[nuhi]

Hi, if you could help me choose between Sennheiser hd580 and hd590.
I can buy 590 now or wait another month and buy 580 (yes in my place 580 are more expencive than 590 for a 50$).

I will be using it on a PC sound card

and no amp, so keep that in mind.

I have seen every damn post about those two phones and can't make up my mind.

Above all i can't test the phones before buying, only order it by mail.

My frend told me that 580 is driven good on sound card, others saying that it isn't, uf i'm lost.

If a 590 is better on PC than enlighten me.

(i dont want any other phones; i have spent much time on choosing those two).

Thanx.

 

[phidauex]

Well, the 580's have an impedence of 300 ohms, where the 590s have an impedence of 120 ohms. The 590s will probably take to being driven by a soundcard a bit better. However, they are both good phones. I had to make the same decision, and ended up choosing the 590s, due to price, comfort, and i liked the way they sounded when I did a brief audition.

peace,
phidauex

 

[The Quality Guru]

This is a review of the HD590 by Hi-Fi Choice (A UK audiophile magazine). In an hour, I will be heading to my hi-fi shop to see which I like better, the HD590 or the HD580/600. While you're waiting for my consensus about the two phones, you can read this review. I will post back with my opinion after I listen to both of them (among others) in a few hours.

When you click below, you will encounter a list of headphones that the magazine Hi-Fi Choice has reviewed. Click on the one that says 'HD590.' I encourage you to look at other phones on that review list that might also fit your criteria for a headphone for your pc. Check it out by clicking below:

http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/buyersgu...category=HDPHN

 

[r4z0r]

The 590s were originally designed to be used directly out of a source without dedicated amplification, while the 580/600 only reach their full potential when hooked up with an amp. Hope this helps.

 

[nuhi]

excellent, it's beginning to make some sense, now i'm just waiting for final statement of "The Quality Guru" and maybe some other posts, but i'm "in" the 590...for now.

 

[r4z0r]

nuhi, is the Philips HP-890s available to you by any means? IMO, it is definitely a set of phones worth considering.

 

[MacDEF]

Without an amp, I would go for the 590, no question. A PC sound card simply can't drive the 580. Also, I haven't heard the 590 personally; however, I have tried the Philips 890, and if the 590 are as good as people I trust claim they are, they would be a significant step up from the 890.

 

[Ctn]

Stay away from the 590 for PC...take it from my experience.

If you are going with Senns...go with something like an amped 580. You ears will thank you since esp games/mp3's have really emphasied highs and to a lesser extent, highs.

OUCH !

Try going through a portal in UT with the 590s...bai bai ear drums.

 

[Atomicarnage]

Nuhi,
How do you listen to your music? In what kind of environment?

I know you want the higher end sennheisers, but your going to have to keep in mind that they a)do not work well straight from a portable b)are open, so you'll annoy anyone in the vicinity (like in a quiet study room) and you will have to turn up your music to block out annoying outside sounds and to hear your music. Don't get me wrong, the 590's and the 580's are excellent headphones, but only if you are planning on listening through an amp (or in the case of the 590's a computer soundcard) in a relatively quiet room. Personally I am taking a look at the 590's because they do work well out of my sound card, and will work out of a portable, but at the same time they are very revealing headphones, probably not as much so as the 580's, but if you are listening to mp3's or music that is poorly recored, you are going to notice it and be annoyed by it using either headphone.

I just received my 280's today, and so far so good. I'm listening to my music as I type(at a fairly low volume cuz i'm breaking them in), and I can barely hear any outside noise. The only distinct sound is that of my fingers typing on the keyboard, and even that sound is muffled so much that I can barely make it out. At the same time I can't hear my roomate, and he can't even begin to hear my music. Using my grado's (very open headphones) my roomate can hear them in a quiet room even if the volume is very low (50db or so). You may want to consider the 280's as a compliment to, or even a replacement for the 590's. They are not as revealing as the 590's and can very easily be driven from any source, yet they have excellent sound. While they are not as comfy as the 590's they are still comfortable, and are more well rounded and probably more suited to the average ampless college student.

 

[Atomicarnage]

Are you going to be using the phones for gaming at all?

Because headroom suggests headphones with less treble like the Beyer 250-80's because "their smooth and warm sound will ensure a lack of brittleness when used with sound cards"

From what i've heard, the 590's have a little more treble than the average headphone.

 

[Snufkin]

High-end headphones + low-end source (soundcard) = hey everyone, check out how bad my soundcard sounds!

In other words, your sound setup is only as good as your worst component so matching a pair of HD590s with a soundcard would absolutely not do them justice.

You could get the same or better sound quality from some Beyer 250-80s, HP890s, Senny 280s, Grado SR60s etc etc and have money left over to buy a better soundcard

 

[delenda est Sony]

Nuhi---

I think the 590s would be fine from a soundcard. I use my 590s with a SB Live and it is a nice combo at least with well recorded CDs and games---don't know how it would work with MP3s, especially if you are using a poor decoder.

As mentioned above, the 590s leak a bit of sound so if you worry about that or need isolation from noise, consider the Senn 280s, a closed pair of phones with excellent quality.

And download WinAmp and use that in place of MS CD Player. The preamp function and the full band EQ capability really complement the 590s nicely.

I have heard the 580 w/o an amp, and it is not pretty. If you do not have/want an amp, go with the 590s or 280s.

hope this helps!

 

[nuhi]

uh, so many thoughts, like i allready don't have a mess in my head

but here it goes.

I will not play games, and i listen IDM techno, Abmiental techno, Industrial techno and good Metal

(i know a striking combination)
Now you all thinking: "Take some ****ty phones, he must like lots of bass", but no, i DON'T like boomy bass like i allready have it on my Sony md-cdr380, yuck.
I have a portable cd player but i know that allready my sony-boy can't be driven by it.

So my question is: Is a amped 580 really woth DOUBLE the money of 590 unamped ???

Or there is a cheap variant of amp, or i could build one, i am an electrician, just give me a scheme

 

[Snufkin]

You want schemes? I got your schemes right here

Go the 580 and a custom amp, you'll love it

 

[Victoon]

for sound cards, hd 580, no pity...

I use a hd 580 on my diamond s70 sound card, which have a not-too-bad on-card headamp. it sound good...

if you can make a amp at a low price, go get hd 580...