[Arleus]

Congrats on your 558 purchase. They're a fantastic little pair of headpones, with a nice upfront midrange to keep things interesting, as you've already noticed. Not so sure about your headache problems - I've never found my 558s fatiguing. Then again, I am a Grado owner, so maybe I'm more tolerant of forward upper-midranges than some others. I use an E7 to drive my 558s, and it's a great cheap amp/DAC for them. All the hissing from your internal sound should be gone, and things might sound a bit more balanced than your internal sound due to the E7s low output impedance (it's possible you've got great internal sound, but from your description of it hissing, it sounds unlikely). As for the ground loop problem, I do have a friend who still has mains hum on her USB headset, so I'm not 100% sure it will solve that problem. Still, the E7 is such a flexible tool that if you were already prepared to spend that money, I wouldn't hesitate too much about it. 
 
If you're looking for an adaptor for 1/4 to 3.5mm, I would take a look at the Grado one (google Grado adaptor). It's a bit more expensive than some others, but it's got a short bit of wire between the two ends that alleviates the stress a very long jack/adaptor combo can put on the port. 

 

[roker]

Quote:

If you're looking for an adaptor for 1/4 to 3.5mm, I would take a look at the Grado one (google Grado adaptor). It's a bit more expensive than some others, but it's got a short bit of wire between the two ends that alleviates the stress a very long jack/adaptor combo can put on the port. 

why bother with that when there's a Sennheiser one?
 
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/601983-REG/Sennheiser_092595_3_5mm_Plug_to_6_3mm.html
 
Might as well keep it all the same.
 

 

[GigaFi]

That's the one I've been looking at. It comes out to $10 vs the Grado's $15. Still though, I don't like how the shipping doubles the otherwise $5. Maybe I can find it in a store somewhere.
 
At the moment, I'm using the included 1/4 to 1/8 adapter, then I just have an 1/8 to 1/8 extension cable. It essentially does the same thing as the adapter and only costs $1.
 

 

[jrkong]

Quote:

WOW, really?....Thats a bit...get an amp LOL you will feel a huge improvement, something like Little Dot MKIII

 
Yeah the HD600/HD650's run off of the iPhone. Now does it run well, that is a whole different story... Let's just say you will make your $600 headphones sound like $200 headphones at best.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

Quote:

Can't think of a better first post than to say I just sold my pair of Beats Studios and have a pair of Sennheiser 558s incoming
 
 

YAY!@#@!#@#!#@#
 
you will love your sennheisers alot. they wont have as much bass as the beats, but will sound alot better overall.
 
 

 

[kamara]

Good choice!

 

[iSennheiser]

Take a look at the new decent affordable amp such as FiiO E12 Mont Blanc, those can power HD5xx,HD6xx range perfectly and the sound is expected to be much better.

 

[iSennheiser]

It is not just better, but you will hear a real sounding signature, I don't know how to describe but as a musician running around in concert halls and major concert, I still prefer Sennheiser as musically accurate and that's the way we play and hear music on stage. But Beats Studio really horrendous and horrible to my opinion, it is so harsh and piercing which something that headphone at $15 would sounds like or some would perform even better.
 
(Please excuse my broken exotic english)

 

[viralcow]

Your English is fine... it's just that you've dug up a 2 year old post and probably the OP doesn't even own the 558's anymore.

 

[kimvictor]

Lol. Bringing treads back to life!

 

[teb1013]

It is not just better, but you will hear a real sounding signature, I don't know how to describe but as a musician running around in concert halls and major concert, I still prefer Sennheiser as musically accurate and that's the way we play and hear music on stage. But Beats Studio really horrendous and horrible to my opinion, it is so harsh and piercing which something that headphone at $15 would sounds like or some would perform even better.

(Please excuse my broken exotic english)

Now that the thread has been raised from the dead, the 558s really come into their own with a small desktop dac/amp. I use the Aune T1 which also will power upgraded phones like the HD 600 and 650. It ads the fun of tube rolling to the mix.

 

[Fuzziekiwi]

HD558 is my favorite headphone out of all the ones I own. 

 

[dyang]

I agree with you completely...  I spent about an hour with a friends Beats Studio and totally hate it.  I just want to see what it's all about and I just can't see myself owning a pair.  Then...  I borrowed another friends Beats Pro's and I felt the same way as I did with the Studios.  First of all, it was super uncomfortable and it sounded terrible, audio sounded distorted and photoshopped.  Apologies to Beats owners, just imho.  
 
The HD558 is a really comfortable and great sounding pair of cans.  I should have never sold mine...  However, I now own a pair of HD650 and Audio Technica w1000x which I enjoy them both very much.
 
Tested with both Beats with:
 
Shiit Asgard 2/Modi, both high and low gain.
Fiio E17/E09K, both high and low gain.
Fiio E17, both high low gain.
Also, straight from my Macbook Pro without a DAC or Amp.
 
Just not worth the money imho.

 

[dolor]

Hi welcome.
 
Sorry about your wallet..your future wallet..

 

[GigaFi]

Wow, this post is old! Seems like just yesterday when I made it.
 
I've owned a bunch of headphones/IEMs since then, currently settled on a M100...for now