Design, Replaceable Cord, Comfort, SOUND!

None, but be aware of "open air" design, this is not a weakness at all but some might want the conventional closed design.

I purchased brand new at ebay from hififorles.com at a great price ($160 after shipping).
The sound is incredible. They were very bright and crisp (almost too bright at first) but they are now warming up very nicely. The clarity is wonderful and the sound is full. I was very impressed with the bass, very clean and tight. I tested the Senn 570s but I was not impressed enough to spend $150 at the local retailer.
I read the reviews here on both the 580 and 590s. I had the option to purchase the 580s at the same price but I heard about the cord problems so I went for the 590s. I am glad I did. They are so comfortable (I love the design) and the cord is replaceable which is very nice.
I would highly recommend these to anyone who enjoys great sound, computer games, DVDs etc.
Take note that on portable devices (mini-disk, CD, or MP3 players) that you are not going to get the full sound capibility that you would on a home amp. I think that they are still better than anything else out there for portables but you will get better performance out of a home amp.
Take note also that you need 24-48 hours of "break-in" time for the sound to really be optimized.
Go buy a set today!!!!

Similar Products Used:

Pioneer broadcast headphones(OLD), Koss, Senn 570, and the usual cheap stuff

Nothing. Oh, maybe looks ok; but thats it.

Everything

I was demoing some headphones at a local dealer- mainly concentrating on the 565 ovations that were on offer and I asked to hear the 590s which replace the 565s. I thought that there would be a huge improvement since I've been impressed by every other Sennheiser product. What a pile of s***! I could just about make out that the treble was in stereo but the mid and bass seemed to stay right in the middle of the 'phones no matter what music was played. The cans were not, or the connections were not faulty in any way. The bass was not at all deep and the treble was false. Don't even bother demoing these. Get a pair of Grado Sr125s @£150, the 580 precisions @£200 or even the old 565s@£150 if you can find any left. Good luck!

Similar Products Used:

565 ovations, Beyer 811s, 580 precisions

Expansive sound, excellent highs, nicely detailed, high build quality

None identified

Where Used: Computer (Iwill KK266R mb/Via KT133A chipset)
Current Sound Card: Philips Acoustic Edge
Headphone Amp: Audio Design PM100

If you spend an inordinate amont of time (like me) on a computer, then you should consider the HD590's. They can be driven directly from a sound card, generating perfectly adequate sound levels while revealing previously unappreciated content in recordings. However, ultimately I do recommend a headphone amp to bring out the full richness they are capable of. In comparative listening the difference is subtle but discernable. The sound field expands, sort of like when you're in a well designed sound theater versus a basic box shaped room. If you have no intention of ever driving them off an amp, or are buying for use with a portable player, then I suggest a Grado or a lesser Senn model like the 495's may be a better choice overall, offering a distinct advantage in size and weight. The 590's are ideally suited to home use on good equipment, so that their sonic potential can truly be savored.

Some have commented they are overly bright, now that I've had the opportunity to try them on a variety of material I certainly wouldn't describe them in this way. Personally I really like the sound of these cans. I prefer to describe the highs as crisp and natural sounding, very similar in quality to my recollection of various live performances I've attended. The amp though may be helping in this regard as it seems to draw the mids forward, thereby improving overall neutrality of the sound field. But then too I should mention I'm in my mid 40's and it wouldn't be unexpected to find I'm suffering some high end hearing loss, in which case the 590's may simply be compensating! All I can say in this regard is that each individual will need to decide for themselves, I simply did not find this to be an issue at all.

Comfort is a big concern of mine as listening sessions of several hours length are not uncommon. Comfort is definitely a strength of the 590's.

Finally the improved cord design is welcome.

Conclusion - recommended.

Similar Products Used:

Upgrade from Senn HD490

Sweet range...bass and treble...the mid...and everything

if you can afford, buy it

I just replaced my HD 580s with the new HD 590s. If you thought the HD 580s were a great set of head phones, youll love the 590s.

Similar Products Used:

hd 580

Sweet range...bass and treble...the mid...and everything

if you can afford, buy it

I just replaced my HD 580s with the new HD 590s. If you thought the HD 580s were a great set of head phones, youll love the 590s.

Similar Products Used:

hd 580

sound good, comfortable! outlook?

overpriced! outlook?

