[Johan in Brabant]

No DC on the output of the laptop.
Will not check for HF instability for now because if there was any I would doubt there would be enough power to destroy the 600 ohm drivers (and cannot be bothered to hook up my scope).
Feel free to correct my assumption
 
Cheers,
Johan
 
 
PS took this opportunity to clean and refresh pads on a Philips N6330 (AKG 240 Sextett) I acquired recently. Will do for now.

 

[moriez]

  Left driver of my HD-540 died again....
Please contact me if you have a 600 ohm driver or know where to buy one.
 
Thanks in advance
 
Johan

 
There's a 600 ohm 540 for sale on eBay now:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/TOP-SENNHEISER-HD-540-Reference-Kopfhorer-in-OVP-Adapter-neue-Ohrpolster-/261938682430?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77&hash=item3cfcc31a3e

 

[Johan in Brabant]

   
There's a 600 ohm 540 for sale on eBay now:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/TOP-SENNHEISER-HD-540-Reference-Kopfhorer-in-OVP-Adapter-neue-Ohrpolster-/261938682430?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77&hash=item3cfcc31a3e

 
Thanks very much for this.
As I'm only in need of a driver, I'm not going to buy a complete set.
 
This ad and similar ones don't show up in my ebay.nl searches so good to know I better start at ebay.de.
 
Cheers and thanks
Johan

 

[saoaaa]

Reference and reference gold are the same? Seriously?
 
I would say that they are similar in the overall sound signature, but ref golds are definitely better(and to me the best). If really the only difference is the hand-matching driver business, then I have to say it works great!

 
BTW I've been looking for the original pads for 540 ref/ref gold. Please contact me if you have spare ones available! Thanks!
 
(Yes, the very original ones, not those used on ref II's, let alone those on HD250s and HD430s).

 

[vid]

  Reference and reference gold are the same? Seriously?
I would say that they are similar in the overall sound signature, but ref golds are definitely better(and to me the best). If really the only difference is the hand-matching driver business, then I have to say it works great!

 
Certainly not the only difference. The prestige word 'gold' in the name, the luxurious carrying case, and the exorbitant price are likely bigger factors here than any driver matching. Measurements'll work a treat to clarify, here.

 

[saoaaa]

   
Certainly not the only difference. The prestige word 'gold' in the name, the luxurious carrying case, and the exorbitant price are likely bigger factors here than any driver matching. Measurements'll work a treat to clarify, here.

Have you ever tried to compare them side by side? With both being 600ohm old version (and same earpads, with foam discs etc)?
 
For ref gold, though with all the "fancy" features that you've mentioned, it is not a "limited edition" item as the rumor goes but rather anther mass production by sennheiser.
 
To me they're even a bit harder to drive than ref I.
 
And yes, one can be very happy with the 540 refs alone, paying more than three times the price for getting ref golds will probably let him down because the difference in sounding is not as significant as the difference in price.
 
From 540 ref to ref gold, you're not getting a greater quality or higher resolution, but rather a refined timbre. Does it worth the money? It depends. The more money we invest, the less improvement we're getting, such rule can be applied here.

 

[o0CosmoMemory0o]

I once compared a 600 Ohm Reference I against a (300 Ohm) Reference II, from the same source playing simultaneously. The two were very close indeed and I couldn't decide whether the Reference I sounded slightly better or just slightly different. It was a very subtle difference but I could not decide which one I preferred, not even after a long listening session, so I concluded that they were equally capable. If the Ref I really does sound better than the II, the difference is surely tiny, in the same way that small differences between various Ref II driver pairs can also be heard. Ref Gold uses the same transducer design, calibration and construction techniques so will inevitably sound almost the same, I think, although I don't know for sure. I have used quite a few HD540s over the last year though.

 

[almac66]

Hi all, first post here so bear with me. I've rediscovered my old HD540s (I guess their ref 1 as I bought them about 1982). Joy. However the earpads have disintegrated... scanning a few posts and contacting some suppliers I get that:
 
1) The HD540 pads and HD250 equivalents are no longer available.
2) That some alternatives can be used...so
 
Can I get the latest/definitive answer on replacement pads. Can HD560 or HD430 pads be used if modded etc. What options are there for replacements ? I'm in the UK.
 
Also the material covering the driver at the outside (just internal of the ear cup) doesn't look great  - does that need replacing ?
 
Thanks so much. Putting these on triggers so many memories.
 
Cheers
 
Al

 

[saoaaa]

  Hi all, first post here so bear with me. I've rediscovered my old HD540s (I guess their ref 1 as I bought them about 1982). Joy. However the earpads have disintegrated... scanning a few posts and contacting some suppliers I get that:
 
1) The HD540 pads and HD250 equivalents are no longer available.
2) That some alternatives can be used...so
 
Can I get the latest/definitive answer on replacement pads. Can HD560 or HD430 pads be used if modded etc. What options are there for replacements ? I'm in the UK.
 
