[fishski13]

Quote:

The K240DF and DT48E-25 both offer a degree of clarity that can be very revealing of your music. I have an older DT48E-25 and if you think a DF sounds too cold and thin compared to the still rather warmish HD598 stock the DT48 will be a real shocker. The DT48E demands that you adjust to the headphone and find the right settings and even when you listen to music you have to be prepared because there is an inherent speed to the presentation of the DT48E.
 
Regarding the DF, I have one gathering dust and in a while I will either give it away or sell it. It is one of the headphones that made me realise the HD800 is overpriced for what it does. Even worse, if you think a HD598 is neutral you have fallen for the marketing language after you get used to a DF.

DF or K601 = ruler flat with excellent soundstaging and mid-range without ever being too forward.
 

 

[tdockweiler]

I posted a photo awhile back and here's the link:
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/552770/sennheiser-hd598-review-immense-speaker-like-soundstage-and-intimate-midrange/120#post_7469338
 
The only thing I wish I did was heat shrink the cables going into the headphone but I didn't have any of the smaller tubing at the time. The cable is very secure though. I snagged it against a door handle yesterday and it didn't even come out.
 
I'd post some internal pictures, but the wires are hot glued in place and I don't want to open up the HD-598 again.
 
I can't say it enough, but it's not suggested to try this unless you feel comfortable with possibly killing a headphone. It was pretty scary for me because my soldering skills are just average.
 
I actually want to recable them again because I found out I like Belden Starquad a lot! It's the ONLY interconnect cable I made where I can actually hear a difference quite easily. I think it's the most neutral and might be better for the HD-598. It's really too risky to recable the HD-598 too much though so I might just leave it as it is.
 
 
Quote:

Tdockweiler, could you post a picture or two of your recable HD598?  I'm curious to see how you did it.

 

 

[tdockweiler]

 
Quote:

The K240DF and DT48E-25 both offer a degree of clarity that can be very revealing of your music. I have an older DT48E-25 and if you think a DF sounds too cold and thin compared to the still rather warmish HD598 stock the DT48 will be a real shocker. The DT48E demands that you adjust to the headphone and find the right settings and even when you listen to music you have to be prepared because there is an inherent speed to the presentation of the DT48E.
 
Regarding the DF, I have one gathering dust and in a while I will either give it away or sell it. It is one of the headphones that made me realise the HD800 is overpriced for what it does. Even worse, if you think a HD598 is neutral you have fallen for the marketing language after you get used to a DF.

Thanks for the info. I think I may pass on the DT-48E, but it'd still be interesting to compare it to my new KRK KNS-6400 or the 8400.
 
BTW  I don't think anyone here has yet said the HD-598 is neutral and I don't think Sennheiser has tried to get people to think this either. Compared to some other Sennheiser headphones it is more neutral sounding though. I think it's quite balanced and smooth sounding, but not neutral. I don't think it's any less neutral than the HD-600 though.
 
Have you tried any of the KRK  headphones yet? I'm hoping someday to see more reviews of them online comparing them with other studio monitors. I'm hoping they can hold their own against the SRH-940 as a studio monitor, but maybe not. I've found the KRK KNS-6400 to have more detail than even my K601 and K702. I may do a review of it soon since I prefer it to the 8400 and it's $50 less.
 
 

 

[Alfonsomac]

Hi guys.
Some weeks ago, i wanted to buy this headphones. Then i saw the AKG K601 and i was really confused.
Which one should i buy? Which one is better?
I listen rock and Pink Floyd for the most of the time.
I never head a full size headphones so, for the moment, i can only choose them watching the aestetich.
 
Thanks!

 

[tdockweiler]

Quote:

That's really interesting. The biggest problem for me is that I don't trust myself to solder a new wire. Are the stock cables that bad? I had the idea that wires were another way to EQ headphones.
 

Yeah I didn't about 3 months ago, but now I'm getting pretty good. Luckily I haven't killed any headphones yet soldering. Unfortunately I think the stock Sennheiser HD-598 cable is not that good, but not terrible and really holds it back. In comparison the AKG stock cables of the K601 and K702 are quite good IMO. Even the HD-650 cable is quite decent.
 
