Drty LilBits
New Head-Fier
Yea I didn't see that. I call bull too but I guess time will tell.
Massdrop x Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee Review & Measurements
- Thread starter jude
- Start date
Yea I didn't see that. I call bull too but I guess time will tell.
Massdrop said from the very beginning that there would likely be a future price increase on the 58x. BS or not, you can’t really whinge about any price increases when/if they happen when Massdrop has been telling you to expect price increases on the 58x since last year. The 58x’s initially moved very, very slowly, but the last drop of 1800 units was sold out within 2 or 3 days. Mediocre build quality? A few people have raised some minor cosmetic issues? You sound awfully negative for someone interested in these headphones?
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FirstCaptainSpaceBear
New Head-Fier
Just got mine today! I'm still a bit new to audiophile stuff. I'm running primarily off my Sound Blaster Z soundcard with FLAC when possible or Spotify high quality streaming. My previous headphones were Sennheiser 558s,Philips Fidelio L2s, Mee M6 pros, Polk Striker Pro, and Koss Porta Pros. Honestly I wasn't sure what I was looking for with this purchase. I listen to a wide assortment of music, rap/hip-hop, j/K-pop, jazz, funk, punk, a ton of electronic subgenres, post-rock, soundtracks, classical. My other main concern here is gaming.
From A/B tests between the 558 and L2 (my main drivers) and the 58X, I've found the 58Xs to have a noticeable bump in clarity I guess I'd call it and detail, not a ton but a noticeable touch more than either the 558s and L2s. Soundstage and depth wise, they sound to my ears a sort of mix of the 558 and L2s, not as wide as the 558s but also not quite as tight as the L2s. On the whole a more intimate sort of sound which I imagine is down to preference for a lot of folks. I like that its a touch wider than the L2s.
On Lorenzo Senni's XAllegroX track, I find I prefer the 58Xs with the L2s coming second and 558s coming a close third. The 58Xs offer a really solid and compelling mix of detail, separation, and punch, with the L2s close but trailing on detail and separation but making up in punch and the 558s trailing in all 3 elements.
On Miles Davis' So What from Kind of Blue, I think I barely prefer the 58Xs more intimate soundstage over the 558s. Compared to the L2s I think the 58Xs have more detail and depth on this track. 558 to 58X, I think the differences are more down to taste. The sound is wider and I think folks would call it more airy. Especially on the horns.
On Sabrepulse's Flight 142 off of the Paragon album, I prefer the 58Xs over the 558s. The sound seems more detailed and punchier. I think the 58Xs handle electronic sounds the best. Against the L2s its a bit more of a toss up. I think the L2s have boomier bass which some might prefer but the 58Xs sound like a solid balance for me. Detail wise, the L2s match up closest to the 58Xs but the 58Xs still edge them out.
On AlunaGeorge's I Remember single, the 558s bring up the rear. It ends up again a bit of a toss up between the L2s and 58Xs. I think the L2s image in a bit more of an engaging way but it could also become a bit fatiguing. The 58Xs sound more balanced and more detailed than the 558s by a noticeable margin.
On Electric Guest's Troubleman from the album Mondo, I think the 58Xs beat the 558s again by a bit. The 58Xs seem to image better and general reproduce the track in an engaging but not overly colored way. The L2s again offer a similar story to I Remember, being a touch more engaging but also for some fatiguing. I'm not sure I'd want to call it L2s more detailed necessarily but punchier.
On Nerija's Pinkham V, the 58Xs beat the 558s on clarity by a noticeable but not overly huge margin. The L2s again are a more colored sound here that some might find more engaging. I think I prefer the L2s here. They sound a bit cleaner and noticeably more forward on the horns and the bass is noticeably stronger. Otherwise I think some could easily prefer the 58Xs here which sound a more neutral.
