Sennheiser HD650 Appreciation Thread!! - Page 668

Besides the Beats Studio headphones, none.  This would be my first audiophile headphones

they would be serve u well.. u will notice the big difference in sound quality.. look at my sig, i did own beats too..

 

but u have to put many considerations on this one... source, amp and music files plus burn in time for hd650

What amp are you currently using?

i use portable setup

 

ALO Audio rxmk3.. but i still don't get the hd650s to its full potential with my setup.. should be desktop setup but i've no plans yet for that..

I think the best genre for the HD-650 is actually rock and roll (believe it or not). It does something to the mids that really bring out the instrumentals and vocals really really well.

This is not to say that the best headphones for rock is HD-650. But, that the genre the HD-650 does best is rock. I hope the distinction makes sense.

With that said, electronica is actually pretty well suited with the HD-650. Electronica is really best presented in neutral conditions, or that's how my experiences have been with electronica (soullinker20's experiences may have been different).

And considering the HD-650 is regarded as a mostly-neutral headphone (though, not quite as neutral as the HD-600), it actually does electronica pretty well. For reference, the type of electronica I listen to is mostly house/progressive/tech house. The John Digweed/Sasha type stuff. Also, some of Danny Tenaglia's albums sound really good with the HD-650.

Where the HD-650 falls, I'll admit, is hip-hop. Believe it or not, electronica and hip-hop actually do bass very, very differently. Electronica is more about clean, crisp, tight bass. But hip-hop is all about that deep, sub-bass, which admittedly the HD-650 doesn't do quite as well. Or, that's how it's been with my experiences.

There are just some Common or Kanye West tracks, where I sometimes wonder where all the bass went. But, it's a downside I'm willing to live with, considering the HD-650 does everything else so well.
Edited by fuzzybaffy - 12/30/12 at 8:18pm

well for me i thought u really need a club-like bass sound on electronica.. but since hd650s can do very well with everything i throw at them and considering he is coming from beats, he would really appreciate wht the 650 has on the table..

have you found another headphone for hip hop yet ? because I still enjoy listening to kanye west through my hd650's I just felt like asking the question lmao.... 

Appreciate the help, yea I do love me some bass lol....but its ok though.  What are some good alternative headphones for hip-hop that's around the price range of the HD-650s?

Really? I'm glad you mentioned this, because I actually wanted to ask some people about this... =P What Kanye West tracks have you listened to with the HD-650?

I've tried "Champion" and "Street Lights", but the "oomph" isn't quite there... But, then again, it's quite possible it's an issue with my source. My DAC, after all, is the crummy onboard audio. I have a decent amp, though, with the Matrix M-Stage.

As far as headphones for hip-hop, I'm actually considering the V-Moda M-100. It actually got a really great review from Tyll at Inner Fidelity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4gd49nLqZY

Yea... it's understandable. No doubt, the bass you hear from electronica clubs is indeed LOUD, but I don't think it's necessarily deep (in terms of frequencies). Deep is more hip-hop, I think. (But again, I may be wrong). It just seems to me, at least with the more modern electronica tracks, the tracks are more produced neutrally. Here's a great example: http://www.beatport.com/track/live-in-london-cd-2-continuous-mix/3961747

These are generally more "cold" and "analytical" tracks. And that's usually how electronica is produced (or, at least the electronica produced these days). Which, I think more neutral headphones do well.

As mentioned, I'm personally interested in the M-100 (I just posted a youtube link for a review of it above). Not sure if I'll purchase it for sure. But, the review sounded pretty good from Tyll.

