Swiss company Sonova aquires Sennheiser’s consumer business.
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Ooooh! New iem…
Was looking forward to a new headphone release, but oh well…
Thank goodness for a single dynamic driver…we need more of those around.
$1300MSRP according to crinacle btw.
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Sennheiser X. Looks like someone jumped the gun? 
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I think it was a pre-release code name. The IEM looks fantastic on paper. Hope the brothers can get it in for review soon.
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If anyone is doing a community tour of the ie900, I would love to get on it! This seems like the Dunu Zen Killer to me.
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Those look really interesting.
Jude brought up some excellent points regarding the Harman Target.
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@crinacle managed to get early access to the Drop + Sennheiser HD8XX:
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He’s unhappy with the 8XX because of recessed mids. This leads me to question what comparison products, amps, and DACs were used for development and tuning. If Drop used their own branded products such as the Elex, Grace DACs, and THX AAA 789, then they may have genuinely preferred (and needed) this profile. I used to routinely turn down the upper mids of my Elex with a Loki.
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I gather from reading other forums that Drop sought advice on tuning from people outside the company.
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A noticable difference of opinion from Marv to Crinacle. Marv has pushed bad Drop products in the past (the Panda comes immediately to mind), so I’d be more inclined to take Crinacle’s opinion at face value than Marv’s.
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The difference in opinion really is striking. I’m not proficient in reading graphs but with the “equal-loudness normalization” graph on Crinacle’s site, the recessed mids seem to be significant:
I can’t imagine that Drop will only sell the HD 8XX until it’s released; as with the other “drops” of old, I should think there will be subsequent runs. It’ll be interesting to see impressions and reviews once the HD 8XX have been released.
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I think a contributing factor is crinacle uses an A90 for headphone evaluation. Marv surely used amps he felt were a better fit. Given there is an entire thread on how picky the HD800 is with amps, I’m inclined to think this is a factor.
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So Sennheiser family… I have to ask this question that has probably been asked over and over again…
What is it that I’m supposed to ear difference in when comparing the 660s to the 58x. I don’t hear any true difference between the two and if I was going to pick out anything it would be that the 58x has better bass extension and doesn’t roll off as soon as the 660’s. People keep saying that somehow the 660s are a much better headphone but I don’t hear this from them. I’ve had them both for weeks. My friend loaned the 660s to me and I have to return them soon but really wanted to give the forums a shot.
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It’s just another example of how Audio is ultimately Intimate & Subjective. The 58x sound “better” to you than the 660s which is all that matters.
I’d suggest returning the 660s to their owner, leaning back in your chair & enjoying the music on your 58x.
Mark Gosdin
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I have no experience with the 660, but own the Sennheiser 58X, 6XX, 600, and 800 S.
To my ears the 58X is the most binary or on-off sounding of them all. I either hear a note and it is clear and distinct, or it disappears completely. I evaluate new equipment with a set of test tracks, and sometimes the small sounds (e.g., chimes, guitar string noises, vocal breath and clicks) or bass depth and texture disappears. To my ears the 58X sounds about the same on a phone, PC jack, or expensive DAC and amp.
The 600 and 800 S better preserve subtle differences, faint notes, and decay. This might be perceived as (bad) roll off or (good) nuance, per the DAC, amp, and music source. The 600 is a bit fuzzy and flat while the 800 S is excellent at keeping each sound separate and clear but also nuanced. Both of these products change a lot based on the quality of the DAC and amp. They are picky per the relative balance between treble and bass, and whether the treble is piercing or controlled.
The 6XX performs very much like the 600, but the mid bass is louder, forced, and it often dominates one’s attention. At the same time, the upper range (e.g., vocals) sound weaker and rougher than the 600 for me. It’s not as prone to generating harsh treble as the 600. Some people love this trade-off while others don’t. I personally enjoy the 6XX with some types of music and tube amps but I don’t choose it for general use.
The 660 and the old 700 haven’t achieved the popularity or acceptance of other Sennheiser models. If I recall correctly, some reviewers didn’t think they scaled as well as the 600/650/6XX, and weren’t worth the higher asking prices. So, you may be hearing the 660 as many others also hear it. As @mgosdin suggests, return the 660 and enjoy the 58X.
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When I had both I’d say they were close but the 58x had more grain (not as smooth as the 660S) and I felt the 660S scaled a little better. Both have more grain than the 580/600/650 and neither scale as well imo. I think this may have something to do with the previous models being a higher impedance and working well with tubes.
If you enjoy the 58x send the 660S back. When I picked them up, I enjoyed my 650 more so neither stayed long in my collection. Just listen and see what you like the most. Your ears are all that matters.
Edit: and I forgot to mention, if my memory is correct, the 660S may image better than the 58x. I’m pretty sure I’m remembering that correctly.
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I have all of the Sennheiser models mentioned in this thread right now on my shelf along with 9 flagships and about a 100 total cans. IMO the 58x is as good as any of the other Sennheisers in the 5 or 6 “class” or close enough that it doesn’t matter. But neither my opinion nor influencers or reviewers or the good people opinion matter. If you like him go with them. They are good headphones and there is no right or wrong only the goal to enjoy.
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For context, are you able to elaborate on what DAC and amp are used?
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