To aashton and others interested in headphones:

aashton I noticed in your profile you list headphones as follows:
Stax and Sennheiser 600

I'm familiar with the 600s as Tangent has them. Which Stax do you have and how do you compare them to the Sennheiser? Also what headphone amp(s) do you use?

Having just moved to a Condo Townhouse my 100+db days are over for the most part.

Because I'll miss the lifelike repro anytime night and day.

Because I'm probably saving damage to my hearing.

I guess headphones are creeping into my future 'specially for late night listening sessions so I'm starting to gather info in that direction.

Any input welcome.

tnx

 

I also have Sennheiser HD600 (which I recently purchased) and a 10year old pair of Stax Pro Lamda's driven by a small converter box that hooks up to normal speaker outputs. (I use a second set of speaker outputs - not the mains - to drive the Stax).

I know my main set-up is meager with regard to others here, but I hear distinct differences between each headphone, which makes either a specific choice depending on my mood and the type of music I might listen to at any particular time.

First, let me say that I only recently purchased the HD600's for convenience - since in order to listen to the Stax, I had to set-up my receiver for 3rd room output, plug the Stax into the driver box, select the separate input component for 3rd room, and make sure that the main room wouldn't output any sound from whatever source that might have been selected - since I only listen with headphones after 9 - 10pm at night (and early morning). There were many times I just wanted to get a quick fix and setting up the Stax was more than I wanted to do (I know I'm lazy) so I got a pair of Sennheiser 600's which I can plug right into my headphone jack on my receiver and voila instant music through the headphones, while the main speaker outputs are automatically shut off.

I got a good deal on the HD600's - $279 at a local hi-fi store (in addition to a $20 mail-in rebate) so I went for it.

Now for the differences that I hear -

1) The Stax are much more clinical sounding. Every distinct piece of information on a recording, be it SACD, CD, LP, DVD-A is easily heard - and cleanly. Along with that clean sound is a very well defined (and sometimes a tad bright) high end. The Stax seem to have super extended high end abilities. Listening to a recent SACD of some old Sony classical recording - the hiss was very evident from the master tape. On the other hand the Senneheisers are much warmer, but not as "accurate" in presenting everything as distinct and clear. The Senns are less clinical in this regard, but they might be a tad more "musical" overall. The same classical SACD exhibited a bit of tape hiss, but it wasn't as prevalent as it was with the STAX.

2) Bass reproduction with both headphones is where the biggest difference lies. With the Stax you can hear the bass, and it appears to go low, but you don't "feel" the bass. Again it is clean, clear and distinct. The Senns present the bass with more "feeling". For instance I was listening to a redbook version of a Bob Marley album. With the Stax the bass is there and it is clearly heard, but with the Senns I could "feel" the bass resonating. That said, The Senns didn't render the bass sounds as clean and clear. So you might get more feeling in deference to clarity.

3) This last point was the most amazing to me - Midrange reproduction. The Senneheisers just seem to have more of it - which probably lends to the HD600 sounding more "musical" to my ears. The mids with the Senns were round and clear, with a less "clinical" nature to them as opposed to the Stax. The Stax, although a great pair of headphones or "earspeakers" don't have that warm midrange roundness - but again the Stax seemed to lend more "clarity" to the music. For instance I was recently listening to the "Pink Moon" remastered CD by Nick Drake. The Sennheisers had a warm, round tone - and the guitar sounded full and sometimes overly "bassy". Switching to the Stax, the guitar sounded less full, but cleaner and more real. As a guitar player I would say that the Stax presented the guitar sound they way I would expect a guitar to sound, but overall the Sennheisers tended to lend a more - dare I say again - "musical" feel overall to the music.

One last few comments - as an ultimate test - I compared the Patricia Barber "Cafe Blue" SACD on both the Stax and Senns. I put on the Senns first - the music sounded great - but not a clear as I had been used to listening through speakers. There tended to be too much midrange bloat and low end. I put on the Stax and the Patricia Barber sounded great, just right, more akin to what I have been hearing through my speakers. Overall I preferred the Stax with the Patricia Barber SACD. On the other hand, I listened to the new Vines CD on both headphones, and I found that I preferred this album with the Senns over the Stax. With this music the Senns were just right, musical and pleasing - whereas the Stax were too bright and more clinical. I also listened to the new CD SpaceMonkeys vs. Gorillaz (a dub version of the popular album by the Gorillaz) and the low end - which is extremely prominent on this CD, was just too much for the Senns to handle. They actually presented to much bass bloat and actually buzzed a bit on the real low bass that was way forward in the mix. With the Stax - the same bass passages were handled cleanly and clearly - with very nice feeling and absolutely no overload.

So in the end I find positive things to say about both headphones. Granted the Stax were a $1000 item (which I paid much less for) about 10 years ago, and the Sennheisers were only about $300 today. The Stax are more accurate overall - sometimes to it's detriment depending on the music being played - and as shown in my last example with the Gorillaz CD able to handle heavy loads much better than the Senns. The Senns are, or can be, more pleasing and musical with certain software, but with others they can actually show overkill in the mids and lows. And the Senns (although rated to go to 32,000hz) - are tamer in the high end - thus smoothing out harsh or bright material - where the Stax will extend well into the upper ranges without taming overly bright or harsh material.

