TMRaven
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2011
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This is a 5000-word post. For the impatient, skip to the section labeled as a big blue 'Ratings'
Introduction:
As a long time D2000 owner, I've always liked a pair of headphones that weren't shy to strut their deep end without falling over themselves and losing clarity. After owning a couple different headphones and auditioning many more, the Denons were able to satisfy my audial needs for close to a year. However, since becoming more accustomed to my speaker setup, I began to develop a love/hate relationship with the Denons' treble and lack of soundstaging from time to time. I've listened to the HD650s time and time again before, but have never been fortunate enough to really put them through their paces vs my favorite headphones. Just recently I snuck a deal with my local hi-fi store to audition a pair of HD650s (new, silver damping version) for a week. Would the famous 'dark' and bassy HD650 satisfy my wants? Below are my musings and impressions while comparing these two head-fi juggernauts.
The Equipment:
256-1411kbps AAC/WAV files
Little Dot MKII (6N6P/CV4010)
HRT Music Streamer II
*I happen to like the Denons better out of the Little Dot than my iMac or iPhone, even if it has a worse damping factor*
Build Quality and Presentation:
Upon reading this section in Katun's comparison of these two headphones, I had to scroll up to see if it wasn't my very own avatar shown. His thoughts were so closely matched to mine I had to makesure it wasn't me who accidentally and unknowingly posted a review between these two headphones already. Most likely anybody reading this topic has already been through these ropes already, so I'll keep this section shorter than it could be.
The Denons' build quality and presentation simply make the Sennheisers look very adolescent and fragile in comparison. A quick handling of both headphones would have had me believe it would be the Sennheisers running into quality control issues fairly often. Sennheiser chose to use a very lightweight plasticy/carbon-fiber-esque material for the frame of the HD650s, and even though it makes them shockingly light, it also makes them feel very weak and toyish in comparison to the D2000s-- it's a far cry from the HD800s. The Denons on the other hand, have a good bit of heft to them, and their materials come off as very durable and elegant. The headband adjustment is silky smooth and the best I've ever had for a pair of headphones, while their earpads are also the best I've ever used or touched. The Sennheiser's headband adjustment is clunky in comparison. There's no question the Denons eat the Sennheisers alive when it comes to presentation and build quality, although it's been said multiple times the small screws on their yokes can break fairly easy. Mine havn't yet. There is one thing I'd take away from the Denons though, which is actually quite major. I don't see how a headphone with the best pads and headband I've ever seen also share the worst cable I've ever seen. This thing bothers me quite a bit, it has more memory than Ken Jennings, and it gets tangled all too often. Because of its refusal to bend easily, it's already seen some wear and tear on its jacket.
Comfort:
I think 9 out of 10 people would prefer an open headphone for both short and long term listening when comfort is concerned-- I'm one of those people as well. The Denons would like to have a talk with all the open headphones on the market. They somehow manage to have more short-term comfort than all the headphones I've personally tried and tie the AD700s (and even vs the AD700 it's an issue of weight vs fit) I once again have to give the ear pads of the Denons major props; they are a work of art when it comes to giving your ears the most natural fit they could have. The pads are of very high quality pleather and have been as supple now as when I first got them, plus their unique curvature and extra padding in the back assures your ears to barely touch the fabric covering the drivers. The Sennheiers, on the other hand, have decent comfort as well, but only match the Denons in long term comfort; they fall to the Denons in short-term comfort pretty easily. The HD650's open-backed cups and velour pads allow your ears to breathe completely naturally, and the cups themselves are smartly oval and more ergonomic, they're not circle and clumsy (Beyerdynamic I'm looking at you). Although the HD650 cups aren't as spacious and comfortable as the HD800s, your ears have plenty of space to breathe. The major, major downside to the Sennheisers is their infamous clamping force. I'd stretch my pair out and I'm sure it would help some, but they're only being borrowed. Because of the clamping pressure, I often find myself adjusting them every couple of minutes. The Denons have the perfect blend between clamping force and looseness, although they suffer in the isolation department because of it. (but at least the lower clamping force means their pads won't compress over time). Both headphones' headbands are very comfortable: the Sennheisers smartly have a split in their padding to reduce the chance for a pressure point to build up at the very top of your head. The Denons' headband padding is very soft, but also very conservative. It can get a small pressure point over a long period of time, but a slight adjustment cures it easily enough. Just like the build and presentation, the Denons win in comfort.
