[Connnorrr]

I just got a pair of 595's as a present for the holidays and I was sort of underwhelmed at first. Upon giving them a try for a few hours, they have more detail than my current pair of ATH-A700's, but I still find myself preferring the ATH's sound better. I have a small headphone amp (Fiio e5)  for when I'm out of the house but I don't have a real good amp as of yet, is that the problem? I was expecting more low end, but it just doesn't seem like it is there. I was thinking of maybe swapping them for some Grado's, but if the problem is the lack of an amp then that wouldn't do me any good.
 
Any advice on where to go from here? Also, I do apologize if this is the wrong area, new to here. 

 

[NullZero]

The HD595's are known as the odd one out from their siblings (being the HD580, HD600, HD650), in that they are bright.  Whilst they can present a decent bass (with decent extension), their bass quantity can leave people with the more-to-be-desired feeling (such is their signature).  Unless you find an amp that will change the headphone's signature, you're not going to get more bass unless you EQ.  Otherwise, the amp will further clean up the bass a little, and make it a tiny bit tighter.

 

[Satellite_6]

The HD 650's are bright too. It sounds like you are a basshead and you should try some crazy bassy headphones. I doubt the e5 is any good either. . .

 

[MrGreen]

Quote:

I just got a pair of 595's as a present for the holidays and I was sort of underwhelmed at first. Upon giving them a try for a few hours, they have more detail than my current pair of ATH-A700's, but I still find myself preferring the ATH's sound better. I have a small headphone amp (Fiio e5)  for when I'm out of the house but I don't have a real good amp as of yet, is that the problem? I was expecting more low end, but it just doesn't seem like it is there. I was thinking of maybe swapping them for some Grado's, but if the problem is the lack of an amp then that wouldn't do me any good.
 
Any advice on where to go from here? Also, I do apologize if this is the wrong area, new to here. 

You prefer the Audiotechnicas. That's all. Grado would be fine without an amp. If you like A700s, you might prefer AD700s.

 

[Digital-Pride]

I think your underwelming reaction, I think, come from two things: one your new headphones haven't broken in yet, and two your ears are accustomed to the sound signature of your A700s.  With high-end headphones, while in many cases sound great right from the get go, benefit from a burn-in period.  I would suggest anywhere from from 50 to 150 hours should be sufficient.  Sennheisers are often described as having a darker sound signature that is not as bright as others like your A700s fo example, so once your ears adapt the HD595s I think you'll begin to really hear the improvement in sound.  Also the HD595s are pretty easy to drive so your Fiio should more than suffice for now.  So long story short, stick with your Sennheisers I think you'll eventually come to love your holiday gift!

 

[donkeywalker]

Try the 595 in a tube amplifier, I once pluged it in my littledac MK3 and the gain is set to high, the mids of 595 is just jaw dropping...

 

[sugarkang]

595s aren't bright.  They just don't have any bass.
Consult the headroom graphs. 
ONCE AGAIN, LOOK AT THE GRAPH.
Oh, what?  LOOK AT THE GRAPH.
 
I see this disappointment all the time from Senn buyers.
If you want a lot of bass, do not buy Sennheiser.  PERIOD.
Your amp will not do anything to change a fundamental deficiency in bass. 
 
Get yourself a pair of XB-700s. 
The graph on those is like an improved upon version of Dr. Dre beats.
It's got a little less bass, and more mids and treble than the beats, but overall similar. 
Hundreds cheaper as well.

 

[RallyMaster]

Quote:

595s aren't bright.  They just don't have any bass.
Consult the headroom graphs. 
ONCE AGAIN, LOOK AT THE GRAPH.
Oh, what?  LOOK AT THE GRAPH.
 
I see this disappointment all the time from Senn buyers.
If you want a lot of bass, do not buy Sennheiser.  PERIOD.
Your amp will not do anything to change a fundamental deficiency in bass. 
 
Get yourself a pair of XB-700s. 
The graph on those is like an improved upon version of Dr. Dre beats.
It's got a little less bass, and more mids and treble than the beats, but overall similar. 
Hundreds cheaper as well.

