Hacket
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2011
- Posts
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- 0
[size=medium]Hi All !! this is my first post , glad to part of the community.[/size]
[size=medium]I stumbled on this forum a few weeks back looking for information to assist me in my first headset purchase and boy did I find the right place, what a fantastic forum. I’m happy to hopefully also make a valuable contribution that may one day also help someone who finds themselves in a similar predicament that I had found myself.[/size]
[size=medium]I have been playing guitar for 15yrs and I have been in bands mostly heavy rock to metal. I also love to produce dance music and occasionally DJ from time to time at various clubs. Across the board I tend towards the progressive genres. Occasionally I will also enjoy a commercial song I may come across on Radio/MTV etc. So musically I am pretty open.[/size]
[size=medium]I produce my music on laptop and decided to Invest in some Studio Headphones for making music late at night, as well as for mixing and mastering the songs once complete. I am currently running out of a Digidesign Mbox 2 into a Matrix M-Stage, I set the gain to 20db on the matrix ie MAX !! I found this was necessary to get good volume for the DT880 600ohm and left it as such for the others.[/size]
[size=medium]I hit the internet to begin research on what to buy and after much time ended up with the infamous Terrible Trio Dilema! Sennheiser’s HD650, Beyer Dynamic’s DT880 & AKG’s K702. After a lot of forum surfing bordering on psychotic there was only one way to come to a conclusion! I had to buy all 3, test them in person over a period of time and sell off the ones I did not want… Well, that was the plan anyway. [/size]
[size=medium]There is no store that I know of that stock these headphones locally where I could compare them in person before purchasing. So I ordered them online overseas and all 3 arrived from various UK stores to South Africa where I live, and when they arrived I was all ears.[/size]
[size=medium]Interestingly yet importantly what I did find was that my first immediate impressions differed from my long term impressions. Take this into consideration when quickly auditioning headsets in-store before purchasing; you may miss the big picture. Thing is I might never have bought the ones that I grew to love the most over time. As of now I have had the headphones for just over 2 weeks which isn’t the greatest length of time to fully appreciate them but I think long enough to get a decent chunk of the puzzle figured out. I went into testing these headphones with the mentality that I must choose the set I liked the most, In hindsight this is not the best mentality to approach such a standoff and I found myself changing my mind as to which one to keep several times ! It was this changing of my mind that lead me to believe that a person’s mood or state of mind can have an effect on the way they perceive the enjoyment of different sound signatures at different times.[/size]
[size=medium]Ok here we go![/size]
[size=medium]Build Quality: I certainly would not make a decision over which headset was best, over the build quality… They are all adequate. What is important to note here is that the HD650 is by far the more solid and well-constructed headset of the 3, the build quality is superior and they feel more solid. The AKG’s also appear well made but nowhere near as tough as the 650’s. The Beyer’s seem a bit tacky compared to the other two especially with the cable linking the two drivers just kind of squishing under the leather headband (Both the 650 & 702 have detachable cables, the DT880 does not, although I have read it is not difficult to replace) having said that I found the Beyer’s did tend to have the more stylish look of the three. So the 650’s take the trophy here with the AKG a nose in front of the Beyer’s.[/size]
[size=medium]Comfort: Once again not a major issue for me but first impressions led me to believe that the K702 was the most comfortable as they had the lightest clamp force but overtime this changed and I found them to require occasional re-adjustment. The Beyer’s have the smallest circumaural framing and my ears actually did touch the sponge speaker guards. At first this was unacceptable to me but shortly I got used to it and eventually it did not bother me, the clamp force is soft (These are the Premium 600ohm with the softer clamp force than the pro version) I found them comfortable. The HD650’s alongside their solid build quality have the strongest clamp force by a long way! I did not like this on first impression and u can feel pressure on your jaw joint, over a little time somehow it becomes extremely comfortable. The padding of the headband and ear pads I thought felt the softest of the three. The 880’s and 702’s headband makes contact with the highest point of your skull but the 650 has a cutaway here and makes contact on either side of the highest point, which I found more comfortable. In conclusion they are all comfortable the difference between comfort levels for me was not great enough to influence a decision between which was the better headset. If I had to say which was best I would say for me the HD650’s![/size]
