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DanTreview
159
Feb 26, 2019
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TL;DR - they're worth $200, but don't give in to much of the hype.
I've been using mine for one hour per day, six days per week since the middle of December 2018. So far, I can hear what others are saying: they are warm, they are relaxed, and they do draw out some details. But there's a bit of confirmation bias in many of the reviews as well, and I'm not here to say others are wrong, but for me, I've heard better at the same price point.
I have a typical headphone setup: Topping D50, Schiit Asgard 2. However, I just could not get these headphones to open up and breathe for weeks and weeks. I was getting better detail, more punch, and brighter treble off my old AKG Quincy Jones, and my old Audio Tecnica 1000x headphones. These were not the usual Sennheiser warmth and brightness I had known from long ago.
So, I decided to pursue anathema, and got me a passive pre-amp EQ. (I know, I know, I'm evil). Only after putting the EQ in line after my DAC and before my amp did I hear what these headphones can do. They are much warmer, brighter, and cleaner than they were before the EQ. But that's the thing with these - I don't feel like I should need to EQ the snot out of them in order to get them to perform to the standards my other headphones can do WITHOUT the EQ. So I was a bit miffed on that.
Do they sound good? Yes, once the EQ is fully cranked.
They're not as detailed for classical music as I am used to, and the soundstage is a bit narrower than I was expecting, but reviewers who say they can be worn for long periods of time without fatigue are correct. If you watch your volume levels, and keep it reasonable, you'll enjoy these headphones for hours at a time.
For $200? Why not. But for me, the hype around them in all the five-star reviews is a bit much. Just keep that in mind.
MadHattersSound
14
Apr 10, 2019
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DanTreviewDid you change out the cable for a Balanced one? I heard some people saying that dramatically improved the sound quality. And what other cans can you suggest with Bass and more aired out in clarity but still comfortable for this price range?
DanTreview
159
Apr 16, 2019
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MadHattersSoundNo, because my equipment doesn't drive balanced cables. Moreover, I read the same stuff you do, and I think it all goes back to the "objectivist/subjectivist" argumentation. It's psychosomatic. Balanced cables are primarily for long cable runs to mitigate interference. A desktop listening station shouldn't yield much benefit (if any at all) by going to balanced cabling. Of course, manufacturers love it for auidiofooles to think it matters, but what I'm talking about above probably wouldn't change much if I got the same DAC I'm using now except for the inclusion of balanced cabling.
These headphones just don't live up to the hype. But that makes sense, given that most people are willing to pay $200, AND they're primarily used to the awful sound that comes with OEM earbuds. So yeah, coming from all that, put these on, and you'll be wowed.
Chris_P
2
Jun 20, 2019
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DanTreviewMay I ask what EQ settings you applied? I'm also somewhat disappointed; for my ears (being used to AKG sound for decades) they sound somewhat muffled, I guess it's the "belly" in the frequency response around 100-200 Hz. I'm about to sell them and scratch some money together to buy the AKG K-812 because, as you said, you should not need EQ to make a headphone sound right... Nevertheless, I'd be interested exactly where in the spectrum you applied EQ.
DanTreview
159
Jun 21, 2019
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Chris_PFollow your instincts. I'm a AKG guy too, and they blow these out of the water. I hear the same complaints you have. For EQ I have an old Marantz and to get any life out of these things I had to fully crank all three EQ knobs. No other headset I've owned has required this. Very sad.
As I said in my review, they're good, but they're overhyped because people give in to the price point and the Sennheiser name. It's like buying a BMW. Sure, go get the used little 3 series and you can do it on a budget. But don't talk about it like it drives like a M5. That's how people discuss these headphones. They're not THAT good ffs.
Varmintbaby
38
Jun 3, 2020
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DanTreviewI think you and the guys who commented are just AKG fans. This headphone was my first real Sennheiser headphone. I had a HD579 before without evening know about the company or brand. I was so blown away by the audio quality it inspired me to get an ASUS STX II with 3 Burson V5 op amps, as well as a Blue Ocean tube amp, just to hear how good my music could actually sound. These headphones got me into the "audiophile" way of thinking and I gave it a 5 star review after owning headphones of many other brands. People aren't just fanboying Sennheiser in these reviews. There's a reason it's highly regarded.
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