[Turbo7MN]

Well, I'm thinking of picking up a set of Senn HD595s after I hopefully get some cash from christmas. Unfortunately, I live in the middle of nowhere (rural Minnesota isn't exactly known for high-end electronics shops) and I can't demo anything for myself, so I'm pretty much going by the reviews I've read here. I listen to all kinds of rock, from Pink Floyd, to Queens of the Stone Age, to Metallica, but I've pretty much decided against Grados.

I know there's probably a hundred threads saying all the good things about the HD595. I want to know any and all reasons not to buy them. I'm mostly concerned about reliability, particularly for the cable. I've had to rebuild the wires on my HJE70 twice now, and I'd really like to have headphones that I don't have to worry about.

 

[RnB180]

id get the 580s over the 595s, youd need a good amp to make the 595s sound their best potential anyhow, even at 50 ohms impedence, the sound ismt really clean and you get clipping fairly quickly on bassy soundtracks.

The 595s are also cheaply made BTW, not up to the standards of the 580 600 and 650s.

 

[applebook]

The HD580/ 6XX are clearly the superior cans in pretty much every single aspect, and the HD580 costs quite a bit less too.

 

[kwitel]

two questions for you:
1)Why have you ruled out Grados??? NOTHING better for your genres of music.
2)Why do you have to keep recabling ur Pannys? Was thinking about getting that exact model (the hje50) as my first IEM (cheap).
3)If you must get a Senn (buy a Grado) then id go with the 580 (Grado) over the 595 (Grado). The 595 from what I understand (Grado) has a more forward sound (Grado) than the more laid back 580 (Grado).
BTW, im a Grado fanboy.

 

[RnB180]

Ive had the 595s for a short period of time before I broke them.

IMO the 595s are no where near the signature sound of Grados.

Maybe people are comparing them to Grados because they are listening to the 595s unamped? When I listened to them amped they were closer to the 580s then Grados. Sennheiser is Sennheiser, and from what Ive listened to the 595s are definately a sennheiser house sound.

Grados are just bright with a collapsed soundstage. Too sibilant for my tastes, I didnt think headphones could be that unbalanced in terms of sibilance and harshness until I put on some Grados.

There are ways around the sibilance, you can buy flats, which will add more to the budget. Even then they are still bright. But the bowls are like brightness times infinity. Piano recordings are unlistenable for me because the foot presses during the recording is the loudest of everything. It didnt seem to do the air and mids and resonance of the piano notes very well, but that tiny foot step on the piano, it did very well, the tiny tick in the track actually took front stage presence and the Grados made the tick into a CLACK every time the foot pedal was pressed.

 

[NotJeffBuckley]

They offer a different sound than the HD580. I don't get people who say they're similar, because they're really not. The soundstage is totally different, and the actual sonic characteristics of the driver are different, as well. They're a bit more forward in the upper mids and treble, and a little tighter in the bass (subjectively speaking) though not as low (or so it seems to me?).

They are built using mostly plastic, and aren't as durable as the 580/600/650, but they are well-engineered and breaks are rarer than this thread would indicate.

 

[Turbo7MN]

My HJE70s are about as bright as I want to get. I've done a lot of reaserch and I think the HD595's sound signature is what I'm looking for. I do have a simple CMoy as an amp.

I keep rebuilding my HJE70s because I do like the sound and they are good for portable use. I will still keep them around as portables no matter what else I buy.

So you broke the HD595? What part broke?

And doesn't the HD580 have 300 ohm impendance? I don't think my CMoy could do much for that.

Thanks for the input, keep it coming.

-Darren

 

[RnB180]

I broke them when I took them apart for the first time

, They are a lot more delicate then I thought.
after that, I dont think I ever want to touch a 595 again.

 

[Turbo7MN]

Ahh, that'll do it. I tend to avoid taking things apart unless they are already broken

.

 

[RnB180]

Well ive taken headphones apart before. The 595s have got to be the cheapest and most delicate out of the $100-$200 range Ive opened up. Id say my sr-80s are more durable then the 595s

 

[Ebonyisland]

I just bought a pair of HD595s, and for $165 shipped, I think they are terrific. I'm still in the process of breaking them in, and from what I've read, one of the negatives of the 595s is they need around 100 hours of break-in to reach their full potential.

 

[Meifa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RnB180 Ive had the 595s for a short period of time before I broke them. IMO the 595s are no where near the signature sound of Grados. Maybe people are comparing them to Grados because they are listening to the 595s unamped? When I listened to them amped they were closer to the 580s then Grados. Sennheiser is Sennheiser, and from what Ive listened to the 595s are definately a sennheiser house sound.

I agree 100%. Don't get me wrong, I like my 595s, but they're not Grados, not anywhere close. As far as the other higher-end Senns, I haven't listened to the 580s/6XX series, but I don't know (/think?) that they would suit your needs?

I got the 595s without ever hearing them, too. Like you, I did a lot of research here on the board before purchasing. However, bear in mind that a lot of people term the 595s "forward," which was a deciding factor for me-- don't know about you. To be honest with you, after owning them for two months or so, I don't think they're that forward, at all (at least coming off of a Grado).

I don't know... I'm very much a proponent of the Grado house sound. I like that very forward sound, I like the punch. At the same time, I do like the complexity, the wider soundstage, etc. that the 595s offer... However, you gotta use an amp with them, as aforementioned. I've been listening to them unamped for some weeks now (my PA2V2 was sent away for repair and now I'm fearing it's been lost in the mail e_e). They're still nice phones, but without the amp, they're sort of... I don't know. Boring? Not involving enough, I should say. FWIW, I listen to a lot of rock too, but mostly of the indie variety.

Eh, I'm so wishy-washy about these cans. Maybe when I get my amp back I'll find the joy in them again. As far as Grados being too bright, I guess it's really a matter of taste and sensitivity. I've never been compelled to call my Grados "Grate-os."

 

[NotJeffBuckley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turbo7MN My HJE70s are about as bright as I want to get. I've done a lot of reaserch and I think the HD595's sound signature is what I'm looking for. I do have a simple CMoy as an amp. I keep rebuilding my HJE70s because I do like the sound and they are good for portable use. I will still keep them around as portables no matter what else I buy. So you broke the HD595? What part broke? And doesn't the HD580 have 300 ohm impendance? I don't think my CMoy could do much for that. Thanks for the input, keep it coming. -Darren

Actually, the CMoy is a reasonable match for high impedance headphones thanks to its higher operating voltage. High impedance cans need more voltage swing to reach the same frequency response volume than low impedance cans, but require less current - thus, they can be driven to low volumes by just about anything, but won't get very loud.

Low impedance headphones, on the other hand, require low voltage but higher output current; they can be driven loudly from nearly any source, but weak sources with low current capacity (usually a result of small output capacitors) mangle the waveforms especially in the midbass and bass.

 

[Turbo7MN]

No Grados for me

. Like I said, my HJE70s are about as bright as I want to get, and I'm looking for something with a more realistic soundstage. The "forwardness" was a factor in my decision, but I'm not coming from Grados so I don't think being underwhelmed should be a factor.

 

[Turbo7MN]

By the way, where did you get them for $165 shipped?