Introduction
I first received my HD580 2 months back. As I only heard the HD600 to gauge the sound of HD580, it was still considered a leap of faith for me. Finally after about 2 months of listening, I am finally ready to give an in depth review the HD580.
General Information about the HD580
Equipment Experience
My headphone journey started way back after I completed my portable setup and has lead me to auditioned the following headphones, JVC RX-700, D1001, D2000(stock and modded), D5000(stock and modded), MS-1, MS-2, SR225i, RS-1, PS-1, A900, ES7, ESW9, ESW10, AD2000, A1000x, A2000x, HFI-780(both stock and modded), Proline 750, ED9, HD555, HD595, HD600(stock and modded), HD650(stock and modded), MDR-CD900ST, DT880(250ohm and 600ohm), K701.
Music - All Apple Lossless
They Don't Want Music - Black Eyed Peas
Reflections(I Remember) - Mary J Blige
Prisoner of Love - Utada Hikaru
Pax Deorum - Enya
CHERRY - YUI
Goodbye Days(Acoustic) - YUI
Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis
Delete - Younha
Yesterday and Today – Do As Infinity
Crashed - Daughtry
Angels – Robbie Williams
Everybody Changing - Keane
Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield
Equipment Setup
Foobar>D3 line out dac>Null Audio Mini to RCA>Millet Hybrid Max(12AE6A)>Null Audio recabled defoamed HD580.
Bass
Bassheads look away. The HD580 are not going to give you slamming bass like the Denons. Bass on the HD580 is neutral. If your source has bass, the HD580 will reproduce it as natural as it is and not adding any flavour to it. If your source has no bass, the HD580 will not give you bass. Bass extension, slam and quantity are not as much as or go as deep as some other headphones that I heard, but the HD580 excels in accurate bass. Bass is tight controlled and accurate. I guess most people with call the HD580 bass shy.
Mids
The Mids is clearly the strength of the HD580. Firstly they are not recessed as some would come to associate recessed mids with Sennheiser cans. The mids are also not forward mids like ESW10. Mids are right smack in the centre. What I enjoy about the mids of the HD580 is the airy feeling. This makes you feels as if the singer is surrounding you instead of singing in front of you. Details, clarity and tonal accuracy are one of the best I heard. Highly impressive. Granted the HD580 do not give sweet coloured mids like ESW10, it is very impressive to me.
In summary, i felt that the midrange was clearly the strength of the HD580.
Treble
For this review I do not hear any harsh or sibilance. However during my regular listening on lower quality files, I can hear hissing noise. The treble of the HD580 doesn’t have the greatest extension and they are neither forward also. Listening on the HD580, I would tend to notice the mids followed by the bass and lastly the trebles. Having said that, one might presume that the trebles are recessed. However, I do not think that the trebles are recessed. Instead they blend in together with the rest of music such that you do not actively notice it.
Soundstage, Separation and Imaging
Soundstaging, imaging and separation is another point that I would rave about on the HD580. As an open
can, I have high expectations of the soundstage. The HD580 doesn’t fails to disappoint. I experienced before soundstage that the headphone cannot handle(too huge to contain within the headphone). However for the HD580 soundstage, it is wide but not bigger than the headphones itself(if you get what I mean). As I mentioned earlier, the mids seems to surround me, giving me a very imaging that you are like in a room where the speakers form a circle around you. Fantastic in this aspect.
Instrument separation is good, clear and precise, but not too analytical till where each instrument is standalone. Separation is there but they are as a group also.
Sound signature and Balance
The HD580 sound signature is rather similar to AD2000. The AD2000 is cold sounding, light on the bass, with a clean and transparent midrange and treble.
Value For Money
I believe it was worth every penny I paid. Trying to acquire another one as a backup recently but was unable to strike a deal.
Grand Conclusion
In conclusion, I can tell why Sennheiser cans are highly regarded in the audiophile community. The ability to scale with your setup is immense. Feed it a good upgrade cable, you hear the improvement, give it a good source, it will tell you. Give it a good amp to drive it, it will sing. The potential is endless. For me i feel that i am only tapping only into a fraction of the HD580 power currently. =D
Hope you enjoyed reading my review. Good luck in finding a HD580 thou. =D