Response from Sennheiser about the 555 mod | Hacker News Reader

Response from Sennheiser about the 555 mod

11 pointsst3fan7 comments

"Dear St3fan,

The HD 595 is a high-end, open, dynamic stereo headphone with outstanding sound characteristics and excellent wearing comfort. It features Sennheisers innovative E.A.R technology creating a new kind of acoustic experience. Also included is a nifty headphone holder with leatherette nesting bow - the perfect home for your HD 595. If you are seeking a new level of audiophile listening, prepare to be totally amazed by the HD 595 , The HD 555 are using the same driver them HD 595 but headband housing is not the same quality the plastic material will not last the same them HD 595,in conclusion the HD 595 made specifics high end use , who want a better sound quality and a better material quality ."

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They should separate their marketing and support departments.

Exactly what I thought. It goes from great grammar to absolutely terrible mid paragraph. You can actually spot where the copy paste ends.

This discussion seems misguided.

Reading the mod page, it sounds like it's about removing/adding some foam behind the driver (which is the identical between models) to alter the high-frequency response. Unclear if it increases or decreases the high end signal -- but ultimately whether you like the sound one way or another is a matter of taste. Personally, I find most headphones way too bright, but YMMV.

I have a pair of Sennheiser 480s that i've owned and used regularly since 1989. I've replaced every part except the drivers at least once. For me, paying more money for the 595s for a beefier headband and higher quality materials would make sense because these are a long-term investment. Or at least the 480s were then. Not sure what the build quality is like now.

The idea that they're "crippling" one vs the other like a piece of computer hardware seems to miss the point.

It was probably not answered out of Sennheiser USA division but the basic premise is that there's better material being used and you get a leather "nesting bow" for the premium price. Is it worth it? Probably not.

Wow! An ad...

Not an ad, it's a customer query response to this article:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2214158

This page will show you how to turn a $199.95 (Canadian – Suggested Retail) pair of Sennheiser HD 555 headphones into a pair of Sennheiser HD 595‘s that cost $349.95

All you had to do is remove a piece of foam.

St3fan must have emailed them.

Oh, thanks for pointing this out! Their reply looks like they missed the point. Huh.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com