General Sound Signature of the HD650 compared to the D2000:
I've heard the HD650s time and time again before this prolonged session, and I never thought of them as treble shy. In short, I have to severely question anybody who's ever once called the HD650 veiled. It's either they have some seriously flawed components, or they've been used to listening to some painfully sharp headphones (ironic considering I've owned the DT990s for the longest time). The Denons can get pretty strident with their treble if a recording has too much of it, which was my initial reason for hating them in the first place, but the HD650s seriously aren't that far behind with their abundance of upper mids in comparison. Instead of the Denons making the Sennheisers seem veiled, I'd have to say the Sennheisers do the opposite. Let this comparison be the end all of the malicious hype: the veil IS a myth.
Besides the treble being completely in line and never once veiled or exaggerated on the HD650s, I have to say they have a good bit more upper mids than the D2000, which is a big reason why many people consider the D2000s to have a sucked out midrange I feel. The D2000 has a hole in the range of 3-5khz, and a large hump at 1khz that extends flat downward from there on. This isn't to say the Denons don't have midrange, because they do have one, and it's very articulate, but it's just not as aggressive as the Sennheisers. Because of those oddities in the D2000's frequency response, I have to say the Sennheisers do a far better job of transitioning from mids to highs and lows to mids. The freefall after 1khz on the Denons tend to make vocals and many instruments have a darker timbre on them compared to the Sennheisers, whereas the Sennheisers are overall the brighter sounding headphone in the mids.
A big difference the HD650 has compared to the D2000 is a lack of bloat in its upper-bass. The HD650 can give a nice mid-bass and outstanding reproduction of drum hits, but it loses out by a mile against the Denons when impact is concerned. Also note the D2000 has bass extended down to 30hz or so (but loses out on low bass impact and clarity when the full-range drivers are forced to play it during busy passages of a song). The HD650 is good down to around 50hz then takes a free fall (again bass performance is compromised during busy passages-- the full range drivers can only do so much).
Quite honestly, these silver versioned HD650s are the overall most balanced headphone I've yet to audition, but their major downfall is lack of bass extension and impact. If I could get the HD650s with subwoofer extension I'd be quite happy. (planar magnetics anybody?)
This is quite honestly what I hear between these two headphones, and is what I feel should be used instead of the headroom graphs:
The Face-Off:
In this section I'll be choosing 14 favorite recordings of mine and try to cover a good amount of genres while putting each headphone through their paces. The recordings range from mostly rock/alternative to instrumentals/clasiscal and electronic/hip-hop. I'll be dedicating an hour or two for every song to compare either headphones. Each song will get 4-5 playthroughs to give my ears enough time to acclimate to one headphone, then I'll switch to the other headphone and see if I hear any significant differences, and repeat said process three or four times over. Following each brief description of how either headphone handles the song, I'll give my opinion on which one I liked better for that particular song. My favorite performer will receive a perfect score of 5/5 while the second place contender will get anywhere from 1-4 depending how far it trailed in performance. I will then tally up all the scores and give an overall rating of each headphone. I feel this is the fairest way to compare the headphones; what I will not be doing is abx'ing specific sections of a song multiple times to look for the most subtle of differences as I feel that's not a realistic measurement of performance in a comparison.
