sennheiser 598hd with fiio e10k please help...

[spblind]

Hi guys, recently i bought a sennheiser 598 hd and fiio e10k, based on the price i paid and the reviews i've researched online, i'm very disappointed with the performance. I'm a noob in audio stuffs, this is my 1st time getting such expensive headphones and an amp.

It sounds bad on games like CS:GO, music... horrible too... my steelseries v2 siberia does a better job, even my sennheiser mx271 earbuds that i purchased for $20 sounds better....it might have been my bad setup or what.. but i am sure for the price im paying.. it definitely should at least be better, it sounds like $5 dollars earphones...

my 1st setup

PC > Fiio E10k > Sennheiser 598 HD (gaming horrible/music okay okay)
Bass: ON
Gain: H (L sounds like ****)

it sounds great if i do this

PC > Siberia 7.1 Sound card > Sennheiser 598HD (best setup) (gaming/music)


i thought it could be the Fiio E10k problem but no..

PC > Fiio E10k > Siberia Headphones (better than the 1st setup)
Bass: ON
Gain: L (H too loud)


My siberia v2 comes with a 7.1 usb sound card.

my question is... based on the reviews on amazon and on forums... i feel the sennheiser 598 hd + fiio e10k combo should definitely be better than my other 2 setups without the combo.. right ? but i'm not getting it, please help.


______

 

[sglords]

let the dac/amp and headphone to burn in for 100hrs
if still nt happy wif e result i suggest sell it and find a better combo

 

[Felfirez]

Nah, burning in has minimalistic/placebo effect.

Can you explain what is it that you don't like about the set up? Too muddy/bright/closed/etc? Audio is very subjective and what other people like you might not like it. I've used the hd598 before so probably I can help you out on getting a proper setup for your needs.

 

[Swiftbladez]

TS wants bass. HD598 isn't for "artificial" bass. Just use the equalizer and pump the bass settings up.

 

[devilwahaha]

let the dac/amp and headphone to burn in for 100hrs
if still nt happy wif e result i suggest sell it and find a better combo

Never include praying to the audio god and offering a headphone sacrifice?

Nah, burning in has minimalistic/placebo effect.

Can you explain what is it that you don't like about the set up? Too muddy/bright/closed/etc? Audio is very subjective and what other people like you might not like it. I've used the hd598 before so probably I can help you out on getting a proper setup for your needs.

spblind, you need to define your definition of "sounds like ****" and how your "steelseries v2 siberia does a better job".

I believe the sennheiser HD598 is popular amongst many FPS gamers because of how "premium" it is built (I dont think you can find any high end "gaming headphone" that comes with velour pads) and also the wide soundstaging. But its a headphone designed along the lines of clarity and not so much boom boom pow bass so you might have bought the wrong headphones for your taste.

 

[Felfirez]

TS wants bass. HD598 isn't for "artificial" bass. Just use the equalizer and pump the bass settings up.

To be honest, I won't recommend the Fiio e10 with the HD 598. The 598 is already dark and slightly recessed in the mids. The e10 is just gonna make it darker. Plus the e10's low ends are very artificial giving unnatural bass, making it even worse on the HD 598s. I'll recommend the e17, or even e11, from Fiio. If not, a 02+ODAC stack or a Schiit Magni & Modi stack is the best price to performance ratio for the HD 598s.

Audio is a trial and error kinda thing. Only you know exactly what you want (or sometimes you don't and that's where reviews and recommendations come in). So have a listen around to other DAC/amps.

 

[royfrosty]

One look i know that you are looking for bass type and looking for more color type of sound signature.

You are not an audiophile to begin with. Sorry if that offends you. But the thing is you need to do more research and auditioning before buying the headphones.

There are different kinds of headphones in market. Open cans, close cans etc.

They all provide different kinds of soundings. You have to understand that buying audio is not a jump gun thing. You really need to test out the sound either by going to Treoo, Stereo or Jaben before deciding on what is good and whats not. Sound is very subjective to a persons liking.

HD598 is an open back type of headphones, it was meant to use for easy listening and more natural feel of sound. The bass definitely feels weaker (in my own terms cause im a bass freak person and coming from various IEMs such as the Futuresonic Atrios).

If you really want it to sound good. You must try a few amps and see how it goes. Whether the lows, mids or high is something that it is missing from and you want to improve on it, try out and see what is best for you.

 

[XeonHacker]

Get a HD800 instead

 

[Ark Law]

If TS prefers MX271s and gaming headphones, means he likes muddy/boomy/uncontrolled bass over neutral/natural focused sound signature. In which case I the HD202/HD205 do a much better job than the HD598

 

[shadow84]

If TS prefers MX271s and gaming headphones, means he likes muddy/boomy/uncontrolled bass over neutral/natural focused sound signature. In which case I the HD202/HD205 do a much better job than the HD598

Beats good enough le....