Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Two parts to this review: First, what is my impression of the headphone itself. Second, how does it compare to it's older sibling (the 598 open-back)? Headphone impressions: The headphone feels comfortable overall. I could wear these for a few hours without any fatigue. The cord is an appropriate length, and the microphone works with my smartphone, although most people with the newer iPhone will be left out since these aren't wireless. Sound signature is pleasant- slightly elevated mids, and slightly elevated bass, but overall even spectrum. Much better than most of the consumer-oriented headphones at the $100-200 range (Bose, JBL, Beats, VModa, Sony, etc.). It still serves music well across multiple genres. The cord noise is minimal, assuming that I'm not running with these headphones (PS... you won't want to be running with these headphones on). How does it compare with the original 598? I've been switching back and forth over the past few hours to try and understand the differences. As mentioned above, the signature is a bit more "consumer" friendly, meaning there's more bass and mid emphasis, although not near as exaggerated as most consumer headphones. It still has good detail across the frequency spectrum. The closed-back naturally makes it sound a bit more directed and less "ethereal " than the open-back model, but anyone who plans to use these outside of their home will be grateful for that feature. Noise isolation and sound bleed are just as good as any other closed-back headphone. Personally, I still love my ivory, open-back 598's from years past, and they will always be my favorite entry-level audiophile headphone (even after comparing with this model). If you are looking for better sound than the original 598's, this won't be an upgrade. However, if you are looking for a great closed-back, wired headphone for daily use, I would highly recommend these.