[Tuneslover]

[COLOR=1D2129]Hi, Anyone here Know if is there a Diference in Sound Quality between the First production of HD 598 (Made in Ireland) And the Actual Sennheiser that are made in China? It is not Something Like the AKG 701? I Ask this because I Think that there is Something strange with some Reviews I Have read [/COLOR][COLOR=1D2129][/COLOR][COLOR=1D2129].[/COLOR][COLOR=1D2129]
[/COLOR][COLOR=1D2129]Also I Would like to Know if someone here has recieved a Defective Pair of "X" (any) Headphone that did not sound like it should sound.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=1D2129]Also I Tried it with the Microstreamer, because Some people said that it was a Good pair, But I Found an ultra "veiled" sound that sounded like if I would can get that sound from cheap headphones, I have sent my HD 598 for a replacement, Because I Thought that they were damaged or defective, Is very extrange that a lot of people that bought the first production of the HD 598 Said that they are very good, But with the New made in china hd 598 some people said that it is only  average headphones[/COLOR]
[COLOR=1D2129]Would be Awesome if someone with the OLD HD 598 would make a comparasion With the new hd 598, My english is not perfect But I Think that is is Understandable =).[/COLOR]

There has been quite a bit written in this thread about comparative differences between the beige HD598 and the more recent black HD598 SE. I don't own the beige but I received a black pair last Christmas and I don't hear the lack of bass and other negatives that have been tossed at the SE version. My pair has plenty of bass and a nice wide soundstage. I couldn't be happier with my HD598 SE's.

 

[Nuxtux]

Hello everyone. these are my first headphones I bought. I got them on Prime day for $124CAD. From the start they did not shock me in the give me that "oomph oomph oomph" I bought the AGPtEK Roar to see if it was having problems with being under powered. but still no luck. Not sure if its since it was part of the USED section. They said lightly used/little bit of cosmetic damage but the thing looks like it was drop in some sort of aluminium eating acid then dipped in epoxy. 
 
I like and hate the openness. I have to press them into my ears to get the volume I want but even with the amp at full its not loud. They are loud on my computer.... loud to break my eardrums. 
 
I seen alot of people do a mod with them by removing some short of tape in the inside of the grills. is this the case with mine?  What does that do? I have 3 weeks to return them. 
 
Would like to get some info.
Thanks

 

[mikek1357]

Ok, here it is my review of the HD598 after a few weeks of testing. I'm not an audiophile and the only headphones I can compare these to is the Sony MDR-1R
 
Build Quality:
 
The overall build quality is excellent, yes it's mostly plastic, but very sturdy plastic. It doesn't seem to break anytime soon if at all. The padding for the ears has a soft feel and great finish to it. The cable itself is high quality, doesn't tangle that easy and is long enough for most uses. The adapter to make the end go to a mini jack is bulky, but sturdy enough, though I do feel, that if you use it on a mobile device and bump it to it often and/or too hard, it could bend over time. Then again, there's always the option to buy the HD598SE.
 
Comfort:
 
These headphones are very very comfortable to wear. Even when wearing these for more than 4 hours, the velour padding on the earcups and the pleather on the headband feel very comfortable. It's not like I'm forgetting I'm even wearing these, but it doesn't bother me at all.
 
Sound Quality:
 
One word: WOW! These headphones sound amazing, but do give them time to burn in or let your ears get used to the sound. It took me about 40+ hours to hear them open up. The test audio I've used are Movies, to be specific, Avatar, The Hobbit and the Life of Pi and music, just all sorts of genres, EDM, Classical, Rock, Metal and Pop.
 
Lows: The lows are not overly present, nor are the lows anemic as I've read in some reviews. Actually I've found that EDM works pretty well with these headphones. It's definitely a pounding bass in EDM, but without being overly present and distorting. Everything's just so clear. The same goes for movies, explosions are very much present but won't shake your eardrums. Something I personally love.
 
Mids: Speech and other midtones are so clear every single detail is present when you listen to just about anything. Also rock and metal is a joy to listen to with these headphones.
 
Highs: It's the same with the highs as it was with the lows. Definitely there, but not overly so. And again, the detail of sound. Every little thing that has been recorded can be heard.
 
Soundstage: What a great soundstage these headphones have. It took a while to open the soundstage up. You can hear where the sound is coming from, even, with a good recording, how high or low it is. Be aware though when watching scary movies. I watched the Conjuring with these and you might actually think something's there in the room with you. If a door creeks it might be the audio of the movie, but the wind just might have actually moved a door. Nice and immersive.
 
Overall: No frequency area is overly present, it's a very neutral but warm sounding sound. Every detail can be heard, movies and music are a joy to listen to. You will hear details you haven't heard before. As mentioned before, do give these time to open up and you will love these headphones. 
 
