[lini]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nak Man Btw, what cartridge do you have in mind ? They're outrageously priced these days ! Even 'entry level' BPS cost almost similar to top phones.

Nothing high priced, actually - as it wouldn't make sense to pair really expensive cartridges with my two Duals (CS505-4 and CS455-1M) or the Thorens TD280 MkII. I'm more thinking along the lines of a handful of decently priced models - like the Shure M97xE, Denon DL110 & 160, Audio-Technica AT440ML... And maybe some Nagaoka (MP-11 & MP-20) - I wonder how these would sound...

Greetings from Hannover!

Manfred / lini

 

[pp312]

There are some interesting comments coming out of this thread, some of them quite extreme. I've been listening to phones since 1970 and owned scores of top models including Stax, and I have to say I've never heard a more balanced, uncoloured phone than the 595, so the comments here strike me as odd to say the least. However, there could be a few possible explanations. Firstly, I listen only to classical and film soundtracks, so it's possible those into heavy rock are exciting colourations in the 595 I simple don't hear. Secondly, soon after I got my phones I covered all external surfaces with a damping material somewhat like roof flashing-that is, tar on one side and silver paper on the other. Looks crap, but it could be damping the structure and giving me a better sound (though I can't honestly say I noticed any colouration before applying it). I will certainly agree that Senn have neglected damping on the 595. For the money I believe they could have sprayed the structure internally with some damping compound. Nevertheless my main complaint was microphony rather than colouration, though there's no doubt the two are related. I wonder if it's time for the tweakers to get busy and bring this phone up to scratch. Maybe there a market here for some backyard experimenter to bring out a jet powered version with damped structure, super deluxe lead etc etc.

 

[lini]

pp312: Well, I wouldn't say the HD 595 is a bad headphone, because it certainly isn't. To me, it just doesn't seem to be worth the price. And at least to me, it's not all about neutrality - for example, the K240DF to my ears seemed to be the most neutral headphone one could get for an affordable price in the mid 80s - however, compared to its cheaper brother K240M, it sounded just too flat and boring, even downright lifeless. While the HD 595 is certainly a much more extended and musical sounding phone, some more fun factor still seems to be missing. It's a bit like a flawlessly beautiful model - who just can't compete with the objectively less beautiful, but still more attractive and much more humourous girl next door in real life.

Greetings from Hannover!

Manfred / lini

 

[nierika]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lini pp312: Well, I wouldn't say the HD 595 is a bad headphone, because it certainly isn't. To me, it just doesn't seem to be worth the price. And at least to me, it's not all about neutrality - for example, the K240DF to my ears seemed to be the most neutral headphone one could get for an affordable price in the mid 80s - however, compared to its cheaper brother K240M, it sounded just too flat and boring, even downright lifeless. While the HD 595 is certainly a much more extended and musical sounding phone, some more fun factor still seems to be missing. It's a bit like a flawlessly beautiful model - who just can't compete with the objectively less beautiful, but still more attractive and much more humourous girl next door in real life. Greetings from Hannover! Manfred / lini

I'm going to agree with pp312 in that it really depends on what your primary musical interests are. I never thought the 595 was lacking fun factor when I owned it. Well, I take that back, I moved to the 650s because prominant deep bass is a major fun factor to me. There's no such thing as too flat IMO!

 

[mrsl]

I have not noticed this plastic coloration when listening to classical music or film music which is quite similar. It was also not noticable when listening to female voices. But it was noticable in several pop music pieces. It seems that the 595 were constructed to be extremely detailed. The construction seems to be such that there is less damping than in the HD-600 yielding in slightly better detail. The Hd-595 pronounce (or amplifies) every tiny detail (e.g. you can notice the lips of the singer astonishing well). However, as a trade off you get a coloured somehow grainy (slightly noisy) sound. To explain it in an overly extreme way it sounds like I was listening to music in a bath room (hard walls, no dampening). In my opinion the 595 do not compare to my better phones which are HD-600, Grado SR-325, Stax 3030.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pp312 There are some interesting comments coming out of this thread, some of them quite extreme. I've been listening to phones since 1970 and owned scores of top models including Stax, and I have to say I've never heard a more balanced, uncoloured phone than the 595, so the comments here strike me as odd to say the least. However, there could be a few possible explanations. Firstly, I listen only to classical and film soundtracks, so it's possible those into heavy rock are exciting colourations in the 595 I simple don't hear. Secondly, soon after I got my phones I covered all external surfaces with a damping material somewhat like roof flashing-that is, tar on one side and silver paper on the other. Looks crap, but it could be damping the structure and giving me a better sound (though I can't honestly say I noticed any colouration before applying it). I will certainly agree that Senn have neglected damping on the 595. For the money I believe they could have sprayed the structure internally with some damping compound. Nevertheless my main complaint was microphony rather than colouration, though there's no doubt the two are related. ...

 

[sfxjames]

The HD600 and also Grado SR-325 and Stax 3030 I'm sure are great audiophile headphones, but they would be useless for me since I prefer using them with dolby headphone.