On Infinity Shred's Catch These Blessed Hands off of the album Long Distance, the 558s really give the 58Xs a run for the money. I think the wider soundstage is more effective here than the more intimate soundstage of the 58Xs. The 58Xs sound more detailed but the sound stage experience just makes the emotion of the track more engaging. The L2s I think might also beat out the 58Xs here for my preference. I think something about the punchier sound of the L2s again fits the track's emotion and is more engaging than the 58Xs. Between the 558s and L2s, its a bit of a toss up based on preference of if you want to be more enveloped or punched by the track. Again the 58Xs don't sound bad, just don't fit the music here as well. In the quieter sections the 58Xs begin to be a bit more appropriate than the 558s or L2s but on the whole I think they don't measure up quite as well for the majority of the track.
On Ric Wilson's Sinner off of the album BANBA, the 58Xs sound real crisp and detailed and beat the 558s by a noticeable but again not massive margin. Some could find the highs on the 58Xs more fatiguing though than the 558s. Compared to the L2s the 58Xs again win on details and the soundstage here fits the track kind of perfectly.
On Jevon's Redemption, the 58Xs win over the 558s and L2s again in a similar way to the Sinner.
On Delta Sleep's El Pastor, the 58Xs sound more balanced than the 558s which helps bring out more details. Some might prefer the 558s here but not me. The L2's sound solid here but again the balance of the 58Xs and their detail beats the L2.
On Vagabon's Fear & Force from Infinite Worlds, the 58Xs beat out the L2s on detail and balance which help the track sound cleaner. The 58X I think images better here. The wider soundstage of the 558s offers a more interesting experience than the L2 but the clarity and imaging of the 58Xs beats out the 558 here.
On Operators' Control from Blue Wave, the 58Xs sound kind of damn amazing. The mix of instrumentation and vocals here really make the 58Xs shine in clarity and imaging. They kind of easily beat the 558s and L2s.
On Kimbra's Top of the World from Primal Heart, the 58Xs barely edge out both the 558s and the L2s not because they sound amazing but because the track seems difficult to image well in a clear and balanced way. I think the 58Xs manage the cleanest and most balanced reproduction here.
On Mike Krol's Natural Disaster from I Hate Jazz, the 58Xs beat out the 558s on clarity, balance, and imaging by a noticeable but not super massive margin. The 58Xs sound real solid throughout Krol's album. The L2's offer a more forward sound but I think it works against them here by being more fatiguing. They also lose the clarity that the 58Xs have, even if that forwardness makes them more engaging than the 558s.
Justice's D.A.N.C.E. x Fire x Safe and sound (WWW), comes down to preference. I don't think the track sounds super amazing on any of the headphones. None are super standout here. The 558s are wider and more enveloping, the L2s punchier, and the 58Xs kind of in the middle.
Mogwai's Glasgow Mega-Snake from Mr. Beast renders well on the 58Xs, I think I prefer it to the 558s on clarity and imaging. The L2s punchier presentation I think wins the day by a margin. Having had the privilege of seeing Mogwai live 3 times now, the L2s better match the rock your whole body sense of being there.
El Ten Eleven's Phenomenal Problems, the 58Xs sound more neutral and detailed than the 558s by a bit. The L2s offer a similar boon here as they did on Glasgow Mega-Snake though the 58X's clarity makes it down to preference between the two. I think I prefer the 58Xs.
Daft Punk's One More Time from Discovery, really shines on the 58Xs to me, a clear winner over the 558s on clarity and balance. The L2s are closer to the 58Xs on detail but their presentation again could be a matter of taste: some might really prefer their punchier presentation. For my money though the 58Xs are clear winner, their clarity and presentation is perfect to my ears on this track. I went ahead and also listened to Aerodynamic and Veridis Quo from Discovery, I stand by the above for those tracks as well, though on Aerodynamic it gets closer between the 58X and L2.
Daft Punk's Touch from Random Access Memories, paints a picture reminiscent of Catch These Blessed Hands. The 558s wider soundstage and specifics of its imaging could be preferred, or the punch and imaging of the L2s offers something different that could also be preferred. The 58X sound a bit more neutral in a less appealing way than either the 558s or the L2s. I think the 58Xs offer a bit more clarity on detail than the 558s but are less enjoyable on this track to me (this does not mean they sound worse).
