Sennheiser HD650 ($350) or Denon AH-D7000 ($730)?

Heya,

It comes down to this: do you want something dark sounding or do you want to actually hear a little spark in the treble? You'll get more impact and sub-bass satisfaction from the Denon for your electronic music, but I wager rock will have less of a tin sound from the Sennheiser. So kind of a compromise.

Have you considered a used set of D5000's? Also, have you considered a Beyer DT990?

Very best,

IMO i wouldn't get either for portable use. they're both pretty bulky headphones and you'll be hard pressed to get the best sound out of them with a portable setup. I would invest more into a easier to drive and more forgiving headphone like the hd-25 ii or the DT1350.

just my 2 cents.

I think the HD-650 is a terrible portable.  It is large, hard to drive, and easily dented.  The D7000 is a bit big, but far easier to drive.  The HD-650 has problems with being too laid back ( sounds like the audio is going through a pillow ) and has a frequency dependant impedance curve.  Even through my m903 the HD-650 did nothing for me.  Heck, the HD-800 was just as lifeless to my ears.  I had to turn the volume up on both to get the sound I wanted and at that point my ears would start to hurt.  I vote neither.

I am with dadong here.  The DT1350 and Senn HD-25 ii would be much better because they are way more portable.  They are also much easier to drive due to the lack of frequency dependence in the impedance curve.  The D7000's are not going to be any better than the D2000 and many of us prefer the sound out of the D2000.  For shere sound quality on portables I go IEM every time.  I can show you a dozen IEM graphs that are nearly perfect in frequency response, distortion, 50Hz and 500Hz square wave response, as well as isolation.  The cost of such IEM's?  Certainly less than the cost of the D7000's.  For example the UE700's are amazing sounding for the $150 price range.  Other than some warranteed build issues they are a really nice pair of IEM's.  Even the Brainwavz B2 is going to be less expensive and would sound just as good without a need of an amp.

If you are dead set on headphones and you do not mind the bulk then the AH-D2000 or DT990 ( 32 Ohm ) are great headphones that scale extremely well with head amps.  I own both and enjoy each for what they are.  The D7000 is an overpriced and problematic D2000.  At this price point you might as well save $50 and go LCD-2 Rev 2 which is going to out perform both the D7000 and HD-650 and sound a ton better.  The LCD-2 is made in the USA too!  The LCD-2 does not have any wacky frequency dependence in the impedance curve either and has a wonderful sound reproduction be it a tad dark at times.

Pick the D2000 if you want a closed can that has deep bass and sounds amazing, but lacks a little on the high end without a good amp

Pick the DT990 ( 32 Ohm ) if you want an open can with really quick bass, a great mid range, and a decent amount of treble.

Pick the Q701 if you want the HD-650 sound sans the "veil."  They are super comfortable, have an awesome mid range, and make percussion sound amazing.

As far as the iBasso D6, which I have not personally listened to, I know many people really like that amp.  The DAC is the WM8740s which is a nice DAC chip.  The amp should have no problem driving the DT990, D2000, but may struggle a bit with the HD-650.

I have the hd650's with the LD MKIV and i have to agree with the above post. at lower volumes they are a bit lifeless, but at higher levels they become AWESOME. The problem with the 650's is that they need a tube amp to sound their best and i can't imagine the ibasso will do them any justice. Also these leak so much sound it's not even funny. at my listening levels i would be able to hear them in another room.

i've also read that the difference between the d2000-7000 isn't that significant I would also recommend getting the d2000 if your dead set on denons. they also have endless modding potential.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dadong 

The problem with the 650's is that they need a tube amp to sound their best and i can't imagine the ibasso will do them any justice. 

Not necessary. Solid states do a pretty good job with them. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by fabio-fi 

Not necessary. Solid states do a pretty good job with them. 

X2.  I much preferred solid state vs. tube amp with my HD600- they are 'soft' sounding as it is and don't need any more syrupy fuzz from tubes.  Oh are we talking about HD650?  Okay, can't say anything about those, but I prefer HD600 to D7000 so would recommend the senns.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalVeauX 

Heya,

 

It comes down to this: do you want something dark sounding or do you want to actually hear a little spark in the treble? You'll get more impact and sub-bass satisfaction from the Denon for your electronic music, but I wager rock will have less of a tin sound from the Sennheiser. So kind of a compromise.

 

Have you considered a used set of D5000's? Also, have you considered a Beyer DT990?

 

Very best,

Use a bright amp with the HD650, problem solved. And yes, that works.

my bright sounding DAC really helped bring my 650s to life, they don't need more warmth or they sound veiled (like older hd 650s), at lest my wa6se isn't too warm and is dynamic as well which helps bring them to life

but yeah, solid state amps work well on hd 650s

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dubstep Girl 

my bright sounding DAC really helped bring my 650s to life, they don't need more warmth or they sound veiled (like older hd 650s), at lest my wa6se isn't too warm and is dynamic as well which helps bring them to life

 

but yeah, solid state amps work well on hd 650s

Many seem to like it but I'm not a fan ~ Burson 160 + HD 650 = dark, very, very dark sound.

I'd buy the HD650 and a good amp to drive them with for the price of a D7000.  The HD650 do not sound dark to me, I find most headphones too bright.  Out of the choices you gave that's what I would do.

I still think it would make more sense to buy an Balanced Armature In Ear Monitor earplug style ear buds for portable use.  I love my Shure SE530s for this application.

The HD 650's are very not dark and are never lifeless. 

If they are dark, it's not much.  It's mostly because people have been looking right into the sun all day

Give the 650's an hour and i can pledge whatever reference cans you had on before will sound bright; fact.

You want portability? Screw headphones, they are difficult to power and unrealistic and most of them will chain you to an amp, not to mention make you look silly.

Get an IEM. IE8 or UM3X for that price range, i have found that they satisfy for out use AND home use so youll really get your monies worth and never have an issue with "where should i take this" and "can i fit that here" or "does this need to be amped" or "do i look ridiculous with this"

yea, pretty much that. if you want to strap on an amp make sure it fits under your DAP and is no thicker than a half inch or you WILL decide after purchasing to just leave it at home and succomb to the minimal difference of not amping them. I'm thinking the likes of the headstage arrow or the ttvj slim, NOTHING thicker! or you will have buyers remorse for not buying a desktop amp because thats all you will use them for now, if at all

/truth