[Deep Funk]

To my ears the HD600 had a more present bass response compared to the HD598. The HD600 is a very nice headphone but I prefer the clarity of my DF and 10R. Amplification is an important factor with the higher HD-series.

 

[Rudolfs]

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[..] If you found the HD598 bland (which I find is somewhat close to neutral), then you may find the HD6XXs boring. I don't know for sure though.
 
Your preferences seem to lean on the bright side. Not exactly a region related difference. Depending on your sensitivity to treble, you may like brighter headphones.

Yes, you may be just right.
With DT 990 Pro it was mostly the booming bass which was my problem, - not so much the high frequencies. And I do like Sony V6 - but I do not like them with 2g shuffle or an amp, only straight from Sansa Clip+. And Lowthers are bright, and I actually gave up on a subwoofer, - but I amp Lowthers with SE DHT (300B), and I like that much better than previous solid state solution.
That being so, I really do like DT 770 Pro.
 
Speaking of regional preferences, in Europe there used to be more 2-way stand-mount/bookshelf speakers, while in the USA there was a tendency to have 3-way floorstanding speakers, and I believe that the power of an average quality amp differs several times, too. Some of it has to do with the size of livings, as well as detached houses versus terraced and condos, but that is not the whole story.
 
Now came to think of it, I probably made a mistake, as I did not properly listen to classical on HD598.
Alas, that's too late now.
But they did not impress with the few instrumental bits I came across, going through tracks at random, nor with J.Joplin's Mercedes Benz, or some songs from Peter, Paul and Mary (well, fine, bit nothing to write home about), and they did not impress with the Smiths or Аквариум, not to speak of Ramones or Meat Loaf.
So while there is a chance that I have overlooked a great pair of headphones for classical, I do not think it happened.
 
Another big problem for me remains that I really could not live with their build quality. It was like "born again" HD515, just a few years forward and for ~240% of the price.
I can live with plether/ leatherette, but I do not think much of it, and I could not see any substantial improvement apart from the grilles. HD515 were value headphones, but at the price point of HD598 I expect more. After all they were more expensive than 770 Pro, and more than twice the price of V6.
 
Back to the point, the sound improvement over HD515 was clearly there, but HD598 were still surpassed by others - for me the sound of HD598 seemed closer to HD515 than to K 701 or DT 880/ 600.
 
Which brings us back to the fact that the phones I prefer are lean sounding, - so it is personal preference.
That is why I ordered HD600, not HD650, as reviews point at HD600 as the leanest of 580/ 600/ 650 series, and my hopes remain high.
 

 

[wind016]

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Now came to think of it, I probably made a mistake, as I did not properly listen to classical on HD598.
Alas, that's too late now.
But they did not impress with the few instrumental bits I came across, going through tracks at random, nor with J.Joplin's Mercedes Benz, or some songs from Peter, Paul and Mary (well, fine, bit nothing to write home about), and they did not impress with the Smiths or Аквариум, not to speak of Ramones or Meat Loaf.
So while there is a chance that I have overlooked a great pair of headphones for classical, I do not think it happened.
 
Another big problem for me remains that I really could not live with their build quality.

 

The HD598 are excellent headphones for classical and does rock fairly well even with it's fairly weak low end impact. All due mostly to it's balance of midrange. It suffers mostly from the low and high frequency ends, though the grain is not bad enough for me to sell them. I also don't like the build. It's rather tacky and cheap, but what the hey. I would have opted for chrome but we can't have everything.
 
The DT880, HD6XX, or K701 maybe technically superior, but they are musically inferior IMO

 

[Anaxilus]

They are excellent for classical.  That was actually a deciding factor in my praise for them.  I think the best Classical phone for symphonic pieces I've heard at the price.  That was actually a hole I had in my headphone collection.

 

[pp312]

With all the recommendations being based on US price, it's well to be aware how much price varies around the world. Here in Oz it's impossible to buy the 598 for less than $300, and that's a very good Ebay price. Otherwise they're more like $349. Shops like Amazon and JR won't export to Oz and overseas (usually US) Ebay sellers are not cheap either (cheapest: $270 shipped). Where you people get 598s for $175 I have no idea, but trust me, that's a dream price elsewhere.

 

[wind016]

 
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Where you people get 598s for $175 I have no idea, but trust me, that's a dream price elsewhere.

