just got some sennheiser HD 555's and I love them
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Digital Man
Glad you like them and welcome to the can world! :thmbsp:
Try not to order too many different pairs!
Try not to order too many different pairs!
zenith2134
Lunatic Member
LOL @ Squonk--i'm a longtime Head-Fi'er too.
The Senn HD555 is a great can--detailed yet extremely non-fatiguing IME...This was among the first of my 'real' headphones. I used to drive mine with a vintage Yamaha CR-600 receiver circa 2008...I then up-graded to a Little Dot II++ tube headphone amp (i think it was 6C19 based?) but either way those are very nice cans.
The Senn HD555 is a great can--detailed yet extremely non-fatiguing IME...This was among the first of my 'real' headphones. I used to drive mine with a vintage Yamaha CR-600 receiver circa 2008...I then up-graded to a Little Dot II++ tube headphone amp (i think it was 6C19 based?) but either way those are very nice cans.
Glad you like them and welcome to the can world! :thmbsp:
Try not to order too many different pairs!
haha I think I am good with this pair unless they crap out on me but I think I'll be good haha
Permanent Waves
Digital Man
haha I think I am good with this pair unless they crap out on me but I think I'll be good haha
Yea, well that's what I thought back when I bought my first "real" can, the HD 595!
Even at that time I still had an old Sony V-600.
I have 5 cans total now (and 3 headphone amps lol). Also 3 pairs of IEM's and one pair of portable headphones (gf uses those mostly).
Of course I listen to headphones often so that's part of the reason I have more than one. That and the ones I get aren't that expensive so...
Like everything else it is about preference and how much you want to spend. I did keep just my 595's with no headphone amp for over two years. Then I decided to start trying other cans, and then amps, and I'm glad I did personally.
Yea, well that's what I thought back when I bought my first "real" can, the HD 595!
Even at that time I still had an old Sony V-600.
I have 5 cans total now (and 3 headphone amps lol). Also 3 pairs of IEM's and one pair of portable headphones (gf uses those mostly).
Of course I listen to headphones often so that's part of the reason I have more than one. That and the ones I get aren't that expensive so...
Like everything else it is about preference and how much you want to spend. I did keep just my 595's with no headphone amp for over two years. Then I decided to start trying other cans, and then amps, and I'm glad I did personally.
whats a good entry level audiophile headphone amp to start with?
Deacon Jubal
Active Member
I have a pair of the 595s, which are very similar. Congratulations on a great choice. Wait until you've broken them in properly (about 20-30 hours). They are easily the most comfortable cans I've ever owned (out of about 15 different pairs).
do headphones have a speaker break in period like guitar speakers where they sound better after a break in period?
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Digital Man
I think that Senns, or at least the model you have, tend to be pretty easy to power so you probably don't need any headphone amp. But imo every headphone I've had (even the efficient ones) DO sound better with an amp (everyone I've had has been an improvement), but not all can tell the difference or think it is worth it. Again it really depends how much you are even going to listen to headphones and how much you are willing to spend. You might do just fine with a receiver/amp headphone out. I was content with that setup for awhile, but when I did finally get an external headphone amp I was pretty wowed. And that one was about 1/3 as good as the one I have now.
Anyway, I don't know what you mean by "entry level" necessarily; for some that is $500 and up, for others $100. I can say that personally I've had 3 amps now, all under $300 (check the user albums on my profile), and the last one I got is my favorite and I see no reason to replace it anytime soon. It is the Matrix M-Stage and I think goes for $278 shipped. I got mine for $249 before the price hike after the good reviews and "second" version (I think it is virtually the same as the first version or at least sounds the same) came out.
The Matrix is all solid state so if you want tubes then look elsewhere (such as something in the Little Dot line up). I've been running it semi-daily for months now with no issues and love it. It has gain adjustment and easy socketed op-amp switching (to tweak the sound) which are nice features. It's also basically a copy of an amp that sold for around $1000 (Lehman something or other). That probably just shows how much audio gear can be ripoffs more than anything else though (even the Matrix shouldn't cost what it does: the maker is getting a nice profit for sure).
I suggest you look around on Head-Fi for more info on amps:
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/list/5
There are literally dozens to choose from, from home amps to portable. Remember that if you do get an amp and decide it makes no difference or not enough difference to justify the extra expense that you can sell it back and not be out too much. It's worth a try in that sense imo.
That all depends on whether or not you believe in "break in".
I don't, at least physical break in, because I've not seen any empirical evidence to support it (besides that drivers take a few seconds to a few minutes at most to "break in" when first played...which is probably done at the factory anyway when they test the headphone/speaker to maker sure it works). Psychological break in is a whole other matter: just getting used to the sound over a few days or even weeks. You, and anyone else, are free to believe whatever you wish about break in and I won't argue it here. I will only say that if you like the sound now that is good because it's not going to get much (or any) better. (Unless you change something else in the chain, like use an external amp).
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Digital Man
no the 555's and I already know they will just say well why didn't you send them in instead of checking them out yourself. I don't have time to pack and ship with my crazy work scheduleDo you mean your Sony's? If not, get your money back on those 555's!
Permanent Waves
Digital Man
Hmm...possibly, OR you could rage about bad customer service and that you will relate this problem on every audio forum you are part of (and if you aren't a member of several it doesn't matter, how will they know?).
Trust me, I've done this before with a defective amp on a sub (it was under warranty and suddenly wouldn't turn on!). They said I over drove the sub/amp (as in pushed it to extreme volumes) and I said I didn't and that they should cover it. Well I got a new sub and amp (the amp is built in on the unit) and apology within two weeks. Never even had to ship them my old sub that doesn't turn on.
IOW: Fight the power! lol But you know what I mean, stand up for your consumer rights. It may work, it may not. Just tell them your headphones aren't working...DON'T say you opened them! If they ask for them in return, DEMAND they pay the shipping and you can't believe they sold you a pair of headphones that didn't even last a week.
Good luck, remember that YOU are the consumer.
Trust me, I've done this before with a defective amp on a sub (it was under warranty and suddenly wouldn't turn on!). They said I over drove the sub/amp (as in pushed it to extreme volumes) and I said I didn't and that they should cover it. Well I got a new sub and amp (the amp is built in on the unit) and apology within two weeks. Never even had to ship them my old sub that doesn't turn on.
IOW: Fight the power! lol But you know what I mean, stand up for your consumer rights. It may work, it may not. Just tell them your headphones aren't working...DON'T say you opened them! If they ask for them in return, DEMAND they pay the shipping and you can't believe they sold you a pair of headphones that didn't even last a week.
Good luck, remember that YOU are the consumer.
Squonk07
Someday you'll understand
That's a really crappy thing to happen. A real bummer there. If you can get them back together (if you still have them), I would definitely send them back. Two days doesn't constitute an acceptable product life by any measure, and it's no fair you should be out your enjoyment/investment on account of premature equipment failure.
