[G_T_J]

i am sure that my HE 500 will destroy them, but there was something about them in the mids that i miss, forward and smooth like butter

They are certainly forward sounding and with lots of energy but wouldn't describe their mids as smooth - not to any extent, at least to my ears.

I tend to use them for movies and games - not for music. Generally a very good headphone regardless.

 

[FastAndClean]

they are here, very good mids and treble, my HifiMan HE 500 sound like a bass monster in comparison thought

 

[LazyListener]

they are here, very good mids and treble, my HifiMan HE 500 sound like a bass monster in comparison thought

Fair enough, but 598 are almost a "bass monster" compared with other open back cans like Q701, DT 880, and HE400S. Plus, something like Fiio E10K with bass boost switched on helps a lot.

 

[stellarelephant]

something like Fiio E10K with bass boost switched on helps a lot.

+1
These drivers handle a modest bass boost pretty admirably.

 

[FastAndClean]

i use apo, 5 db under 50hz and they are very neutral now

 

[LazyListener]

i use apo, 5 db under 50hz and they are very neutral now

Software EQ works, too. If you or anyone would like to simulate the bass boost of the E10K, check out the FR graph here: http://www.fiio.net/en/products/27/parameters

 

[Tuneslover]

Software EQ works, too. If you or anyone would like to simulate the bass boost of the E10K, check out the FR graph here: http://www.fiio.net/en/products/27/parameters

Schiit Loki works quite well too.

 

[FastAndClean]

Software EQ works, too. If you or anyone would like to simulate the bass boost of the E10K, check out the FR graph here: http://www.fiio.net/en/products/27/parameters

i dont have fiio and when i had e11 i didn't like the bass boost function, it boost not only the low bass but the mid bass as well, hd 598 has enough mid bass, only the lower bass is lacking which is normal for open back dynamic headphone, with software eq i can choose the precise frequencies that i want to boost and achieve the results that i want.
the other thing is that before when i had the hd598 i was driving them with dragonfly 1.2 and the sound was grainy and they had a little bit of a mid and upper bass bloom with faster tracks, now i use them with sabaj da3 and the sound is a lot more precise and clean without grain and problems with speed, clearly the dragonfly 1.2 is not a good dac

 

[LazyListener]

i dont have fiio and when i had e11 i didn't like the bass boost function, it boost not only the low bass but the mid bass as well, hd 598 has enough mid bass, only the lower bass is lacking which is normal for open back dynamic headphone, with software eq i can choose the precise frequencies that i want to boost and achieve the results that i want.
the other thing is that before when i had the hd598 i was driving them with dragonfly 1.2 and the sound was grainy and they had a little bit of a mid and upper bass bloom with faster tracks, now i use them with sabaj da3 and the sound is a lot more precise and clean without grain and problems with speed, clearly the dragonfly 1.2 is not a good dac

I agree the bass boost of the E10K raises the high bass and low mids a bit much, but it's really not that bad. I like the sound. I only provided that link for anyone who may want to use the FR graph to simulate a similar effect using EQ software.

I disagree that the Dragonfly 1.2 sounds grainy or is not a good dac. I also don't hear the bass bloom you speak of with this DAC. I think it's a very good DAC and sounds very smooth with 598. It's very detailed, but still smooth. If I want detail and a decent soundstage, that's what I reach for. Its only real drawback IMO is that it leans a little to the bright side, but given that it never sounds harsh, the enhanced detail retrieval is worth it IMO for the slight tonal balance shift to the bright side. I also love the sense of space it conveys with the 598s. By contrast, the E10K is a more flat neutral DAC/amp, especially with bass boost turned off. However, the E10K can sound a bit grainy at times and also a bit sharp in higher frequencies at times (not as smooth as the Dragonfly). When I say grainy and sharp, it's very slight and only noticeable at times and if you're listening very critically.

 

[LazyListener]

Damn, Bob Marley Legend (remastered) sounds amazing with 598s and e10K with bass boost on! I never listened to this album with these cans. 598s shine with this music. Great sense of space and ambiance, and the e10K bass boost really drives those bass lines nicely.

 

[KopaneDePooj]

I bought the HD 518 used for 45 bucks, 8 months warranty left, took off and washed the earpads, soft-brushed the interior of the cups, made them like new.
Compared to HD 598 SE they have more bass (mainly mid-bass but some sub-bass too), the mids are a bit more recessed and even-sounding, no spike at 9K, but maybe more highs extension up-top. Basically a more V-shape well made.
I like the sound sometimes more than 598. I wish the closed-back 598 Cs would have sounded like these... Will use them @work.