Ed Harrison's Annul from the Neotokyo Original Soundtrack, lands in a place where the 558s come last. The 558s here sound less detailed or as well imaged as either the 58Xs or L2s. The 58Xs here however are kind of tied with the L2 and again are down to preference. Detail wise, I think the 58Xs might be a bit clearer than the L2s, but I think again the L2's presentation again better fits the track better at certain emotional parts. It brings out the right parts at the right times while the 58Xs present more neutrally and flatter for better and worse depending on the section of the track in question.
On Mitski's Nobody, the 58Xs clearly beat out the 558s for my ears. They sound really clear and well balanced and imaged compared to the 558s. Its not a massive gulf but for me very noticeable. I think the 558s are just spreading the sound out too wide if that makes any sense. It has a bit of smeared sort of sound compared to the 58Xs and even the L2s. I think the L2s are closer to the 58Xs but the 58Xs are clear winners to me on balance, image, and clarity.
On Dave B's Scrolling off of Pearl, the 558s sound more interesting to me than the 58Xs. The 558s separate and bring forward the rapped lyrics here in an interesting way compared to the more neutral sounding 58Xs. This is mostly a preference here. The L2s make the instrumentals a bit too punchy and forward for me but also sound solid. A throw up to preference here really more than anything. Detail and imaging wise, I think the 58Xs might have a bit of an edge but its marginal to my ears.
I'd love to do more tracks but I'm going to close out on Souls of Mischief's 93 'Til Infinity off of the same titled album (maybe my favorite track from that year). I think this ends up being a similar story to Scrolling. The 58Xs come off as a bit clinical if that makes sense. They are the most neutral and balanced which isn't super exciting or elevating of any element. Detail wise they are solid, I think more detailed than the 558s and L2s. The 558s on the otherwise separate and bring forward the rapping and instrumentation again in an interesting sounding way to me. The L2s are less interesting and less balanced. The bass on the L2s is kind of offputting and the vocals aren't as well separated as in the 558s.
Gaming wise, I played a solid 4 hours of Rainbow Six Siege. I found to my surprise that the 58Xs imaged the positional audio noticeably better than either the L2s or 558s. I know a lot of people prefer wider soundstages for gaming like the 558s compared to what I think is a slightly more intimate soundstage of the 58X, but in Siege at least the more intimate and better detail made it easier for me to pinpoint better the direction and type of sound happening. It was especially and most noticeably useful for footsteps to me. I also liked their detail and clarity of sounds compared to the L2s and 558s. I think the 58Xs will become my main gaming headphones.
About build quality I generally like the construction of the 58X. It compares favorably to the L2s and 558s. I like the headband and adjustment a lot compared to the 558 and even the L2. They feel sturdy to me. What I don't like are the earpads, which are almost uncomfortably warm. Compared to the 558 they are very hot and not breathable at all. I really liked the 558s since here in California it can get pretty hot in the summer which kept my ears pretty decent cooling wise. The 58Xs get them hot fast. Even the L2s are better on that regard. Also the materials on the earpads feel cheaper than my 558s and less soft.
On the whole I'm pretty happy with the 58Xs. They can really shine on certain types of music in ways I am kind of astounded by compared to my 558s and L2s. On other types of music the 58Xs are at least on par if not slightly better in some respects. Eventually I'm planning on getting a better sound card or probably a separate DAC and/or Amp solution than the Sound Blaster Z but money is a bit tight now (which is why I opted for the 58Xs over the 6XXs). For what I'm into music wise right now and gaming, the 58Xs feel worth the money especially if you're going to be coming from something less serious than a 558 or L2.
