Sennheiser HD650 Appreciation Thread!! - Page 542

Quote:

Originally Posted by Supreme Ruler 

Are these better than the HD 600? sorry new here.

Here is my recent attempt. This expresses my personal opinion:
 

A ton has been written, but here are some comparisons:

• The HD650 is smoother, the HD600 more analytical.
• The HD650 sound stage is better, though only by a smidgeon. Its more 3d though the HD600 is no slouch.
• The HD650 is more bass heavy and warm, the HD600 more treble heavy and bright.
• Both of them have stellar mids.
• I think when all said is done, the HD650 is more overall balanced. If they were priced the same, I would prefer it. With a price difference of $100, its really close. I think the HD650 is probably the better long term bet.
• The people who most disagree with the above sentiment are classical nuts. The HD600 does all kinds of music really well but especially excels at classical. I'd pick the HD650 for every other genre, except maybe metal, etc. The HD600 is faster than the HD650, I think.
• Both are very recording dependent, in a good way. Today, get this: I was listening to a recent recordign from a Sansa Clip+ flac straight to my HD600 (my ipod finally croaked) and I was still blown away at how revealing the HD600 was. I heard details I never heard before. This was unamped and an album I've listened to a ton of times. I think the HD600 is more revealing than the HD650.
• If someone were giving me a gift, I'd pick the HD650. Spending my own hard earned money is tougher...
• Honestly, though, I've ab'ed them both back to back and its more like comparing kinds of different central american coffee than it is comparing indonesian and central american coffees (if you drink coffee). Sometimes you can't really tell them apart...

^^this is a very good description and comparison of the two. I'd add the better bass that you refer to on the hd650 is mostly mid bass and not sub bass. It's a very warm and punchy mid bass, but if you come to the hd650 looking for traditional sub bass punch aka from the denon series or even something like the he400 you will be disappointed. 

I find that I require less sub bass than I used to. The hd650 is hitting all the right buttons for me now. Just a fantastic listen!

X2 on this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by amandarae 

Hello,

 

You should enjoy your HD650 with the stock cable for now.  

 

Afterwards, as you login more hours you can try experimenting with cables.  Having said that, I like the stock cable, but I tried pure Silver, Silver plated copper, solid copper(not good as it is not flexible), stranded copper, and Litz config copper.  I settled with Litz wired Copper (remnant wires from my tonearm re-wire long time ago).  Here's a pic.  Excluding the wire which I forgot who gave it to me many summers ago in an Audio Show, it cost me around $50 to build the cable below.  The + has 3x 26ga per channel and the negative(-) have 6x2 6 ga. wires as they are shared between L&R.  The cable is shielded at the amp terminal only, floating at the HP pins connector. Total length from pins to headphone jack tip is ~ 10 feet.

Enjoy!

nice cable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by amandarae 

Hello,

 

You should enjoy your HD650 with the stock cable for now.  

 

Afterwards, as you login more hours you can try experimenting with cables.  Having said that, I like the stock cable, but I tried pure Silver, Silver plated copper, solid copper(not good as it is not flexible), stranded copper, and Litz config copper.  I settled with Litz wired Copper (remnant wires from my tonearm re-wire long time ago).  Here's a pic.  Excluding the wire which I forgot who gave it to me many summers ago in an Audio Show, it cost me around $50 to build the cable below.  The + has 3x 26ga per channel and the negative(-) have 6x2 6 ga. wires as they are shared between L&R.  The cable is shielded at the amp terminal only, floating at the HP pins connector. Total length from pins to headphone jack tip is ~ 10 feet.

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy!

I like your cable also. Interesting yoke though. 

same here

For whatever reason this post and many dont updates. The last post I see is mine and it says 2 sec ago??!!
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by imackler 

 

Here is my recent attempt. This expresses my personal opinion:
 

A ton has been written, but here are some comparisons:

 

• The HD650 is smoother, the HD600 more analytical.
• The HD650 sound stage is better, though only by a smidgeon. Its more 3d though the HD600 is no slouch.
• The HD650 is more bass heavy and warm, the HD600 more treble heavy and bright.
• Both of them have stellar mids.
• I think when all said is done, the HD650 is more overall balanced. If they were priced the same, I would prefer it. With a price difference of $100, its really close. I think the HD650 is probably the better long term bet.
• The people who most disagree with the above sentiment are classical nuts. The HD600 does all kinds of music really well but especially excels at classical. I'd pick the HD650 for every other genre, except maybe metal, etc. The HD600 is faster than the HD650, I think.
• Both are very recording dependent, in a good way. Today, get this: I was listening to a recent recordign from a Sansa Clip+ flac straight to my HD600 (my ipod finally croaked) and I was still blown away at how revealing the HD600 was. I heard details I never heard before. This was unamped and an album I've listened to a ton of times. I think the HD600 is more revealing than the HD650.
• If someone were giving me a gift, I'd pick the HD650. Spending my own hard earned money is tougher...
• Honestly, though, I've ab'ed them both back to back and its more like comparing kinds of different central american coffee than it is comparing indonesian and central american coffees (if you drink coffee). Sometimes you can't really tell them apart...

This is exactly the way I feel. The only thing I prefer the HD600 for is if I use them to watch a movie(not often with HPs) the voices sound a bit more natural.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Supreme Ruler 

Are these better than the HD 600? sorry new here.

Well Supreme, it should be obvious:

First off, 650>600.  The colors of the 650 are nicer than the 600.  The cable is thicker.  To me these are huge factors.

All kidding aside, imack really nails the A/B comparison.  Both are great headphones and many who have tried both prefer the 600s.  

The only thing I would add to imack's comaprison:

If you don't own a variety of headphones, the 600s maybe more versatile as a singular solution.  Afterall, everyone needs a little brightness in their lives.  Personally I don't mind owning a couple of headphones, and I think the HD650s really epitomize that warm sennheiser sound.

On a non HD650 related note, I just got the HD25, funny enough this is my 25th headphone as well and the 6th Senn.
 

I do love my HD25's!

Thanks Matt!  Yeah, that's a speaker-pants thingy.  Yes, it true it lacks mass appeal but I only use the cable at home.   Honestly though, it sounds good and has a louder volume to my ears than the stock cable at the same volume setting.  Don't know if that's good or bad really.  Thanks again!

Thank you antberg!

Just got the lyr in! I can't believe how much better it sounds than the e17. I've heard the crack and the wooaudio wa3 before, but i only had about a minute on each, so i couldn't really listen to what i wanted. Everything just sounds better. The bass is much more controlled, and that veil is gone. The sound is also, well, a lot fuller for lack of another word. I'm really impressed!  Oh yeah, and its got that amazing tube smoothness!

Geez, you guys are making me want a Lyr so bad!! But I can't afford it :(

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtaylor991 

Geez, you guys are making me want a Lyr so bad!! But I can't afford it :(

Lol, thats what i said, then a day later i ended up with it and a 200 dollar debt to my parents :D.