This is a comparative review of AKG K300, Grado SR225 and Sennheiser HD590 (plus HD433). Note: I'm assuminig K301, current model, has no functional difference from K300, so was I told from the guy I got K300 from. Sorry if I'm mistaken, but I believe I'm giving you a good (or bad) information anyway.

My first "hi-end" headphones were HD433. They cost $40 or so on eBay when I got them. With them, I got very excited to see what a big improvement headphones can make in my portable audio systems and decided to go further to get better headphones. I then got HD590, SR225, and just recently K300. Of course, no comparison of HD433 with other three makes sense. So, I won't mention HD433 below.

Let me begin with their prices: HD590 and SR225 were sold at almost the same price (around $160) on eBay when I got them two months ago. I got K300 for $50 just a few days ago. But, evcen without the price factor taking into consideration, my preference goes to K300. How come??? you may wonder. Let me explain in three other factors: (1) comfortability, (2) outlook, and (3) sound, the most important factor.

How about their comfortability? HD590 and K300 are in good competition; both are very light and well-designed to give you a nice fitness. SR225 is far behind them. Actually, SR225 sucks in this respect.

How about their looks? HD590 and K300 are in good competition, too. My taste says that HD590 is a little bit grotesque; they look like an object you often see in a B-class SF movie. SR225 is far behind, and sucks in this respect, too. (Incidentally, why are European companies so good at industorial design? Or rather, why do American companies refuse to "learn" basics of design from them???)

How about their sound qualities? In a nutshell, K300 is the best exactly because it is really well balanced, giving a good blend of nice features of HD590 and SR225, I believe.

HD590 is a very nice headphones and so is SR225. Both would be rated at least 4/4 if I didn't know K300. But, to me, HD590 sounds too opaque to enjoy music even if it gives very warm, smooth tonality with a very wide soundstage. Actually, I prefer SR225 in binary comparison with HD590. SR225 sounds more clear, accurate, and natural, even if it suffers a little bit from too much harshness, brightness, and aggressiveness. Also, SR225's soundstage is not so wide. Rather, it gives you the impression that you're very close to musicians.

I recognize that the sound of K300 is kind of muffled: it is far from clear, and I can easily imagine that some people would say their sound is "lifeless". Grado fans are tend to say this, I suspect. Also, the quality is different from warm that is one nice features of Senn sounds. K300 sounds somewhat "dried out".

Still, K300's separation is outstanding: no comparison with any other headphones (and even speakers) I've never gave a listen to. K300 is the only output device with which I can easily recognize four instruments, in a string quartet, playing independently. Also, K300 gives a pretty wide soundstage.

I'm not sure, but I suspect that K300 could be so designed as to enhance normal listener's ability of sounds. I say this because I had the impression that they made me hear most "difficult" sounds, maybe at expense of the fidelity in "easier" sounds. I recognized highs are missing in K300's performance. This is either for good or bad, though. To me, it was good, so good that I decided to sell my SR225 immediately when I listened to K300. I got so excited with K300 that I listened many of my favorite CD's to rediscover them. As they breaking in, they are sounding better and better.

A few things I want to complain about K300: first, it's regrettable that their fitting isn't adjustable: they are too loose for me. By the way, I like their L-R symmetrical design because I can flip them around. Second, they sound a little bit too quiet at least until they get broken in. Third, they sound so nice that you may want to get a headphone amp for them ... But wait. You have extra $120 or so if you've already decided to buy either SR225 or HD590 !!!

Similar Products Used:

AKG K300, Grado SR225, Sennheiser HD433, a few models by Sony

It's a Sennheiser. Gloriously detailed, spacious sound. Subterranian lows, crisp mids, sweet highs. You would have to purchase loudspeakers 20 times the price of these to hear similar results.

There are only 24 hours in a day....

I have been using Sennheiser products since late 1996 (about the time I ditched the mini system and became seriously interested in audio). My xmas present that year was a pair of beloved HD465s. This is where I first learned of the sheer pedigree of these headphones. There are three main facts that you quickly become aware of when owning Sennheisers.

1. They are SERIOUSLY comfortable. It's as if they are part of your head.

2. Purchase a decent pair and you'll probably upgrade your entire system. They are ruthlessly revealing of both quality of CD recordings and the kit being used to replay them.

3. When you buy these, they're keepers. I had my HD465s for almost 6 years. Never replaced a single thing. Almost every component in the headphones can be replaced (cords, ear cushions etc). Now if someone hadn't stepped on them!!