Adele: Hometown Gory
I'm having a harder time following the piano's bass notes amid the rest of the recording when things get a bit busy on the Denons. It's definitely there and audible-- even a tad more than the HD650s, but a bit more mushy and harder to follow. If the HD650s had any less bass than it does, I'd probably lose track of the bass line. In either phone's soundstage, both Adele and the piano seem to be on the same layer with one another, and there is no significant difference in the positioning of her vocals. The recording is very intimate in general, something which sort of plays into the advantage of the D2000's lack of soundstage. Both headphones have the resolution and treble extension to pick up the slight hiss of the air and slight movements from the artists, and both have little amounts of sibilance that was from the original recording. Adele's voice remains just as chilling on both headphones, but a bit weightier and darker on the Denons. I can't say which is more true to her real voice as I've never heard her in person. Overall both headphones sound very good with this recording. HD650: 5 D2000: 4
Jethro Tull: Up To Me
This recording right away shows you just how different these headphones can sound. After listening 5 or so times on the Denons and switching to the Sennheisers, I noticed a substantial loss in mid to upper bass bloat. The bass guitar and keyboard both became more separated from one another and easier to follow. The flute is a bit more separated as well. Even though there's a good loss of bass bloat on the HD650s, they still give you a low rumble whenever the bass guitar digs down low. The punchy high-pitched percussion is absolutely glorious on both headphones, but the D2000's treble spike plays even better to the already dynamic recording, giving the percussion a sense of energy and crispness that's outstanding. Ian's voice takes a backseat to the instruments on both headphones, but that's part of the recording. The dynamics of this already dynamic recording are very nice, on the Denons, but the HD650s play really well with instrument separation, while still retaining a good amount of dynamics with its colorless and airy treble. HD650: 5 D2000: 3
Fleet Foxes: Bedouin Dress
This is a fairly bright recording, and it doesn't help that the lead singer of Fleet Foxes has a nasally voice with an echo in the recording either. Once again, both the D2000s and HD650s draw a parallel to their sound characteristics. Both show roughly the same amount of detail retrieval and crispness, but the more apparent differences are a slight loss of mid-bass bloat and more defined strike for every hit of the kick-drum on the HD650, but a loss of impact and low-end that sort of makes the kick drum sound anemic in quieter passages. The multitude of stringed instruments are rendered beautifully on either headphone, but at times the instruments and vocals seem to have more air and separation on the HD650s; at times you almost get the sense the guitars are floating in the air on either side of your head-- suspended in air. There is no apparent loss of treble on the HD650s with this recording, as it struts its high end with the utmost of confidence, never trailing behind the Denons. Even though the Sennheisers are more airy in this recording, I'd take the added impact over more air 6 out of 7 days of the week. D2000: 5 HD650: 4
Johnny Cash: Highwayman
This recording sounds very amazing on both the Denons and Sennheisers. A better pressence of upper mids on the Sennheisers bring out the violins/brass more while giving them a better timbre compared to the Denons. The HD650's other big advantage is its open-backed quality giving it a more focused soundstage than the D2000. Just like Bedouin Dress, instruments and vocals can seem suspended in air compared to the D2000, giving the D2000 a cavernous affect. The HD650 is overall brighter in this recording, and both Willy and Johhny's voices sound heavier/meatier on the Denons. On the Sennheisers, their vocals can get slight harsh/nasally at times. Whether or not this is realistic to their true voices is beyond my expertise as once again I've never heard them in person. Instrument separation and detail are very close on both headphones for this recording, neither significantly out-doing the other. The bass drum is more apparent and impactful on the D2000, and at times tends to get lost on the HD650. However, the airy soundstage and better timbre on the HD650s wins me over for Highwayman. HD650: 5 D2000: 4
Hans Zimmer: Mombasa