From A/B tests between the 558 and L2 (my main drivers) and the 58X, I've found the 58Xs to have a noticeable bump in clarity I guess I'd call it and detail, not a ton but a noticeable touch more than either the 558s and L2s. Soundstage and depth wise, they sound to my ears a sort of mix of the 558 and L2s, not as wide as the 558s but also not quite as tight as the L2s. On the whole a more intimate sort of sound which I imagine is down to preference for a lot of folks. I like that its a touch wider than the L2s.
On Lorenzo Senni's XAllegroX track, I find I prefer the 58Xs with the L2s coming second and 558s coming a close third. The 58Xs offer a really solid and compelling mix of detail, separation, and punch, with the L2s close but trailing on detail and separation but making up in punch and the 558s trailing in all 3 elements.
On Miles Davis' So What from Kind of Blue, I think I barely prefer the 58Xs more intimate soundstage over the 558s. Compared to the L2s I think the 58Xs have more detail and depth on this track. 558 to 58X, I think the differences are more down to taste. The sound is wider and I think folks would call it more airy. Especially on the horns.
On Sabrepulse's Flight 142 off of the Paragon album, I prefer the 58Xs over the 558s. The sound seems more detailed and punchier. I think the 58Xs handle electronic sounds the best. Against the L2s its a bit more of a toss up. I think the L2s have boomier bass which some might prefer but the 58Xs sound like a solid balance for me. Detail wise, the L2s match up closest to the 58Xs but the 58Xs still edge them out.
On AlunaGeorge's I Remember single, the 558s bring up the rear. It ends up again a bit of a toss up between the L2s and 58Xs. I think the L2s image in a bit more of an engaging way but it could also become a bit fatiguing. The 58Xs sound more balanced and more detailed than the 558s by a noticeable margin.
On Electric Guest's Troubleman from the album Mondo, I think the 58Xs beat the 558s again by a bit. The 58Xs seem to image better and general reproduce the track in an engaging but not overly colored way. The L2s again offer a similar story to I Remember, being a touch more engaging but also for some fatiguing. I'm not sure I'd want to call it L2s more detailed necessarily but punchier.
On Nerija's Pinkham V, the 58Xs beat the 558s on clarity by a noticeable but not overly huge margin. The L2s again are a more colored sound here that some might find more engaging. I think I prefer the L2s here. They sound a bit cleaner and noticeably more forward on the horns and the bass is noticeably stronger. Otherwise I think some could easily prefer the 58Xs here which sound a more neutral.
On Infinity Shred's Catch These Blessed Hands off of the album Long Distance, the 558s really give the 58Xs a run for the money. I think the wider soundstage is more effective here than the more intimate soundstage of the 58Xs. The 58Xs sound more detailed but the sound stage experience just makes the emotion of the track more engaging. The L2s I think might also beat out the 58Xs here for my preference. I think something about the punchier sound of the L2s again fits the track's emotion and is more engaging than the 58Xs. Between the 558s and L2s, its a bit of a toss up based on preference of if you want to be more enveloped or punched by the track. Again the 58Xs don't sound bad, just don't fit the music here as well. In the quieter sections the 58Xs begin to be a bit more appropriate than the 558s or L2s but on the whole I think they don't measure up quite as well for the majority of the track.
On Ric Wilson's Sinner off of the album BANBA, the 58Xs sound real crisp and detailed and beat the 558s by a noticeable but again not massive margin. Some could find the highs on the 58Xs more fatiguing though than the 558s. Compared to the L2s the 58Xs again win on details and the soundstage here fits the track kind of perfectly.
On Jevon's Redemption, the 58Xs win over the 558s and L2s again in a similar way to the Sinner.
On Delta Sleep's El Pastor, the 58Xs sound more balanced than the 558s which helps bring out more details. Some might prefer the 558s here but not me. The L2's sound solid here but again the balance of the 58Xs and their detail beats the L2.
On Vagabon's Fear & Force from Infinite Worlds, the 58Xs beat out the L2s on detail and balance which help the track sound cleaner. The 58X I think images better here. The wider soundstage of the 558s offers a more interesting experience than the L2 but the clarity and imaging of the 58Xs beats out the 558 here.
