[ryan composer1]

Hi all, new user here. I am a big sennheiser fan and am a massive lover of the very best sound quality in music. I don't care about sound leakage as I listen to music in the comfort of my own home and not out and about. Music is very important to me as I am a composer and I often have designated time where I sit and absorb myself in music (sad I know)
 
I listen to a lot of prog rock and want something that will really take my breath away and that will deliver a full, rich and intense sound.
 
I currently own the sennheiser 465's which only cost about £30 but must admit that they sound fantastic but I am always looking for better and think its good to have a couple of cans and have been hunting around for the pair that will give me the wow factor.
 
My budget really is no more than £120 and I would like to stay with Sennheiser.
 
The 3 I am interested in are the HD380 Pro, HD555 and HD595.
 
I know they all clock in at different prices but for my money, which one is really going to knock my socks off in terms of sound quality?
 
I know this is blasphemy but I will be listening to my music through Itunes and my Sony A845 MP3 Player.
 
Would love everybody's thoughts as I am wondering if there is enough difference in sound quality to justify getting the slightly more expensive HD595's or are there any others in that price bracket from Sennheiser that I have missed or overlooked?
 
Cheers all

 

[zmd]

Get the new Sennheiser HD558s and mod them. Really good headphone for anything you throw at it.
 
Oh, and welcome to Head-Fi. Sorry for your wallet.

 

[tyoung8]

Yeah, you can get the 558 here for £105
 
http://uk.lookat.com/music/sennheiser-hd-558
 
Not sure how reliable the shop is tho and only saw one review for the online shop.
 
Otherwise, you can get the 555 and mod it to a 595.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvQ8PzBrHXE
 
I deffo think it would be worth the extra money to get the 558 tho.  Can get it for £120 if you look around online.

 

[ryan composer1]

If I were to get one of the 3 I mentioned in my list which one would have the most wow factor in terms of sound quality? I'm not really interested in any kind of modding, just wanna be able to take them out, plug them in and enjoy.
 
Any other thoughts on the 558's in comparison as I had not really considered them because of the price.
 
Cheers

 

[tyoung8]

Really take a look at the vid.  The only difference between the 555 and 595 is the piece of foam inside.  Open the headphone and take the piece of foam out and that will save you £20.  That is all there is to 'modding' the headphone.
 
You can use the search function on 558 555 to see enuff thread on it.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/search.php?search=558+555
 
The new 558 model seem to be worth the extra £30 and they don't crack either.

 

[Hayang]

Get the HD558 and take off the piece of foam.  The HD555 and 595 are the same except for that same piece of foam, and it's similar with the HD558.
 
I think the HD558 is better than the HD555 however, so go for that.  Electronics-expo is a good place to buy them; try to find a coupon and get them for <$130.
If you are doing home listening, definitely do the HD55X series over the closed HD380.  Soundstage will make a big difference.
 
HOWEVER it's dangerous looking for the wow factor when you're looking for headphones... if you expect too much you're almost guaranteeing that you'll be underwhelmed.  Your music will always sound like your music, just remember that.
 
That aside, you have my full recommendation for the HD558.  HOWEVER if you really want a great upgrade into another brand for ~$170... Fischer Audio FA-003 is phenomenal.

 

[tdockweiler]

HD-598 is what I'd suggest. To my ears it makes the HD-555 and even the modded HD-555 sound terrible. I was never a fan of those headphones despite owning them for nearly 5 years. I ended up giving them away.
 
I don't know how much they run in the UK, but here in the USA we can often find them for $170USD. The HD-595 is around what..$130? The extra cost is worth it. Even for $100 more, the HD-598 would be worth it over the HD-555.
 
HD-598 has more forward mids than the HD-555, has a bigger soundstage and is a bit brighter. HD-555 is a complete snore fest to me.
 
So anyway, don't let people tell you the HD-598 Must sound like the HD-555. I've heard both and they don't. Many others agree also. They do have similarities of course.
 
The HD-598 don't absolutely require an amp, but they need a larger mp3 player to sound decent and have good bass. I basically suggest an amp for them because on my Ipod Touch I need to max the volume, but I use a desktop amp for them. If you look at graph for them it looks like it has a spike up to nearly 300 ohm. Found the graph here:
 

 
HD-555 or HD-595 should be a tad easier to drive possibly.

 

[estreeter]

This is from someone who sells more Sennheiser than any other brand of headphone, yet recommends only two headphones from those that he is *allowed* to openly advertise (long story):
 
http://headphones.com.au/psingle?productID=420
 
I have no idea how they compare to the 598 - I just know how hard it is to get the 'Recommended' stamp on this site.
 
 

 

[pp312]

 
Quote:

This is from someone who sells more Sennheiser than any other brand of headphone, yet recommends only two headphones from those that he is *allowed* to openly advertise (long story):
 

 
 
Does he sell more Sennheiser than any other brand? He's the one who's always posting about how whenever people in his shop compare other brands with Sennheiser they invariably choose one of the other brands. Surely he can't have it both ways.

 

[tyoung8]

In UK 555 cost $150, 558 cost ~ $220 and 598 cost ~ $260.  OP's max budget is $200.
 
Do you think the 598 is worth the extra money over the 558?  I have read that it has the same problem with the headband cracking so kinda lost interest there even tho I like the look of it better than the 558.
 
 

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

 

Fair point, but he is also open about the fact that he is running a business and that business revolves around giving people the headphones they order. I think you would agree that Beats and Skullcandy probably outsell Grado and Beyer 5 to 1 (or 20 to 1 - dont know the exact ratio), Head-Fiers notwithstanding.
 

 

[estreeter]

I might add that the small business I work in sells a mountain of Canon printers and some seriously hideous no-name headphones, but the boss would have a fit if I gave customers my opinion of these products. Marcus has no such reservations, even though it would be easier to just smile and take people's money.

 

[ryan composer1]

Ahhhhh! This is so difficult.
 
Before reading the replies I had narrowed my search down to the HD555 and the HD380 Pro.
 
I really cant justify the cost of the HD598 as in UK they retail at £160 which is way over my budget.
 
Someone mentioned that for private indoor listening, open headphones would be better sound wise to the closed back so that would make the 555 a better option over the 380?
 
Basically, the music I listen to is complex, intricate rock music with lots of parts, think King Crimson, Frank Zappa and the Cardiacs to understand my listening habits.
 
So I need a headphone that can deliver a punchy, rich sound, that is deep but allows the intricacies of the music to stand out.
 
Am I asking too much lol

 

[tgeml]

I hate to throw in another option for you, but it sounds like some HD-580's would be a great option for you, provided you have an amplifier to power them with.

 

 

[tyoung8]

Is not difficult.  Just get the 558.  You can get them for £120 if you look around and £105 + £11 shipping on that website.  Try the website and you can tell me whether they are reliable. lmao.  They are a new company and seem to have lots of cheap headphone on sale.
 
(580 is discontinued.  Can't find anywhere that sells them.)