Massdrop Generally, Sennheiser HD58X Jubilee Specifically

I received the 58X phones yesterday. Not sure what I expected. Not a normal hphone user. But seems as I'm listening to music in my head and muffled. So far not impressed with sound. They sound good. Just maybe my expectations, thought would sound more like "speakers in a room" . Physical quality looks good. Not uncomfortable, even with headband could use more padding. Starts to annoy a little after couple hours.
Started breaking-in with fm radio in non listening time. Will see/hear if improves enough with time.
Massdrop shipped quickly Fed Ex and USPS did the local delivery to Illinois. They were in stock and shipped in two days. No complaints, went smoothly.

Edit: I think they have limbered up a lot after maybe 40 hours breakin. Need to give them time. The sound has much changed and/or I'm adapting to them.. I prefer over my AKG 280 hands down. I was too quick to judge them. They need use to open up, IMO.
 
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A good while back, a very nice AKer gave me a pair of Stax headphones, SRD-30/SR-4. Although not portable in any sense, I feel no need to spend anything on headphones at this point. I do, however, love to read about different phones; so, should the day come, I will know where to look up about the different units, right here on AK instead of some sales backed website. It is nice to hear this stuff. I will read on, in the future.
 
My Massdrop Sennheiser HD58X "Jubilee" headphones just arrived! Got 'em on my big, square head now, with Morph the Cat playing because I want to check out the bass. My HE-400i and AKG K-240S are both known to be on the lean side. These Sennheiser knockoffs (I say that affectionately, yes, already) go deep, and high, and the mids are sounding good, too. Just switched to It's a Beautiful Day's White Bird as a quick initial check of both male and female voice. Pretty impressive. Strings sound great, too. So I'm going on to Bach's Harpsichord Concerto in D Minor. Initially, right out of the box, with no break-in, I'm impressed with the midrange resolution.

I have a lot of listening to do, and probably some changes to go through as these cans break in, but I'm really liking what I'm hearing. Great dynamics. These may well supplant the 400i as my best headphone, and since I didn't even know of them until two days before the end of the drop, no long wait for me. Looking like I made an excellent $150 purchase.

Now, I am no headphone aficionado. Have never heard any of the recent Uber brands. Did listen to some Stax Lambda Pro 'phones back in the mid '80s, but that is ancient history, and the only really high-end headphone I ever heard. Got to spend a few hours a day with those for three days. So, I'm not the headphone guru for current models. And I have no but to add to that. That's a fact, Jack.

Look to others to tell you how they stack up. No doubt all my headphones are well down the connoisseur list. When I bought the Hifiman, I had trouble deciding on them or HD-650, sound unheard. Now that I have these, I think I chose well, since I now have Sennheisers that I think I will love, too. Most likely will hang onto all three and stop buying headphones. I believe I'm set.

Except for the long extension cord I just ordered so that I can plug directly into the Levinson which is claimed to have an excellent HP amp.

I'm with Joe on the Mark Levison gear - some of the most enjoyable equipment I've had over the years. It's probably my memory fading (not uncommon at my age), but when I read a review on the 585 sometime back, I don't remember it having a headphone amp/jack. Is it something that has been added to newer models or did I just miss it when I read the review? Anyway, enjoy the new phones - there's something new to be discovered with new headphones.
 
I'm with Joe on the Mark Levison gear - some of the most enjoyable equipment I've had over the years. It's probably my memory fading (not uncommon at my age), but when I read a review on the 585 sometime back, I don't remember it having a headphone amp/jack. Is it something that has been added to newer models or did I just miss it when I read the review? Anyway, enjoy the new phones - there's something new to be discovered with new headphones.

Good point. Consider my earlier comments revised to reflect the fact my integrated amp apparently has no hp output at all. At least, I strongly suspect that it does not, based on WobblySam's comment; from my seat fifteen feet away, I can't be certain with my blurry vision. Christine is sitting five feet from it and says she doesn't see one, but she is not very reliable in such matters. Since I only use headphones with the Schiit stuff sitting by my recliner, a headphone output - or lack thereof - went unnoticed by me when I chose a new amp. Glad I kept putting off ordering a good, long hp extension cord to try it out, as I had been intending to do. :oops:

I'm still keeping the amp - best audio purchase I ever made.
 
Good point. Consider my earlier comments revised to reflect the fact my integrated amp apparently has no hp output at all. At least, I strongly suspect that it does not, based on WobblySam's comment; from my seat fifteen feet away, I can't be certain with my blurry vision. Christine is sitting five feet from it and says she doesn't see one, but she is not very reliable in such matters. Since I only use headphones with the Schiit stuff sitting by my recliner, a headphone output - or lack thereof - went unnoticed by me when I chose a new amp. Glad I kept putting off ordering a good, long hp extension cord to try it out, as I had been intending to do. :oops:

I'm still keeping the amp - best audio purchase I ever made.

And well you should. I think you're in for years of enjoyment with the 585. It does, however, open the door, utilizing the line outs on the 585, to cause one to consider a headphone amp of the same caliber as the 585. That is, if you needed an excuse.
Enjoy the tunes.
 
You guys are almost convincing me that I need to get a pair of the HE4xxs.

Anybody had the chance to compare them to the Fostex T50RPs?

Read this thread and thought the same. I've come close twice now on the HE-4XX. I have the Sennheiser HD-6XX and quite enjoy them. I purchased a new cable on Amazon because I thought the Massdrop cable was too short. I did not perceive a difference in sound.

I've also snagged the Topping DC-30 DAC which I think has helped quality when streaming to my Marantz or Schiit stack .

I also bought a really nice brown belt.

I've not found the wait to be excessive.

I'm probably grabbing the HE if they go up again.
 
Broke out my headphones I rarely use. Remembered this Musichal thread. I have the Hifiman He4xx and Senn HD58x Jubilees.
I like either pair. HD58x have deeper base. The HE4xx are lacking some base of the HD58x. But have more detail. More live sounding. Think prefer the HE4xx overall.
Today, ears aren't sweating with either pair, as they were yesterday. Today is a little cooler. Warm days and I'm no fan of headphones.
 
Broke out my headphones I rarely use. Remembered this Musichal thread. I have the Hifiman He4xx and Senn HD58x Jubilees.
I like either pair. HD58x have deeper base. The HE4xx are lacking some base of the HD58x. But have more detail. More live sounding. Think prefer the HE4xx overall.

And you should prefer it more and more, since it takes up to 200 hours for planars to properly break in. At that point they will usually sound eons better than when they were new, like a whole different phone.
 
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