[jon parker]

I bought an O2 amp for exactly the same reason, to use for reference. It is a must have in that regard!
I haven't given the 430's a full test. I just threw on some velour pads and put in my PC!
I swopped the headband with my 250's headband as it was somewhat n shaped :/
I think its fair to say they are the younger sibling of the 540...in a good way
Maybe you could say they are TOTL 'HiFi quality' headphones from that time that Sennheiser then went on to make their infamous 'Reference quality' 540

I'll have to play around with my 250's with some 'bass test tracks' - I love them out of a tube amp so already the bass will be somewhat 'warmed up' to a
lesser or greater degree although the tubes Im using are far more reference sounding than the majority of the other ones I tried . . .
. . . so many variables !
Also, Im not really looking to the 250's in any way as a reference headphone so I haven't been listening to them with my reference ears!
just my everyday audiophile ears
I did use the 540's yesterday in the studio to monitor some female vocals and they were very nice...although maybe a little bit TOO nice

 

[quimbo]

@jon parker, thank you for the info on the foam, I ordered a pair and also have a set of the 2 Ohrpolster passend an Sennheiser HD 250 linear u. HD 250 Linear II HD250 II on the way.

On a related note, I have been playing with tubes in my Lyr 3 Headphone amp. Last night I put on the new Davis Coltrane Release - The Final Tour: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 6 - and the HD540 Ref I really shine with this type of music.

 

[jon parker]

@jon parker, thank you for the info on the foam, I ordered a pair and also have a set of the 2 Ohrpolster passend an Sennheiser HD 250 linear u. HD 250 Linear II HD250 II on the way.

On a related note, I have been playing with tubes in my Lyr 3 Headphone amp. Last night I put on the new Davis Coltrane Release - The Final Tour: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 6 - and the HD540 Ref I really shine with this type of music.

Sweeeet - I can recommend trying loads of different tubes until you find one that works for you and your set up - The ones I have ended up with, I will be using exclusively from now on. I went through another run of trying different tubes I have bought but none of them are good as my current ones so I made a bulk sale of them on ebay

 

[Greendriver]

Love my 540's. The most relaxing and comfortable headphones in my collection

 

[quimbo]

Sweeeet - I can recommend trying loads of different tubes until you find one that works for you and your set up - The ones I have ended up with, I will be using exclusively from now on. I went through another run of trying different tubes I have bought but none of them are good as my current ones so I made a bulk sale of them on ebay

I have purchased about 8 tubes in the past month. Just got 2 NOS FOTON from Bulgaria today at the Post Office. Been a lot of fun exploring

 

[sennsay]

@jon parker, thank you for the info on the foam, I ordered a pair and also have a set of the 2 Ohrpolster passend an Sennheiser HD 250 linear u. HD 250 Linear II HD250 II on the way.

On a related note, I have been playing with tubes in my Lyr 3 Headphone amp. Last night I put on the new Davis Coltrane Release - The Final Tour: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 6 - and the HD540 Ref I really shine with this type of music.

Yes indeedy, I haven't listened to my Ref1s for two weeks now and I'm missing the magic, time to reassemble The new bits for the HD250s will be here over the next week or two and by that time the HD430s might have turned up as well. They actually have new original leather/pleather pads on them, the whole kit really does look in excellent condition. And now that I have just received another tip that the HD202 h/band fits the 250s just fine, I can look for a cheap pair of HD202s and use them instead of pulling the Ref1s apart again.
Will keep y'all posted when the new bits and bobs come together.
I think I have plenty to keep me going for the time being without going down the tube route again, even though I have some very nice toobs to play with, if not a lot (probably a good thing!). I like the Project Ember kit!

 

[sennsay]

I bought an O2 amp for exactly the same reason, to use for reference. It is a must have in that regard!
I haven't given the 430's a full test. I just threw on some velour pads and put in my PC!
I swopped the headband with my 250's headband as it was somewhat n shaped :/
I think its fair to say they are the younger sibling of the 540...in a good way
Maybe you could say they are TOTL 'HiFi quality' headphones from that time that Sennheiser then went on to make their infamous 'Reference quality' 540

I'll have to play around with my 250's with some 'bass test tracks' - I love them out of a tube amp so already the bass will be somewhat 'warmed up' to a
lesser or greater degree although the tubes Im using are far more reference sounding than the majority of the other ones I tried . . .
. . . so many variables !
Also, Im not really looking to the 250's in any way as a reference headphone so I haven't been listening to them with my reference ears!
just my everyday audiophile ears
I did use the 540's yesterday in the studio to monitor some female vocals and they were very nice...although maybe a little bit TOO nice

Well, I almost sighed, since the HD430s are another 600 ohm headphone, so they're restricted at this stage to the Magni 3. I am now wondering how that really lovely Mimby ladder DAC might go with an O2 on the other end ....... just curious now .... I don't really need the O2, it has quite a bit less power then the Magni 3 ..... still more intrigued by the Project Ember 2.

 

[rodel808]

The past meets the present. The 540G sounds so much more musically and enjoyable. That sound stage on the hd800s though...

 

[jon parker]

Yes indeedy, I haven't listened to my Ref1s for two weeks now and I'm missing the magic, time to reassemble The new bits for the HD250s will be here over the next week or two and by that time the HD430s might have turned up as well. They actually have new original leather/pleather pads on them, the whole kit really does look in excellent condition. And now that I have just received another tip that the HD202 h/band fits the 250s just fine, I can look for a cheap pair of HD202s and use them instead of pulling the Ref1s apart again.
Will keep y'all posted when the new bits and bobs come together.
I think I have plenty to keep me going for the time being without going down the tube route again, even though I have some very nice toobs to play with, if not a lot (probably a good thing!). I like the Project Ember kit!

