[GloriousLettuce]

Huh. For me, the only reason I ever bust these out at home is precisely because of their soundstage. It's a cool effect. But that's also their downside. It sounds like an "effect" and not at all natural to the recording. At home, I only ever use them for movie watching.

But most often, I just use these for travel. They're crazy light, insanely rugged, and can run off of anything. I've abused the crap out of them over the years, and they still look, fit, and sound as good as they ever did. With a smidge of EQ, you can clear up the muddy bass a bit and sharpen the overly warm profile. Not a great headphone, but fine for travel.

Fast forward today, we have these new models, but they don't sound right to me. Trying to sound modern and more "tough".
The old 500 series were so airy and natural sounding.

They were incorrect in many ways fundamentally. They all sound weak, strange, hollow, and woody. Far from an ideal headphone and any sort of "accurate" or "reference" sound.

But it's this special relaxing signature that is just timeless. So strange. I feel as if I have to buy a few more HD595/598 for future-proofing, lol.

Movies and gaming are amazing on the HD595/HD598, I just watched Harry Potter. Such an effortless sound.

And as for the music, they suck for a lot of genres, but they sound perfect for jazz and classical music or soft rock genres - hi-fi style, of course, not referencey.

 

[Hypops]

Fast forward today, we have these new models, but they don't sound right to me. Trying to sound modern and more "tough".
The old 500 series were so airy and natural sounding.

They were incorrect in many ways fundamentally. They all sound weak, strange, hollow, and woody. Far from an ideal headphone and any sort of "accurate" or "reference" sound.

But it's this special relaxing signature that is just timeless. So strange. I feel as if I have to buy a few more HD595/598 for future-proofing, lol.

Movies and gaming are amazing on the HD595/HD598, I just watched Harry Potter. Such an effortless sound.

And as for the music, they suck for a lot of genres, but they sound perfect for jazz and classical music or soft rock genres - hi-fi style, of course, not referencey.

You're very right. I mean, don't get me wrong; I love new headphones. But all the fixation on measurements and so-called "accuracy" means fewer and fewer unusual tunings like these. They are one of the few headphones that sound the way they look: like something straight out of the "polyester earth tone" 1970s.

 

[eq1849]

I've owned some HD598s for 7 or 8 years now and I just last week I bought the HD650.

The HD650, in my view, has deeper soundstage (front to back), a narrower more focused soundstage, more "hifi" sound with more resolved detail, smoother in the treble, a heftier, fuller, but balanced bass.

 

[Hypops]

I've owned some HD598s for 7 or 8 years now and I just last week I bought the HD650.

The HD650, in my view, has deeper soundstage (front to back), a narrower more focused soundstage, more "hifi" sound with more resolved detail, smoother in the treble, a heftier, fuller, but balanced bass.

Two very different headphones for two very different sounds IMO.

 

[KopaneDePooj]

Yeah, same here, I first had the HD 598SE, and some years later I bought the HD 6XX.

The 6XX has become my main home headphone, paired with the iFi micro iDSD Black Label - this dac-amp does wonders for the 6XX, especially engaging the bass switch when the recording is lacking in bass.

The 6XX is a much more technically capable headphone, cleaner sounding (no grain), tighter.

The 598 is "retired" to gaming role, and it is an outstanding gaming headphone. Can't beat the comfort and the atmospherics in games.