Beyond the Curve - EP02 - R&D and Manufacturing | Sennheiser

[@sennheiser]

Have an audiophile-related question? Drop a comment below and we just might cover it on a future episode of Beyond the Curve!

[@joseluishernandezseptien]

Thank you for replying my question! Highly appreciated :)

[@Farpun]

This series is fantastic, interacting with the community is so good. Thankyou.

[@S_G_86]

I own HD560s and I have to say it is a fantastic headphone for the price! It`s so nice to see the guy behind the scenes (Jermo) and his valuable thoughts about the headphone. Keep going on guys , these series are truly amazing!

[@elvissrabovic7479]

Sen 600 and violectric 222 together are made in heaven.

[@PHF28]

Last episode I suggested a buddy cop movie with Werner and Jermo. I think I want to add the suggestion of having Jermo as a hostage negotiator. That man can make anything sound reasonable. Werner is excellent as well. What a team. Hope you continue with these. It's very informative and unique content. I don't even have any Sennheiser product (the only one I had came defective and I returned it).

[@sennheiser]

Haha - Jermo is quite the voice of reason! We'll have more episode and don't hesitate to reach out regarding the defective product.

[@listener-reviews]

While I appreciate my question being answered, I don’t love the response I got 🤣 Of course I acknowledge that acoustic impedance and openness are major factors, and FR as measured on a rig is not everything… but I maintain that targeting a more “headphone-like” midrange is a goal worth chasing in Sennheiser’s IEMs in particular. I also, however, concede that it would likely be difficult to do so without active electronics/DSP. That being said, it’s possible to try! If you want a rough idea for an IEM target that may work well for the avg. person, just take a blocked canal DF HRTF of the 5128, subtract that from the full DF HRTF, then add the blocked canal DF HRTF from Hammershøi and Møller. Should account for the effects of many pinnae and account for a (rough) average of canal effects since the B&K is an averaged human ear canal. Regardless, thanks for the answer! Hope to see more videos like this.

[@GrumpiestKitten]

I think they said that they take the lowest common denominator instead of the average. If you look at your HM they will give you +-1 SD. To get a target that is most inoffensive to most people you might even want to move -2 SD to play it save for the insert earphone.

[@dvm1126]

This will be my new pair of headphones after using the HD450bt for 2 years

[@SurlyYerby]

Just picked up a pair of HD 560S to go along with my HD 6XX, HD 599, and IE 300. Love Sennheiser stuff!

[@sennheiser]

Quite the portfolio!!

[@AusOpening]

how does the 560s compare to 6XX, I have the same combo but besides soundstage I can't tell them apart haha

[@formless3791]

@@AusOpening 6XX is warmer than 560S, 560S has wide-ish soundstage. 6XX narrow soundstage. 560S is slightly brighter and bassy. 6XX is neither bassy nor bright/sharp.

[@zoltantoth1566]

Thank you for the new eposide! I hope you will do many more. I have infinite number of questions. I wrote some in the Reddit thread of this video. KZbin does not allow me to post the Reddit link here, so i will copy my questions here in sub-comments. Thank for any answer in advance.

[@zoltantoth1566]

You said that the biggest difficulty in the production of HD 800 is to match the 2 stereo channels. But why do you not achieve this kind of task with software correction? Measure both sides of all instances; publish the data on your website [separately for each instance, indexed by the instance identifier]; let the user import his one into his favorite sound software [Equalizer APO, PulseEffects, ...]; let him apply a convolutional filter. It seems to me that this simple procedure would give perfectly smooth frequency response [including stereo matching] [apart from the listener-specific parts of course] for low cost. Why do you not use this method? Is measurement per instance too expensive? How much does a measurement cost?

[@zoltantoth1566]

Please go through all your audiophile headphone types and talk some about them. What is their advantage compared to their Sennheiser peers [or even to other brands too, if you will]. Why is that advantage difficult [expensive] to achieve? By your audiophile headphone types i mean: 559, 595, 598, 599, 560s, 600, 650, 660s, 800, 800s.