On Operators' Control from Blue Wave, the 58Xs sound kind of damn amazing. The mix of instrumentation and vocals here really make the 58Xs shine in clarity and imaging. They kind of easily beat the 558s and L2s.
On Kimbra's Top of the World from Primal Heart, the 58Xs barely edge out both the 558s and the L2s not because they sound amazing but because the track seems difficult to image well in a clear and balanced way. I think the 58Xs manage the cleanest and most balanced reproduction here.
On Mike Krol's Natural Disaster from I Hate Jazz, the 58Xs beat out the 558s on clarity, balance, and imaging by a noticeable but not super massive margin. The 58Xs sound real solid throughout Krol's album. The L2's offer a more forward sound but I think it works against them here by being more fatiguing. They also lose the clarity that the 58Xs have, even if that forwardness makes them more engaging than the 558s.
Justice's D.A.N.C.E. x Fire x Safe and sound (WWW), comes down to preference. I don't think the track sounds super amazing on any of the headphones. None are super standout here. The 558s are wider and more enveloping, the L2s punchier, and the 58Xs kind of in the middle.
Mogwai's Glasgow Mega-Snake from Mr. Beast renders well on the 58Xs, I think I prefer it to the 558s on clarity and imaging. The L2s punchier presentation I think wins the day by a margin. Having had the privilege of seeing Mogwai live 3 times now, the L2s better match the rock your whole body sense of being there.
El Ten Eleven's Phenomenal Problems, the 58Xs sound more neutral and detailed than the 558s by a bit. The L2s offer a similar boon here as they did on Glasgow Mega-Snake though the 58X's clarity makes it down to preference between the two. I think I prefer the 58Xs.
Daft Punk's One More Time from Discovery, really shines on the 58Xs to me, a clear winner over the 558s on clarity and balance. The L2s are closer to the 58Xs on detail but their presentation again could be a matter of taste: some might really prefer their punchier presentation. For my money though the 58Xs are clear winner, their clarity and presentation is perfect to my ears on this track. I went ahead and also listened to Aerodynamic and Veridis Quo from Discovery, I stand by the above for those tracks as well, though on Aerodynamic it gets closer between the 58X and L2.
Daft Punk's Touch from Random Access Memories, paints a picture reminiscent of Catch These Blessed Hands. The 558s wider soundstage and specifics of its imaging could be preferred, or the punch and imaging of the L2s offers something different that could also be preferred. The 58X sound a bit more neutral in a less appealing way than either the 558s or the L2s. I think the 58Xs offer a bit more clarity on detail than the 558s but are less enjoyable on this track to me (this does not mean they sound worse).
Ed Harrison's Annul from the Neotokyo Original Soundtrack, lands in a place where the 558s come last. The 558s here sound less detailed or as well imaged as either the 58Xs or L2s. The 58Xs here however are kind of tied with the L2 and again are down to preference. Detail wise, I think the 58Xs might be a bit clearer than the L2s, but I think again the L2's presentation again better fits the track better at certain emotional parts. It brings out the right parts at the right times while the 58Xs present more neutrally and flatter for better and worse depending on the section of the track in question.
On Mitski's Nobody, the 58Xs clearly beat out the 558s for my ears. They sound really clear and well balanced and imaged compared to the 558s. Its not a massive gulf but for me very noticeable. I think the 558s are just spreading the sound out too wide if that makes any sense. It has a bit of smeared sort of sound compared to the 58Xs and even the L2s. I think the L2s are closer to the 58Xs but the 58Xs are clear winners to me on balance, image, and clarity.
On Dave B's Scrolling off of Pearl, the 558s sound more interesting to me than the 58Xs. The 558s separate and bring forward the rapped lyrics here in an interesting way compared to the more neutral sounding 58Xs. This is mostly a preference here. The L2s make the instrumentals a bit too punchy and forward for me but also sound solid. A throw up to preference here really more than anything. Detail and imaging wise, I think the 58Xs might have a bit of an edge but its marginal to my ears.
