Everything about this headphone is a strength. Everything.

Hmmm... that you know there is an HD-600 that sounds even better???

This is the headphone you need if you will only own one. Although it needs a beefy receiver/preamp/dedicated headphone amp to shine, this headphone is the zenith of bang for the buck, sound quality, appearance and overall quality. I cannot say enough good things about it: lows are precise and audible, highs are perfect and crystal clear, mids are as liquid as they can be. The comfort level is sky high. They look like they cost a lot of money (actually, they do), and they reward you with such sound quality you will never, ever go back to regular speakers. They are mesmerizingly good; so good, in fact, that Sennheiser was going to discontinue them but decided not do so because of the strong sales.

The only low there is: there is something even better than this, and I still don't own it: the Sennheiser HD-600s.

Similar Products Used:

Alessandro MS-1 (Grado 125, co-branded), Sennheiser 490, Koss SportaPro, Sennheiser 400, Bang & Olufsen A8 earphones.

Comfort

None

I love my 580's but I'm writing this review to see if some of the other posts might be able to help me. I just bought a DSP PRO to go with these cones and I can't figure out how to connect it to my Yamaha DSP A-1. It came with no directions. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob

Similar Products Used:

K-mart brand

All

None

I just think, that now I have great headphones, which were also cheap. I tried in shop other models from sennheiser too, but those weren't so nice, becouse HD-570 costed more, and it sounds like sound was coming "from the grave", and it was same with HD-500, and in 500 wasn't velvet earpads. I tested them with Metallica: S&M, and with these phones I really heared the violins. Only after that I heared them with other headphones, but I knew, what there should be. And I tried both models BEFORE 580, so I know, that those high voices not come so clearly. I tried also HD-600, but I thing, that it wasn't worth of that money, especially compared with HD-580.

These headphones are great with games too, becouse those go deep also. Someone had written on his/her review, that these phones are not for gamers, but I disagree (after many hours of Counter Strike, Vampire etc. =))

Other system:
Yamaha RX-V596 and Yamaha CDC-675
Soundcard: Creative Labs SB AWE 64 Value

Similar Products Used:

Sennheiser HD-500, HD-570, HD-600 (tested)

Excellent neutral and lifelike phones

None for the price

Hey people, I've just been reading all those reviews. Thing is I don't know about the few negative remarks about bass (or Lack of according to some). I have played mine through a Sony CD Boombox...they are quite fantastic in the information they retriefe even on this thing!!!

I play the phones mostly thorugh my Naim 72/140 Pre/Power with the great Naim headphone amplifier and boy do they rock. I'm a big electronic/rock/reggae fan and they sound blissfully clean and pure and have all the bass you could really want without it swamping the overall balance..If you want bass, try any Sony DJ phones or the Grado 125s or Beyer DT121,,,heavy bottom end and slam but at a price..less clarity and air.

These are the best under £500..by the way they are giving em away at Harrow Audio in the UK for only £99.99 - get in touch and they will deliver free!!! These are the 2000 models.

Similar Products Used:

Grado 125, Sennheiser 600

Sound quality that is, for the purposes of the human ear, perfect.

DSP Pro

Looks like a consensus has been reached: These are phenomenal headphones. I'll just add a few things.

First, people who claim that the HD-580 has inferior sound quality to any other headphone made or possible are imagining things. This is understandable if they've either bought substantially more expensive 'phones or believe in mystical powers conferred on audio signals by fancy wires, or whatever. If you do not fall into these categories, you will be as satisfied by the HD-580 as you can hope to be by mere headphones.

They're not particularly sensitive, and those claiming they get noticeable bass distortion at listenable levels are undoubtedly driving them from an underpowered source. With decent amplification, as from a dedicated amp or a good preamplifier, you won't find distortion at noticeable levels before you damage your hearing.

The DSP Pro, which generally comes bundled with the remaining supplies of the HD-580, really is a disappointment. I use it at the office as a simple amplifier to get a bit more volume, but when the effects processing is on sound quality becomes miserable, with the high frequencies particularly drastically affected. This is actually a shame, because the spatial effect is pretty decent. On stereo recordings so poorly mixed that entire instruments are present only in the left or right track, something rather disconcerting to hear over headphones, switching on the effects really smooths out the sound and helps pull it out of your head. The mangling of high frequencies is just too much to bear, though-- it sounds as if the vocals are coming from the bottom of a well.

For video games and so on, where fidelity to the signal is perhaps less important, I don't find it so objectionable, and it does do its job there.

Finally, if you'd like to buy a pair, like others I recommend www.ubid.com. You should be able to get them for $114 if you're patient, although as the buzz grows perhaps this will become less likely. Otherwise, pay no more than $129 unless you simply must have them NOW.

