[skeptic]

 
Quote:

Tight, revealing, detailed, yes. I won't say highly revealing because I've heard other more revealing phones before, but it's pretty revealing yes. I never find HD650 to sound analytical no matter the source or amplification. Other headphones might sound analytical depending on source/amp but never the HD650. The HD650 is the most musical headphone around. 
 

Excellent description!
 

 

[jtaylor991]

Just to contribute and give back for your guys' help, the iBasso D4 Mamba is a fine match for the Senn HD650s. It gives plenty of volume and the details are there. I am sure you can do much better though, but for a portable amp and the $220 price tag, it is a good entry level match for the Sennheiser HD650 headphones.
 
Just curious, anyone else here have this setup? I have been wondering what the gain switch is supposed to do (too lazy to read instructions lol). It seems like it just makes it louder when turned on and some of the very fine details FAR away in the background are made audible (barely, have to look for them), but that's basically it. Not much. Is that all it's there for?

 

[metalsonata]

 
Quote:

Just to contribute and give back for your guys' help, the iBasso D4 Mamba is a fine match for the Senn HD650s. It gives plenty of volume and the details are there. I am sure you can do much better though, but for a portable amp and the $220 price tag, it is a good entry level match for the Sennheiser HD650 headphones.
 
Just curious, anyone else here have this setup? I have been wondering what the gain switch is supposed to do (too lazy to read instructions lol). It seems like it just makes it louder when turned on and some of the very fine details FAR away in the background are made audible (barely, have to look for them), but that's basically it. Not much. Is that all it's there for?

My understanding is that a gain switch amplifies the signal from your source--the higher the gain the more the signal is multiplied. Not very technical, and perhaps not totally accurate, but that's my understanding of it. Someone else will do a better job describing it momentarily, I'm sure.
 

 

[vcoheda]

i just listened to Bach's sonatas and partitas, as played by Isabelle Faust which, by the way, is an amazing recording with great sound quality, two consecutive times in its entirety. the first was with the HD800. the second session was with the HD650. both were highly enjoyable. the HD800 has better clarity, sense of space, and sparkle/crispness to the highs. the HD650 has a vibrant, warm and rich tone which is generally lacking from the HD800. the HD800 wins easily in terms of resolution and makes the HD650 by contrast seem, at times, slow and murky. but the music is never dull on HD650 and i find that, in general, it holds up quite well to the more expensive and newer model.
 

 

[khatch]

X2!!!! Couldn't agree more.

 

[ardilla]

how would you compare the HD650 and the LCD-2?
Quote:

Originally Posted by vcoheda /img/forum/go_quote.gif
......the HD800 wins easily in terms of resolution and makes the HD650 by contrast seem, at times, slow and murky. but the music is never dull on HD650 and i find that, in general, it holds up quite well to the more expensive and newer model.
 
 

 

 

[jtaylor991]

X2. Even though I just got my 650s a couple of weeks ago I think my next phone should be a planar one. The LCD-2 would be as much as I would probably want to consider for my next set of cans, and frankly, it just looks so cool!
Quote:

how would you compare the HD650 and the LCD-2?


 

 

 

[Unfie]

I need to stop listening so carefully. It makes me mad after a while when I do that with poorly-mastered songs. Thank goodness I'm not using a more-revealing headphone.
 
Since I'm using the headroom desktop amp, I'm not completely sure whether or not the filter 1 is better than the filter 2 or no filter. I usually end up going back to filter 1 to make things a little brighter, but every once in a while I'll switch between the other settings.

 

[ac500]

Listening to "Solar Sailor" (from Tron Legacy) by Daft Punk on these brought out a new appreciation for their smooth deep bass capability (well I'm not an expert, but it certainly sound so much nicer than my last headphones)

 

[metalsonata]

Quote:

Listening to "Solar Sailor" (from Tron Legacy) by Daft Punk on these brought out a new appreciation for their smooth deep bass capability (well I'm not an expert, but it certainly sound so much nicer than my last headphones)

I've found that Daft Punk and the HD650  make quite wonderful music together, as well. ^^
 

 

[caracara08]

ahhh!! i need an amp.  its been ampless for a week or two and i miss listening to my hd650 and t1

 

[DrHouse]

Quote:

ahhh!! i need an amp.  its been ampless for a week or two and i miss listening to my hd650 and t1

considering you have a T1, how about the A1?

 

[ardilla]

^beware  - the T1 can get too bright...

 

[milosolo]

I used the burn-in track from the XLO Reference Recording CD for my HD650. I paused the burn-in every 20-30 hours to listen to a reference recording and I could hear a noticeable improvement each time. At around 100-120 hours they were settled in with very subtle improvements after that. I don't think it makes that huge of a difference to simply just listen to them as olor1n suggests and call it good. I believe pretty much all audio equipment that carries much signal benefits from some degree of burn-in. I have nothing scientific to back that statement up, just what I've heard on my own gear.
 
Quote:

Good post. I don't recall noting significant changes with my HD650 with burn in. I don't doubt though that wear on the pads would result in my HD650 sounding slightly different to one straight out of the box. Just use them at safe levels and enjoy the music. If they sound better over time, whether due to physical or mental burn in, then it's a bonus.
 

 

 

[milosolo]

I definitely agree with this! (See sig.)  

 
Quote:

DrHouse, I usually refrain from commenting on gear I've not heard, but I feel it'd be a disservice to not state how much of a sidegrade the HDP would be from your current setup imo. It's true the HD650 will scale well to your system, so if you really want to commit to hearing this, I'd suggest you save your pennies. You don't need to break the bank to find great synergy, but you need to consider the components. If you want to hear a different presentation, the magic achieved with the HD650 and the right tube setup is the go.