[Mark Up]

Thanks for finding that. If you decide to keep the HD569 and you've got pleather HM5 pads handy, let us know if you try it.

 

[OldDude04]

I did it about an hour after finding those pics of the 598, lol. I keep a set or 2 of the HM5 pads around. It was definitely a stretch for the pads to fit, it really taxes the HM5 to its limit. As for sound, it was different, not necessarily better. There was noticeably more bass, but it was a tad bit muddy. The sound stage was little wider, due to the distance of the driver from my ear. The highs seemed the same, as did the mids. All said and done, I will most likely go back to the stock alcantara, I really liked the stock sound. However, I'd bet they would bring more bass to the 598, which the open back might benefit from.
 

 

[Mark Up]

Thanks so much.They add space and bass without costing treble or all important mids, that's great. It gives folks an option.

 

[IGotTubes]

I love Sennheiser gear, love it.  I especially like the white ones.

 

[OldDude04]

No problem at all. I was too curious not to give it a shot myself. I use the HM5 pads on my HFI-580 and HA-SZ2000 and love 'em.

 

[Mark Up]

I'd tried the JVC HA-SZ2000 years ago. Good sound, painfully shallow pads. Did the HM5 pads keep your ears off the drivers?

 

[OldDude04]

  I'd tried the JVC HA-SZ2000 years ago. Good sound, painfully shallow pads. Did the HM5 pads keep your ears off the drivers?

 
By a mile, lol.
 

 

[Mark Up]

How did it affect the sound on the JVC?

 

[OldDude04]

Very nominally reduced the bass, but opened the sound stage, which is awesome. The SZ2000 has plenty of bass so a tad less didn't hurt, and the comfort is leaps and bounds beyond the stock pads.

 

[TheEldestBoy]

Has anyone gotten a pair of HD599's yet?  Are they shipping yet?
 
Would love to hear how they compare to the HD598's.
 
Is there anyone here that has a pair of 598's and is planning on getting the 599's?

 

[VeggiePopper]

598 cannot be turned into HD600 by any means.

Never said so, did I? Just said I'm sure it will sound better than stock.

 

[potterpastor]

The M2 to me sounds like a closed HD 650

 

[Niyologist]

The M2 to me sounds like a closed HD 650

Momentum 2? Wow. Didn't know that.

 

[VeggiePopper]

In the Momentum thread, there were several similar opinions claiming that the Momentum over-ear (either the original or the M2) sound like a closed HD650, there should be a reason why this opinion is so constant.

 

[Mark Up]

I've heard the Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 and HD650. Similar mids, that's it. The M2 has more and extended bass and low mids, and brighter highs. The HD650 is a bit more spacious and refined sounding overall. I received and tried the new HD 4.30i and it's going back. Lightweight, good looking, well built. It barely opened far enough to reach my ears on my very large and long head.

Pads are soft, but they'll show a shine really fast from skin oil. Even cleaning it off it retains some shine. Material feels very artificial vs. other kinds of pleather. Pad openings similar to M2, which while bigger than M1, were still too small. My ears are above average sized, and the pad sits on the very top and bottom parts, not around it. Soft pads, but still after a while that gets bothersome.

Soundstage was average to small. Highs and mids are great. Seem a bit warmer than Momentum, but clearer than HD650. Low mids are good. A little more mid bass than I'd like, but subs are great and extended. Sound was a lot like the Samson RTE X noise cancelling portables. The Samson don't fold like these, but go flat to fit in their excellent small hard case. These have no hard case.

The earpads on those Samson are not quite deep enough (as these were) but were a bit larger for openings to just barely fit my ear. Sound quality is similar in NR mode to these, with the bass being a bit tighter, and the highs a bit brighter on the Samson. So for $99 (the same price) I much prefer the Samson RTE X fit, comfort, portability, accessories. Sound is similar, NR is a bonus.

That said, the Sennheiser 4.30i really isolate well. For passive headphones, their spectral balance (besides a little too much mid bass) is exceptional. It's a nice new direction at a low price for them, they've just got to test these better. So many portables suffer from small ear pads. The Oppo PM-3 shows that you can be portable / small / folding, with large comfortable ear pad openings.