[Electrolite]

The SHP9500 was one the headphone that I really didn't like, very thin and dry sounding (un modded) so gave them away after a month but the person I gave them to really likes it so maybe its me that is the problem, LOL.

I've had my HD58X for a few weeks now and all of the non-audio nut friends who have heard them like them a lot but the ones who have decent/good audio system or better headphones say "you get what you pay for" since all will quickly pick up on the slight grain in the treble. While I do agree with you that its a matter of preference it seems to be more of experiences with other gear/headphones that matters more from what I've noticed with my friends.

I see your point but I don't know... There isn't a SINGLE headphone no matter how expensive it is where I never saw someone complaining. Utopia strange peak, HD800 soundstage isn't natural , SR 009 not enough bass or treble can be sibilant at times, Andromedas weren't that impressive, AEONs, Sundaras... doesn't matter... and on the other hand I also heard people saying they don't hear any of these problems at all.

And yes of course more expensive headphones are more refined but even if with a high-end mega blaster headphone people can hear grain or lack of bass or lack of resolution or anything I don't feel like all of those things are real problems on the headphone (yes sometimes the headphone really has a problem, I'm talking about more subjective issues where some can hear and others don't for example). I feel like they are just things that bother the person because it doesn't meet their preferred FR. So I feel like the HD58X grain isn't such an "issue" on the headphone, it's more subjective, some people get annoyed, others don't, I think it's just part of the Headphone's FR and not an innate flaw of the design.

Of course they aren't in my hands yet, maybe they really have a grain flaw but I saw people owning Stax and HD800 having no problems with the HD58X going with your argument of "it seems to be more of experiences with other gear/headphones that matters more from what I've noticed with my friends"

 

[DavidA]

I see your point but I don't know... There isn't a SINGLE headphone no matter how expensive it is where I never saw someone complaining. Utopia strange peak, HD800 soundstage isn't natural , SR 009 not enough bass or treble can be sibilant at times, Andromedas weren't that impressive, AEONs, Sundaras... doesn't matter... and on the other hand I also heard people saying they don't hear any of these problems at all.

And yes of course more expensive headphones are more refined but even if with a high-end mega blaster headphone people can hear grain or lack of bass or lack of resolution or anything I don't feel like all of those things are real problems on the headphone (yes sometimes the headphone really has a problem, I'm talking about more subjective issues where some can hear and others don't for example). I feel like they are just things that bother the person because it doesn't meet their preferred FR. So I feel like the HD58X grain isn't such an "issue" on the headphone, it's more subjective, some people get annoyed, others don't, I think it's just part of the Headphone's FR and not an innate flaw of the design.

Of course they aren't in my hands yet, maybe they really have a grain flaw but I saw people owning Stax and HD800 having no problems with the HD58X going with your argument of "it seems to be more of experiences with other gear/headphones that matters more from what I've noticed with my friends"

Agree that what a person has experienced plays a role in how one will perceive the sound of a headphone. I do have a HD800, HD700 and quite a few other headphones and used to own a SR009 and I have to say that you are correct that even these have their issues as you noted but like you pointed out it all comes down to personal preferences and I'll add hearing ability. The issue of grain is subjective so what I consider grain might be as you say just a part of the headphones FR to another and to honest when I first started on my headphone journey I could never hear any "grain" on any headphone that I had at the time until a good friend told me what I should be listening for and let me hear a few headphones that the grain really stood out and those that have almost no "grain" and the bad part is once you hear it you can't un-hear it .

While I say the HD58X has grain its not a deal breaker to me and to many of my friends who can also hear the grain its not an issue / deal breaker, and for others they just don't hear it and I think they are the lucky ones .

 

[SSandDigital]

To anyone discovering Sennheiser for the first time, trust your own ears, trust your own preferences. Who cares what some dude says about grain, because it's not audiophile enough for them. Don't get carried away or become disillusioned that audiophile is about gear and $$$, it's about appreciation of SOUND...

For example, I love cycling. Don't become the cyclist who becomes obsessed with the gear, finding reasons to blame the gear etc. Enjoy the ride!