The constant bombardment of orchestral bass drums and a 30-40hz reverb plays into the strengths of the Denons on this recording. This is one of the tracks that demonstrates a major difference in the two headphones' sound signatures. Coming from 4-5 listens with the D2000, the HD650 can sound quite tinny and borderline bright in comparison. The Denons hit harder with beautiful impact, but isn't quite fast enough to nearly keep up with the drum work for the cleanest and most impactful of hits. The HD650s make quick work of the drum hits on this recording, but falls short in providing the amount of energetic lower bass impact the D2000 does. Both headphones demonstrate roughly the same amount of soundstaging and instrument separation in this song. Even though both contenders have roughly the same resolution, both tend to highlight different aspects of the song better. When listening to the HD650 I heard something that sounded like a piano's bass at around the 55 second mark and then the 1:03 mark again that I didn't hear on the Denons, but going back to the D2000 I realized it was equally represented as well. Both headphones play the recording well, but with different flavors. The Denons' impact won me over at the end of the day. D2000: 5 HD650: 4
Mumford & Sons: Thistle & Weeds
Macrus's voice is every bit as sibilant on the Sennheisers as the Denons, and his voice is about as forward on the Denons as it is on the Sennheisers. However, the major difference between the two for this recording I feel is in the bass guitar. It's very present but tad bloated on the Denons, and tends to get lost on the Sennheisers at times. The drums are rendered beautifully on the Sennheisers and have a crisp attack/decay, but lose out on some impact. The horns tend to get lost a bit once the song picks up on the Denons, but remain easy to follow on the Sennheisers. Overall I feel the song has a better balance and more airy sound on the Sennheisers that the Denons can't reproduce, however the Denons render the song in a very beautiful, warm fashion, whereas the recording can sound a tad tinny on the Sennheisers in comparison. Other than the Sennheisers tending to lose the bass guitar and the Denons losing the horns, I think both headphones offer about the same amount of instrument separation and detail the song has to offer-- with a slight edge of texturing to the Sennheisers. The major difference lie within the sound signature of the headphones, and not their technicalities. Even though the Sennheisers offer a slight better technical representation of the song, I like the musicality of the Denons better for this recording. D2000: 5 HD650: 4
Lil Wayne: Outro
This rap song has a lot of mid-bass impact centered around 80-90hz, but alsoh as an underlying tone centered around 30-40hz played under the 4th, drawn out bass note of each section of the main bass line, that's also played separate starting at 1:14. Such a play gives the bass a multi-dimensional aspect that might trouble some headphones and speakers as far as extension goes. When EQ'd liberally, the Denons turn into absolute monsters when the lowest bass notes in this song are played. The bass line of the song was mastered loud enough so the Sennheisers played very well with it, but it didn't reach as low or as impactful as the Denons. The 30-40hz tones are lost in comparison, and aren't as distinctly impactful as the Denons'. The synth clap is rendered beautifully on the Sennheisers, mainly I feel due to its airy soundstage and fuller upper-mids. D2000: 5 HD650: 3
Big Tymers: Still Fly
A rather average bass line consisting of lower mid-bass throughout, but there is one special area in this classic of a song. Around the 2:52 mark there's an enormous bass drop that goes from 100hz down to subterranean levels of under 20hz in a matter of a second. It's something that only the most badass of full sized subwoofers could play back properly, and something that headphones could only dream about. That said, both the Denons and Sennhesiers receive and epic fail grade for this specific part of the song. The D2000 plays nice with the song's bass line, keeping it powerful while remaining sharp as can be on the claps and treble, and revealing enough to show every moment of clipping within the vocal recording. The Sennheisers play well with the 70-80hz bass within the song, playing it back with more tightness but less authority. The song is noticeably brighter on the Sennheisers with the vocals, and claps centered in the upper mids command attention. The underlying lower pitched horns that kick during the chorus are a bit easier to hear on the Sennheisers than the Denons as well. D2000: 5: HD650: 4
Three6Mafia: Late Night Tip
