Sennheiser 590 vs. 595?

[Imyourzero]

I've done many searches in the past couple of days to read up on various sets of headphones, and this is the only one that I can remember that did not turn up any matches.

How do these 2 sets of cans compare? During my reading I found that generally, people who liked 580's/600's didn't care for the sound of 590's, and there were some people who actually preferred the slightly brighter 590's to the 580's/600's and didn't care for the more open, laid-back sound of the latter. Also I found that the people who didn't care for the sound of the 590's also didn't care for the "Grado sound" and people who liked Grados also tended to like the 590's.

So how do the 590's compare to the 595's? One thing I've noticed about the 595's is that they are pretty darn hard to find, but if they are light years ahead of the 590's then they would probably be worth waiting for.

The main reason I'm asking is because I'm seriously considering buying some 590's. I've got a set of 580's on the way but after reading it seems like I'll be disappointed in them unless I get an amp. I may get an amp but that's a whole new slew of things to research and decide on. I wouldn't be looking to spend a lot. It looks like many people are happy with the Headsave amps though. Good thing I read up on those a little bit because I probably would have gone with something from Headroom or Creek. Admittedly, ANYTHING decent would be better than having no amp, but I'm the kind of person who wants to do the best they can do for their $$$ when making a large purchase decision.

Comments on 590 vs. 595 would be appreciated! Has anyone owned, or heard both?

 

[SunByrne]

Wow, deja thread:

http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=78092

Only a couple days old, exactly the same question.

 

[LTUCCI1924]

Imyourzero
HI: Welcome to head-fi: I had the 590 plus the equinox replacement cable and was very happy with them. They were my favorite headphones. Then I bought the 595 and wow I found the 595 way better sounding over the 590 plus equinox cable. So I sold the 590 plus cable and now the 595 are my favorite cans. Also the 595 don't need a replacement cable. Of course a amp is a very good buy for most any headphone.

 

[commando]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LTUCCI1924 Of course a amp is a very good buy for most any headphone.

I disagree with this - with some headphones it makes little or no difference (Senn 280 very little, CD3Ks not much in my experience). Those senns will probably get some benefit though.

 

[tortie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Imyourzero I've got a set of 580's on the way but after reading it seems like I'll be disappointed in them unless I get an amp. I may get an amp but that's a whole new slew of things to research and decide on. I wouldn't be looking to spend a lot. It looks like many people are happy with the Headsave amps though.

Before deciding that you dont like the 580s, listen to them first

Reading people's impressions is totally different from trying them out for yourself. Instead of buying another pair of headphones, I suggest investing it on an amp.

 

[LTUCCI1924]

commando
HI: I did say most any headphone not all headphones. And yes the 595 do sound a lot better with a amp as most headphones do but not all headphones. OK

 

[reuveng]

I have the 590 and I'm very heppy. They don't need amp and I use them for music, computer games and movies. For $155 that I paid they are great value!

I did compere them to the HD 650. The 650 didn't "wow" me, as a metter of fact, the 590 sounded sharper with more details out of my Yamaha reciver.

 

[DevilDog]

Quote:

Originally Posted by reuveng I have the 590 and I'm very heppy. They don't need amp and I use them for music, computer games and movies.

I'd like to suggest that you try them with an amp. I think you'll find quite a bit of difference, particularly with the 590s.

Quote:

Originally Posted by reuveng I did compere them to the HD 650. The 650 didn't "wow" me, as a metter of fact, the 590 sounded sharper with more details out of my Yamaha reciver.

Yeah, I'd think so. Auditioning the 650 without an amp isn't fair. But they're two different types of sounds. The 590s are brighter, (I haven't heard them, only the 570s) but don't mistake detail for brightness.

 

[HiGHFLYiN9]

Quote:

Originally Posted by reuveng the 590 sounded sharper with more details out of my Yamaha reciver.

Time for an upgrade Reuveng.

I have a Yamaha 5590 and the headphone out really sucks (The 5590 is a higher end model too). Even a basic cmoy will put it to shame. There are a few recievers that have nice headphone outputs, although from my experience the Yamaha is clearly not one of them.

 

[Davnport]

I'd say definitely wait and play with the 580s that are on their way. I love my 580s and I don't think you will be dissapointed. I have been listening to them unamped, and while they still sound pretty good, I think that an amp would help. Which is why I think you would be better off just keeping the 580s over the 590s and maybe investing in a starter amp... cmoy or something.

That said, I have played with the 590s and I definitely think they are brighter. They are made for classical music. I think all around, the 580s suit me better than the 590s did, so it will be a personal choice, but if you still aren't sure, go to a local shop and try the 590s.

