Headphone Heaven

[Lawrence001]

The Senn HD599 are an interesting beast. Been using them for TV for years. Just couldn't deal with the peak between 5-8 kHz for music. Some would love them, ultimately don't work for me despite something in there I really like.

I had the 595s earlier in my headphone journey and they fulfilled their purpose at the stage I was at. I think I moved on to the 565 Ovations from there which I preferred.

 

[JANDL100]

The Senn HD599 are an interesting beast. Been using them for TV for years. Just couldn't deal with the peak between 5-8 kHz for music. Some would love them, ultimately don't work for me despite something in there I really like.

I hear the treble peak in the 599, too, and couldn't live with them without eq. They need a bit of a bass boost as well imo.

 

[JANDL100]

A while back I had a pair of 598.
Horribly coloured and closed in, I hated them. The 599 sound totally different despite being only 1 away in model number!

 

[Headcoat]

A while back I had a pair of 598.
Horribly coloured and closed in, I hated them. The 599 sound totally different despite being only 1 away in model number!

Always wanted to hear the 598's. Meant to be similar to the 6xx/650's with slightly better bass and less prominence between approx. 5-7kHz.

That said, I'm fairly certain the 6xx are bow low in my pecking order, and I have far too many pairs already. Making a concerted effort to decide on three pairs to move on and enjoy the remaining. I'm hoping by posting here it somehow manifests

 

[JANDL100]

New headphones, old cat.



Shure SRH940 and Tiffy, respectively.

Just arrived. The headphones not the cat.

I previously found the SRH1840 to be way too bright for me. But they were intended for idiot audiophiles who like emphasised treble and bass. The 940 are said to be designed with a flat response for sensible audio engineers.
We'll see, I haven't tried them yet!

 

[JANDL100]

Shure SRH940.
Been listening for a few hours now.
Very bright to start with. These are minty, fully boxed with all accessories. Bought used from eBay, I suspect they are near new and not run in. Possibly never used at all.
After an hour or so the treble settled down, requiring several dB less eq to make them listenable. I still prefer a bit of a roll off, and a tad of bass boost, but just a couple of dB at each end.

Quite a dry and clean character, loads of precise and focused detail. Much less easy going than the Shure 840 I have previously owned and liked. They don't have the tonal weight and richness of some of my planar magnetics, regardless of the eq applied. They are quite like the Sennheiser HD 599; very similar actually!

I'll put a headband cover on them to keep them minty and see how I get on with them over the longer term.

Let's see, how many headphones have I got now?...

Shure 940, Sennheiser 599, Oppo PM3, AQ Nighthawk, Monolith M1060 and M1060c, Hifiman Sundara, KLH Ultimate One, Audio Technica M50X & SR5BT, B&O H6, Beyerdynamic DT 990, Bose AE2, BQEYZ Autumn IEM.

I think that's all. Hmm, only 14. Must try harder.

 

[JANDL100]

A newly acquired ProJect Head Box headphone amp.
And a SMSL sAp ii headphone amp (much smaller).
Monolith M1060 planars.
(Sennheiser HD 599 also connected to the ProJect which has 2 output sockets).



The ProJect and SMSL amps are nicely complementary - the SMSL being all about taut grip and precision, the ProJect being more relaxed and easy going.

 

[JANDL100]

Currently listening in bed (it's 5.54am) to my Oppo PM3 headphones that I've not used in many months, what with so many others coming and going.

Wow. What fabulous headphones! I'd forgotten how good they are.

 

[JANDL100]

The Monolith M1570 have arrived.
Here shown with their junior siblings the 1060 and 1060c.

They're not small.



Initial impressions are positive.

 

[Lawrence001]

The Monolith M1570 have arrived.
Here shown with their junior siblings the 1060 and 1060c.

They're not small.



Initial impressions are positive.

Any updates?

I've gone and bought a pair of HD560 Ovation IIs. Miss my old pair as an alternative to the 650s. Well my Beyers do that but I also wanted a classic bit of Sennheiser history.

 

[JANDL100]

M1570 updates. Very pleased so far, but I've had limited time with them. They do seem to be a level up from the 1060.

I'm planning some serious listening with them tonight if my usual insomnia kicks in!


... Sennheiser 500 and 600 series. Meh, you can keep them. I honestly don't know what the fuss is about!
My HD 599 will be up for sale soon.

