I purchased the HD-580's a little over a month ago. I have been very happy with them. For the first time, I have an audio component that I simply cannot criticize any aspect of the sound reproduction. The bass is powerful, tight, and sounds realistic. Dynamic transients such as piano attacks are very crisp. The overall tonal balance of the headphones just seems right, not bright, not dull, not bassy, not bass shy, etc. The only gripe I have with them is that the ear padding is not quite symmetrical on my pair. The padding is meant to keep the drivers off your ears. The padding for the right driver is slightly less deep than the left so my right ear just touches the foam covering the driver. For some reason this annoys me. I think if both ears were touching the drivers, I wouldn't mind.
Incidentally, I am using these with a Headroom Little amplifier and the cheapest CD changer Best Buy carries. Interestingly, I hear no digital harshness that some complain about. I have listened to many much higher quality systems and I can say that I really don't feel I'm hurting for a better CD player. Maybe the loudspeakers/headphones really are the most important link in the chain.

Hello, I Am looking for headphones SENNHIESER HD-580 to buy NEW or USED for around $100, can anybody help? My E-mail: ol_so@hotmail.com Thank you, very much.

still great sound quality,non fatiguing

cable connections are a definate weakness if not addressed properly,and Sennheiser doesnot respond to their emails. Especially when someone has a good fix for their weakness in an otherwise great set of cans.

My fix still appears to be a success. The Senns have not dropped out once in output. Still amazes me how a great sounding set of cans,can have such a in my opinion...silly debilitating weakness. Is this a pennypinching problem from the beancounters? Or is this something the engineers didn't get right? In anycase,their is a cure short of buying a new cable,and that is to keep those contacts on the cable clean. I read other reviews of folks who love these cans too. Hey,most of them love them too. I think it is not too unreasonable to want to hear all the music when you pay that hard earned green. Wouldn't Sennheiser agree?? I hope so,because if someone made a purer sounding and every bit non-fatiguing sounding set of cans...at a reasonable price, I would be first in line. For Sennheisers' sake,no one has. Guess they (Sennheiser) must know what they are doing when the following is so great,and they don't even get all of the sound,all of the time. Oh well,overall, I am still a happy though now fully "connected" camper. I still reccomend the 580 only with the connections reservation issue. AH Shoot, just listen to them, they are worth the trouble. You'll see. V.C.

P.S. it would be just awesome if Sennheiser would answer their emails too. Not holding my breath on that one either.

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garbage Koss things,Grados,AKG k-240..my workhorse in my studio,though I love the HD-580s' for just plain enjoying the music.

Very comfortable, open sounding, solid bass, just very good!

Durability

I've had these headphones for about two years now and they are perhaps the best value in my system. I spend quite a bit more time listening to music on my headphones than anywhere else, unfortunately. I only say unfortunately because I don't have a decent headphone amplifier, portable or otherwise, and I'm usually listening to music on my computer soundcard, sourced by MP3s. Even considering all that, music on these phones is pretty enjoyable, and the one or two times a week I plug them into the jack on my NAD integrated amp and listen to CDs or LPs on them, they sound just wonderful.

My only complaint is of course the semi-legendary Sennheiser durability issue; I've already had to replace the input cable once, and I can begin to hear this one starting to go in the left channel...I often think that if they'd go to the Grado model, with a thick, non-disconnectable input cable, they could avoid all these problems, but the phones are so well engineered otherwise I imagine they must have some reasons. I used to have HD545s and I only upgraded to the 580s when they finally died completely after many different hack repair jobs including stripping and directly soldering the input cables to the tiny little connection coils on the inside (anyone who's ever taken their 545s/580s apart know what I'm talking about). I imagine in about a year I'll have to upgrade to the 600s...what comes after that, the Orpheus? :)

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Sennheiser HD545, Grado SR60

audiophile performance on all music, without exception

cable although made in Ireland has tendency to need to be replaced

These are truly the best sound a person will ever hear at a resonable price. 580s respond from 12hz to 38000hz, that is roughly one octave above and below the human hearing range. Moreover they do this at +- 1.5db that is absurd. There are no speakers under $40,000 that can compare, not that I am aware of. Not only is the bass balanced but, furthermore it is so crisp that it can only be compared to electrostatics. I should point out that several reviews have been annoyed with a lack of bass, I think it more likely that these people have spent to much time with sub woofers.
If ever I am attempting to transcribe a musical passage, irrelevant of instrument or range, I slip on my 580s and am able with much less difficulty than any other means I am aware of, lift any instrument part.

The one point of contention I have with these headphones is the poor quality of the cord, which I have replaced once already at about $35.

One quick thing in reference to another review posted:

These headphones do not have a low Ohm rating, in fact they are rated at 300 Ohm, which is the highest I have ever seen. Perhaps this person has confused the terms Ohm and sensitivity.

same as review below

same as review below

The fixed I did with the cable connections to the earpieces appears to be successful. There is no longer any intermittent performance issue with the HD580 at all. Even with head movement and moving the cable around in different directions the HD580 continues to produce output. I wrote to Sennheiser direct with my resolution to this annoying problem,and have yet to hear from them. Still,the HD580 continues to impress with its' detail,sonic purity and comfort of use. I understand that the newer design headphones use a single common connector to eliminate the intermittent connection problems of the HD580. Lets hope at least that those are more successful. V.C.

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same as review below

Great Headphones!! Got them through mail order for US$150 for a place in Germany. Here is their website: http://www.musicians-gear.com/index.htm. I had to wait for the HDs for 5 weeks, but it was well worth the wait. They are the most comfortable headphones I have ever tried. You can eailsy tell a good recording from a great recording with these.
I never heard the HD600's but I don't listen to headphones but a few times a month and can't see paying the extra $$ for the slight improvement, especially not have aduitioned the 600's.

I've had mine around 4 years, and every time I put them on (usually cos the wife's still asleep) I think "why don't I use these more often?". The sound is extremely detailed and sharp. You don't feel you're missing anything that was intended to be heard. But they're so revealing, you even hear things you weren't meant to hear, I suppose (check out the squeeky bass pedal on Led Zeppelin's "Since I've Been Loving You" for example). I don't listen at excessive volumes but, given the right amplification, you won't be disappointed - they can take all the amplifier will give, and without distortion. Your ears will be the first to go. Sometimes I feel the bass lacks a real punch, but I'd rather that than a plummy sound, swamping the detail. Overall the balance is just about right. Very comfortable, but they tend to make you feel hot after half an hour or so. Maybe it's the climate.

Simply put, the HD-580s are astonishing. Superb sound - low, tight bass,lovely sweet mid and clear,refined treble,all delivered without strain or any
hint of any eclosure boxiness. Superb soundstaging - everything is pinpointed
at precise locations around - and inside - your head. And superbly comfortable
- I can wear them for hours at a time.

Expensive - maybe, but then they are amongst the best there is. They are the
first headphones that I've actively enjoyed using - they're a pleasure, not
just a convenience.

Great sound and comfort

Two sided cord

It was time I got a pair of real headphones and I am
very happy with the HD-580's. The sound is great and I would suggest that if you are hearing distortion in the
bass, you are listening with the volume too loud!! Also
I kept reading that with the 300 ohm rating that the HD-580
were too demanding for a portable cd player. I have used them with both a $50 Sony and a boom box and both units drive the HD-580's plenty loud for me. Give your ears a
break and turn it down!!! Yes, they do sound better with
a good headphone amp and down the road I'm sure get one.

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Sony MDR 7506 Sennheiser HD 414 Beyer DT 302