[KopaneDePooj]

Three months ago I started reading the forums, looking for a new headphone.
At the time I had the Somic MH463, Sennheiser HD 239 and Koss KSC75.
I liked best the KSC75 and didn't like the HD 239.
I was looking for a new portable, because I was bored with the HD 239.
 
1. First I bought the CAL!
It is described as a very good closed over ear for the money, v-shape, a litle dark sounding.
With the CAL! I learned that I have above average sized ears because the CAL! ear pads were to small for me. I had to return it. I didn't find it dark, on the contrary, good detailed and a bit too bright with some recordings. Generally I liked it.
 
2. Got the new Sony MDR-100AAP.
It is described as moderately v-shaped, almost neutral, good sound stage a little lack in dynamics, non-fatiguing highs, extremely comfortable. This indeed was the closest description to what I experienced listening to the headphone.
I really liked the sound but the ear-pads fit was also too tight for me so it went back.
 
3. ATH-M50x, bought it thinking I will also buy some replacement Brainwavz large ear-pads if the originals were too small. And they were... but I knew it
Described as v-shaped, lively, fun, etc. And the fact that I disagree most with is that the highs are supposedly "rolled off" a bit and are "non-fatiguing". vs the old M50.
I found the highs to loud for me, I had to EQ down -5 or -7 db in the highs.
Bass was pronounced too, but I could live with it, but the highs and upper mids were so metallic and unnatural. Also I felt that the sound was pumped to my ears and not let to flow naturally. Everything had the same volume, as if some "extreme loudness" button was pressed. After a few songs it became tiring. Returned it.
 
4. Got the great amazon.de deal for Black Friday - Sennheiser HD 598SE for 100 EUR!
Having problems with the highs in the M50x, and reading about the HD 598 that it has "no bass" and it is sometimes "too bright", I was very concerned that I won't like it, but at that price, I had to buy it.
 
I must tell you the HD 598 is everything I ever wanted in a headphone. I'm absolutely thrilled with it. It is gorgeous.
I can't imagine how and why so many say "it has no bass, it has weak bass".
The bass is perfect. With the HD 598 I learned what it means "tight" and "textured" bass, and what detail in bass feels like.
Also I find no brightness in this hp. It is perfectly balanced to my ears. Highs are crystal clear and not exaggerated at all, no fatigue. Mids are also perfect. Tonality, detail, presence, human voice subtleties and warmth, emotion.
Everything in this headphone sings. It never booms, it never shouts. It only sings. The bass sings, the mids and highs sing. The separation, imaging sound stage - also perfect.
I heard some saying that the sound stage in this hp is exaggerated. I find it just perfect.
I tested it with classic rock, prog, metal, pop, edm, industrial, acoustic, jazz. Perfect with everything. It is dynamic when it needs to, and delicate when the song calls for it.
And I only used my Clip+ and fiio E06 with it, and PC with normal on-board sound.
 
After listening to the HD 598 I tend to think there is no such thing as a "specialized" headphone. A headphone good for rock, another headphone good for trance...
I think a good hp should handle every genre with equal weight and only reproduce what is recorded. If it has enough audio quality, extension and detail, everything will sound good.
 
Also the comfort is out of this world, after 15 minutes you forget you have it on.
 
I started looking for a portable and ended up with a hp for home... BUT, I have a 1.2m portable cable with it :> And I WILL make it my portable. Because I don't want to waste one more minute, listening to anything else than this. It is big, but light enough, I will only use it out on late evening walks in quiet places, so it will work for me even it is open-back.

So what I learned from my three months experience in reading reviews, opinions, watching videos, and buying headphones?
 
It was a waste of time.
You can take everything I just wrote and throw it away. It is useless. This forum is useless. IF you try to use it like i did, that is.
 
GO AND LISTEN TO THE HEADPHONES!
 
Find a showroom, find a way to listen to them. Only then will you find what you're looking for.
All this is a very subjective and personal matter, everyone hears differently, and has different expectations. Also comfort matters 120%. It can be the most sublime sound for you, if you have to put it away 15 minutes later, it is all in vain.
 
I had the luck to find my perfect headphone the hard way.
But again, 90% of this won't aply to you, so sorry for wasting your time. My only advice is written in uppercase above.

 

[Bansaku]

Great review! Your story reminds me of myself and my introduction to the HD598. I bought into a lot of hype and paid reviews *coughCNET* until I stumbled upon the HD598 for $180CND and haven't looked back. While they can't touch my PSBs for transparency and resolve, their weight and comfort and long term wearability coupled with the large soundstage make the HD598 ideal for movies and games. I also love the fact that they perform admirably with every genre of music, though they do perform better with certain types more-so that others; Not so good with Heavy Metal (worst type), but excellent at electronica. Like you, I don't find the treble annoying nor do I find the bass lacking in any way. I honestly scratch my head when I read people describing them as such. I hate weak bass and my ears are super sensitive to upper-mids and treble and to me, the HD598 are perfect!
 
Anyway, enjoy your awesome new cans!
 

