[absolutofft]

after my headphone wires giving out after only 8 months, and the buzzing that I occasionally heard in the left ear of my sennheiser HD 580s I have to say that sennheiser can do A LOT better job in the quality department.

For the price the headphones cost I would expect at least 5 years out of them.

 

[tigger]

Quote:

Originally posted by absolutofft after my headphone wires giving out after only 8 months, and the buzzing that I occasionally heard in the left ear of my sennheiser HD 580s I have to say that sennheiser can do A LOT better job in the quality department. For the price the headphones cost I would expect at least 5 years out of them.

At least you can change the cable easily. I have to say that among the phones I've owned, the Sennheiser HD600s were near the top of the list for build quality.
Other than the cable, you should have no problem running them for 5 years if you don't abuse them.

 

[Lisa]

Doesn't sennheiser give a two year warrenty?

 

[Guyferd]

I think the best built headphones ever are the beyerdynamics..
just have a look at their dt770. Built like tank. Solid and can last for years.

 

[pigmode]

I like the build quality of the HD600s. Carbon Fiber, baby!!

 

[Magic77]

I think the build quality of the HD-280's are excellent, which I've had for 2 months now.

My personal opinion: I like AKG build quality the best.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

I just checked out a number of models at a local HI-FI shop yesterday. The quality of the 580 was quite impressive, however the 400-series was less so, many had filmsy looking plastic parts.

 

[robert]

Quote:

Originally posted by absolutofft after my headphone wires giving out after only 8 months, and the buzzing that I occasionally heard in the left ear of my sennheiser HD 580s I have to say that sennheiser can do A LOT better job in the quality department. For the price the headphones cost I would expect at least 5 years out of them.

it's not the cable.

have you ever unplugged the cable, say to untwist it??? my experience with the 600 led me to the conclusion that the plug/socket design was really stupid, or just as likely, cheap. the issue is with the how the plug is seated. when i sent mine back, after unplugging them to remove an annoying twist, they came back with the cable (maybe even the same one), firmly reseated in the socket. i didn't use them for a long time, moving around and all. well, i started using them again, and sure enough, the cable got twisted again. and i unplugged the cable. and the problems started again.

i solved the problem with a pair of grado sr-325.

 

[djgustashaw]

ive found quite the opposite in my px200's. theyre built with the same precision as the innards of a watch. everything fits tightly and closely, the only prob ive had is with the cord, the last ten centimeters or so (last decimeter then i guess) are permanently twisted pretty badly, but i think its my fault from wrapping the cord too tightly around the hardcase.

 

[Cyberius]

The HD570s I borrowed from someone once were junk. The way the size adjusted w/ all that plastic moving around just made me nervous.

My DT770s w/ padded metal band feel much sturdier.

When your paying hundreds for headphones, they should be built to last. I was underwhelmed by the 570s and various other models I played with at a dealer.

 

[Achilles]

The HD570 will cost you less than hundred dollars. As for the build quality, it was much more impressive than the sound.

I like the build of the older Senns, except for the plugs, but than again they improved on that with their newer models. Also, those newer models might not look sturdy but take it from one who acts toward his HD590 like an abusive parent, it can take quite a beating.

 

[Duncan]

Quote:

Originally posted by Guyferd I think the best built headphones ever are the beyerdynamics.. just have a look at their dt770. Built like tank. Solid and can last for years.

The DT770s LOOK sturdy, but I wouldn't undo that leather headband if I were you, everything kind of falls apart after that point, you can see rust, chaffed leather, and a really loose, wobbling headband

I've had these HD565s for 8 or 9 years, and they're still as solid as ever... I really must replace the pads though... they are SERIOUSLY deflated

 

[xlifez]

my firend has the headphones yet it look pretty flimsey

 

[absolutofft]

Quote:

Originally posted by robert it's not the cable. have you ever unplugged the cable, say to untwist it??? my experience with the 600 led me to the conclusion that the plug/socket design was really stupid, or just as likely, cheap. the issue is with the how the plug is seated. when i sent mine back, after unplugging them to remove an annoying twist, they came back with the cable (maybe even the same one), firmly reseated in the socket. i didn't use them for a long time, moving around and all. well, i started using them again, and sure enough, the cable got twisted again. and i unplugged the cable. and the problems started again. i solved the problem with a pair of grado sr-325.

I was thinking about changing headphones to a hair of grados, did you think the grados had a more forward sound? what about the build quality? and don't they have a pad that rests on the ear as oppose to cupping the ear?

 

[robert]

Quote:

Originally posted by absolutofft I was thinking about changing headphones to a hair of grados, did you think the grados had a more forward sound? what about the build quality? and don't they have a pad that rests on the ear as oppose to cupping the ear?

it took some time to break them in. i spent a week away, and let them run with "A Meeting by the River". they smoothed out considerably. until they're broken in, the high end can be irritating on some CDs, but not all.

- the 325 is more forward; the graphs on the HeadRoom site match what i hear. since my ears are on the high side of 40, i don't find this "wrong". i also suspect that the notions of forward, soundstage, and detail derive from the rising high end.

- their build is solid. i haven't stood up from a chair with my foot on the cable, so i don't know how good the strain relief is. but you do get your money's worth. some folks complain that the cable is short at 6 feet. i had a kimber extension, so this is not an issue.

- the pad is "supra-aural" which means it does sit on the ear. i wear glasses, and i had to fiddle with the band to reduce the pinch of the ear on the glasses frame. the grado won't be as comfortable as the 580/600; or the sony 3000; or any oval around the ear pad. on the other hand, they're way less bulky. i don't try to listen for hours at a time; generally one CD at a time, so they don't get uncomfortable.

i e-mailed equinox about the replacement cable, and was advised that my original copper 600s (1998 production) would always have the socket problem. from the traffic here, the conventional wisdom is that Sennheiser changed the design around 1999/2000, using an aluminum driver and revised socket. it may be that the problem really didn't go away.

in the end, i find the sound more "accurate" from the 325 than i did from the 580/600. and i got tired of the intermittancy of the senns.