 with the bass boost filter. I got the HD598 first, then the AKG N40. The 598 lacks a little bit of bass and its a tiny bit muddy (I've heard this is called "smooth" sound for people that like it) for my liking when used with the X5ii and A5, it is especially apparent when I compared it to the N40.

I am looking to get a decent pair of open-back headphones and desktop amp that I will happily stick with for a long time. I am pretty much settled on the amp choice, yet the 3 headphone choices mentioned in the title is so controversial, it seems that it all depends on the taste, so please do inform me of what you think would be the most suitable headphones for my preferences.

I listen to many types of music, mainly popera (Il Divo, Sissel, Andrea Bocelli etc.), Kenny G, Diana Krall, Enya etc. A lot of emphasis on vocals and acoustics. I seldom listen to metal and rock (Except Queen) and country music. I like powerful, punchy bass, yet I would not want it to cover up the mids and highs, I am satisfied with the punchiness of the bass of the N40 (maybe a little more will be better), yet for the continuous bass sounds (I don't know how to call it properly), like the bass guitars, I find it to be a little too weak. For vocals I would like it to be in-line with all other sounds, not too forward, not too laid-back. Currently, I find the vocals of the N40 to be very slightly too laid-back. The highs of the N40 is just fine. I think I would like a spacious soundstage, and open, natural, transparent, airy sound that is not shoved in my face (This might contradict my preference of powerful bass, please inform me).

I did not include my detailed impressions of my HD598 as I think I am not powering it properly.

I had listened to an IE80 before, and found its sound to be too aggressive in general, and tends to irritate my ear so that I would not like to listen for a long time. I have also listened to an Astell&Kern x Beyerdynamic T8iE Mkii before, it had the opposite problem of my N40, the continuous bass is too strong and covering up everything (maybe I could describe it as too rumbly). Hope this information will be useful to you as well.

If you think any other headphones within a similar price range would be a better choice than the 3 I have mentioned, please kindly inform me about it and your reasonings as well.

 

[PurpleAngel]

The Beyer DT990 Premium 600-Ohm has a strong bass/treble, which slightly overshadow the mids, but the mids are clear.
I'm going to guess the HD600/HD650 might be a more preferred choice for you.

 

[Me x3]

I did not include my detailed impressions of my HD598 as I think I am not powering it properly.

The Sennheiser HD598 is very easy to drive and FiiO A5 is a really powerful amp.
It drives HD598 with ease without the need of going into high gain.
Are you using the line out to go from your X5II to your A5?

You should check the Beyerdynamic Amiron

 

[Hogcryat]

The Sennheiser HD598 is very easy to drive and FiiO A5 is a really powerful amp.
It drives HD598 with ease without the need of going into high gain.
Are you using the line out to go from your X5II to your A5?

You should check the Beyerdynamic Amiron

Yes I am using the line out, thank you for clarifying. I am just afraid it has not reached its full potential and so I should not really depend on it.

 

[Hogcryat]

The Beyer DT990 Premium 600-Ohm has a strong bass/treble, which slightly overshadow the mids, but the mids are clear.
I'm going to guess the HD600/HD650 might be a more preferred choice for you.

Do you think the HD650 would sound muddy if I think the HD598 is very slightly muddy? I am concerned about that as one of its signature is its "smooth" sound.

 

[Me x3]

Yes I am using the line out, thank you for clarifying. I am just afraid it has not reached its full potential and so I should not really depend on it.

HD598 has a neutralish and relatively smooth tuning, no neutral amp will make it sound bassy or lively.
HD650 is cohesive and smooth but also very microdetailed so the overall experience is different than HD598.

Anyway if you want something more lively I think the Amiron should work very well.
Sennheiser HD660S could work too.

DT990/600 is bright and comparatively cool sounding. I would say, try before buy if you're going this way.
HD600 is very good with vocals, but I guess you could find it boring as it's very midcentric.

Your FiiO A5 can drive all these headphones just fine.
An unexpensive tube amp won't perform as well as the A5 technically speaking (higher distortion, higher output impedance, higher noise levels, ...)
Although it will sound different and you might like the results anyway.