 

[KopaneDePooj]

Thank you Bansaku!
Glad you feel the same about them
 
Also, I heard a lot about the PSBs maybe someday will have the opportunity to try them.

 

[mdkaler]

Thank you for sharing. But remember not everyone has access to every headphones they want to audition, so the forums are a great place to start your research and at least get an idea how certain cans might sound.
 
Anyways I got my HD598SE recently too. Enjoy your new cans!

 

[KopaneDePooj]

  Thank you for sharing. But remember not everyone has access to every headphones they want to audition, so the forums are a great place to start your research and at least get an idea how certain cans might sound.
 
Anyways I got my HD598SE recently too. Enjoy your new cans!

 
Thanks mdkaler!
Enjoy yours too! Do you like them?
 
That's the problem, you might "get an idea", but if is the wrong idea it does more to confuse you in the end.
When you read 10 times that the "bass is weak" in HD598, you tend to believe it, and that is wrong for you trying to make an idea about the hp, because that 10 people have certainly VERY different expectations than yours, or VERY different hearing.
 
For example: for me this opinions about the bass in HD598 vs. what I hear are day and night, and completely false:
http://www.head-fi.org/products/sennheiser-hd-598/reviews/11999
 
Me saying that reading opinions and reviews and this forum "is useless", was a figure of speech, trying to stress enough the importance of actually trying to get to listen to the hp you are after, if you can, and how much time will save you.
 
I could have gone to an audio show-room 180km away from where I live and test tens of headphones there, and it would have been better and totally worth the trip vs. 3 months of reading reviews and watching youtube.

 

[Kanvict]

Very intriguing post! I am also looking at the ATH-M50x and HD 598SE, among others. The M50x definitely sound more livelier to me but are harsh in their highs. The 598s give me a more pleasant--for lack of a better word--sound and I feel like I can listen to them for hours and hours. They just seem to lack a little liveliness, I guess, for the music that I listen to.
 
May you please describe what type of music you listen to?

 

[waynes world]

Good advice!

 

[mdkaler]

   
Thanks mdkaler!
Enjoy yours too! Do you like them?
 
That's the problem, you might "get an idea", but if is the wrong idea it does more to confuse you in the end.
When you read 10 times that the "bass is weak" in HD598, you tend to believe it, and that is wrong for you trying to make an idea about the hp, because that 10 people have certainly VERY different expectations than yours, or VERY different hearing.
 
For example: for me this opinions about the bass in HD598 vs. what I hear are day and night, and completely false:
http://www.head-fi.org/products/sennheiser-hd-598/reviews/11999
 
Me saying that reading opinions and reviews and this forum "is useless", was a figure of speech, trying to stress enough the importance of actually trying to get to listen to the hp you are after, if you can, and how much time will save you.
 
I could have gone to an audio show-room 180km away from where I live and test tens of headphones there, and it would have been better and totally worth the trip vs. 3 months of reading reviews and watching youtube.

 
I agree with your opinion about the bass in HD598. The texture and extension is great and I like it! Though decent for open backs, the bass is weak relative to many other cans out there. You might want to audition the Fidelio X1 if you get the chance, that's a lot of bass for an open back.

 

[ithehappy]

Yeah, but you are comparing 3 closed back cans with an open back one, there will be difference in sound signature obviously. If I were into mini speakers like open back cans then I don't think there would be much thinking or reading or wasting time needed to grab the 598, they are the best one considered under 200 bucks almost by everyone.
 
Nice write up about the cans though, it was nice reading.

 

[Lorspeaker]

.ENJOY your new toy !!
 
..but the itch will start
after  3 months in the quiet forest with the hd598,  
and he will start reading reviews again...for a "proper" portable
 
it is the CURSE in headfi.  

 

[LazyListener]

To the OP, you literally took the words out of my mouth in describing the sound of the HD 598.  However, I'm referring to the beige/ivory HD 598 I bought about a month and a half ago.  I too had read of some complaints about weak bass, but I was pleasantly satisfied with the bass from day one.  Also, not once did I hear any harshness or sibilance in the treble.  Like you said, the headphones would just sing, never shout, never fatiguing, with tons of fine detail, texture, and resonance.
 
Fast forward to now, I had to return the beige 598 when I bought the black 598SE during black friday special.  By comparison, the 598SE sounded weak in the bass with slightly harsh and sibilant treble out of the box.  By comparison, they sounded thin and bright instead of warm and smooth like the beige 598.  After putting about 15 hours on them now, the bass seems to have improved a bit and the treble is noticeably smoother.  However, they still don't sound as good as what I recall the beige 598 sounding.  On the beige, everything sounded a little subdued with sounds still audible even when things got busy.  I could hear very deep into the music because nothing really shouted out.  With the 598SE I don't hear as much detail, depth, ambiance, and resonance.  At times they sound a bit shouty and I can feel my ears getting aggravated.  Also, with the beige I felt I could crank the volume and the music held together very well.  When I crank the volume on the 598SE, things start to fall apart and distort a bit and sound just plain noisy.
 
