[Hairspray]

And for those of you who aren't sure if your original HD540 is 300 ohm vs. 600 ohm, even if it's not marked on the outside of your housing, the impedance is stamped into the plastic on the inside of the driver assembly. To see it, remove the earpad and the thin foam layer.

Oh man, thx so much for this information.
It was a pain in the @ss... I needed a torchlight and a magnifying glass. But I can now confirm that:

1) the headband is NOT an "ohm criteria"

2) my HD 540 Ref I are 600 ohms, which I would guess is a pretty rare version of these magical heaphones (I also checked my 540 Ref II and they indeed are "only" 300 ohms).

I guess I finally know why my 540 Ref I are IMO easily superior to my Ref II, Ovation I and Ovation II in terms of timbre, soundstage and imaging,
It may have nothing to do with the impedance, but it seems to be a rather rational explanation. Who knows..?
One thing is sure: that's why they are harder to drive than my Ref II.

This sounds of course childish and nobody gives a shizzle... but I'm now the proud owner of a Sennheiser HD 540 Reference 600 ohms. Who would complain?

I guess I'll at least take advantage of the placebo effect  

 

[Bostonears]

I also checked my 540 Ref II and they indeed are "only" 300 ohms

As far as I know, the 540 II was only made in 300 ohms. (The 600 vs 300 questioon only applies to the 540 I, which is what I meant by the "original HD540".)

 

[Hairspray]

As far as I know, the 540 II was only made in 300 ohms. (The 600 vs 300 questioon only applies to the 540 I, which is what I meant by the "original HD540".)

That's what I had understood, but I was just curious and checked the Ref II too.
Thx again for the info.

 

[pkshan]

 
I got the HD430's today,
They sound cheap at the beginning,but after few ten minutes break-in, & replaced the foam disk.
they start to shine.
 
The sound is amazing, they have the most high quality,lifelike,high resolution,grainy free vocal in Sennheiser dynamic family.
 
give it a try

 

[GREQ]

 
 
I got the HD430's today,
They sound cheap at the beginning,but after few ten minutes break-in, & replaced the foam disk.
they start to shine.
 
The sound is amazing, they have the most high quality,lifelike,high resolution,grainy free vocal in Sennheiser dynamic family.
 
give it a try

Interesting.
I've heard most of the lower-end siblings of this headphone from the same era, and most of them were disappointing. 
The only one I found bearable was the "HD414 SL" - the ones with the over-sized yellow sponge pads.

 

[Hairspray]

  They sound cheap at the beginning

 
that's exactly what i've experienced with the 540.
but, although you have to give them some time, it's also a kind of "paradigm switch": neutrality and realism (timbre) aren't necessarily pleasing and fun.
this ain't entertainment or something to relax to.
this ain't wine or cigare tasting.
unfortunately, the usual marketing bullcrap shapes our sound experience expectations: "crystal clear treble", "clean mids", "hard hitting bass", "laid-back", "warm sound", "synergy", etc.
 

Originally Posted by pkshan /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
The sound is amazing, they have the most high quality,lifelike,high resolution,grainy free vocal in Sennheiser dynamic family.

 
can you compare the 430 to 540-560? are you saying they sound better? i've never had the chance to listen to the 430.

 

[vid]

  neutrality and realism (timbre) aren't necessarily pleasing and fun.

 
That's making the assumption that the HD 540 are neutral, which they may or may not be, depending on the listener. Their frequency response suggests that they're not neutral, and indeed what people may hear is a colored sound hitting notes of realism - in other words a pleasing sound to be thought of as neutral.

 

[ag8908]

You can get these on eBay super cheap (max $230) although I suspect some of op's enthusiasm may be nostalgia etc

 

[Hairspray]

  what people may hear is a colored sound hitting notes of realism

 
I partially get it.
What's a colored sound -- by definition unrealistic -- hitting notes of realism?
"Fake neutrality" or something?
("fake realism" wouldn't make sense since realism is judged -- by definition -- by human ears, not FR graphs made with a dummy head, colored mics and a laptop)

 

[vid]

 
("fake realism" wouldn't make sense since realism is judged -- by definition -- by human ears, not FR graphs made with a dummy head, colored mics and a laptop)

 
It has to be asked, based on what is the realism of sound as produced by headphones judged? It's fair to assume that these units of realism aren't conveyed by the headphones via supernatural means, and having made that assumption, you have to admit that your perception may have a measurable basis. You can find out, by browsing the literature, that the measurable frequency response is in fact a large component in the perception of sound quality, and that by altering the frequency response, you alter the perception. Spooky, and true.
 
You don't need to rely on instruments of measurement that you don't trust, either. You can get a sine sweep, listen to it through your headphones, and if you hear any deviation in volume as the sweep progresses, your headphones are likely distorting the spectrum for you, and you're likely getting a colored sound to some degree when you play your music. No shame in it - people've called the AKG K 240 DF neutral, too.
 
You could go and ask, does the perception of neutrality need a frequency response flat all the way? Looking up reviews for the K 240 DF, you might find the answer to be no; people have no trouble describing something as 'neutral but bright'. I wouldn't call it fake neutrality, either, just a fairly successful sound signature.