If the K712 is anything like the Austrian units, then you seem to be perceiving brighter headphones as more detailed and more technical. The K701 had an upper midrange peak and a resonant cup. It isn't more detailed at all. More brighter, yes.

I have the K712 Austrian, though don't think that makes any difference, I'm sure the Slovakian sound exactly the same. I think you are right that can often be the perception, but overall, I stand by, K712 is the more technical headphone and overall more versatile. It's good with any genre of music I've thrown at, but discovered, can't put my finger on it, but rock/metal is not great with HD58x. Soon as I tried listening to metal/rock with it, I immediately thought, where are my K712... where is it? Ahhh, yes, this is it.

Really glad I have both though.

I plan to play some Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice with HD58x. It was amazing with K712/AD900x.

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

trust your own ears, trust your own preferences

What you are saying is true, but I think the latter part is a bit overgeneralizing things too much. Just because someone can hear the grain on the HD58x (or the peak on HD800 or the almost non-existent bass on the AKG K701) doesn't mean that they will blindly spend money on a "better" pair to fix it. In fact I've come to believe that no headphones are perfect and you simple stick to what you're looking for (your preferences). For example I've found that the HD6xx is just too mellow for most genres, but I bought it for the single purpose of listening to Vietnamese "cheesy" music, so I don't mind.

I think I can hear a bit of "grain" on the HD58x as well, but as I've always said, it's a steal at $150. I wouldn't expect it to be perfect, or "better" than my other cans.

 

[DavidA]

To anyone discovering Sennheiser for the first time, trust your own ears, trust your own preferences. Who cares what some dude says about grain, because it's not audiophile enough for them. Don't get carried away or become disillusioned that audiophile is about gear and $$$, it's about appreciation of SOUND...

While I hear the grain its not a deal breaker for me since I can enjoy the HD58X with my phone or low end DAP where the HD650/600 pretty much need an amp to sound as good as the HD58X. One reason I mention the grain is there are those that can't stand any grain so its something that is important to them while there are others that can hear the grain but to them its not a deal breaker. I'm not one of those that is looking for the "best" or "perfect" but one who likes the unique sound of many different headphones paired with many different amps.

What you are saying is true, but I think the latter part is a bit overgeneralizing things too much. Just because someone can hear the grain on the HD58x (or the peak on HD800 or the almost non-existent bass on the AKG K701) doesn't mean that they will blindly spend money on a "better" pair to fix it. In fact I've come to believe that no headphones are perfect and you simple stick to what you're looking for (your preferences). For example I've found that the HD6xx is just too mellow for most genres, but I bought it for the single purpose of listening to Vietnamese "cheesy" music, so I don't mind.

I think I can hear a bit of "grain" on the HD58x as well, but as I've always said, it's a steal at $150. I wouldn't expect it to be perfect, or "better" than my other cans.

Couldn't have said it better.

 

[tolis626]

Well maybe it will improve them. I don't know how the magnet mod works I never joined the mod world with the SP9500. Now that I own the HD58X I think I will stay some years without upgrades and to keep me from buying new stuff I think I'll try those crazy mods on the SHP9500 and the HD58X

Yeah, I guess it's something I could try down the road, see what it does to these things.

You'll try to stay without upgrades for some years, huh? Well, good luck with that. I know I'd never manage that, granted that I had the money to pursue the hobby. I thought that I'd settle with the MSR7 when I got them, but no matter how much I love these things they just ampilified my itch to get more stuff. That's how this all works, I guess.

@tolis626 I would listen to the HD58X first before contemplating something like magnet mod.

As for your Fiio Q1, it will be enough. I have more than ample power from the small USB powered Sound BlasterX G5. It's a joke with the NFB11.

But... I don't think HD58x is a complement to MSR7. MSR7 has some of the most detailed highs I have ever heard, no make that, it is the most treble detailed headphone I have ever heard, to the point it was unbearable for me, it hit certain frequencies that irritated my hearing. I don't think MSR7 is sibilant, but it's just not right for my ears.

If you want a different sound, HD58x may be up your alley. But if you want a complement, I would look to AD900x/AD1000x. AD900x for similar price as HD58x or splurge for AD1000x. That's my opinion at least.

