[V-bro]

Yikes! Some people are stupid! C'mon Recorder, you should know better!!
 
(I guess you've never heard of marketing tricks...)

 

[recorder]

 
Quote:

recorder, you call this thread sarcastically informative. Yet, all you do is say "no, no, no" without providing any kind of information... and now calling me ignorant.
 
This is what I call ignorance, irony and making a fool of oneself. Sorry, but if all what you want to say it is "it's not the same" then I have to disappoint you, because we already know that.
You don't own a 595 by any chance, do you?
Crawl back! 

 
@Trysaeder: guess so, heh

xnor, of course I own the 595s. Crawl back? I don't think so. I'm actually enjoying this, you see
Trouble is, you are so self involved in your apparent sense of arrogance, you can't see the joke, because it's on you!!
 
Quote:

I'm confused, Mr. Recorder. If the drivers are the same, and we know the part numbers are the same; and the housing is the same, and we can clearly see it is, then in what way are they different once that piece of blocking foam is removed? The only thing left that I can see is the cable, and while that looks and feels the same, there is a slight chance the 595 uses a better cable. However, I've owned both headphones several times over the years and I'm unable to pick a difference between a modified 555 and a 595. Hell, I'm flat out picking a difference between a non-modified 555 and a 595, which isn't that surprising given that the foam piece is too small to make a significant difference. It could even be argued that the un-modified 555 has a slightly flatter FR if we can believed the graphs. As for the 515, that's a completely different model and uses a different driver with different part number--end of story.
 
What are you getting so steamed up about anyway?     

pp312, I'm not steamed up at all.
I just like to emphasize my point.
The 595 is an upgrade from the 555, more in terms of aesthetics, and a slightly smoother low end. Probably not worth the $$ to some,but for those who value comfort and style, I've got to give the nod to my 595's.
 
And guys, don't for a moment forget the 595 Desk Clamp!!!
 

 

 

[Trysaeder]

Oh. So I was correct.

 

[xnor]

Yup. 

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

 
The 595 is NOT the 555 is NOT the 515.
 

You're right. There is the amount of 40 difference between the model numbers, respectively.

 

[k2snowboards88]

So, Recorder, you are arguing with a point that no one made. No one said the headphones were aesthetically the same. They said they were acoustically the same aside from the easily removable foam tape, which is true.

 

[MCC]

The part numbers for the drivers for both the 555 and 595 are 512806 (right) and 512807 (left). I had to buy a new driver for my 595 and it arrived in a package stating that is was for both models. I've compared the 555 and 595 and the foam rectangle was the only difference I could see.

 

[Beagle]

Anyway, this thread got me so excited I went ahead and ordered.

 

[k2snowboards88]

You'll be happy with them. I have etymotic er-4p's as my other set of headphones which are increadibly accurate and well balanced. The 555's without the foam are close to being as clear. They are also a lot of fun being a little warmer.

 

[V-bro]

Quote:

They are also a lot of fun being a little warmer.

In the winter? On the bicycle? LOL (joke...)
 
Interesting thread, yet always annoying when there's this one guy making gigantic write ups that are based on nothing.... And as expected a 595 owner...

 

[k2snowboards88]

The op's original write up was based entirely on fact with very little speculation.

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

You'll be happy with them. I have etymotic er-4p's as my other set of headphones which are increadibly accurate and well balanced. The 555's without the foam are close to being as clear. They are also a lot of fun being a little warmer.

Do you mean the foam in the pads covering the driver or the foam strip inside the rear grill?
 

 

[k2snowboards88]

The strip inside the rear grill.

 

[Mescalamba]

Its not same. Theres something tiny bit different in HD 595, which makes it sound clearer in highs. It has some sort of "sparkle" in highs, that HD 555 doesnt have. Though, its hard to recognize for most ppl. Price difference is bit wierd, considering they basicly sound same. Well, if you remove that foam tape, which really helps in long term.
 
Yea and they "age" well. Quite a looong time to burn-in. But then, its good.

 

[recorder]

Ok, Guess I have to point it out this way:
Quote:

Very nice pics and comparison. Thank you. I have owned the HD555 and HD595 (120 Ohm, not the 50 Ohm) at different times. I ran the HD555 from a SB Live Value sound card with a $100 portable amp and the HD595 from a Harmon Kardon receiver, and they sounded quite different with the HD595 a noticeable step up. I'm a little surprised to see the internals appear to be identical except for the foam.

The "special internal surround reflector" is the triangular piece of plastic protruding into the diaphragms of the HD555 and HD595, not the foam in the HD555.

From this thread and my experience with these two headphones, I now attribute the factors responsible for the HD595's superior sound to be its ear cups, possibly different cables (?), what I plugged them into, and their Ohm ratings. Between the two, the HD595 seemed much more capable of scaling well with better associated equipment. I would be surprised to find them sounding similar if I compared the two 50 Ohm models side by side with the same equipment, especially with a better source and amp than I used. Hopefully those who have compared both in this way will post.
 

Looks like someone agrees w/me, huh?
 
Hey V-bro, remember this?
Quote:
 

Hi,
 
It seems to me the magnet system is quite different. The back of the 555 looks like a cover made of pressed steel while the 595 seems like one solid block of neodymium...
 
I can tell from experience that a frequency response curve doesn't say anything about decay and impulse behaviour of the driver, the 595 might still have the edge in the driver quality there...
 
Usually poorer impulse behaviour shows in a deeper looking bass response in the frequency curve, this is mainly due to the higher Q of the driver, making it swing further because the driver 'motor' has less grip on the mass of the moving system. The 595 would then be more precise and possibly more dynamic.

I didn't put those words in your mouth, did I?
 
In essence, what I'm saying:
Quote:

x2 The sound reflector is the triangle piece of plastic, not the foam. Foam is for damping not reflecting sound.
 
Manufacturers don't publicize every single feature in thier descriptions, and they also like to infer differences in products so that this very thing doesn't happen; People believing them to be trying to pull a fast one on them by offering two seemingly identical products at wildly differing prices. Did you think every model headphone actually has a different driver in it?
 
The construction of the frame on the 595's with its leather headband and chrome trim is enough to differentiate it. Put a piece of foam in the back of the less expensive model and it sounds different too, and there you have it. Buy which ever one speaks to you.

He gets IT! That was my point. Many products share the same components, but perform differently!!

Well, V-Bro, just look at your above quote, b4 you call me stupid. Seem you've changed directions, here.Btw, just read the above quote by AudioGlow.Nothing to do w/ marketing "tricks" at all.

Yikes! Some people are stupid! C'mon Recorder, you should know better!!
 
(I guess you've never heard of marketing tricks...)

Nuff said, eh, bro?
 
So,k2snowboards88 , I'm not arguing. The point was made. Just read the thread.
Quote:

So, Recorder, you are arguing with a point that no one made. No one said the headphones were aesthetically the same. They said they were acoustically the same aside from the easily removable foam tape, which is true.