[size=9pt]1st HD650 2nd DT880 3rd AKGK702[/size]
[size=medium]Sound: For me this is the most important part and I set about listening to a few different genres of music with each headset. I made sure to listen for an extended period of time with each genre so as to have enough time to really get into the “vibe” of each headphone. [/size]
[size=medium]First up! I was in the mood to push these babies with some Techno. [/size]
[size=medium]Richie Hawtin Live @ Womb, Tokyo. (Techno, House, Dance etc) To me this was always going to be the most exciting genre test as sonically electronic music is unlimited. For me sound signature wise the Sennheiser’s actually sit in the middle of the two. [/size]
[size=medium]The Beyer’s are right up front, close and POWERFUL almost as if you were dancing next to the speaker, the bass and beats are absolutely massive. The treble is harsher sounding than the other two sets but it’s a good harsh. The 880’s are the most powerful sounding of the 3 but the more dry sounding. [/size]
[size=medium]The AKG’s sound like you’re in a concert hall definitely further away from the music. I think this is what creates that feeling that they are bass light (It’s distance) but with this live techno set the bass was certainly enjoyable and super detailed and certainly adequate but not as directly thumping as the other two. The AKG are by far the more spacious of the two sound-wise, they appear a lot wider. The clarity is high and the sound is super clean. [/size]
[size=medium]The HD650’s seem to sit in the middle, for me they have the warmth and power of the upfront Beyer’s but also the distance that the AKG’s have though not as wide. This would almost put the Sennheiser’s as having the best of both worlds but I found them overall a little cloudier than the other two almost as if the bass was swallowing some of the other frequencies although this is most noticeable when A/B’ing quickly. If u let the 650’s ride for a while they clean up and sound better. I felt like I was actually inside the club and I must say that I thought the HD650’s where definitely the best. It is important to note that listening to various single dance music tracks the previous day I had decided that the DT880’s where best for this style of music. Perhaps the vibe of the 650’s just really suited this live club set. The AKG were good and I enjoyed them but the power is not there like the other two. [/size]
[size=medium]To summarise the Beyer’s and the Sennheiser’s are both excellent and I would think that you won’t be disappointed with either headset for Electronic Dance Music. Personally If I had to listen to this set I would go for the HD650’s. Thinking about it now I would probably produce dance music with the 880’s and listen to it on the 650’s. Eventually I will add to this review some impressions of the different cans with regards to producing mixing and mastering.[/size]
[size=9pt]1st HD650 2nd DT880 3rd AKGK702[/size]
[size=medium]Opeth Lamentations Live DVD (ROCK, METAL)[/size]
[size=medium]This is probably the best sounding live recording of any metal band I have ever heard so I was more than looking forward to this test. First up the AKG’s definitely do not have enough bottom end to make this enjoyable to listen to. I found myself getting bored and wanting to try the other headsets very quickly. The 880’s immediately sound amazing as if I was at the gig, so much life to them with plenty bass and super clarity , very bright but in no way offensive. I am slightly sensitive to high frequencies, no problems here. Guitar leads sound amazing. Lots of power on the heavier songs and great clarity too. I love this band and these headphones! The HD650’s are immediately to me, warmer sounding, at the expense of less clarity although on a previous listen to this album a few days ago I preferred the 650’s but I was tired at the time and believe now that I must have been enjoying the more laidback experience the 650’s offered at that time . In this session I found the 880’s to sound much more realistic energetic and lively than the HD650’s.[/size]
[size=9pt]1st DT880 2nd HD650 3rd AKGK702 [/size]
[size=medium]Zack Wylde, Book Of Shadows (Acoustic & Light Rock)[/size]
