Disappointed with Sennheiser Momentum 2.0

[Rupert]

My 25+ year old HD250 Linear cans finally gave out last week (one capsule failed), ironically after I'd not long bought a new replacement cable for them!

After a lot of thought and deliberation (but no actual trying out .. no hi-fi outlet nearby) I ordered a pair of Momentum 2.0 as they seem always to be highly recommended.

My first impression though was ... oh dear! To start with, the ear cups are tiny, barely 'over ear' and nowhere near as commodious as my old HD250s. The headband is also rather aggressive - I had to lift the pieces away from my head every now and then to stay comfortable. When I plugged them in and sat down to listen, I was astonished to find how compressed the sound space was. Not only that, but to replicate anything near the sound I used to get with my HD250s, I had to wind the treble right up and reduce the bass significantly. The general feeling of space within the sound stage was still missing though.

I know modern headphones are more geared to people on the move who mainly listen to compressed streaming files, but I just want a pair of good quality headphones with an open but neutral response that I can comfortably wear when I'm listening to music in the lounge, or watching films or TV programmes transmitted via my Marantz amplifier.

I'm seriously considering returning the Momentums (I've got 35 days with John Lewis) and maybe going for the always well reviewed Shure SRH1540s. An American review site thought highly of the Oppo PM-3s, but I've yet to find a UK reviewer who thinks much to them. A neutral open sound and nice large comfortable ear pads are all I ask for .. is that too much to ask?

I appreciate that headphones (and listening) are subjective subjects, but surely in this advanced technological age we should be able to both replicate and improve on the beautiful sound of late 1980's closed back headphones, which cost less than £150 at the time?

 

[Gray]

Sorry to hear of your disappointment, at least you've still got that return option.

I'm more sorry about your old 250's so let's not give up on them.

When you found you needed a new lead, what was the symptom then? Not the same side dead (or intermittent) by any chance?

It's just that two separate faults (so close together in time) seem like too much of a coincidence to me.

Forgive me if you've already done it but I presume that you have confirmed that the faulty capsule is actually open circuit.

If you haven't, stick a couple of pins into its two pin socket, with a multimeter (set to ohms) see what you've got between them.

If, as we would expect, the capsule is confirmed to be open circuit, I'd remove the earpad, open it up and check within. Are the lead-out wires from the voice coil connected securely to the back of the two pin connector? If they are, with the lead connected, you could finally just check to confirm continuity between the socket contacts (within the capsule) and the jack plug.

 

[Rupert]

Hi Gray .. thanks for your helpful and sympathetic response.

The lead failing was literally as a result of the wire within the cover becoming frayed and occasionally disconnecting, in the same sort of way that a poor mobile phone signal causes speech to break up from time to time. I was able to overcome this for a while by bending and holding the cable in whatever position that worked to effect a full connection again, but that soon stopped being a satisfactory answer. I bought a nice new lead from Sennheiser spares dept., which came with a 'gold' plated 3.5mm-6.0mm adapter and I was back up and running immediately. That was in May of this year and the headphones had been working perfectly until the other night, just as they always had previously. I'd just finished watching something I'd recorded when my right ear suddenly went dead. I knew it wasn't me of course (!) because when I removed the headphones and replaced them on my head the other way round, it was then my left ear that had gone!

I've run the obvious test of switching the left & right leads round and it's the same capsule that's 'dead' and not a faulty lead that's the problem, so maybe your proposed action would be a good next step, before I finally consign the cans to the bin.

I'm at a bit of a loss as to fully understand what you've told me. I don't know what you mean by the term 'open circuit' and I certainly don't own suitable pins or a multi-meter to check if the faulty capsule is of this type of circuit. Neither have I ever taken the headphones apart .. I'm not sure how to do this without causing irreparable damage. Checking the connection between the voice coil and the pin socket would seem like an obvious move, I'm just not sure how to open the capsule. Does it pop open if you introduce a small screwdriver to one of the cracks? I've tried 'unscrewing' the thing but nothing seems to want to 'thread' (as in screw/unscrew).

Your further guidance would be very much appreciated, as I'd dearly love to continue using the 250s. Incidentally, I missed out on a barely used set of HD250 Linear IIs on eBay at the weekend (I messed up entering my maximum bid). They don't seem to come up that often.

 

[Gray]

Hi Rupert. Thanks, sorry I missed your reply, but I've been away for a while.

'Open circuit' is just a fancy (though correct) way of describing a lack of connection.

In other words, if the connection through the connector and coil were intact there would be a circuit, but in your case the circuit appears to be open.

Although I and my family have owned several pairs of Sennheiser's, I'm not familar with your 250's, I wasn't sure whether the pin connectors would be physically swappable between channels. My pins/meter check would only have proved what you've confirmed by successfully swapping the (good) lead - that the capsule's dead and there's nothing to lose by opening it for a nose around.

I see that you've asked if anyone knows how the capsules come apart. It will be nice if someone can say how they did it as there is often a wrong way of course. I would be tempted to do some gentle prising apart to allow you to see the hold points - three or more semi-permanent plastic rivets maybe?

Sennheiser may have allowed for non-destructive access and even though the coil itself is not a user replaceble part, there could just be something obvious you can rectify.

Good luck. If you were anywhere near South East Essex, I'd gladly have a look for you. (I've done a few years as an Electronics Service Engineer so I can't give up on any trusty old products without a fight!)

 

[Rupert]

Hi Gray,

Just by way of a follow-up ...

I managed to open the offending capsule without breaking anything, carefully peeling away all the little foam rings in the process. I was able to identify two copper wires, each no thicker than a fine hair, one of which was clearly detached (I could lift it free with the end of a fine electrical screwdriver). For the life of me I couldn't see - even with the aid of a strong magnifying glass - where it should have been joined, so I've bitten the bullet and bought a pair of Shure SRH1540. An old acquaintance happens to own a pair and he kindly lent them to me for a couple of days, so I had a good idea how they should sound. So far I'm impressed .. quite different sounding to the Momentum 2.0 and, quite importantly, they fit far more comfortably over my ears!

I shall hang on to the HD250s just in case I ever come across an ad anywhere promoting the services of an expert headphones repairer!

 

[Gray]

Don't chuck the 250s then Rupert, they're repairable!

Glad you're happy with the new Shures and you'll probably appreciate them even more as you get used to the sound.