[@zoltantoth1566]

Why is resonance a problem? Is a frequency response correction [perhaps by software] not enough to cease it? For example, if the resonance is at 1KHz then is decreasing the amplitude at 1 KHz by the resonance amount not enough to get rid of the affect of the resonance? Does resonance harm any other property too other than the frequency response?

[@zoltantoth1566]

What is "full", "tight" "wet", "dry" ... sound? Do these have an explanation via the frequency response?

[@zoltantoth1566]

Is 'lingering' a real phenomenon. I mean when the decay at some frequency is much slower than at other frequency? What usually causes it? Does a software algorithm exist that perfectly eliminates the affect of slow decay and attack generally [provided that the (frequency -> decay speed) function is known]? If yes then why is it not in use at all?

[@rika-chan]

I wonder how much the commercial success of products like the IE900 and 660S is down to the marketing and value placed on premium products by consumers vs their actual merits. I don't think it's the best barometer for quality.

[@arthurscarlet9669]

In addition to the sound changes from deifferent HD800,/s i found another more important factor, which is earpads. Aged earpads or early produced earpads sound way different from current earpads, current earpads absorbed 1-2khz and enhanced the mid bass response while old version has more treble and more close to the DF, an aged earpads meanwhile will leak more bass when compared to the new one.

[@sennheiser]

Interesting point.

[@TechnoMusicFreaks]

Nice video guys! I love sennheiser products. I've been using them for over 15 years (microphones, speakers, headphones, earphones, etc.) I work as a DJ and love the HD25 headphones. Do you think there is any way to make that headphone even better in the future? Is Sennheiser is planning to release an IEM(s) definitely for DJs ? (like Shure did with the SE535 PRO, or Mackie with the MP-460 etc - with Triple, quad drivers not a single dynamic) I'm thinking to move for IEM's but I find the IE 500 PRO not as good like the other 2 mentioned before. Also why do you prefer single dinamic driver over triple drivers? (distortion?)

[@sennheiser]

Thanks for the praise and your loyalty! I believe the HD 25 we've hit something of a sweet spot, there were some experiments to go beyond with the HD 8 DJ, but evidently there's good reason that the HD 25 is a classic. Regarding IEMs, the IE 500 is specifically tuned to the needs of vocalists, ie. to monitor their own voice and hear the bass line. The IE 400 PRO will offer a more V-shaped presentation, while the IE 600 is probably the most neutral earphone in our line-up. Regarding the driver question in brief: our 7mm TrueResponse transducer has best in class distortion values, handily covers the entire audible range and has headroom to spare for even the most demanding applications. Multi-driver systems tend to combine multiple systems because a single of their drivers would fail in at least one of these performance metrics. While we get the marketing appeal of more=better, we strictly believe in superior sound performance that is measurable and audible, and our 7mm single driver platform delivers that class-leading performance. If the tuning of the IE 500 didn't speak to you, I can only recommend testing the other products of our range, which are in my opinion much better suited for music listening. -Jermo

[@TechnoMusicFreaks]

@@sennheiser thank you for the answer I will try the IE 400 PRO and the IE 600 hopefully I will find the right one :)

[@buttercat1208]

It's Really interesting to hear that the HD660S was actually more commercially popular than its older brothers. Would you elaborate more on what the idea was behind developing each of those 600-line models because it seems to me that all of them have some different yet interesting characteristics that are hard to find anywhere else?

[@sennheiser]

Perhaps this will help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHPUmXd4ftmrZsUsi=KyOXUpzy0fK0z1Kv

Are there any plans to get back into affordable electrostatic headphones? (Re-release a version of the HE 60?)

[@sennheiser]

We love the idea! There are some obstacles along the way, but we'll do our best to make it happen somehow. -Jermo

[@gawoliamasti8515]

Why Sennheiser 206 headphones are not available on Amazon or flipkart from long time.. Please reply.. I need it urgently

[@Farpun]

What is your opinion on the consumer using EQ to tune an HD800S to the Harman Curve?

