[dakanao]

HD 540 Gold with wang pleathers stuffed with foam rings, lightest option Mogami 2893 cable made by Triton Audio Cables + Chord Mojo and Audioquest Jitterbug (makes the Mojo more analogue sounding with more bass impact, not lacking anymore!) is my endgame setup. As natural and balanced as you can get.

I also have a 2012 HD 650 when I'm in the mood for more bass punch. You don't really need anymore than those 2 headphones, except if you value subbass extension and impact (which there still is a bit of subbass with the HD 650, just not greatly extended)

 

[bode]

... The price could be low because no one cares about them old Sennheisers, except for us here in this thread?

I've done it again, got sucked into a massive long thread and bought more audio. I'm in the club!

Just have to refrain from many vintage headphone purchases.

 

[dakanao]

The thing with the bass of the HD 540 is, even though it gets stronger with the wang pads, it's never boomy or overbearing.

 

[sennsay]

The thing with the bass of the HD 540 is, even though it gets stronger with the wang pads, it's never boomy or overbearing.

Agreed entirely. I will be buying another pair of these pads as spares, the current ones get a hiding as the Ref1s are always my goto cans. Even when I enjoy brief periods with the HE400S and MDR-1R's, I always go back to the Ref1s, that natural fluidity is unbeatable. Pads will remain stock though, faffing around with pad material is not something I want to do, they are plenty comfortable enough for me

 

[dakanao]

Agreed entirely. I will be buying another pair of these pads as spares, the current ones get a hiding as the Ref1s are always my goto cans. Even when I enjoy brief periods with the HE400S and MDR-1R's, I always go back to the Ref1s, that natural fluidity is unbeatable. Pads will remain stock though, faffing around with pad material is not something I want to do, they are plenty comfortable enough for me

I think the Beyerdynamic DT 250 - 250 Ohm is cleaner and more refined sounding than the HD 540 Gold, but the tight clamp fatigues my right ear. The only things the HD 540 beat them at is comfort, soundstage and imaging.

Doesn't mean the HD 540 Gold are bad in anyway far from it, it's just the DT 250 is that refined.

 

[sennsay]

I think the Beyerdynamic DT 250 - 250 Ohm is cleaner and more refined sounding than the HD 540 Gold, but the tight clamp fatigues my right ear. The only things the HD 540 beat them at is comfort, soundstage and imaging.

Doesn't mean the HD 540 Gold are bad in anyway far from it, it's just the DT 250 is that refined.

Only comfort, sound staging and imaging, eh? That's quite a lot! I haven't heard or owned the DT250's to comment on that one, dakanao, though I do know that the Ref1's can become even more stunning now that I have the Elekit TU 8500 preamp connected to my hotrod h/phone amp. They don't change their basic greatness (heh heh), just show that they are capable of yet more transparency than I'd experienced before. Maybe I'll find a pair of DT250's one day and find out for myself what they might be like.

 

[Miori]

Not really able to explain in english...Sorry.
The main quality of Hd540 Is that wearing them Is like to be in a sound stage...headphones really disappear.. instruments are located so far from you in a right distance, reverberation helps you to Imagine the space around instruments and be lost into this soundstage like to see the players playing in front of you... everything Is so Natural each instrument plays as it should do.

 

[Miori]

When I bought my Ref.1 I've been so lucky to find them in really good shape, I'd tell like new. Pads were still not soft like the worn I had in another pair RefII I had before. This like-new pads really give me this feeling I tryed to describe before. I have Wang pleather and also DT880 velour pads (simply horrible) and with Wang I really likes the timbre of instruments that change in Better (more warm and solid sound) What I Lost with It Is the stage-like effect, instruments became nearer, reverberation not as clear as before and so not possible to be lost in soundstage as I used to be.
When I called boomy (not really a lot) bass with Wang I was meaning that I was loosing the Natural equilibrium of these gems.

 

[dakanao]

Only comfort, sound staging and imaging, eh? That's quite a lot! I haven't heard or owned the DT250's to comment on that one, dakanao, though I do know that the Ref1's can become even more stunning now that I have the Elekit TU 8500 preamp connected to my hotrod h/phone amp. They don't change their basic greatness (heh heh), just show that they are capable of yet more transparency than I'd experienced before. Maybe I'll find a pair of DT250's one day and find out for myself what they might be like.

Yeah. The mids and highs of the DT 250 are even more fluid, natural and smooth than the HD 540 Gold, and this was even with my cheaper older Geek Out 450 amp/DAC. Quite a mind blowing headphone actually. The bass, while very tight and controlled, may be too much in quantity if you don't want anymore than the HD 540s bass.

