yfei
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2002
- Posts
- 456
- Likes
- 219
I tried many ways of driving HD580 using Benchmark DAC1. I think it is worthwhile to write them down, because my experience is very different from driving 650 using DAC1.
i don't have external head amp, so here just comparing stock cable vs. zu cable, headphone jack vs. XLR.
The winner is stock cable to headphone jack. The sound is so natural, transparent, and very detailed.
The high is a little grainy, could be because of the resolution is so high, it can show bad recording. The bass is not very strong, but I think this is what 580 can do, not because amp is bad or cable is bad.
Then I bought Neutrik and Hosa XLR to RCA adapter. Neutrik vs. Hosa doesn't make noticable difference. XLR vs headphone jack: XLR is not linear (more precisly: XLR driving infinite impedience is linear, but when driving 580 the result is not linear), there is a 'bump' in high freq, and a 'bump' in low bass. It makes the sound different, not natural. It makes me feel that it is more 'clear' and more resolution, but I am not sure if this is because the 'bump' in highs. And mid is recessed, lacks mid bass too. Bass is 'weng weng' instead of solid.
Then I ordered Zu XLR cable, with 1/4 to XLR adapter. 100hr burn in.
First, Zu + 1/4 adapter to headphone out. Yes, sound changed alot from stock cable. There is more slam, more energy, smooth high, more phenomena bass.
But, it is not as natural as stock cable. The mid is a little over done, a little too fat. The bass has a small bump, a little slow before burnin, ok after burnin.
Maybe zu is only optimized for 650/600, not 580. It improves the 'grainess' of 580. But seems at when improving the grainess, zu lost some high resolution.
Then, Zu directly to XLR. It is much better than stock cable to XLR! The music is more listenable (I want to say, stock cable to XLR is so wrong, almost unlistenable.). Compared to stock cable to XLR, Zu's bass is almost correct, more mid range. Compared to Zu to headphone out, XLR has much more resolution.
If you want Fun Fun Fun! Then Zu to XLR is good, Zu to headphone out is also ok. But better pair zu to 600 or 650, it can not make 580 perfect.
I like natural, transparency, no colorization, and full spectrum. 580+stock cable+headphone is the winner. I hope there can be a cable specially made for 580 to over come it's weakness. But maybe it will never happen, because the market size is small, and will not expand in the future (senn discontinued 580 years ago).
i don't have external head amp, so here just comparing stock cable vs. zu cable, headphone jack vs. XLR.
The winner is stock cable to headphone jack. The sound is so natural, transparent, and very detailed.
The high is a little grainy, could be because of the resolution is so high, it can show bad recording. The bass is not very strong, but I think this is what 580 can do, not because amp is bad or cable is bad.
Then I bought Neutrik and Hosa XLR to RCA adapter. Neutrik vs. Hosa doesn't make noticable difference. XLR vs headphone jack: XLR is not linear (more precisly: XLR driving infinite impedience is linear, but when driving 580 the result is not linear), there is a 'bump' in high freq, and a 'bump' in low bass. It makes the sound different, not natural. It makes me feel that it is more 'clear' and more resolution, but I am not sure if this is because the 'bump' in highs. And mid is recessed, lacks mid bass too. Bass is 'weng weng' instead of solid.
Then I ordered Zu XLR cable, with 1/4 to XLR adapter. 100hr burn in.
First, Zu + 1/4 adapter to headphone out. Yes, sound changed alot from stock cable. There is more slam, more energy, smooth high, more phenomena bass.
But, it is not as natural as stock cable. The mid is a little over done, a little too fat. The bass has a small bump, a little slow before burnin, ok after burnin.
Maybe zu is only optimized for 650/600, not 580. It improves the 'grainess' of 580. But seems at when improving the grainess, zu lost some high resolution.
Then, Zu directly to XLR. It is much better than stock cable to XLR! The music is more listenable (I want to say, stock cable to XLR is so wrong, almost unlistenable.). Compared to stock cable to XLR, Zu's bass is almost correct, more mid range. Compared to Zu to headphone out, XLR has much more resolution.
If you want Fun Fun Fun! Then Zu to XLR is good, Zu to headphone out is also ok. But better pair zu to 600 or 650, it can not make 580 perfect.
I like natural, transparency, no colorization, and full spectrum. 580+stock cable+headphone is the winner. I hope there can be a cable specially made for 580 to over come it's weakness. But maybe it will never happen, because the market size is small, and will not expand in the future (senn discontinued 580 years ago).
