First pair of HD 650s but they sound veiled
Jan 26, 2011 at 8:12 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 44
junebug654

junebug654

Head-Fier
Joined
Jan 8, 2011
Posts
63
Likes
0
Just got the HD 650s and I love them.  The soundstage blows away my HD 598s outa the water.  The only beef I have with these cans is I can understand how something people say "boring" because right now the sound is decently thick.  Like a veil or just like listening to something behind a wall.  It's clear, but has that sound like I'm putting cardboard between my ears and the headphones.  Now the problem could be that I'm plugging this cans stright into my laptop with no amp.  This is because my amp is still coming down in the mail and should arrive soon.  But my question is will an amp and new dac improve the sound quality, for example eliminating this veil?
 
Jan 26, 2011 at 8:13 PM Post #2 of 44


Quote:
junebug654 said:
Just got the HD 650s and I love them.  The soundstage blows away my HD 598s outa the water.  The only beef I have with these cans is I can understand how something people say "boring" because right now the sound is decently thick.  Like a veil or just like listening to something behind a wall.  It's clear, but has that sound like I'm putting cardboard between my ears and the headphones.  Now the problem could be that I'm plugging this cans stright into my laptop with no amp.  This is because my amp is still coming down in the mail and should arrive soon.  But my question is will an amp and new dac improve the sound quality, for example eliminating this veil?
Click to expand...


Certainly seems like an amping problem to me...
 
Jan 26, 2011 at 8:22 PM Post #3 of 44
My 650s sounded OK straight out of my laptop, but they were certainly kind of muddy sounding. They sound clean connected to my NuForce HD. I'm coming from years of Grado use as my main headphones, and I don't find them boring at all. I'm glad I didn't get scared off by people's complaints, because I almost went with the 600s instead, and I'd probably be not as happy with them.
 
Jan 26, 2011 at 8:28 PM Post #5 of 44
they will improve with proper amplification.
 
Jan 26, 2011 at 8:36 PM Post #6 of 44


Quote:
junebug654 said:
Muddy sounds like a decent word to use also.  I'm just praying they sound like this because I'm using no amp at all to headphones that need one. 
Click to expand...

You really need an amp to access the full potential. 
 
 
Jan 26, 2011 at 8:46 PM Post #7 of 44
Well I'm shipping a Fiio e7/e9 combo down here for the headphones, but the cans just arrived first is all.  I opened them and tried them and I was at first surprized at how veiled they sounded.  But then I remembered people saying that these headphones suck unless they are properly amped because then they can compete with a lot of other cans.
 
Quote:
kukubuku said:
You really need an amp to access the full potential. 
 
Click to expand...



 
Jan 26, 2011 at 9:12 PM Post #9 of 44
ask disastermouse about it. he already has that combo and the HD650's.
 
Quote:
silentnoise said:
Junebug, let me know what you think after you try the e7/e9 combo!  I am thinking about getting that combo
Click to expand...



 
Jan 26, 2011 at 9:19 PM Post #10 of 44
Well my only real concern is if the use of an amp gets rid of the veil.  I mean the 598s had a very small veil.  I'd have to play music VERY quietly and listen extremely carefully to hear it, but these cans unamped and barely 30hours burned sounds like theres a piece of cardboard or a rock between my ear and the headphone itself.
 
Jan 26, 2011 at 9:48 PM Post #11 of 44


Quote:
junebug654 said:
Well my only real concern is if the use of an amp gets rid of the veil.  I mean the 598s had a very small veil.  I'd have to play music VERY quietly and listen extremely carefully to hear it, but these cans unamped and barely 30hours burned sounds like theres a piece of cardboard or a rock between my ear and the headphone itself.
Click to expand...


I had a similar reaction when I first got my 650s using a USB-powered NuForce uDAC-2.  I turned the gain control up to full volume all the time, but they did not sound as good to me as my ATH-M50S did with that little DAC-amp.  When I got my Maverick Audio D1 with the built-in headphone amp, they improved a lot because they were being driven better, but then when I got my Maverick A1 with a powerful all-tube headphone output, they really sounded superb.  I think a lot of the comparative "veil" you hear between your 598s and 650s has to do with impedence and sensitivity.   The columns are misaligned in the comparison below, but you can see the 598s are 9 db louder with a 1-volt input, being 50 ohms rather than 300.  So it's not just a matter of amping the 650s, its amplifying them adequately.
 
