Need help deciding between SR325i and HD598, also amps
Jul 7, 2011 at 12:16 PM Post #17 of 36


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Oh I have no doubt is should sound very good. It's just that I'm not sure I wanna get involved with international purchases..



I bought it on eBay and the only thing different from a regular amazon-like purchase was that it took slightly longer, but probably only a week, which is pretty quick coming all the say from China.
 
Jul 7, 2011 at 3:21 PM Post #18 of 36
What about K701? It's the same price as the previous two but I understand they're quite better? I've read they're a bitch to amplify though. Would the udac2 be enough for them? Has anyone heard/has this combo?
 
Jul 9, 2011 at 9:42 AM Post #19 of 36
Groove I live in Israel too, and I bought the HD598 and I am not regret- they sound really great and they are really comfortable. In a few days I will also get an amp and a dac to further improve the sound... The grado looks really uncomfortable and not suitable for some generes of music.
 
Jul 9, 2011 at 1:14 PM Post #21 of 36
Blues, Hot Jazz, Rock? 325i.
 
Jul 11, 2011 at 12:31 AM Post #22 of 36
This is a question that comes down to your (or her) tastes - it's hard to help you out.  I personally think the 325's way outclass the senns and I find my hd650's unlistentoable after using the grado's - but the grado has a specific sound that I very much prefer.   Though I also like my 650s.  I just like the grado's better.  Actually the 2 balance each other out very well since I consider them very opposite HP's (but I'm comparing with the 650 no the 595/598).
 
There's a lot of amps that you can use with those 2 and I don't remember a price point coming up or what source you'll be using.
 
I can't recco the 701's esp with your music.  I think they only sound ok, but they have no bass at all and unlike your other selections they have additional amp-ing requirements.
 
Jul 11, 2011 at 12:54 AM Post #23 of 36


Quote:
This is a question that comes down to your (or her) tastes - it's hard to help you out.  I personally think the 325's way outclass the senns and I find my hd650's unlistentoable after using the grado's - but the grado has a specific sound that I very much prefer.   Though I also like my 650s.  I just like the grado's better.  Actually the 2 balance each other out very well since I consider them very opposite HP's (but I'm comparing with the 650 no the 595/598).
 
There's a lot of amps that you can use with those 2 and I don't remember a price point coming up or what source you'll be using.
 
I can't recco the 701's esp with your music.  I think they only sound ok, but they have no bass at all and unlike your other selections they have additional amp-ing requirements.


You know the HD650 sounds absolutely nothing like the HD598 right?
 
 
Jul 11, 2011 at 8:12 AM Post #24 of 36
Thanks everyone for replying, I'm going to listen to 325i and uDac-2 this week. Unfortunately the place that sells 598 is kinda far for me to drive too (it's like a three hours drive) so I'll listen to 325i and hopefully I'll like it, if not, then I'll order the 598 since you guys are saying it's got typical senn sound just a bit more forward. Hopefully the udac also won't disappoint, I've read that read about the guy making some really poor measurements and everything, and the response of the company, I don't know, I need to hear it for myself, it's pretty cheap though, so I'll be glad if I even get Asus Xonar STX like quality (STX is more expensive, and not portable).
 
Quote:
Groove I live in Israel too, and I bought the HD598 and I am not regret- they sound really great and they are really comfortable. In a few days I will also get an amp and a dac to further improve the sound... The grado looks really uncomfortable and not suitable for some generes of music.


Oh that's cool man, did you get it at Avi Yaffe? Yeah, you probably did, it's like a 10 minute drive from your house probably. Hehe, hey man, are you going to be anywhere near Haifa/Qrayot area in the next few weeks? Or maybe I could call you and ask some questions about the headphone? Completely offtopic, what amp and dac are you getting?
 

 
Quote:
This is a question that comes down to your (or her) tastes - it's hard to help you out.  I personally think the 325's way outclass the senns and I find my hd650's unlistentoable after using the grado's - but the grado has a specific sound that I very much prefer.   Though I also like my 650s.  I just like the grado's better.  Actually the 2 balance each other out very well since I consider them very opposite HP's (but I'm comparing with the 650 no the 595/598).
 
There's a lot of amps that you can use with those 2 and I don't remember a price point coming up or what source you'll be using.
 
I can't recco the 701's esp with your music.  I think they only sound ok, but they have no bass at all and unlike your other selections they have additional amp-ing requirements.


Yeah the 701 is pretty much off the table, I just asked cause it's used to be really expensive down here, and now it's the same price as the above two, I don't if the price worldwide dropped or just israeli distributors or whatever. Eitherway everyone I talk seem to advice me against it.
Price point is the absolute minimum for a decent sound, though I am not as much limited by the price point as by the small variety of actual products that are imported and available (especially for a listen before you put real money on the table) here in Israel.
 
