Hi,
Been doing googling for a couple of days on this topic myself, as I was curious. Bit of backstory: I already have higher end headphones like the H400i, HD58x, and HD650. However, I was looking for something with a bit more durability for impromptu times when I'd need to just throw a pair of headphones on for stretches of time (such as calls), and for just more casual listening. The higher end headphones are indeed very nice but I tend to baby those things, and so they don't come out often unless I'm specifically wanting to listen to music, so yeah, something a bit more casual would be nice.
I tried out the M40x but am not impressed by the hype these have. -1 soundstage, bloomy bass, very v shaped and not neutral at all, and they're not very comfortable at all. Coiled cable is great though - I'll give it that much.
In the late 2000s I had a pair of HD 595s that I liked a lot and would wear all the time back then; I remember them fondly. They sounded great and were extremely comfortable, like a cloud floating on your head. Perfect for 24/7 usage. Ended up selling them when I moved up to the HD650 a few years later and I guess I sort of always regretted that decision after (or perhaps this is just rose tinted glasses speaking?).
After the disappointment of the M40x I looked into the HD5 series again and see we are now at the HD599, but things get confusing. There appears to be some tuning differences from the HD598 to the HD599, mostly in the bass it appears. Some people say that they sound practically identical and you have to really concentrate to notice any difference at all (more bass, slightly less soundstage due to more forward vocals and better mids, better imaging). Others say that the differences are much greater, like night and day, and they don't sound the same at all. I know @solderdude has a website where he does detailed measurements, but he has only tackled the HD599 and I don't see anything for the HD598, so no comparisons there based on frequency graphs.
So, in terms of a true successor to the HD595, is that the HD598, or the 599? Are they basically the same, or are the differences really that noticeable? I'm pretty unsure of which one to grab and try so far.
As a side question, I have also heard (and seen) that the HD 599 (and 598) are some of the most sensitive headphones out there when it comes to impedance mismatch. They loathe anything above a few ohms. Was this true of the HD 595 as well, or is it a recent phenomenon in the series? I figure in most instances it shouldn't be a problem as good SS amps are nearly all low impedance and portable device outputs should be designed with low impedance IEMs and the like in mind too, I'm just curious if this was a long-standing problem or not.
Thanks.
Been doing googling for a couple of days on this topic myself, as I was curious. Bit of backstory: I already have higher end headphones like the H400i, HD58x, and HD650. However, I was looking for something with a bit more durability for impromptu times when I'd need to just throw a pair of headphones on for stretches of time (such as calls), and for just more casual listening. The higher end headphones are indeed very nice but I tend to baby those things, and so they don't come out often unless I'm specifically wanting to listen to music, so yeah, something a bit more casual would be nice.
I tried out the M40x but am not impressed by the hype these have. -1 soundstage, bloomy bass, very v shaped and not neutral at all, and they're not very comfortable at all. Coiled cable is great though - I'll give it that much.
In the late 2000s I had a pair of HD 595s that I liked a lot and would wear all the time back then; I remember them fondly. They sounded great and were extremely comfortable, like a cloud floating on your head. Perfect for 24/7 usage. Ended up selling them when I moved up to the HD650 a few years later and I guess I sort of always regretted that decision after (or perhaps this is just rose tinted glasses speaking?).
After the disappointment of the M40x I looked into the HD5 series again and see we are now at the HD599, but things get confusing. There appears to be some tuning differences from the HD598 to the HD599, mostly in the bass it appears. Some people say that they sound practically identical and you have to really concentrate to notice any difference at all (more bass, slightly less soundstage due to more forward vocals and better mids, better imaging). Others say that the differences are much greater, like night and day, and they don't sound the same at all. I know @solderdude has a website where he does detailed measurements, but he has only tackled the HD599 and I don't see anything for the HD598, so no comparisons there based on frequency graphs.
So, in terms of a true successor to the HD595, is that the HD598, or the 599? Are they basically the same, or are the differences really that noticeable? I'm pretty unsure of which one to grab and try so far.
As a side question, I have also heard (and seen) that the HD 599 (and 598) are some of the most sensitive headphones out there when it comes to impedance mismatch. They loathe anything above a few ohms. Was this true of the HD 595 as well, or is it a recent phenomenon in the series? I figure in most instances it shouldn't be a problem as good SS amps are nearly all low impedance and portable device outputs should be designed with low impedance IEMs and the like in mind too, I'm just curious if this was a long-standing problem or not.
Thanks.
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