Sennheiser HD650

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by Jeangenie, Sep 27, 2015.

  1. yvv

    yvv Acquaintance

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    Couldn't agree more.

    IME the HD800 and the HD650 are like Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde. One brings out an audiophile and the other one a music lover. But to have them both for actually listening to, not evaluating the music would be too bi-polar and add to audio neurosis, in my case at least.

    So I sold the HD800 and use the HD580 for a brighter signature or modern music and the HD650 for classical (99% of my listening).

    I think the HD650 is a unique headphone in that it preserves overtones and harmonics albeit at a significantly lower level than fundamentals. It never throws the micro detail in your face but lets you choose. Yes you have to listen harder for the plankton but at least you know it is there for you.

    IMO this kind of coloration is the way we hear real, unprocessed music in a moderately damped room or concert hall. Is it true to the recording? Most likely not. The HD580 has a more neutral FR and also quite satisfying but it doesn't let you forget to the same extent that it's just canned music. Most of the classical recordings are rather thin sounding and would benefit from some warmth anyway.

    The HD800, brilliant but flawed. There is something addictive about the sound. If I listened to synthesized music I would absolutely have kept it.

    Once in awhile the inner audiophile gets the better and asks to buy another HD800. Must resist.
     
    Last edited: Mar 19, 2019
  2. futbutts

    futbutts Friend

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    The first of the 6X0 series I'd heard was the 6XX at Canjam Socal last year, and I really liked it, even in a loud conference hall. I got the chance to talk to Christian from Massdrop and provide feedback on the 58x which was a ton of fun. He asked what I thought of the 6XX and I told him I actually was surprised because I'd heard they were bass-light, but their bass really seemed like a perfect 'neutral' to me, solid and very much present but not overwhelming, and he agreed.

    A month or two later I had the chance to grab some HD600s for a decent price so I pulled the trigger, having heard that the 650/6XX are considered 'dark' by a lot of people, and having read Tyll's assertion that the 650 is 'veiled' in comparison. For the last -- what, eight months? -- I've enjoyed the HD600s. Their mids are just so, so sweet, really great for jazz and softer rock. But after awhile I found them to be a little anemic or brittle sounding for some of my more raucous-y music, even on what's a pretty warm set-up with my Asgard 2 and Bifrost Multibit, and have been looking to sell them off.

    However, I recently visited the Schiitr for the first time in some months to audition some amps (comparing Jotunheim and Valhalla, or maybe Lyr) with my ZMF Oris, and lo and behold on the wall was a pair of 650s. Naturally, I did some listening with them -- and god damn are they sweet. I have to say that in my opinion they are an overall more balanced sound than the 600s, or maybe their more prominent low-end just pumps the richness up to where I prefer it... but long story short is two days later I tracked down a pair of like-new 650s online and haven't been this excited for a new pair of cans to arrive since my Oris arrived seven months ago or so.

    I really enjoy comparing headphones, so I'm excited to spend some time A/B-ing the 600s with the 650s to really wrap my head around the differences in their sound profiles and why I seem to just viscerally prefer the 650s. A friend also loaned me his Jotunheim with Multibit DAC so I'm going to do some experimenting and see if I can discern any pros between the Jotty's balanced DAC and a single-ended source in the form of my Bifrost Multibit, though it's obviously not a perfect comparison since the Jotty's DAC is more akin to the Modi MB than Bifrost Multibit (from what I've read).
     
  3. Dzerh

    Dzerh Friend

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    - the multibit card is not really balanced, 4490 is.
     
  4. futbutts

    futbutts Friend

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    Oh interesting, good to know. I wonder why that is?
     
  5. Dzerh

    Dzerh Friend

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    space is limited, and price too, and doesn't have sense from marketing point of view - better increase resolution first before go balanced.
     
  6. psuKinger

    psuKinger Facebook Friend

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    Take this FWIW, as I don't have nearly as much experience, expertise, or higher-end gear as a lot of my SBAF brothern, but I got two pairs of 3rd party (periapt) XLR cables to go with my 2 best headphones for Christmas this past year: my Sennheiser HD-6XX's and my Audeze LCD-2C's, for use on my Schiit Jotunheim (with 4490 chip). I didn't/don't notice much difference with the LCD-2C's on the balanced cable other than that the volume pot on my Jot runs closer to "zero" when on Hi-Gain then it did on Single-Ended. But the bass on the HD-6XX's filled in pretty noticably, to me at least, when driving them off the (more powerful) Balanced XLR output on my Jot vs. the stock single-ended connector. This was not what my (relatively baseless) pre-Christmas expectations were for the two headphones off the two new XLR cables. Prior to owning the XLR cables, I would use my 6XX's a lot for jazz/female vocals/singer-songwriter/accappella listening, but would always switch out for a different headset if I wanted to listen to some bass-heavy hard rock or hip-hop. I still pretty much use the Audeze's exclusively for hip-hop, but if the Senn's are currently plugged in and ready-to-go on the Jot, I often won't bother to make the switch if I'm in the mood for a little rock now.... again TIFWIW.
     
