[spectrum]

  it sounds like your describing the on ear Momentums until.... i saw the price.  thats quite odd i thought they have a light clamping force, and i think for most people if the earcup is larger the comfort is outstanding. that was one of the main highlights in my review of the momentum over ears, was that they isolate well, has a light clamp (so its comfortable)
 

 
Yeah, most reviewers agreed with you, so that's why I found it so surprising. Perhaps I have a strange head form
 
Quote:

at first I didn't like the clamping force either, so I just bent out the headband a little. It is steel after all, so no harm done.

 
That could be it. I never tried that, perhaps I was a bit too careful with them. Thanks for the tip! Now I know better the next time.
 
Buying used headphones was another good tip I got. So I registered here and will scour the sales section.
 
I have a pair of 15 year old HD570s which are super comfy that I intend to replace, mostly to something that leaks less sound in the office. I keep reading good things about the Focal Pros so I'll probably give them a try next.

 

[Gethyn]

I bought mine a few months ago on the basis of reviews, most of which praised them. I like the look of them, the feel and the size and they are also very easy to drive. After a few sessions with them I started to have doubts about them. They are not the most comfortable and certainly press against my not terribly big head. I also started to find them too bass heavy for my liking.

A while earlier I had boxed up my very old HD580s with the intention of selling them. I decided to get them out again and compare them with the Momentums. What a difference! The first thing that struck me was how comfortable they were. As soon as I started playing music I realised how, for me at least, compromised the Momentums were in sound quality. The 580s have a much bigger soundstage, a more balanced sound and are just so much better sounding. The Momentums were soon boxed up and sold. My 17-ish year-old 580s are now back up and running and I adore them.

 

[potterpastor]

not really a fair fight. The 580 is a classic. Open back hi fi headphone to be used with receivers. The Momentum is totally different, a very good, balanced sounding warm lifestyle on the go headphone, designed more for use with portable devices. They both serve their purposes

 

[jay-w]

What's very good about them though? I'm not having a dig just trying to understand why they are so highly rated. I'm talking about the sound. I've been trying everything I can to give these a go but the sound is mediocre to my ears. Just recessed, boomy and congested. A retail price of $350-400 where I live makes it very hard to recommend these to people I know.

 

[Gethyn]

What's very good about them though? I'm not having a dig just trying to understand why they are so highly rated. I'm talking about the sound. I've been trying everything I can to give these a go but the sound is mediocre to my ears. Just recessed, boomy and congested. A retail price of $350-400 where I live makes it very hard to recommend these to people I know.

I have to agree. It's true that it isn't fair to compare the 580s with the Momentums as they are built for different purposes, but when you consider the price of each I just have to wonder what you get with the Momentums, apart from a smaller and more portable pair of headphones.

 

[potterpastor]

Go back to the very first page and read Jude's review to see why the momentum is so good

 

[potterpastor]

Can't get you to like what I like. I just like what I like. You like what you like. I happen to have a lot of Sennheiser headphones: the 598. The 600. The 650. And the Momentum. Plus a few others.I like the Sennheiser house sound.I also used to have the 560 ovation for a while.

 

[GREQ]

What's very good about them though? I'm not having a dig just trying to understand why they are so highly rated. I'm talking about the sound. I've been trying everything I can to give these a go but the sound is mediocre to my ears. Just recessed, boomy and congested. A retail price of $350-400 where I live makes it very hard to recommend these to people I know.

Don't worry about it. Everyone hears things differently, and you may have a strong natural preference to bass light treble forward headphones. It's not right or wrong. Just different. I think some of the 'best' headphones in the world are too trebly (hd800 for example), and can't stand listening with them for very long.

 

[Bansaku]

  What's very good about them though? I'm not having a dig just trying to understand why they are so highly rated. I'm talking about the sound. I've been trying everything I can to give these a go but the sound is mediocre to my ears. Just recessed, boomy and congested. A retail price of $350-400 where I live makes it very hard to recommend these to people I know.

 
In all honesty I don't understand how anyone can find the Momentums boomy, recessed, or congested, as to my ears they are the exact opposite. My hearing is flawless in the lower range (as per my last audiology test) and I find them to posses excellent bass (broken record, I know, but modest/polite is how I'd describe quantity) that smoothly transitions into the mid-range. Recessed and congested? No way. The soundstage is actually quite impressive for the size of the cups. Not trying to be an ass, but what you described are the Momentum On-ear (out-of-the-box).
 

 

 

[Arsis]

In all honesty I don't understand how anyone can find the Momentums boomy, recessed, or congested, as to my ears they are the exact opposite. My hearing is flawless in the lower range (as per my last audiology test) and I find them to posses excellent bass (broken record, I know, but modest/polite is how I'd describe quantity) that smoothly transitions into the mid-range. Recessed and congested? No way. The soundstage is actually quite impressive for the size of the cups. Not trying to be an ass, but what you described are the Momentum On-ear (out-of-the-box).