As much as people hate this saying, but it really was like a night and day difference to my ears (due to the improved sound clarity). It still retains it's natural signature though, but seemed to give me the impression of improved bass. It just seemed to improve everything that was already there. The sound clarity is by far the biggest difference. By far the biggest difference I've heard from a recabled headphone. Even bigger than adding a new cable to the HD-650. I think the sound clarity is really effected by the stock cable a bit. I don't buy expensive wire, but maybe someday I'd like to try some Double Helix or Cardas.
 
Based on my experience, a headphone recable has never totally transformed a headphone's signature. When I put a Canare cable on the HD-650 it made the sound a lot less clear somehow and added too much mid-bass and reduced the treble but that was the one rare case where a headphone cable made me not like the results. Unfortunately it took me awhile to figure this out since it did add in more detail still.
 
Some headphones I've recabled offered no noticeable improvements. I only became a believer of cables when I attached a silver wire to my KSC75

I don't suggest that! I still think amps make a bigger difference in how a headphone sounds than cables do.
 
I do believe a cable can also effect a headphone's soundstage. Last night I tested a Canare cable on the K702 and it still had the internal wires and the soundstage sounded huge in comparison to the Mogami, stock and Guitar-Cable's AKG cable...what the heck?! Comparing K702 cables with the internal wires still in place is nearly impossible. I think I heard about an under 1% difference. That internal metal rod still uses thin wire to connect to the drivers. I think K702 cables are a waste of money unless you DIY for cheap or bypass the internal wires or what's the point? Canare seems to be a wire that adds the most bass to a headphone and I'm not a fan of that wire, but it's OK for the K702. I cringe to think of buying a $700 AKG cable without bypassing those internal wires. I'd never pay over $150 for a pre-made cable though.
 
I've been using the HD-598 for gaming a little more lately and they're still very good. I can see how someone would prefer them for gaming over the K601. The HD-598 most definitely has the most forward mids now for sure. It's quite nice for gaming because of this, but I usually just prefer the K601 when I don't always want all that detail right up in my face. For gaming, it's actually kind of difficult determining the difference in soundstage size between the K601 and HD-598. My new KRK 6400 is quite good for gaming too. It has such a good soundstage for being closed! I'll need to compare my 6400 to my HD-598 just for fun. The 6400 is far more revealing, more neutral, but still quite fun to listen to. Seems I've been listening to the 6400 about 90% of the time since I bought it. It might finally surpass my DJ100 as my favorite under $100, but I doubt it.
 

 

[tdockweiler]

If most of what you listen to is rock, then the HD-598 would be a better match.
It really depends on what other genres you like also. K601 is better for some and the 598 for others.
 
K601 isn't great for rock, but still quite good. I know for sure I prefer Pearl Jam on the K601 over the HD-598 from what I remember.
I think both would be just fine for both. I do think rock may be a bit more fun to listen to on the HD-598.
 
The K601 also needs a fairly powerful amp and the HD-598 is quite a bit easier to drive. Doesn't require an amp, but it's best to have one for it's bass.
 
Quote:

Hi guys.
Some weeks ago, i wanted to buy this headphones. Then i saw the AKG K601 and i was really confused.
Which one should i buy? Which one is better?
I listen rock and Pink Floyd for the most of the time.
I never head a full size headphones so, for the moment, i can only choose them watching the aestetich.
 
Thanks!

 

 

[ffdpmaggot]

how do the 598 stack up with the 595?

 

[Alfonsomac]

Well thanks for your post tdock.
However they almost have the same price (AKG 601 costs 30 euros more than 598).
I'm really a noob for what concern headphones, so i need help.
I listen Pink Floyd, Guns n' Roses, Beatles, Aerosmith, Metallica, Beach Boys, Dire Straits, Blues Brothers and someone newer like Radiohead, Coldplay, Red Hot, Wolfmother, Velvet Revolver, etc.
For this kind of music, which one is better in your opinion?
My sources are an iMac, an iPhone (AAC and FLAC) and MBP Pro in future.
 
P.S. Are the issues about cracks fixed in the last production of 598?
P.S.2: I read K601 sounds better with an amp and i don't think to buy it.
 
Thanks again.
 
 

 

[Deep Funk]

Quote:

Thanks for the info. I think I may pass on the DT-48E, but it'd still be interesting to compare it to my new KRK KNS-6400 or the 8400.
 
BTW  I don't think anyone here has yet said the HD-598 is neutral and I don't think Sennheiser has tried to get people to think this either. Compared to some other Sennheiser headphones it is more neutral sounding though. I think it's quite balanced and smooth sounding, but not neutral. I don't think it's any less neutral than the HD-600 though.
 