A somewhat famous bass tester of a song I've seen thrown out here and there by head-fi members on bass topics. The bass in this song goes decently low-- low enough to give the Denons trouble, as well as lots of other headphones. In the song, once the vocals kick in, a 50hz and 30hz bass tone start oscillating in the background, each lasting about 4 seconds. The Denon has no problem with the 50hz background rumble, however has some trouble with the 30hz tone, reproducing its actual tone faithfully, but not being fast enough to reproduce the full amount of impact to go along with that 30hz tone. Additionally liberally EQ'ing the Denons up at the 32hz only distorts the vocals; the D2000's microfiber drivers have met their match. The 30hz all but disappears on the Sennheisers, and the 50hz tone is anemic while lacking in impact compared to the Denons. D2000: 5 HD650: 3
Trentemøller: Moan
One of the few songs I've heard on the D2000 where the bass seems more like a constant pressure build-up rather than something audible. It's a strange phenomenon considering most of the bass in the song doesn't even go below 40hz, and it's something that's very pleasing if you're up for the earthquake. There's always something new to follow and listen to with the upper mid and treble effects in the song: both the Denons and Sennheisers produce them to a tee with absolute crispness and texture, and neither falls behind the other significantly, although it times it seems like the Sennheisers extend higher and with more air at times. The Denons have the huge advantage on the Sennheisers in the bass department in this song. Although the Sennheisers do a great job at producing a lot of the sound and impact from the mid-bass, it somehow manages to lose all of the sub-bass presence the Denons had on some passages of the song such as :54. D2000: 5 HD650: 3
Pinchas Zukerman and the St. Paul Orchestra: Violin Concerto #2 in D, K 211-1 Allegro
I wish I could write a very in-depth comparison of how the two handle every single instrument within the recording in terms of fidelity, but unfortunately I've only a couple years of experience with a band, and none of it involved orchestral string instruments like violins and cellos. However I'll try my best to describe the differences in soundstaging and instrument separation, and the two headphones' general approach to the song. Once again, the Denons' cavernous attribute takes over, and the layers of the soundstage seem a bit blurred together compared to the Sennheisers. There's a clearer separation between the center image violins and the surrounding orchestra on the HD650s, and the virtual room seems to be a tad bit bigger on the Sennheisers as well, however there's also the ironic loss of slow bass decay t hat makes the Sennheisers seem too sterile at times, and makes it seem like the orchestra isn't playing in a massive theater where bass tends to be come omnipresent. The Denons have that omnipresent bass, but it's still a tad bloated. The Denons render each instrument thicker and meatier than the Sennheisers, making it harder to distinguish between each individual instrument of a section within the orchestra. It also makes it seem like there's more 'black' background on the Sennheisers as well. Even though the omnipresent bass of the Denons gave a nice touch to the presentation of the recording, the delicacy at which the Sennheisers presented each individual set of instruments won me over. Both headphones had no trouble highlighting every small mannerism from the musicians during the recording. HD650: 5 D2000: 3
Depeche Mode: Personal Jesus
The Denons play nicely with the punchy drums and clean treble effects of the song, but the Sennheisers never lag behind on the crispness and dynamics in the upper registers either. The Sennhesers do however, lack the punch and impact of the drums when they hit deep. In that sense, the Denons have a leg up on the Sennheisers on dynamics when the drums are concerned. It's that very rendering of the drums that made me enjoy this song so much on the Denons, and doesn't make me feel as excited about it on the Sennheisers. Going from the Denons to the Sennheisers makes me notice a slight veil in the vocals on the D2000. The vocals seem more airy and a bit more forward at times on the Sennheiser, but mostly more separated from the rest of the recording. It's hard to describe, but on a lot of recordings, the voices can seem grounded with the rest of the elements in a song on the Denons, whereas at times they can become more separated within the layers of a soundstage on the Sennheisers. Once again I attribute that to the cavernous effect the closed-back Denons have compared to the open Sennheisers. Even though both headphones play this song in a super crispy and resolving matter, the impact of the Denons wins me over. However, since the Sennheisers never trialed behind in a technical fashion, I can't give it too bad a mark. D2000: 5 HD650: 4
