[maurus]

I have the Senn HD497 and the sound is good.

I see the new Senn HD201, closed and very cheap. It has very good reviews here. It has 24 ohms impedance (HD497 has 32 ohms). I suppose that it's more volume for my european Sony D-NE300... It's correct?

Must I go for the HD201 if I have the HD497?

Thanks


-Maurus

 

[jmb]

Maurus,

I am getting a pair of HD201 next week. Hopefully they will arrive early in the week. They are in transit via UPS ground as we speak.

I just sold my HD497s, which I absolutely loved in terms of sound quality. Had to as I have been buying new headphones lately and needed the money.

I will post a comparison of the HD201's versus the HD497's next week on this thread and will give you some advice on what you should do.

So, if you are patient, I will give you a HD201 review from the perspective of a HD497 lover.

I will be using a Sony D-FJ401 PCDP for the test. I will try them straight from the headphone jack and through my Xin Supermini attached to the line out.

Cheers!

 

[afbug]

I don't have the HD497 but heard its sound before. Based on my memory, the HD201 cannot match the 497. It's bass doesn't go as deep as that of a 497 and doesn't have its clarity. Having said that, at its price, the HD201 is a very good buy. Its 'almost there' when compared to a 497. It looks nicer than a 497 to me though. Can't resist, so i bought it!

 

[jmb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by afbug I don't have the HD497 but heard its sound before. Based on my memory, the HD201 cannot match the 497. It's bass doesn't go as deep as that of a 497 and doesn't have its clarity. Having said that, at its price, the HD201 is a very good buy. Its 'almost there' when compared to a 497. It looks nicer than a 497 to me though. Can't resist, so i bought it!

I'm a huge fan of 497's. An absolutely beautiful sounding efficient headphone. If they weren't so damn ugly. They could have at least made them in black like the 457's. I toted them around town without shame though. They were just too sweet to leave at home

When I do my comparison, I of course will consider price difference and be a bit more forgiving due to the 201's price tag.

 

[afbug]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmb I'm a huge fan of 497's. An absolutely beautiful sounding efficient headphone. If they weren't so damn ugly. They could have at least made them in black like the 457's. I toted them around town without shame though. They were just too sweet to leave at home When I do my comparison, I of course will consider price difference and be a bit more forgiving due to the 201's price tag.

Yeah, the 497 is at least a notch better in all expects except for its looks.

Comparing to a PX100, the HD201 sounds more balanced. The PX100 is a little bass heavy.

maurus:
My ipod needs more juice to drive the HD201 than the PX100 because of the lower SPL i guess. HD201 @ 108dB and PX100 @ 114dB.

 

[jmb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by afbug Yeah, the 497 is at least a notch better in all expects except for its looks.

I wish Sennheiser would keep the earcups, with the drivers, internal design/components too of course, make them black, and come up with a better headband. It's comfortable enough, but looks awful.

Finally, shorten the cord to 4.5 feet (include an extension for home use), and make it so the ear cups swivel (for resting headphones on neck) and you would have a great, stylish, and functional pair of portable headphones.

 

[schwarzenneger]

Yeah, the 497 is at least a notch better in all expects except for its looks.

Comparing to a PX100, the HD201 sounds more balanced. The PX100 is a little bass heavy.

the px100 comes very close to the sound signature of the 497 plus you can fit them in your pocket.

 

[afbug]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmb I wish Sennheiser would keep the earcups, with the drivers, internal design/components too of course, make them black, and come up with a better headband. It's comfortable enough, but looks awful. Finally, shorten the cord to 4.5 feet (include an extension for home use), and make it so the ear cups swivel (for resting headphones on neck) and you would have a great, stylish, and functional pair of portable headphones.

Hey, thats a good idea. They should make the cord detachable 1 side too. Just like their newer HD485.

Quote:

Originally Posted by schwarzenneger . the px100 comes very close to the sound signature of the 497 plus you can fit them in your pocket.

Thats true. Highly protable PX100. But i find that the PX100 has more bass. 497 is more balanced, plus deeper bass.

