[YvesT]

Hi!
Have you ever heard the gold version?
If yes, how would it compare to the 600 ohm reference 1 version?

Hi!
Sorry but I never heard the gold version...

 

[ArChaos]

I have a pair of HD 545 and HD565. Both are 150 Ohm and the only real difference between the 2 is the 545 has plastic grills in the capsules and the 565 have a metal mesh screen. They are very nice sounding but still not at the same level as the HD540.

I see... Good to hear... Thanks
Almost bought on eBay a very low priced HD545, just out of curiosity...

 

[Hofy]

I see... Good to hear... Thanks
Almost bought on eBay a very low priced HD545, just out of curiosity...

That is how I got my original HD545. Capsules only for $9.99 and about $6 in shipping. I just so happened to have a spare headband for some HD525. THey are my Frankencans.

 

[ArChaos]

Sorry, it was meant for the 250 thread...

 

[lantian]

Hello,

Has anybody owned/listened to the HD545 Reference? Any impressions?
It stood on the seam line between the HD540 and HD580 generations. And it was still named "Reference"...
Was it "The Last of the Mohicans" or the First of the "Pale Faces"?

The later one.

 

[ConnorG]

Here is DMS's review of the HD540 Reference Gold I sent over to him:

 

[Backsplash7]

Here is DMS's review of the HD540 Reference Gold I sent over to him:

Great review! Nice to finally see these discussed by a mainstream reviewer! Though I will say I am slightly envious of your earpads that look basically brand new still

 

[SIRKRA]

A bit of a shame that they were tested with velours and not the original ones.
I bet fabric ones are more light and airy sounding compared to velours (judging from mine ref 1).
Anyway, those graphs, 40 years later! talks by themself.

 

[T 1000]

Great review! Nice to finally see these discussed by a mainstream reviewer! Though I will say I am slightly envious of your earpads that look basically brand new still

Nice review

 

[ConnorG]

A bit of a shame that they were tested with velours and not the original ones.
I bet fabric ones are more light and airy sounding compared to velours (judging from mine ref 1).
Anyway, those graphs, 40 years later! talks by themself.

The velour pads on the pair that I sent for review are the original pads that came on the headphones from the factory. There are two versions of pads. The hybrids which are cloth and pleather, and then the velour pads. Velour is largely agreed to be the better of the original pads that came on the 540’s.

 

[ConnorG]

Great review! Nice to finally see these discussed by a mainstream reviewer! Though I will say I am slightly envious of your earpads that look basically brand new still

While I agree with many of the points he made about the 540 Golds, I strongly disagree about the soundstage. He thinks they stage about as well as the HD6x0 series but I find it to be just the opposite. I think the stage on the 540’s is much much wider and deeper, as well as more coherent; less congested - compared to the HD6x0 series.

 

[SIRKRA]

The velour pads on the pair that I sent for review are the original pads that came on the headphones from the factory. There are two versions of pads. The hybrids which are cloth and pleather, and then the velour pads. Velour is largely agreed to be the better of the original pads that came on the 540’s.

Never saw a gold with velours, and more strange a 600 ohms one, when velours where introduced with ref 2 and 300 ohms series. You said You have only them by one year so the previous owner could have swapped them ( just thoughts )

 

[ConnorG]

Never saw a gold with velours, and more strange a 600 ohms one, when velours where introduced with ref 2 and 300 ohms series. You said You have only them by one year so the previous owner could have swapped them ( just thoughts )

I’ve seen many 540 Golds with velour pads — the person I bought mine from was the original owner and claimed he had never done so much as pull the pads off. I know about 10 people personally who have 540 Golds and every one of them agrees the velour pads sound and feel the best. But to each his own…

 

[ArChaos]

The later one.

Yeah, I thought so, Sennheiser on their way to a paradigm shift towards the 580-600-650 lineup...

 

[lantian]

I’ve seen many 540 Golds with velour pads — the person I bought mine from was the original owner and claimed he had never done so much as pull the pads off. I know about 10 people personally who have 540 Golds and every one of them agrees the velour pads sound and feel the best. But to each his own…

All the velour pads are optional. Those are the HD 560 stock pads. Every other can came with the cloth pleather perforated pads. The phones are made for those pads. The 250scame with velour as optional. Other than that everyone who sais those are original pads is just plain wrong. Every sennheiser documentation has them with the perforated cloth pads. Once you get those you would understand why. Velours compromise sound in every aspect for comfort. Even the manual has only cloth pads. It is more than likely the original owner changed them and forgot. Since the foam sennheiser uses will not last more than two years with daily usage.