Personal Loaner: HD 540 Ref I Early Production

For your consideration for loaner is a Sennheiser 540 Ref I early production unit. I bought this for a great price from a SBAF member, and since I'll be scaling down my rig a bit, I figure this would be the perfect time to loan this out.

This is, to my ears, the best headphone I've ever heard for classical music: its violin and piano timbre are unmatched, and it has a sense of treble extension and air I don't hear from almost any other headphones while simultaneously remaining generally non-fatiguing. This sounds like what HD800 should have been. I do not recommend listening to this headphone with most other genres of music, as the bass is not really there: anyone signing up for the loaner should therefore have some experience listening to classical music.

To join this loaner, there are a couple requirements.

1. Have a higher impedance tube amp (8 ohm or over), as this headphone works best on higher impedance amps.
2. Listen semi-regularly to classical music.
3. Post impressions in this thread: https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/fun-with-vintage-headphones.9934/page-2

Loaner rules are the following:

1. 5 day period to enjoy these!
2. Ship with UPS or Fedex.
3. Insure for $100.

If you are interested, please post the amp you will be listening to the headphone on as well as your location. Loaner is limited to 5 people. Friends with track records of great impressions preferred; contributors at my discretion. Cheers!

Participants.

1. Non-Sbaf friend of mine, Connecticut.
2. @sheldaze Washington, DC
3. @Azimuth Nashville, Tennessee
4. @loadexfa Bay Area, California
5.

 

it’s been a long while since i’ve had a hd540. definitely miss the sound. i have a woo audio wa6se and a MCTH. not sure if i qualify? lol. definitely interested tho

edit: in LA, Cali

 

I'm in, because why not?

Nashville, TN

 

Interested, SF Bay Area CA. I'd compare with the HD 800 to test your claims about classical.

 

I've never really done a headphone review, but I've been interested in these classic Sennheiser headphones - especially since reading some of the posts from the "fun with vintage headphones" thread. I started with HD650, and worked my way backwards to where I basically only own HD580(s).

Looking up the output impedance of my Eddie Current farm as I write, I know I can qualify with my DNA Starlett.

Interested. Washington, DC-ish.

 

One more spot available!

 

I'll bite, closed back Sennheiser that did it right? I'm in.

 

It's not closed back - in fact it sounds very, very open. Let me know if you're still interested.

 

Those "old" Sennheisers! After reading this I took my HD560 Ovation 1, I got it in trade for new MASR7, and, listening to a few of my preferred piano trios, compared directly to HD800S, HEKSE, LCD-X and HE500. Except for HEKSE which is great for acoustic instruments and microdetails, nothing sounds more natural. And it gets even better listening to Brahms clarinet sonatas. I made a balanced cable and put my HD560 when I can easily reach them.