HD600

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by SpaceLaser, Oct 8, 2015.

  1. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    Odd, those didn't pop up in my search. Either way none of them look to be the original pads and just going off how they look none of them will come close to offering the same sound, ostensible Sennheiser sign-off notwithstanding. Might push them towards or away from your preferences, but yeah if you want to preserve the sound it may be best to stick with the originals.

    What gives it away that Senn approved of these?
     
  2. yellow_eggplant

    yellow_eggplant New

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    I assumed since they were on Drop alongside other Sennheiser-authorized collaborations like their headphones. Although yeah now that you mention it, there's no official Sennheiser collaboration, approval or something to that effect in the descriptions. Quite unlike with the usual Drop collaborations. Nice eye. Well, guess it's OEM for me
     
  3. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    They are most definitely darker than past HD600 pairs I've owned. They have the infamous "Sennheiser veil" I haven't really experienced until now.
     
  4. Claud

    Claud Living the ORFAS dream

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    Ain't no veils on my HD 600s. They have to be 20 plus years old, bought when they first came out. They have Dekoni perforated pads and a Norne Draug 3 balanced cord. If I ever have to live on a desert island, I will take my HD 600s and my Focal Utopias.
     
  5. Skyline

    Skyline Double-blindly done with this hobby

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    What's the condition of the earpads? The HD600 will darken as the pads become more compressed.
     
  6. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    I know all about the Sennheiser pad odyssey. The pads are semi-new...pretty firm still.
     
  7. E_Schaaf

    E_Schaaf MOT: E.T.A Headphones

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    Black screen has more dynamic veil than silver screen stock but some mass loading and dynamat can fix that. Silver screen HD600 is a bit etched in the highs in comparison. Different mod approach can yield satisfactory results with either/any. People care too much about the screen type. The oldest gold ring drivers (often in HD580) have the best clarity in the bottom end but are also most pushed in the 3k area. The oldest black paper screens have the leanest tone / wimpiest bass but arguably the most 'plankton'. If there's interest I can roll various drivers into various screens for measurements. I have every variant covered. They all have trade-offs. Nothing to obsess over.
     
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2020
  8. Majestyk

    Majestyk Acquaintance

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    Forgot to mention... My 600's do sound a little darker (and better) with compressed pads. But the Romania 600's I recently tried were even darker no matter what pads I tried. (Old or new).
     
  9. Boops

    Boops Friend

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    Since when can you bring two things of the same category to a desert island? That’s not how it works!!!
     
  10. yotacowboy

    yotacowboy McRibs Kind of Guy

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    All I can say w/ regards to HD600 black screen is that although it's not worth fussing over, I do sense better synergy with HD600 black screen plus SW51; it is a special combo.
     
  11. Majestyk

    Majestyk Acquaintance

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    I for one would love to see these measurements.
     
  12. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    So I recently purchased some HD600's. It seems yes, they are made in Romania instead of Ireland. They also have a different look with some more squared off yokes and all satin grey finish. See my post here with the statement from Sennheiser - https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...ing-the-hd650-mystery.8026/page-2#post-332075

    [​IMG]

    Cosmetically I am not a huge fan and like the classic look of the marble HD600, but sound wise they are the same. You can see the differences and satin look as well as the Sennheiser logo printed closer to the Left side as well as the logo changed slightly.

    New HD600 on left, older HD650 on right.
    [​IMG]

    There is also no L and R markings on the outside. They are on the inside of the headband and on the far or away side on the top and indented into the plastic. I did not see them until the third day I had them. It makes me want to get out a removable sticker and put it on the right cup on the outside to make it more obvious.

    [​IMG]

    The cable also seems to be the different. It is a zip cable we are used to from Sennheiser, but smaller gauge and more rubber feeling. However, the connectors are quite different than my HD650. The two prongs are the same size and spacing, The connectors to the headphone housing are super small. You can see the picture main above they almost disappear in the headphone. I guess this makes things neater. However, I still like the bigger plug on my HD650 with the flat and wide part with and indent for your finger.

    [​IMG]

    The other end of the cable is like the old Sony 7506 or M-50's with a 1/8" connector and a screw on 1/4" adapter - gold plated though.

    One last word on construction of the headphones....the outer grill is connected to the outer ring. It actually makes getting the grills off much easier and also stay on much easier...well done Sennheiser!

