Sennheiser HD600 - Amp NOT a must!

[Keiso]

"1. Sampling error
2. They aren't exactly the same, right?
3. Now this might be beneath Sennheiser, but you can't reject the possibility that they'd give all the better manufactured drivers, drivers matching their specs most closely, to HD600's. That's supposed to be what Grado does with the SR60...325 line and what I'd do too if I were in charge of the company. But since I bought the 580... I'd just have to hope that they are more benevolent than I would be "

So based on your statements, I guess the HD 580 and the HD 600 do NOT sound the same then

Oh crap. Everyone, just go for the HD 600 then, to be on the safe side that you really are getting the best

Also, the graphs for Grado headphones at HeadRoom's website seem to be REALLY misleading. I mean, if I'm reading it correctly, judging by the graph, a high-end headphone like the Grado RS-1 looks really bright sounding, with a lot of focus on the higher freq.

Also, they say that the HD 590 are " Presenting a bright musical exhibition, the 590s can be detailed to the point of fatique."

Fatique!? From the HD 590s!? Those guys can go "¤%&"¤%&#%& themselves (sorry, but that's just so misleading!)

 

[Nattapong]

Um.. I can't help to jump in a little bit. I own HD580 and HD600 and Creek Headphone amp. Like many others here. I do agree that amp is not a must. Both headphones sound great without amp. (I'm not only talking about volume .. I don't like high volume anyway) Out from headphones jack from Sony deck was adequate for me also. Yeap.. it is hard to imagine what can be better until you tried them with amp. Since I already said it was great without amp... don't know what to call the sound with amp. I think we will start to learn that there are more to that is already great sound. So now when I go back to without amp ... I know that I am missing something, some details. Or even .. I remember on certain CD that what I am missing ... it is varied from CD to CD that difference w/ and w/o amp made.

So I won't say .. you will need amp for the headphones.. but to have an amp .. even the cheapest like mine.. ($125 used) the cost is well worth it... just don't try it if you don't want to spend money ... but if you try .. you can't go back ... I think it is as simple as that.

HD580 and HD600 ... (w/ amp) I think for my case differences are apparent for my music taste. Though for the most part they are pretty much the same.. however in certain passage there are differences especailly solo double bass (jazz) .. since I pay about $90 more for HD600 ... I think it will pay off very soon.. (I have it now for about 2 weeks) I'm trying to break in HD600 now.. it still not as comfortable as HD580 but it is getting there. ...

Only Dimazio cable ($85) that I think .. it wasn't worth money... however, it was the only choice for thick extension cable without long wait ..

 

[kelly]

Quote:

Originally posted by Nattapong Only Dimazio cable ($85) that I think .. it wasn't worth money... however, it was the only choice for thick extension cable without long wait ..

What choices are there for extension cables if someone is willing to wait?

 

[Mic]

I've listened to the HD600 without an amp for about two weeks before I got the Max just so I can appreciate the Max. And, my conclusion was this: with an amp, the instruments sound like well, instruments, somewhat analagous to the jump from midi simply synthesized to midi with soundfont. The intricate sonic details of the instruments just came through (i.e. the guitar plucks, the hollow flute sounds, the sax key presses, the snare reverbing, etc.) The attenuation of some of the highs were such that some tracks are listenable now without fatigue. I can now also listen to music at very low volumes but not miss any detail. Most importantly though, I think, it made me ENJOY listening to music for long periods of time

.

 

[shivohum]

Quote:

Also, the graphs for Grado headphones at HeadRoom's website seem to be REALLY misleading. I mean, if I'm reading it correctly, judging by the graph, a high-end headphone like the Grado RS-1 looks really bright sounding, with a lot of focus on the higher freq.

What's misleading about that?

 

[PC Corp]

Quote:

Wait--isn't anyone getting an electrostat headphone going to get a monster headphone amp to go with the deal? Can you mod the 007t to drive regular headphones?

I think the answer is a "yes."

Jan made me an adaptor so I can connect my HD580's with the AKG K1000 amp.

I agree with the people that getting the HD580's would be a good idea.

 

[Keiso]

"What's misleading about that? "

LOL!

My bad. I thought the cans in the higher range is supposed to be flat sounding. Grado 325 is the highest model I've tested, which were also so bright that I thought they were hurting my hearing.

If they are that bright, why are Grados still so highly regarded? I for one, hate them like nothing else. No comfort, bright sound (especially when I tried the Grado 125! Never again.....) and just cheap-looking....

 

[fiddler]

Quote:

If they are that bright, why are Grados still so highly regarded?

Because some people like bright sound. What's wrong with that?

 

[Keiso]

Nothing's wrong with that, I guess

Funny when people complain about my HD 590 being bright, when tons of people are praising Grados, which I found eardrum-piercing.

 

[Audio-Me]

HD580 more comfortable than HD600?

That's a first.

kelly, wait til you get a taste of 15wpc.

 

[Lizard_1]

I realise I am way out of line, my 600 is more comfortable than my 580 and they need an amp badly.....LOL

 

[Vertigo-1]

Quote:

Originally posted by PC Corp I think the answer is a "yes." Jan made me an adaptor so I can connect my HD580's with the AKG K1000 amp. I agree with the people that getting the HD580's would be a good idea.

I think a normal dynamic headphone would fry if you tried hooking it up to a Stax amp in any way...we're talking hundreds of volts here, something electrostats were meant to handle.

 

[pedxing]

HD580 and the HD600 do sound different, but the difference is so subtle that it is hard to explain.

The HD570 is worse than the HD590 when it comes to brightness. I cannot listen to the HD570 for any extended periods of time unless the volume is very low.

I had to educate myself what "brightness" really meant for me. I use to listen to the HD570 all the time and did not know what bright really meant because all I can relate to was the HD570. After buying an ER-6, I realized that the HD570 is not even neutral in the treble response. After getting a CHA47 amp, the amp opened up the HD570's treble response to the point of annoyance.

When I read people's opinions that the HD590's are bright, I interpret that at if the HD590's are brighter than most headphones. It does not mean they are lousy headphones. Not everyone's hearing is that same and I would not be surprise that the HD590 would sound more neutral to certain people than a HD600 does. There are many people I know who love Grado because that's the way they want to hear their music. I cannot stand listening to a pair of Grado for longer than a few minutes.

 

[Nattapong]

Quote:

Originally posted by kelly What choices are there for extension cables if someone is willing to wait?

I was planning to get http://www.sonichorizon.com/ until they told me the waiting time. It sound stupid but I just don't like to wait.

 

[shivohum]

Quote:

Grado 325 is the highest model I've tested, which were also so bright that I thought they were hurting my hearing.

Were they broken in? When Grados break in, they generally tend to become less harsh. However, you're right, overall, they're bright headphones.

Quote:

If they are that bright, why are Grados still so highly regarded?

As fiddler said, many people love them because to them their sound gives the music excitement and life. And it's not as if other headphones don't have their own problems and colorations.

Headroom most likely criticized the HD590 more than most because it is more expensive than the 580, yet Headroom believes the 580 to sound better.