Now on to listening some more music

 

[KopaneDePooj]

  Hello everyone. these are my first headphones I bought. I got them on Prime day for $124CAD. From the start they did not shock me in the give me that "oomph oomph oomph" I bought the AGPtEK Roar to see if it was having problems with being under powered. but still no luck. Not sure if its since it was part of the USED section. They said lightly used/little bit of cosmetic damage but the thing looks like it was drop in some sort of aluminium eating acid then dipped in epoxy. 
 
I like and hate the openness. I have to press them into my ears to get the volume I want but even with the amp at full its not loud. They are loud on my computer.... loud to break my eardrums. 
 
I seen alot of people do a mod with them by removing some short of tape in the inside of the grills. is this the case with mine?  What does that do? I have 3 weeks to return them. 
 
Would like to get some info.
Thanks

Return them. If you want "oomph oomph oomph", this is not the product for you.
 
LE: To be clearer, they give me that "oomph oomph oomph" when I want it, but is the "oomph oomph oomph" that I like.
I think you're looking for a different "oomph oomph oomph" .
Enough with the "oomph oomph oomph"s )

 

[Bansaku]

  No frequency area is overly present, it's a very neutral but warm sounding sound. 
 

 
Glad to read that someone else got a pair, seemingly, from the same lot as mine.  

 
Nice quick-review. Pretty much mirrors my thoughts when I first got mine. People have commented in this thread (and reviews) that the HD 598 are "bright" (mostly with the SE), along with "bass-shy/bass-light/anemic". Honestly, What?! Neutral-warm is exactly how I'd describe them. Both the bass and treble take a back seat to the glorious mids, but both are in no way lacking. Recessed, yes, but gently. Rolled-off, no way!
 

 

[SirMarc]

Glad to read that someone else got a pair, seemingly, from the same lot as mine.  

Nice quick-review. Pretty much mirrors my thoughts when I first got mine. People have commented in this thread (and reviews) that the HD 598 are "bright" (mostly with the SE), along with "bass-shy/bass-light/anemic". Honestly, What?! Neutral-warm is exactly how I'd describe them. Both the bass and treble take a back seat to the glorious mids, but both are in no way lacking. Recessed, yes, but gently. Rolled-off, no way!

Count me in too, my black Friday pair are very nice sounding, and this is coming from a guy who's favorite headphone ever is the HD650. I'm thinking most of them are good, its always the very loud few who got bad ones that cloud the waters in these threads...

 

[DatPixel]

They are very neutral. They miss some details compared to faster headphones, and some warmth / oomph, but they are very honest and don't do anything really wrong. It's a good purchase for the price.

 

[gargani]

  Ok, here it is my review of the HD598 after a few weeks of testing. I'm not an audiophile and the only headphones I can compare these to is the Sony MDR-1R
 
Build Quality:
 
The overall build quality is excellent, yes it's mostly plastic, but very sturdy plastic. It doesn't seem to break anytime soon if at all. The padding for the ears has a soft feel and great finish to it. The cable itself is high quality, doesn't tangle that easy and is long enough for most uses. The adapter to make the end go to a mini jack is bulky, but sturdy enough, though I do feel, that if you use it on a mobile device and bump it to it often and/or too hard, it could bend over time. Then again, there's always the option to buy the HD598SE.
 
Comfort:
 
These headphones are very very comfortable to wear. Even when wearing these for more than 4 hours, the velour padding on the earcups and the pleather on the headband feel very comfortable. It's not like I'm forgetting I'm even wearing these, but it doesn't bother me at all.
 
Sound Quality:
 
One word: WOW! These headphones sound amazing, but do give them time to burn in or let your ears get used to the sound. It took me about 40+ hours to hear them open up. The test audio I've used are Movies, to be specific, Avatar, The Hobbit and the Life of Pi and music, just all sorts of genres, EDM, Classical, Rock, Metal and Pop.
 
Lows: The lows are not overly present, nor are the lows anemic as I've read in some reviews. Actually I've found that EDM works pretty well with these headphones. It's definitely a pounding bass in EDM, but without being overly present and distorting. Everything's just so clear. The same goes for movies, explosions are very much present but won't shake your eardrums. Something I personally love.
 
Mids: Speech and other midtones are so clear every single detail is present when you listen to just about anything. Also rock and metal is a joy to listen to with these headphones.
 
Highs: It's the same with the highs as it was with the lows. Definitely there, but not overly so. And again, the detail of sound. Every little thing that has been recorded can be heard.
 
Soundstage: What a great soundstage these headphones have. It took a while to open the soundstage up. You can hear where the sound is coming from, even, with a good recording, how high or low it is. Be aware though when watching scary movies. I watched the Conjuring with these and you might actually think something's there in the room with you. If a door creeks it might be the audio of the movie, but the wind just might have actually moved a door. Nice and immersive.
 
Overall: No frequency area is overly present, it's a very neutral but warm sounding sound. Every detail can be heard, movies and music are a joy to listen to. You will hear details you haven't heard before. As mentioned before, do give these time to open up and you will love these headphones. 
 
Now on to listening some more music

Yes, I agree. Very good description of these headphones.

 

[Koolpep]

Very good description Mike.