They say that HD595 is very versatile, and according to one user I talked to, I'm starting to believe it. They work well with dolby headphone, and not very many headphones can do that.

Infact, the Sennheiser 595 can be used with Pioneer SE-DIR800C, with better soundstage, bass and detail, than supplied wireless headphones. And those systems cost twice as much.


Choose your poison, but there is always a cure lurking somewhere.

 

[acs236]

I tried the 595 with the Prehead today. To my surprise, I like the sound I'm getting with the Prehead out of the 120 ohm jack. I'll do some more listening, but it sounds pretty nice. The 120 ohm jack injects some (in my opinion) much needed warmth into the 595s.

 

[gsferrari]

Quote:

Originally Posted by acs236 I tried the 595 with the Prehead today. To my surprise, I like the sound I'm getting with the Prehead out of the 120 ohm jack. I'll do some more listening, but it sounds pretty nice. The 120 ohm jack injects some (in my opinion) much needed warmth into the 595s.

I suspect this could be a good combo. The max is not like the prehead at all...a lot more emphasis on treble. The Prehead has some good warmth which could well work with the HD595.

Interesting

 

[3lusiv3]

The HD 595 seems to go well with my tube amp.

 

[IpodSF]

The HD595's will go good with my soon to come SuperMacro amp and we'll see how they go with the Super Mini Moy once I get it.

 

[aorbinati]

The 595's are far more sensitive than the 600's. 50 vs. 300 Ohms respectively. Looks like Senn geared the 595's toward the portable gear market?

 

[SP Wild]

Epic bump - did people have better hearing in 2004?
 
Quote:

Probably vibrating plastic is a bit drastic type of explanation of the somehow distorted sound of the 595. It is some kind of plastic like coloration. Maybe there is a certain kind of unclean resonance in the cups of the 595, it is noticable at any volume. For me it seems that the traditional construction used in HD580, HD600 and HD650 is better suited for a clean sound production (I think the Orpheus phones also use this kind of construction).

Quote:

Originally Posted by nierika Yes, the THD% is a little higher on the 595 than the 580/600/650. The only time I heard vibrating plastic on the 595s was when I had the volume way above a safe listening level for a short amount of time.

Excessive cup resonance - the biggest complaint I have with these cans, I could forgive the slight  graininess but not the resonance - otherwise a very nice tonal balance.
 
Quote:

There are some interesting comments coming out of this thread, some of them quite extreme. I've been listening to phones since 1970 and owned scores of top models including Stax, and I have to say I've never heard a more balanced, uncoloured phone than the 595, so the comments here strike me as odd to say the least. However, there could be a few possible explanations. Firstly, I listen only to classical and film soundtracks, so it's possible those into heavy rock are exciting colourations in the 595 I simple don't hear. Secondly, soon after I got my phones I covered all external surfaces with a damping material somewhat like roof flashing-that is, tar on one side and silver paper on the other. Looks crap, but it could be damping the structure and giving me a better sound (though I can't honestly say I noticed any colouration before applying it). I will certainly agree that Senn have neglected damping on the 595. For the money I believe they could have sprayed the structure internally with some damping compound. Nevertheless my main complaint was microphony rather than colouration, though there's no doubt the two are related. I wonder if it's time for the tweakers to get busy and bring this phone up to scratch. Maybe there a market here for some backyard experimenter to bring out a jet powered version with damped structure, super deluxe lead etc etc.

 
So you did agree with me back in 2004 - yet didn't in 2010...strange that.  I have always stated these cans need mass damping and resonance control.

 
Quote:

The 595's are far more sensitive than the 600's. 50 vs. 300 Ohms respectively. Looks like Senn geared the 595's toward the portable gear market?

 
These are not really for portable use...they come with a 1/4 inch TRS jack which is a giveaway - last I checked it won't connect to an Ipod without a converter.
 

 

[pp312]

Quote:

So you did agree with me back in 2004 - yet didn't in 2010...strange that.  I have always stated these cans need mass damping and resonance control.

 

You might have to point out to me where I don't agree in 2010 that the 595s structure could use some damping. I've always believed that and stated it several times (it might also help stop them cracking). I take it your referring to my inability to hear "cup resonance", which to me is a different thing. When I say damping, I'm referring to the phone's structure, not to resonances that may be occuring as a result of reflections within the cup area--that is, in the area between the driver and the ear. That was what I thought you were referring to. We might both have to define our terms a little.

 

[SP Wild]

Quote:

You might have to point out to me where I don't agree in 2010 that the 595s structure could use some damping. I've always believed that and stated it several times (it might also help stop them cracking). I take it your referring to my inability to hear "cup resonance", which to me is a different thing. When I say damping, I'm referring to the phone's structure, not to resonances that may be occuring as a result of reflections within the cup area--that is, in the area between the driver and the ear. That was what I thought you were referring to. We might both have to define our terms a little.

So you don't agree with me then?

 

[pp312]

Quote:

So you don't agree with me then?

I do agree. I agree that we're probably talking about two different things.