OK sorry to crap on - now to the review :-)


I know that all Hifi products need some degree of burn in time. This is also true with headphones. Straight out of the box, the HD590s sound very detailed indeed but my advice is to leave them plugged in overnight. After about 20 hours of use, the sound will blossom. Some harshness is removed from the top end (this is particulary noticable with triangle zings, acoustic guitars and violins), mids become even clearer/fullsome and the bass tightens up and becomes more rythmic. My pair now has about 50 hours on them and they constantly leave me amazed. I'm rediscovering CDs - my own!!

I wasn't able to test these before purchase due to the idiot at JB Hifi spinning some crap about health/hygiene regulations. This didn't matter in the end. If you aren't able to try before you buy you won't go wrong if you purchase them. Yes they definately aren't cheap but for the money, listening pleasure doesn't get much better than this.

I hook these up to a Rotel 971 mkII integrated amp, matching Rotel RCD-951 CD player.

Similar Products Used:

Sennheiser HD465, other models from Sony, Philips, Koss, JVC

Very transparent. Easily driven. Immensely comfortable. Plastic very flexible. Detachable cord at headphone.

None.

It's taken me a while to fork out this sort of money for a set of Phones, but it's been worth the wait. I'm still running them in and they are getting better each listen. Through my Marantz CD player's headphone output, they sound fantastic, with no vices anywhere in the frequency range. Through my computer's CD-Rom output at max volume, they sound good also, astounding many of my work colleagues. You get what you pay for, and not just in the phones, but in the source material. If you play a crappy CD, it'll sound crappy. If you play a super quality classical piece, whoa nelly...Nirvana awaits.
Just like Marantz's philosophy, these HD590's just reproduce what's driven into them. No bias, no softening, no booming bass, just the way I like it.
Functionaly, the salesman told me that Sennheiser keep spare parts for their Phones for 35 years. That'll do me. Another great touch is the cord. 10 feet long, kevlar reinforced (No flex, very strong)and plugs at both ends. YES, both ends. That means if you walk and accidentally step on the cord and pull it out, you just pick it up and plug it back in! This also allows the user, if so inclined, to upgrade the cord with ultra-highend kit. Replaceable cushions and other parts are a good idea on a set of Phones I intend to keep for some time.
The real bonus with these headphones is the comfort factor. Having had Koss' all my life, I can say I should have gone elsewhere a long time ago. These circumaural designed phones don't even touch my ear at all. The most comfortable phones I have ever worn. I have tried the plush looking Beyer's and there is no comparison.
As far as those couple of people with horror stories about these phones, I really sympathise with you, but, these babies are staying with me, and not going back to the shop.
At 175 US dollars, they ain't cheap, but consider how long you will have them for and the total cost of ownership per annum works out to be a plus.
Now proud to be a Sennheiser man, finally.

Similar Products Used:

Koss TD75 and Koss TD50

Comfort. Crisp, balanced sound. Easily replaceable parts. No dedicated amp required for great sound.

It's not free, of course.

OK, here's my quest for headphones and my impression of my ultimate purchase -- the 590's. Each person obviously has their own tastes in categories such as sound, make, build, design, comfort, etc. Hearing also dictates preference -- a person who picks up highs better will say it's bright, while the next person will say it is dark and so a battle will ensue for no reason what-so-ever, so understand my review simply reflects MY preferences. :-)

My 5 year old 7506's were snatched (aww man!), so I started on a quest to treat myself and find the best cans for under $400. I tried on all the newer Sony's available today (at the Sony Style shop in the Metreon), but they all sounded like muddy, dark, bass-heavy crapola, and were generally bulky too. The only decent ones were the F1's. I bought the F1's which were super comfortable and very well built, but unfortunately swung 180 degress from their other models and were *weak* on the bass. Otherwise the sound was well balanced, but lost detail. Try a pair on, then cup your hands over the outside of the cans -- you'll see a big difference and pick up on details (including noise) that otherwise blends away in the simulated ambience of their open air design. Sony should have come with an optional snap-on that closed the air gap because they sounded great for me that way -- hey, there's an idea. In my opinion, they had too much of an open-air thing going on. I took my Sony's back about 1 hour after getting them -- luckily the Metreon is close to work!

Next, I tried Grado 60:80:125's running from a $200 headphone amp and a nice system, but they were uncomfortable and generally unimpressive in build and sound. I was dissapointed since I really wanted to try the R1's???(is that the top model), but the place only stocked up to 125. The ones I tries don't even come close to 590's, maybe the more expensive ones do.