These are one of the true bargains in hi-fi while the leftover stock remains. Unless you're one of the aforementioned nuts, there will never come a time when you wish you'd purchased a "better sounding" model. It will be quite obvious that such a thing is a pipe dream.

Similar Products Used:

Grado SR-60, RS-1, Sennheiser HD-600

Clean, accurate, smooth transients, very comfortable

A little laid back

I heard this set at the CES 2000 and was very impressed by its accurate sound and great comfort. But, I didn't want to pay the ~$270 asking price. My old AKG K240 still works, although it's somewhat outdated and much less comfortable then the 580. Over the last couple weeks I read numerous posts that the 580 was being phased out, discountinued, and replaced with the very expensive 590. So, I figured this was my chance to get a good deal on the 580. After calling around, I found a local dealer that had one new set left, but he wouldn't quote over the phone. My goal was to pay under $200 if possible. I walked in, asked the manager how much, and he told me $150 "out the door". Before he even finished his sentence I had my wallet out and was handing him the $. After several days of listening, I'm please as punch. The music is wonderful and the set is incredibly comfortable. Hopefully, I won't have the earcup/connector problems that have apparently plagued some other 580 owners.

Similar Products Used:

AKG K-240

I've lived in mine for the past 3 years, and have not changed my opinion. Theseare (to quote Headroom)"the best general purpose headphones in existence." The
fact that their modular construction allows you to replace any part as needed is a very strong plus. Another strong plus is their comfort factor-they're like
old shoes...you can stay in 'em all day.
Their sound is a little laid back, a little warm, a little rich, slightly rolled off @ the top, like a classic tube amp, rather. With digital, and most solid state gear, this is most complementary. I'm not a headphone nerd...I much
prefer to listen to my speakers. Because of late hours I keep, I frequently can't. These do right by the music, and they're more than revealing enough to
let you know about changes in source components, interconnects, etc. Just get
em, and forget about anything "better". Better is out there, but I don't really care.

Detail

Bass

Don't buy these if you're only planning to use them for music that has lots of bass, cause there isn't any. No, that's not correct. There is Bass, such that these cans reproduce a vastly broad range of bass frequencies, but you can't pump up the volume because they distort too easily.
But if you find them on say, Ubid, BUY THEM. If you LOVE movies like I do, hook them up (with the DSP-Pro) and you'll feel like you're in the theater. Simply the most amazing sound I've ever heard from a movie. True Surround sound INSIDE YOUR HEAD. And these cans reproduce everything you've ever missed. Think The Matrix is great on DVD? It's the Matrix cubed on the 580's.
In short, if you can find these cans for less than say, $160, get them. And I believe that they're worth the actual retail just because they are
A) the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn
B) MOVIES

Similar Products Used:

Sony V700 DJ, Pioneer SEDJ5000, Sennheiser HD270 Control

Smooth, detailed sound. Very comfortable.

Flimsy cable. Weak connection to earpieces doesn't unacceptable at this price tag.

This headphones are as good as it can get for under $500.
They sound rich, warm, balanced, smooth. Perhaps too revealing with not-so-good recordings. I can listen to the for hours without getting tired at all.
They are very equipment sensitive, too. When hooked to the horrendous headphone output of the Marantz Cd63mkII KI-S they capture all the harshness and aggresivity (KI didn't obviously work on that when he tweaked the original CD63).
With my recently acquired Creek OBH11SE it's heaven!!!
I highly recommend this pairing.
I find them equally good on classical, jazz and acoustic music, but they sound just as good with AC/DC and Red Hot Chili Peppers' Californication.
I recommend them without reserve. I'd only wish that the cable connection to the earpieces was more solid...! That takes the out a star in the overall rating.

Similar Products Used:

Pickering (can't remember the model) for more than 20 years. AKG K141 (borrowed for some time)

Good Clarity. Great soundstage and seperation.

None that I can find yet anyway.

I have had the pleasure of owning these cans for approx. 1 month now and am very satisfied with their performance. The clarity is very good and natural sounding. I purchased them for a fairly good price as well through UBID.COM. They also came with the DSP Pro amp. I am not very impressed with the DSP Pro although I havn't listened to the phones at lengthy periods with it yet. It just doesn't do much for me. I must say though that the 580's are very clean sounding and bring out the best in your recordings. They do seem to reveal any poorly produced recordings too though. A good DCC gold or Mobile Fidelity Gold CD sounds just beautiful through these babies. I have been listening to many of my old analog LP's the past week or so as well and they sound fantastic too.
Another great thing about these cans is you can crank it without irritating the wifey or family and whoever else is around. I would recommend purchasing these cans if you want audiophile quality sound at a good price.

Similar Products Used:

Koss and other cheaper brands over the years.