Sennheiser HD660S Speculation

Just my personal tastes I guess, but I've never understood why anyone would want to walk around wearing full size, and even more to the point open, headphones. Though all my home headphones are open, I walk several miles a day in a urban environment while listening only with IEMs and my goal is to increase isolation (ATM, mostly using Senn IE80s with SpinFits to improve mediocre isolation). Also, while marginal outdoors, using an open headphone on public transit or in a library or office is just plain rude IMO.

 

I don't think it's so much about "portable" as it is "easily drivable". The LCD-X has pretty well crushed the niche of high(ish) performance cans than you can decently well drive off of any gear you own. The HE-X more confusingly was painted as a portable high performance headphone, which given their tremendous size and the fact that they're open back is silly. But here I am listening to the HE-X at my desk on an inexpensive amp and thoroughly enjoying it.

Sure, my modded HD650 sounded great out of the Mjolnir 2 that I used to own. Maybe I decided a $850 amp isn't worth it for me though.

 

I would be absolutely thrilled if I could chill out on my couch with an HD660s and my WM1A and get good results (especially with an included 4.4 balanced cable).

I don't think dropping to 150ohms is going to make anyone's gear irrelevant unless you only have a BH Crack. Even if the performance is only slightly better than the 650, it seems like a pretty fair evolutionary move. I just hope they switch the pad filling to something that doesn't break down so quickly.

 

Nah yo, just do what Beyer did and make different impedance versions. If it is not an improvement in sq that is. Not that difficult. Keep my impedance high and give me another one easier to drive and I'll buy both.

 

Sennheisers innovation management is on point.
Just make the same headphone a fourth time, with the only difference being that it now uses the actually not that bad transducer from their failed product. And people get excited.
Close to zero effort and maximum gain, Sennheiser knows how it works.

 

Yeah, that looks a lot like the HD 700 driver.

 

Because my relatives weren't going to use headphone amps, but rather their smartphone or laptop, I bought or recommended HD598 in the past. If this offers a considerable improvement, almost on the level of a 600 or 650, then it is a big step forward. Just not for us, the diehards. Assuming the price is well below a 600.

 

Rumours have it at 699$ MSRP.

MSRP does not exactly mean much in Sennheiser's case, but if it's true I'd expect it to stay there for a while.

 

Okay I guess rumours are no longer rumours cuz Senn's site got updated.

https://en-us.sennheiser.com/headphones-audiophile-high-end-hd-660-s

Same MSRP as the 650. So five hundred bucks, in 20 years on Massdrop for 200.

Other thing of note on that page:

 

Looking forward to trying these out. I don't think my beat up, modded, old timey HD650s are sellable, so I won't sell them even if I buy the HD 660 S.

All signs from Sennheiser seem to point to this as a successor to the HD650, which implies that the HD650 is going to be discontinued.

It does not make sense to position a headphone at the exact same price point (remember, many of us paid > $400 for our HD650s many years ago, as the MSRP is $499, just like the HD 660 S) that is marketed as an improvement and successor (see that word again?).

It talks about being for the "passionate audiophile," not the everyman cell phone dongle dangler. Why would they intentionally create marketplace confusion?

They won't.

If the HD650 isn't discontinued within a year, I'll put pink tape on my HD650 headband for the entire next year as penance for being so brazenly incorrect.

 

I'd say HD650 (or HD600 even less, when talking subs) can't produce an ordinary adequately produced kick drum in a rock or metal tune quite properly. A kick doesn't necessarily need great sub-bass reproduction, but boy do they benefit from it. As a comparison, an EQ'd HD800 or LCD-2 don't bring you a thump in the chest of a PA, but their relatively well reaching & clean "headphone bass" is very pleasing nonetheless in comparison.

With better extending and cleaner bass my HD600 would get constant use (and I'd still have the 650), but for a huge fan of good quality (not quantity) bass it just doesn't.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Duck-Brand-1...UTF8&qid=1507827110&sr=8-4&keywords=pink+tape

 

I hear you. Using a calibrated pair from Sonarworks at my job with the no-limits profile...very nice. However, that is only for the diehards pros and enthusiasts. If it's meant for smartphone use it needs to work. And frankly, if you want young people, give a little bass bump.

MSRP same as 650? Hm. Now I really don't know who this is for. If it is the same cost as nice IEMs, hell, custom IEMs...

 

Interesting.

Next month I am going to CanJam Europe in Berlin. If the headphone is there expect impressions and pictures. If the headphone is worth it who knows I might consider one. If not a spare HD600 or DT150 is on the list.

Thing is, a well driven HD650 stock still sounds good enough to just enjoy the music (while forgetting other headphones exist). With Frans'/Solderdude Kameleon module alone the HD650 sounds amazing.

This headphone has to sound really good. If not even German Maestro makes better alternatives (their headphones are worth an audition, no joke).

 

Confirmed from Sennheiser USA, the HD660S is made in Ireland.

 

so, scoop up unloved HD700, strip drivers, glue into some HD650 bezels?

 

Sennheiser did this before with the HD 25 and HD 280. They had special HD 25-13 and HD 280-13 that were 600 ohms. I'd like it if they made a HD 660S-13 that was high impedance.

 

That'd be your HD650.

 

I think you guys should wait and see what they're like before jumping to the conclusion that 150ohms is somehow going to be limiting the headphones or worsening them. The various Beyer impedance models are only one example, and a bad one at that, because the 32ohm models were clearly designed as an afterthought to attempt to penetrate the portable market.

I don't see many people complaining about the sound quality of the 80ohm DT770 Pro versus the 250ohm model, for example and does anyone even talk about the 600ohm model anymore?

I know it's a speculation thread but it's like you've already given up on them and started wanting something else.