[mariowar]

Darkwolf, does the Corda is really a perfect match for the Senns HD590 ? I've heard that the Corda has a bright presentation. How does the bass sound?
I'am asking wondering if a Headroom amp would a better match knowing they are warmer than the Corda.

 

[Rizumu]

Gah, I can't stand waiting for things in the mail!

bifcake: It does seem to have been awhile hasn't it?

When'd you order your phones DarkWolf? Did it take the full two weeks?

 

[lextek]

Zack give them a chance with a CD player.

 

[Prizm]

DarkWolf - You mean those delivery guys walked into your house, and put the box down on your table??

And in your favorite spot none-the-less??

About the brightness - It seems that some people have it and some don't. It may just be the way they come from the factory, some end up brighter than others until they're burned in.

I know there was a definate difference in my 590's sibilance after burn-in. The highs used to make me cringe from the brightness when I first got my pair, but now they sound great.

Prizm

 

[DarkWolf]

I'm happy to say that after pumping 12 or some odd hours of Autechure through my 590s via my discman set to "Groove," they sound a little better. I think. It's really mostly that my head isn't self destructing. I also don't have a cold either, I've been working in a cold house with no insulation and plenty of propane fumes, which I suspect to be the problem now.

Now they sound a little more natural to me. The sound stage is different from what I'm used to. A little wider, even with crossfeed. It atually sounds like the instruments and stuff are around my head, and the vocals are in my head. The crossfeed actually smooths this out fairly nicely. I have to say though, at this point, the sound stage seems sort of artificial. Not so much bad, just artificail. Certan vocals sound receced, but not all.

I'm still a bit undesided on the bass. It's certanly there, but it's doesn't seem as deep or as solid as I was expecting. I know there is a diffeence between headphones and subwoofers, but I know what deep bass sounds like on phones.. On a strange note, I've found one instance where crossfeed improves bass. I won't say what it is exactly, because you guys will point and laugh, but I think it had to do with cutting down some of the "chater" caused by extreme channel seperation.

Ok, so I think these will take a little bit of getting used to. I remember when I got my speakers, I thought they sounded odd. Now they are my reference, and my older stuff sounds REALLY cheap by compairison. I've banned my self from using my old phones for a while. Once think I'm totally at piece with the 590s, I'll try them out again. If they sound pretty bad, I guess I'll be happy. If not, well ****. Maybe it would be time for me to throw in the towel as an audiophile.. Or at least order a pair of A1000s.

I'm fairly eager o try those still, but I can't think how I'll get to do it without buying them. But again, that's neither here or now.

One thing about the 590s, I like them more when I close my eyes and focus on the music, but if I'm not focussing on it, it turns into back grojund noise faster. I'm also already wondering about cable upgrades for them. It sounds like they are holding something back, but I can't put my finger on it. Maybe it's that they are forcing me to discover crossfeed all over again. Ah, why is everything some sort of trade-off?

I'm really looking forward to the next CT meet, so that I can try my setup with and against different things. I think that doing so will give me some fresh perspective. More is sure to come...

 

[wallijonn]

DW,

remember that you can find cheap cd players, like Onkyo DX1800 and Denon 810 on Ebay for about $25.

 

[DarkWolf]

I think we have just set the date for the next meet. We will be able to pit my sound card against some good (probably better than I can afford at the moment) CD players. We will be able to better decide if we think the players really are better or not. Lex and i won't be too suprised if the soundcard keeps up though. If you think about the cost of the parts, CD players have a huge amount of stuff that isn't strictly involved in making sound, where as soundcards are almost entrirely devoted to that, with no cases, moving parts, or PSUs. There is the interfearance form the computer though, which is the biggest down side.

 

[fyrfytrhoges]

dw, with the money already invested in the 590's it would be a shame for you if you didn't upgrade the cable to an equinox. I did and they sounded like totally different headphones, if you can find a way to try one out I would HIGHLY recommend it.

 

[Tim D]

You need to rethink things if you think a soundcard is more devoted to sound than a CD-player. The soundcard is not an independent entity seperate of the computer. I could say that the DAC in a CD-player is devoted to converting digital to analog, and it wouldn't mean too much.

You are paying for much more than "quality audio parts" when you're looking at a soundcard.

Oh back on topic of the HD590...or the cording...if the HD590 single sided cord is anything similar to the single sided detachable cording of the HD490/495's...it definitely could be better. Also there would still be advantages as I assume the signal gets split up at the junction point . But the single sided cord could just be L/R and ground signals all twisted together with nothing but colored laquer insulation and the rubber cording that surrounds them to insulate and shield them (that basically sums up the construction of the sennheiser cord I dissected). This is even less inspiring than some cheapie earbud cords I've seen.

 

[Randu]

FINALLY!!

Damn, that Euro crossing took awhile. Congrats!

I've been enjoying mine daily (nightly actually..) and I'm very happy with them.

I've been listening straight out of the Yamaha CD player (nice that it has a jack & output control) or straight out of the TV jack.

It amazes me how much more you can hear out of the TV at much lower volumes.

The CD jack is crystal clear compared to the Yamaha receiver's jack! GREAT detail and very alive. A little volume and the bass really kicks in. You get some very altered tonality with a little tilt of the cans also, I find I like a slightly forward angle. I think it has to do with how the drivers line up with your ears.

I haven't had much to compare them to as they are my first cans, but I did audition the 500s & 580s at a Good Guy's and these are much closer to the 580s than the 500s. I concur with your description of the soundstage. I find the voices in my head sometimes too (whew, glad it wasn't what I feared) and a surround of instruments, esp a good drum kit seems to surround my head.

Well, I've been having a blast (woke up a couple nights at 6am still in the Barcalounger with Lowell George ripping)

I hope you enjoy them also.

 

[wallijonn]

DW,

it may not be just the soundcard, but rather, it is probably the inferior electroincs (DACs, opamps, etc) inside the computer cd player that will contriubte (or actually degrade) the sound quality.

so will you be getting a replacement cable for your hd590? don't want to hack off that baby, you know. and of course you can always try making your own cable, say out of Belden 83393. but wait, the hd590 is a single cup cable, isn't it?

Randu,

which Yamaha player? i bet you it has a 100 ohm output, then.

 

[Randu]

CDC 645

Headphones output (-20 dB).......... 200 +/- 40mV/ 150 ohms

Can you translate that??

 

[wallijonn]

Randu,

you mean 200mv (160mv to 240 mv) at 150 ohm output?

 

[Randu]

Well, since you put it that way, that's what it look like it says, eh?
I copied it straight off the spec sheet.

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally posted by wallijonn ...you mean 200mv (160mv to 240 mv) at 150 ohm output?

Actually it's 200 mV at 150 ohm load!

As a solid-state amplifier stage it probably has not more than about 25 ohm output impedance. The common impedance indications usually don't refer to the amp's own impedance or to any recommended load, but simply have the purpose to give an idea how much power it can deliver at a certain load.


DarkWolf...

There are three main points responsible for your current problems and doubts: the new sound you have to get used to, the new headphone which needs a lot of burn-in (give it some loud bass over night!) and the Sennheiser stock cable, which takes a lot of transparency away. I don't know the Equinox, but don't doubt it will bring a similar improvement as my own one with my HD 600. Bur wait until the sound has settled down: I guess full burn-in after a week already will change a lot to the good!

JaZZ