Sennheiser HD598 vs ATH M50x + some other things...

[ZloDete]

Planning to listen to music with them mostly,maybe skype calls or something like that,in general not much gaming. Music i'm listening to is alternative-rock most of the time,and i like slow,not loud music,maybe jazz.


Also I saw over the internet that for HD598 i might need dac/amp for i dunno what since im not rly experienced in audio field,so is that true? And i've heard M50x are more independent in terms of that and don't need dac/amp for music quality to be at its best.


Also i don't have sound card aside from one that came with mobo,but i think that one is alright, here's mobo:http/www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4168#ov
Sound card on it:Creative Sound Core3D™ quad-core audio processor,w/e that means...

Edit: Do you maybe recommend some other headphones in range under 200$ for my needs?

 

[ssddx]

i would say the 598's are a little harder to drive than the m50's but not by much. many devices should handle either fine and it looks like your onboard should have no trouble with either.

i would worry more about what kind of sound you want.

the 598's are more neutral sounding. treble is not too bright, they do not have alot of bass, they arent as energetic and lively as some cans but are more easy listening which means they work good for long periods of time (though some people might find slower headphones more boring). nice wide soundstage for good positional audio which allows you to really pick out instruments and "hear" them in virtual space. they will leak sound in and out due to being open design.

the m50's peak treble and bass above mids. nice highs but not too bright, fair bit of bass. a nice warm overtone to sound. overall good sound quality but very poor soundstage even for closed cans. everything sounds close up and in your face. sound isolating since they are a closed design.

if you like the m50's i'd look at the dt770 as they are superior in every single way and despite being closed actually have fair soundstaging. you might be okay with the 80ohm version on your onboard though might end up needing a cheap amplifier to help it out (you can test to see if you buy them).

 

[ZloDete]

I think i'll be able to try m50's before buying them but that's not the case with 598's,so if i like how m50's sound for my type of music i'll prob get them. However,currently i think i almost made up my mind to get 598's,because they are more comfortable or so people say.

From what i have read this far,i guess m50's sound more like in-ear headphones that deliver music straight to your ear with no soundstage,while 598's are like speakers, is that true?

Also how is sound leakage for 598's? Is it really bad,like while music is on 40-50% volume sound leaks like crazy? Or does it only leak when its over 70-80%?

 

[ssddx]

i can tell you about the m50's is fairly good detail since i own a pair. good points about them would be that they are built like tanks - mine look like new after 5+ years other than the pleather pads which are now worn and need to be replaced from heavy use. the cable is also very think and durable with a nice plug end. sound quality is good, without overly harsh treble. as for the negatives, soundstaging is very close up and in your face (although this doesnt bother me for music) and the earcups are on the smaller side so people with large ears or glasses will not like them.

a better analogy would be that they sound like you're in the front row, listening to a live band in a bar. the 598's would be more akin to listening to the same band in an amphitheater. headphones really are not the same experience as speakers so i hesitate to call them out as such.

the m50 is worth $130, though i wouldnt spend the $160-170 they bring in stores. for a little more you could have the dt770 which is far superior.

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youtube hd598 sound leak and you will come up with a few videos. generally listening at low levels will have not much leak and people around you will not be bothered. listening at average levels will be fine but people right next to you will hear some audio. listening at loud levels people nearby you will certainly hear what you are listening to but over 10ft away will not. listening to extremely loud levels (rocking out) people nearby you will know exactly what you're listening to although in different rooms or at far distances like 15ft you will not have much of a problem.

as far as sound leaking in, you can hear voices with the headphones on. slightly muffled but not by a large degree since they are open.