[Mad Max]

My friend with an HD598 gets quite a different impression from the midrange.  I cannot find anything wrong or modified with my headphone to account for the difference.  We both have heard and own some of the same headphones, so we should get similar impressions from HD598.  I shouldn't be getting so much lower mids, it seems.  Crud.

 

[wangwang]

Recently got a pair of 558's, at the beginning I was a little off put by the long as stock cable. BUUUT I have come to realize how useful it is to have such a long cable in my dorm room, I can literally move around the whole room with out uplugging XD although that monstrous jack I just can not ha....ha... >.> still ordered a replacement cable anyway

 

[StanD]

Well, I've only had my 518s for about 4 months. Even without a dedicated amp, played straight through my iPhone 4S, I absolutely love them.

So much, in fact, that I ordered the 598s yesterday to have alongside. The bug has bitten me. This the 3rd set of cans I've purchased within the last ~7 months. Maybe, being a car nut at heart, I was probably seduced by the 'European sports sedan' inspired colour theme. However, it was that smooth, engaging, open sound of my 518s that gave me my hunger for even more. Hopefully I can stay content with what I have now for a little while -- the M50s for sub-bass and SPL, the 518s for 'heavier' genres, and the 598s for 'lighter' music.

They should arrive sometime next week. I'll be sure to post a review / comparison of the 518s and 598s once I receive the latter and burn them in; maybe I'll include the M50s too, since they're so popular. Should provide a little more help to anyone set on getting a 5x8 line headphone, but is not sure which one to go for.

Now I'm just looking for a portable amp to use with my iPhone and (sometimes) my laptop. I know some might mention the 5x8s relatively low 50Ω impedance, but at 100Hz that number spikes to about 220Ω and 300Ω for the 518 and 598, respectively.

This rings true when I plug my 518s into my Pioneer 1019 receiver; bass becomes deeper, fuller, clearer, with a lot more impact. I do notice a change in the soundstage and imaging as well though, and I *think* I prefer that aspect when they are plugged into my iPhone; just seems more airy and distant, but I'll have to revisit that.

Anyway, back to my question: For my 518s and 598s, what portable amp should I look into for use with (primarily) my iPhone? Fiio E11? Or is getting a DAC like the E17 going to make a big difference versus just an iPhone/amp setup?

I would pass on the E11. The E12 is a far better amp, if you really want to get a portable. The sound coming out of the 4S is pretty good and the imedance is low enough that the HD5x8's impedance spike will not make a noticeable difference. If you want to use an external DAC you will need the CCK (Camera Connection Kit) and a more recent version of iOS that supports USB Audio. The E18 does not drain power from the USB source so that should work out. If you use an external DAC that consumes power you will have to put a powered USB hub inbetween. Unless you connect to a more premium DAC, you may not notice much of a difference. I don't think the E17's DAC is any better than what's in your 4S.
I've used an E18 with an iPod iTouch 5G and unless I need a bit more power than the iTouch can deliver, the iTouch sounds just as good if not better. I've also used the iTouch with a Schiit Bifrost Uber USB DAC and that required a powered hub. In this case there was some improvement. IMO the iTouch 5G is an under-appreciated DAP. It'ss DAC and Amp are rather good.
If you're looking for a good player app on iOS, take a look at Neutron MP, it has recently made its way to iOS from Android. It has a parmetric EQ and the SQ is out of this world.

 

[palmfish]

Stan, I recently installed some music on my iPad 3 and it sounds noticeably better than any of my iPods/iPhones. I was quite surprised.
 
Gonna check out Neutron MP too, thanks!

 

[StanD]

  Stan, I recently installed some music on my iPad 3 and it sounds noticeably better than any of my iPods/iPhones. I was quite surprised.
 
Gonna check out Neutron MP too, thanks!

I have a Google All Access streaming account and Google put their app on iOS recently. I also found an app, gMusic2 that has a 10 hand EQ and taps into the All Access account. It's much better than the Google Music Player, costs a mere $2. The same developer has an app called SmartEQ that is a player + 10 band EQ that stands in for the native player and just kills it. It has an EQ that can automagically switch presets based upon artists, generes, etc. if you like.
I never cared much for the sound of iPods until I listened to the Touch 5G. Its USB audio capability is first rate. You will probably have the same USB Audio compatability with your iPad using a CCK to an external DAC. Something to research if that tickles yout fancy.

 

[palmfish]

I just took a snapshot of your above post so I could explore this stuff over the next few days. I didnt know all these apps were out there!

Ive been very happy plugging my Grado's into my iPad and listening to Spotify lately. No EQ, no 3rd party apps, etc. But I am intrigued.

