Comparison, HD-650 and D2000.

[Gurra1980]

First I did my review after about 70h of burn in, now I have had my Denons for almost a month and I don't notice any changes anymore, so I have done some changes in my review, between my HD-650 and my D2000.

The equipment used is my Rotel Rcd-06 and Musical fidelity X-can v3.

So let’s start then.

DENON AH -D2000

Treble:
The first thing I noticed when I got them was that they sounded harsh and sibilant, a little like my previous Dt990, but with just about 10h of burn in it got away. Now the treble is smooth, but a little bit more in quantity compared to HD650, this makes them a little more involving when I'm listening to anything with guitars especially electrical guitar. I can't hear any irritating tsss or kssss sounds with vocalists, which is very important to me. They got the right amount of treble IMO not as recessed as 650 but not as extremely exaggerated as dt990, which is good for my sensitive ears.


Midrange:
Not so much to write about here, quite sweet, neutral, I think as I see it they are a little recessed compared to 650 but I think 650 is a little forward, it's hard to say which headphone that is neutral, I guess it depends on amp and source and ears.


Bass:
Now this is the place where the D2000 stands out, they got quite a lot of bass. The character of it is smooth, not as textured as 650s and as I see it Denons bass reaches lower, I guess this is the reason I got the feeling it is a lot of it. But it has impact and attack that the 650 just can dream about, which makes them quite fun to listen to.


PRaT, Speed:
Excellent! it's just wonderful to follow a bass guitar or a kick drum with these headphones, especially kick drums sounds amazing, like machine guns!! I have done some intensive testing and I have not found any recordings that I own that they can't handle. It was when I was listening back and fourth on Panteras -****ing hostile and Rise that I noticed that 650 did not really have the speed in the lower register, where the D2000 just keep on hammering without problems. Before I thought that the 650 does bass guitars better with a more natural flow, I guess that this depends on the texture of the 650s bass not really the speed. So D2000 is a little step ahead of the 650 for speed. The D2000 also feels a little more rhythmic and dynamic for jazz and such.


Soundstage/instrument separation:
Soundstage is good, but not really as good as 650 but it has opened up a lot after 100h of burn in. I also think that instrument separation is good, about the same as 650, but 650 is still a little better for classical due to a little bigger soundstage and not as pronounced bass.


Detail:
It's hard to say, quite good detail, like the senns but better in the low bass and treble.


Balance/neutrality/naturality
Quite neutral, a little more bass than neutral, depends on how the pads are adjusted, the rest of the frequency is very balanced. The sound is clear and has a natural sense to it.


Sennheiser HD-650

Treble:
A little recessed, no sparkle, this is one of the reasons why I did look for a complement headphone. While this character is not so engaging the good thing with it is that it is very easy on the ears and I can use a higher sound pressure level without it getting fatiguing, this also makes vocals sound very sweet and soft.


Midrange:
Very good, to my ears the midrange is just a little more extended than neutral but this is subtle and I love it, vocalists has an organic flow that I have never heard in another headphone before, I guess this is the magic of these headphones. But it is not only good, they clearly have a coloration they are to "smooth" and I tend to like my D2000 better for vocals, after 100h of burn in and my brain has adjusted to the sound.


Bass:
Good bass, with very good texture, neutral to my ears, reaches low, not as low as D2000 though, and it does not have the impact of D2000 therefore not as involving. Wonderful to follow bass lines.


PRaT, Speed:
Very good, very musical, they feel slow but don't let it fool you, they are not, it's just there smooth nature that fools you. Look what I wrote for D2000.


Soundstage/instrument separation:
Good, the soundstage can, depending on the recording, extract from in my head to up to two meters around and in front of me. Good instrument separation.


Detail:
Look what I wrote for the Deonons.


Balance/neutrality/naturality
Bass is neutral, maybe the midrange is a little more pronounced than neutral, highs are a little recessed, a little to smooth sound that colors them a little bit. The D2000 has a little bit more clarity to for example voices, strings, makes them sound a little bit more natural.



So when do I use Denon and when do I use Sennheiser:
The reason I bought the Denons was to complement my sennheiser, I needed a can that had better treble and that was not so relaxed, to use mainly for metal and I think I have found what I was looking for, though the Denons are very relaxed on some music, like singer songwriter and acoustical, it can be just as energetic when needed, the 650 does not. It seems like the harder and more energetic the music gets the better the Denons get, I have actually rediscovered most of my metal music, I have never really liked the most aggressive and fastest stuff, but playing In Flames, At the gates and music like that on these are just plain wonderful, such impact, speed, and energetic sound that It almost makes me cry. So everything from Rock to Death metal is where I have found the Denons to be the best, they really have something special going on. I also like them with jazz just because the groove. I can use them from my headphone out on my iriver with better result and higher volume than my senns due to the lower Ohm.

The thing with the senns is the organic flow they have, voices just seems to flow like water and a lot of instruments also have this kind of sound signature in those headphones, very addictive.

Which is best:
So which is the best, it's impossible to say, depends on the music you listen to and what you like, but I do not think the Denons will start to beat the senns in reviews in magazines and such because what the senns do good they do incredibly good, the organic sound with that big soundstage and the body they give to the instruments and vocals seems to be the magic that the senns have, compared to other headphones. I personaly have turned to like the D2000 more for most music except classical. I like the more uncolored sound that my Denons have, they make different music sound different where the 650 always have it's coloration. D2000 is a bit colored to, but I think 650 has a more colored sound and they are a little bit to laid back. The D2000 is more comfy to. So sorry senn you have to go!