  7. Claud

    Claud Living the ORFAS dream

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    Norne S3-C and Draug 3 for Senn HD 650. The Draug 3 is a $300 headphone cable. The S3-C is more expensive and is a silver cable whereas the Draug 3 is copper only.
    I am a 71 year old male with a steep drop out from 4000 Htz to about 4600. Htz from shooting my 308 caliber rifle w/o hearing protection. As such, you can take my review of the Draug 3/ S3-C with a grain of salt.
    My HD 650s are new this year, with two weeks of continuous break in for them and the S3-C cable. The Draug 3 is a very dynamic cable . You know immediately that your headphones sound different. The S3-C has a more balanced sound. It gives you more of everything including resolution, bass and sparkly treble. The midrange is not too forward, but the details are all there. The Draug 3 on the other hand gives you articulate bass like the S3-C, but its more forward as is the midrange. Draug 3 is party hardy! Its what you want if you listen to pop, EDM and rap, and even Jazz. The S3-C is great on Classical and Jazz. I am posting these reviews because like me, there are a lot of HD 600 and HD 650 users here at SBAF. My HD600 and HD 650 the cables and I used the first five cuts off that CD this afternoon to help me do this review. Click pic to enlarge.
    [​IMG]
     
  8. joeexp

    joeexp Don't ship this man FD-X1 ever

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    I have used different cables from Copper to Silver with the HD650. I was not able to hear those differences that you are talking about.
     
  9. Claud

    Claud Living the ORFAS dream

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    It may be your system, or your hearing. I still have a mini system of Schiit Vali 2 and Modi Multibit that I can hear changes in ICs and its tube. If you can't hear the changes, you will save a bunch of money.
     
  10. joeexp

    joeexp Don't ship this man FD-X1 ever

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    Must be my system then ....
    Just saved myself a bunch of money! o_O

    $ 499.95 HD 650 Sennheiser
    $ 279.99 Draug 3
    $ 439.99 SILVERGARDE S3-C



    Now back to clay pigeon shooting.
     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2019
  11. Claud

    Claud Living the ORFAS dream

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    I played video games for years until my son regularly kicked my ass. I took up sporting clays. Much better. Loud guns, the smell of gunpowder. What more could you want?
     
  12. m17xr2b

    m17xr2b Friend

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    I've finished the HD650MC just in time for my 12 hour flight. Don't get along with in ears and didn't want to buy a closed headphone just for the very occasional need.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Back foam and spider cage removed, coin and my standard 690 mod. Wrapped in black cloth electrical tape to plug any gaps.
    The stock pads leak far too much and installed Dekoni leathers.
    Isolation is good enough. I'd say about a 15db-20db. Most important at my preferred listening volume there's little to no leakage in a quite room, on an airplain I could run full blast without issues.

    The bad:
    Soundstage took a hit but still sounds open similar to the HD250.
    Low end roll off at around 70hz, constricted but still has somewhat of grunt for rock.
    Mids got a weird tone, not unpleasant, similar to a mid range 1000$ can.
    Air is killed.
    Bulky.

    The good:
    Closed HD650.
    Still a great mid range performer, smoothness remains.
    Stereo separation is good, clear right,left and center.
    Imagining is decent.
    Mid bass has punch, not overdone.
    Fantastic for movies which is the main purpose.
    More spacious than Andromeda.
    Balanced frequency excluding the rolloff.
    Doesn't look like a school project.

    As a whole is sounds like an upgraded RS175 without any enhancement applied.

    For music I'll use the WM1A, a portable setup that doesn't leave me wanting in the slightest with tons of up time.
    For movies the Note 9 is more than up to the task. It can actually get to uncomfortable levels, I use it at around 70% volume.

    Also packed the normal headphones for when the mojitos kick in:
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Aug 31, 2019
  13. Huhnkopf

    Huhnkopf Friend

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    HD 600 and HD 650 got a facelift and will reappear as "New Version 2019"

    [​IMG]
     
  14. zonto

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    Last edited: Sep 17, 2019
  15. Skyline

    Skyline Double-blindly done with this hobby

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    The 650 sure looks the same to me.

    Glad I snagged an ugly old school marble 600 last week while I could!
     
  16. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    I thought for a second they went back and discontinued the 660S. But no. They also now have a HD660S Apogee that has a inline Apogee Groove.

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

    And I will agree. The 650 looks the same. They just have a lot of effects and photoshop going on in the images on the site that almost makes them look computer generated.
     
  17. Ash1412

    Ash1412 Friend

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    One change thats noticeable is moving the left side indicator dimples away from next to the name tag to the side.
     
  18. Skyline

    Skyline Double-blindly done with this hobby

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    Revolutionary. I MUST get my hands on a new pair. :p
     
  19. Stuff Jones

    Stuff Jones Friend

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    I thought the 650s were being replaced by the 660s and rebranded as the MD6xx to avoid competition?
     
  20. Sonorus

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