Don't worry, we are getting to the 590's...

I found 580's for $199, but the source sucked and the place was a madhouse so I didn't get a chance to really try them. I went to another place and tried 600's on a baby Nakamichi system since I planned to use these from lower end sources -- definitely not enough volume (yes, I know why), but great sounding on another system. I tried the 590's on the Nak. -- much better volume and body (and cheaper). I think the lower ohms helped. I tried lesser Senn models, but I thought they didn't even come close to the 590's/600's. I was going to go back an double check the 580's, but I thought they would have the same amplification issue since they run at the same ohms as the 600's, and I've seen all the talk about "the dreaded connector problem" -- Oooo!, and I was generally tired of dickin around with looking for cans so I said to Hell with it and just bought the 590's.

Now the 590 review...

- They sounded great out of the box, but I still let them break in overnight. Not much difference in my opinion.

- The detail and spatial properties of the sound are perfect even from my lame sources. At times, it seems a *little* underpowered with some low level recordings on my cheap sources, but is still totally acceptable and keeps me from blasting my head off -- I suppose it's a feature then :-)

- Nice bass, highs and mid's. Lots of crisp, *controlled* detail.

- They are super comfortable, and I can't imagine anyone not being happy with these, but hey.

- These blow away 7506's and F1's.

- Easily replaceable parts are nice, althgouh I'll hopefully never have to use this option.

- Nice long uncoiled cord.

I have no problem with these cans and I think Senn has another long term customer, because I can't imagine switching to anything else as long as they keep up the quality.

Similar Products Used:

Sony MDR-F1, Sony MDR 7506

Comfort, sound quality, detachable single-sided cord, efficiency

May be a bit dry, analytical and bright to some (but technically more accurate-sounding than romantic-sounding older Sennheisers). In other words, crappy recordings will sound even crappier. On the other hand, good recordings will sound even better.

To R.D.-what's-his-face:
If you can only make out the HD 590's treble in stereo but the mids and highs stayed right in the middle, this is because of the HD 590's VERY-open-back circumaural design. And if you think the bass isn't at all deep, blame the super-open-back design as well. You seem to prefer the hole-down-the-middle stereo imaging in headphones (you make out even the bass in stereo, thus resulting in a super-exaggerated stereo imaging)! Well, then, if that's the case, don't buy these (or ANY other Sennheiser headphones, for that matter), but buy the Grados instead - and be prepared for an ear-ache after an hour of listening.

Now for the good:
While the HD 590 falls a tad short of the older HD 580 in sound quality when both headphones are connected to the same high-end headphone amp playing the same music, I chose the HD 590 simply because I didn't want to invest more than $200 on a good headphone amp (and I read horror stories on the intermittent-earpiece-contact problem on the HD545/565/580/600 models). And after running them in for about 24 hours, the HD 590 really began to sing. Bass is tighter than any other headphone that I have ever listened to; mids are more open than most of my other headphones; highs are bright - but in a pleasant way (detailed, not screeching). These headphones are more efficient than other full-size Sennheisers that I ever tried, thus making them better suited than other full-size Sennheisers for portable use. The HD 575 that I used to own, on the other hand, had boomy bass and uneven, honky mids despite using the same transducers as the HD 590 - shame on the HD 500's semi-open-aire shell used on the HD 575 (as opposed to the very open-aire shell of the HD 590).

The HD 590 seems much more comfortable than my previous HD 575 because they didn't squeeze my head as tightly. In fact, I can wear the HD 590 almost forever if I have to listen to music through headphones that long. And the single-sided detachable cord is a boon to people who are a bit careless about headphone cords - trip on the cord and the micro-plug comes off. To re-attach the cord, simply plug the micro-plug back into its jack.

Before I bought the HD 590, I thought the Sony MDR-V900 was the last word in sound quality, but one listen to the Sennheiser HD 590 and the Sony seems boomy and muffled in comparison!

If I had to pay the full $300 average retail price for the Sennheiser HD 590 Prestige headphones, I would have given them only 4 stars for value. But since I paid way less, I am giving them the top score for value. As for overall score, the HD 590 is one of the most misunderstood and overlooked headphones in the HD 5xx line. Thus, I am giving them an excellent score there, as well.

Similar Products Used:

Note (other headphones with a U.S. MSRP between $200 and $400): Sennheiser HD 565 Ovation, Sony MDR-V900