Exotic Amplifier Technologies

[Arny Krueger]

"paul packer" <packer@iprimus.com.au> wrote in message
news:43af8290.1819716@news.iprimus.com.au

On Sun, 25 Dec 2005 06:42:49 -0500, "Arny Krueger"
arnyk@hotpop.com> wrote:


I have about 15 different pairs of headphones and
earphones. I mostly listen to the HD580s Iistening at
home for pleasure) Sony MDR 7506 (editing) Futuresonics
IEM (portable digital player) and Shure E-3 (portable
CD/MP3 player).

The 580s are a good phone, but I found them a little dull
and boring.

There are a lot of people who think that for listening, they are exactly
right. If not, one can throw in a little eq - that is if you have some eq at
your disposal. Ever since we got the digital console at church, we've been
pulling eq out of service.

The 595 has the same or greater neutrality, a
better soundstage and is more lively--also much easier to
drive.

That would be your personal opinon, which is of course yours to cherish. As
far as the easier to drive thing goes, 580s have a nice combination of
sensitivity and high impedance, and have to be the easiest headphones to
drive of the over a dozen that I have. I've been known to drive them
straight off of the line output of some audio production component or other,
without difficulty. I do have a number of headphone amps, but with 580s
their use is optional.

I've not looked back since I bought it, and unless
they bring out a "super" 595 it will be my last phone for
many years.

 

[Arny Krueger]

"paul packer" <packer@iprimus.com.au> wrote in message
news:43b08818.3327457@news.iprimus.com.au

On Mon, 26 Dec 2005 07:21:24 -0500, "Arny Krueger"
arnyk@hotpop.com> wrote:

"paul packer" <packer@iprimus.com.au> wrote in message
news:43af8290.1819716@news.iprimus.com.au
On Sun, 25 Dec 2005 06:42:49 -0500, "Arny Krueger"
arnyk@hotpop.com> wrote:


I have about 15 different pairs of headphones and
earphones. I mostly listen to the HD580s Iistening at
home for pleasure) Sony MDR 7506 (editing) Futuresonics
IEM (portable digital player) and Shure E-3 (portable
CD/MP3 player).

The 580s are a good phone, but I found them a little
dull and boring.

There are a lot of people who think that for listening,
they are exactly right. If not, one can throw in a
little eq - that is if you have some eq at your
disposal. Ever since we got the digital console at
church, we've been pulling eq out of service.

Isn't it better if things don't need eq?

Of course it is. In case you haven't figured it out, the reason to use eq is
that it makes things sound better. If the eq doesn't make things sound
better, then the wise person either comesup with different eq or forgets
about eq altogether in this application.

After all, you're adding another component with its own measure of
distortion.

The problem isn't usually the inherent distortion in modern equalizers
(which is very low) its errors in adjusting the eq.

The 595 has the same or greater neutrality, a
better soundstage and is more lively--also much easier
to drive.

That would be your personal opinon, which is of course
yours to cherish. As far as the easier to drive thing
goes, 580s have a nice combination of sensitivity and
high impedance, and have to be the easiest headphones to
drive of the over a dozen that I have.

But not easier than the 580, which I owned.

The 580 is so easy to drive I can't see that as a criteria to judge it by.

The 595 is much easier to drive, and that's the old 120 ohm version.
Senn have now switched to 50 ohms.

You seem to have an odd idea of what constitutes easy to drive, Paul.
Usually high impedances are easier to drive than low impedances, all other
things being equal.

I'm assuming you're very familiar with the 595.

Marginally.

 

[paul packer]

On Tue, 27 Dec 2005 17:26:15 -0500, "Arny Krueger" <arnyk@hotpop.com>
wrote:

The 595 has the same or greater neutrality, a
better soundstage and is more lively--also much easier
to drive.

That would be your personal opinon, which is of course
yours to cherish. As far as the easier to drive thing
goes, 580s have a nice combination of sensitivity and
high impedance, and have to be the easiest headphones to
drive of the over a dozen that I have.

But not easier than the 580, which I owned.

The 580 is so easy to drive I can't see that as a criteria to judge it by.

You're totally at odds with received wisdom here, Arnie. Check the
search engines on any headphone site (say, Head-Fi) and you'll find
the 580 is one of those phones considered to definitely need a
dedicated HP amp, the 595 not. And this accords with my own
experience. Where I would have had the volume at 10.30 with the 580, I
rarely have it beyond 9.15 with the 595. Or perhaps you have a
different way of measuring sensitivity?

 

[Mr.T]

"Arny Krueger" <arnyk@hotpop.com> wrote in message
news:jLmdnT0e8LUTIizeRVn-sg@comcast.com...

The 595 is much easier to drive, and that's the old 120 ohm version.
Senn have now switched to 50 ohms.

You seem to have an odd idea of what constitutes easy to drive, Paul.
Usually high impedances are easier to drive than low impedances, all other
things being equal.

Which they never are unfortunately.
In fact with portable equipment the maximum output voltage levels are quite
often too low to properly drive high impedance phones IME.
Not that I am unhappy at all with my Senn 580's. I have other phones more
suitable for portable use, and others still for live monitoring etc.

MrT.