[jpo245]

Hi experts,

I've always been a grado fan, and started off with the 60s, and right now at the 80s.. was thinking of getting the 225s..

i love the sound, and i find it excellent for most of my listening stuff... the bass is good for stuff like dance, and the midrange is nice for rock too. with super clarity all the while...

how do the senns sound like?
im thinkin of getting some 600s, but im not sure if i will like the sound... how different is it? is the bass as good?

 

[Geek]

Bottom end is, if anything, just as powerful or more powerful with the senns. The sennheisers have a really natural neutral clean sound which doesn't overemphasize any frequency more than the other, but does tend to sound slow to some ears, too laid back to others, etc. I find them to be just right and grados just a bit too bright and aggressive so that's your frame of reference, think of a grado but more relaxed and easy to listen to with just as much detail, only not so much emphasis on upper mids and highs.

Cheers,
Geek

 

[usc goose]

bass on the hd600 i would describe as very present, while on the rs-1 i'd describe as more punchy. both good, both different. sr225 with bowls i'd call the bass a little light actually and with the flats a little bit boomy.

just my opinions though. (i own all 3, well... hd600s are taking a vacation at the moment)

 

[Factor]

It all depends on your musical tastes. If most of the music you listen to is rock, Grados are amazing. They're pretty good for hip-hop as well. But if your tastes also include a lot of soul, jazz or classical, you might want to try out a more laid back headphone.

I've only auditioned the Senn 600's for about 5 minutes or so, with stock cables and driven by a Rotel amp (no dedicated headphone amp), but those 5 minutes were enough for me to hear the way the Senns make rock music seem less impactful and visceral, and the way they make jazz sound like heaven.

 

[braillediver]

Try this "Most Excellent" review by TimSchirmer.

hhttp://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49810

He reviews the Grado SR200’s but references back to the Senn HD600’s numerous times.

His explanation of “sound stage” as produced by the Grado Line of headphones is right on the money.


“The sennheisers have a really natural neutral clean sound which doesn't overemphasize any frequency more than the other”

Mid bass hump, veil, laid back- I think more accurately describes the Senn HD600’s.


Mitch

 

[Wodgy]

If you're a Grado fan, IMHO you won't be satisfied with the HD600. It'll be two steps forward and three steps back. You gain neutrality, but get a crazy midrange dip, a midbass hump, and grainy highs. I used to be a huge Grado fan and couldn't stand the HD600. Grados may have prominent, bright highs, but at least they're smooth. The Grado midrange may be a little uneven, but at least it's present.

Grado fans should skip the HD580/HD600 and go straight to the HD650, which is hugely better in all the areas I mentioned above. It was enough to convert me over to team Sennheiser.

 

[Vedder323]

Quote:

Originally posted by Wodgy If you're a Grado fan, IMHO you won't be satisfied with the HD600. It'll be two steps forward and three steps back. You gain neutrality, but get a crazy midrange dip, a midbass hump, and grainy highs. I used to be a huge Grado fan and couldn't stand the HD600. Grados may have prominent, bright highs, but at least they're smooth. The Grado midrange may be a little uneven, but at least it's present. Grado fans should skip the HD580/HD600 and go straight to the HD650, which is hugely better in all the areas I mentioned above. It was enough to convert me over to team Sennheiser.

Agreed... Go for the 650s if anything!

 

[lan]

I don't really like Grados or Senns but the HD650 is really good. It's enough of a difference that I wouldn't mind living with one. The improved bass and it's impact with a good amp makes it great for rock more so than Grado's in my opinion.

What you should try and do is audition a bunch of headphones from many companies. You have to try and find your sound.

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally posted by Wodgy If you're a Grado fan, IMHO you won't be satisfied with the HD600. It'll be two steps forward and three steps back. You gain neutrality, but get a crazy midrange dip, a midbass hump, and grainy highs. I used to be a huge Grado fan and couldn't stand the HD600. Grados may have prominent, bright highs, but at least they're smooth. The Grado midrange may be a little uneven, but at least it's present. Grado fans should skip the HD580/HD600 and go straight to the HD650, which is hugely better in all the areas I mentioned above. It was enough to convert me over to team Sennheiser.

