Sennheiser HD660S Speculation

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by Junki, Oct 8, 2017.

  1. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

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    Hopefully this is correct. Maybe it will help reduce the price on the HD600. Right now it's like $286 on Amazon which is bad, but not that bad. (I paid $300 :()

    Also, I want the Heidi Klum edition. But with our luck, Senn is going to put Lou Bega behind it all.
     
  2. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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  3. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

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  4. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

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    Sorry if I'm being too negative or critical about this HD660S development. Take my resent comments and participation in this thread as a point of view. I really have not heard these cans, and maybe Sennheiser will prove me wrong on some counts.

    It should be obvious from my comments that I'm not very enthusiastic about these "new" set of cans. But that does not mean that other folks shouldn't. Life is actually much more kool when we are not that negative. My only caution would be to not jump into the hype bandwagon and bet on it with your hard earned money. Wait and see if this product makes any sense once things settle down.
     
  5. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    I suspect that the HD 6xx was a good way to clear out their stock of 650 drivers. They already had the headband developed for the 660s and positioned as a replacement to the 650. They have never even confirmed that the 6XX is the 650, it was only from measurements from various sites that seem to confirm this. I’m sure the only reason the drop exists at all is because of the 660s.
     
  6. SSL

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    The back of the new HD660S driver looks like the HD700 driver, including the mesh. If not a transplant, seems like there is some trickle-down going on.

    Edit: Obviously, I missed this being mentioned previously. Has anyone ever made measurements of a bare HD 700 drive around here?
     
  7. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

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    Well, the HD700 driver is also 150 ohms. And it had similar bass distortion issues. Compare:

    https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SennheiserHD600.pdf
    https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SennheiserHD700.pdf

    The bass seems to roll off less on the HD700, but not sure. It could be enclosure related, and the HD660s has a HD6x0 type enclosure.

    I think the HD700 and the HD6x0 driver sizes are both 40 mm.

    Another wild ass speculation: Maybe Senn has an inventory of 150 ohm 40 mm drivers intended for HD700s that are probably not selling well, and came up with the HD660S idea. From an economics standpoint it makes sense. A lot of the HD660s seems leveraged from the HD6x0 line, and the drivers are there. Lots of relatively common components. The HD700 current asking price is about what the HD660s may end up. It maybe a way to still get the original HD700 target gains, which failed due to piss poor engineering and marketing, with a relatively known good design HD580/HD6x0 base.

    If this is the case, I doubt the HD700 drivers are a significant step up, or a step up at all, to the HD580/HD6x0 drivers. In which case I would caution again. Be careful. Don't be a marketing tool. While I think the HD660S makes sense from a vendor's perspective, wait and see if it makes any sense from a consumer's perspective.
     
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2017
  8. SSL

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    Makes sense. Unify HD600 and HD650 into one HD6x0 driver, then unload them on massdrop, then unload the HD700 drivers into a "new" HD6x0.

    Given how much this looks like a straight HD700 driver transplant, I will be real surprised if the bass is improved in any way. I wouldn't even be surprised of other aspects of the response are worse. Too bad no one has done HD700 driver transplant tests or we would have more concrete information to go on.
     
  9. Ringingears

    Ringingears Honorary BFF

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    Gosh. You guys make it sound like a person can't trust a big corporation or something. :D I won't be jumping in on these right away. Been burned too many times on the good old hype train. They will be making these for a while. I'll wait to see what the measurements and listening impressions are first. Especially at these prices. But who knows.
     
  10. slankoe

    slankoe Tongue tastes of LH butthole

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    I'm pretty excited. You guys are responsible for getting me into HD650 and the courage to mod my pair. Still saving up for the EC ZDS... and probably a Gimby as well. I haven't ever thanked you folks for the sane (rare in this industry) advice, but here it is and I'm sure many lurkers who never post can say the same. For the info I've found over the past few years, I truly am grateful for all your work. Cheers SBAF. :D

    If this thing measures up as a worthy improvement at half the impedance, I'm sold.
     