I remember when I first tried the HD 518, I also briefly tried the HD 558 and it sounded off to me (thin). Can't remember exactly what it was. I was in the showroom mainly for the Momentum and FiiO X5, there was a wall of headphones, and I briefly tried The old and the current HD 5xx line.
I just remeber I didn't like the HD 558, HD 559, HD 569.
I liked the HD 579, and HD 599.
I was surprised, and liked the HD 518 that sounded similar to HD 579 (but that was in a hurry, probably the HD 579 is better).

Last night I compared my 518 and 598 SE side by side.
The bass in 518 is much more elevated, but too bad this is mainly in the mid-high-bass zone, and with some songs can produce a less correct tonality of the snare drum and toms (a bit boomy). Maybe at very loud volumes with bass heavy music (hip-hop) it can distort, but I didn't hear any distortion at medium-high volume with pop and rock. Also the bass is more enveloping, maybe it bleeds some into mids, but to me it makes for a more natural transition from bass-to-mids, it doesn't feel disjointed but better integrated. It's a more speaker-like sound where the sounds combine more before arriving at your ear-drum.
The mids are a bit more recessed and more even. with no spikes and perfect tonality (to my ear and preference).
The highs are more extended and zingy, but above that 9K elevated zone in 598. Can't figure out exactly where. A bit more grainy in the highs, yes but not much.
Overall a warmer and even less fatiguing sound than 598, mainly because of the toned down high-mids and added bass. More fun, but also probably less accuracy.

This are early impressions, I'll have to spend more time with them, for now I like both headphones for various occasions, moods. The 598 is clearly better for games, the 518 at a lower volume is more fun, thumpy, and less fatiguing for long-time at work use.

Two months later, and a lot of hours with both headphones, now my impressions about the HD 518 vs 598 SE are clearer.
The 598 is the better headphone... 518 sounds boxy and the highs are grainy.
("Boxy - Having resonances as if the music were enclosed in a box. Sometimes an emphasis around 250 to 500 Hz.")

 

[LazyListener]

Two months later, and a lot of hours with both headphones, now my impressions about the HD 518 vs 598 SE are clearer.
The 598 is the better headphone... 518 sounds boxy and the highs are grainy.
(Boxy - Having resonances as if the music were enclosed in a box. Sometimes an emphasis around 250 to 500 Hz.)

Less grain/coarseness (added smoothness) in the highs is very typical as you move from cheaper headphones to more expensive headphones. It's almost universal, pretty easy to notice, and one of the things I look for when upgrading. The 598 does very well in terms of smooth highs for its price.

 

[stellarelephant]

Damn, Bob Marley Legend (remastered) sounds amazing with 598s and e10K with bass boost on! I never listened to this album with these cans. 598s shine with this music. Great sense of space and ambiance, and the e10K bass boost really drives those bass lines nicely.

One of my favorite albums of all time. I bought it on CD in the 90s and now I listen to it as a FLAC rip. I agree that it sounded really good on 598. It sounds good on everything, for that matter.

I have the version that ends with "Jamming," not the 2002 remaster with the bonus track. Does the remaster sound better? I have found that more often than not, I prefer the original CD transfers from the early days of Compact Disc to the remasters released in this millenium, when the loudness wars really began squashing dynamic range with reckless abandon.

Of course, there are always exceptions. If you like the Beatles one iota, check out the new Sgt. Peppers released last year. The engineers went above and beyond the call of duty, not just re-digitizing the old tape master, but actually re-mixing from scratch using the individual original tracking tapes for each instrument, and then mastering tastefully. It sounds sublime.

 

[KopaneDePooj]

One of my favorite albums of all time. I bought it on CD in the 90s and now I listen to it as a FLAC rip. I agree that it sounded really good on 598. It sounds good on everything, for that matter.

I have the version that ends with "Jamming," not the 2002 remaster with the bonus track. Does the remaster sound better? I have found that more often than not, I prefer the original CD transfers from the early days of Compact Disc to the remasters released in this millenium, when the loudness wars really began squashing dynamic range with reckless abandon.

Of course, there are always exceptions. If you like the Beatles one iota, check out the new Sgt. Peppers released last year. The engineers went above and beyond the call of duty, not just re-digitizing the old tape master, but actually re-mixing from scratch using the individual original tracking tapes for each instrument, and then mastering tastefully. It sounds sublime.

+1 on Sgt. Pepper remaster, really "a work of art" in remastering.
+ all Steven Wilson's remixes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Wilson_discography#Album_remixes

 

[Tuneslover]

+1 on Sgt. Pepper remaster, really "a work of art" in remastering.
+ all Steven Wilson's remixes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Wilson_discography#Album_remixes

Agreed on Sgt Pepper remaster, especially the Blu Ray version (only available in the pricey box set). My buddy brought his set over and the blu ray edition absolutely blew my mind.