[exX08]

I've been searching around for some money throughout my house and I found a golf club I can sell. Now I will have about $90 so I think I am going to get some Senn. HD-555's they look very appealing and from what I read are really nice. They are $90 on Amazon so I think if my club sells I may stretch for the cans. Any opinions on these? Pros/Cons


BTW My only thing is I got some Ety ER4P that I'm getting for Christmas and I don't want to really use one more than the other because I would feal bad and regret getting one or the other.


Worth the money or not?

 

[Davesrose]

What are your music preferences, and what are you going to use this on? If you can get the HD555 for $90, that's good. It's a good all rounder headphone.....so there may be other headphones out there that are better at certain genres. But at $90, the HD555 is a good value.

 

[exX08]

I like pretty much everything from Andrea Bocelli to Young Jeezy. Amazon has them fro $90 here: http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD5...&s=electronics

 

[Davesrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by exX08 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I like pretty much everything from Andrea Bocelli to Young Jeezy. Amazon has them fro $90 here: http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD5...&s=electronics

Those are some extreme differences in genres. Then yes, go for the HD555s! Other cans in this price won't be as good for all around cans. AKG 81DJs you might like better for Young Jeezy, but they'll be bad for Andrea Bocelli.

 

[exX08]

Thanks. I think the most listened to would be Country and soft rock like Nickelback. Do you think the ER4P's will be good for this? I know they might not be as good for Young Jeezy lol but what about Country?

 

[Davesrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by exX08 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks. I think the most listened to would be Country and soft rock like Nickelback. Do you think the ER4P's will be good for this? I know they might not be as good for Young Jeezy lol but what about Country?

I don't know anything about IEMs, so can't tell you anything about that. I can say that the HD555s are a good fit if you're looking for an open headphone.

 

[mirumu]

I'd suggest you listen to the HD555s before buying them if at all possible, based on the opinions around here you'll either love them or you'll hate them. I'm in the latter camp myself. They are apparently quite good with electronica, although I've never listened to any electronica through them myself to comment on that. I've not heard the ER4p but I think it's safe to say that they are vastly different.

 

[Gurra1980]

All i can say is that Andrea Bochelli sounds wonderful with my 595, but not heavy metal. I have heard that the 555's soundstage is quite like the 595.

 

[Davesrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gurra1980 /img/forum/go_quote.gif All i can say is that Andrea Bochelli sounds wonderful with my 595, but not heavy metal. I have heard that the 555's soundstage is quite like the 595.

The only headphones that are stellar for metal are Grados....yet Grados are bad for other genres (especially classical). Hard to beat the 595 as an all rounder....another series that does OK with metal (though it might be too bassy) is the Beyer DT880.....the DT770 is supposed to be really bassy, so it might be really bad for metal (but it's good for trance/ electronica). You lose a lot with other phones that are good with certain genres.....hence why I think the 555/595 is hard to beat.

 

[mirumu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gurra1980 /img/forum/go_quote.gif All i can say is that Andrea Bochelli sounds wonderful with my 595, but not heavy metal. I have heard that the 555's soundstage is quite like the 595.

The soundstage of the 555 is like the 595 but the 555 is just not as good as the 595. They do have a similar character but it doesn't translate into overall sound quality. I've compared the quality of both back to back and while in some areas they are very close, I feel the 595 is substantially better in many areas including soundstage, impact, timbre and accuracy. The HD555 sounds very synthetic making them less suitable for music you want to sound real and organic. I've never tried listening to electronica through them but I can't help but think this synthetic character would not be out of place with electronica whereas it can be totally unsuitable for other genres.

 

[mirumu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davesrose /img/forum/go_quote.gif The only headphones that are stellar for metal are Grados....

I definitely don't agree with that. I'm not slighting Grados in saying that, but there's far too many headphones out there to make such a blanket statement.

Quote:

You lose a lot with other phones that are good with certain genres.....hence why I think the 555/595 is hard to beat.

Davesrose, I don't mean this in a bad way but have you listened to the HD555? They are similar but I don't think they're similar enough to be used interchangably, the HD595 is good at many things the HD555 isn't.

 

[Davesrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mirumu /img/forum/go_quote.gif I definitely don't agree with that. I'm not slighting Grados in saying that, but there's far too many headphones out there to make such a blanket statement.

I haven't heard the most expensive Grados, but I've now listened to the SR60 and the SR325i.....on a neutral system granted.....but they were both bass light and bad for many rock genres:except hard rock and metal. I like the 325is detail, and once I get the right pads for it, it might be good with alternative/punk. But right now, Grados out of the box aren't good for percussions IMO. Vocals and guitars yes, but I don't hear any bass slam because of the lack of bass/soundstage. Once I get my tube amp and pads, I know this won't be as obvious: but that does seem like the Grado sound signature. Much as you find all Sennheisers on the warm side.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mirumu /img/forum/go_quote.gif Davesrose, I don't mean this in a bad way but have you listened to the HD555? They are similar but I don't think they're similar enough to be used interchangably, the HD595 is good at many things the HD555 isn't.

