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HD58X frequency response investigation

Graph Feppar

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( moderator edit , go to page 7 for the results , no fault with the headphones. User error . )

My HD58X is beyond bad,its frequency response drops off with brutal brickwall style steep slope past 13.7 KHz.This isnt just another "Sennheiser veil" nitpicking,this is like broken headphone with damaged drivers that make everything almost unlistenable.

In past three weeks I heard 3 new HD650,1 new HD650 with old drivers ( silver box ),1 used new driver HD650,3 new HD600,1 new HD660S.I have listened these in shops three weeks ago for about 12 hours total before I decided to order my HD58X from Massdrop.I am 27 year old without hearing damage.Also its not source problem,mine have same brutal treble roll off no matter what source.

Both drivers are matched well and both have this treble problem so someone at Sennheiser must have approved these two drivers when doing quality control check.My theory is that since the headphone is so cheap,they decided two use two drivers they would normaly trow in thrash becose they failed QC,they matched together two crap grade outliers and shipped it to Massdrop warehouse.My other theory is that for some headphones,they use different inferior driver.

I read many reviews and saw many measurements and nobody have this issue so I am probably extremly unlucky and its rare thing that happened only to me.Massdrop doesnt accept returns,nobody is going to buy my piece of schiit headphones so I was practically scammed of my money.

I know Masdrop and Sennheiser have good name and most people are satisfied,I however was pretty much scammed by them so I wont ever buy anything from Massdrop again despite the fact that this is Sennheiser who is responsible.
Never buy headphone you didnt hear first from place that doesnt accept returns,different headphones of the same official model designation can have drastically different sound and driver inside them.

This is my serial number.
IMG_20181211_051122.jpg
 
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Sin Hizer

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How long ago did you purchase them? Sounds recent. I recently ordered some as well.

What did Sennheiser have to say after Massdrop told you to piss up a rope?
 
OP
Graph Feppar

Graph Feppar

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How long ago did you purchase them? Sounds recent. I recently ordered some as well.

What did Sennheiser have to say after Massdrop told you to piss up a rope?

I purchased mine 20 November,that was about 21 days ago.I have them 8 days.I didnt even try to contact Massdrop becose I read they dont accept returns of the product if its not what they would classify as "damaged",my headphone most probably arent damaged even though they do sound like that,Sennheiser for some reason decided to put two excrement grade drivers inside and ship them out of the factory.I dont know if they did this only to me or other people too.

Should I contact Sennheiser or Massdrop? I think it will be waste of time,also,I am from Europe,I paid big import tax and shipping aint cheap too.
 

jasonq997

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Lots of people claim that they get improved sound from removing the cup/grill and then taking out the foam liner that is part of this design. Supposedly "more open highs" etc etc. I haven't tried it yet on mine.
 
OP
Graph Feppar

Graph Feppar

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I tried that and it does absolutely nothing.Also these headphones have awfull soundstage and imaging,they sound like closed headphones,not exaggerating.All other HD6X0 have identical soundstage and imaging,this headphone have literaly zero imaging.

What I always try with open headphone is to block the outer part of cup to make sort of closed headphone with my hand.All HD6X0 headphones when I tried this sounded hugely diffrent,it caused strong reverb sound and midrange honk resonance.My headphone when blocked with hand sound not much different to when its not blocked by hand,the change is nothing like HD6X0,again,they sound and act like closed od semi-open... there must be some massive difference in them.
 

Wombat

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Lots of people claim that they get improved sound from removing the cup/grill and then taking out the foam liner that is part of this design. Supposedly "more open highs" etc etc. I haven't tried it yet on mine.

What were Sennheiser thinking? :cool:
 

Sin Hizer

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I purchased mine 20 November,that was about 21 days ago.I have them 8 days.I didnt even try to contact Massdrop becose I read they dont accept returns of the product if its not what they would classify as "damaged",my headphone most probably arent damaged even though they do sound like that,Sennheiser for some reason decided to put two excrement grade drivers inside and ship them out of the factory.I dont know if they did this only to me or other people too.

Should I contact Sennheiser or Massdrop? I think it will be waste of time,also,I am from Europe,I paid big import tax and shipping aint cheap too.

Thanks for the information on order dates.

I would say you should contact Massdrop first. If they tell you to buzz off, then contact Sennheiser.
 

derp1n

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"Buyers warning", "potential scam". All this before you even contacted the supplier? Talk about over-reaction.
 
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Graph Feppar

Graph Feppar

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"Buyers warning", "potential scam". All this before you even contacted the supplier? Talk about over-reaction.

I hope you are right but I doubt they will offer refund,I hope,I really really hope I am wrong.
 

Kyle / MrHeeHo

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Honestly it sounds to me like you just plain don't like the tuning of the headphone.

I hope you are right but I doubt they will offer refund,I hope,I really really hope I am wrong.

Part of the deal with buying from Massdrop is you give up the ability to get refunds.
 

RayDunzl

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westyjeff

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Unfortunately your description does not correlate with a number of reviews from solid reviewers as well as my experience with these head phones. If your headphones do have an issue I would contact Massdrop first and before posting publicly. I am sorry you are having problems, have you tried using something different to drive them?
 
OP
Graph Feppar

Graph Feppar

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At what frequency can you reliably hear? And does it change using different headphone?

https://www.audiocheck.net/blindtests_frequency.php?frq=15

I dont have any other speaker or headphone so I cant do the test right now,I measured myself three years and I heard 17KHz + at normal SPL,I am 27 and since then didnt get any hearing damage event in my life since I tested myself so I doubt my high frequency hearing got much worse.

Anyway,I can hear MASSIVE difference in treble extension between my HD58X and any other HD6X0 or even Hifiman or AKG,this is only headphone that is missing almost half a octave of audible frequencu range up top.No other headphone sounds like it have 13 KHz brickwall low pass filter.This isnt small subtle difference,its huge and easily instantly noticable,this isnt audiophile whining about +2db here -3db there,try using 96db octave low pass at 13KHz to get the idea what I am hearing.
 
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Graph Feppar

Graph Feppar

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Unfortunately your description does not correlate with a number of reviews from solid reviewers as well as my experience with these head phones. If your headphones do have an issue I would contact Massdrop first and before posting publicly. I am sorry you are having problems, have you tried using something different to drive them?

Listen,there is no amplifier,dac or smarphone that have frequency response with 13KHz brickwall roll off.I tried from two sources and its all same,one of them my tablet which isnt audiophile grade but it played all HD6X0s and other headphone I tried in my local shops without issue when it comes to treble,they all sounded extended to the limit of my hearing with plenty of air.

Yes I know it does not correlate,all the measurements I saw show normal extended treble.
 

confucius_zero

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o_O seems anecdotal. Out of spec headphones do occur. Our Focal Elegia had channel imbalance so we had to send it back.
 
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Graph Feppar

Graph Feppar

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Honestly it sounds to me like you just plain don't like the tuning of the headphone.



Part of the deal with buying from Massdrop is you give up the ability to get refunds.

This is exactly the response I expected,I am not whining audiophile with headphone that have tuning thats not bright enough for my taste.I know HD6X0 very well,this is completly abnormal,the extremly rapid roll off this low in frequency is simply not normal,SBAF,Head-Fi,diyaudioheaven... all their measurements show beautiful extended treble so this isnt tunning problem,my headphone is different than everybody else HD58X.
 

mi-fu

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If what you described is correct, the headphone is just defective. Just contact Massdrop. They will take care of it. Nothing to worry about. ;)
 
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