[mr_baseball_08]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VR6ofpain I love how everyone complains about Grado's being so cheap...apparently Sennheiser isn't perfect either huh. You problem sounds like auto repair shops. They charge to 'diagnose' the problem (today usually consisting of connecting the car to a port to scan for fault codes, taking all of 30 seconds)...even if you don't have them repair it.

Yeah, but the thing is, the computer they hook to your car to read all the codes probably set them back three or four hundred dollars IF not more than that. Would you rather pay the four hundred dollars for the computer you MIGHT use once to dianose a simple problem such as a cam shaft sensor?? I would highly doubt it. (I'm not a vehicle repair-man but there are two sides to every story.)

On the original topic, however, I'm glad Sennheiser made good of a bad situation. I work in retail myself and when we have a customer that isn't satisfied we typically go beyond what the customer asks for and it indefinitely makes them a customer for life. It's good to hear there are still other companies out there doing the same for their customers..

JD

 

[seeberg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joseph8011 I'm just hoping this newly redesigned pair allows me to put any intermittent connection problems behind me, once and for all. I'm also impressed with the few changes made to the HD580's design and build quality in the last five years. So, at least for me, not only does Sennheiser build world-class sounding headphones, but when given the chance, they are also willing to stand behind their products.

Wow, that's great to hear! And I agree as well. At the moment I'm listening to Guns N' Roses and some Blondie through mine, at present I am loving the sound quite a lot

,
Abe

 

[Zorander]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joseph8011 It's hard to describe, but they are these very tiny springs that accept the plugs in-between its tines to create a connection. After a while the connection starts to short out, and it becomes sporadic or intermittent. It's as pleasant as repeatedly turning on and off your stereo, while trying to listen to or concentrate on music. Too bad I didn't take a picture before sending them off for repair. These replacement cables can be purchased on-line for $17.01 from Sennheiser, however, the springs are no longer included. The cable's sturdier redesigned plugs are supposed to fix a lot of the intermittent connection problems; they are also now gold plated for better contact. So basically they're charging me $76.80 to do something that could have taken me 5 minutes.

Would that problem be similar to what I described in this thread? In that particular case, all I did was take the cables off the phones and wiped the connectors with some alcohol-wipes. It got rid of the crackles, though the problem returned within a month or so (blame it on the tiny connectors that easily let dust through).

Then I replaced the stock cable with the stock HD-650 cable (Link). It should be the same thing as your 'replacement cable", though springs are included in (part of) the cable. No more problem and I'm a happy Senn fan.

Regards.

 

[Joseph8011]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gshan ^ Wow. And out of warranty!

Well, I'm starting to believe it was simply a case of miscommunication. But yes, I am ultimately very satisfied with their customer service. In fact, the president of Sennheiser is even a pretty nice guy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr_baseball_08 Yeah, but the thing is, the computer they hook to your car to read all the codes probably set them back three or four hundred dollars IF not more than that. Would you rather pay the four hundred dollars for the computer you MIGHT use once to dianose a simple problem such as a cam shaft sensor?? I would highly doubt it. (I'm not a vehicle repair-man but there are two sides to every story.) On the original topic, however, I'm glad Sennheiser made good of a bad situation. I work in retail myself and when we have a customer that isn't satisfied we typically go beyond what the customer asks for and it indefinitely makes them a customer for life. It's good to hear there are still other companies out there doing the same for their customers.. JD

Well the thing was: I'd been having the problem since my very first year of ownership, which in hindsight, now doesn't seem all that unusual for their earlier builds. My biggest mistake was sitting on the problem too long, or simply always being too busy to remedy the situation. Obviously Sennheiser was aware of these problems, and have since redesigned their headphones to accommodate customer complaints.

For instance, looking at this new build compared to my old headphones, while the differences are subtle, these changes are featured throughout the entire design: slightly sturdier plastic, heftier band, better padding, and of course larger plugs (with I believe some sort of stabilizer)... even all the plugs are now gold plated. The HD580's were always amazing sounding, and now their build quality has been greatly improved to match.

But you're right, after my experience with Sennheiser, I now wouldn't hesitate to purchase their products. In fact, there might even be a pair of HD595's in my future, to compliment my HD580's.

 

[Joseph8011]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorander Would that problem be similar to what I described in thisthread?In that particular case, all I did was take the cables off the phones and wiped the connectors with some alcohol-wipes. It got rid of the crackles, though the problem returned within a month or so (blame it on the tiny connectors that easily let dust through).

Yes, your experience was identical to mine. I also just recently found this thread with some neat pictures to further illustrate the problem.

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...ight=hd580+fix

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorander Then I replaced the stock cable with the stock HD-650 cable (Link). It should be the same thing as your 'replacement cable", though springs are included in (part of) the cable. No more problem and I'm a happy Senn fan.

Although, now Sennheiser no longer sells replacement springs... probably to avoid unauthorized DIY warranty service.

I had been using Pro Gold contact cleaner and a small screwdriver as a fix, until very recently when it just stopped working. I believe over time the springs lose their elasticity, or perhaps too much plastic and metal is lost due to abrasion.

Actually, I believe the breaking point occured, when after the dozenth time, my dismantling the headphones and removing the springs, only to have one fly from the tweezers, never to return. I even searched for hours, but it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

 

[MRubenzahl]

For what it's worth, my experience was different. I emailed Sennheiser USA support and they are sending me a set of springs, no charge. 
 
I don't suppose there are many people out there with old HD580s that need this but of so, thought they should know.