[vaibzzz123]

Hey guys. im new to this forum and this is my first post. Im planning on getting the Sennheisers mentioned here,  which one would be the  best for music and gaming. iv heard the HD 558s are slightly better then the pc 360 for gaming. also, how do the HD 598s compare to the558? iv heard they have better sound quality (obviously being the flagship model), but not as good for gaming. dont get me wrong here though, I listen to more music then playgames, so thats as important. im new to the audiophile world, so basically any will sound amazing, though obviously id take the best. please reply asap.thanks

 

[eifersucht]

I have the exact same question and intended usage..  I just ordered a pair of the 598's, hopefully they'll also be good for gaming not just music.

 

[Zulkr9]

558 with the foam behind the driver removed sounds like a 598 albeit less bright probably due to the different grill materials. I have no idea about the PC360

 

[PurpleAngel]

I do like the sound of my HD558s and they are cheaper then the PC360 or HD598.

 

[MattTCG]

The hd598's are good for gaming but did not have the kind of bass that I like.

 

[vaibzzz123]

i saw that the 558s have this "internal sound reflector" which makes soundstage a bit better, and natural sounding i guess? I thought the 558 would have the best gaming performance

 

[MattTCG]

The hd598's have an awesome sound stage which lends itself toward gaming. Add dolby headphone and you've got yourself a very nice combo. Because there is no "extra" bass, this makes a remarkable competitive gaming hp.

 

[RayleighSilvers]

I had the 558's and they werent anything special for gaming. Soundstage didnt feel particularly big and it didnt feel like I was picking up any extra detail.They didnt help at all in mw3. Bass was lackluster and unexciting. 

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

I saw that the 558s have this "internal sound reflector" which makes sound stage a bit better, and natural sounding I guess? I thought the 558 would have the best gaming performance.

I removed the black rubber tape (internal sound reflector) from my HD558s about a week after buying them.
The HD558 and HD598 use the same driver (diaphragm), so removing the black rubber tape just makes the HD558 more open like the HD598.
 
 
 

 

[GigaFi]

I've owned both the 558 and 598 and they are extremely similar. The 598 has a bit less bass, is a bit darker, and overall better built/more comfortable but the differences are minor.

 

[RayleighSilvers]

Quote:

I've owned both the 558 and 598 and they are extremely similar. The 598 has a bit less bass, is a bit darker, and overall better built/more comfortable but the differences are minor.

That's a bit weird. Headfonia seems to suggest the 598 is the brightest sennheiser they have heard. And it's pretty hard to get lass bass than the 558's, lol

 

[vaibzzz123]

Quote:

I had the 558's and they werent anything special for gaming. Soundstage didnt feel particularly big and it didnt feel like I was picking up any extra detail.They didnt help at all in mw3. Bass was lackluster and unexciting. 

really?

 

[GigaFi]

Yeah, I actually asked about that on his site. Apparently one has more lower treble while another has more higher treble.
 
The 598s are a LITTLE bit less bassy, not that noticeable unless you listen for it though.
 
Quote:

That's a bit weird. Headfonia seems to suggest the 598 is the brightest sennheiser they have heard. And it's pretty hard to get lass bass than the 558's, lol

 

 

[RayleighSilvers]

Quote:

really?

Honestly I wouldn't get them. Especially if your used to the consumer oriented bass as I was, then they will be very disappointing. I had them for over a month so it was more than enough time to get used to it. Really wanted to like them because they were my first serious headphone and I had spent so much money but they were agonisingly boring for every application. I didn't try the mod mind you. I doubt they would've made much difference. I was swapping them on and off with my turtlebeach X41's which are closed back, and I didn't feel like the soundstage got any bigger or I picked up extra details more easily like footsteps. If it was a huge difference then I would have noticed it. Mind you this was with dolby headphone. I didn't have anything to compare the soundstage to for stereo music.
 
If you are new to this hobby then my best advice would be to try out as many headphones as you can to get an idea of what you like before you commit to one. Use companies like Amazon and their returns policy (obviously don't go overboard with it) and try and get an idea of what you are looking for. No matter how much reading you do, it will never replace first hand experience. Even after reading for a couple of hours a day since I joined, and trying out various recommended headphones I'm still not sure exactly what I want, or whether I will even benefit from spending so much money. But this hobby is what it is. 

 

[Maxis]

Sorry i cannot agree with what the guy above wrote. But then again. Its clear he did not perform the Mod. The 558 is pretty darned close to the 598 and  there is more bass in the 558. The headphone needs adequate burn in and the mod performed on it to really shine.
 
Unless you were looking for insane amounts of bass i think the 558 is a very suitable headphone for someone who is looking to get their first decent set of cans.  I also use mine for gaming all the time and they work great. If you go for the 598 you may run the risk of not appreciating the sound signature due to its slightly brighter presentation.