 

+1 love'em !

they're not quite reference quality but i find them to be well balanced and very enjoyable.

 

[jay-w]

   
In all honesty I don't understand how anyone can find the Momentums boomy, recessed, or congested, as to my ears they are the exact opposite. My hearing is flawless in the lower range (as per my last audiology test) and I find them to posses excellent bass (broken record, I know, but modest/polite is how I'd describe quantity) that smoothly transitions into the mid-range. Recessed and congested? No way. The soundstage is actually quite impressive for the size of the cups. Not trying to be an ass, but what you described are the Momentum On-ear (out-of-the-box).
 

 

Yes I guess this is where preferences matter more not quality of hearing (had mine tested twice in 12 months). 
 
I think I've been spoiled by open headphones and more neutral sounding IEMs. On the Momentums I recently played a Jazz album and it sounded like the Bass player was standing out on the balcony. Put on the Alessandro's and brought him back inside and tightened up his projection. 
 
The hunt continues for a closed, portable to my liking. 

 

[Bansaku]

 
Yes I guess this is where preferences matter more not quality of hearing (had mine tested twice in 12 months). 
 
Put on the Alessandro's and brought him back inside and tightened up his projection. 

 
Sorry, I wasn't saying your ears are not as good as mine. What I should have said is that I hear bass very well, maybe even a little over-sersitive with certain bass-heavy headphones, which is why I find it curious how anyone, not just you (because others have mirrored what you hear), can find the bass anything but tame. I suppose it really does come down to preference. Or perhaps the source; What do you play the Momentum from?
 
Funny you mention the Alessandro (MS-1 I assume) as I am seriously contemplating purchasing a pair off from Kijiji that went up a few hours ago; The add is open in another tab as I type).  I missed out on the 225i by a day and hear that the MS-1s are basically the same 'phone. $80 worth it?
 

+1 love'em !

they're not quite reference quality but i find them to be well balanced and very enjoyable.

While not perfect, the Momentums do so many thing right and nothing wrong. To me they are flawless.
 

 

 

[mgh24]

Can't get you to like what I like. I just like what I like. You like what you like. I happen to have a lot of Sennheiser headphones: the 598. The 600. The 650. And the Momentum. Plus a few others.I like the Sennheiser house sound.I also used to have the 560 ovation for a while.

Could you give a run down on how you compare the bass between the HD600, 650, and the Momentums?  I had a pair of HD600 that I sent back.  I really loved the sound, but am looking for something with more bass impact.  BTW, to my ears, the HD600 were not missing bass, seemed to me like it was all there, just not as strong as what I wanted.
 
Many thanks.

 

[OMGLadyGaga]

Yes I guess this is where preferences matter more not quality of hearing (had mine tested twice in 12 months). 

I think I've been spoiled by open headphones and more neutral sounding IEMs. On the Momentums I recently played a Jazz album and it sounded like the Bass player was standing out on the balcony. Put on the Alessandro's and brought him back inside and tightened up his projection. 

The hunt continues for a closed, portable to my liking. 

I've grown quite fond of the momentums despite not liking them too much at first either but yeah they aren't the most resolving or articulate and can get a little boomy however I really like them, you should take a look at the Bang and Olufsen H6, I auditioned it at length and it has a very open and spacious sound with superb detail retrieval and a much lighter tonality. I found them to not have enough bass for me, which probably means they would be just right for you.

 

[potterpastor]

Could you give a run down on how you compare the bass between the HD600, 650, and the Momentums?  I had a pair of HD600 that I sent back.  I really loved the sound, but am looking for something with more bass impact.  BTW, to my ears, the HD600 were not missing bass, seemed to me like it was all there, just not as strong as what I wanted.

Many thanks.

The 600 and 650 are very similar sounding headphones, but sub and mid bass impact is weightier on the 650, there is more thud, I guess you can say. The sound of the 650 is richer and thicker than the 600. You might like the 650 more because of this. I find myself reaching for the 600 more because I love the punchier dynamic neutral presentation.But many times, I put on the 600 and the 650 back to back, and I am more amazed by how similar they sound than by how different, especially with my Schiit Vali and Sony minishelf receiver.

The Momentum sounds a bit more like the 650 in that it has a rich warm presentation. Its mid bass is a bit boosted, but it does not have the sub bass impact of the 650 or the HP 50. I love the Momentum. It is not quite as high fidelity as the 600 or 650, but it gets you at least 80% of the way there, and you don't need to buy an expensive stereo system and headphone amplifier to make it sound great. Just an iPod touch will do fine, plus maybe a portable amp.