 

[Hogcryat]

HD598 has a neutralish and relatively smooth tuning, no neutral amp will make it sound bassy or lively.
HD650 is cohesive and smooth but also very microdetailed so the overall experience is different than HD598.

Anyway if you want something more lively I think the Amiron should work very well.
Sennheiser HD660S could work too.

DT990/600 is bright and comparatively cool sounding. I would say, try before buy if you're going this way.
HD600 is very good with vocals, but I guess you could find it boring as it's very midcentric.

Your FiiO A5 can drive all these headphones just fine.
An unexpensive tube amp won't perform as well as the A5 technically speaking (higher distortion, higher output impedance, higher noise levels, ...)
Although it will sound different and you might like the results anyway.

Interesting, is the distortions and such of the MK3 really bad? Or it is just a tiny bit?

 

[serman005]

One other headphone I think you might consider is the HE-400S. It is relatively easy to drive well and it should do quite well with an A5 (not so much with the Mk. III--it generally does better with high-impedance headphones such as the HD600). The HE-400S is neither harsh nor especially warm. Is quite detailed. Maybe read about it and see what you think. It is possible it could work for you.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Do you think the HD650 would sound muddy if I think the HD598 is very slightly muddy? I am concerned about that as one of its signature is its "smooth" sound.

Have you tried plugging the HD598 directly into the X5 (without using the A5), does it change (better or worst) the sound of the HD598?

I own the HD558, which uses the same driver as the HD598, but never listened to the HD600 or HD650, so not sure how much they are different (HD650 vs HD598).

 

[buke9]

From what you are describing the HD-650’s would fit the bill. I have never heard the Little Dot but do love them from a Bottlehead Crack. Also agree with @serman005 on the HE-400S as another good choice as they are easy to drive and a more spacious soundstage than the 650’s. It’s been awhile since I’ve heard the 598’s but did not find them muddy in the bass it could be the amp as most OTL amps don’t do well with low impedance headphones the 598’s at 50 ohms and 112 dB sensitivity and don’t think they are a good candidate for a OTL amp.

 

[Hogcryat]

Have you tried plugging the HD598 directly into the X5 (without using the A5), does it change (better or worst) the sound of the HD598?

I own the HD558, which uses the same driver as the HD598, but never listened to the HD600 or HD650, so not sure how much they are different (HD650 vs HD598).

I did indeed, which was what causes my to buy the A5 originally, the sound was much fuller and richer with an amp. And when I say I think they are muddy, I am just comparing them with my N40, which has "crisper" sound.

 

[Hogcryat]

From what you are describing the HD-650’s would fit the bill. I have never heard the Little Dot but do love them from a Bottlehead Crack. Also agree with @serman005 on the HE-400S as another good choice as they are easy to drive and a more spacious soundstage than the 650’s. It’s been awhile since I’ve heard the 598’s but did not find them muddy in the bass it could be the amp as most OTL amps don’t do well with low impedance headphones the 598’s at 50 ohms and 112 dB sensitivity and don’t think they are a good candidate for a OTL amp.

I don't have the OTL amp now, I have the A5, and since my current candidates are all high impedance headphones I am considering a tube amp. Will check out the HE-400S.

 

[PurpleAngel]

I did indeed, which was what causes my to buy the A5 originally, the sound was much fuller and richer with an amp. And when I say I think they are muddy, I am just comparing them with my N40, which has "crisper" sound.

Just to make sure, your plugging the FiiO X5's line-output (not headphone output) into the input jack on the A5 and maximizing the volume control on the X5 (like 75% to 100%) and using the A5 to control volume.

 

[Hogcryat]

Just to make sure, your plugging the FiiO X5's line-output (not headphone output) into the input jack on the A5 and maximizing the volume control on the X5 (like 75% to 100%) and using the A5 to control volume.

I am using the line out, and the volume on the X5 does not affect line out, it is always maxed.

 

[buke9]

Sorry mixed this post with someone that had a Little Dot MKIII sorry about that. High impedance cans then good to go for a OTL but not so much with th 400S’s.