Im new here! & Headphone help

[12tone]

Hello! I'm new here...

My name is Steve...a little about myself:

Age: 24
Gender: male
Live: BC, Canada
Current headphones: HD495
Music: Classical, jazz
Loves: Listening to sounds, music.

My question is this: I'm thinking about getting new headphones and the ones I'm looking at are the HD 570s, 580s and 590s. And I need help making the choice! I came here after someone posted a link from a classical music forum. I figured you guys could help!

In case it's necessary, I mostly listen to classical. I just want an all around good headphone.

At the store the 90s were the most expensive but someone at the classical forum said despite the number / price the 80s were better...but the 90s were better than than the 70s. A bit confusing. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[lindrone]

HD580 is universally regarded as one of the best headphone out there for its price/performance... but they are hard to drive, so you need to get a headphone amp to get the best out of them.

HD590 is actually a departure from the normal Sennheiser signature sound, but it's easier to drive from different sources. You don't have to get an amp for them... but they don't have as balanced of a delivery as the HD580.

Cross the HD570 off that list, they don't compare to their bigger brethens..

 

[taylor]

Why not a HD555 ($150) or HD595 ($250)? The're probably better choices than the HD570, some people even prefer them to the HD6xx series.

 

[12tone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindrone HD580 is universally regarded as one of the best headphone out there for its price/performance... but they are hard to drive, so you need to get a headphone amp to get the best out of them. HD590 is actually a departure from the normal Sennheiser signature sound, but it's easier to drive from different sources. You don't have to get an amp for them... but they don't have as balanced of a delivery as the HD580. Cross the HD570 off that list, they don't compare to their bigger brethens..

My home system is a Denon UD M31. Is the amp in that good enough to drive a 580?

 

[Eagle_Driver]

You can cross both the 570 and the 590 from your list. Those two models have been discontinued; the 555 and the 595 (which are so much better than the 570 and the 590) are their replacements.

The 580 has also been discontinued, but may still be purchased from some resellers. But you will want a good amp for it - a typical receiver's headphone output is merely a few cheap resistors dropping from the main speaker amp, which will make the 580 sound like mud due to the high output impedance of the jack. The 580 sounds best with a near-zero-Ohm output impedance - but the output impedance of a typical receiver headphone jack measures in the hundreds of Ohms.

 

[12tone]

What would be a good headphone amp then? Something reasonably priced?

 

[go_vtec]

Can you define reasonably price? $50, 100, 300, 500 or 3000 USD?
A fellow head-fier gsferrari has a descent posting regarding this issue.
http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=69613

Let us know if you have a question after reading the posting above

 

[dj_mocok]

i dont think denon udm31 is a good match for HD580, i think at least it needs sort of integrated amp to power it.
i tried my A900 on Denon UDM31 before (as i was thinking to get it last time), and they sound just great.
thats a very nice mini system by the way.

if you are planning to get a headphone amp, im afraid then you have to get a new stand-alone cd player too then, the combination of denon m31 - headphone amp - headphone, sounds somewhat weird to me.

if you want practical (and not so expensive) listening, maybe you can just pick a nice set of heaphone that can be easily driven. (not the 580 or 600 stuffs)

 

[3lusiv3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12tone I'm thinking about getting new headphones and the ones I'm looking at are the HD 570s, 580s and 590s. And I need help making the choice! I came here after someone posted a link from a classical music forum.

I think the HD 595's would suit you nicely.

 

[12tone]

So if I bought the 555 or 595 they would work okay on my Denon m31 system without an amp good enough?

I'm trying really hard not to have to pay for an amp. But to answer someone's question, right now the most I'd pay for an amp is around $100

 

[3lusiv3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12tone So if I bought the 555 or 595 they would work okay on my Denon m31 system without an amp good enough?

From what I have read here, I think they should be fine with your Denon. A headphone amp would improve the sound but the Denon should drive them well enough. Which of those two to buy is the difficult thing to decide because some people here feel they sound almost the same despite their big price difference. If you can affford it, I would go for the HD 595's and rest assured that you have top headphones. These are open headphones so i hope you realise that they don't block any sound, although open designs seem to go well with classical music.

 

[12tone]

Oh wait...I think I'm getting it (Im new to headphones sorry).

I just saw in the picture at Senn's website that the 95's are like a pad...I'm wearing my 495s right now and its just a pad. Your ears don't go 'into' them so to speak. Is that what you guys mean by open? I saw at the store that the 80s and 90s were this velour earmuff thing so your ears are surrounded. Id almost like those better but if I need an amp and the 95s are good enough then I'd say forget it...I'll get the normal 'open' 95's.

Any other info I should know about?

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eagle_Driver The 580 has also been discontinued, but may still be purchased from some resellers.

Huh... when was the HD580 discontinued?

 

[12tone]

Okay so say I get the 95s. I heard the PPA is a good amp on here? How does an amp work? Where does that go in relation to the system I have and the headphones?

 

[dj_mocok]

covering all the ears is called circumaural, and the ones only covering part of the ears are called monoaural or something..

open headphones are the ones with open headphone cups usually (with holes / grilles ), and closed headphones, well, closed cups (solid).

i think if you wanna force yourself for another 100 bucks for an amp, i think its better just to skip headphone amp first, and just get a headphone that still sounds nice without an amp, and see how you go from there.

what are the speakers that go with your m31 by the way ? if its a good one, my point of view is, if you are happy with the sound quality produced by your m31, i am quite sure you will be happy with the sound that comes from m31 straight to a decent sounding headphone.

how much you are willing to pay for a headphone ? if you are to go without an amp, i dont know how well the 595 will be, since i never tried them before.
grados or audio technica lines should be on your short list if you want a nice set of easily-driven headphones (thats heaphones that still sound good without an amp).

i never tried this one, but i read from so many users, ATH-W100 is excellent for classical music (since you listen to mostly classical). but the problem is, i dont know whether it is easily driven, and also its a bit of a rarity already.
a few of us here have or had W100 before, you may want to post a new thread asking about the quality and how well is this one with classical and unamped.
http://www.audio-technica.co.jp/prod.../ath-w100.html

oh well, if you want a quick and easy solution, get ATH-A900 then, a headphone that most users here will agree that you can't go wrong with it.