Sennheiser HD 518

[erty176]

Hi all,

 

I was wondering if the Sennheiser HD 518's were any good. I hear great things about the 558's but I'm not willing to pay the price. I was also wondering if anyone had a good mic suggestion. Not a desktop mic though, as my desktop is full already . I listen to all different kinds of music, but a lot of music from artists like blackmill, Approaching Nirvana and Flux Pavilion. 

 

Thanks

 

Erty

[SparkySamZa]

Any of the 500 series are really good, i mean i own the 449's top end of the 400 series and they are Really good ! so i could only imagine the 500 series,

A good mic if not desktop i would say umm anything maybe by sennheizer again or look into Logictech, but i more with with desktop mics like the Blue Yeti or snow Ball  

[Snazzy]

sennheiser HD518, 558 and 598 all share the same driver.

so yeah those will most likely sound great.

 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/609634/hd-518-teardown-with-a-shocking-twist

[EmoRarity]

As Snazzy said, they share the same driver with the rest of the line up, so getting the HD518 is the best value since it will sound mostly like the higher end ones. For a mic you could get a Blue Snowflake, which can sit on top of your monitor, unless that space is already taken too. 

[Lauen]

Mic: Snowflake, Zalman Clip-on or Mod Mic. and.. what everyone else said.

[Brother]

hi, I have 558 and 3 months ago I bought 518 for my brother. there is definatly a difference between them but you can be sure that the 518 will be a great purchase. One thing tought, they both need a sound card, and I realy mean they need it, I have ASUS Xonar Essence One and its exeptional, but we got Xonar DX for my brother and it is perfect for the 518, the difference is actually aperant.

 

also I am not sure the headphones have the same drivers they may have the same technology behaind them but they sound different. I even tried the mod for the 558 with the removing of the little foam sqares but it just made them with unbareble hights (sqeeking like a cartoon charachter held by the neck).

 

So with all that said I can vouch that if you have a Xonar DX or similar quality sound card you will be very happy with the HD518, also for mic I have blue microphones snowflake and it is perfect for me, but it is expensive and if you are not sure maybe look into cheaper solutions.

[Lachrymal]

Just got our 518s on sale yesterday. I'm going to give them good praise because I just switched from Turtle Beach X32s, but they sound awesome and are comfy as hell. Though they could use some stretching because there's a slight clamp. The cord is super long as well, but I've kept it tied up. My boyfriend likes to listen to everything at full volume, I don't know how, but I can definitely make out what he's listening to. So yes, they are open.......definitely open.

[Lauen]

hi, I have 558 and 3 months ago I bought 518 for my brother. there is definatly a difference between them but you can be sure that the 518 will be a great purchase. One thing tought, they both need a sound card, and I realy mean they need it, I have ASUS Xonar Essence One and its exeptional, but we got Xonar DX for my brother and it is perfect for the 518, the difference is actually aperant.

 

also I am not sure the headphones have the same drivers they may have the same technology behaind them but they sound different. I even tried the mod for the 558 with the removing of the little foam sqares but it just made them with unbareble hights (sqeeking like a cartoon charachter held by the neck).

 

So with all that said I can vouch that if you have a Xonar DX or similar quality sound card you will be very happy with the HD518, also for mic I have blue microphones snowflake and it is perfect for me, but it is expensive and if you are not sure maybe look into cheaper solutions.

Uhm, they don't really need any soundcards or extra amplification. I have Sennheiser PC360's, which use the same drivers as like the entire 500 series, and those sound exactly the same on my onboard as it does on my Xonar D2X soundcard. also the same on my phone. and my work laptop. 

[Sors]

Unless your motherboard is very old, or just plain broken, you don't need a sound card to drive the HD 518, I have been using them for a couple months now, tested them in several laptops, 2 desktops and at least 3 phones, it worked perfectly with all of them.

[Ashley]

Holy crap. I'm looking into these EXACT things. I've been looking into a mic, and a new set of headphones and I was looking at the 518 and 558s. I was about to post something, saw the title of this thread and came here. I usually would just lurk and leave but this is so identical to what I'm looking for and what I had found so far I felt like commenting.

 

I guess I'll share something of value as well. A clip-on mic I found that's cheaper than the Zalman that looks good is this http://www.amazon.com/Neewer-3-5mm-Hands-Computer-Microphone/dp/B005DJOIHE/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top it's a more traditional lapel mic for very cheap.

[NannerBeans]

I am still waiting for the modmic 4.0. Been waiting for like months lol but preorders are suppose to be up in Feb. 

[Brother]

Uhm, they don't really need any soundcards or extra amplification. I have Sennheiser PC360's, which use the same drivers as like the entire 500 series, and those sound exactly the same on my onboard as it does on my Xonar D2X soundcard. also the same on my phone. and my work laptop.

I don’t mean they need the sound card to amplify the signal but to mak it better. Xonar DX even don't have amp.

For me it sounds much better on a sound card I dont know why the d2x is not helping you but for me a sound card is mandatory with higher end headphones.

Maybe see if you have some equalization going on that is breaking the signal. Also turn the damn dolby stuff off

[EmoRarity]

I don’t mean they need the sound card to amplify the signal but to mak it better. Xonar DX even don't have amp.

For me it sounds much better on a sound card I dont know why the d2x is not helping you but for me a sound card is mandatory with higher end headphones.

Maybe see if you have some equalization going on that is breaking the signal. Also turn the damn dolby stuff off

First, you don't have audio with out an amp, its just a fact. 

Second, placebo effect doh. 

[Lauen]

I don’t mean they need the sound card to amplify the signal but to mak it better. Xonar DX even don't have amp.

For me it sounds much better on a sound card I dont know why the d2x is not helping you but for me a sound card is mandatory with higher end headphones.

Maybe see if you have some equalization going on that is breaking the signal. Also turn the damn dolby stuff off

I actually had the DX before I got the D2X, and no difference there either, the only difference was that the D2X got louder and had more features, and also didn't have interference on mics. I have no EQ's activated. I haven't touched the Dolby stuff for two years, it sounds like shit. 

 

 

EDIT: oh, and what EmoRarity said. 

Edited January 31, 2014 by Lauen