    New HD600 grills on left, older HD650 grills on right;
    [​IMG]

    Sound wise, I found them exactly the same. I am familiar with the HD600's as I borrowed @Skyline's while he borrowed my LCD-2C's. They have the same feel headclamp and comfort. Pads are a bit stiff, but they are new. They took a couple of days to really open up their dynamics, but right away they felt right with my Dynalo DIY amp. After a couple of days the top end clarity really came in and gave that sweet high end I expected with amazing details and clarity without peak and fatigue. The bottom end sounds tight with just a touch of warmth. I didn't hardly notice, but it made the first few days sound like they were a bit constrained. Then the dynamics opened up I would say afer about the 12-24 hour mark, although this could just be brain burn-in.

    They have been haunting me ever since I borrowed them and did not realize how much they would haunt me. Something about them just grabs you. I am not sure it is just amazing details and the depth and immediacy. When I first put them on, it was like a brighter 650 with no soundstage. Odd to have opens with no soundstage. They sounded like closed as my muddied T-50's have more depth. Then you realize you can hear deeper in the music and the clarity is amazing. They are so uncolored to me, it is like this should be the target in the same way the Harman target is used. Maybe just a touch more low end in the lower octaves. I haven't been able to put them down since I got them.

    I know HD600's are mentioned here quite a bit, and I won't go on, I just wanted to share my findings with the new ones and just add that with the new tooling investment, I would think that Sennheiser is planning on having these around awhile and you can feel confident that newer ones, albeit may look different, they are the same on the inside. Manufacturers do this from time to time as Shure has been making SM57's and SM58's since the 70's, heck, even SM7's too, and sometime in the 90's moved their production to Mexico (NAFTA) and there are some slight hardware differences, quality, and especially sound quality has remained the same. Now why in the world Sennheiser would they make the 660S, I am that was a marketing decision. All I know is that the HD650 was supposed to replace the HD600 and there was demand to keep the HD600 around, so it was, even though there was only a slight difference in price between them.

    So rejoice that HD600's and 650's will be around for quite awhile. (Good thing too because I just saw some Ireland used ones sell on eBay for $20 for my brand new ones with a 2 year warranty.)
     
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    Last edited: Jan 9, 2021
  13. fastfwd

    fastfwd Friend

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    But they still have the three raised dots just above the left cup, right?
     
  14. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    On the wrong side though. Those dots are on the front side of the headphone. Here is a pic of where it is on the 650 and where it is on the new 600/650.

    HD650 dots:
    [​IMG]

    HD600 dots:
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2021
  15. ushanka

    ushanka Facebook Friend

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    I just inspected my HD650 (November 2020 purchase date). It matches the bulk of the details @rtaylor76 describes with his HD600, but the cable on mine is the beefy one (matching @ratylor76's HD650).
     
  16. Walderstorn

    Walderstorn Friend

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    @rtaylor76 have you compared with an older hd600? Cause when i had my hd600 and 650 not only they sounded different but even the FR showed that (very slightly but easy to see). I kept the hd600 because i just liked it more overall.
     
  17. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    I want to be clear, the HD600 and HD650 are two different sounding headphones. My post was mostly to give confidence that the new HD600's still have the classic HD600 that we all know and familiar with.

    The other thing is that the original HD600 had a similar cable to what is in it now. Here is a product photo of the small connectors in the headphones.

    [​IMG]

    Also, this cable always had a 1/8" connector and 1/4" adapter. It is now changed from to a screw on adapter type.

    The differences in cables in my previous post were between the HD600 cable and the HD650 cable.
     
  18. daniellistens

    daniellistens Acquaintance

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    I have got to say. I have been spending some time with my Chord Mojo/Poly and the HD600s and they do have some good synergy.

    I’m sure there are better amplifiers for the HD600s but it sure does sound good with a good recoding. :headbang:
     
  19. RenEH

    RenEH Acquaintance

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    I’ve been looking for an HD600 in Canada for some time now, but it’s been out of stock from Amazon for months and the only retail chains with stock are asking full retail or more. Is there still supply chain issues with these?
     
  20. RenEH

    RenEH Acquaintance

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    To answer my own question, Sennheiser support has informed me that they’re expecting more stock mid June. I suppose that’s not too bad.
     

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