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Full user review
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
5.0 stars
"Very impressive"
Pros: Very smooth response across the spectrum
Cons: occasionally irritates my left mastoid bone
Summary: Sennheiser is more and more becoming my manufacturer of choice when I look for headphones. I previously had purchased a pair of Sennheiser HD497 headphones, primarily because they were cheap (around $40), and I was getting sick of earbuds. The HD497 were very impressive, particularly given their price (see my review on them). Desiring an upgrade to more audiophile-grade headphones, I jumped on a pair of the HD580s when I found them on sale. When I put them on at first, I thought "hmmm, they're okay". Then I did some A-B comparison with my HD497, and the smoothness of the HD580 became very noticeable. From lows to highs and everything in between, the frequency is nice and flat. Now, I know a lot of people think headphones are only good if the bass thumps. While everyone is entitled to their opinions, I appreciate a nice smooth response because I believe that this most accurately recreates what the sound engineers originally intended. I primarily listen to jazz and classical, with a good amount of rock thrown in. A flat response recreates all genres of music "right". I strive for this flat response in my home stereo (Onkyo receiver with Definitive Technology speakers), and given room response, nulls, etc. the flat response is very hard to attain. When I throw on my HD580s, I hear EXACTLY what I try to create with my home stereo. Every subtlety and nuance that is in a recording comes through very clearly. While I was pleasantly surprised at the improvement in sound quality going from a pair of $40 headphones to a pair of $160 headphones, I really have to wonder what can be attained by jumping to the HD650 at $300 (down from $500). I doubt my wife will let me find out anytime soon.