Very inclined to agree with this. I've owned the HD595 for more than a year and I'm definitely selling it soon. It's not enjoyable as a headphone. It starts to put me to sleep about 3 minutes into a track no matter what kind of music I put on. I've put it through my Little Dot MKII and I've tried different sources. It doesn't change the fact that it's a drab and boring headphone...

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

595s aren't bright.  They just don't have any bass.
Consult the headroom graphs. 
ONCE AGAIN, LOOK AT THE GRAPH.
Oh, what?  LOOK AT THE GRAPH.
 
I see this disappointment all the time from Senn buyers.
If you want a lot of bass, do not buy Sennheiser.  PERIOD.
Your amp will not do anything to change a fundamental deficiency in bass. 
 
Get yourself a pair of XB-700s. 
The graph on those is like an improved upon version of Dr. Dre beats.
It's got a little less bass, and more mids and treble than the beats, but overall similar. 
Hundreds cheaper as well.

 
Quote:

Very inclined to agree with this. I've owned the HD595 for more than a year and I'm definitely selling it soon. It's not enjoyable as a headphone. It starts to put me to sleep about 3 minutes into a track no matter what kind of music I put on. I've put it through my Little Dot MKII and I've tried different sources. It doesn't change the fact that it's a drab and boring headphone...

Seconded on both accounts.  The M50 is only about $20 more than the XB700 as well they are quite different presentations though.

 

[Satellite_6]

Sennheisers are not bass deficient either, it's just that most people are used to crappy overwhelming bass. Silly bassheads. 

 
If you want loads of bass buy some beats.

 

[pp312]

Lol. Seconded. Sennheiser's are not bass deficient unless your priority is an unhealthy diet of bass, bass and a little more bass.

 

[sugarkang]

Do you people always travel in pairs?
Let's consult the unbiased graph, shall we?
No, the Sennheisers don't lack bass.
The lines on the HD650 and HD598 falling off a cliff on the low end there?
Don't worry about that. 
 
I'm sure Dr. Dre, one of the most important producers in hip hop history,
who sold millions of records, and had a hand in creating an entire sub-genre of music,
would just love to hear his own music through Sennheisers.   
Take it from what's his name and what's his name's friend that your ears are wrong.
 
These people are bass haters at worst, or just plain do not understand bass at the very least.
Why?  This "muddy" and "overwhelming" bass is the same thing as a "distorted" guitar. 
Do you wanna tell Jimi Hendrix he was doing it wrong? 
"Hey Jimi you're doing it wrong!  Django Reinhardt never cranks it to 10! 
Oh, and don't play with your guitar upside down!"
 
But, by all means people.  Listen to these guys at your peril. 
 

 
Quote:

Sennheisers are not bass deficient either, it's just that most people are used to crappy overwhelming bass. Silly bassheads. 

 
If you want loads of bass buy some beats.

 
Quote:

Lol. Seconded. Sennheiser's are not bass deficient unless your priority is an unhealthy diet of bass, bass and a little more bass.

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

Sennheisers are not bass deficient either, it's just that most people are used to crappy overwhelming bass. Silly bassheads. 

 
If you want loads of bass buy some beats.

Or a crappy LCD2 right?  Senns do drop off in the lows but as said before I don't think that's even their biggest problem.

 

[pp312]

Not sure what you're on about, sugarkang, but the graphs you've reproduced, to my eyes, show the 598 and 650 with a healthy and proportionate amount of bass, and the Dr Dre's and Beyer with absurdly exaggerated bass. Look at the mean level of the graphs--draw a line if you need to. The latter two phones are ridiculous.
 
As for your rant about Jimmy Hendrix and Dr. Dre and distorted guitars and hip hop, I have no interest in any of that as I only listen to classical, and my only concern is with fidelity.

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

Not sure what you're on about, sugarkang, but the graphs you've reproduced, to my eyes, show the 598 and 650 with a healthy and proportionate amount of bass, and the Dr Dre's and Beyer with absurdly exaggerated bass. Look at the mean level of the graphs--draw a line if you need to. The latter two phones are ridiculous.
 
As for your rant about Jimmy Hendrix and Dr. Dre and distorted guitars and hip hop, I have no interest in any of that as I only listen to classical, and my only concern is with fidelity.

Honestly, neither of the phones being discussed are quite right.  As usual the truth lies somewhere in the middle.