[Danny23]

Well i went on a hunt around town today to try any of these and it was a nightmare, just Beats, SK, Bose etc everywhere, closest i got was Senn Momentums, which sounded nice but out of my budget (and even though they sounded nice i still dont think they warranted the price)
 
It was quite shocking that every single headphone i tested (bar momentum) was worse than my little PX100's which ive had for ages!
 
So yeah im a little stuck now.  Not sure just if i just plump for one of HD558/598 or DT770's off amazon and just send back if im not happy.  Really wanted to try before choosing though :/
 
I think what i want is a similar sound to my PX100s but just improved (and with comfort) - would me thinking going for the 598s being the obvious choice be right or wrong? (i wish i could try the DT770s and fall in love with them since theyre a damn sexy set of cans!)

 

[Danny23]

Oh sorry i should also add, after wondering around town being let down after the pile of crap headphones i had to go through, I rang a hi-fi shop i knew was on my way back to see if they had any of the so far mentioned headphones (which they didnt) but the guy on the phone mentioned they had some AKG K550s in which he said were one of the best current set of phones at that price, i immediately rejected the notion since i really disliked the AKG K518s i bought, does anyone have any experience with these? is it worth the trip to try them out?

 

[streetdragon]

the AKG K550 really needs a good seal to have a good sound, without it it would sound bassless. you could ask around in the K550 threads on their opinion.

 

[Danny23]

Ok so for what it's worth I just got back from testing the K550s and I didn't like what I was hearing, no way near as much bass as I'd like, and it sounded cold if that makes sense, I'm not even exaggerating in saying I'd rather have my warmer px100s instead of the k550.

So with that in mind does that swing it any closer to the dt770 or any of the senns? (Or any other maybe?)

 

[Danny23]

Im looking at getting some ordered tonight, DT770s at 125 on amazon at the moment and hd598s at 140, is it worth getting the hd598s to test or just go for the dt770s?

 

[Danny23]

Okay.. UPDATE
 
So i found a store that stocked 518/558/598s to try, but unfortunately they only had the 598s to try (even though i rang and asked and they said they would bring some form out back - anyway a different story)
 
So the only way i could try them all was to buy the other 2 and return them within a week.  So i bought them along with a pair od Denon D1100s (not sure why, just a liast minute impulse) 
 
So i got them home, first test was ipod.  518/558s sounded alright, nothing amazing.  wacked the £40 Denons in, and compared to the Senns they actually blew me away, so much better (but i guess thats what theyre designed for)
 
Next was my PC through my sharp Amp, this is where the Senns pulled away, and the first time i slightly prefered the 558s, they seemed to handle Folk music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcrW-n9AwIM) alot better, had faint hiss on 518s, zero on 558s.  Denons were nothing in comparison through the amp.  Although they handle bass better, both the Senns struggled with some deep bass such as (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMkqbY0oGKQ) and hip-hop (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOrLNHbEzMg)
 
 
 
 
So now im totally stumped.  Do i keep the 518s AND the denons for the too separate sources? (same price as the 558's) OR if there a decent portable amp that i can get similar results out of the 558 from an ipod OR possible another set of cans people may have in mind now i've even them a little more information?  I do think the Senns leak abit more than i'd like, but the comfort is amazing, plus id like maybe a little more control on the bass, are these points leading to me having to try the DT770s? (comfort, closed, bass)? I dont want to loose the mids and highs though, they sound sweet on the 558s.
 
All these options, im abit lost!
 
(p.s prices were D1100 £40, HD518 £84 HD558 £116)

 

[Z3disD3ad]

Since when were HD598's sub £100?!

 

[Danny23]

Yeah i jumped the gun abit at the start, you can get them for around £140 though, i've been looking at the 558's which are much closer to £100.
 
And tbf, the DT770's are looking like they'll be knocking me back around £130/140 aswell, but if they combine what im looking for^ then i'll stretch to that

 

[streetdragon]

unfortunately the mids are not as good on the DT770 as on the senn since they have one of the best mids ,airy highs and soundstage available at that price range. you will get a little deeper bass, isolation and a more sparkly treble with the DT770 though

 

[Danny23]

I do like treble and bass, especially on the hip-hop and elec music i listen too, i think i need to give it a listen then give it the direct comparison with 558 (is it as comfy? because this 558 on my head now feels like a pillow kissing my ears)
 
Also would you recommend getting the 32 ohm version instead of the 80? As these 558s are 50 and on full on my ipod they still arent loud or powerful enough

 

[Danny23]

I've been listening to Kendrick Lamar's album for the past hour switching between the 518s and 558s and the 518s are def better on this genre(hiphop), this is where i can hear the bass outperforming the 558.
 
Just to make this whole decision even harder 

 

[morijinal]

I own the Sennheiser 558, which, I'm told is very similar to the 598. They are very comfortable, and sound good, but I wouldn't recommend them for electronic music, or anything that relies on representation of low end bass. I would describe the bass as adequate - certainly not punchy.

 

[Danny23]

Yeah, i prefer the bass in the 518's, and in some songs the vocals seem louder.  But the 558s sounds smoother for the genres that dont require much bass.  Just wish i could get the bass out of the 518 and put it in the 558 because its so comfy!
 
Im going to order the DT770s though, they sound like they may cover some more of my music taste, just trying to decide to go for the 32 or 80[size=small]Ω[/size]

 

[streetdragon]

get the 80 ohms, or the 250 if you plan to get amping in the future, they sound much better than the 32 ohms version from what tyll stated

(you can get the bass, just tune the eq and it will help fix the problem, though not completely, but certainly helps)

 

[Danny23]

I am amping now, through an old school sharp turntable/amp combo.  Not sure if i need to update that or if i need to add a sound card? Its powering these 558s im listening to at the moment well enough.
 
What sort of an amp would i need to power the dt770s from an ipod(or infact the hd558s if i decide to keep these)?  I used to have a fiio e5, if i could find that, would that do or do i need something more powerful?
 
 
(i might also add the m50s to the dt770 order aswell, just to give them a compare, peopel some to note them as good all-rounders?)