No, I haven't listened to the 555 yet. Frankly, I don't know what to make out of them.....since some head-fiers seem to like them and say they compare some to the 595, and others like yourself that say they're just wrong. Part of the problem is finding sub $100 headphones that can be all rounders. The only one that I've heard that I think is uncolored is the Sony MDR V6....but then, for electronica, you need something with bass and soundstage. HD595s sound great for electronica, so I would assume that the 555s would be similar enough (though of course this is hypothetical, so the OP needs to go out and try out headphones suggested). What other open headphone with soundstage is there at this price.....Beyers. One thing I've learned from this site is that only you can say what you'll like or not. Many a head-fier said I'd like the k501 (which I find lacking), and totally hate Grados (which I'm liking for some harder genres that compliment Senns).

 

[Razoramus]

I'm also considering the HD555s. At almost twice the price of the HD555, the HD595 better be much better ($95 vs $180 - Amazon.com). But is the HD555 worth the $95 compared the the HD595's value at $180?

 

[Davesrose]

At least I feel that the 5x5 series from Sennheiser is a good, relatively uncolored, open headphone. For sub-$100 headphones that I've listened to, most have been bright or bass heavy.....not well resolved at all. Mirumu might be able to say what other all rounder headphones might exist at the sub $100 level. Grados certainly aren't, MS-1s probably, Sony MDR-V6, but others...

. Now since I haven't heard the 555, I can't say how better then 595 might be.....just can echo from head-fiers that the 595 is quite an upgrade. For a $180 headphone, the 595 is a great value. It's an entry audiophile headphone that will scale up (if you decide to really get into this little hobby!)

 

[mirumu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davesrose /img/forum/go_quote.gif I haven't heard the most expensive Grados, but I've now listened to the SR60 and the SR325i.....on a neutral system granted.....but they were both bass light and bad for many rock genres:except hard rock and metal. I like the 325is detail, and once I get the right pads for it, it might be good with alternative/punk. But right now, Grados out of the box aren't good for percussions IMO. Vocals and guitars yes, but I don't hear any bass slam because of the lack of bass/soundstage. Once I get my tube amp and pads, I know this won't be as obvious: but that does seem like the Grado sound signature. Much as you find all Sennheisers on the warm side.

Sure, that's pretty much how I feel about my SR-80s. Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting Grados are bad at metal, they definitely aren't at all. All I'm saying is that I don't think they are the only headphones that are great for metal.

Quote:

No, I haven't listened to the 555 yet. Frankly, I don't know what to make out of them.....since some head-fiers seem to like them and say they compare some to the 595, and others like yourself that say they're just wrong.

There certainly are some here that like the HD555 but you'll find that with anything. I can't think of any headphone where everyone agrees it's bad or can't do a certain genre. It's good that everyone who hears a headphone will develop their own opinion, if they like it then good for them and I hope they keep enjoying good sound. Really, I think both the good and bad views can be valid, people have different expectations. I realize you probably don't like to say bad things about a Sennhesier, especially one associated with the HD595 but considering the wide range of opinions here, it seems you definitely can't tell if you'd like the HD555 based on listening to the HD595. To me the differences between them are real and quite large. Maybe to someone else the differences are small. It's hard to give an opinion on that without hearing both.

Honestly I don't know what you would think of the HD555, their frequency signature is not a lot different compared with the HD595 but they can still sound quite different at the end of the day. Other HD555 threads around here suggest many feel the same way I do. To me the HD595 is clearly better and is worth the price difference.

Quote:

Part of the problem is finding sub $100 headphones that can be all rounders. The only one that I've heard that I think is uncolored is the Sony MDR V6....but then, for electronica, you need something with bass and soundstage. HD595s sound great for electronica, so I would assume that the 555s would be similar enough (though of course this is hypothetical, so the OP needs to go out and try out headphones suggested). What other open headphone with soundstage is there at this price.....Beyers. One thing I've learned from this site is that only you can say what you'll like or not. Many a head-fier said I'd like the k501 (which I find lacking), and totally hate Grados (which I'm liking for some harder genres that compliment Senns).

I totally agree with you there. The best thing to do is try them if at all possible. I think everyone has different thresholds of what they consider acceptable and may favor certain aspects of the music that others don't care so much about. I know I do try to be as unbiased as possible about these cans, the best we can do is give our genuine impressions.