I can't believe someone could ever call the HD-600 slightly thin. I mean this is just baffling for me.
If the HD-600 is thin, what is your KRK like? Even with the E9 and ODAC it's not like this for me. I guess i'm too used to the HD-598 and Q701 type sound. I do see your point about a tube amp giving them a fuller sound. I did notice yesterday that my HD-580 is a bit fuller sounding, yet even more clear. Those two usually don't seem to go together!
We all hear things differently and I spent an hour reading an old HD-650 vs HD-600 thread last night and heard some say the same as you. One person even claimed the HD-650 had more forward upper mids than the HD-600. I wonder if this is really true? Another person said it had buried upper mids.
I even heard someone say the HD-650 had harsh treble! NOW I really need to try the HD-650 again!
BTW the only time I could get the HD-600 to sound slightly thin is with a silver plated copper cable perhaps. I don't even know if that combined with a O2+ODAC could do that for me
Yes.. the HD600's note weight is on the thin side, but notes possess excellent dynamics... like I said. Combine that with the gently boosted midbass (which brings about some warmth) and it's what makes the HD600's sound so special. Smooth, airy, open, and dynamic.
As for being 'baffled' by that characterization.. calling the HD600's note weight as lean isn't some oddball revelation or wild accusation.. there's a pretty well established consensus around that impression... from lay listeners & experienced audiophiles alike. It's also part of why it sounds so good with tubes that add some 'weight to the sound. midrange and treble.
The KNS8400 also has a note presentation leaning to the thin side.. but it, too, has excellent dynamics. That doesn't mean the KNS8400 & HD600 sound the same.. the KRK isn't as smooth & warm as the HD600.. so that's where their sonic signatures began to depart.. but it's no coincidence I own (and love) both phones.
I haven't spent enough time with the HD650 (or been able to compare it to the HD600) to comment on how it's presentation & nuances stack up to the HD650. Most all the reviews I've read from trusted members say the HD650 is darker & warmer than the 650 (this is what most people who have gone from the 650 to the 600 say, too). Perhaps the graphs at HeadRoom will provide some general guidance.
Tubes giving a fuller sound is also nonsensical. Tubes can and will sound as full as solid state - it just depends on what amp you're talking about in combination with what amp.
No.. it isn't nonsensical. Tubes can add body & color the sound with their 'pleasant distortion.' That being said.. not all tubes sound the same or impart the same signature. I think it's already well known by most people in this hobby that tubes can sound like neutral 'solid state' amps with littile coloration.. and solid states can have a warm, colored tone, as well.
Originally Posted by Nirvana Woman /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Forward mids, buried mids... Dunno what that means. On some song mids come out differently than on others. Sounds like whymsical findings to me.
This should help. Yes, the mastering/mixing quality of a track will, to a certain degree, determine how certain parts of the frequency range are presented. That being said, most all phones impart their own character on how the position those same frequencies are presented. For example, low-mid priced Grados have a forward, aggressive midrange.. there's nothing 'whimsical' to that. It's intended and is reflected in both subjective & objective observations.
Originally Posted by Nirvana Woman /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Anyway people always say stuff, doesn't mean it has any meaning.
Thanks for that pearl of wisdom.. Noted.
what's thin what's harsh what's full etc etc etc.
Gotta love the power of placebo!
Amps, cables, dac's etc aren't going to dynamically alter the sound that much for casual listening (100% of my listening these days). I could care less about being critical I'm in the hobby to enjoy what I'm listening to.
Describing a phone's note presentation as thin.. or it possessing a harsh treble.. is 'placebo'? Goodness.. we're all clearly wasting our time.
Originally Posted by N0sferatu /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Amps, cables, dac's etc aren't going to dynamically alter the sound that much for casual listening (100% of my listening these days). I could care less about being critical I'm in the hobby to enjoy what I'm listening to.
I agree about cables, they're not going to 'dynamically alter' sound for casual listening. As far amps & dacs? It depends on the phones... unless of course, sensitivity measurements and power requirements are placebo, too. It doesn't take 'golden ears' to hear the difference between how an HE-6 sounds from an iPhone vs a speaker amp.