I'd love to do more tracks but I'm going to close out on Souls of Mischief's 93 'Til Infinity off of the same titled album (maybe my favorite track from that year). I think this ends up being a similar story to Scrolling. The 58Xs come off as a bit clinical if that makes sense. They are the most neutral and balanced which isn't super exciting or elevating of any element. Detail wise they are solid, I think more detailed than the 558s and L2s. The 558s on the otherwise separate and bring forward the rapping and instrumentation again in an interesting sounding way to me. The L2s are less interesting and less balanced. The bass on the L2s is kind of offputting and the vocals aren't as well separated as in the 558s.
Gaming wise, I played a solid 4 hours of Rainbow Six Siege. I found to my surprise that the 58Xs imaged the positional audio noticeably better than either the L2s or 558s. I know a lot of people prefer wider soundstages for gaming like the 558s compared to what I think is a slightly more intimate soundstage of the 58X, but in Siege at least the more intimate and better detail made it easier for me to pinpoint better the direction and type of sound happening. It was especially and most noticeably useful for footsteps to me. I also liked their detail and clarity of sounds compared to the L2s and 558s. I think the 58Xs will become my main gaming headphones.
About build quality I generally like the construction of the 58X. It compares favorably to the L2s and 558s. I like the headband and adjustment a lot compared to the 558 and even the L2. They feel sturdy to me. What I don't like are the earpads, which are almost uncomfortably warm. Compared to the 558 they are very hot and not breathable at all. I really liked the 558s since here in California it can get pretty hot in the summer which kept my ears pretty decent cooling wise. The 58Xs get them hot fast. Even the L2s are better on that regard. Also the materials on the earpads feel cheaper than my 558s and less soft.
On the whole I'm pretty happy with the 58Xs. They can really shine on certain types of music in ways I am kind of astounded by compared to my 558s and L2s. On other types of music the 58Xs are at least on par if not slightly better in some respects. Eventually I'm planning on getting a better sound card or probably a separate DAC and/or Amp solution than the Sound Blaster Z but money is a bit tight now (which is why I opted for the 58Xs over the 6XXs). For what I'm into music wise right now and gaming, the 58Xs feel worth the money especially if you're going to be coming from something less serious than a 558 or L2.
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Rob80b
Headphoneus Supremus
Spent a bit of time powering the 58Xs off the Bryston BHA-1 head-amp and BCD-1 combo....starting with Percussion Music: Works by Varese, Colgrass, Saperstein, Cowell, Wuorinen with The New Jersey Percussion I was rather impressed, the drivers never lost their composure.
Unlike being driven off the iMac I was not expecting the sound to mature as much as it did, no they did not compete with the 800Ss but they came very close to my aural memory of the 660S, maybe not as rich harmonically and the layering and depth was not as distinct but overall a big step up from the 650s in that department IMHO. From my short listening, a few hours or so which also included some Bjork, Aphex Twin I came away with a lot more respect for this affordable offering. Overall the sound was rather quite clear and linear...not too sure why some have mentioned they produced too much bass, again from memory but I could not say there was more than the 650s but it was better controlled and more in line with the 660Ss as was the tonal signature. Some may still prefer the less dynamic, safer presentation of 600 and 650 but IMHO they always lacked the element of excitement and the newer 660 and 58X drivers just add that little bit of something extra.
Also the 58X driver holds some resemblance to the 598s but the similarities end there as the 58Xs new driver’s distortion threshold is much higher and never appeared to get in trouble with increased volume. Movie watching was also quite satisfying and my main purpose for picking up the 58X so as not to use/abuse my 800S but I believe these new Jubilees will be getting a lot more head time regardless. : )
ps...Just to add....due to the pricing the 58X Jubilees many may assume they're geared toward budget gear but they really are another offering in the 600 series and running them direct off a smartphone or portable device they may sound fine but as I discovered their performance is rather mediocre in direct comparison when accompanied with a worthy source and amplification.
