Hesitating between the Sennheiser HD 558 & HD 598

[Luckylock]

SOOO yeah, some say they sound the same, others say 598 is better but not worth the extra 70 bucks or so..

I have even heard about the 558 mod that apparently makes it sound like the 598, but I would rather not take my headphone appart (so I wouldnt do the mod).

I want these headphones because they dont concentrate on bass but focus more on the mids and highs. awesome for music and gaming imo. I figured I am not too much of a bass guy.

 

These headphones fit in my budget range, and I dont think I would mind buying either one of them, although I dont want to waste money on the 598 if they are the same with added swag looks...

 

I wanted to read what you guys had to say.

 

P.S. I want good headphones that are good for positional audio as I am a competitive FPS gamer, I am not interested in strong bass. I have always had crappy headphones in the past. This would be my first audiophile level gear ever. Feel free to post other headphones suggestions but I dont want headphones that require amps because that becomes way too expensive & complicated.

[rambi36]

I would go 558s all the way. The 598s are not worth it IMO

[Senor Potato]

558's are comfier, 598's sound a tiny bit better. So if you want to save money get the 558's but it sounds like you want the 598's by the way you sound in the post

[Luckylock]

weird, I have heard that the 598 are a bit comfier than the 558.

[creatip123]

Also consider the audio technica 700x/900x. Audio technica got good soundstage, but not very good for music listening (good, but not very good), unless their higher end models. 

 

My AD700 (without x, the one on my avatar) got better positional audio, but in every other aspects, my HE400 sounds better. In FPS games, HE400 sounds more realistic, like watching a movie, while AD700 got better sense of sound direction. 

[GamerDude]

Dude, the foam mod is actually quite easy and non-destruction in any way (as long as you're careful). I'd done it recently with my HD555. I simply googled 'HD555 foam mod' and watched a vid or two, then got down to it. now giving my 'HD595' a listen these few days and it does seem a little different. Soundstage seems to have opened up a little bit more, mids and highs have more presence but bass seems to be more or less the same (still a tad on the weak side compared to the Beyer DT990/600). Maybe it's all placebo, but one thing I can say, the mod's easy to to and can be restored to stock simply by putting the foam stickers back in their original place if you so wish it. I wonder if Sennheiser has wised up to this and placed stickers on newer batches of HD558 to prevent the screws from being removed....else, warranty is void.

 

Edit - Revised my impression after a couple of days of listening.

[Jack H]

598's are slightly more comfortable, but have VERY similar sound quality. The 598's actually have slightly more emphasis on the highs and mids, with a brighter sound than most Sennheisers. The 558's are not bass heavy, they just have a more neutral/balanced sound. IMO, the 598's are not worth the extra $70 for slightly improved comfort when they have nearly the same sound as the 598.

 

If you're looking for some video reviews, here's a roundup that compares a ton of Sennheiser headphones. You can just look at the 558/598 if you want: 

 

 

Individual Review of 558:

 

 

Individual Review of the 598:

 

[Yeagdrasil]

I have hd598, i upgraded from ath m50 (still use on the go because with velour pad, its nice ear warmer) and I don't really regret my purchase, overall on some songs, it does blow reall hard with how bright it is (in good way) but do you have amp? because 598 does sound bit quiet unless u have an amp, if u account for amp in ur budget, 558 would be better off

[Luckylock]

I think the 598 don't need an amp since they run at 50 ohm right.. ? Wouldn't buying an amp for my 598 be a waste of money?

 

Anyway, I am currently using realtek integrated sound on a crappy micro atx motheboard, but I am planning a mobo upgrade soon, so I'll be able to install my low end sound card.

 

I chose the 598 over the 558, but I am now hesitating between the 598 and the AD700x.

 

The AD700x seems to have better soundstage than the 598, but how about sound quality and overall experience, how do they compare? The 598 is about 90 bucks more expensive, so there must be something to it other than "more bass".

[ShearMe]

Equal soundstage - both are open and have angled drivers.

Sound quality difference is a subjective preference of EQ. Sennheisers are warm and relaxed, AT's are bright and airy.