Have you tried any of the KRK  headphones yet? I'm hoping someday to see more reviews of them online comparing them with other studio monitors. I'm hoping they can hold their own against the SRH-940 as a studio monitor, but maybe not. I've found the KRK KNS-6400 to have more detail than even my K601 and K702. I may do a review of it soon since I prefer it to the 8400 and it's $50 less.

My apologies for my assumption. KRK, not interested for that would be headphone overkill and I prefer to decrease the headphone collection. 
 
Regarding Sennheiser and 'neutral': only the HD800 sounded right enough on the spot. What is even worse - subjective, I know - is that Sennheiser was close to perfection with the HD265 and they still managed to make a mess of it. As nice as the headphones you mentioned might be I do not care anymore since I discovered how older headphones were already there at some point. 
 
K601, HD598 and whatever is next: new things come and go...
 

 
 

 

[Digital-Pride]

Quote:

Well thanks for your post tdock.
However they almost have the same price (AKG 601 costs 30 euros more than 598).
I'm really a noob for what concern headphones, so i need help.
I listen Pink Floyd, Guns n' Roses, Beatles, Aerosmith, Metallica, Beach Boys, Dire Straits, Blues Brothers and someone newer like Radiohead, Coldplay, Red Hot, Wolfmother, Velvet Revolver, etc.
For this kind of music, which one is better in your opinion?
My sources are an iMac, an iPhone (AAC and FLAC) and MBP Pro in future.
 
P.S. Are the issues about cracks fixed in the last production of 598?
P.S.2: I read K601 sounds better with an amp and i don't think to buy it.
 
Thanks again.
 
 

According to Sennheiser, the HD598 no longer have the cracking issues that plagued the previous HD5X5 series.  Though, some of the first production run of HD5X8 did develop cracks, if that ever happens to you then Sennheiser fixes it free of charge. 
 
Since, this is your first quality full-size headphone, I would suggest going with the HD598, as Tdockweiler stated it's much easier to drive(can be played from an ipod with no issues) than the K601.  I think its sonic presentation works well with most music genres.

 

[wind016]

Quote:

Quote:
My apologies for my assumption. KRK, not interested for that would be headphone overkill and I prefer to decrease the headphone collection. 
 
Regarding Sennheiser and 'neutral': only the HD800 sounded right enough on the spot. What is even worse - subjective, I know - is that Sennheiser was close to perfection with the HD265 and they still managed to make a mess of it. As nice as the headphones you mentioned might be I do not care anymore since I discovered how older headphones were already there at some point. 
 
K601, HD598 and whatever is next: new things come and go...
 

 
 

I enjoyed your review of the AKGs, Pioneers, and various other headphones. Which headphone did you consider the most neutral? A head-fi member told me that the Pioneer Monitor 10 sounds tonally similar to the Audio Technica W11R and only costing a few dollars.
 
Older headphones definitely are great values, but my review is in regards to still production headphones though. If I could, I would like to search out the gems from the past. I will most likely prefer those to the new headphones. Sometimes I think I'm too critical when it comes to headphones, but in reality, I just want a nice balanced midrange even at the cost of extension. However, I'll keep an open mind about new or old headphones. I would prefer to have still in production headphones due to replacement issues with out of production ones.

 

[wind016]

Quote:

Why the heck would they color it that way, jeez

 
Sennheiser thought audiophiles like to role-play as cars.

 

[Rawrbington]

ive been told the 598s have the same guts as the 595s
anybody know if theres any validity to that?
or if someone was just spouting nonsense?

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

The very few who have heard both have stated the HD598 is a noticeable improvement over the 595, so these rumors about them being the same are false.

 

[Deep Funk]

Good vintage Pioneers, Sony headphones etcetera are still to be found but have a flaw, relative rarity and do not expect to get wowed. Some of these oldies require a more than decent set up to shine, especially regarding amplification.
 
Wind016, of the "Impressions and comparisons..."-thread I prefer my Pioneer Monitor 10R overall, DT48E-25 for the midrange and the Pioneer Monitor 10 for it was my first vintage headphone, an impressive one at that. Even so a CD900ST can equally rock your headphone world: the way it cuts the music to pieces is impressive. Neutral depends on headphone manufacturer since each one seems to have a different flavour and I prefer the more Japanese variant with the DT48-midrange. 
 
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