$5000 in Bryston gear may appear like overkill but the 58Xs stepped up to bat without flinching.
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GoodBoy
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2011
- Posts
- 362
- Likes
- 138
Why wouldn't I be interested? I'm all about sound quality, cosmetics don't play big role to me. I said these headphones are probably very cheap to manufacture, so they have plenty of margin even though the price is relatively attractive for end-consumer. In that regard Massdrop statement is BS. Remember there was similar speculation about price increase of HD6XX, and it was also a gossip made by massdrop themselves. As we know it never happended. If they do up the price this time, they wil also have to do the same with HD6XX. People will start looking for other options around 300$, and those who don't want to spend more than 200$ will also look elswhere. It would defeat the whole purpose of massdrop deals for these headphones.
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Rob80b
Headphoneus Supremus
Enjoy ,,
mine still on the way .. cant wait to compare it with my 6XX , 660S
btw try the album 3-D The Catalogue by Kraftwerk , its amazing with headphones ..
I (we) would be interested in your 660S comparison...I could only go by memory but I'd believe I can safely say they share a lot of similarities, don't think the 58Xs capture the subtler richer harmonic details of the 660s and 800/Ss, nor should they at that price, but they're not two dimensional either.
I'm not familiar with the "3-D" Catalogue but I do have the original LP Boxed size set of the Catalogue and if they're the same...yes ...the remastered sound is very good on headphones or the stereo..... : )
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Rob80b
Headphoneus Supremus
To Foam or not to Foam. : )
Something I thought should be addressed is the foam inserted in the outside grill…interestingly it is the exact same size and density as the foam inserted between the cushions and the drivers, considering no other 600 series headphone has them, they may have been in fact added as an afterthought to protect the drivers from outside elements for those considering mobile use or even taking them, god forbid, to the beach ???.. : (
Now some have mentioned that its removal did nothing at all and measurements were the same with or without, personally I would need to disagree…
I’m sure driven off an entry level source they are probably correct but with its removal I was able to discern a distinct improvement in ambient space and air within the recording, layering and depth improved and there was a slight increase in sound stage… some mentioned the foam may improve the lower end but as far as I could tell bass was not affected….overall the outer foams removal is subtle and will depend on the recording but to the discerning ear there is an improvement overall and IMHO recommended to obtain the best performance from these phones.
When I have more time I’ll also address the inner foam … but that will change some tonal aspects, making the sound brighter and may not be desired.
Something I thought should be addressed is the foam inserted in the outside grill…interestingly it is the exact same size and density as the foam inserted between the cushions and the drivers, considering no other 600 series headphone has them, they may have been in fact added as an afterthought to protect the drivers from outside elements for those considering mobile use or even taking them, god forbid, to the beach ???.. : (
Now some have mentioned that its removal did nothing at all and measurements were the same with or without, personally I would need to disagree…
I’m sure driven off an entry level source they are probably correct but with its removal I was able to discern a distinct improvement in ambient space and air within the recording, layering and depth improved and there was a slight increase in sound stage… some mentioned the foam may improve the lower end but as far as I could tell bass was not affected….overall the outer foams removal is subtle and will depend on the recording but to the discerning ear there is an improvement overall and IMHO recommended to obtain the best performance from these phones.
When I have more time I’ll also address the inner foam … but that will change some tonal aspects, making the sound brighter and may not be desired.
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So my pair should arrive monday. I’m gonna have to get a dac/amp to power them that is portable. Any impressions with the DragonFly Red or maybe something from ifi?
I’ve had the Mojo but have sold it, so any suggestions would be appreciated...
I’ve had the Mojo but have sold it, so any suggestions would be appreciated...
turbomustang84
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2010
- Posts
- 609
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- 808
Well I've had mine for about an hour and first off the build quality is the same as any other I've had in the series which is all except the original jubilee and the 660 s could the paint be better ? Sure but for sub $150 pricetag im more than satisfied .