Also the material covering the driver at the outside (just internal of the ear cup) doesn't look great  - does that need replacing ?
 
Thanks so much. Putting these on triggers so many memories.
 
Cheers
 
Al

 
The HD430 pads will work, and is actually the "official" replacement pads for HD540 declared by sennheiser after the discontinuity of the original ones. Those on HD560 wouldn't fit.
 
However, depends on how bad the condition of your pads is, I would say try not to replace those as the sound will be different.
 
The foam discs are still available by manufacturer, just clean up the remains of the old ones and place the new ones inside.

 

[o0CosmoMemory0o]

I have kept a few pairs of attachment rings for anyone who wishes to modify HD560 pads to use with the HD540.
 
If you want my honest opinion about using HD250 or HD430 pads with the HD540 headphone, don't use them... Both of these earpad types are designed for use with a closed capsule design and really butcher the HD540 performance, to my ears. If you dissect both of these pad types, you will see that they have thick fabric layers to make them acoustically inert by providing high damping of any sound, to prevent any sound leakage. This confines the dispersion sphere of sound to each ear, greatly reducing the stereo image size.
 
For best results, use the original pad or a HD540II velvet pad, gut the old foam out carefully, clean the skin thoroughly, put in a new doughnut shaped foam then stitch up. Gives the best result at the lowest price, I think.

 

[almac66]

Thanks both for the advice... the trouble I have is that the velour is disintegrated from the pad where it touches the head; like wearing sandpaper. So whereas I could refoam the pads I need new velour. As an aside, doesn't changing the foam also change the sound ? Or is there specific type of foam to use & not just standard memory foam ?

 

[custino]

IMO, senn HD 560-2 Vs HD 540-2 :
 
hello I'm french and my english is bad...if you don't understand, I can try to reformulate.
well, it is not very difficult to determine difference between these two headphone. they are very different in term of sound signature. however almost same aspect and both very very very comfortable.
 
Compared to 560, maybe 540 have better dynamic and attack. So mediator attack on guitar chord, for exemple, are better perceived than 560. 560 have got a little more bass response and bass presence. deep bass. instrument separation and scene are both good, but 560 is upper because of terrible spatialisation.
what is wrong with 540 : treble and high-mid ascent, unpleasant. a lot of coloration, dirty grain compared to 560 which is totally perfect in term of timbre respect and purity of sound and response curve regularity. in those point, 560 erase 540. 540 is always dirty and draft and bad with difficult passage (message?). with marc beacco "tomato soup" album, we must take 560 to recognise flic on a switch. it is impossible with 540, too draft. 560 give all all all detail. clearly. but 540 mask frequency and detail because of mid projection.
the only defect very fastidious people could find on 560 : too sweet, soft, smooth.
however, 540 is not a bad bad headphone. reserved to those who prefer dynamic sound to timbre respect. 540 is quickly tiring for long time listening. but some people could like his coloration, why not ? In that way french horn sound good.

 

[o0CosmoMemory0o]

I compared several pairs of restored HD540II and HD560II against each other several months back and I made completely the opposite conclusion. I felt that both these models sound almost identical in bass, midrange and treble. The same neutral, uncoloured tonality. HD540 did sound more spatial and less closed though. I listened carefully to their bass responses, side-by-side, and the HD560 did not actually reproduce lower frequencies in greater quantity, as I suspected/predicted that they might. Both went equally low with an almost identical roll-off; listening by ear anyway. HD560 tonal accuracy was equal to that of the HD540 as well. I spent a lot of time giving the HD560 more chances (further listening sessions), just in case they did somehow end up beating the HD540 but they didn't and they eventually went to new owners, who were very pleased with them.

 

[Johan in Brabant]

   
As I'm only in need of a driver, I'm not going to buy a complete set.

 
Managed to source a 600 ohm HD-540 with 2 functioning drivers but otherwise in rough shape for close to beer money.
Picked up an Unipolar 2000 along the way.
So I'm good for now.
 
Cheers,
Johan

 

[custino]

well,
o0CosmoMemory0o when I read your post, my first reaction was : this guy is joking. especially when you re talking about spatialisation of 540 better than 560. because when I listened 540 first and then 560, I said for myself : wow, it breathe!
second reaction, I said to myself : not sure but maybe my 540 have a problem. for exemple I suspect earbud (auricle? earpiece)'s foam was cooked. so I take old 560 earpiece I had stuffed with foam some years ago, before I get new.


clip are not the same between 560 and 540 but it's ok, tight.
I listen and I must indeed admit treble is less agressive and there is subjectively more bass, striking. more striking than 560 as I said in my precedent post. it is pleasant.
foam circle pad is absent too. china command. I will got in 3 weeks. I will do another comparison again. not sure yet 540 is better than 560, I wouldn't say that, but it is better like this, yeah.