For $300 I am truly amazed at the sound of the Senns, especially since I am driving them with the headphone jack on my receiver. The Stax are more revealing and more expensive - but not always more musical.

Take your pick - as both have advantages and disadvantages - maybe get both, to have variety.

Oh - by the way the Senns are super comfortable on the ears - where the Stax, having leather earpieces, tend to get sticky and hot after long wearing sessions. I find that I need to take the Stax off my head for a few minutes every hour to have them feel comfortable when I put them back on, whereas the Senns can stay on my head for extended periods without getting uncomfortable, since they use fabric earpieces.

 

Mike, thanks for taking the time to give an absolutely fabulous review of your headphones. I guess one question presented would be how would the 600s compare were they to be driven by a high quality dedicated headphone amp?

Thanks again for the really competent review.

 

My question to Mike as well. Driving the Stax properly versus the Senns through the headphone jack of a receiver is not really a fair comparison. I think you'll find the Senns even better when driven through a good headphone amp. May not be the absolute best headphones in the world but an absolutely fantastic value. For less money (as low as $130-150) the Senns 580 (the discontinued predecessor) is even a better value (although not quite as good).

 

I would agree with you. As I stated, I bought the Senns mainly for convenience. Just plug and play. I fear adding a headphone amp - which would mean spending more money - might controvert my original intention for purchasing the HD600s.

Actually, when I went to the store to purchase the Senns - I went with the intention of getting the HD580 - since I was going to use these headphones as a secondary headphone source. They quoted me $179.00 (also would have had the $20 rebate). BUT, they were out of stock and told me about 2 weeks to get back in stock. The HD600s were there, in stock, and my compulsive nature got the best of me.

 

The sound of the Senn 580 and Senn 600 will absolutely transform with even a simple headphone amp, and will respond in kind as you move up the quality/price scale.

I'll be ordering one from here soon.

http://home.t-online.de/home/meier-audio/

This cable will go with the HD600.

http://stefanaudioart.com/EquinoxHD600.htm

 

Good stuff. Have you looked at the new Cardas 600 cable?

 

Excellent feedback MikeT - someone buy that man a drink

This may all sound a bit peculiar but I am English and have obviously been out in the midday sun for a little too long

When we moved to a house where we had a neighbout attached I started to get a bit worried about causing a nuisance with my speakers and so started looking at headphones. I ended up comparing the Stax Omegas (with both the tube and solid state energisers) and the Sennhesier Orpheus - plumped for the Staxes. I also have a long commute to work (on the train and underground) so decided to get myself a pair of the Stax SR-001 for music on the go (either with a MiniDisc or my Sony WalkDAT). It turns out that the neighbours can't hear me when I'm listening via loudspeakers so the majority of listening (99%) is done via loudspeaker - (downstairs).

Now when I am on the computer (upstairs) - I also like to listen to music and have a Rotel pre and Arcam P75 power hooked up to the 'puter (Blueroom minipod speakers attached) - as I stay online until quite late sometimes in the name of domestic harmony I invested in the Sennheisers and an EarMax to keep them company (maybe the cutest piece of equipment I have ).

The two sets of phones are thus used in two very different systems and I have never really done a direct comparison (the Stax has a nice long lead whereas I wouldn't really be able to use the Sennheisers downstairs ).

A few comments anyway - following MikeT's format

1. The Stax are much more detailed (I wouldn't say clinical by a long way though) - the Sennheisers sound a little more realxed and sedate (which is great in the context they are used)

2. A case of the difference between electrostatic and cone bass - I think that there is probably a little more extension with the Stax and more control - bass lasts longer on the Sennheiser - maybe not as accurate but potentially just as enjoyable.

3. To me the Stax appear to have the Sennheiser beat in the midrange - diffent strokes for different folks Ain't nothing wrong with the Sennheisers though - and that is a bit of an understatement.

The little Stax SR-001 also give a glimpse into the lightning quick, highly detailed world of their big brothers - but I just can't get on with the design - after about 30 minutes they make my ears feel like they are bleeding (just from the physical fit rather than the sound they produce).

To cap it all off I have just ordered a pair of Sennheiser 451s I think they are - the noise cancelling 'phones so when I go back to work the journeys will be a bit more comfortable.

All the best - Andrew

 

Thank you.

From my read of your post you have the Stax Omegas, correct (in addition to the Stax SR-001)? Well, based on the cost, design and driver unit that goes along with the Omegas I wouldn't expect them to sound like the PRO Lambdas (which I think Stax now markets as the Classic/Signature model).

Anyway, don't get me wrong I love the Stax Headphones, and I wouldn't trade them away for anything - I was just quite surprised at how much different and "good" the Sennheisers sounded. Both Headphones have a totally different sound quality to them, that it really isn't fair to compare them directly at all, IMO.

As you said - Different strokes for different folks.

 

And even different strokes for the same folk - variety being the spice of life and music being the food of love - I love spicy food

All the best - Andrew

 

I know from trusted sources that both cables sound good, but that the Cardas has cheap fitting at both ends.

 

I thought it was the Cardas that had good fittings and the other two cables actually spliced the original Sennheiser ends to new wire.



Check out this review:

 

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14461

 

Let us know how you like the cable.