Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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129 of 134 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Perfect Headphones, January 10, 2005
Every time I put on these headphones, I am blown away by the immaculate sound that reaches my ears. These are, in my opinion, the best headphones out there. I'm sure hardcore audiophiles would disagree, but if you're a regular consumer, it doesn't get any better than this.
I had previously tried a pair of 580s, and was somewhat dissapointed with them. They were accurate, but they weren't aggressive enough for my taste - they sounded somewhat distant and weak. Since I wasn't about to spend $150 for a pair of headphones that I wasn't totally satisfied with, I decided to invest that extra $50 and try the 595s. Fortunately, I was not disappointed. The 595s solve the 580's problem by angling the drivers so that they are literally right next to your ear, and the result is a much more immediate, much fuller bodied sound.
The 595s are superb with any type of music. The open, but immediate sound stage is great for rock music (you really feel like you're sitting with the band and they're playing around you), and the clarity and precision is great for jazz and classical. I was also surprised how good my electronica sounded - every detail is expressed with crystal clear precision, and the bass is ample but precise and not overbearing, resulting in a great immersive experience. The lows, mids, and highs are all perfectly balanced (at least to my untrained ear), and overall the sound is just unbelievably natural.
Besides sounding great, the 595s are ridiculously comfortable. Because they surround the ears and don't put pressure on them, I have no problem wearing these headphones for 6-7 hours at a time without discomfort or soreness.
Please note that in order to experience all the 595s have to offer, you really need a headphone amp. They sound good unamped, but the 595s really come alive with a good amp. Also, since the 595s have a 1/4" plug instead of a 1/8" mini plug, I would recommend getting the Grado 1/4"-1/8" adapter instead of using the one they give you, as it will put too much strain on the headphone jacks of your equipment.
I wholeheartedly recommend the 595s. For the price, their sound quality and comfort simply cannot be beat.
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32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent headphones!, June 7, 2007
I've owned:
Sony CDR-950 - $300
Sony MDR-F1 - $250
Grado Labs SR80 - $100
Sennheiser HD-595 - $180
I started to shop around for a new pair of headphones to use at work when my 6 year-old Sony MDR-F1's earpads completely wore out (it costs a whopping $100 to replace just the foam earpads!). I am a 3D computer artist, and I sit in front of the computer all day, so comfort was a major factor in my purchasing decision. Additionally, however, I am really into music, so sound quality is extremely important to me. I've always loved the sound of Grado Lab's 'phones, they are bright and lively, but they have never been very comfortable, especially for long listening sessions. Conversely, my Sony MDR-F1s were only decent from a sound perspective, but they were incredibly comfy.
I took a listen to a co-worker's HD-580's, because I'd never listened to or even tried on a pair of Sennheisers. To be honest, my impression of the 580's was not super positive. Sennheiser has called the sound quality of the 580's and 600's 'polite', but to me they seemed to have a slightly subdued sound, heavy on the bottom-end, but not really up-front like the Grado's that I like so much. I realized that the impedance of the 580's and the really expensive HD-600's was 200 OHMs which could've explained their subdued quality. I AM listening out of a headphone amplifier, but it's a tiny HeadRoom TotalAirhead which possibly didn't have enough power for the 580's. It was then that I started becoming really interested in the HD-595's because of their 50 OHM impedance.
I decided to take the plunge on the 595's last week and ordered them from Amazon for $181. After 2 days of listening to music from my PC via the HeadRoom TotalAirHead all I can say is -
"WOW, these are the best headphones I've ever heard".
The Sennheiser proclaimed 'polite' quality that I didn't like about the 580's is non-existant in the 595's. They are so lively, up-front and exciting to listen to. They have so much detail, and my little amp has no trouble whatsoever driving them. I DID have to push the bottom end of the EQ a bit to get the fullness that I like out of my music, but this wasn't a big deal. I have not tried them sans-amplifier yet, but it seems that the low impedance would make them ideal for portable players also.
Additionally, they are SO COMFORTABLE, if a bit hot-on-the-ears with the velour earcups. They look cool, they are super lightweight, and they come with this nifty headphone 'stand' that clamps to a table for hanging the 'phones when not in use.
I love listening to these things, I give them 5 out of 5 stars.
Hogarth de la Plante
Boston, MA
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172 of 201 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good Budget Headphones, June 12, 2004
I am a total head-fi freak. I make sure that I always suit my needs with the best possible music and sound quality from headphones. To fill this urge, I bought a pair of Sennheiser HD-595s because they were easier to drive than other Senn's and they also are much brighter, so they are better-suited for rock music.My music preferences are as follows: Rock (Aerosmith, Nirvana, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Eagles, David Bowie, Black Sabbath, Queen)
Electronica
Techno/Trance Jazz These headphones really shined in the Rock category. It reproduced songs beautifully, with good mids, very nice and deep lows, and good vocals. Sound channeling is excellent to give you the very best detail in all of your music. Again, as I said before, these headphones are very powerful and therefore don't require an amp to be driven. I first ran the headphones directly to my SACD player, and noticed a MUCH bigger improvement over the HD-580s than expected. I then plugged it into my Meta42 headphone amp, and.. WOW! I was very impressed by how much more this unit shines with good gear. In addition, these 'phones are very comfortable, and open-sound, so that it will be comfortable to wear for hours-on-end, and wont make it uncomfortable/sweaty around your ears. To conclude, these headphones are a VERY good starter headphone for the developing-audiophile. The value is superb, the quality is great, the comfort and build quality is the usual Sennheiser best, and it doesn't require high-end material to shine like all other products from Sennheiser. This means that you can purchase these 'phones and get great results, and then when you are ready to take the plunge for a headphone amp, you will get even BETTER results. These headphones are the perfect example why a headphone amp can make a huge difference in your listening experience. I hope this review has helped.
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