[streetdragon]

Quote:

 
More leakage than the 598 or the same? And by leakage it means that others can hear the sound as well? I don't really mind that as they are going to be for home use in my room anyway

same or less, the HD558 has a big piece of black foam inside the earcup (which can be removed if wished to do so) , i would rate them as about the same isolation

 

[Cardiel]

How does this headphone compare to the Fiio E17/E10?What kind of sound signature do they have, bright? I wouldnt want they would add treble to the HD 598. thanks

 

[Lord Voldemort]

Quote:

How does this headphone compare to the Fiio E17/E10?What kind of sound signature do they have, bright? I wouldnt want they would add treble to the HD 598. thanks

HD558 is darker. The HD598's treble is well reputed for being energetic but not overly bright like most other competitors in its price range (Ultrasones, Beyer, Denon, AKG, Grado, etc.). Actually all the Sennheisers have tamed treble, but the HD598 has the strongest treble out of any of them except the HD800. But for the most part, both the HD558 and HD598 are neutral, rather than leaning towards dark or bright. 

 

[moos]

Quote:

same or less, the HD558 has a big piece of black foam inside the earcup (which can be removed if wished to do so) , i would rate them as about the same isolation

 
Yeah but removing the black foam will increase the mids right? But will it also lower the bass then?
 
 
I'm a little more aligned for 558 since their bass is a little stronger. Still don't know if the difference is that big, or should I just go for 598.

 

[streetdragon]

Quote:

 
Yeah but removing the black foam will increase the mids right? But will it also lower the bass then?
 
 
I'm a little more aligned for 558 since their bass is a little stronger. Still don't know if the difference is that big, or should I just go for 598.

personally for me i wished i waited a little longer, then i would have been able to buy the HD598. since i can eq the subbass up this isn't really an issue for me. difference isnt huge, but its noticable. overall more refined and clearer. my say is go as high as the budget allows. (or save up as much as your patience allows lol) bass is a little punchier on the HD558 and soundstage is a little smaller than its bigger brother when in stock configuration

 

[Cardiel]

more money doesnt equal better equipment

 

[Headstar]

When it's from the same brand, it usually does. Otherwise why would you have flagship models, if the entry levels are just as good? 

 
That doesn't mean the price/performance ratio is better. That's a different story. 

 

[Lord Voldemort]

Quote:

When it's from the same brand, it usually does. Otherwise why would you have flagship models, if the entry levels are just as good? 

 
That doesn't mean the price/performance ratio is better. That's a different story. 

You have flagship models for marketing purposes. Simple as that. Of course, sometimes a company will try to create the best headphone possible. The HD800 was obviously created for that kind of purpose since it sounds so completely different from the other Senns, rather than sounding like a slight improvement with similar sound signature. 
 
I greatly prefer the HD598 over the HD6xx counterparts. Sure the HD6xx have better impulse response and lower distortion, but those differences are hardly audible. What is audible is the HD598's superior soundstage to both, more upfront vocals, imaging, etc. One could argue that Sennheiser develops better headphones over time... the 558/598 are one of their newest headphones and they have gained some obvious advantages over the 6xx. 
 
One could make the same kind of arguments about the DT880 vs T1... I've seen some people prefer the DT880 over the T1, with purely sound as the deciding factor. 

 

[NewSound86]

Was going to make a new thread but spotted this so thought i'd post my question(s) here;
 
So I currently have a pair of 558's and before that I had some 518's and my primary usage for both sets was to watch movies (have a fiio e11 amp inbetween) and to be honest the the 518's were a very nice pair of headphones and they were awesome with movies delivering everything i'd hoped for after a very long search but then about a year later I got some spair cash and upgraded to the 558's that somehow managed to be even better the 518's (had a bit more of a premium feel also) and they upped the performance in most ways and now 6 months later i'm tempted by the 598's but I just wanted to know about the issue of the bass? now while not being some basshead I do want sensible level of bass to be there while i'm watching movies and both the 518's and 558's had a good bass output but were not overly bassy or anything that's why the comments about the 598's having weak bass are off putting....so just wanted to know if the bass is really that much weaker or is it something i'd hardly notice?
 