 

[Lawrence001]

M1570 updates. Very pleased so far, but I've had limited time with them. They do seem to be a level up from the 1060.

I'm planning some serious listening with them tonight if my usual insomnia kicks in!


... Sennheiser 500 and 600 series. Meh, you can keep them. I honestly don't know what the fuss is about!
My HD 599 will be up for sale soon.

The numbering is confusing. The 540, 560 and 580 were on release the reference models of their time. The 600 came along and later 5XX models like the 555 and 595 (to be superseded by the 598 and 599) were lower down the pecking order. You might actually like the 540 and 560 as they are not "boring" like the 59x and (to some) the 600.

 

[JANDL100]

Ah, OK, thanks for the enlightenment, confusing indeed.
I've had Sennheiser 598, 599 & 600.
And 700 which I enjoyed.

 

[JANDL100]

After being away from home for 3 weeks with my new Monolith M1570 as my only available headphone listen (used with my usual source and amps) I have been surprised that a return to my more humble Monolith M1060c wasn't the bloodbath I'd been half expecting.

There's a more realistic and impressive weight and heft to the M1570 that the M1060c can't match, and a sense of fine detail being more integrated into the overall sound.
But there's an agility and lightness of touch to the M1060c that is enjoyable in its own right and makes it a more level playing field.

And the M1060c sound more open and airy. Which is a bit of a surprise as the M1060c are closed back and the M1570 are open back!

Damn, I'd kind of hoped that the M1570 would show my other headphones a clean pair of heels and would allow a bit of a headphone cull!

I'm certainly going to keep both of these for now, but I suspect that a bit of a clearout of my dynamic headphones is in order, I've become a something of a planar addict.

 

[Lawrence001]

I had a bit of an epiphany with my HD580s while away myself. Rather than see them as the poor little brother of the 650s, I'm finding them equal but a bit different. More neutral if anything without the bass tilt of the 650s.

I think you'd prefer them @JANDL100. But taking a punt on another pair of dynamics doesn't sound like what you need right now. Plus preferring them to a pair you dislike isn't quite the same thing as liking them!

I'll try and bring a pair to the Wam show if I have a combined DAC/amp to run them off.

 

[JANDL100]

No, I think I'm done with exploring Sennheiser.
The 800 series might be interesting, I've not heard any, but I thoroughly enjoy headphones at substantially less than half their price used, so I don't really feel much incentive to go there.

I'm going to organise a bit of a cull of my current headphone collection, then start exploring again.
I'll keep one of Shure 940 or Sennheiser 599. Probably the Shure.
Sell the AQ Nighthawk and KLH Ultimate One and probably the Monolith 1060.

 

[Lawrence001]

I thought you might keep the 1060s from what you said, I kept mine for a couple of years after I bought the 1570s on comfort and sounding different grounds but in the end I rarely used them.

 

[JANDL100]

I thought you might keep the 1060s from what you said, I kept mine for a couple of years after I bought the 1570s on comfort and sounding different grounds but in the end I rarely used them.

I'm definitely keeping the 1060c, the closed backs. There is a different kind of sound to the 1570. They aren't really comparable. I like both.

Not sure yet, but I suspect the 1570 may simply be better all round than the 1060 open backs imo.

My choice between 1060c and 1060 would definitely go to the 1060c.
They aren't simply a closed back version, I understand that they have quite different drive units.
Weirdly, the 1060c sound more open and spacious than the 1060!

 

[Lawrence001]

I'm definitely keeping the 1060c, the closed backs. There is a different kind of sound to the 1570. They aren't really comparable. I like both.

Not sure yet, but I suspect the 1570 may simply be better all round than the 1060 open backs imo.

My choice between 1060c and 1060 would definitely go to the 1060c.
They aren't simply a closed back version, I understand that they have quite different drive units.
Weirdly, the 1060c sound more open and spacious than the 1060!

Ah yes I read your post yesterday and already forgot it was the closed backs you liked. Getting older...

 

[Lawrence001]

I've just bought a pair of Sennheiser HD540 Reference IIs as I sold mine a few years ago. Wow they are nice, not sure why I sold them the first time around.

@JANDL100 I'll do my best to bring a few pairs to the show so you can see the difference from the 600s.