Subbass extension is WAY better though, they don't roll-off at all and have good energy in the deepest regions.

 

[sennsay]

When I bought my Ref.1 I've been so lucky to find them in really good shape, I'd tell like new. Pads were still not soft like the worn I had in another pair RefII I had before. This like-new pads really give me this feeling I tryed to describe before. I have Wang pleather and also DT880 velour pads (simply horrible) and with Wang I really likes the timbre of instruments that change in Better (more warm and solid sound) What I Lost with It Is the stage-like effect, instruments became nearer, reverberation not as clear as before and so not possible to be lost in soundstage as I used to be.
When I called boomy (not really a lot) bass with Wang I was meaning that I was loosing the Natural equilibrium of these gems.

Various electronics will make a difference too. You can actually have all of the above with the wang pleather pads, the intimacy of closeness yet with great detail and communication, along with the very open soundstage and fine ambient detail that just decays into clean dark space. It's taken me a while to get all of that together though and the valve preamp brings even more of that to the party. I have no 'bass boom' whatsoever, though I can imagine with some gear it could appear (be) like that (I did not experience the finest bass quality with the Valhalla 2 amp, for instance), yet the bass here is very linear, warm, taut and rhythmically alive at the same time, soundstage with superb height that extends well above ear level top and bottom. Wicked dynamic swings with the said valve preamp!

 

[RogueWolfe]

News from the Rabbit hole. Look what came in the mail today...

never used!

 

[Miori]

News from the Rabbit hole. Look what came in the mail today...

never used!

Seems It Is going to start a nice sunday for you.
Very nice you found in so good shape but remember to buuuurn in It.
Then we wait for to know What you think between these and your hd540. Hi

 

[myusernameislove]

I like HD540 more then HD800. HD800s is tonally a bit darker, yet I still prefer HD540 to both of them. They accentuate clarity and are a bit lifeless. Utopia and Empyrean is different story. I had only few minutes to try these and conditions were not ideal, but I guess I could enjoy them equally to HD540, but maybe in more genres due to their fuller sound and more bass heavy character. Closed back Focal Stellia (new 3000eur closed back monster) would be ideal headphone to own aside of HD540. It is a definitively fun headphone technically on the same level as HD820 but it is so much more fun, delicate and incredibly fast. So if a person seeks three headphones only, it would be, for me, 1st HD540 for openness and clarity (acoustic, rock, jazz etc.), 2nd one would be general good sounding open headphone (lots of competition there - from HD600 to Amiron Home or some magnetoplanar) and third woud be that incredible Stellia. HD250 Linear 1 is well sounding closed back can as well, but it suits only some genres because it is even brighter than HD540. I call it HD540 in closed form. Stellia on the other side is full bodied and not bright at all, yet it is very well flavoured headphone and speed monster. Still both HD540 and HD250 Linear 1 have its firm place in my collection. Place of HD540 is even firmer - I do not plan to replace it at all, even with something as Utopia. But as far as closed back headphone with fun sound approach goes - there is nothing on this planet that sounds as good as Stellia to my ears. Maybe eventually in year or two I may buy one.

ps my Linear 2 is fine for watching movies and listening to metal. It has more bass, that is actually very nice, but it has weird mids and space presentation. There may be some variations on sound of different revisions of this model, so yours may sound differently.

I would like someone to compare Linear 1, DT150, DT250 and DT1770.

 

[RogueWolfe]

Seems It Is going to start a nice sunday for you.
Very nice you found in so good shape but remember to buuuurn in It.
Then we wait for to know What you think between these and your hd540. Hi

Thank you! I have a feeling it definitely needs some burn in. But so far I definitely prefer the 540... Soundstage is more open, timbre is different.

ps my Linear 2 is fine for watching movies and listening to metal. It has more bass, that is actually very nice, but it has weird mids and space presentation. There may be some variations on sound of different revisions of this model, so yours may sound differently.

That's actually pretty accurate for my first impressions. I didn't listen long though, too much family stuff going on on the weekend. I brought them to work, which is where I mostly plan to use them. Paitently waiting for my Fiio to charge...

 

[myusernameislove]

Alright, I went the clever vintage road again and purchaded mint condition DT48a + pads. Hopefully it will complement my collection nicely. I plan to use it instead of hd250 linear 1 in office and maybe instead of my iem on the go.

I will also sell some of my vintage Sennheisers if someone is interested (hd560 ovation 2, hd250 linear 2, hd265 linear, hd565 ovation.. to name a few).