I'm beginning to think that in addition to subjective differences from listener to listener, that some of the reasons we read reviews with widely varying descriptions of the same headphone's sound is because the headphones themselves do sound different due to manufacturing variations or possibly even small design changes.  I believe it's hit or miss.  One HD 598 might have more bass than another, while another has slightly more treble.  I doubt they're all identical, and I believe that at least some listeners can tell the difference.
 
I will probably be ordering another beige 598 soon hoping that it'll sound as magnificent as the first beige ones I had.

 

[Lorspeaker]

the next level of refinement will be the hd600 and hd650...  
but these will need additional gears.. dacs...amps... LOL
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/783669/venture-electronics-ve-monk-a-5-earbud-that-seriously-deserves-a-place-here/645#post_12149268
 
or just buy this, and sell the hd598.  hehehe.

 

[mysticstryk]

After being an IEM user for years, I bought my first set of full size cans several years ago which was the HD595, the precursor to your 598, so I understand how you feel.  Before you know it though, you will have hundreds of dollars worth of equipment and headphones.  The journey never ends.

 

[KopaneDePooj]

  Yeah, but you are comparing 3 closed back cans with an open back one, there will be difference in sound signature obviously. If I were into mini speakers like open back cans then I don't think there would be much thinking or reading or wasting time needed to grab the 598, they are the best one considered under 200 bucks almost by everyone.
 
Nice write up about the cans though, it was nice reading.

Thanks!
I was not trying to compare them, only describe my experience
 

  .ENJOY your new toy !!
 
..but the itch will start
after  3 months in the quiet forest with the hd598,  
and he will start reading reviews again...for a "proper" portable
 
it is the CURSE in headfi.  

Thanks Lorspeaker,
I bet it will be like you say but at least now I settled down for a while, and will go after a new portable straight to that showroom, test & buy.
 

  To the OP, you literally took the words out of my mouth in describing the sound of the HD 598.  However, I'm referring to the beige/ivory HD 598 I bought about a month and a half ago.  I too had read of some complaints about weak bass, but I was pleasantly satisfied with the bass from day one.  Also, not once did I hear any harshness or sibilance in the treble.  Like you said, the headphones would just sing, never shout, never fatiguing, with tons of fine detail, texture, and resonance.
 
Fast forward to now, I had to return the beige 598 when I bought the black 598SE during black friday special.  By comparison, the 598SE sounded weak in the bass with slightly harsh and sibilant treble out of the box.  By comparison, they sounded thin and bright instead of warm and smooth like the beige 598.  After putting about 15 hours on them now, the bass seems to have improved a bit and the treble is noticeably smoother.  However, they still don't sound as good as what I recall the beige 598 sounding.  On the beige, everything sounded a little subdued with sounds still audible even when things got busy.  I could hear very deep into the music because nothing really shouted out.  With the 598SE I don't hear as much detail, depth, ambiance, and resonance.  At times they sound a bit shouty and I can feel my ears getting aggravated.  Also, with the beige I felt I could crank the volume and the music held together very well.  When I crank the volume on the 598SE, things start to fall apart and distort a bit and sound just plain noisy.
 
I'm beginning to think that in addition to subjective differences from listener to listener, that some of the reasons we read reviews with widely varying descriptions of the same headphone's sound is because the headphones themselves do sound different due to manufacturing variations or possibly even small design changes.  I believe it's hit or miss.  One HD 598 might have more bass than another, while another has slightly more treble.  I doubt they're all identical, and I believe that at least some listeners can tell the difference.
 
I will probably be ordering another beige 598 soon hoping that it'll sound as magnificent as the first beige ones I had.

Very interesting... I don't know, mine sound like you describe your beiges.
Should be a pretty big production variation to sound that different...
 
When I had the M50x I experimented with different ear pads. I put the pads from my Somic MH463 on the M50x. They are also pleather but larger openings and less depth. The difference in sound was very big. It sounded like a different hp. So I think maybe difference between the black and brown velours in the HD 598? Maybe when black velour breaks in a bit and sits better against the skin the sound might change.

 

[KopaneDePooj]

  Very intriguing post! I am also looking at the ATH-M50x and HD 598SE, among others. The M50x definitely sound more livelier to me but are harsh in their highs. The 598s give me a more pleasant--for lack of a better word--sound and I feel like I can listen to them for hours and hours. They just seem to lack a little liveliness, I guess, for the music that I listen to.
 
May you please describe what type of music you listen to?

 
Yes, the M50x was harsh in the highs for me too. Actually it was not harshness, a better description would be loudness in the highs and metallic sounding upper mids. Not gritty or piercing but too upfront. I cannot make any other suggestion than go and listen to the both again, with some songs that you know well, and decide for yourself what you like.
 
I listen mostly to general rock, progressive, metal, grunge, vocal jazz, acoustic. But also some pop, edm. Lately I'm also into jam bands and funk rock.
Right now I listen to Phish, Widespread Panic, and this moment: "Steven Wilson - Hand. Cannot. Erase." album which sound superb with the HD 598