Heh. I'm a Grado fan. And a Sony fan. And a Sennheiser fan, although I'm using the HD-600 instead of the HD-650. Each headphone has its own presentation of the music. IMO this is one of the big advantages of headphone listening over speaker listening. In speakers, you pick your speakers and that's the sonic signature you're going to be listening to for a long time, once you get your room tuned etc. etc. With headphones, a different sound is no further away than the headphone jack.

 

[aerius]

I have both the Grado 225 and Senn 580, which is almost the same as the Senn 600. There's 2 main differences:

1. Frequency balance. The Senns may go just as low in the bass, but for some reason there's just no "oomph" or kick to it. You know it's there, you can hear it, you can even feel the headphones shake at higher volumes but the bass never really registers. The midrange is not nearly as rich and balanced as the Grados, the dip that Wodgy mentioned. However I find the highs to be about as good after I upgraded the cable and replaced the foam with fabric.

2. Presentation/soundstaging. The Senns will place you further back, you don't have the front row feel of the Grados. Both of them can do pinpoint positioning of voices and instruments in the horizontal & vertical direction, but I find the Senns give a better feel of distance and depth. The biggest difference I find is that with the Senns the sound is just "there", it's pretty easy to forget the sound is coming from headphones while with the Grados I'm almost always aware the sound is being pumped into my ears with a set of drivers, they never quite disappear.

Most of the frequency issues with the Senns can be fixed with a tube amp IMO, but there'll still be a small to fair sized difference depending on the amp. The midrange can be mostly fixed but the bass doesn't see as much of an improvement. A balanced bridge Gilmore amp almost fixed the bass but still left the midrange problem, which didn't help so I went back to tubes.

I find that I have no clear preference for either headphone, I've gone through most of my CDs now and there's still no clear pattern of what music is better with which headphone. I find that it depends more on mood than anything else, they're vastly different in terms of sound yet I like them both for all my music.

 

[fredpb]

Senns are hard to drive, grados easy.

Senns with a Maxed Out Home sound unbelievable. Incredible bass and the filter switch will give you brightness of grado without the sometimes graineness of the grados.

Lesser amps with the senns, unless they have an optional power supply, will not do justice to senn bass capability.

Grado sr225's are nice cans. Easy to drive. Typical grado sound. If you are a grado fan, you will like the 225's.

 

[Vedder323]

Quote:

Originally posted by fredpb Senns are hard to drive, grados easy. Senns with a Maxed Out Home sound unbelievable. Incredible bass and the filter switch will give you brightness of grado without the sometimes graineness of the grados. Lesser amps with the senns, unless they have an optional power supply, will not do justice to senn bass capability. Grado sr225's are nice cans. Easy to drive. Typical grado sound. If you are a grado fan, you will like the 225's.

Agree as well. (note) I have been listening to my 650s for 2 days and im tempted to sell my 225s. I really think Grado fans should give the 650s a spin... they are trully amazing.

 

[jpo245]

thanks a billion to all who have replied... learnt so much just from ur repllies.. i guess ultimately, i have to find a place to audition all this stuff..

anyone noe of any good places in chicago to purchase/audition?
ore better yet in evanston (suburb north of chicago)?



ALso comes to mind, is HOW im gonna get the $$$$$ for a 650...

i think the max i'll be able to afford are some 225s or a 600 (which u guys say arent that good)

 

[Vedder323]

Quote:

Originally posted by jpo245 thanks a billion to all who have replied... learnt so much just from ur repllies.. i guess ultimately, i have to find a place to audition all this stuff.. anyone noe of any good places in chicago to purchase/audition? ore better yet in evanston (suburb north of chicago)? ALso comes to mind, is HOW im gonna get the $$$$$ for a 650... i think the max i'll be able to afford are some 225s or a 600 (which u guys say arent that good)

No bro... the 600s are GREAT cans... I think we are saying... the 650s are worth the extra money...

AA was selling them for $350 after a coupon. If I was you, I would kill, rob a bank, or be a stripper in order to get the cash... they are worth it dude!

Good Luck and happy listening!

 

[jpo245]

hahaha given how i look, i'd have to PAY a woman to strip in front of her... j/k

being a poor college student, even 350 is a lot of money... not to mention factoring in a good amp as well...

im waiting for xin's superdual... would that suffice driving a 650 ta think?