I like 650 a lot, they're obviously not on the level of the GS-1000 that I had or HD800 but they're twice as cheap, I really dig them, if I wanted to put that kinda of money on a new set, I'd buy them in a second, but I'm really looking for something a little bit cheaper. I mean the SR325i and the uDac-2 together are still a good way cheaper then the 650 alone, and that's not taking amplification into account that 650 definitely needs.. Yeah.. anyway, where was I going with this, if you think the SR325i outclass them (and they're twice cheaper at least here in Israel) I'm really glad I'm going to listen to them, but that would make them on par with GS-1000 which in it it's turn are like four times more expensive than the 325i :D.
 

 
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You know the HD650 sounds absolutely nothing like the HD598 right?
 


I think he made it pretty clear that's he's comparing 650 and not 598 no? ^_^. Anyway, people here are saying that 598 got regular senn sound just more forward, you disagree? I'd like to get as much opinions specifically on the 598 as possible as it seems like I'll get to listen to the 325i alas not to the 598.
 
 
Thanks everyone.
 
Jul 11, 2011 at 2:48 PM Post #26 of 36
 
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I think he made it pretty clear that's he's comparing 650 and not 598 no? ^_^. Anyway, people here are saying that 598 got regular senn sound just more forward, you disagree? I'd like to get as much opinions specifically on the 598 as possible as it seems like I'll get to listen to the 325i alas not to the 598.
 
 
Thanks everyone.


If you have to pay the same price for the Grado and the HD598, I don't think either choice would be a deal. I owned the Grado SR325i for a whole year and I got to really understand it. The metal cups chafe skin ridiculously easily due to the weight. The treble is certainly brighter than any Grado I've ever heard (even the GS1000i) and the upper midrange is very congested. Eventually, it was left collecting dust as I couldn't bare the physical and sonic pain from listening to music and I sold it at a huge discount on Craigslist.
 
The HD598 is more energetic sounding than the HD6XX series. It also has a wider soundstage, but at $300, I'm not sure it's worth it. It's midrange is a bit too congested, bass too lacking, and lacking of an organic feel for me to consider it a good deal at $300. On the other hand, for $175, the price I paid, it was a bargain.
 
The K701 is much more technically proficient than either the SR325i or the HD598. I know EQing up the lower mids and lowering the treble on my Cowon J3 made the K701s work for me very well. I suppose you could seek out the Q701 which supposedly has reduced the upper midrange bump and raise the lower midrange. If I had to pay $300, I would go for the better can and I think the K701 is.
 
One more thing to consider, would you be able to get your hands on an Audio Technica AD1000PRM or AD2000 at around $300? I would definitely pick those instead. You could also look at more vintage options in the F/S forum here.
 
 
Jul 11, 2011 at 3:21 PM Post #27 of 36
Haha, you think I'm buying those at 300$, that's would be sweet man, I wish. Just to give a general idea how Israeli consumers are ****ed in the ass I'll specify some prices. Those are legit distributor prices mind you;
Both K701/Q701 and HD598 are selling at approx 435$
The SR325i is currently at approx 385$
 
Now a question for you, do you think something as small as udac-2 can power the K/Q701? Also, the general consensus seems to be that those HP are lacking, even in this very thread. What's your take on it? Also, playing with the EQ doesn't seem that... how do I put this, audiophile? Why buy a hardware if you have to tweak it?
 
I didn't find either AD1000RPM or the AD2000 on the official distributor site for the Audio Technica, so I guess the answer is no. Though it wouldn't hurt to send them an email and ask. Why, are those phones good? They seem like closed phones, are they not? I'm not a big fan of closed phones, well, being perfectly honest I only listen to Denon AH-D7000 and something expensive from ultrasone (that cost like 2.5 grand or something insane) but I wasn't impressed with both.
 
I appreciate the input on both SR325i and HD598. Question, the GS-1000i were comfortable, they weren't 'holy ****' kind of comfortable, but I would say that weren't lacking behind hd800, at least not by a lot. So if I get the SR325i with the GS-1000i pads (which I definitely going to do), is the chafing and everything still an issue? I understand aluminium is aluminium but still, how heavy can they be right?
 
Jul 11, 2011 at 4:48 PM Post #28 of 36


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I think he made it pretty clear that's he's comparing 650 and not 598 no? ^_^. Anyway, people here are saying that 598 got regular senn sound just more forward, you disagree? I'd like to get as much opinions specifically on the 598 as possible as it seems like I'll get to listen to the 325i alas not to the 598.
 
 
 

I don't know what the "Senn sound" is because the HD598 sounded completely different from the HD650, which both sound worlds apart from the HD800.
 
 
 
Jul 11, 2011 at 5:08 PM Post #30 of 36


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I don't know what the "Senn sound" is because the HD598 sounded completely different from the HD650, which both sound worlds apart from the HD800.
 
 



Are you being nit-picky on purpose? I'm not debating whether one senn has different sound from the other here. They obviously do. I'm making broad statements. If you can't hear that tonally HD800 and HD650 are closer together than either with GS-1000/PS-1000, I really don't know what I can say to you. I guess your ears are just that much better then mine. kudos.


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Have you considered an Ibasso D10?  I have one that drives my Audio Technica ATH-ESW9 and Denon D5000. 


Don't think I can get it here man..
 
 

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