The one thing I liked about the 590s better than the 580s is that they had only one cord entrance to the hps housing. I sit at my computer most of the time and less cordage is a perk. But I can't complain about my 580s.

Let us know what you think about your 580s after you received them and played with them a bit.

 

[reuveng]

Quote:

Originally Posted by highflyin9 Time for an upgrade Reuveng. I have a Yamaha 5590 and the headphone out really sucks (The 5590 is a higher end model too). Even a basic cmoy will put it to shame. There are a few recievers that have nice headphone outputs, although from my experience the Yamaha is clearly not one of them.

I don't think the Yamaha headphone out sucks but I may be wrong. The main reason that I got the HD590 was their efficiency with good sound stage output and low price. For classical music they are great, for rock they may be a little harsh
but no big deal.

I wish someone could describe exactly how a $200 headphone amplifier will improve the sound over a "standard" receiver headphone output.

 

[LTUCCI1924]

HI: The 650 when used with a great source and great amp are said to sound awesome. But I thought you wanted to know about the 590 V 595? both the 590 and 595 are way more forgiving about the source and amp or no amp. Also the 590 and better yet the 595 are upfront sounding while the 590 has that great bass but the 595 has a more balance sound with the bass,mids,highs are all on one line of the same value. I use a 500 watt stereo receiver as my amp but it has a great headphone jack. But with a amp the 590 and 595 sound much better than with no amp or a week headphone jack.

 

[Innuendo]

I recently purchased the HD590 and I am very pleased with them. The HD595 won't be available in my country for a long time because one of Sennheisers factory shops burned down. It seems that other head-fiers also found the 595 hard to get.

The HD590 sound very good with guitar music. Also, bass is superb. Mid-range is a bit recessed, but depending on your taste this may or may not be a good thing.

I am also currently doing research on the whole amp thing. It seems that a good amp from HeadSave or JMT would be a good investment - and they're not too expensive.

 

[Imyourzero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LTUCCI1924 Imyourzero HI: Welcome to head-fi: I had the 590 plus the equinox replacement cable and was very happy with them. They were my favorite headphones. Then I bought the 595 and wow I found the 595 way better sounding over the 590 plus equinox cable. So I sold the 590 plus cable and now the 595 are my favorite cans. Also the 595 don't need a replacement cable. Of course a amp is a very good buy for most any headphone.

Thank you for the welcome and for your reply to the thread. I've done quite a bit of searching thru old threads and your name came up in a LOT of them. It seems you are the older guy that goes through a lot of different equipment and refuses to listen to MP3's.

I will probably take everyone's advice and just wait for the 580's to get here and see how I like them. After doing some more reading, I don't think I'll get the 590's. I've found a couple of sets of them for a very decent price but for the same amount as I would pay for the 590's, I could get a good starter amp for the 580's. If I get the 580's and don't like them, I could always try the 595's. They are harder to find but seem to be worth it from the comments I've read.

Of course, after owning and liking my Grado SR80's it could be that I won't even like the "Senn sound." Perhaps I'll end up buying a set of SR225's or 325's, LOL! Then again, there are a lot of headphones that I haven't even considered that I might be very happy with. Something from AKG or Beyer might fit the bill, or even a set of cans from Audio-Technica. So many choices, so few opportunities to audition before I buy.

x 10

And not to totally change the topic, but what would you guys/gals recommend as a GOOD starter amp? Not something that would require me to sell a kidney. Let's say the best amp in the $100-$150 range.

I thought about contacting Norm and having him do a custom Headsave amp for me but they say he takes into consideration what kind of headphones you will be powering as well as what kind of music you listen to. That's great, but it could also be a bad thing. Kind of like buying a custom performance computer chip for your car--if you change anything after buying it, it will be less than optimal. If I specify that I want him to make me an amp that will be great for classical music and work well with Senn 580's, what happens if I sell the 580's for some Grado 225's and become a rock music buff? Sure, the amp will still work, but it will be less than optimal for the new headphones and music preference. It is for this reason that I wonder if it is best to get settled into a good set of headphones that you KNOW you'll keep for a long time, and THEN buy an amp (if having the amp built with the headphones in mind). Of course, when something like the Senn 580's NEED an amp in the first place to bring out their potential for me to even see how much I like them, therein lies another dilemma.

Sheesh!!

 

[elliot]

The HD590 has some great bass and soundstage, but its midrange is hollow/empty/muffled. If the HD595 is better than the HD555, then it is probably better than the HD590.