Hi! I wasn't saying that I'd put magnets in them or do anything at all when I get them. At the beginning I'm not even going to touch the foam inserts in the back to see what removing them does. I'm gonna enjoy these stock for a while, but I know that eventually the tinkerer in me will wake up and want to mess with them. Then I may get these magnets I was talking about, but more out of curiosity than anything else.

Also, when I say that I'd like a can that complements the MSR7, what I meant was that I wanted something totally different. Maybe one of us is using the word complement wrong (and that'd probably be me), but I don't want more of what the MSR7 does. I already have that. Now I want something more laid back and open, rather than intense and too detailed. I want what the MSR7 couldn't give me. Although, with that said, that would be the case with the stock MSR7. I've modded mine and they sound so different from the stock MSR7 that they could easily be a different model. It's not a huge mod (details here https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...dphone-mods-here.867426/page-13#post-14446717), but it improves the comfort, takes the bass up a few notches (still tight and punchy and great, but more of it, plus actual sub bass that is to die for) and calms the highs and high mids just enough so that they aren't offensive. They retained their details and airiness, but do it much more attractively now. Really, best closed cans I've heard to date.

PS : You said in another post that you didn't like the 58x for rock/metal music. So I thought I'd ask what you didn't like about them with these genres in particular. Considering that I listen to metal 90% of the time, that kind of worries me.

The SHP9500 was one the headphone that I really didn't like, very thin and dry sounding (un modded) so gave them away after a month but the person I gave them to really likes it so maybe its me that is the problem, LOL.

I've had my HD58X for a few weeks now and all of the non-audio nut friends who have heard them like them a lot but the ones who have decent/good audio system or better headphones say "you get what you pay for" since all will quickly pick up on the slight grain in the treble. While I do agree with you that its a matter of preference it seems to be more of experiences with other gear/headphones that matters more from what I've noticed with my friends.

One of the reasons that steered me away from the SHP9500 was the graininess that many people were reporting. But after a while I realized, I have no idea what that is. So... How do I go about listening for that?

 

[equalspeace]

Just took delivery of the 58x. Doing a bit of listening from my Sony Xperia X phone, and all I can say is wow. First impressions is these have every bit the fullness/detail/naturalness in the mids as my 650/6xx, only difference is I don't need an amp to achieve this. The 58x is also so far to my ears about as inoffensive in the treble region as the 6xx/650. It sounds like a 650/6xx that can be played from portable devices. It's maybe a tad more nimble in the transients than the 650/6xx however.. I guess this is due to the modified 660s driver. This is also a better sound sig (for me) than the 660s, which I found to be shouty in the upper mids and a little too treble focused.

This 58x is love at first listen, a complete and total winner of a headphone. Thank you Sennheiser.

 

[SSandDigital]

I wonder...

Is Sennheiser trying to hide the HD58x drivers? On mine, someone carefully glued in the drivers. Clearly they are removable/replaceable. After installing, the employee had to carefully glue each of the 4 clips. Do they not want me to inspect the drivers, remove that felt paper and discover, holycrap, for $150 I have HD660S sound? Even if they aren't exact same drivers.

Good luck trying to remove that felt paper.

PCB - 528480
Woofer
28 06 18
582099
SYS

 

[SSandDigital]

Also, when I say that I'd like a can that complements the MSR7, what I meant was that I wanted something totally different. Maybe one of us is using the word complement wrong (and that'd probably be me), but I don't want more of what the MSR7 does. I already have that. Now I want something more laid back and open, rather than intense and too detailed.

One of the reasons that steered me away from the SHP9500 was the graininess that many people were reporting. But after a while I realized, I have no idea what that is. So... How do I go about listening for that?

I would describe HD58x as forward detailed oriented. But is more relaxed than the K712 for example. But even my K712 can't touch MSR7.

What metal do you listen to? A few examples and I'll listen and compare between my three open-airs.

Listening on NFB11 - Foobar2000 WASAPI. Gravity Kills, Tool, Godsmack, Tesseract, SevenDust, Static-X

One sentence how I feel with HD58x and Metal: I could lounge on my couch listening to Statix-X with HD58x, even possibly nap.

