[fyleow]

Don't know where people keep getting the idea that they charge. I just went to the website and downloaded it but it didn't fix my problems. When I'm playing a song and I scroll down in Winamp and it checks for the length of each song there is crackling and popping. When I play Neverwinter Nights there is cracking and popping when I move around and it's lagging badly. Which is seriously screwed up because I'm running on a 2.5 ghz proc with a GeForce 4 Ti 4600.

 

[Duncan]

It might be overkill, but I connected my SBLive! (the one with the Daughterboard) to my DAC with the RCA connector, and it sounded actually pretty good... CD quality lost some of its finnesse, but - not bad at all, something I could live with

There was no hiss that I noticed, just an odd little pop every now and then...

If you think the Senns are revealing don't use 'phones with higher sensitivity!

 

[slidescanner]

Just the opposite! I think the reason the 280s didn't reveal hiss, but the 580s did, is that the 280s are far more efficient. Therefore, to get the same gain (or, "volumne") with the 580s, the sound card or amp would have to be turned up WAY more than with the 280. So, any hiss in the system will be amplified. This is yet another reason it's a good idea to have a good amp with your HD580s/600s.

 

[jlo mein]

hey Born2bwire,

i really like your avatar...

 

[Risa]

fyleow: I remmember from the past when I tested SB Live! that its noise was obvious even on more simple headphones (Sony MDR-CD470). Why you simply do not put Senns directly to SB and then add CMOY for comparison.
I doubt any software change can help with the hiss. I even doubt that moving the card from one slot into another would have any influence.
As slidescanner already pointed out, the issue might expose because HD580 are (possibly) hard to drive, but with CMOY, even that should not be problem.
Also it might be that originaly unnoticed hiss got amplified by CMOY and now is apparent.
Anyway, I would focuse on two things: in mixer turn off all sources that are not necessary and then simply test with and without Cmoy. How does your old phones sound with Cmoy anyway?

 

[Duncan]

Quote:

Originally posted by slidescanner Just the opposite! I think the reason the 280s didn't reveal hiss, but the 580s did, is that the 280s are far more efficient. Therefore, to get the same gain (or, "volumne") with the 580s, the sound card or amp would have to be turned up WAY more than with the 280. So, any hiss in the system will be amplified. This is yet another reason it's a good idea to have a good amp with your HD580s/600s.

Not to disagree with you Slidescanner, but I've found the opposite effect...

My (sensitive) CD1700s with my X-Can V2... if you turn the volume to MAX (obviously with no music playing) there is a noticeable hiss... whereas, this is NOT the case with the same volume, and my Sennheiser HD580s

 

[Carlos]

I bought the Soundblaster Audigey Platinum and I am looking for a good headset. I was prepared to get the HD580 but then I found out about an amp.

I gather from this thread that a headphone amp is still required even with the Audigey. Please confirm.

If it is, what is a good amp?

Carlos

 

[Born2bwire]

I've got the SB Live 5.1 Platinum and the HD580's. I've only bothered to hook up my amp to it once, can't remember if it made a significant difference (it was out of amusement, not for review). I will say that I can get the headphones loud enough using the output jack on the LiveDrive! and the soundcard output jack. Maybe some of the other guys can tell you if you should get an amp. If you're on a budget, my guess would be an Airhead from Headroom.

 

[Wykid1]

I can't say as I've had any problems running the 580s off either my previous (SB Live! Platinum) or my current (and WAY better) Hercules GTXP sound cards... I found the sound quality to be (subjectively) much better with the GTXP, so I don't think I'd go back to SB cards, but I don't think you should have any problems with using the 580s with the SB Audigy...

Just don't expect amazing sound - it's only a PC.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

IF the 280 reveal less hiss than the 580 it would be because it has less sensitivity than the 580 IN THE HIGHER FREQUENCIES.

 

[Carlos]

Thanks for the advice. I'm just starting to appreciate better audio. My budgets are generally modest and I have focused on Movies so far. (Marantz receiver & CD, MMK Center channel, PSB Sub, with Mirage book shelf front and Boston Rear speakers). I've currently planning the construction of my movie and music listening room.

I'm hoping the HD580 is a good all around headphone.

Carlos

 

[Wykid1]

I certainly think it's a fantastic headphone, and definitely wouldn't recommend many others over it... need to get a better cable for it, but it's not so easy over here.

 

[Carlos]

Now just the last thing to solve, finding it in Canada.

Carlos

 

[Wykid1]

Hey Carlos - should be able to find it by contacting these guys :

http://www.sennheiser.ca/contact.html

they'll be able to point you in the right direction depending on which province you're in.

Best of luck

 

[Risa]

For me HD580 simply were not the headphones for PC, because they:
1) Are of open design. That way even more noise from my PC interfere with the sound. I do not know if you want them for music listening or games, but in both cases high quality sounds from Senns gets spoiled by noisy case (at least in my case).
2) For gaming there was another drawback for me. Their transducers are parallel to each other this make the 3D sound less coherent (and experienced "from sided") compared to other headphones (Sony MD 470) which have transducers slightly turned.

So for PC I would pick up closed phones with better ergonomics, for music (and if you are willing to spend some money on dedicated amp) HD580s are very good

.