 
=( It's $175 at J&R through phone and US only I suppose. At $300, they are very expensive, but so are Monster Beats. Haaa  I probably would still pay $300 for the 598 rather than more for the 600 or 650. Getting the sound right is very important and it will cost more than a couple hundred to get the 6XXs to sound right.

 

[Xymordos]

China its $200. The 598s IMO seem quite heavy on the treble as well. When I listen to metal, those crashes are really in your face.

 

[wind016]

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China its $200. The 598s IMO seem quite heavy on the treble as well. When I listen to metal, those crashes are really in your face.

Look near the end of the HD598 appreciation thread. I notice a weird treble peak around the 20k region. EQing the way I did in the thread solved most of the problems I had with the headphone, such as cymbal timbre and overall imaging.
 

 

[tdockweiler]

Heavy on the treble? I think for me it's just right. I always thought I was too sensitive to treble, but maybe not. Right now for me, no frequency sticks out on the 598 for me.
The DT-880 or 990's treble doesn't bother me, but a well driven K702 does once in awhile. I want to keep burning it longer just in case it smooths itself out. Nothing too bad.
 
I actually think the 650 well amped has more treble than the 598. I was testing them with Uncharted 2 and when I fire the gun the resulting sound can be ear piercing if the volume is up too loud. On music, it seems to be tamed very slightly and much less than the 598 and HD-600. Today I found out my new Canare cable rolls off the HD-650's treble, so I stopped using it and my comments are based on stock cable

Tempted to try the Canare for my K702.
 
Right now it seems like my K601 has as much treble as my HD650. At least I thought the K601 was kind of dark, but now that definitely isn't the case. Definitely less treble than the K702 for sure. I find it weird how most say the HD-600 has more treble than the HD-650, but I haven't found this to be the case at all.
 
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China its $200. The 598s IMO seem quite heavy on the treble as well. When I listen to metal, those crashes are really in your face.

 

 

[tdockweiler]

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Look near the end of the HD598 appreciation thread. I notice a weird treble peak around the 20k region. EQing the way I did in the thread solved most of the problems I had with the headphone, such as cymbal timbre and overall imaging.
 

After listening to them for a week, you should remove the EQ and see if anything has changed. It'd be an interesting test. Based on my experiences, I've never required burn in for a Sennheiser headphone to sound good, but I do believe in burn in. My KRK was ear piercing bright out of the box. Stab you in the ears with icicles bright! After 3 days it went away.
 

 

[wind016]

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After listening to them for a week, you should remove the EQ and see if anything has changed. It'd be an interesting test. Based on my experiences, I've never required burn in for a Sennheiser headphone to sound good, but I do believe in burn in. My KRK was ear piercing bright out of the box. Stab you in the ears with icicles bright! After 3 days it went away.
 

I forgot to turn on the EQ this morning. Having just woken up and having not heard anything yet, the HD598 suddenly sounded a bit bright and off. Cymbals suddenly sounded terrible. Then I looked at my EQ plugin, and I said to myself, "Oh, right..." I had forgotten to push the 'power' button for the plugin so I pushed it and it sounded right again XD
 

 

[Anaxilus]

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I forgot to turn on the EQ this morning. Having just woken up and having not heard anything yet, the HD598 suddenly sounded a bit bright and off. Cymbals suddenly sounded terrible. Then I looked at my EQ plugin, and I said to myself, "Oh, right..." I had forgotten to push the 'power' button for the plugin so I pushed it and it sounded right again XD
 

What are you listening out of again?
 

 

[wind016]

 
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What are you listening out of again?
 

Anedio D1 dac
 

 

[Anaxilus]

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Anedio D1 dac

Ah, the Sabre DAC.  I heard that on an Audio GD this weekend.  Reminded me of my DACPort's signature.  Neutral w/ hints of brightness and sparkle, highly resolving.  Yeah, pushed in the right direction the 598 can sound a bit crispy up top at times.  Not as bad the HD800 though with the right synergy it's golden.
 

 

[wind016]

 
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Ah, the Sabre DAC.  I heard that on an Audio GD this weekend.  Reminded me of my DACPort's signature.  Neutral w/ hints of brightness and sparkle, highly resolving.  Yeah, pushed in the right direction the 598 can sound a bit crispy up top at times.  Not as bad the HD800 though with the right synergy it's golden.
 

I suspected the Anedio D1 had a bit of brightness, but without points of comparison, I'm not 100% certain. I'm still satisfied with it's overall neutrality.