Get AD900x if you listen to metal 90% of the time. It's so much better than HD58x for metal. It's not even close. Cymbals/Hi-Hat crash, you can feel the kick drum, guitars are all in your face, the vocals are screaming into your eyeballs. It's as metal was meant to be listened to. AD900x simply most fun headphones... EVER.

HD58x is just too boring. Yeah it plays everything in detail, but w/o the excitement. It's got the sweetness for the female vocals, but doesn't have the aggression for male vocals. AD900x crushes both K712 and HD58x.
- K712 Pro, If you want separation, I'd go with K712. K712 can be fatiguing with metal. Guitars are spot, but it lacks on the kick drum and cymbals can sound slightly artificial, treble spikes too. It's too airy, lacks fullness. K712 feels too expansive, that's my impression. Every concert I've ever been too, sound was focused, it smashed you in the face. K712 surrounds you, it's not in your face, sort of distanced, it's like listening to metal from behind the fences, rather than up front near the stage.
- AD900x separation and detail is inferior to both HD58x and K712. But the music is ALIVE, you're in front of the stage, you can smell the sweat, being pushed around by the other fans, ready to catch the crowd surfer.
- HD58x does technically produce all the sounds... Cymbals are rubbish though, not enough of it, not enough expansive sound. The sound is even, but metal is not even. So the question becomes the same as piano sonatas. Do you play back the music faithfully technically correct as the sheet states, perfectly? Or do you play as you believe as the artist intended? That's how HD58x is, it plays it back as if it was reading the sheet music exactly. But do you think that's how Tesseract wants you to hear it?

I stand by, AD900x first, K712, then HD58x.

 

[caenlenfromOCN]

@caenlenfromOCN
Why no tax?

massdrop doesnt charge tax to anyone except the state they have warehouses in.
the laws on this are changing very soon though.

One of the reasons that steered me away from the SHP9500 was the graininess that many people were reporting. But after a while I realized, I have no idea what that is. So... How do I go about listening for that?

a i ran my SHP9500 on my Schiit Lyr 3 and modi multibit setup and I heard no grain compared to when i used much cheaper dac/amp combos. the shp9500 scales really well, so if you have say a Modi 3 dac which just came out today, and a magni 3, i doubt you would hear any grain at all.

 

[SilverEars]

I just realized 58X is faster than HE500's. I always thought planar magnetic was faster, but I think it depends on efficiency and if it's hard to drive, the amping.

My 58X setup is the most addictive sounding setup I've ever heard! Everything sounds good.

 

[equalspeace]

I can't wait until mine break in...

 

[Electrolite]

I can't understand this idea of fast drivers. It's something that will click when I listen to the HD58X? Is there a song thst can make this very obvious?

 

[SilverEars]

I can't understand this idea of fast drivers. It's something that will click when I listen to the HD58X? Is there a song thst can make this very obvious?

I just hear it respond quickly and tightly. It doesn't have much decay or sustain to the sound, or doesn't have haziness to the sound. It's clean like the HD800(S) which is also very fast. The headphone can have some haziness in the mids (which I think is driver not responding quick enough) or the bass responds slow, you notice a bit of a time delay. By delay I mean, sounds do not sound synced together (phase in-coherency for sounds in different part of the spectrum). For example, bass doesn't sound synced with the upper frequencies for quick electronic music. Even for string instruments, you can tell when it sounds really clean, which is due to quick response.

Way back when I had the HD650, I could tell it was slower in response (with the bass I recall). When I heard the HD800S out of the HDV820, I knew why it sounded so clean with certain tracks, it was the speed.

HD58X bass response is more extended than the siblings and quick.

I think the CSD graphs can show this transient response.

 

[equalspeace]

More impressions.. These are faster than I thought. I'm reminded of the HE-500, when I had it, the way the sound washes over you in quick waves. Swapping between the 6xx and the 58x is like going from a cloudy to a sunny day. The 58x is also layering the sounds better, with more texture off my ZX-300>Walnut F-1 chain. The only thing the 6xx is doing better on my equipment is soundstage width. This headphone has a quality of being enthralling, musical and romantic all at once. It is quite a thing!