Sennheiser HD580 HOT

[Thump553]

Originally posted by: Gautama2

Originally posted by: Snowice
what is a decent amp to pair with the hd580s? i don't want to pay more than what I paid for the headphones... so something less than $125.

Are you using them mostly on your computer? If so just get a good soundcard, it will have both a ok DAC and a ok amp. Its great bang for the buck.

A computer soundcard will really cripple these headphones. Head over to the headfi.com forums and check out the offerings there in the For Sale forum, as well as the forum where people advertise homebuilt amps. A couple of years ago I bought a very adequate CMOY based amp from a builder there for way less than $100, I'm sure the technology and prices have improved since then.

The headphones will work (most likely) off a computer soundcard, or plugged into an ordinary headpho jack on a receiver, but you will be missing much of the quality of them.

 

[Gautama2]

I believe the Opamp on the X-Fi is better than a Cmoy, correct me if im wrong.

 

[ninethirty]

I'd be surprised if the headphone amplification in an X-Fi is better than a Cmoy. I know nothing about the X-Fi, but the Cmoy was designed as a dedicated circuit that can give pretty significant amounts of clean gain to an input signal; usually the outputs of computer soundcards are a.) electrically noisy, since there's so much else going on in the box and in the card itself, and b.) designed to power your average consumer earbuds, not a HD580 or dt-880.
It's not the quality of the op-amp itself I'd be concerned about, but the design and purpose of the circuit it sits in. If you're worried about it, a Cmoy can be built with a socket so you can replace the op-amp at your leisure

 

[PuvMan]

man, my cans shipped today.... and expected delivery date is the 30th!!! thats insane!!! I think its just USPS covering their arse, i cant see it taking longer than 1 week to arrive

 

[Gautama2]

Originally posted by: PuvMan
man, my cans shipped today.... and expected delivery date is the 30th!!! thats insane!!! I think its just USPS covering their arse, i cant see it taking longer than 1 week to arrive

I had the same thing when I ordered my HD555s, I later got a email saying they will arrive 10 days earlier.

 

[boles]

Ok i am so close to getting these but i have never been a headphones kinda person.... I love loud and feel bass so headphones never did the trick but the GF not so happy about my late night music so i have to do something.

(Noob) Question is: with the open design, if i am listening to music (loud) will others hear it? If i am 10 ft away from my GF and she is trying to watch her TV shows and i am in my world with loud music am i not gonna get laid

 

[brianmanahan]

From 10 feet, my HD555's are slightly audible if I have them cranked up, but it's still a quiet sound that the TV overpowers.

 

[Kretin]

I have to chime in here.

First. Open means that the headphones will exert a sound when cranked up but the sound is not disturbing.

Second. While you are welcome to use a dedicated amp, you are not forced to use one. I use both. These headphones i now use at my parents house when i visit them. I use them watching movies late at night and when i use the computer. They work perfectly.

Dont let the lack of not having an amp deter you from purchasing them.

Hope this helps.

 

[PuvMan]

Originally posted by: boles
Ok i am so close to getting these but i have never been a headphones kinda person.... I love loud and feel bass so headphones never did the trick but the GF not so happy about my late night music so i have to do something.

(Noob) Question is: with the open design, if i am listening to music (loud) will others hear it? If i am 10 ft away from my GF and she is trying to watch her TV shows and i am in my world with loud music am i not gonna get laid

crank it up enough, and often enough, and you wont hear your gf nagging about it (whether you're using the headphones or not!).... becareful with audio levels!!!

that said, cant answer your question about getting laid

 

[boles]

Originally posted by: PuvMan

Originally posted by: boles
Ok i am so close to getting these but i have never been a headphones kinda person.... I love loud and feel bass so headphones never did the trick but the GF not so happy about my late night music so i have to do something.

(Noob) Question is: with the open design, if i am listening to music (loud) will others hear it? If i am 10 ft away from my GF and she is trying to watch her TV shows and i am in my world with loud music am i not gonna get laid

crank it up enough, and often enough, and you wont hear your gf nagging about it (whether you're using the headphones or not!).... becareful with audio levels!!!

that said, cant answer your question about getting laid

lol

 

[Thump553]

Originally posted by: Kretin
I have to chime in here.

First. Open means that the headphones will exert a sound when cranked up but the sound is not disturbing.

