Headphone Burn-in

[dcooper]

I just bought a pair of Sennheiser HD 580 headphones and so far I'm not very impressed with them. Seems like they have almost no lower end and a very muddy middle.

However, I've really only sampled them once for about 2 hours on my main receiver (a Denon AVR-1603) and have basically been using them for late night listening on my computer.

I've read about speaker cable and interconnect "burn in" at SHtv, and I'm a little skeptical about whether this is necessary. So...is burn in necessary or have I been sucked into a stupid audiophool purchase?

[Matt]

Dan, I purchased a pair of these headphones a while back. I had the same complaints you did and returned them. I personally do not think "burn in" is necessary. I am much happier with Grado SR-325's, they sounded great out of the box.

[lukpac]

have I been sucked into a stupid audiophool purchase?

All signs point to yes.

I haven't done any type of headphone shopping in a few years, but I really remember people singing the praises of Grados. I think I tried the SR 80 and SR 125, and I didn't like either - they both seemed kind of thin and weedy.

I think I tried a pair or two of Sennheisers, but nothing really struck me about them. At times I've looked to replace this Koss pair I've had for years (MAC-7, although I believe they were discontinued many years ago), but I still haven't heard anything I like as much.

Headphone shopping is usually a pain in the ass, as many places won't let you plug in your own headphones, play your own music, or both.

[Rob P]

I used to own the Grado SR 60. For two reasons, I didn't like them very much. One, they were uncomfortable to wear, with thin foam padding that tended to disintegrate after a couple of years. Two, I agree with Luke's assessment of the sound, thin and weedy, and I also thought the bass was deep but overhyped.

Not long after, I picked up Fostex headphones from Mars Music. I love those phones. They sound better balanced than the Grados, and they feel more comfortable, with the traditional leather wraparound that rests over top of your ear.

[dcooper]

I considered Grados, but I've always read they are very uncomfortable to wear over extended periods of time. I like the feel of the 580s, but I had to turn the volume way down on my receiver to clear the mud and then boost the treble and bass to +12 to hear any seperation. It's not like I'm listening to Krokus or NWA or intentionally trying to go deaf, but I like a little thump in my bass.

Fostex, eh? Don't know anything about those.

[Rob P]

These are the Fostex phones I have:

http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i- ... nd-98.html

They're considered "studio" headphones, but in this (and many other cases) I'll make an exception.

[lukpac]

I know Mr. Hunte has a pair of Fostex phones. When I listened to them a few years ago they were the closest thing yet to my Koss pair. I think they might have been a bit lighter in the bass, but of course mine might just be bass heavy.

He seems to like them, anyway.

[Rob P]

I do think the Fostex phones are a little lighter in the bass than Grado, but in this case it's a good thing.

My friend has a pair of Koss he uses when we record live. They sound good, similar to the Fostex, and are very comfortable.

[dcooper]

Rob, know of any DC-area vendors that sell the Fostex?

[Matt]

I considered Grados, but I've always read they are very uncomfortable to wear over extended periods of time.

They (the 325's) are not too bad for extended wear and the pads are fairly easy to change. I personally don't think there is a better sounding headphone in that price range. Also, the 325's are considerably better sounding than the 125's and the lesser model numbers.

[lukpac]

I should add that brand often doesn't matter. My Koss pair wasn't too expensive (and are built as such), yet I think it sounds pretty good. I've heard other Koss that were newer/more expensive/etc, and I've thought they've sucked. That is to say, without hearing what's out there now, I'm not about to say "buy Koss". Or any other brand, for that matter.

[dcooper]

Obviously, there's a certain amount of subjectivity that goes into this analysis, but honestly, you shouldn't be required to buy a headphone amp to hear bass from your headphones. I have a cheap pair of Sony cans that are falling apart and have a cable short that still sound better to my ears than the Sennheisers that I dropped nearly $200 for.

This is the kind of stuff that drives me nuts. I care about sound quality, but I hate getting ripped off or at least overpaying for products that I think are going to produce this magical sound but end up making me feel like a sucker.

[Ess Ay Cee Dee]

nt

[Rob P]

Rob, know of any DC-area vendors that sell the Fostex?

Guitar Center carries the Fostex phones. They have several locations in the DC area, including Rockville and Tyson's Corner. However, they might not always stock each model.

To me, headphone amps are no different than listening through a headphone jack on a receiver. I think it's yet another way for the high end audio world to pickpocket us. I have one exception to that rule: someone I once knew had a Stax headphone amp which sounded amazing, but was pricey.

[Rob P]

The best 'phones I've ever heard were some late-70's Stax electret 'phones. It was the whole shebang with the transformer and everything.

Those were the ones I heard. The guy I knew played me a German quad pressing of Dark Side of the Moon. Listening through the Stax phones and amp, I heard every last little thing on that recording. It was stunning.