Sennheiser HD650 & Massdrop HD6XX Impressions Thread
Feb 25, 2017 at 10:46 PM Post #37,756 of 46,497
The drivers.


I know there are different driver colors, but I think he was talking about the color of the headphones themselves. I don't think you can find a new black driver version anywhere. Haven't they been silver drivers for like 6 years?
 
Feb 26, 2017 at 1:30 AM Post #37,757 of 46,497
So I'm looking for a headphone to replace my Fidelio X2.
I dislike the X2 when it comes to certain songs due to treble which imo can be quite piercing at times.
 
Currently I'm testing the Audioquest Nighthawks and like them.
 
How do they compare to the HD650?
 
Feb 26, 2017 at 1:38 AM Post #37,758 of 46,497
I have the HE500 and HD650.
HE500 is better. at least I think he500 is better.

 
  I own both too and also find the HE-500 to easily be the better headphone (its also one of my favorite headphones period).
 
However, the HD650 is a very good headphone I am also happy to own. It just gives you that warm, lush, smooth sound and it is so comfortable. 
 
I think the HE-500 and HD650 are some of the best bang for the buck headphones to own, but to me the HE-500 is clearly the better headphone, unless you really need the upper treble roll off and thick, warm lush sound of the 650.

 
Yeah that sounds familiar to what I remember reading other dual HE-500 and HD 650 saying since the start when I owned the HE-500. I did have the HE-500 side by side for quite some time along with the LCD-2.2 pre-fazor. I flat out preferred the LCD-2 more in all areas, despite the HE-500 tonally sounding excellent. I only didn't like HE-500's soundstage (lack of depth and somewhat weak phantom center).
 
Thanks, that's helpful.
 
Feb 26, 2017 at 7:43 AM Post #37,760 of 46,497
I own both too and also find the HE-500 to easily be the better headphone (its also one of my favorite headphones period).

However, the HD650 is a very good headphone I am also happy to own. It just gives you that warm, lush, smooth sound and it is so comfortable. 

I think the HE-500 and HD650 are some of the best bang for the buck headphones to own, but to me the HE-500 is clearly the better headphone, unless you really need the upper treble roll off and thick, warm lush sound of the 650.


A terrific complimentary pairing for sure.
 
Feb 26, 2017 at 12:51 PM Post #37,761 of 46,497
I don't know why people say the HD 650 is warm and/or has upper treble roll off, to my ears they're DEAD neutral in the treble, being well extended, but never too smooth or too bright in tonality.
 
Feb 26, 2017 at 12:55 PM Post #37,762 of 46,497
  I don't know why people say the HD 650 is warm and/or has upper treble roll off, to my ears they're DEAD neutral in the treble, being well extended, but never too smooth or too bright in tonality.


I'm in the same boat as you, but I think that a lot of headphones are bright-sounding so when folks encounter a smooth-sounding headphone like the HD 650 that's not bright then tend to think it sounds rolled-off.
 
Feb 26, 2017 at 12:59 PM Post #37,763 of 46,497
 
I'm in the same boat as you, but I think that a lot of headphones are bright-sounding so when folks encounter a smooth-sounding headphone like the HD 650 that's not bright then tend to think it sounds rolled-off.

Well, I came from the HE-400i (which is regarded as a bright headphone) to the HD 650, and the HD 650 still didn't sound veiled in the slightest. The treble is amazing on these headphones.
 
But I've returned them, because the vocals aren't forward enough for my taste.
 
Feb 26, 2017 at 1:12 PM Post #37,764 of 46,497
  Well, I came from the HE-400i (which is regarded as a bright headphone) to the HD 650, and the HD 650 still didn't sound veiled in the slightest. The treble is amazing on these headphones.
 
But I've returned them, because the vocals aren't forward enough for my taste.

 
Vocals not forward enough? The HD650's are known for their non-fatiguing mid-centric sound....
 
Yeah, it all comes to to your experience with other headphones I suppose. The HD650 is warmer and lusher in the highs than what I consider perfectly neutral, but again, neutral point is debatable from you to me.
 
The treble extension and air and volume is certainly more present on my HE-500's which I would consider more neutral than the warm tilted HD650. Even people who compare both the HD600 and HD650 note that the 600 is the more neutral of the two, and the 650 is more relaxed and a little darker.
 