[size=medium]Pretty much the same findings as above. I did not listen with the AKG’s long, they are not nearly as engaging as the other two . The 880’s seem more life-like and real with greater clarity and energy. The HD650’s are a little less clear again but still detailed, though at times on certain songs the low frequencies can be overpowering and seem artificially colored, almost EQ’d. I prefer the DT880’s but they are quite very different sounding to each other.[/size]
[size=9pt]1st DT880 2nd HD650 3rd AKGK702 [/size]
[size=medium]Metropia Movie Soundtrack – Krister Linder.[/size]
[size=medium]I just recently stumbled on this music, This guy is brilliant , I suppose you would classify this music toward ambient , lots of evolving moods still electronic but very Orchestral like and no drums or percussion. So quite different to the other genres and I thought necessary to round off the assessment of the three. Would you believe it ? Yup! AKG K702’s for the win here . Everything that I felt was lacking is now here and the listening experience is by far more enjoyable than either the HD650 or the DT880’s. The depth of the AKG’s took me so deep into the music that it was difficult to come out. Really enjoyed the AKG’s here. .. [/size]
[size=medium]Overall Conclusion.[/size]
[size=medium]For me it is between Senheiser’s HD650 and Beyerdynamics DT880 Premium 600ohm, both headsets are fantastic and the most amazing listening experience for me came from the HD650’s with Richie Hawtin Live in Tokyo it couldn’t be beaten, absolutely amazing. Having said that for Rock, Acoustic & Metal I thought the Beyerdynamic DT880’s where the better sounding headphone , the Beyer’s were also sometimes with certain songs better than the HD650 with electronic music. Generally across the genres I found the Beyer’s more consistently good and would choose them over the HD650 if I had to only keep one. The best advice I could give anyone is to buy both pairs! I would miss either one if I didn’t own both, they could actually be packaged as a double set and sold together that’s how well they complement each other. The AKG’s where absolutely amazing with the Movie Soundtrack but across all genres they were not consistent enough for me to compare them with the other two. In a perfect world I suppose you would keep all 3 but I will leave this up to you to decide. As of writing I still have all 3 pairs and I am loving every minute of it.[/size]
[size=medium]Thanks for reading.[/size]
[size=medium]Andrew[/size]
[size=medium]I stumbled on this forum a few weeks back looking for information to assist me in my first headset purchase and boy did I find the right place, what a fantastic forum. I’m happy to hopefully also make a valuable contribution that may one day also help someone who finds themselves in a similar predicament that I had found myself.[/size]
[size=medium]I have been playing guitar for 15yrs and I have been in bands mostly heavy rock to metal. I also love to produce dance music and occasionally DJ from time to time at various clubs. Across the board I tend towards the progressive genres. Occasionally I will also enjoy a commercial song I may come across on Radio/MTV etc. So musically I am pretty open.[/size]
[size=medium]I produce my music on laptop and decided to Invest in some Studio Headphones for making music late at night, as well as for mixing and mastering the songs once complete. I am currently running out of a Digidesign Mbox 2 into a Matrix M-Stage, I set the gain to 20db on the matrix ie MAX !! I found this was necessary to get good volume for the DT880 600ohm and left it as such for the others.[/size]
[size=medium]I hit the internet to begin research on what to buy and after much time ended up with the infamous Terrible Trio Dilema! Sennheiser’s HD650, Beyer Dynamic’s DT880 & AKG’s K702. After a lot of forum surfing bordering on psychotic there was only one way to come to a conclusion! I had to buy all 3, test them in person over a period of time and sell off the ones I did not want… Well, that was the plan anyway. [/size]
[size=medium]There is no store that I know of that stock these headphones locally where I could compare them in person before purchasing. So I ordered them online overseas and all 3 arrived from various UK stores to South Africa where I live, and when they arrived I was all ears.[/size]
