Sennheiser HD 598 Headphones help

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davidticknor

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Hello, I'm looking into purchasing the Sennheiser HD 598 Headphones. They are listed at 181$ from amazon. I'm wondering that if for the same price,(180-200$) if there would be a better choice? I like that the reviews state that the headphones are comfy with high fidelity. I hate headphones with very lose and overwhelming lows. Any recommendations would be appreciated!

I am fairly certain though that I will be purchasing the Sennheisers, so my second question is, what the best -budget- headphone amp I could get for them?
 
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ssddx
well, the audioengine d1 is fairly respected even on audiophile sites like head-fi for having a low price for its quality so its easy to recommend.

you do of course have other options such as http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=fiio+dac
the fiio e07k $89 and e10k $76 however they might not be as nice as the d1.

also you can look at this thread for more ideas http://www.head-fi.org/t/695931/best-usb-dac-under-100

or... you could just go with a soundcard like the xonar dx (which has the same dac as the $180 stx) or the creative z. both are good options and are both sub $100
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ssddx

ssddx

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if you want bass-light headphones then the hd598 is a good choice.

you also want to look at the ad700x and ad900x from audiotechnica. they are also bass light and have an even wider soundstage than the hd598 does.

neither the 900x, 700x or 598 require an amp to drive however that is not to say you couldnt benefit from an external dac+amp or a soundcard.

if you want to play games on them.. and need virtual surround then you want to get a soundcard. the xonar dg $30 is the cheapest but the creative z $80 or xonar dx $80 are the best value.

if you intend to use them portable, you really do not need an amp but could get away with one from fiio if you thought it required. if you want to use an android phone or ipod then you would want the model specifically meant to pair up with that so that you can pull data from either the usb jack on the phone or the proprietary jack on the ipod/iphone to bypass the internal hardware.
 
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davidticknor

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I think I will stick with the 598s, thanks for the suggestions however!! I will mainly use them for listening to music since I do a lot of work at my home computer. Can you suggest a few amps that are decent? If there is a soundcard that would provide the same quality what one would that be?

-sorry if I describe things weird, I'm new to audio!
 
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ssddx

ssddx

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a soundcard will be cheaper. you could use any of the ones i listed above however the dx or z are ones i'd personally say are your best bet.

the audioengine d1 is a bit more cost but is an external dac+amp combo that is noted for good sound for the money. what is important is that its like a soundcard in that it processes the sound instead of your onboard sound on your motherboard which may not be so good.

the difference between the two (soundcard and dac+amp) is that the soundcards support virtual surround and have other connections while the external dac+amp does not. generally which is better is determined by what kind of usage you want and it seems like you are more for an external amp combo. http://www.amazon.com/Audioengine-D1-24-bit-Digital-to-Analog-Converter/dp/B006IPH5H2

of course you could use just an amp like the fiio e10k or e09k http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=fiio%20headphone%20amp&sprefix=fiio+hea%2Caps&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Afiio%20headphone%20amp however the actual dac (digital analog conversion) would be done on your pc motherboard soundcard so it will not sound quite as good as a soundcard or external dac
 
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davidticknor

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I am really liking the idea of an amp+dac combo, is there maybe a cheaper option, like around 100 dollars, instead of the D1's price of 169?
 
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ssddx

ssddx

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May 27, 2009
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well, the audioengine d1 is fairly respected even on audiophile sites like head-fi for having a low price for its quality so its easy to recommend.

you do of course have other options such as http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=fiio+dac
the fiio e07k $89 and e10k $76 however they might not be as nice as the d1.

also you can look at this thread for more ideas http://www.head-fi.org/t/695931/best-usb-dac-under-100

or... you could just go with a soundcard like the xonar dx (which has the same dac as the $180 stx) or the creative z. both are good options and are both sub $100
 
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davidticknor

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Thank you very much for your insight! I might get the d1 but I'm not sure yet! Going to buy the headphones first and see how well they sound! Thanks again!!!
 
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ssddx

ssddx

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since the hd598 really doesnt need an amp they will work perfectly fine with the onboard sound on your computer.

however, its known that they do respond well to such things as soundcards and dac+amps unlike some headphones (like what i own, the m50s which sound the same amped as unamped generally despite having similar power requirements as the 598)
 
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AurobindoSaha

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Your may close your eyes and buy HD 598. If you love natural sound ... the way it should be... then there is nothing to beat HD 598. The headphone does not synthesize abnormal heavy bass. Lows and Mid are superb. And the soundstage is super wide. If you love classical, country, vocals, HD 598 is the sure path forward. Its like seating in a auditorium and listening to an opera or concert.


Regarding price, it was biting me. However, with back Friday sale I got it from Amazon at 99 dollars. The quality of sound it produces, it is hard to get one below 200.


These headphone has around 30 hours burn in time. That means, the sound is sweeter and seasoned after initial 30 hours of play.... just my opinion.

Inline amp or DAC is OK, but you will introduce noise. The point is the headphone is super sensitive. having 2 to 3 intermediate connection jacks, does not justify the purpose of this headphone. Just plug it in to your receiver, recline and listen to Vivaldi in a dark or low it room .... if you love music .... I promise you will soon be in heaven
 
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