 
[td] Model[/td] [td]

HD 598


 



[/td] [td]

HD 650


 



[/td] [td]  [/td] [td] Features[/td] [td]
  1. Supple, plush padding
  2. Impeccable detail from DuoFol transducer
  3. E.A.R. channels audio directly to the ear
  4. Design inspired by Euro sport sedan interiors

[/td] [td]
  1. Balanced & transparent sound
  2. Elegant titanium-silver finish
  3. Optimised for minimum distortion

[/td] [td]  [/td] [td] Price[/td] [td] $349.95
[/td] [td] $649.95
[/td] [td]  [/td] [td] 12-38,500 Hz[/td] [td] 10.....39,500 Hz[/td] [td]  [/td] [td] 10 ft, detachable (single sided)[/td] [td] 9.8 ft. (3 m)[/td] [td]  [/td] [td] 50 ohms[/td] [td] 300 Ω[/td] [td]  [/td] [td] 112 dB[/td] [td] 103 dB (1 Vrms)[/td] [td]  [/td] [td] 1/4 inch (6.3mm)[/td] [td] 6.3/3.5 mm stereo[/td] [td]  [/td] [td] N/A[/td] [td] Around-the-ear[/td] [td]  [/td] [td] Open-Aire[/td] [td] Open, dynamic[/td] [td]  [/td] [td] N/A[/td] [td] N/A[/td] [td]  [/td] [td] N/A[/td] [td] N/A[/td] [td]  [/td] [td=colspan:4]  [/td]
 
Jan 26, 2011 at 9:50 PM Post #12 of 44


Quote:
junebug654 said:
Well my only real concern is if the use of an amp gets rid of the veil.  I mean the 598s had a very small veil.  I'd have to play music VERY quietly and listen extremely carefully to hear it, but these cans unamped and barely 30hours burned sounds like theres a piece of cardboard or a rock between my ear and the headphone itself.
Click to expand...


Wait until you see what decent amping can do for you. Also, there is a thread about a guy who opens up his 650s and blows out around there. He says this definitely improves the sound and removes a veil. You might consider this.
 
Jan 26, 2011 at 10:41 PM Post #13 of 44


 
Wait until you see what decent amping can do for you. Also, there is a thread about a guy who opens up his 650s and blows out around there. He says this definitely improves the sound and removes a veil. You might consider this.
Click to expand...



 I'm still a junior when it comes to the world of audiophiles, so what exactly do you mean by "blows out"?
 
Jan 27, 2011 at 7:57 AM Post #14 of 44
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/534553/found-my-hd-650s-sound-again
 
Read this. It actually doesn't say the owner blew out around the drivers, but it does say he cleaned them and tightened up the tabs the drivers were in. If you do something like this, be very careful to not hurt the driver.
 
Jan 27, 2011 at 9:04 AM Post #15 of 44


Quote:
junebug654 said:
Well I'm shipping a Fiio e7/e9 combo down here for the headphones, but the cans just arrived first is all.  I opened them and tried them and I was at first surprized at how veiled they sounded.  But then I remembered people saying that these headphones suck unless they are properly amped because then they can compete with a lot of other cans.
 
Quote:
kukubuku said:
You really need an amp to access the full potential. 
 
Click to expand...


 
Click to expand...



I'm listening to the HD650's through the E7/E9 combo, work fine for me. I'm sure there are better amps that will make the 650 even shine more, but I honestly believe that for the price paid, you can't get better sound then the FiiO combo. I drives them very decently, way better then unamped.
 
But the 'veil', or laid back, dark sound or whatever people describe it, is also a part of the sound signature the HD650 gives. Like it or not (I appreciate it for what it is), but those characteristics will not change.
 
 
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top