But, I wouldn't take my word for it. I personally haven't done that much research. That's just a review I randomly ran into. I also might have heard the Sennheiser Momentum is great. Also the planar magnetic headphones like the Hifi-Man's, and the Audez'e's consistently get compliments on their bass. I'm tempted to mention Denon's, too, but I've read their mids and treble aren't quite as nice as Sennheisers.
Edited by fuzzybaffy - 12/30/12 at 8:44pm

 

Don't take it too personally. HD650 owners are traditionally a defensive lot, and they do tend to circle the wagons when they feel like their favorite headphone is under attack (much like the original LCD2 thread that was closed because of this kind of thing). I think it's mostly because of the fact that the frequency balance and overall presentation of the HD650 is somewhat unusual compared to most audiophile headphones, so they are a love it or hate it kind of a deal (again, like with the LCD2). The HD650 does scale up significantly with better equipment. I have been saying for years now that it's normal for someone to like either the HD600 or the 650, but very rare to find someone that appreciates both of these headphones. If the HD650 makes you miss your Q701 give the HD600 a try, you may find it to be "just right".

Edited by grokit - 12/30/12 at 8:56pm

 

Man, throw on Sin City from Cruel Summer, The Morning is a great song on that album as well. I find there to be more than enough bass. But then again I also EQ'd my bass up a bit :) Here is my iTunes EQ:

 

 

Sure, the bass on the 650s is a bit rolled off and can't compete with basshead headphones, but I love it with electronic music and hip hop/rap. I have my DT880s for serious electronic enjoyment anyway.

 

Oh yeah, and try Love Lockdown too. That's in your face bass!

Edited by yokken - 12/30/12 at 9:03pm

 

 

yup. depends on what kind of electronica he listens to.. also depends on what kind of "some bass" does he really want.. maybe he's referring to more sheer mid bass impact or so..

 

and agreed on what grokit said, it scales up with better equipment you can get that deep bass out of the 650s depending on your setup.. but as for the one who's asking, bassy quality headphones would work out on him i think..

No, as mentioned before, I absolutely love electronica with the HD-650. But, I don't know... for hip-hop, the bass just isn't quite there. Like you said, you had to adjust the EQ to get the bass you wanted. =P

Love Lockdown... yea, the song is great, and the bass is amazing on that track, too, but the HD-650 itself... it just doesn't play the bass all that well, I don't think.


Yea... it all depends on what kind of bassy music you listen to. Basically, my opinion on the HD-650, regarding bass is as follows:

HD-650: great for electronica, not that great for hip-hop.

But again, that's just me. Other people, such as yokken and wazupi, have different experiences.
Edited by fuzzybaffy - 12/30/12 at 9:21pm

I never liked the bass from my hd650 when I had the audio-gd fun. I think that amp was deliberately designed by ear to be smooth and really made the the bass fuzzy/bloated/sloppy sounding. The o2 amp with the odac has made a serious difference to how tight the bass is. It's now very punctuated and clean in well recorded songs with plenty of impact. Although impact and bass quantity was never a problem with either amp, the bass that the hd650 is lacking is the low and sub bass. The kind of bass that adds that visceral feel to a deep drum hit. It's funny that that eq lowers the mid bass hump and ups the sub bass response... basically it's an inversion of the the hd650 low end!

Edited by muad - 12/30/12 at 9:43pm

I don't take it personally and I am completely aware that my musical preference is the main reason why I don't always enjoy HD650. K701 will do for my classical listening for the time being. I like their crisipness and "dryness" with classical music, They are not a perfect headphone either but IMHO are better suited for classical than HD650.

 

I have heard HD800 and think they are a great headphone, maybe just a tad too expensive for my pocket I have also heard HD600 and think that they are more balanced than HD650 and I actually have plans to buy them. HD800 is more detailed and more extended than both AKG and HD600, with a more similar signature to the k701s than to other Sennheiser phones imho. Those times I listen to some jazz tracks or rock I use my HD650 because they give me more relaxed sound (not as "true" sound though ). So I awouldn't call myself a HD650 hater (or a troll, even if at least two people here have called me that. I don't mind because they are probably 10 years old and have to grow up), I have owned these for 6 years now and still own them and don't intend to sell them.

Edited by szoze - 12/31/12 at 1:14am