Thinking of upgrading my 595's to......

I agree with titanium. People exaggerate the improvements that amps provide.

If you get the HD650 and decide you don't like the sound with your STX then its simply because you don't like the HD650's sound signature. Buying an amp that costs more than the headphone itself isn't going to miraculously make you like them.

Also, ignore opinions from those that haven't actually heard the gear they are commenting on.
 
Remember that it will sound significantly different to your HD595, more bass, thicker mids and less treble (but better quality), so you might find them to sound a little dark and slow to begin with. Give it a few days so that your ears can adjust. I'd also advise against using any sound processing (equalisers and DSPs for example). Let your brain do the work - sounds stupid I know, but it's always worked for me.
 
Amps can have a huge effect on sound. Using my valve amp with my D2000s renders them too bassy to live with. However, with my Shanling PH100, they are brilliant. My HD 650s sound great through either, but really come to life on valves with much improved bass response and impact, almost to the level of the D2000s on the PH100.

The HD 650s are simply bloody brilliant, and HD 595s pale in comparison IMO. They will sound less bright, but you should grow to love them. They're so detailed, and at the same time very easy to listen to.
 
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ive got teh senn hd600 .. had them a few years now , and got to say lovign them :D i went teh dac / headphone amp route .......mf v-dac / graham slee solo srg11 cant fault the combo for music ... and pretty good for gaming

but it was bought for music ... and boy do 96/24 tracks sound good :)
 
danza said:
Amps can have a huge effect on sound. Using my valve amp with my D2000s renders them too bassy to live with. However, with my Shanling PH100, they are brilliant. My HD 650s sound great through either, but really come to life on valves with much improved bass response and impact, almost to the level of the D2000s on the PH100.

The HD 650s are simply bloody brilliant, and HD 595s pale in comparison IMO. They will sound less bright, but you should grow to love them. They're so detailed, and at the same time very easy to listen to.
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How long do the tubes last on these amps? Does the sound quality gradually deteriorate over time or is it a more spontaneous thing? Was looking at the Little Dot amps, but don't like the idea of having to replace the tubes or worry about reduced sound quality.
 
Tubes will last like 5000 hours and aren't hugely expensive to replace if they do go kaput. Also there is a whole new level of audiophile fun to be discovered in the form of tube rolling!
 
Ignoring and dismissing headphone equalisation is a huge mistake

Every set of headphones needs equalising as there are resonant frequencies, frequencies that peak because of your ear canal!

Its not to add bass it's to reduce frequencies in the upper mid and treble to get a flat curve - reference!
The 650's will need equalizing the same as all headphones do

It's not easy to get perfect but is worth the effort!
Its a free upgrade! There are instructions on exactly how to do it for 650's on Head Fi, will post a link tomorrow.

You should look into it before buying anything - if your not trying for the best sound available why buy the 650's?
The stx doesn't even drive a set of pc360's properly, especially off the stock op amps. Although it's supposed to drive higher load Cana better but I doubt it
 
titaniumx3 said:
The HD650s don't need equalising. Anything that doesn't sound 'right' will quickly be accounted for by your brain, which is pretty much an equaliser in it's own right.

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Mate I am sorry but this full post proves you dont know what you are talking about.
You are not trying to hear a flat sound you equalise to reduce resonant peaking frequencies that are there FACT!
How much and at exactly what frequencies depends on the cans an your ears but they are there!!

It's easy to think something is sounding right- it's only when you hear that it's clearly not right then you realise you are wrong!
HOWEVER regardless when Siegfried linkwitz who has designed more audio circuitry used today than you have had hot dinners says something then you should listen.

I thought the same as you until 2 weeks ago - very wrong I was!
 
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EllisDJ said:
Mate I am sorry but this full post proves you dont know what you are talking about.
You are not trying to hear a flat sound you equalise to reduce resonant peaking frequencies that are there FACT!
How much and at exactly what frequencies depends on the cans an your ears but they are there!!

It's easy to think something is sounding right- it's only when you hear that it's clearly not right then you realise you are wrong!
HOWEVER regardless when linkwitz Riley who has designed more audio circuitry used today than you have had hot dinners says something then you should listen.

I thought the same as you until 2 weeks ago - very wrong I was!
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I can only trust my own hearing, and I have no idea what you're talking about with regards to these 'resonant' frequencies. The HD650 sounds pretty much perfect to me in terms of frequency balance. Have you actually heard the HD650? I'd probably agree with you if it was say, my Audio Technica ATH-A900, but not the HD650.

But, if as you say, the HD650 does have these 'peaking frequencies', then I'm guessing they are a desirable characteristic in headphones. This is the consensus of most audiophiles I know of, not just my own opinion.
 
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The essence stx sc is known for having sssssibilant treble, especially off the stock op amps
I have heard this myself - this is reduced by changing the op amps - there is a 75 page + thread about it on another forum a lot of people upgrade the op amps to the LME 47920
The sound quality is also hugely improved from the JRC ( I think) cheap ones that come as stock - Asus was giving away free op amps to the stx owners for a while because of complaints - they were giving away the 47920s

The dark signature probs works well as a result of what i have mentioned above as they might limit the sssssibilance

This is completely reduced on all headphones by equalisation :) !!
 
titaniumx3 said:
I can only trust my own hearing, and I have no idea what you're talking about with regards to these 'resonant' frequencies. The HD650 sounds pretty much perfect to me in terms of frequency balance. Have you actually heard the HD650? I'd probably agree with you if it was say, my Audio Technica ATH-A900, but not the HD650.

But, if as you say, the HD650 does have these 'peaking frequencies', then I'm guessing they are a desirable characteristic in headphones. This is the consensus of most audiophiles I know of, not just my own opinion.
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I will post the link to the website tomorrow.
It's the reaction of the headphones on your ears that causes peaks at certain frequencies like the room does to a set of speakers.
The best speakers in the world are still limited / at the mercy of the room they are in.

The guy says once you get the equalising right you will winder how you ever listened to it unequslised and he is right and there is 50 pages of people thanking h. Sometimes what we think is clarity is actually distortion! There is
 
titaniumx3 said:
I can only trust my own hearing, and I have no idea what you're talking about with regards to these 'resonant' frequencies. The HD650 sounds pretty much perfect to me in terms of frequency balance. Have you actually heard the HD650? I'd probably agree with you if it was say, my Audio Technica ATH-A900, but not the HD650.

But, if as you say, the HD650 does have these 'peaking frequencies', then I'm guessing they are a desirable characteristic in headphones. This is the consensus of most audiophiles I know of, not just my own opinion.
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I've used equalisation on my hd650's and i have done on everything i've ever owned. chasing a flat response is a fools game because of the reasons EllisDJ already mentioned, but anybody who thinks the 650's are actually flat, hasn't heard flat. I know they are 'audiophile headphones' but that doesnt mean they are clinically faithful and infact they have their own very distinct signature.

http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=0&graphID[]=853


^^^ that is not in any way flat.
 
Shamrock said:
I don't recall anybody saying the 650s were flat.
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it gets inferred more than enough.

"The bass on the HD650 are well balanced in my opinion, not ruler flat, but slightly on the warm side, without sounding artificial"

my point was they arent anywhere near approaching flat and you (anybody) can't deny that. 650's need eq to get them best out of them just like anything else, imo.
 
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