Now the sound
I'm listening to Tool Reflection and the Highs and the speed of the Bass is damn impressive and at the moment I'm using just a cheap Cmoy to power it .
I can say for sure it sounds better than my ATH-M50 by a huge margain and is much more exciting than my HD600 I could throw out several others but will wait to do more of an a/b comparison rather than going from memory
I will be able to directly compare it to the HD580 Monday and the HD-6XX when it arrives.
It kinda reminds me of my friends HD700 but with better bass .
My number is # 807 and the sticker was applied crooked lol
Other than that this is money well spent
It sounds good directly out of my old iPhone 4s but my other phones on hand can not quite drive these to where I want them .
These kinda remind me of the Pixies with their ability to quickly go from loud to dead silence .
Would I still buy the HD-6XX knowing how good these are ....yes
these are very good even at twice the price
Now the sound
I'm listening to Tool Reflection and the Highs and the speed of the Bass is damn impressive and at the moment I'm using just a cheap Cmoy to power it .
I can say for sure it sounds better than my ATH-M50 by a huge margain and is much more exciting than my HD600 I could throw out several others but will wait to do more of an a/b comparison rather than going from memory
I will be able to directly compare it to the HD580 Monday and the HD-6XX when it arrives.
It kinda reminds me of my friends HD700 but with better bass .
My number is # 807 and the sticker was applied crooked lol
Other than that this is money well spent
It sounds good directly out of my old iPhone 4s but my other phones on hand can not quite drive these to where I want them .
These kinda remind me of the Pixies with their ability to quickly go from loud to dead silence .
Would I still buy the HD-6XX knowing how good these are ....yes
these are very good even at twice the price
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JimmyBuckets
New Head-Fier
My best guess is the foam is there to dampen the outer grill from any ringing as well as to keep dust and debris from getting into places it shouldn't. I have only had mine for a day, but so far very nice for the money. Wasn't sure I was just wasting money since I have an old pair of hd600 and a year old pair of HD6xx, but so far, happy I got them.
I just received my pair too and I thought that I’ll add to the impressions vs the HD6XX, I’m just running them off a ifi nano BL and steaming tidal from my iphone. The most noticeable difference is the bass and sub-bass, my HD58X is barely an hour old and it’s easily noticeable that it extends far deeper and kicks harder than the HD6XX. Mids on the HD6XX are slightly a touch forward and fuller sounding while the HD58X sounds more extended at the top end. The HD58X is also slightly easier to drive out of the ifi nano BL.
I still prefer vocals on the HD6XX while the instruments sound more exciting on the HD58X. All in all, I’m kinda surprised how much different are both headphones given that they look so similar on the outside and given the prices vs performance of both headphones, I can’t see how anyone can be disappointed with either.
I have yet to plug the HD58X into my main rig and it would be interesting to see how far they scale vs the HD6XX.
Now... come on Massdrop, just give us the HD8XX already...
I still prefer vocals on the HD6XX while the instruments sound more exciting on the HD58X. All in all, I’m kinda surprised how much different are both headphones given that they look so similar on the outside and given the prices vs performance of both headphones, I can’t see how anyone can be disappointed with either.
I have yet to plug the HD58X into my main rig and it would be interesting to see how far they scale vs the HD6XX.
Now... come on Massdrop, just give us the HD8XX already...
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bcaulf17
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Seems like this headphone would be more appealing to fans of a v-shaped signature?
Well..... I don’t actually think the HD58X is v-shaped. I mean I have the Th900mk2 and I think that’s more v-shaped. But when hearing the HD58X next to the HD6XX, mids does sound more forward and fuller on the HD6XX. However clarity wise, I think the HD58X is slightly ahead of the HD6XX and I think this is down to having less of the “veil” of the HD6XX.
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bcaulf17
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Seems to be the general consensus!
cujobob
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The HD6XX is a colored headphone by it’s very nature, the 58X is more neutral.
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