And secondly I was curious as to how comfortable the 598's are? and do they match up the supremely comfortable 558's?

 

[Headstar]

When i watch movies on my tiny HD player, i just plug the HD 598's straight into the LED TV jack. No amps, no anything in between, and it sounds fantastic, with excellent bass.
 
A while ago i watched movies like Hangover II or Crazy, Stupid, Love. What these two movies have in common is that the main characters are going to bars or clubs. The atmosphere, the bass, that is strong and heavy on the background, and even the room size are well reproduced on the HD 598's. Very realistic, feels like you're there in a large room filled with sound from everywhere.
 
If you liked watching movies on the HD 518 and HD 558 models i don't see any reason you won't on HD 598.  

 

[NewSound86]

Quote:

When i watch movies on my tiny HD player, i just plug the HD 598's straight into the LED TV jack. No amps, no anything in between, and it sounds fantastic, with excellent bass.
 
A while ago i watched movies like Hangover II or Crazy, Stupid, Love. What these two movies have in common is that the main characters are going to bars or clubs. The atmosphere, the bass, that is strong and heavy on the background, and even the room size are well reproduced on the HD 598's. Very realistic, feels like you're there in a large room filled with sound from everywhere.
 
If you liked watching movies on the HD 518 and HD 558 models i don't see any reason you won't on HD 598.  

 
Thanks for that, yeah I guess they'd work fine without an amp but with the e11 it really just gives it that extra kick and to be honest I prefer my current setup to my friends expensive DTS surround system in terms of getting a great audio experience during a movie.

 

[Lord Voldemort]

Quote:

Was going to make a new thread but spotted this so thought i'd post my question(s) here;
 
So I currently have a pair of 558's and before that I had some 518's and my primary usage for both sets was to watch movies (have a fiio e11 amp inbetween) and to be honest the the 518's were a very nice pair of headphones and they were awesome with movies delivering everything i'd hoped for after a very long search but then about a year later I got some spair cash and upgraded to the 558's that somehow managed to be even better the 518's (had a bit more of a premium feel also) and they upped the performance in most ways and now 6 months later i'm tempted by the 598's but I just wanted to know about the issue of the bass? now while not being some basshead I do want sensible level of bass to be there while i'm watching movies and both the 518's and 558's had a good bass output but were not overly bassy or anything that's why the comments about the 598's having weak bass are off putting....so just wanted to know if the bass is really that much weaker or is it something i'd hardly notice?
 
And secondly I was curious as to how comfortable the 598's are? and do they match up the supremely comfortable 558's?

I'm not sure if you want to make the jump from the HD558 to the HD598. The clearest difference lies in the midrange... the HD598 clearly has a more refined and upfront vocals. If money is no issue, then go for it. Bass is plenty and in quantity, only slightly less than the 558 while being more textured. It seems that for the most part, the HD598 has almost as much mid-upper bass as my Mad Dogs although the more prominent treble makes it seem as though it's not a big part of the overall presentation. But don't get the wrong idea though... the HD598 does not have a weak bass. In fact, I've seen some people complain that the HD598 has too much bass (not true but goes to show you how everything is relative). 

 

[moos]

So kind of a same question NewSound86 asked. 
 
Would you guys recommend 598 for mainly video games and movies usage? Or should I pick 558?
 
Thanks

 

[Lord Voldemort]

Quote:

So kind of a same question NewSound86 asked. 
 
Would you guys recommend 598 for mainly video games and movies usage? Or should I pick 558?
 
Thanks

For purely video game and movie usage, go for the cheaper HD558. 

 

[streetdragon]

Quote:

more money doesnt equal better equipment

i heard both of them at the shop, but bought the HD558 since it could just afford it. and looks sleek too being black/w silver

the HD598 is basically a slight improvement over the HD558 in every way