Thanks for the unintentional heads up! I forgot I still had the original pads from my HD 430 - Put them on the 540 Ref 1 and Yup I see what you mean now about your comments relating to the bass of the 250. I don't have a problem at all with the bass of the 250 + German pads but . . . With the 430 pads on the version 1 540 the actual (original pads) unique quality is back - Listening to Band of Gypsies live, the bass sounds like it is coming out of a large on stage stack...as it should
Its hard to say as they have quite different characters but the version 1 reference 540 (with the ridged headband) is a lot cleaner sounding with a more qualified more impactful richer bass than the later 540 version. The later version of the 540 though is still super sweet. To use an analogy - you could say the original 540 with 430 pads as like solid state where as later 540 with velour pads is more tube like
Its funny, whenever I go from 250 to velour 540 I always feel a bit 'arggghh' thats nice. Instantly sounds softer, easier on the ears BUT when Im listening to the 250's I love their sound and find it hard to take them off once I start listening to them!
Anyway, Im really happy with the 430 original pads on the version 1 540 as the 3 versions I have all now have their own quite unique sound. I ordered a new pair of 430 pads from Sennheiser. Will be interesting if they sound the same as the originals?

 

[quimbo]

My Ohrpolster pads for the250 arrived today. I swapped them out, and also put in a new old tube (Westinghouse 6SN7 GTB) into my Lyr 3. The bass on the 250's is dramatically improved with these pads. I can only imagine what adding the foam mentioned above will do. i was ready to sell these a few weeks ago, I will be keeping them and they may replace the HD 540 Ref 1s at home as my everyday set

 

[jon parker]

My Ohrpolster pads for the250 arrived today. I swapped them out, and also put in a new old tube (Westinghouse 6SN7 GTB) into my Lyr 3. The bass on the 250's is dramatically improved with these pads. I can only imagine what adding the foam mentioned above will do. i was ready to sell these a few weeks ago, I will be keeping them and they may replace the HD 540 Ref 1s at home as my everyday set

Phew! crisis averted - SO glad you waited to hear them with the Orpo pads.
I think I would have been genuinely saddened [for you] had you sold them !!
When you first reported being 'disappointed' with them I was a bit perplexed. Now we know why. Great to have confirmed such aspects of headphone usage

 

[sennsay]

Thanks for the unintentional heads up! I forgot I still had the original pads from my HD 430 - Put them on the 540 Ref 1 and Yup I see what you mean now about your comments relating to the bass of the 250. I don't have a problem at all with the bass of the 250 + German pads but . . . With the 430 pads on the version 1 540 the actual (original pads) unique quality is back - Listening to Band of Gypsies live, the bass sounds like it is coming out of a large on stage stack...as it should
Its hard to say as they have quite different characters but the version 1 reference 540 (with the ridged headband) is a lot cleaner sounding with a more qualified more impactful richer bass than the later 540 version. The later version of the 540 though is still super sweet. To use an analogy - you could say the original 540 with 430 pads as like solid state where as later 540 with velour pads is more tube like
Its funny, whenever I go from 250 to velour 540 I always feel a bit 'arggghh' thats nice. Instantly sounds softer, easier on the ears BUT when Im listening to the 250's I love their sound and find it hard to take them off once I start listening to them!
Anyway, Im really happy with the 430 original pads on the version 1 540 as the 3 versions I have all now have their own quite unique sound. I ordered a new pair of 430 pads from Sennheiser. Will be interesting if they sound the same as the originals?

Yes, I agree entirely with the valve versus SS sound differences, I may have described it exactly as such a few weeks ago. Back into my Ref1s last night and my experience was just as you ascribe Katie Melua's first album sounding quite delicious. I still really enjoyed what I heard from the HD250s, there was a new level of midrange and rear-of-stage detail that I've never heard before. Looking forward to getting them in better shape and their own headband!

 

[sennsay]

My Ohrpolster pads for the250 arrived today. I swapped them out, and also put in a new old tube (Westinghouse 6SN7 GTB) into my Lyr 3. The bass on the 250's is dramatically improved with these pads. I can only imagine what adding the foam mentioned above will do. i was ready to sell these a few weeks ago, I will be keeping them and they may replace the HD 540 Ref 1s at home as my everyday set

Hah hah! Awesome I may end up buying a second set of those pads yet. Or two. I must search around to see if I can find some of those genuine convex foam inners.

 

[sennsay]

Phew! crisis averted - SO glad you waited to hear them with the Orpo pads.
I think I would have been genuinely saddened [for you] had you sold them !!
When you first reported being 'disappointed' with them I was a bit perplexed. Now we know why. Great to have confirmed such aspects of headphone usage

Basically the same reason I don't want to sell off the HD6xx, they show some nice qualities from time to time, yet I'm not thrilled with them. They need better pads! HM5s

 

[sennsay]

So, lads, we've been talking HM5 pads a number of times and I'm looking to buy some for the HD6xx as well as Ref1s. Anyone had some experience with HM5s on them? There seems to be two types, fenestrated leather/velour (#10 version) or the all leather/pleather #1s. What concerns me is the height, they are way 'deeper' than the stock velour Senn pads, which will affect soundstage possibly significantly, nearly twice as deep. Any experienced comments are welcome before I push the go button. Cheers!