[tone-def]

After using the HD 580's for a year, I have just received a pair of Beyer DT831's (Thanks Jan Meier)....and realised what I've been missing!

Compared to the Beyer's, the Senns are very muffled, like listening from the room next door...or the house next door.

I know a lot of people here believe the DT 831's are bright, but after switching between the two on many, many CD's I conclude that it is the Senns that are MISSING treble, rather than the Beyer's ADDING treble.

I know everyone will ask 'what amp are you using?'
It's a top end Yamaha pre-amp from a few years ago.
"Not good enough!" I hear you say?

Well I have heard the Senns through a couple of the most highly regarded headphone amps, and the difference wasn't enough for me to reach for my wallet.

So, there you have it ... the Sennheiser HD580 is crap!

Let the flames begin!!!

 

[Snufkin]

Welcome to team Beyer

 

[HD-5000]

Well, now we see why your name is tone-def.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

I tried to like the Beyer 831's. But I couldn't. I really need my bass! The 831 simply doesn't deliver anywhere near enough bass for my tastes. (And nope, I'm not a bass freak, either - I honestly think the 831 delivers much less bass than even my Etymotic ER-4S's.)

OTOH, some of the 'bassy' headphones deliver way too much mid-bass (which muddies up the sound), and hardly any low bass.

 

[Snufkin]

eagle: that's why I prefer the 770pros or 531s, not quite as cold as the 831, more bass, plenty of detail

 

[blr]

Although I regard DT831 as one of the best closed phones on the market, IMO they don't quite match the sound of my HD600.

muffled-I don't know perhaps your 580s are damaged or your hearing has a roll off at the high end.

 

[acs236]

I too feel that the 580s have a muffled quality to them. The 600s are not much different, based on the ones that I've heard. Whether or not you like this about them is a matter of personal taste to some degree. I

 

[discoman]

I am totally agree with you. DT931 has way more details and much faster sound than the boring HD580. Also, the bass sensation is the best. Very deep bass like V6, yet impactful like Grado. Well, HD580 has just some mega-mid-bass feeling.

However DT931 needs much more attention on system / CD matching, or they will sound bright, sometime very bright. HD580 sounds good on virtually every CD and system that I heard. Maybe that's the reason why HD580/600 is the #1 phones most perfer.





And yes, I like natural and detail more than warm and muddily sound.

 

[andrzejpw]

Quote:

Originally posted by HD-5000 Well, now we see why your name is tone-def.

LOL, I thought the same.

Seriously, I didn't like the beyer 831s. The were just so damn bright! And where's the bass?

 

[MacDEF]

Quote:

Originally posted by andrzejpw Seriously, I didn't like the beyer 831s. The were just so damn bright! And where's the bass?

LOL! I suddenly got the image in my head of that lady from the Wendy's commercials in the 80s: elderly woman puts on a pair of DT831, and all she keeps saying is "Where's the bass?"

tone-def, the "truth" (if you will) is IMO somewhere in between -- the HD 580 definitely have a slight roll-off in the treble, whereas the DT831 have treble that is a bit excessive. If you a) like extra treble; or b) have some amount of high-frequency hearing loss, the DT831 are definitely a better headphone for you -- if you can deal with the fact that they have no bass response.

(I actually like the 831 better than the 931 -- the 931 is even brighter than the 831 IMO and the bass isn't significantly better.)

 

[discoman]

no bass??

I am using DT931 and Corda HA-1 120ohm, there is plenty of bass. Is it just me or Corda is the only matching amp for 831/931?

There is nothing has smaller bass response than AKG 501!

 

[tone]

hey discoman i'll let you know what i think of the rkv - dt831 combo when i get my amp. the bass is there on the the dt831 but it is extremely recessed compared to the other frequencies. i wonder if it is intentional inorder to prevent resonance problems in the ear cups but if it is i don't understand why they recess the bass in the dt931 open version.

i've been on a mission to find headphones that have the quickness+detail+treble extension of the dt831 but with bass. i may have to check out some grados or etys but definetly not the sr225 which i didn't like. hopefully the rkv can handle low impendance phones.

i have a new pair of hd-600 headphones which are excellent at everything but it is not up to par (so far) to the dt831 in the detail+treble department imho.

 

[discoman]

Waiting for RKV... tone, you are a lucky man.

I should take advantage on Jan offer, but I am short on cash and I spent too much on headphones already...Damn you, Head-fi

I still don't understand why most said bass is not enough for 831/931. If I have to complain about 831/931, it is their brightness (agian, it is very depend on whole system/cd) and do not have a sweet mid range (compared to AKG / SR325). I would not complain their bass at all. Actually I love its bass, fast and clean, yet powerful. Listening drum from DT931 like having a thunderstorm.

If you like details, HD600 is not the best headphone even with Red cable.

The reason I hear good bass on DT931 maybe HA-1 with a decent powercord (VD3).

However, even before VD3, DT931 has very good bass just like V6.

Any DT831/931 and Corda owner here?

 

[Ebonyks]

Quote:

LOL! I suddenly got the image in my head of that lady from the Wendy's commercials in the 80s: elderly woman puts on a pair of DT831, and all she keeps saying is "Where's the bass?"

LMAO!!

 

[pp312]

I couldn't agree more. I always found the 580 dull. I've now found my Valhalla with the JVC DX1. Not just brighter but better in every way, particularly soundstaging. Like day after night.