 

[jmb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by afbug Hey, thats a good idea. They should make the cord detachable 1 side too. Just like their newer HD485.

Detachable I can live without, but I like the idea of having the cord on one side.

Quote:

Originally Posted by afbug Thats true. Highly protable PX100. But i find that the PX100 has more bass. 497 is more balanced, plus deeper bass.

As long as it comes close, I'll be happy. The PX100's are so much smaller than the HD497's, it would be an engineering wonder to get the same sound...plus they are open. The 497's have some isolation (less leakage), except for the venting on the back of the earcups.

 

[afbug]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmb As long as it comes close, I'll be happy. The PX100's are so much smaller than the HD497's, it would be an engineering wonder to get the same sound...plus they are open. The 497's have some isolation (less leakage), except for the venting on the back of the earcups.

You got your PX? I think it leaks more than a 497.

 

[jmb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by afbug You got your PX? I think it leaks more than a 497.

I did. Just got them yesterday. So far I love them for the following reasons:

1. Sound great (but, still not broken in, so I will hold off judgement till they have had time to "burn-in"). Very similiar in sound to the KSC75, but haven't done any serious comparisions to see which one is better.

2. Very portable.

a)They have a short cord (I always had to bundle part of the 497's cord with a twist tie or stuff part of the cord in my pocket).

b)When not listening to them, I just slide them off and let them rest on my neck, with the drivers flat and facing out, since they swivel 90 degree out. I don't like haveing to stuff or wrap my KSC75's and the 497's, well, they would have to be put in a back pack or something.

3. Simple, low key style. I like the way they look

As for leakage...they leak a lot more than the 497's. The 497's have ear cups, but venting on the back, where the sound leaked out, so it wasn;t so bad.

With the PX100's anyone nearby will be able to hear what you are listening to. They leak a lot. However, that's not a big problem for me. I could care less whatpeople think, but you would not be able to listen to them in say...a library where people are trying to study or any environment where it would be rude to expose everyone else to what you are listening to.

Yet, at low volumes it would probably be not such a big deal in some cases.

Example, when me an my wife went out for drinks at a quiet outdoor palce last friday, I listend to my KSC75's while we talked. I just kept the volume really low and we had no problem conversing together while I had music in the background.

 

[zeppelin2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by maurus Must I go for the HD201 if I have the HD497?

Hey maurus,

I have both cans, and I actually prefer the HD201.

If you're trying to justify buying the HD 201's even though you own the HD 497's, keep these points in mind:

- 201 are closed, 497 are not
- 201 are cirumaural (fully around the ear), 497 are semi-circumaural (a hybrid between cirum and supra-aural)
- 201 have less bass (and midbass) than the 497. (So they do sound different, and each might be preferred for a certain type of music)

So really, considering the differences AND how cheap the 201's are, I don't think it should be too hard justifying their purchase.


On a side note, as I mentioned before, I like the 201 more than the 497. This is a bit surprising for me as I look back, because I totally loved the 497's for 6+ months (they were my first 'phone from Sennheiser). Now I find that they sound almost unnatural, kinda like the bump in the mid-bass takes away from the fullness of the mids. I really don't enjoy listening to them anymore. Who knows, maybe I've been spoiled by my HD 595's and SR225's.

 

[jmb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeppelin2 considering how cheap the 201's are, I don't think it should be too hard justifying their purchase.

Not a bad point. Since they are only about 20 bucks, it might be worth it have both. I will still post my comparision. Not a critical intense review, just general impressions/preference

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeppelin2 ....I totally loved the 497's for 6+ months...Now I really don't enjoy listening to them anymore. Who knows, maybe I've been spoiled by my HD 595's and SR225's.

Thats why I sold mine. I knew I would be getting the 555's in the near future, so the 497's would not have the same appeall after I getting into the 5xx Senn. line of cans.

For portbale use though, I think the 497's are just plain fun to listen to. They are not perfectly balanced, but from a portable they provide a lot of enjoyment and detailed impact, without giving you a headache like Grados.