Edit:
I forgot to say that you can adjust the ear pads on D2000 for a better fit, this also changes the amount of bass from relatively neutral to very bass heavy I have quite big ears so it can have to do with that, because depending on how I turn them the drivers gets longer or shorter away from my ears, at some angles they are more like supra aural headphones, very nice to be able to do this.

And BTW both have a dark sound signature

[truant]

Thanks Gurra1980!
Your review is helpful for me.
I have the Senns HD650 and I'm looking for a good closed headphone, and I'm thinking to buy the D2000.

[Gurra1980]

Originally Posted by truant

Thanks Gurra1980!
Your review is helpful for me.
I have the Senns HD650 and I'm looking for a good closed headphone, and I'm thinking to buy the D2000.

Thanks!

Stop thinking, Buy!

[itsborken]

Originally Posted by Gurra1980

Thanks!

Stop thinking, Buy!

x2 on everything you said and you did a great review. My 650s won't be going up for sale either. They are both different with their own good qualities. I love all my children

[Andrew_WOT]

Originally Posted by Gurra1980

The best:

So which is the best, it's impossible to say, depends on the music you listen to and what you like, but I do not think the Denons will start to beat the senns in reviews in magazines and such because what the senns do good they do incredibly good, the organic sound with that big soundstage and the body they give to the instruments seems to be the magic that the senns have, compared to other headphones, for me I am happy to have found the complementing headphones I have been looking for.

I have an answer to that - Zu recabled HD650.
They do everything a tad better than Denons, plus Zu really brings that sparkle that Senns need so bad. So unless you need closed headphones there is no practical reason for replacing HD650 with D2000. IMO they are just too alike for complimenting each other, with the edge to HD650. Of course as always - YMMV.

[tbmusic]

What about the price? I am trying to decide between the HD650 and the D2000. Since the D2000 are much cheaper, should I go for them?
This will be my first good headphones. I will order today.

[ecclesand]

Nice comparo Gurra1980! I agree with your assessment that the D2000 sounds great with metal! Simply superb!!!

[Andrew_WOT]

Originally Posted by tbmusic

What about the price? I am trying to decide between the HD650 and the D2000. Since the D2000 are much cheaper, should I go for them?
This will be my first good headphones. I will order today.

Taking into account price of aftermarket cable and investment into good source and amp, required for HD650, D2000 is a much easier route. Not to say that you wouldn't want to recable them as well.

[tbmusic]

Thanks Andrew!

I will order a D2000 from Audio Cubes today.

[Gurra1980]

Originally Posted by tbmusic

Thanks Andrew!

I will order a D2000 from Audio Cubes today.

I think D2000 is a very good allround headphone, because it can be both laid back and agressive, the 650 is never agressive. You will love the D2000 I have never heard the 650 with aftermarket cables, but I like to have two headphones that is good at different things, as for now I do not want to change my 650s.

[Dept_of_Alchemy]

This thread is useless without pics.

[Gurra1980]

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT

I have an answer to that - Zu recabled HD650.
They do everything a tad better than Denons, plus Zu really brings that sparkle that Senns need so bad. So unless you need closed headphones there is no practical reason for replacing HD650 with D2000. IMO they are just too alike for complimenting each other, with the edge to HD650. Of course as always - YMMV.

They are both dark the D2000 is even darker than 650 IMO, that is the biggest similarity, but it is what D2000 does with metal that was what I wanted, I really doubt that the 650 can be a true metal can, am I wrong?

Maybe I recable both in the future?

[Gurra1980]

Originally Posted by Dept_of_Alchemy

This thread is useless without pics.

I have never succeeded to get big images in a thread, How do i do?

[Andrew_WOT]

Originally Posted by Gurra1980

They are both dark the D2000 is even darker than 650 IMO, that is the biggest similarity, but it is what D2000 does with metal that was what I wanted, I really doubt that the 650 can be a true metal can, am I wrong?

Maybe I recable both in the future?

It depends on what "rock phones" means to you. Some say it's speed or PRaTiness. From that regard as you have noticed it yourself they are quite similar. HD650 are slightly more detailed and have tighter and more accurate bass presentation. But D2000 sound somewhat fuller thus making Senns more analytical and drier. I have enjoyed both equally but still chose Senns as a winner in the end, it could be the other way around based on personal preferences. I am still considering on repurchasing D2000 as my office cans, unfortunately now I have to share the office, thus can't actually use them as they are not very isolating. But in a month.....
Who does silver recabling besides Moon Audio?

[Gurra1980]

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT

It depends on what "rock phones" means to you. Some say it's speed or PRaTiness. From that regard as you have noticed it yourself they are quite similar. HD650 are slightly more detailed and have tighter and more accurate bass presentation. But D2000 sound somewhat fuller thus making Senns more analytical and drier. I have enjoyed both equally but still chose Senns as a winner in the end, it could be the other way around based on personal preferences. I am still considering on repurchasing D2000 as my office cans, unfortunately now I have to share the office, thus can't actually use them as they are not very isolating. But in a month.....
Who does silver recabling besides Moon Audio?

This is how I feel about them to, but what I like with the D2000 is the slam and impact of the bass, it's that machine gun sound of the kickdrum and I don't really now how to describe it, but one may say that the 650 feels to flat, thin and as you said dry, for metal.