[dorino]

That's changing. I'm sending my Mad Dogs in tomorrow for the long overdue upgrade to the Alpha Dogs. I love Dan's headphones. I'll never get rid of the HD598, though.

 

[uli87]

  Agreed - I prefer these cans to most others I've heard, including HD 600 (not enough bass) and HD 800 (too bright, soundstage is too far away).  Also, I just noticed in your signature that you have the HD598s and the Mr. Speakers Mad Dogs, which are exactly the two pairs I use most often.  I think they share a 'warm-ish' and very clear tonality and the soundstage is the right combination of in-your-face and depth.  Plus they're definitely two of the most comfortable cans I've ever worn.

 
I have always been curious about the HD600 and HD800. 
 
HD800 for the fact that they are still claimed by many to be the ultimate headphone hands down, regardless of technology or price (Electrostatic/Planar). To me the bigger the sound stage, the more enjoyable. Perhaps I will reach a point where I will also claim that too much sound stage isn't a good thing.
 
From what I've read, HD600 seem to be the 2nd favorite, trumping the "unnatural" and hot sounding HD700 or the bass heavy HD650. People say that the jump in resolution between the HD598 and HD600 is quite substantial and that it sounds very natural and organic. Most claim the stage is much larger on the HD598.

 

[Gammon2004]

HD800 have more details than any other headphone I've heard, but the presentation is too far away or disconnected or something...I think what I like about the HD598 (and Mad Dogs) is that the range from 100hz up to maybe 500hz or so is a bit more present - this is where the fundamentals of most instruments and lower singing voices reside, so it feels like I'm getting the 'meat' of the sound and I find it more emotionally engaging when those parts are right up in my face with smaller/less important details in the background.  Whereas with the more clinical 800s I get the impression that I can hear everything really well but that the sound isn't 'prioritized' in a particularly musical/engaging way for my specific tastes.  The HD600s are a pretty good middle ground between the two, actually, I just wanted more bass.  Also, I listen to the 598s with the Sonarworks headphone correction software, which makes them sound basically as detailed as the 600s but with better bass and soundstaging.

 

[ngs428]

Hi,
Can anyone compare the hd 598 vs audio technica ath-a900x? Obviously they are open vs closed.. Any other impressions would be great!

Thanks!

 

[Dobrescu George]

Hi,
Can anyone compare the hd 598 vs audio technica ath-a900x? Obviously they are open vs closed.. Any other impressions would be great!

Thanks!

i tested the hd598, and the store also had a900x. they sound different, consider that 598 sounds extremely close to reality, and is open, where ath is closed, and sounds,... different.. what departaments are you interested in exactly?

 

[ngs428]

i tested the hd598, and the store also had a900x. they sound different, consider that 598 sounds extremely close to reality, and is open, where ath is closed, and sounds,... different.. what departaments are you interested in exactly?

I mainly listen to rock. I have my grado 325e for that. I have had the a900x for a few years and don't use them much since I got the 325e. I heard a lot about the HD 598, that basically they are the opposite of the 598. I am interested in giving them a try, just wanted to make sure they were not similar to the a900x. I assumed they were not, just wanted to make sure.

 

[Dobrescu George]

I mainly listen to rock. I have my grado 325e for that. I have had the a900x for a few years and don't use them much since I got the 325e. I heard a lot about the HD 598, that basically they are the opposite of the 598. I am interested in giving them a try, just wanted to make sure they were not similar to the a900x. I assumed they were not, just wanted to make sure.

not similar, at least not to me..
 
hd598 is one of the closest sounds you are going to get to speakers at their price point. they do not sound as clear or as detailed as hd650, but they clearly sound natural, in many ways.
 
they sound far from a real concert, where cymbals sound abbrasive, and ear piercing, like infant annihilator cymbals...
 
but, if i were to chose one open back and i would not have enough money for a hd650, i would probably chose 598, depending on what i wanted to hear. also soundstage is less than you would expect, but i do not remember a900x having lots of it either. both have other many strong points.
 
On the other hand, i want to second the fact that i usually use closed back, and i am much more interested in closed back.

