[violeta88]

Quote:

Just trying to help since most folks don't have a DVD-A/SACD/lossless Blu-Ray player plus not having that clipping music on any one of those formats as well as hi-rez files.  I'm sure there are CDs that clip the waveform but what are you going to do?  You get some other really loudly recorded, unclipped music and see if the headphone fails.  I guess.
 
 

Sorry if my post was too cranky or blunt.  I don't even own a high end CD player let alone a good high-resolution disc-based source, as my computer and Apogee Duet 2 are the front end for my stereo, I am finding it is cheaper overall to use an existing computer and use a high quality high-resolution recording interface or usb DAC, to get similar results to higher-end disc-based systems.  I guess the point I was trying to make was that whatever the equipment you are using to test headphones, the material needs to be lossless, whether in CD form or otherwise, and needs to be free of clipping and or other overt forms of audible distortion to properly test out equipment.  If I were testing out headphones I would use my best digital source and amp, then use a quieter recording with wide dynamic shifts throughout to highlight how it handles the transitions from quiet to loud, instead of using very loud music without quiet sections.  Anyway, I didn't mean to offend you or anyone else, I am just unusually cranky today.  Anyway, peace.
 
--Eric
 

 

[bbophead]

It's all good.

 

[caracara08]

i decided to give these headphones a go just for the hell of it.  should be here at the end of the week or beginning of next week!

 

[Koolpep]

I am sure you will enjoy them, please report back!!
 

 

[Porumy]

Mine are stuck in transit because of the postal strike in Canada. So lame >_>.

 

[Koolpep]

That really sucks.
 
I hope you get them fast...

 

[DrHouse]

Quote:

I'm still hearing the rattle in the same spot from various songs I'm pulling from my library. They're different electronic genres, but it still leads me to believe that the headphones are defective rather than bad production quality being the cause. Maybe I'm underestimating how common the problem is, but wouldn't I hear it from both drivers?

Overall, I found that a good amp helps a LOT, and that much of it is clipping. I was having problems with the E7, but now I have E9 and it is less prone at the same volume level. Despite this, I think that the HD598 (I've had two so far) do tend to start distorting on the right ear, never the left, but I reckon this goes with time. Either way if it really bugs you (like it did for me) exchange them.

 

[hans030390]

I got these in over a week ago and burned them in for maybe 125+ hours. They generally sound really good, but there's something about Opeth's "Ghost Reveries" album that just doesn't sound right on these...
 
I'm eventually considering recabling them. I also remember liking the improvements the soundstage mod gave me on my HD555, and I wonder if it would be possible to do something similar with the HD598...hm.

 

[PoliHigh]

 

[swbf2cheater]

Quote:

I got these in over a week ago and burned them in for maybe 125+ hours. They generally sound really good, but there's something about Opeth's "Ghost Reveries" album that just doesn't sound right on these...
 
I'm eventually considering recabling them. I also remember liking the improvements the soundstage mod gave me on my HD555, and I wonder if it would be possible to do something similar with the HD598...hm.

The innards of the HD598 are missing that foam piece as found in the HD555.  I am not really sure what could be done for soundstage improvements.  Recabling this set is not easy, you'd have to take apart the headband and all that as well as replacing the audio jack itself.  Here in lay the problem that I've been pondering for a while.  The sennheiser rep told me any 2.5mm cable will work on it, they were terribly wrong and caused my drivers to get blown out a little.  Using a trrs ( sometimes known as a balanced pin ) on an amp that doesn't support it will cause major problems.  For example, Spider cables new Realvoice iem has this type of adapter head on their iem, it simply doesnt work on a Fiio 9, it sounds warped and makes loud pops.  
 
The opposite of this happened with my HD598, as a normal 2.5mm cable will not work on it, it will cause major popping noises and could easily blow out your driver.  This is what happened to mine apparently just recently.  I was told any 2.5mm cable will fit, after trying many cables and not finding any to fit into the hole to begin with, i had one specially made and it was a normal 2.5mm adapter,...well the stock HD598 2.5mm cable is NOT normal.  There in lay the problem lol
 
The HD598 is proprietary EVERYWHERE.  The 2.5mm end of the cable that connects into the headphone can is special, its a 3 ring trrs plug with an elongated end, just any old 2.5mm cable will not work on it.  I've tried, you need to clip off the end of the stock cable and use that if you do not wish to totally replace the audio jack itself.  That stock jack only works with the stock cable.  
 
