[painted klown]

Thanks for your replies and help guys.
 
 
Playing now at a low volume for a bit to burn them in a bit.
 
About 20 mins into listening and my initial impression is that they seem weak in the bass. I am assuming this is due to them being new, and guess that it will improve after a few days of listening.
 
Aside from lack of bass, everything else sounds pretty good (ultra low volume right now). Nothing is sticking out as being glaringly bad, or anything like that. I will admit that the sound is more spacious (if that's the right word, maybe "airier"?) than what I expected. Sorry, I am not a headphone aficionado at all so I do not know what words to use to describe what I am hearing. 

 
 
I have read stories of channel imbalances with headphones, so I was a bit worried, but the worry was all for naught.  The left and right seem evenly balanced, and there appears to be no cosmetic/manufacturing defects of any sort. QC must be pretty tight at Sennheiser. a BIG thumbs up for that!
 
For initial non-sound related notes: I think these headphones are gorgeous looking. Pictures do them NO justice at all. You have to hold them in your hands to appreciate the real beauty of these IMO. I know looks are subjective, but the brown really looks nice to me. Really fitting look for an audiophile set of 'phones IMO.
 
I will continue to listen throughout the night, and will continue to post my impressions if anyone cares to read them. 
 
Thanks again for your assistance guys. It really is appreciated.

 

 

[palmfish]

Their lack of bass is more likely a result of your being accustomed to listening to music with exaggerated bass. Give yourself time to get used to their balance and I think you will come to really appreciate them.

 

[joshwalnut]

The bass does pick up a little bit, but not a whole lot. Only thing you can really do to increase the low frequency without mods is using an equalizer and/or getting an amp with a bass boost feature. Cmoy and FiiO are good cheap options. But give it time first and see what happens.

 

[donunus]

I think the bass may be fine if only the high upper mids to lower treble weren't so forward making the bass seem less than it actually is.

 

[JBal4]

i was wondering if anyone has used the 598 with any of the Audio-Gd amp/dacs?  most of the setups I am looking into have a 2ohm headphone output, would that be alright with the 598?

 

[donunus]

2 ohms should be fine. I just don't like the sound of the audio GD amps I have heard though.

 

[JBal4]

the main reason I am looking to audiogd is for my he400, but it would be nice if worked with the hd598 as well. just curious what was it that you did not like about the audiogd? and what model? I have never actually heard any

 

[RochRx7]

Same here... heard the 598's through two Audio GD setups.. one was the Compass II the other, i forget... (just goes to show that it wasn't worth remembering)
 
I personally think amps with a warm tilt mesh the best (because of the lack of..) They seemed to suck the life out of the low end if anything.

 

[painted klown]

Well gang, I stayed up late last night and listened to a lot of various stuff. After the first hour of listening, I caved in and played them loud.

I was too tired to chime in again last night, but I do think the bass improved just a little as I continued to listen. Perhaps not the deepest in extension, but it did seem to sound a bit fuller. However, all of this could very well have been placebo effect, or the fact that I was playing at a higher volume. Not 100% TBH.

I will continue my listening tonight and report back, if I hear any chnages to the sound.

My thoughts thus far. I like them even more than I expected to when I ordered. I had heard these VERY briefy before, and found them to be a bit bright. However, my time with them (during the audition) was about 5 mins +/-, so it really wasn't a "fair audition" in my mind.

With the sale going on, I thought I didn't have much to lose and would give them a shot. I am glad that I did. They sound pretty "even keeled" to me, save the bass starting to roll off fairly high. Maybe it was just me, but in playing test tones, the bass seemed to start rolling off at about 50 hz, even more so at 40hz, and by the time it reached 30hz, I was sorely dissapointed in the output. 20 hz isn't even in the 598's vocabulary IMO.

I am hoping it will imporove some during burn in, as it makes rap/electronic/dubstep kind of boring to listen to. However, when playing mellow/acoustic stuff (Jack Johnson, Beck "Sea Change", Norah Jones, etc) it seeemes to fare much better, and has a nice intimacy that I am really enjoying.


Listening will continue after work. The day can't end fast enough!

 

[palmfish]

Dont get all worked up over test tones. Very little musical information is below 40 Hz and even if there are instruments that go lower (pipe organ), those freqs are more felt than heard.

If you analyze and overthink them, you wont enjoy them.

 

[painted klown]

If you analyze and overthink them, you wont enjoy them.

 


LOL! Yes, sadly, I already know this but I can't help myself.

When listening to new gear, my analytical side shines right through. No worries, though, as after a little while, that will wear off and I will simply go into "listen and enjoy" mode. It just takes me time to really get a feel for how a particular piece of gear performs. Once I do, I can then "know what to expect" when I fire them up, and the constant analyzing takes a back seat.

 

[RochRx7]

I am hoping it will imporove some during burn in, as it makes rap/electronic/dubstep kind of boring to listen to. However, when playing mellow/acoustic stuff (Jack Johnson, Beck "Sea Change", Norah Jones, etc) it seeemes to fare much better, and has a nice intimacy that I am really enjoying.


Listening will continue after work. The day can't end fast enough!

 
Playing music to the strength of the headphones is what you should do to place accurate judgment on it.

Playing music to its greatest weakness just makes the lack of low end flare out like a bad decision in Thailand.
 
enjoy them!

 

[wxh930223]

I bought it at 230+ but now it is only 199. I think it is the best headphone without amp. I will buy it again,

 

[MaTachi]

Ordered a HD 598 yesterday along with a FiiO E10 DAC. It will be my first "real" pair of headphones, I have only had ones for ~30 bucks up until now, so it will be really fun. Can't wait.

 

[Headzone]

You may not appreciate them at first though  
 
At least DT770's sounded bad to me, they were my first hifi pair. But I grew on them.