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How comfortable are the HD650's?

post #1 of 16
9/15/09 at 1:49am
Thread Starter 
Denon D5000 comfortable (that would be good). Or K701 comfortable (that would be bad). I've read comments about the 'clamp' of these and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.

I also keeping reading they're all that and a bag of chips for people who like classical music and film scores, and that's kinda me.

All comments on the fit/comfort of these welcome......
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post #2 of 16
9/15/09 at 1:58am
For classical, you'd probably be better off with the HD600.
Clamp-wise - not bad once you get used to it, but it's a little much at first. Pad "burn-in" also helps (buying used means they'll be pretty much "burned-in" already).
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post #3 of 16
9/15/09 at 2:34am
When new, the clamping is pretty intense and feels tight on your head.

After some use, it loosens up and becomes one of the most comfortable headphones ever.
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post #4 of 16
9/15/09 at 2:58am
I find my HD650s (about 2yrs old) much more comfortable now than my D2000 or DT770s.
Sure, to start with the headband in a bit clampy, but I just left them sitting over the box they came in for a while when not using them.
Now they're like that old pair of shoes that you always grab to wear subconsciously just 'cause they are so comfortable.
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post #5 of 16
9/15/09 at 3:21am
Might take a few days, but they will settle in just fine. Once they conform to your head you can't even tell you have headphones on except when you stand up real fast and your neck snaps lol.

And yea, might want to check HD600s instead for Classical/Movie scores. Little more detailed in that area, less bass, little more forward.
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post #6 of 16
9/15/09 at 4:50am
One thing I think many people forget that matters immensely (to me at least) when judging the level of comfort is weight and its distribution. For example, whille CD3000 had very nice pleather feel and was gentle in terms of clamping, its bulkiness and the associated weight would induce some serious neck/head pain in prolonged use.

HD580/600/650 are relatively light headphones, and their oval shape makes them better (IMO) in that regard. They don't have the problem of your ears touching/being pressed against the drivers like AT cans before modding or grado cans with certain type of pads do.

They remain the most comfortable headphones I have tried so far (HD580 HD650 PX100 HD202 CD3000 AD2000 SR60 HP890 T20RP K701). Too bad I never tried the Denons, but they look kinda heavy in pix. HD650s are much comfier to me than K701s could ever be.

There is a thread that tells you how to adjust your HD650 for proper amount of clamping force. I think going through that guide made my HD650s noticeably more comfortable to wear.
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post #7 of 16
9/15/09 at 12:34pm
Very comfortable if properly adjusted. There's a thread around here somewhere but it details the importance of adjusting the phones for proper pressure. It's easy and essentially boils down to carefully bending the metal pieces that hold the cans.
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post #8 of 16
9/15/09 at 1:51pm
How come you haven't heard of "Vicious Clamping"?

But you'll get used to it soon.
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post #9 of 16
9/15/09 at 2:40pm
We (and just about all headphone manufacturers) have to ship headphones a bit tighter out of the box to accommodate smaller heads. It is much much much easier to expand a headband than to contract it, so if we shipped them larger we would have an ugly little problem on our hands

Here is a pretty common trick that works for any over-the-head/neckband headphone if you don't want to go thru the process of wearing it until it loosens:

Put the headphone around a stack of books (or Stereophile/Playboy/Popular Science magazines) that is about the width of your head. Then, every few hours slide in a new book/mag to gradually loosen your headband. Don't get too crazy by adding the entire volume of Encyclopedia Brittanica's you have in your basement! This is a good way to loosen the headband without wearing it or going to the extreme and possibly damaging a headband.
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post #10 of 16
9/15/09 at 3:20pm
the most comfortable headphones i had so far. the denon AH-D series are also comfortable but were too loose on my head. after a few days of use the HD650 becomes more loose and you don't feel it at all.

I find them excellent for all genres except electronic music, but no problems with classical. never heard the HD600 though...
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post #11 of 16
9/15/09 at 3:50pm
HD650s aren't "clampy". HD280s are clampy. HD650s hug your head. I rather like the tightness, even fresh out of the box.
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post #12 of 16
9/15/09 at 4:10pm
Don't know about you guys, but I prefer tight than loose.
In fact, the loosness of the denons made me very fraustrated. the HD650 sit in place and not dare to move!...unless you want them to.

I find it very comfortable also to wear them when you are lying down on the bed.
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post #13 of 16
9/15/09 at 4:12pm
Part of that happy HD650 feeling is restricted blood flow to the head
Well, mine have a MDR-F1 frame grafted onto them, beat that...
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post #14 of 16
9/15/09 at 9:20pm
hd650s made my jaw hurt till i loosened up the metal i have a big head in the first place also dennons stay in place and are more comfy imo
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post #15 of 16
9/15/09 at 9:30pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheDeliveryMan View Post
We (and just about all headphone manufacturers) have to ship headphones a bit tighter out of the box to accommodate smaller heads. It is much much much easier to expand a headband than to contract it, so if we shipped them larger we would have an ugly little problem on our hands

Here is a pretty common trick that works for any over-the-head/neckband headphone if you don't want to go thru the process of wearing it until it loosens:

Put the headphone around a stack of books (or Stereophile/Playboy/Popular Science magazines) that is about the width of your head. Then, every few hours slide in a new book/mag to gradually loosen your headband. Don't get too crazy by adding the entire volume of Encyclopedia Brittanica's you have in your basement! This is a good way to loosen the headband without wearing it or going to the extreme and possibly damaging a headband.
Very good tip, thank you.
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