[size=medium]Interestingly yet importantly what I did find was that my first immediate impressions differed from my long term impressions. Take this into consideration when quickly auditioning headsets in-store before purchasing; you may miss the big picture. Thing is I might never have bought the ones that I grew to love the most over time. As of now I have had the headphones for just over 2 weeks which isn’t the greatest length of time to fully appreciate them but I think long enough to get a decent chunk of the puzzle figured out. I went into testing these headphones with the mentality that I must choose the set I liked the most, In hindsight this is not the best mentality to approach such a standoff and I found myself changing my mind as to which one to keep several times ! It was this changing of my mind that lead me to believe that a person’s mood or state of mind can have an effect on the way they perceive the enjoyment of different sound signatures at different times.[/size]
[size=medium]Ok here we go![/size]
[size=medium]Build Quality: I certainly would not make a decision over which headset was best, over the build quality… They are all adequate. What is important to note here is that the HD650 is by far the more solid and well-constructed headset of the 3, the build quality is superior and they feel more solid. The AKG’s also appear well made but nowhere near as tough as the 650’s. The Beyer’s seem a bit tacky compared to the other two especially with the cable linking the two drivers just kind of squishing under the leather headband (Both the 650 & 702 have detachable cables, the DT880 does not, although I have read it is not difficult to replace) having said that I found the Beyer’s did tend to have the more stylish look of the three. So the 650’s take the trophy here with the AKG a nose in front of the Beyer’s.[/size]
[size=medium]Comfort: Once again not a major issue for me but first impressions led me to believe that the K702 was the most comfortable as they had the lightest clamp force but overtime this changed and I found them to require occasional re-adjustment. The Beyer’s have the smallest circumaural framing and my ears actually did touch the sponge speaker guards. At first this was unacceptable to me but shortly I got used to it and eventually it did not bother me, the clamp force is soft (These are the Premium 600ohm with the softer clamp force than the pro version) I found them comfortable. The HD650’s alongside their solid build quality have the strongest clamp force by a long way! I did not like this on first impression and u can feel pressure on your jaw joint, over a little time somehow it becomes extremely comfortable. The padding of the headband and ear pads I thought felt the softest of the three. The 880’s and 702’s headband makes contact with the highest point of your skull but the 650 has a cutaway here and makes contact on either side of the highest point, which I found more comfortable. In conclusion they are all comfortable the difference between comfort levels for me was not great enough to influence a decision between which was the better headset. If I had to say which was best I would say for me the HD650’s![/size]
[size=9pt]1st HD650 2nd DT880 3rd AKGK702[/size]
[size=medium]Sound: For me this is the most important part and I set about listening to a few different genres of music with each headset. I made sure to listen for an extended period of time with each genre so as to have enough time to really get into the “vibe” of each headphone. [/size]
[size=medium]First up! I was in the mood to push these babies with some Techno. [/size]
[size=medium]Richie Hawtin Live @ Womb, Tokyo. (Techno, House, Dance etc) To me this was always going to be the most exciting genre test as sonically electronic music is unlimited. For me sound signature wise the Sennheiser’s actually sit in the middle of the two. [/size]
[size=medium]The Beyer’s are right up front, close and POWERFUL almost as if you were dancing next to the speaker, the bass and beats are absolutely massive. The treble is harsher sounding than the other two sets but it’s a good harsh. The 880’s are the most powerful sounding of the 3 but the more dry sounding. [/size]
[size=medium]The AKG’s sound like you’re in a concert hall definitely further away from the music. I think this is what creates that feeling that they are bass light (It’s distance) but with this live techno set the bass was certainly enjoyable and super detailed and certainly adequate but not as directly thumping as the other two. The AKG are by far the more spacious of the two sound-wise, they appear a lot wider. The clarity is high and the sound is super clean. [/size]
[size=medium]The HD650’s seem to sit in the middle, for me they have the warmth and power of the upfront Beyer’s but also the distance that the AKG’s have though not as wide. This would almost put the Sennheiser’s as having the best of both worlds but I found them overall a little cloudier than the other two almost as if the bass was swallowing some of the other frequencies although this is most noticeable when A/B’ing quickly. If u let the 650’s ride for a while they clean up and sound better. I felt like I was actually inside the club and I must say that I thought the HD650’s where definitely the best. It is important to note that listening to various single dance music tracks the previous day I had decided that the DT880’s where best for this style of music. Perhaps the vibe of the 650’s just really suited this live club set. The AKG were good and I enjoyed them but the power is not there like the other two. [/size]