  11. DrForBin

    DrForBin Friend

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    hello,

    tl/dr: HD660S may be Sennheiser looking to bring more "consumers" to their house sound, rather than hobbyists.

    looking at the accessory package for the HD660S, it appears that Sennheiser is orienting these to portable use. this is not a use case that i see as compelling as they are open back. you would be "that person" on the Metro. however, if easier to drive, with less demanding amplification requirements, there are some office environments where these may be workable. also, if the sound signature is indeed an improvement on the HD650, sign me up for a pair on my desktop at home! (retired, two floors away from any sleeping people.)

    this seems to be a little bit of a misfire to me. i am reminded of the Amperior. easier to drive (18 ohm) portable cans based on a popular (with a certain user group), tried and true design (HD25.) however the industrial design was not all that street stylish thus the Momentum/Urbanite lines. perhaps Sennheiser is thinking that a more "consumer" focused HD6X, will bring said consumers into upgrading within the Sennheiser house sound. i.e. GM starting you out in a Chevy, then moving you into a Buick (if you were a doctor,) or an Olds (if you liked that trim level better), and having all retirees in Caddies.

    or, PX200-II, then Urbanite, followed by HD660S, then endgame HD800S.

    as enthusiasts the path, with Sennheiser, would be a bit different: crap earbuds that came with it, HD25-II (then add a portable amp for on the go), then HD650/600/6XX (modified if you're brave enough [i am not],) then HD800 (modified only.)

    i have confidence that Sennheiser knows what they are about, but making a more "consumer" focused HD650 (which is very popular with a certain user group) doesn't seem (to me) a good fit. a closed back with HD650 level of performance might be something though.
     
  12. Mithrandir41

    Mithrandir41 Friend

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    It's never been a great headphone, but the 700 had much better bass extension and detail than the 650s, while having infinitely more fucked up metallic treble.
     
  13. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    Oh neat, I didn't know the HD280 had a special -13 edition as well.

    Right now I've got a set of blue Amperiors with HD25-13 driver in them.
     
  14. Peter

    Peter New

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    I might seriously consider a pair of these, about 3 or 4 years from now :p
     
  15. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    I actually wanted to buy The hd 25-13 but it’s been discontinued. I can still buy the hd 25-13 replacement driver and I was wondering if switching them out would be the same as an original 25-13
     
  16. Ringingears

    Ringingears Honorary BFF

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    I am totally guessing here. But I'm going to be contradictory and predict that the driver is not the HD700's but something new. And that the 650 and 600 will continue in their line of cans. Of course I could be wrong.
     
  17. chakku

    chakku Friend

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    Ideally they've just taken the HD700 driver as baseline and turned it into something new. It was probably easier to go with that as a base since it's still similar in structure to the 600/650 driver, I feel like using the ring radiator driver would require a more significant overhaul of the structure of around the driver in the cup and as such could be a future development or something they're still working on right now and may do for the next few years. It's all speculation until we get our hands on it.
     
  18. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    I've done precisely that and didn't notice a difference. Might as well get yourself a cheap amperior to house it now =P
     
  19. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    I'm almost 100% certain these are using HD555 drivers. They're likely utilizing recent advancements in laser etching technology to strip down the drivers of excess material, thus increasing impedance from 50 to 150 ohms. A high temperature acid wash will take care of any deconstruction anomalies.

    Additional carbon nanotube printing techniques can be employed to alter the frequency response as needed (e.g. to enhance sub-bass extension).

    It's a brilliant example of German engineering and environmentally friendly forward thinking. Really impressed with Sennheiser's innovation.

    In unrelated news, I'm checking out of this thread until the headphones come out.
     
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2017
  20. starence

    starence Facebook Friend

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    Excellent advice for all new audio products, not just the 660S. I guess someone has to be the guinea pig though.
     

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