 

[Hairspray]

   
It has to be asked, based on what is the realism of sound as produced by headphones judged? It's fair to assume that these units of realism aren't conveyed by the headphones via supernatural means, and having made that assumption, you have to admit that your perception may have a measurable basis. You can find out, by browsing the literature, that the measurable frequency response is in fact a large component in the perception of sound quality, and that by altering the frequency response, you alter the perception. Spooky, and true.
 
You don't need to rely on instruments of measurement that you don't trust, either. You can get a sine sweep, listen to it through your headphones, and if you hear any deviation in volume as the sweep progresses, your headphones are likely distorting the spectrum for you, and you're likely getting a colored sound to some degree when you play your music. No shame in it - people've called the AKG K 240 DF neutral, too.
 
You could go and ask, does the perception of neutrality need a frequency response flat all the way? Looking up reviews for the K 240 DF, you might find the answer to be no; people have no trouble describing something as 'neutral but bright'. I wouldn't call it fake neutrality, either, just a fairly successful sound signature.

 
Thanks for elaborating on that and sharing your expertise. I hadn't thought of it that way.
"a fairly successful sound signature" -> i like that expression/description, kinda somewhere in between objectivism and subjectivism?
 
By the way, I own AKG 240 (Studio) too, and they indeed do sound very-very neutral to me.
Of all my headphones, the 240 is the one that sounds the closest to my HD 540 (600 ohm).
Except for two things: soundstage/imaging and timbre, which are far better with open-back HD 540.
(the amazing -- but closed-back -- Beyer DT250/250 ohm is another story).
 
I know that's comparing apples and oranges, but I would classify my flat (except low bass) Yamaha HS50M studio monitors (the infamous NS10's successors) in the same family. Since these are speakers, their soundstage and imaging are of course in another league but HD 540's timbre performance is ahead imo.

 

[Aulait]

Hi all. This is my first post on Head Fi. I do not know English well, so I apologize for that as I write.
 
I have the HD 540 and 300 and 300 Ohm. Better is 600 Ohms. Pads are the best original. I am your pads recovering / I fixed (new foam and skin). Original pads are much better than those of the HD 250 Linear. They have a beautiful midrange, better space / location, varied / rich bass. Even more beautiful / more natural are the vocals. With pads hd 250 bass is a little buzzing / boomy vocals thinner / dry.
 
I listened to them with Lovley Cube, MF X-Xan, but the most beautiful sound in the old Luxman L-530 + Marantz CD 60 nose tube dac "Skorpion"
 
From old Sennheiser Collection have a  HD 414, 420, 430, 520 I 600 Ohm, 520 II , 530 II, 540 Reference  I 300 and 600 Ohm, 560 Ovation I, 580 Precision (made in Ireland), HD 250 Linear. I've included the impedance where there were different versions.
 
I can not add photos, because I'm new here.

 

[Hairspray]

I do not know English well, so I apologize for that as I write.

don't worry, i'm in the same boat... i know how frustrating it is not to be able to express yourself in your own language...

Original pads are much better than those of the HD 250 Linear. They have a beautiful midrange, better space / location, varied / rich bass. Even more beautiful / more natural are the vocals. With pads hd 250 bass is a little buzzing / boomy vocals thinner / dry.

as you can see, my 540 Ref original pads are done, and i only have 3 options left:
- 250 pads
- 430 pads
- DIY

250 pads do add a bit mid-bass and -- at first listen -- very slignty v-shapes the 540's signature, with supposedly recessed mids...
in other words, the absolute sacrilege... but that's not the case at all.
i should point out that i added a second foam disc over the drivers (540 Ref Gold's original foam discs, from Thomann)

imo, 250 pads HIGHLY improve 3 things (i hate this expression but it is "night and day"):
1) soundstage/imaging (vocals take two steps back and sound a lot more realistic, at last centered)
(i also own an AKG 701, and i find the 540's soundstage as impressive [edited], which says a lot)
2) separation/articulation
3) timbre (strings and vocals)

with the original pads or the 540 Ref II's velour pads, soundstage isn't that impressive (at all), and vocals sound relatively grainy and shouty to me.
i've spent a lot of time (way to much in fact) comparing 540 I/II & 560 I/II (pads, materials, etc.)
and, in the end, i prefer hd 540-600 ohms with 250 pads over other combinations (i would like to know why i'm the only one though )
N.B.: HD 430 pads are an intermediate (and less expensive) solution: less mid-bass, and a slightly more forward presentation

 

[Aulait]

Exactly as you write. 
I just have two pairs of these headphones HD 540 I 600 Ohm. 
Currently I like most HD 540 and 600 ohms with a self-renovated pads. But today I was curious about others ... I then put the original pads and foam board with HD 250 Linear. I must say that the sound is much worse than those that have renewed. I'm going to buy a foam board to HD 540 Reference Gold (Thomann) and then compare that again. 
Anyway, I think the HD 540 are amazing! 
Pads HD 540 I and HD 540 II are very different from each other. 
Pads HD 540 I were originally closed. Pads HD 540 II were opened. 
HD 540 I, In my opinion should not be compared to the HD 560 pads, because they are only compatible to the Reference II. HD 540 were in the middle of the tie, which acoustically isolate. On the pads, which I renewed is very fast and powerful bass. Unfortunately I can not attach photos to show it.

 

[Aulait]

Pads of your photos you can definitely fix it. Unfortunately, I can not insert pictures to show how to do it  :/