[Krutsch]

Quote:

I thought this was hilarious and relevant to the HD598 thread.. probably the best description for HD598's sex appeal:

kwadguy L9: Master   Member sinceJun 2006 Posts4,257 Reputation 1,267 Followers 0 + Give Rep + Follow

Quote from scroller52 : is this a slickdeal...?? 170 for headphones is still quite a bit of money ahha kwadgauy: Don't comment if you don't understand. These have burl wood accents. Burl wood is the closest material in nature to the composition of cochlea of the inner ear. This produces resonances that standard headphones cannot possibly replicate. If you combine those with green marker on the rims of your CDs and oxygen free cables, you will hear music that is, quite literally, more lifelike than the original recording. Or if you prefer mp3s, 128kbps will sound like 320kbps with these headphones. The resonances produced by the burl wood literally increase the effective bit rate. There is a warning on the headphone package that the super-lifelike reproduction of these headphones can cause epileptic seizures in some people. Pollution has killed off all but a small number of the burl trees from which burl wood is obtained. As a result, it is extremely rare and expensive, and that is why you almost never see it used for headphones.

 
Someone at work saw me wearing my HD598s and asked me if they were an old pair of my Dad's headphones from the '70s.  He wasn't kidding...

 

[MegaMushroom]

That review/response is excellent.  Actually I doubted the man until my headphone quite literally came to life and tried to strangle me.  I have since removed the wood trim because it made my music too lifelike for my taste.  But he has a great point.  The great Burl trees of Svalbard are indeed pretty much extinct today.  Sennhesier lab grows their trees. 
 
On a more serious and honest note.  I've seen someone wearing these things on campus, and it made it kinda glad I didn't.  While it isn't an ugly headphone it looked very much out of its element out in the wild.  Also I still think the full price of 240 is totally worth it. 

 

[streetdragon]

Quote:

That review/response is excellent.  Actually I doubted the man until my headphone quite literally came to life and tried to strangle me.  I have since removed the wood trim because it made my music too lifelike for my taste.  But he has a great point.  The great Burl trees of Svalbard are indeed pretty much extinct today.  Sennhesier lab grows their trees. 
 
On a more serious and honest note.  I've seen someone wearing these things on campus, and it made it kinda glad I didn't.  While it isn't an ugly headphone it looked very much out of its element out in the wild.  Also I still think the full price of 240 is totally worth it. 

To be honest the black with silver HD558 and the silver with grey HD518 looks better out in public, it blends in better but still retains its special appearance.

 

[RochRx7]

Quote:

To be honest the black with silver HD558 and the silver with grey HD518 looks better out in public, it blends in better but still retains its special appearance.

 
That's why I prefer/love the HD598.. it doesn't blend in, out in public. It sticks out from the herd of Boze and Beets phones.

 

[BigCabDaddy]

Any agreed upon burn in for these guys? Just realized I didn't bother with burn in at all. I'm liking what I hear so far, but wondering if there's more at the end of the tunnel.

 

[streetdragon]

Quote:

Any agreed upon burn in for these guys? Just realized I didn't bother with burn in at all. I'm liking what I hear so far, but wondering if there's more at the end of the tunnel.

Nothing that i notice, and no one i heard stating a difference so far.

 

[Krutsch]

Quote:

Any agreed upon burn in for these guys? Just realized I didn't bother with burn in at all. I'm liking what I hear so far, but wondering if there's more at the end of the tunnel.

 
I don't know if I believe in burn-in for phones; but, I upgraded from HD-558 to HD-598 and my initial reaction was not good.  I decided to let it ride since I gave my 558s to a friend
 
After about a week of using these at work, I suddenly fell in love with the sound - especially noticing how lush vocals sounded.  I don't know if that was just a case of listening to something new, getting used to the new sound signature or 'burn-in'.  But I definitely noticed a different sound, later on. 

 

[Deltaechoe]

So my 595s are quite "beat-up" at this point and the cups are starting to fall off the actual set (severe cracking, there is a lot of duct tape on them), but they are also quite old.  Anyway, I just went out and purchased this set so I wouldn't have to keep screwing around with repairs all the time and even without a burn in period, these actually sound pretty nice.  They definitely have a difference sound ...temperature... than the 595s and a much larger soundstage.  I actually feel the bass is considerably punchier and somewhat tighter, the highends are little more mellow, but still very crisp (how I like it).  I may have spent the last of my money on them, but I feel good about this purchase so far.

 

[daleb]

Hello! I'm (halfway) done with trying to figure out how my ears work. It turns out I don't exactly like my headphones dark. To get the best sound out of headphones, I have to boost the upper-mids and lower-treble.  I also have to turn down the midbass and low mids, but that has more to do with those frequencies being muddy on my 280. So, considering that, would the 598s have to weak of treble for my ears? I'm still having people suggesting the Q701s, but I don't know how they would compare...
 

 

[Stalker81598]

Quote:

Hello! I'm (halfway) done with trying to figure out how my ears work. It turns out I don't exactly like my headphones dark. To get the best sound out of headphones, I have to boost the upper-mids and lower-treble.  I also have to turn down the midbass and low mids, but that has more to do with those frequencies being muddy on my 280. So, considering that, would the 598s have to weak of treble for my ears? I'm still having people suggesting the Q701s, but I don't know how they would compare...
 

 
The HD598 stands out more for its lower mids. The treble is slightly rolled off. The description you gave of the sound you want describes the Q701 to a T. Anywhere you can go to audition either one?

 

[daleb]

I have the ability to audition the 598s, but not the Q701s. Ugh. I really like what I hear about the Q701s now, but I don't want to leave Sennheiser though, they were my first headphone company and I love them!
 

 

[Stalker81598]

The HD598 was my first venture into audiophile headphones. Soon after that, I got the Q701. They are different and compliment each other nicely if you play to their strengths. Sennheiser is great but try not to confine yourself to a single brand name or you are really limiting your choices. From what you've said, I think the Q701 may be more what you are looking for. There's a whole world of headphones out there, why not try them all?

 

[RochRx7]

Quote:

There's a whole world of headphones out there, why not try them all?

This sums it up. If the company you're purchasing from is pretty flexible with returns.. why not buy them both and return the one you don't like? That way, instead of asking several times about 598 vs 701s.. you can just see for yourself?

Although I see that you've been recommended the 701's a ton... lol. I love the 598's but I'm a Senn fanboy. So.. my vote is to get them

 

[daleb]

Quote:

If the company you're purchasing from is pretty flexible with returns.. why not buy them both and return the one you don't like? That way, instead of asking several times about 598 vs 701s.. you can just see for yourself?

Oh, man, that would be absolutely awesome if I could do that, but sadly I don't have the kind of money to buy both and then return one. I can only have one at a time if I did it that way. Plus, you have to pay for the shipping back (and sometimes from!) to do that, too, and that's extra money. I ask about headphones to understand more about them, and, sadly, it is very hard to understand how a pair of headphones sound without hearing them, so you end up posting an absolute ton asking questions. It will get very annoying to both the one asking the questions and the one being asked, but its what people who can't audition have to do. I'm sorry that its upset you.
 
Also, it turns out I can't even audition the 598s, the store that allows auditions only has the 600s, 650s, and 700s for auditioning purposes. There goes any sort of auditioning.

 

[bavman]

What options exist if I want to make a customer cable for these? I still want it to be removable, but I can't find a plug like the special one used in the stock cable with the locking part. Is my only option to cut the original cable and put something like a female 3.5/minixlr?