 

[amigomatt]

 

I mainly listen to rock. I have my grado 325e for that. I have had the a900x for a few years and don't use them much since I got the 325e. I heard a lot about the HD 598, that basically they are the opposite of the 598. I am interested in giving them a try, just wanted to make sure they were not similar to the a900x. I assumed they were not, just wanted to make sure.

not similar, at least not to me..
 
hd598 is one of the closest sounds you are going to get to speakers at their price point. they do not sound as clear or as detailed as hd650, but they clearly sound natural, in many ways.
 
they sound far from a real concert, where cymbals sound abbrasive, and ear piercing, like infant annihilator cymbals...
 
but, if i were to chose one open back and i would not have enough money for a hd650, i would probably chose 598, depending on what i wanted to hear. also soundstage is less than you would expect, but i do not remember a900x having lots of it either. both have other many strong points.
 
On the other hand, i want to second the fact that i usually use closed back, and i am much more interested in closed back.

I disagree about the soundstage.  I feel the soundstage is extremely open and wide.  It's possibly the biggest soundstage out of all of my headphones and to me the greatest strength of this headphone.
 
EDIT.  Actually, my MA900 have a more open soundstage, but they are quite a ridiculously open air design!

 

[Dobrescu George]

  I disagree about the soundstage.  I feel the soundstage is extremely open and wide.  It's possibly the biggest soundstage out of all of my headphones and to me the greatest strength of this headphone.
 
EDIT.  Actually, my MA900 have a more open soundstage, but they are quite a ridiculously open air design!

Sorry!
 
In was spoiled by hd800, and i am hard to satisfy when it comes to soundstage now..
 
Now, that i think about it, hd598 has a good soundstage, most of sennheiser headphones do.

 

[amigomatt]

 

  I disagree about the soundstage.  I feel the soundstage is extremely open and wide.  It's possibly the biggest soundstage out of all of my headphones and to me the greatest strength of this headphone.
 
EDIT.  Actually, my MA900 have a more open soundstage, but they are quite a ridiculously open air design!

Sorry!
 
In was spoiled by hd800, and i am hard to satisfy when it comes to soundstage now..
 
Now, that i think about it, hd598 has a good soundstage, most of sennheiser headphones do.

I'm yet to hear the HD800 but must do one day, given my love for large scale orchestral works.  I'm very happy with my HE560 presently but still feel that the 598s compete with the hifiman's in terms of soundstage.  It's not as pinpoint accurate, but it portrays the sense of scale and space as well.

 

[Dobrescu George]

  I'm yet to hear the HD800 but must do one day, given my love for large scale orchestral works.  I'm very happy with my HE560 presently but still feel that the 598s compete with the hifiman's in terms of soundstage.  It's not as pinpoint accurate, but it portrays the sense of scale and space as well.

You are right, he560 and hd598 have the same soundstage.
 
Hd800 is world away on this. 
 
hd650 is in between.
 
I would say that for the price i like hd598 a lot, i never was that amazed by he560, considering it's price. The sound was very good, but at that price point...
 
I costs as much as lcd2, and about as much as ultrasone signature dj and hd800. he560 has a very good SQ, but it would have been better priced a little lower. IT is not that it does things wrong, it just does not wow me at all for the price. 
 
Maybe i was not into linear presentation?
 
How do you like the SQ of he-560 and hd598, do you not consider them to have a similar presentation? [similar, not the same, but similar of sorts]

 

[Gammon2004]

I really quite like the 598s soundstage - they're possibly the only pair of headphones I've used for mixing where I occasionally forget I have them on and think I'm listening to my speakers while I'm tweaking a reverb.  I think that also speaks to their comfort level, btw.

 

[dorino]

You forget they're on because they're basically weightless.

 

[Davidtech]

Hello everyone,
 
I just got the Sennheiser three days ago and goodness are they wonderful in so many ways for sound. For those who have it or a teir up Sennheiser I think
these tracks are fantastic.
 
 

Elfen Lied - Lilium vocalist and trio piano violin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvCpCg0sGkg
 
To show its gorgeous mids
 

Hear New York City in 3D audio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd5i7TlpzCk
 
And this one for its amazing ability to portray soundstage and binaural audio
 
Enjoy 

 

[Frosty3258]

Hello everyone,

I just got the Sennheiser three days ago and goodness are they wonderful in so many ways for sound. For those who have it or a teir up Sennheiser I think
these tracks are fantastic.

Elfen Lied - Lilium vocalist and trio piano violin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvCpCg0sGkg

To show its gorgeous mids

Hear New York City in 3D audio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd5i7TlpzCk

And this one for its amazing ability to portray soundstage and [COLOR=333333]binaural[/COLOR] audio

Enjoy 

Great choices