Please be very careful if you recable yours, if you are successful snap some pics and let us know how it went.  

 

[redwarrior191]

guys, i've read that an amp could considerably improve these cans.. but will a portable amp like fiio e11 also improve them?? i've been thinking of purchasing one, since my wallet is rather tight and i can also use the fiio on the go with my re0.. the question is, will these give enough juice to also improve the 598??

 

[Koolpep]

Short answer: yes.
 
Long answer: you need to be portable? The E7 is an amp and DAC which you can run via usb from your PC/Mac and it replaces the soundcard output, so it enhances this and amps the signal....
 
both are "affordable amps" and good value for money. If you want something stationary, I recommend the Schiit Asgard. The HD598 LOVE this amp. $249

 

[redwarrior191]

thanks koolpep for the quick answer..
well, i dont really have the money for asgard.. i was gonna get e7 at first, but after trying several sources and DACs, i doubt i will be able to hear the differences between my onboard laptop and e7, so i decided to get the e11, which packs more juice, and i presume my 598 will scale up better with e11.. does my assumption correct?

 

[swbf2cheater]

Depends on your source.  If you are using an mp3 player like a sansa product with the E11, its going to sound very nice, but not as good as if you are using a computer with an E7, or an E9.  
 
HD598+mp3 player like a rockboxed fuze = pretty decent, volume needs to be maxed out to make it sound normal, still pretty lacking but very usable 
 
HD598+mp3 player + E11 =  very nice, noticeably more smooth and textured, soundstage is less forward and more distant, less tall but much wider than just my sansa fuze
 
HD598+mp3 player+E7 = still nicely amped but noticeably less so than with the E11, it can get the job done on just the E7s amp
 
HD598+Computer+e7 = awesomeness
 
HD598+computer+e7+e9 = maxed out potential in my opinion.  The 598 isnt very demanding but this combo should be enough to max everything out to its best sound 
 
HD598+mp3 player + E9 = excellent, I used this setup every day, noticeably less clear and smaller stage than if i were using a computer as my source
 
and just for giggles
 
HD598+mp3 player+E11+e9 = a slightly more smooth bass experience, as the E11s bass 1 ups the stock fuze bass but everything else is the same as just using the e9 lol
 
hope that helps, team fiio ftw
 
 

 

[redwarrior191]

Quote:

Depends on your source.  If you are using an mp3 player like a sansa product with the E11, its going to sound very nice, but not as good as if you are using a computer with an E7, or an E9.  
 
HD598+mp3 player like a rockboxed fuze = pretty decent, volume needs to be maxed out to make it sound normal, still pretty lacking but very usable 
 
HD598+mp3 player + E11 =  very nice, noticeably more smooth and textured, soundstage is less forward and more distant, less tall but much wider than just my sansa fuze
 
HD598+mp3 player+E7 = still nicely amped but noticeably less so than with the E11, it can get the job done on just the E7s amp
 
HD598+Computer+e7 = awesomeness
 
HD598+computer+e7+e9 = maxed out potential in my opinion.  The 598 isnt very demanding but this combo should be enough to max everything out to its best sound 
 
HD598+mp3 player + E9 = excellent, I used this setup every day, noticeably less clear and smaller stage than if i were using a computer as my source
 
and just for giggles
 
HD598+mp3 player+E11+e9 = a slightly more smooth bass experience, as the E11s bass 1 ups the stock fuze bass but everything else is the same as just using the e9 lol
 
hope that helps, team fiio ftw
 
 

whoa..so you have the e11, e7, and the e9?? appreciate the very detailed impressions.. hmm, so you feel that i would be better getting the e7 instead of e11?? i'll consider it further..
btw, is using e7+e9 significantly better than using e7 alone??