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Balanced HD650 or Denon D7000?

post #1 of 29
4/27/09 at 11:15pm
Thread Starter 
I was wondering which of these phones would better suite me. I've owned the HD650 on two separate occasions but didn't have an amp for them either time. So they were, like everyone says, slow, dull, and kinda boring with out proper amplification. Will running them balanced make them fast enough for rock? I liked the tonality of them alot, they just were fairly uninvolving underamped.

I have not heard the d7000, but I've heard the D5000's. I liked most everything about them except there was a strange midrange echo or hollow or reverb or however you want to describe it, and I couldn't stand it. Does the D7000 eliminate that at all and still keep the fun factor of the 5000? By fun I mean it had great bass and nice highs but that midrange was not good. Maybe it's just the closed headphone 'sound' but I don't know.

So I'm wondering which of these phones would fit my taste better. I listen to mostly classic rock, jazz, swing, fusion, etc. I like a fun sound but it has to be smooth and 'hi-fi'.

Thanks!
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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Denon AH-D5000 Reference Headphones
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Sennheiser HD 650 Headphones
Denon AH-D7000 - Headphones
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post #2 of 29
4/27/09 at 11:56pm
Do you even have a balanced amp and balanced source? Cause running a balanced amp with your ipod would seem kinda stupid to me. And if you don't have balanced source and amp, why go balanced with your HD650s?
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post #3 of 29
4/28/09 at 12:01am
Thread Starter 
I don't have any of the setup yet. That's why I'm asking questions before I buy anything.
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post #4 of 29
4/28/09 at 12:02am
Maybe you should hear and audition this setup instead of asking on the forums?

$2000 for balanced Amp, another $1000 for balanced DAC/Source, $250 for new balanced cables. Awful lot of money to spend based on a few impressions and words on a forum.
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post #5 of 29
4/28/09 at 12:07am
You do not need a balanced source to benefit from balanced headphones.
I've read on the forums that the HD650 benefit a lot with a balanced amp. Widestage is a lot better.

I intend to recable my HD650 once I have enough money to purchase the Audio-GD Phoenix balanced amp. Nevertheless, a balanced source is always good and can help but it is not a must!
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post #6 of 29
4/28/09 at 12:27am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mbd2884 View Post
Maybe you should hear and audition this setup instead of asking on the forums?
Very true and something I would love to do.
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post #7 of 29
4/28/09 at 12:40am
The midrange echo effect is characteristic of some closed headphones - entirey of Denon line is subject to it, as is ATH-W5000, for example. On the other hand Stax 4070 does not suffer from the issue.

Anyways, balanced HD650 is definitely fast enough for rock, and the improvement is eye-opening (I didn't believe it either until I heard). And smoothness is Sennheiser characteristic already =).
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post #8 of 29
4/28/09 at 12:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mbd2884 View Post
$2000 for balanced Amp, another $1000 for balanced DAC/Source, $250 for new balanced cables. Awful lot of money to spend based on a few impressions and words on a forum.
My budget balanced setup was 800$ for amp, 400$ for DAC, 5$ for cable and they all sound amazing.
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post #9 of 29
4/28/09 at 12:44am
LD MkVI with LD DAC_Pro - around $1100 shipped for the set

XLR cables from BJC is about $65
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post #10 of 29
4/28/09 at 12:52am
Quote:
$2000 for balanced Amp, another $1000 for balanced DAC/Source, $250 for new balanced cables. Awful lot of money to spend based on a few impressions and words on a forum.
yes, a lot money but this is a hobby. It can only go as far as you want to take it.

Besides, there a LOT of impressions and words on how well the 650 responds to balancing. of course, the whole system synergy needs to be taken in account. so YMMV
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post #11 of 29
4/28/09 at 1:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by punk_guy182 View Post
You do not need a balanced source to benefit from balanced headphones.
I've read on the forums that the HD650 benefit a lot with a balanced amp. Widestage is a lot better.

I intend to recable my HD650 once I have enough money to purchase the Audio-GD Phoenix balanced amp. Nevertheless, a balanced source is always good and can help but it is not a must!
A lot of DAC’s support fully balanced outputs. The source is everything to me, IHO I would not go balanced if my source wasn’t, this would defeat the purpose of a fully balanced system.

The HD650 is an animal balanced.
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post #12 of 29
4/28/09 at 2:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by punk_guy182 View Post
You do not need a balanced source to benefit from balanced headphones.
I've read on the forums that the HD650 benefit a lot with a balanced amp. Widestage is a lot better.

I intend to recable my HD650 once I have enough money to purchase the Audio-GD Phoenix balanced amp. Nevertheless, a balanced source is always good and can help but it is not a must!

X1, my friend told me that too.
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post #13 of 29
4/28/09 at 3:37am
A balanced digital source converts the signal to analog by two DACs per channel and outputs from the CD player/DAC via balanced XLR connectors.

A truly balanced signal path from source to headphone requires double the circuitry and yes the cost is expensive.

A balanced amp without a balanced source may yield certain sonic benefits, but your only getting one half of the package.
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post #14 of 29
4/28/09 at 6:53am
Okay so much for the HD650. Anyone has something to tell about the D7000?
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post #15 of 29
10/9/11 at 9:44am

Im sitting here trying to find out wether its worth going balanced with a D7000 and some other cans too - can't decide...

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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Denon AH-D5000 Reference Headphones
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Sennheiser HD 650 Headphones
Denon AH-D7000 - Headphones
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