I second this. These were my first really good headphones and they won't be sold. I had goosebumps the first few times I listened to them. The bass-light issue is always a matter of comparison, bass light compared to--- what? Ether C - not so much. Denon D7100 - of course. If you want skull rattling, eyeball popping bass (which can be a nice thing) these are not for you. After a few years in the headphone game and with plenty of meets and own experience( see profile) I can say these are still absolutely amazing for the money. They are neutral/warm, musical and rich and, if driven properly, can deliver a very pleasant and satisfying experience.

Cheers.

 

[LazyListener]

Found this "pro" review of the 598s that's only a few months old.  Haven't seen it posted here.  Thought you all might find it interesting.  The frequency response curves clearly show both the warmth and brightness of these cans.  I disagree that listeners may find them slightly sibilant.  Enjoy.
 
http://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/sennheiser/hd-598

 

[Denis Iastrebov]

Thanks for the link, Lazy. It is actually a review on the 598SE version of HD 598 cans, but really a good one with the charts in it.
 
I am awaiting the SE version to arrive on 15-AUG, actually, to be paired up with Fiio X1 as a house-only pair of cans, in addition to my DUNU2kj, which I will use for outside walks and flights.
What do you, guys, think, whether I fall in love with them the same way I am in love with the DUNUs?

 

[VeggiePopper]

Found this "pro" review of the 598s that's only a few months old.  Haven't seen it posted here.  Thought you all might find it interesting.  The frequency response curves clearly show both the warmth and brightness of these cans.  I disagree that listeners may find them slightly sibilant.  Enjoy.

http://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/sennheiser/hd-598

Are You sure that's a "pro" review? The way they repeteadly complain about how "poor" the HD598 performs on the go because of its unforgivable mistake of being open-backed, non-foldable and with no in-line controls, makes it look like they intended to review a pair of fashion headphones and expected a Beats knock-off. That's a mistake no one claiming to be a profesional could afford.

They even went to analyze the frequency charts and praise how even and balanced it is! But no, they do poorly on the go, so they're not really good and don't deserve a good score. It's like reviewing a Formula 1 car, then deducting several points off the score because You can't take it to the streets. That's no profesional review, pal.

Anyways, at least this review proves the HD598 SE are as good as they regular edition.

 

[MisterMudd]

Are You sure that's a "pro" review? The way they repeteadly complain about how "poor" the HD598 performs on the go because of its unforgivable mistake of being open-backed, non-foldable and with no in-line controls, makes it look like they intended to review a pair of fashion headphones and expected a Beats knock-off. That's a mistake no one claiming to be a profesional could afford.

They even went to analyze the frequency charts and praise how even and balanced it is! But no, they do poorly on the go, so they're not really good and don't deserve a good score. It's like reviewing a Formula 1 car, then deducting several points off the score because You can't take it to the streets. That's no profesional review, pal.

Anyways, at least this review proves the HD598 SE are as good as they regular edition.

I agree with all of the positive reviews in this thread. Barring the fact that I got mine for $28.27 on an Amazon pricing mistake, this is the second best pair of cans I own, second only to my Philips Fidelio X2.

 

[LazyListener]

Are You sure that's a "pro" review? The way they repeteadly complain about how "poor" the HD598 performs on the go because of its unforgivable mistake of being open-backed, non-foldable and with no in-line controls, makes it look like they intended to review a pair of fashion headphones and expected a Beats knock-off. That's a mistake no one claiming to be a profesional could afford.

They even went to analyze the frequency charts and praise how even and balanced it is! But no, they do poorly on the go, so they're not really good and don't deserve a good score. It's like reviewing a Formula 1 car, then deducting several points off the score because You can't take it to the streets. That's no profesional review, pal.

Anyways, at least this review proves the HD598 SE are as good as they regular edition.

Pal?!  LOL  First of all, I'm not your pal last time I checked.  Secondly, there's a reason I put the word pro in quotes.  There is no standard definition of what a pro headphone review must entail, so it's up to each reader to decide for him/herself if it's a pro review, based on what he/she personally thinks constitutes a pro review.
 
Finally, and most importantly, unlike you, I don't see any complaints in that review.  Not one.  I do, however, see many objective and factual statements.  They rate each headphone they review (not just the 598) for usability for a specified purpose/usage.  Usage categories consist of critical listening, mixed usage, commute/travel, sports/fitness, office, and studio recording.  Very useful for prospective buyers, I think.  So they're saying the 598s make a very good pair for critical listening at home, but not a great pair for commuting, physical activity, or office use.  That's a fair assessment.
 
I, for one, think it's a pretty good review.  Standardized, concise, and tells a prospective buyer most everything he/she needs to know before purchasing (without going into direct comparatives with other cans).
 
Oh, and how exactly does this one review prove that the 598 SE are as good as the non-SE 598??  If they somehow compared the 2, I must've missed it.

 

[Sajakhaki]

Sorry, not trying to disrupt the thread, but isn't the 598 the same as the 598 SE, other than the color?