[bonethugz]

does anybody know which is better? or are they different? i know both have some bass, good bass(not huge) and good mids and highs. i'm thinking of getting something good but different than my k601. are those the right cans for me? this cans are for everything. k601 is very very good jazz cans but not for everything else.

 

[JJ3810]

I have both. The 990s have slammin' bass. It's like it has its own built in loudness switch. Nice, controlled bass but still it's out front. The 650s may be a tad clearer, less "in your face" (veil???), and does not have as much high frequency as the 990s. If you like music that needs to be listened to loudly, then I would suggest the 990s. They're definitely a livier can. Still, the 650s have an ambience that makes them unique.

 

[bonethugz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJ3810 I have both. The 990s have slammin' bass. It's like it has its own built in loudness switch. Nice, controlled bass but still it's out front. The 650s may be a tad clearer, less "in your face" (veil???), and does not have as much high frequency as the 990s. If you like music that needs to be listened to loudly, then I would suggest the 990s. They're definitely a livier can. Still, the 650s have an ambience that makes them unique.

thanks JJ. slammin bass? i hope it's not going to be too much. you do also have a k81dj? do the 990 have more bass than the k81?

 

[JJ3810]

I've never heard the K81dj. If I had to choose between the Beyers & the Senns I'd probably go with the DT990s, though it's a tough call. Sometimes the 650s lack that sparkle I want to hear in the high end.

 

[Kirium]

I can only base my opinion on experience with the HD600 (which aren't that far from the 650s) and the DT990, but the DT990, IMHO, I just a more lively headphone. The bass has more impact and the treble sparkles more in the DT990s. As plenty have mentioned, it's a headphone that just lets you enjoy the music and keeps your feet tapping. I always felt like I was trying to analyse the music more on HD600s, but the DT990s just let me enjoy the music more.

 

[Gradofan2]

Has anyone compared the "de-veiled" HD650/Zu to the '05 DT990's?

The "de-veiled" HD650/Zu (with the right set up) is very fast, tight, lively, bright (sometimes almost strident), and detailed with no veil - very much like the RS-1's.

 

[nfusion770]

I was not a fan of the 650's, music was too distant or murky- even when defoamed. I really liked the up front clarity of the k701, but it lacked the impact I was used to with my RS-1's. The RS-1's were great, but kind of a role player headphone for me and I never got quite comfortable with their pads (in hindsight, perhaps a bit too up front ?). The DT990 turned out to be everything I wanted in a headphone.. It has base enough to compete with the 650, detail enough to compete with the 701, and that up front prat thing that the Grados have. I dont think they surpass any of the aforementioned in any of those areas, but are the perfect combination for me. (I compare these sets of headphones, because they are the only high end ones I have heard).

If you like clear up front details, the 650's are not for you (without modification anyway).

 

[Gradofan2]

I would agree... the HD650's before the mods and burn in, and with the wrong set up, sound muffled, foggy, and lacking in detail - I'd have sold them a long time ago. But... "persistance pays."

After all of that... they're a dramatically different headphone - sounding almost identical to the RS-1's, but with a bit bigger sound, and of course just a bit more impact. PRAT, clarity and detail are no longer an issue... and of course... mids "to die for."

If you haven't heard them in that context... you haven't heard them.

I still like my RS-1's, maybe even a slight bit better (just a very, very slight bit more clarity and detail)... but... my HD600's and HD650's have been "transformed" - quite literally.

Now... is it easier to just buy some phones that don't need all of the tweaks of the Senns - certainly. But... then do you have the great impact and the forward mids of the HD6XX's, or the RS-1's - I'm not so sure. If you want "realism" and "emotion" in your music... all of these phones are hard to beat. It's a lot like comparing Maggie's to any form of box speakers - there is no comparison... in the speaker-world anyway (with the exception of other planars and electrostatics, of course).

 

[spike33]

HD650 don't need to be modded.... unless you want to. Mine is still stock and I love it. My DT770 sounds more 'veiled' in comparison tho it's still fun and rockin. Haven't heard DT990, but DT770 trades mids for more high. Both have nice bass, not too much. I hope you have a good amp, because they need it or the bass will sound flabby.

 

[Headphoner]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bonethugz does anybody know which is better? or are they different? i know both have some bass, good bass(not huge) and good mids and highs. i'm thinking of getting something good but different than my k601. are those the right cans for me? this cans are for everything. k601 is very very good jazz cans but not for everything else.

I have both the 990 and the 650 phones. The 650 have a sound balance like the second balcony of a concert hall: fat midbass and rolled off high end. The 990 have a balance like the 10th row: much brighter, but also with a fat midbass.

I prefer the 10th row sound to the second balcony, especially when listening to small groups and folk. Also, I EQ the 990 mainly to eliminate the fat midbass peak and to tame the large broad peak centered around 9kHz. With EQ, the 990 sounds a lot different and better.

 

[bonethugz]

i have an ok amp(headfive) and since most of you guys like the 990 better(i heard headfive pair well with beyer too) so i guess i'll go with 990
thanks guys