Second. While you are welcome to use a dedicated amp, you are not forced to use one. I use both. These headphones i now use at my parents house when i visit them. I use them watching movies late at night and when i use the computer. They work perfectly.

Dont let the lack of not having an amp deter you from purchasing them.

Hope this helps.

have a pair of 600s, not 580s, but as I recall they aren't annoyingly loud to someone else. I actually like the open headphone concept a lot because you don't have to rip the headphones off if someone talks to you (if playing at a reasonable level)

 

[Airs]

Would these be okay for a work environment? I work in a cube...

 

[Gautama2]

Originally posted by: airs
Would these be okay for a work environment? I work in a cube...

Others will barely be able to hear you, and you will be able to hear them quite well.

 

[Vikroda]

Someone on HeadFi recommended the USB EMU 0404 as an amp for his HD600s. Anyone here use the EMU?

Also, does the creative platinum breakout box have a good headphone amp? I have the Audigy 4 Pro (with the X-Fi Platinum on order--d@#m hot deals forum

 

[Thump553]

Originally posted by: Gautama2

Originally posted by: airs
Would these be okay for a work environment? I work in a cube...

Others will barely be able to hear you, and you will be able to hear them quite well.

Soundwise you would be OK. Lookswise-well, these are full size headphones. Your call.

 

[mrgq912]

thank you for the reply to my original question.

But other question is concerning headphone amps. Are there any soundcards which have a built in head phone amp. Does the creative X-fi offer a head phone amp in any of its product line.

Also has anyone seen or used the new razor barracuda HP1 gaming headphones

http://www.razerzone.com/Products/Gamin...Razer-Barracuda-HP1-Gaming-Headphones/

All the pro reviews i have read are very good, but the customer reviews at new egg are mixed. The headphones come with 8 built in amps to power 8 drivers.

Stats:

Razer Barracuda HP-1 Gaming Headphones Specifications

Frequency Response


1.50 Hz ~ 20 000Hz

Impedance


1.a. Front Speaker : 64ohm b. Rear Speaker : 32ohm c. Centre Speaker: 64ohm d. Sub-Woofer : 8ohm

Total RMS Power Rating
330mWatts

 

[Gautama2]

According to a reply I got on Head-Fi, "nearly every sound card has an amplifier - if it has a headphone jack, it has an amplifier."

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I gave up and ordered a pair... for MrsJello

(shhh... it's a secret)

 

[craftech]

First. Open means that the headphones will exert a sound when cranked up but the sound is not disturbing.
============
"Open" means that the back of the headphones are open - that is why people around you can hear them and you can hear the people around you.

"Closed" means that the back of the headphones are closed. That is why people can't hear much or any of what you are listening to depending upon the level and you can't hear them for the most part.

For music I have both types and the user reviews not the design determine how good they sound.

For shooting stage video (my trade) "closed" headphones are a must because you need to hear the feed from your microphones or the sound board - not the audience or other extraneous sound.

You can see some user reviews of the HD580 here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/custom...1257452?ie=UTF8&n=172282&s=electronics

http://www.audioreview.com/PRD_118000_2750crx.aspx

Avoid any user review that begins with the word "Dude".

Hear is another review:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=387


John

 

[jcmuse]

just got mine. listening with them plugged into my xfi since the amp isn't here yet. sound pretty good, a lot different, but not much better than my 497s. i guess i will have to wait until the amp comes before i can really compare. that said, these headphones are really comfortable! also, it seems my pair has had some kind of use... there is what looks like corrosion or something on the left sennheiser indentation logo thingy. build quality typical sennheiser... although the outside plastic seems a little cheaper than what is on my 497s... i guess this is too keep it lightweight.

worth $125? i don't know... seems an awful lot for some things that go over your ears, but i guess that is the going price for good sound and comfort. i don't have a dedicated stereo so this is my primary source for music listening... needless to say, they're on quite a bit. If that wasn't the case, i don't see spending $125 for the occasional use.

 

[Airs]

In for 1 with $1.99 overnight shipping (thanks amazon prime trial!)

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I gave up and ordered a pair... for MrsJello

(shhh... it's a secret)

And they're here

 

[boles]

anyone have an amp with these that they are willing to recommend?

 

[you2]

remember it usually takes a while to burn them in. My hd555 improved over time.... the audio forums discuss burn in quite a bit.

 

[Thump553]

Originally posted by: boles

anyone have an amp with these that they are willing to recommend?

You'll find a wealth of information and reviews at the forums at headfi.com.