K501 vs. HD580?

[Mrvile]

Just out of curiosity, I'm wondering how my beloved K501's match up against the similarly priced HD580's? The 580's have looked pretty attractive to me in terms of sound signature, but I probably won't ever own one unless I sell my 501's (apparently they are rather similar soundwise, with the AKG's having better mids and the Senns having better bass). So, from anyone that has heard both, what are your thoughts of the two and which would you prefer?

 

[Jeff E]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrvile /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just out of curiosity, I'm wondering how my beloved K501's match up against the similarly priced HD580's? The 580's have looked pretty attractive to me in terms of sound signature, but I probably won't ever own one unless I sell my 501's (apparently they are rather similar soundwise, with the AKG's having better mids and the Senns having better bass). So, from anyone that has heard both, what are your thoughts of the two and which would you prefer?

I owned the 580s and I must confess that I never really appreciated them. To my taste, the highs were too rolled off and they were a bit too bassy, albeit not as bad as the 650s. I only used them with the stock cable.

I also owned the 501s (X2) and, at their current price consider them to be one of the very best buys in headphones. The 501 offer a nice taste of the famous AKG K1000 treble "air" in addition to their sweet mids--extended highs without sibilance, other components permitting. I suppose my preference is pretty clear.

Disclaimers: Given my evolving collection of music and equipment and that my musical taste is under construction, my audio opinions are derived from a poorly designed experiment. YMMV. Sixty-year old ears.

It's just a hobby.

 

[derek85555]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrvile /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just out of curiosity, I'm wondering how my beloved K501's match up against the similarly priced HD580's? The 580's have looked pretty attractive to me in terms of sound signature, but I probably won't ever own one unless I sell my 501's (apparently they are rather similar soundwise, with the AKG's having better mids and the Senns having better bass). So, from anyone that has heard both, what are your thoughts of the two and which would you prefer?

I think both of them are bad, the best one to get is what i have, SyncMaster 900NF. This is by far the best "headphone" out there! google it, and check ebay, its very useful. The resolution is very good.

 

[derek8555]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrvile /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just out of curiosity, I'm wondering how my beloved K501's match up against the similarly priced HD580's? The 580's have looked pretty attractive to me in terms of sound signature, but I probably won't ever own one unless I sell my 501's (apparently they are rather similar soundwise, with the AKG's having better mids and the Senns having better bass). So, from anyone that has heard both, what are your thoughts of the two and which would you prefer?

580 are very dark-sound, a little grainy and details not as good as the AKG's, but has alot of bass and midbass (that is, with the foams). It's really up to personal preference.

Quote:

Originally Posted by derek85555 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think both of them are bad, the best one to get is what i have, SyncMaster 900NF. This is by far the best "headphone" out there! google it, and check ebay, its very useful. The resolution is very good.

LMAO!

 

[Mrvile]

Sorry double post

 

[Mrvile]

Quote:

Originally Posted by derek85555 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think both of them are bad, the best one to get is what i have, SyncMaster 900NF. This is by far the best "headphone" out there! google it, and check ebay, its very useful. The resolution is very good.

Haha, I don't know where that came from but I had a feeling you were talking about something else there

<--- computer freak

Anyway, it looks like the K501's still trump the HD580's, at least within my sound preferences. Thanks for the responses!

 

[PiccoloNamek]

I've never compared the K501s and the HD580s specifically, but I have extensively compared them with the HD650s, and I have to say the 650s are, to me, completely better. In comparison, the K501s are excessively airy (not harsh, though) and without body or substance or "oomph". The bass is tight and punchy, of course, but in comparison to the 650s, the sound is very ethereal. Comparing them to the 580s would probably be a similar experience, I'd imagine. (Although, the charts for the 580 and 501 are surprisingly similar...)

Perhaps you should upgrade directly to the HD650s?

 

[Mrvile]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiccoloNamek /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've never compared the K501s and the HD580s specifically, but I have extensively compared them with the HD650s, and I have to say the 650s are, to me, completely better. In comparison, the K501s are excessively airy (not harsh, though) and without body or substance or "oomph". The bass is tight and punchy, of course, but in comparison to the 650s, the sound is very ethereal. Comparing them to the 580s would probably be a similar experience, I'd imagine. Perhaps you should upgrade directly to the HD650s?

I don't know how I would like the HD650's though...I personally like the airiness to the K501's and, comparing to something like the SR-60's, I like my AKG's a lot more. It adds to the soundstage and really compliments a warm tube amp without becoming too congested.

 

[Davesrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrvile /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't know how I would like the HD650's though...I personally like the airiness to the K501's and, comparing to something like the SR-60's, I like my AKG's a lot more. It adds to the soundstage and really compliments a warm tube amp without becoming too congested.

Don't equate the 580/650s to the SR60s.....actually, the HD580 is more of a complete opposite of the S60 as opposed to the 501 (the 501 being more in the center of any sort of sound signature). I have the 580s, and have listened to the 501s on my system. They're very different, and my own preferences has been towards the 580s (they seem to have the best tonality for my musical preferences: classical, accoustic, alternative). The 501s just seem too airy to me.....on my setup (especially the DAC1), the 580s have more detail then the 501s. They are nothing like one another (my musical preferences seem really sweet on the 580s...which also have a nicely balanced soundstage....my music just sounds really distant on the 501s)
I'd say that if your musical tastes are more for accoustic guitars or jazz, the 580s are something to try (if you want something different from your 501s). If you're looking for a more all in one headphone....think about the HD595 or MS-1

 

[Don Quichotte]

I wrote a very long comparative review of K501 and HD600 a long time (something like 3 or 4 years) ago, do a search, maybe it would offer you a clearer picture of their sound signatures. HD600 is supposedly similar to the HD580, just a bit better.

 

[Davesrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Quichotte /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wrote a very long comparative review of K501 and HD600 a long time (something like 3 or 4 years) ago, do a search, maybe it would offer you a clearer picture of their sound signatures. HD600 is supposedly similar to the HD580, just a bit better.

IMHO, the sound quality is very very similar between the HD580 and 600....in fact, you can mod the 580 to sound exactly like the 600. With a replacement cable, it can even get better quality then a stock 600. But since I've had both the 580 and 501 I can say that their sound signatures are actually quite different. They're both pretty well balanced tonally (emphasis is more towards the bass for the Sennheisers/ more towards middle frequencies for the 501s). I'd say both have treble roll off (especially on a begining headphone amp). But the 501s can get a huge soundstage: the 580s seem to consistantly have a smaller soundstage for me (one that I prefer because it seems more intimate).