I bought a pair of HD598s several years ago. I wanted something comfortable, detailed, reasonably accurate to wear when transcribing music. They're great for that purpose, but they're not much fun. I'm not looking for something with a built-in bass-boost or anything--I'm in a Senn thread because I respect accuracy.
But accuracy and fun factor aren't diametrically opposed, and I'm wondering how much more pleasure I might get out of the HD660Ss.
Does anyone who finds the HD598s insufferably boring enjoy immensely their HD660S? I am guessing the two are leagues apart considering the legacy of the HD650 and these being considered a proper follow-up. FWIW, my tastes vary from jazz fusion to progressive metal (of the older sort), from (vocal) trance to breakbeats, though I primarily listen to stuff with analog instruments with decent to significant dynamic range and a lot going on at once. Life-like vocals are very important to me. So sheltered have I kept myself, I'm not sure if these details of taste even matter.
To elaborate, I'm hesitant to do too much research on this purchase or even explore other brands on my own--my guitar rig has cost me so much money (I'll never be totally happy with it), and I really don't want to develop that sort of standard for playback. I'm happy with the 3-way floorstanders in my HT setup (with which I mostly listen to stereo music on, in stereo mode). If I spent $1000+ on phones, I would probably ruin my taste for the floorstanders. I don't want to go down that road... I'm looking to spend around $500, but can be flexible.
If the HD660Ss aren't an obvious upgrade for me, are there a few other brands whose similarly priced models I should explore?
P.S.: I just got a Fiio M11, so it's possible I just want something to stick in the 4.4 mm output...