[@sennheiser]

It's a product they bought, so they are free to listen to it in any way they wish. Personally, I'd like it much more if they took the time and equalized to what sounds good to them by ear. People will prefer significantly different high- and low shelf filters, and the amplitude of the mids has a big impact on the stage you can get out of headphones. That being said, the headphones will sound great with many different tuning targets, simply because it's so spacious and fast sounding. -Jermo

[@Farpun]

@@sennheiser thanks for responding. I use a harman preset but tune it by ear to my preference. I really like how the 800S sounds in the low mids and bass, i just change the treble and slightly boost subbass. They're amazing headphones.

[@akaria6359]

Given the importance of bass to listener preferences and that music has trended towards increasingly louder and lower subbass frequency tones. Does Sennheiser see themselves using planar magnetic diaphragms in open headphones in the future for linear bass response with lower distortion at high SPL? Just wanted to say that the HD 800 is one of the most comfortable headphones ever made and in a world of increasingly heavy audiophile headphones I'm glad it only weighs 370g. You can weigh them yourselves to check that :)

[@FabioKasper]

Good show folks.

[@sennheiser]

Thanks much, it was a blast to shoot!

[@sipyoanjo7003]

Senny fan here ❤

[@sennheiser]

Guten Tag!

[@Farpun]

Has Sennheiser ever considered making a closed back HD6series headphone?

[@sennheiser]

We are constantly looking into venues where we can bring value to sound lovers in ways other companies can't. Closed back headphones are certainly a consideration ;) -Jermo

[@Farpun]

@@sennheiser I'd love a closed HD6SERIES. It's my favourite series of headphones, the comfort and sound is phenomenal but I listen in a loud environment most of the time. Thankyou for responding!

[@SheepDude-qp7ux]

Man, I love HD800! Can I have some of what Grell was on?

[@sennheiser]

They're the most remarkable headphones ever developed. I think Axel has a unique talent for deeply understanding the foundations of great sound and bringing them to the limit of what's possible. That being said, it is always a team effort, and neither the HD 600 series nor the HD 800 could have come alive without projects managers, transducer engineers, mechanical engineers, purchasers and designers coming together and bringing their best game, even if it's painful. We'll aim to bring some of the engineers behind the HD 800 to the show in the future. -Jermo

[@franz9589]

Will Sennheiser apply planar magnetic technology in their headphones any time soon?

[@dgrillodelambarri]

❤ sharing is caring ❤

[@sennheiser]

😘 -Jermo

[@Farpun]

Bring back the HD414!

[@sennheiser]

Never say never.

[@Farpun]

Where is the HD25 currently being made?

[@sennheiser]

The headphones are assembled in Romania, the transducers have been manufactured in Ireland for over 20 years now.

[@Farpun]

@@sennheiser thanks so much for responding

[@Farpun]

@@sennheiser Does the HD25 Light have the same drivers as a standard HD25?

[@rumbepack]

I would love an electrostatic hd900 😊

[@gibgun]

A good question would be why there are never enough HD800 pads in North America 😂

[@xiaoqianwang1571]

Due to the trend of cancel 3.5mm plug and tws hifi-earphone became a nice market, what is the product plan of Sennheiser to keep leading position with limited element platform...？for example in Asia the Chi-fi producers turn to cruelty competition and push lots of very low prices new products every year...

[@Daniel_Zarate]

😮😮😮😮😮

[@formless3791]

Where are HD 400 Pro's transducers made? Because my box says made in china, maybe the assembly and shell is made in china or are the transducers too made in china? PS: nothing wrong with made in china, alot of my great gadgets are made in china, i'm just curious.

[@oppje6188]

Why does sennheiser ignore the harman research?

[@Rockapotamus91]

Because it’s not the be all and end all