 

[StanD]

I just took a snapshot of your above post so I could explore this stuff over the next few days. I didnt know all these apps were out there!

Ive been very happy plugging my Grado's into my iPad and listening to Spotify lately. No EQ, no 3rd party apps, etc. But I am intrigued.

As I type this post I am listening to the Dave Weckl Band on my Touch 4G using SmartEQ, plugged (bad boy double amping) into a Schitt Magni driving my HD600's. Sounds awfully good, the iTouch is so quiet and low in distortion that there is no tangible penalty for double amping. I have different setups around the house. Later it'll be a touchscreen laptop running Foobar2000 or Google Play Music (All Access) into a Bifrost Uber USB into an Asgard 2 into my HE-500's. So much software, and many gadgets.
I've even hooked up my Galaxy S3 phone to the BIfrost, without a powered USB Hub you will fry the phone.
 
I take a black foam modd'd HD558 to work and hang that off either the iTouch or a FiiO E18 USB OTG connected to my Galaxy S3 phone. In that case I use either Neutron MP, PowerAmp or Google Play Music as the app on Android. The HD558 doesn't leak that bad for an open back so it's usable at work. Once you listen to an open back, there's no goi'in back.

 

 

[palmfish]

Im gonna fill my iPad memory taking snapshots of your posts...lol. Holy crap Ive got some tinkering to do!

Yup, I dont own any closed back headphones. I do miss my old D7000's sometimes though.

 

[StanD]

Im gonna fill my iPad memory taking snapshots of your posts...lol. Holy crap Ive got some tinkering to do!

Yup, I dont own any closed back headphones. I do miss my old D7000's sometimes though.

SQ wise, I'd take my HD558's over almost any closed back cans. I prefer them to my Over/Around Ear Momentums or the Sony MDRV-900's that I picked up back in 1998. Did you ever get a chance to listen to Ortho's (Planar Magnetics)? I have a pair of HE-500's and they're even more delightful than the HD558's, although they weigh a ton.

 

[palmfish]

Yes, I have auditioned the LCD-2, 2.2, and 3, MadDogs, HE-5, 500, and 400 and after an initially positive first impression with some of them my opinion shifted over time. For me, they all sound a bit syrupy/slow/thick in the mids in varying degrees) and smoothed over for my tastes.

I owned all three HiFiMan's and returned them all. I really wanted to like the 500 but they lacked the treble sparkle that I like. Too polite. I just prefer open dynamic headphones I guess.

I will admit that I do need to listen to them again as my most recent audition of the LCD-3 left me surprised that they sounded better (brighter) than I remembered. My hearing has changed over the past few months and I am now aware that I have a more significant high freq hearing loss than I originally believed, which no doubt influenced my opinion of them.

OTOH, through it all, my HD 800's have always sounded amazing to me. No other headphone I have auditioned sounds better - and only two I have heard compare IMO (T1 and Stax 009).

 

[StanD]

Yes, I have auditioned the LCD-2, 2.2, and 3, MadDogs, HE-5, 500, and 400 and after an initially positive first impression my opinion shifted over time. For me, they all sound a bit syrupy/slow/thick in the mids in varying degrees) and smoothed over for my tastes.

I owned all three HiFiMan's and returned them all. I really wanted to like the 500 but they lacked the treble sparkle that I like. Too polite. I just prefer open dynamic headphones I guess.

I will admit that I do need to listen to them again as my most recent audition of the LCD-3 left me surprised that they sounded better (brighter) than I remembered. My hearing has changed over the past few months and I am now aware that I have a more significant high freq hearing loss than I originally believed, which no doubt influenced my opinion of them.

I wouldn't think that the HE-500's lack treble, they even have a small to too narrow (not resonant) peak at around 9 kHz for some extra sparkle. I'll have to A/B them with the HD558's, I don't think that I would find them lacking in treble by comparison.

 

[palmfish]

Not lacking in treble. Lacking sparkle.

 

[StanD]

Not lacking in treble. Lacking sparkle.

What frequencies do you consider to be in the realm of sparkle? How do you feel that the HD5x8's fit into that picture?

 

[palmfish]

Most "audible" treble is in the 2-6 kHz range but sparkle I think comes from a combination of treble, reflections, delay, psychoacoustics, etc. Its a complex dance that frequency response alone does not convey. That doesnt exactly translate to how I want to articulate my perception of sparkle, but it'll have to do.

I am currently doing 500 kts at 37,000' and dont have access to my headphones or quiet to listen and ponder and articulate it better

 

[Mad Max]

Treble sparkle is in the 6kHz to 16kHz range.  Even very small peaks are enough for creating sparkle to our ears.