evokateur
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2008
- Posts
- 1
- Likes
- 0
Hi everyone, this is my first post. I must admit, with sadness, that I was motivated to join this forum by the recent theft of my Sennheiser HD420's. I had them, and used them regularly, for 24 years!
To me, they were the most natural sounding headphones I've ever heard, but I'd never really felt the need to explore. I'd listened to an expensive pair of new Sennheisers at an audio store, but found the high-end a bit to crisp for my tastes.
So I have some questions... perhaps a bit too many for one post, but here goes:
1. The *only* issue I had with my 420's was that when driven too hard with a heavy bass input they would make a "crackling" noise. Is this common for these headphones? I began noticing this about 18 years ago (around the time I started using CDs!). I could get this effect with my 3rd generation iPod with certain bass-heavy sources (like, um, Jay-z), and with the high impedence, the iPod didn't play that loud.
2. About the highs: is it possible that frequency response had deteriorated over the years and my hearing compensated for it? I found it puzzling that a very expensive pair of new Sennheisers would sound overly bright to me.
3. What set of headphones would be a good replacement? I'm looking for a natural sound. So far (based on online literature), I'm considering Grado SR60's and SR80's, and Sennheiser HD555's. Although I'll use them for a portable, I'm less interested in suppressing background noise then I am an open soundstage. Does anyone know how the impedence of the 420's compares to that of the SR80? Reading online reviews, some people swear that a headphone amp is necessary for the SR80's, and some people swear that it isn't.
4. Does anyone have an old pair of 420's lying around they'd be willing to part with? If so, message me privately!
Thanks and apologies in advance for your advice and the length of this post
Wes
To me, they were the most natural sounding headphones I've ever heard, but I'd never really felt the need to explore. I'd listened to an expensive pair of new Sennheisers at an audio store, but found the high-end a bit to crisp for my tastes.
So I have some questions... perhaps a bit too many for one post, but here goes:
1. The *only* issue I had with my 420's was that when driven too hard with a heavy bass input they would make a "crackling" noise. Is this common for these headphones? I began noticing this about 18 years ago (around the time I started using CDs!). I could get this effect with my 3rd generation iPod with certain bass-heavy sources (like, um, Jay-z), and with the high impedence, the iPod didn't play that loud.
2. About the highs: is it possible that frequency response had deteriorated over the years and my hearing compensated for it? I found it puzzling that a very expensive pair of new Sennheisers would sound overly bright to me.
3. What set of headphones would be a good replacement? I'm looking for a natural sound. So far (based on online literature), I'm considering Grado SR60's and SR80's, and Sennheiser HD555's. Although I'll use them for a portable, I'm less interested in suppressing background noise then I am an open soundstage. Does anyone know how the impedence of the 420's compares to that of the SR80? Reading online reviews, some people swear that a headphone amp is necessary for the SR80's, and some people swear that it isn't.
4. Does anyone have an old pair of 420's lying around they'd be willing to part with? If so, message me privately!
Thanks and apologies in advance for your advice and the length of this post
Wes
