Sennheiser HD 558 "foam mod" Has anyone heard of this outside of 4chan's /g/ board?

[Netforce]

So they can have product at the $160 and the $230 price point if just looking off the amazon prices.

 

[Aaron94]

Quote:

What I don't understand is if that piece of foam makes the headphones sound worse then why is it there in the first place? Is it truly there to make the HD598 a better deal?

Because its much MUCH easier for a company to make 3 products using the same parts, and then make a few of them sound worse than the next version up. Versus making 3 entire part sets, and then marketing them. This is the case with the HD5*8 line, the HD518, HD 558, and HD598 all have the same driver, but they have those small differences which make each lower model sound worse than the higher.

 

[teb1013]

Because its much MUCH easier for a company to make 3 products using the same parts, and then make a few of them sound worse than the next version up. Versus making 3 entire part sets, and then marketing them. This is the case with the HD5*8 line, the HD518, HD 558, and HD598 all have the same driver, but they have those small differences which make each lower model sound worse than the higher.

From what I understand the 518 has a different driver. There seems to be some dispute as to whether the "foam mod" will make the 558 indistinguishable from the 598, but many think it improves it.

 

[Hifi Man]

Anyways I just tired the foam mod. It seems kind of weird that a random piece of foam is on the inside of the headphones in the first place, so I removed it without trying the headphones with the foam and it sounds good. I think these sound like pretty good headphones. Works great right out of my iPod. 

 

[Aaron94]

Quote:

From what I understand the 518 has a different driver. There seems to be some dispute as to whether the "foam mod" will make the 558 indistinguishable from the 598, but many think it improves it.

Theres a thread around here somewhere proving that the HD518 has the same driver as the HD558 and HD598.

 

[Aaron94]

Accidental double post.

 

[Aaron94]

Anyways I just tired the foam mod. It seems kind of weird that a random piece of foam is on the inside of the headphones in the first place, so I removed it without trying the headphones with the foam and it sounds good. I think these sound like pretty good headphones. Works great right out of my iPod. 

 
Can you give me a general idea of how the modded HD558 sound with metal music like Metallica and Korn? Im concerned they wont have the bass or treble extension for me to enjoy that genre.

 

[Hifi Man]

Quote:

 
Can you give me a general idea of how the modded HD558 sound with metal music like Metallica and Korn? Im concerned they wont have the bass or treble extension for me to enjoy that genre.

Oh what the heck. I'll try. I think they have a nice smooth sound. The guitars sound is warm and forward. The rest of everything else seems to be where it should be. These seem like the kind of headphones I could listen to for hours without fatigue. I like it. I think it has good detail too.

 

[BluePhase]

I just performed the foam mod. Without the foam, the sound seems more transparent and 'airy'. For the type of music I listen to (smooth jazz, soundtracks) this is a definite improvement. However, I also noticed that lower quality recordings and highly compressed files sound harsher than they did before the mod. Anyone else notice this?

 

[Aaron94]

Quote:

I just performed the foam mod. Without the foam, the sound seems more transparent and 'airy'. For the type of music I listen to (smooth jazz, soundtracks) this is a definite improvement. However, I also noticed that lower quality recordings and highly compressed files sound harsher than they did before the mod. Anyone else notice this?

I wouldnt be able to say until tomorrow when I get mine, but Ill try it out.
 
Guess this means its a good think I use ALAC and FLAC.

 

[wafflezz]

And of course the inevitable 
">k701
>neutral"

followed by graphs of treble spikes and responses of anime girls wearing their favorite headphones...ahh good times.

Wait, what were we talking about again? Oh ya, foam mod. It's actually quite known. A lot of tutorials on youtube and stuff

 

[Aaron94]

Quote:

And of course the inevitable 
">k701
>neutral"

followed by graphs of treble spikes and responses of anime girls wearing their favorite headphones...ahh good times.

Wait, what were we talking about again? Oh ya, foam mod. It's actually quite known. A lot of tutorials on youtube and stuff

 I was actually the one who inspired that K701 graph .gif with the skier.
 
Dunno why I said it, I knew it was incorrect.

 

[Hifi Man]

So the question is is the foam mod fact or fiction? Do they really make these headphones sound as good as the HD 598?

 

[roBernd]

Quote:

So the question is is the foam mod fact or fiction? Do they really make these headphones sound as good as the HD 598?

... same driver, slightly different enclosure. So it IS OBVIOUS... and not a question -> closer to the HD598 but not identical. Which doesn't imply a modded HD558 is worse then a HD598.
There are graphs available over at this one Forum which isn't overly well regarded, because they don't feel like hyping everything released by sponsors...

 

[Errymoose]

Quote:

I just performed the foam mod. Without the foam, the sound seems more transparent and 'airy'. For the type of music I listen to (smooth jazz, soundtracks) this is a definite improvement. However, I also noticed that lower quality recordings and highly compressed files sound harsher than they did before the mod. Anyone else notice this?

Yes,  it's the same principle that people add damping material to headphones like the T1 to reduce harshness.   I don't think you can say 100% that it's superior in every way with the foam mod.  I for one greatly appreciated the additional airiness and less dark sound signature.  I thought the bass was a little less tight without the foam too. 
Quote:

What I don't understand is if that piece of foam makes the headphones sound worse then why is it there in the first place? Is it truly there to make the HD598 a better deal?

I wouldn't call it strictly better/worse. Gives it a different sound is all.  Try it and see if you like it.