Looking for Sennheisers and advice
Mar 25, 2004 at 6:01 AM Post #17 of 33
it's not marble!.. it's that.. er.. "carbon fiber" look... yeah... I don't want my headphone to look like a freaking tennis racket!

LOL...

I agree entirely, I like the HD580 and 650 looks.
 
Mar 25, 2004 at 7:55 AM Post #18 of 33
ok, well i'm listening to my 580's right now with the oehlbach upgrade (btw, lindrone, Tuberoller did a great all inclusive cable review, too lazy to find the link
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and the cable upgrade makes a signfigant difference (but i got mine for 35 bucks!). I think the bass is much tighter and the overall feel of the thicker cord is much much more reassuring.

even if it's just psychological it seems good to me!

with all this said, i have decided to sell my 580's and upgrade to the 600's. I simply don't have the cash to buy the 650's and i demo'd the 600's in nyc this past weekend.

the 600's are better, much better. the carbon fiber housing makes the acoustics much cleaner, tighter and clearer.
i'm really not good at pinpointing in words what the sonic differences are, but i trust my ears and the difference was enough for me to switch.
i think bass was a big deal. high and mid bass were so much better on the 600's.


withall this said, the 580's are wonderful, out of the ms1's, akg 271's and 580's, they are my favorite and the only pair that i would have stuck with...if not for the 600's
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Mar 25, 2004 at 5:09 PM Post #20 of 33
I went through the same kind of thought process when I was picking between the 580s and 600s. But, knowing myself pretty well, I came to the conclusion that I'd be better off getting the 580s for now because I'd be upgrading to the 650s in a few years anyway (must. . .finish. . .college and grad school. . .first). I know that some people have heard differences between the two cans, but I figured that with low to mid level equipment and my timeline for upgrades, I'd be better leaving the last 10% for when I can better appreciate it.

I thought of the appreciation factor, the other night when were were celebrating my friend finally finishing college after about 12 years of trying off and on again. He went out and got a couple of bottles of Dom Perignon for his graduation party. However, once we toasted him, the next thing out of his mouth was "So, is this good champagne?". About five other people (including me) immediately chorused "Yes!!" My point--other than there are better (and much worse) champagnes than DP, it's still very good-- is that I decided to go with "580s:very good" and being able to fully appreciate "650s: insanely great" once I get there, and also to put that $100 towards a better amp/source/interconnects/cable.
 
Mar 25, 2004 at 5:12 PM Post #21 of 33
dSquared,
i totally agree with you. For me, i know that the 600's have been nagging me for sometime. i was not going to purchase them if not for a great deal.
and i was sure that i wouldn't upgrade, but when i heard them at the store, i knew i couldn't really go back.
also, i always know that when i go to the 650's, someone will want my 600s!

but i plan on enjoying the 600's for quite some time.
 
Mar 25, 2004 at 9:03 PM Post #22 of 33
Great advice here so far, thank you very much. However I need to decide on this quick... I just found this thread (and another) comparing the Cardas vs. the ZU Mobius cable. It is evident many guys here prefer the Zu, maybe because it seems to sound more "forward" or "punchy". In my personal case, these are more or less my listening habits:

60% jazz (classic/fusion) and classical (small ensembles rather than big orchestras)
20% downtempo & electronica
15% rock (pop rock, some vintage metal, punk, etc)
5% "everything else"

Also, I should add that for me, much of what makes a live performance gut-wrenching, spacious and, may I say, lively, lies very much in a clear, open midrange. This is a very important thing to me concerning performance (and much more so when dealing with a 3-figure cable!)

So with those numbers in mind, which of the two cables think it would suit me best? Thanks!
 
Mar 25, 2004 at 9:20 PM Post #23 of 33
Beto, thanks for finding that thread. Now its another win for hd580, but at a VERY high cost just to get no compromise sound.
Just to get it sounding forward.
the hd555/595 needs nothing to make it sound more close
but the hd580/600 does, and needs a nicer amp. Hd555 is much cheaper, overall on total parts, can it be that much worse than hd580? I want it, cause it suppose to be good and elite, but now i hear its not.
Oh wow...welcome to headfi, buster sword...
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Mar 25, 2004 at 9:27 PM Post #24 of 33
Quote:

Originally posted by sleepkyng
ok, well i'm listening to my 580's right now with the oehlbach upgrade (btw, lindrone, Tuberoller did a great all inclusive cable review, too lazy to find the link
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Here here
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Mar 25, 2004 at 10:01 PM Post #25 of 33
I still can't find a comparative oehlbach review.. that thread reviewed everything but the oehlbach. That cable just came out recently...

The Zu is the best overall.. not just because of the extra punchiness.. but it is the one that "unveils" the Sennheiser the most... the midrange comes out crystal clear, and all the sound just seems much more balanced in their presentation.
 
Mar 26, 2004 at 12:22 AM Post #27 of 33
Yes... which is what I don't like about Sennheisers in a way.. because I don't really feel like HD580/600/650 are competitive with some other options in the same price range without the cable upgrade. They do sound absolutely terrific with the cable upgrade... but...

They're already inefficient, which means you need a pretty decent amp to really power them. On top of that you need to upgrade the cable eventually to really get the best out of them. Most importantly, make the sound really "open up" and get better tonal balance out of them.

Compared to some other headphones that just sound great the way they are... I don't know, that's always been a personal preference of mine. Versatility is a huge appeal for me personally, and Sennheiser headphones traditionally has always lacked that to a degree.

Although, the new HD5x5 series look very promising, I haven't had a chance to audition any of them yet.
 
Mar 26, 2004 at 1:00 AM Post #28 of 33
i don't think a cable upgrade is absolutely necesscary, but i'm glad that sennheiser offers this option.

who knows how good the cd3k or rs1's would be if you could opt out the cable.

i know my akg 271's sound great with the stock cable, but much much better with the upgrade cable!
 
Mar 26, 2004 at 1:22 AM Post #30 of 33
Quote:

Originally posted by sleepkyng

the 600's are better, much better. the carbon fiber housing makes the acoustics much cleaner, tighter and clearer.
i'm really not good at pinpointing in words what the sonic differences are, but i trust my ears and the difference was enough for me to switch.
i think bass was a big deal. high and mid bass were so much better on the 600's.


I feel the same way about the 600s being cleaner, tighter, clearer, and with better bass (and I'll add smoother). Sometimes I doubt myself because I can barely hear any difference at all between cables and many folks have said the 580s sound pretty much identical to the 600s, to the point where a cable upgrade makes the 580s better than stock 600s (not to me, it doesn't). But that's what I hear and so for me they're well worth the extra cash over the 580's. Everyone's sound perception and ears are unique
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