[Aulait]

The three musketeers... HD540I with HD540 original earpads, with HD 560 Ovation earpads and with HD 250 Linear earpads !!! 
Which is the best? 

 

 

[Aulait]

The third place for ... HD 560 Ovation earpads-Small stage, poor location, nice vocals (a little sweet), weak bass. 
 
The second place for ... HD 250 Linear earpads-Improved scene, accurate location, slim / revoked but nice vocals, strong bass sometimes a little uncontrolled in the lower range. 
 
And... ladies and gentlemen!... the winner is ... the HD 540 I original earpads-great scene, great location, nice vocals, powerful bass, the lower registers also fast! 

 
German experts know how to do it !

 

[Hairspray]

  How did you make an O2 stack like that? I don't get it!
And I love the 90 degree jack for the power switch! 

 
Just use 4 (or more) of those lil plastic guys (they are uber-cheap, very sticky, soft, slip-proof and can be found almost everywhere). Your O2/ODAC combo tower will now be earthquake proofed 

(btw, they came stock with my Swiss made "Head 'N' Hifi Walter" ODAC -> www.headnhifi.com)
 

 
 
"Objective2" bottom

 
 
Regarding the 90 degree jack, i have to admit that it is indeed VERY convenient.
The cable with its 90 degree jack came stock with my Vanson 9V-24V AC/AC adaptor.
 

 

 
same combo in silver (front plates are changeable in like 3 minutes)

 

[Hairspray]

  The three musketeers... HD540I with HD540 original earpads, with HD 560 Ovation earpads and with HD 250 Linear earpads !!! 
Which is the best? 

 

 
your pics are all amazing, thx for sharing.
your Senns look like new btw
put in cryonic storage or something?

 
i hope i will find some time to post pics of my FOUR musketeers before the weekend.

 

[Hairspray]

.

 

[Hairspray]

 

  The third place for ... HD 560 Ovation earpads-Small stage, poor location, nice vocals (a little sweet), weak bass. 
 
The second place for ... HD 250 Linear earpads-Improved scene, accurate location, slim / revoked but nice vocals, strong bass sometimes a little uncontrolled in the lower range. 
 
And... ladies and gentlemen!... the winner is ... the HD 540 I original earpads-great scene, great location, nice vocals, powerful bass, the lower registers also fast! 

 
German experts know how to do it !

 
Sennheiser HD 540 Reference I 600 ohms I bet ?

 

[Mjolnir125]

Also in case anyone is having trouble finding the OEM cable for this series of headphones, it is the 37974 cable:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/547688-REG/Sennheiser_H_37974_PX_4_H_37974PX4_Replacement_Cable_w_PX_4.html
 
That is the actual Sennheiser OEM part, so you don't have to screw around with filing down an HD600 cable or anything like that.

 

[vid]

Another way to get the cable - at a reasonable price - is to look for a beat-up second-hand pair of one of the many models that use it (there are more than what B&H have listed there).

 

[Mjolnir125]

  Another way to get the cable - at a reasonable price - is to look for a beat-up second-hand pair of one of the many models that use it (there are more than what B&H have listed there).

Yeah the BH listing is not all inclusive, which was one of the reasons it took me a while to find. Other sites have the same cable for sale with the HD540 listed but for $10 more in most cases.
 
You can also call up Sennheiser; they still stock that cable.

 

[Aulait]

   
your pics are all amazing, thx for sharing.
your Senns look like new btw
put in cryonic storage or something?

 
i hope i will find some time to post pics of my FOUR musketeers before the weekend.

Thanks Hairspray. 

 
I like to take pictures 

 

 

[Aulait]

   
Sennheiser HD 540 Reference I 600 ohms I bet ?

 
Yes, I listened to the version 600 Ohm

 

[Aulait]

   
Assuming the HD 600 are reasonably priced, which they aren't....
 
I keep going on about this as a sanity check, but while I haven't heard the HD 540, I have the HD 530, which I've seen people describe both as (a) better than the HD 540 and (b) identical to the HD 540. So I assume the HD 530 aren't much worse than the HD 540, in any case. I got them for 25 euros, which is about high-ish average for this model, and that's about what I'd reasonably pay for the sound. They do sound nice, and I like the timbre, but their problem is that they don't have the refinement you get in a planar magnetic of the same price and vintage - though some amount of modding is required. Even going up to 130, the Stax SR-5 go for about that much - you get electrostat sound that needs no modding and would be a better choice over the HD 530.  Heck, you'll get a few pairs of the Sennheiser Unipolar stats for that money, and while they need lots of modding, they blow the HD 530 out of the water.
 
People will pay 100+ for these Senns if they want to, and I've indeed not heard the HD 540 specifically, but...

I have HD 540 and HD 530 II.
In my opinion, HD 540 I are better.
 

 

[Aulait]

 
 
Queue ... and it's not the end 

 

[vid]

  I have HD 540 and HD 530 II.
In my opinion, HD 540 I are better.

 
Never heard the 530 II. How's a sine sweep sound on both the 540 and the 530 II - does one have e.g. a notably elevated treble relative to the other model?

 

[Aulait]

   
Never heard the 530 II. How's a sine sweep sound on both the 540 and the 530 II - does one have e.g. a notably elevated treble relative to the other model?

HD 530 II are very good. Excellent for vocal music (better than HD 540 I). They have a beautiful, accurate and natural mids, but they lack bass and lower speed. Drums is "a paper", "drowsy / sleepy" lacks the energy, tempo and  lower of bass
  HD 540 I are much faster, have powerful lower end bass and "kick". The bass is more rich in color. Snare, foot percussion sound natural, dynamic, fast with the pace. HD 540 and have more air, better space, are more versatile. HD 540 sound more dynamic, rhythmic with more expression.