[size=medium]To summarise the Beyer’s and the Sennheiser’s are both excellent and I would think that you won’t be disappointed with either headset for Electronic Dance Music. Personally If I had to listen to this set I would go for the HD650’s. Thinking about it now I would probably produce dance music with the 880’s and listen to it on the 650’s. Eventually I will add to this review some impressions of the different cans with regards to producing mixing and mastering.[/size]
[size=9pt]1st HD650 2nd DT880 3rd AKGK702[/size]
[size=medium]Opeth Lamentations Live DVD (ROCK, METAL)[/size]
[size=medium]This is probably the best sounding live recording of any metal band I have ever heard so I was more than looking forward to this test. First up the AKG’s definitely do not have enough bottom end to make this enjoyable to listen to. I found myself getting bored and wanting to try the other headsets very quickly. The 880’s immediately sound amazing as if I was at the gig, so much life to them with plenty bass and super clarity , very bright but in no way offensive. I am slightly sensitive to high frequencies, no problems here. Guitar leads sound amazing. Lots of power on the heavier songs and great clarity too. I love this band and these headphones! The HD650’s are immediately to me, warmer sounding, at the expense of less clarity although on a previous listen to this album a few days ago I preferred the 650’s but I was tired at the time and believe now that I must have been enjoying the more laidback experience the 650’s offered at that time . In this session I found the 880’s to sound much more realistic energetic and lively than the HD650’s.[/size]
[size=9pt]1st DT880 2nd HD650 3rd AKGK702 [/size]
[size=medium]Zack Wylde, Book Of Shadows (Acoustic & Light Rock)[/size]
[size=medium]Pretty much the same findings as above. I did not listen with the AKG’s long, they are not nearly as engaging as the other two . The 880’s seem more life-like and real with greater clarity and energy. The HD650’s are a little less clear again but still detailed, though at times on certain songs the low frequencies can be overpowering and seem artificially colored, almost EQ’d. I prefer the DT880’s but they are quite very different sounding to each other.[/size]
[size=9pt]1st DT880 2nd HD650 3rd AKGK702 [/size]
[size=medium]Metropia Movie Soundtrack – Krister Linder.[/size]
[size=medium]I just recently stumbled on this music, This guy is brilliant , I suppose you would classify this music toward ambient , lots of evolving moods still electronic but very Orchestral like and no drums or percussion. So quite different to the other genres and I thought necessary to round off the assessment of the three. Would you believe it ? Yup! AKG K702’s for the win here . Everything that I felt was lacking is now here and the listening experience is by far more enjoyable than either the HD650 or the DT880’s. The depth of the AKG’s took me so deep into the music that it was difficult to come out. Really enjoyed the AKG’s here. .. [/size]
[size=medium]Overall Conclusion.[/size]
[size=medium]For me it is between Senheiser’s HD650 and Beyerdynamics DT880 Premium 600ohm, both headsets are fantastic and the most amazing listening experience for me came from the HD650’s with Richie Hawtin Live in Tokyo it couldn’t be beaten, absolutely amazing. Having said that for Rock, Acoustic & Metal I thought the Beyerdynamic DT880’s where the better sounding headphone , the Beyer’s were also sometimes with certain songs better than the HD650 with electronic music. Generally across the genres I found the Beyer’s more consistently good and would choose them over the HD650 if I had to only keep one. The best advice I could give anyone is to buy both pairs! I would miss either one if I didn’t own both, they could actually be packaged as a double set and sold together that’s how well they complement each other. The AKG’s where absolutely amazing with the Movie Soundtrack but across all genres they were not consistent enough for me to compare them with the other two. In a perfect world I suppose you would keep all 3 but I will leave this up to you to decide. As of writing I still have all 3 pairs and I am loving every minute of it.[/size]
[size=medium]Thanks for reading.[/size]
[size=medium]Andrew[/size]
? Anything change in your opinions? 