Please keep in mind, I do enjoy their sound very much and appreciate the signature and fatigue free listening experience, this is not a knock on them.
 
Feb 26, 2017 at 1:36 PM Post #37,766 of 46,497
   
Vocals not forward enough? The HD650's are known for their non-fatiguing mid-centric sound....
 
Yeah, it all comes to to your experience with other headphones I suppose. The HD650 is warmer and lusher in the highs than what I consider perfectly neutral, but again, neutral point is debatable from you to me.
 
The treble extension and air and volume is certainly more present on my HE-500's which I would consider more neutral than the warm tilted HD650. Even people who compare both the HD600 and HD650 note that the 600 is the more neutral of the two, and the 650 is more relaxed and a little darker.
 
Please keep in mind, I do enjoy their sound very much and appreciate the signature and fatigue free listening experience, this is not a knock on them.

 
My take is that it depends on what the listener knows to be a neutral performance. Type of music listened as well. I've been in many live experiences and even been part of music making process. 
 
Cymbal crashes hurt in reality. They're loud noises that pinch and can hurt you physically. They're not supposed to be smooth or fun, and that is the point. 
 
HD650 will give you a fatigue and fun listen experience, but a proper live experience won't. Especially when the live experience is room type and not using amplifiers. HD650 renders those in a friendly way.
 
I also do enjoy HD650 for their purpose, this is just the main explanation I find to the question posed.
 
Feb 26, 2017 at 1:38 PM Post #37,767 of 46,497
   
Vocals not forward enough? The HD650's are known for their non-fatiguing mid-centric sound....
 
Yeah, it all comes to to your experience with other headphones I suppose. The HD650 is warmer and lusher in the highs than what I consider perfectly neutral, but again, neutral point is debatable from you to me.
 
The treble extension and air and volume is certainly more present on my HE-500's which I would consider more neutral than the warm tilted HD650. Even people who compare both the HD600 and HD650 note that the 600 is the more neutral of the two, and the 650 is more relaxed and a little darker.
 
Please keep in mind, I do enjoy their sound very much and appreciate the signature and fatigue free listening experience, this is not a knock on them.

Yeah I wouldn't say the vocals are recessed per se, they're rather neutral in place, but I like my vocals forward to engage me in the music.
 
Feb 26, 2017 at 1:42 PM Post #37,768 of 46,497
The treble is definetly recessed according to my ears. But the biggest problem with the HD 650 is that is super slow and lacks clarity. The Shure SE846 has even more treble roll off than the HD 650 but it doesn't bother me at all (in combination the Chord Mojo)  due to the excellent speed and clarity of the Shure SE846. 
 
If the HD 650 had excellent speed and clarity, I don't think anyone would be complaining with the recessed treble. However it makes the HD 650 quite forgiving which makes the HD 650 quite special.
 
Feb 26, 2017 at 1:48 PM Post #37,769 of 46,497
  The treble is definetly recessed according to my ears. But the biggest problem with the HD 650 is that is super slow and lacks clarity. The Shure SE846 has even more treble roll off the HD 650 but it doesn't bother me at all (in combination the Chord Mojo)  due to the excellent speed and clarity of the Shure SE846. 
 
If the HD 650 had excellent speed and clarity, I don't think anyone would be complaining with the recessed treble. However it makes the HD 650 quite forgiving which makes the HD 650 quite special.
 
 

2 years ago, I've read topics on this site about the Focal Spirit Pro and NAD Viso HP50 saying they're ''extremely clear and neutral''. Well, when I got them and listened to them, I thought the people in those topics were joking.
 
Like even to my inexperienced ears, they sounded WAY too dark to be neutral.
 
It seems like I have the opposite expierence with the HD 650 ;p
 
Feb 26, 2017 at 1:56 PM Post #37,770 of 46,497

  The treble is definetly recessed according to my ears. But the biggest problem with the HD 650 is that is super slow and lacks clarity. The Shure SE846 has even more treble roll off than the HD 650 but it doesn't bother me at all (in combination the Chord Mojo)  due to the excellent speed and clarity of the Shure SE846. 
 
If the HD 650 had excellent speed and clarity, I don't think anyone would be complaining with the recessed treble. However it makes the HD 650 quite forgiving which makes the HD 650 quite special.

 
+1
 

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