Rage Against the Machine: Take the Power Back
The recession of the Denons' upper mids is well demonstrated in this recording. Much of the crunch that makes the guitars lively, aggressive, more textured and clearer on the HD650 is lacking on the Denons-- this is especially true around 3:10. However, the sheer impact of the mid-bass was clearly present on the Denons, the opening kick-drum of the song will floor you if you're not prepared for it. the impact of the kick-drum is lacking on the Sennheisers in comparison, but it's also leaner and a tad bit cleaner on the Sennheisers as well. Because of the kick-drum's bloated nature on the Denons, the lower notes of the bass guitar are also a tad harder to follow at times as well. The HD650 has slightly better layering to its soundstage in this recording. Even though the main guitars remain aggressive and at the forefront, the cymbals and other background instruments are a bit more separated from the center image on the Sennheisers. Although the HD650s play the recording technically better than the Denons, the sheer impact of the kick drum never goes away once the song gets going on the D2000, something which nearly every headphone struggles with on a lot of busy recordings. The HD650 is the technical champion but the D2000 has great musicality. HD650: 5 D2000: 4
Two Steps From Hell: To Glory
After a good 5 with the HD650, the first thing you notice with the D2000 is that it puts a higher emphasis on the drums within the song-- they are both louder and have a deeper timbre to them. The opening trumpets have a darker timbre on the D2000 as well. In terms of resolution and speed, the Denons seem to virtually mask the electric guitars once the song gets going. The Sennheisers do as well, but have an easier time bringing them out. I think the song might be too busy for even the Sennheisers, but it's still more separated than the Denons. Once again the HD650 is the brighter headphone of the two, and has a greater depth to its virtual soundstage. The Denons surprisingly keep up with the fast pace of the percussion, but the drum hits are a bit more hard-edged and easier to keep track of on the Sennheisers. HD650: 5 D2000: 3
Overall: D2000: 61 HD650: 59
Ratings:
These are the 11 categories I look for in an overall good pair of home listening headphones (they might not necessarily translate into your wants and needs in a headphone)
Build Quality & Presentation:
D2000: 8
HD650: 6
Comfort: Short Term:
D2000: 9
HD650: 7
Comfort: Long Term:
D2000: 7
HD650: 7
Soundstaging: Depth:
D2000: 6
HD650: 7
Soundstaging: Layering & Imaging:
D2000: 5
HD650: 7
Instrument Separation:
D2000: 6
HD650: 8
Resolution & Data Retrieval:
D2000: 8
HD650: 8
Tonal Balance:
D2000: 6
HD650: 9
Bass Extension:
D2000: 9
HD650: 6
Bass Impact:
D2000: 8
HD650: 4
Timbre:
D2000: 7
HD650: 9
Overall:
D2000: 79
HD650: 78
Conclusion:
The 500 dollar HD650 put up a great fight against my current favorite headphone, the D2000. Even though it showed its technical prowess on a lot of recordings for me, and at times made me miss the airy sound of open headphones, it ultimately lost out over the Denons because of its lesser comfort and bass extension/impact-- two things which I highly value. Overall it wasn't enough of an upgrade to warrant my spending the money. The HD650s had a very refined sound, but for my tastes it's more along the lines of a specialty headphone while the Denon still holds true as an all-around performance king. The Denon bass has yet to meet its match as far as speaker-sounding bass is concerned, and gave the HD650 a run for its money when detail was concerned. Once again I'd like to reiterate about the HD650s being overall the brighter sounding headphone. This isn't to say they're the direct offspring of a Grado, but that their neutrality in the 3-5khz region (which gets shoved right into your ears) combined with a lesser bass output compared to the Denons makes them the brighter sounding headphone of the pair. The Sennheisers robust upper-midrange and open-backed cans often times makes the Denons seem veiled in comparison in the mids as well. The performance of these headphones to me was very close, and although they're two very different headphones, I think it depends the most heavily on the recordings being fed to them more than anything. If I did something as subtle as using one less rap song and putting a jazz song or another vocal heavy song in the mix of recordings, the Sennheiser would have come out on top. The Sennheisers tended to play better with most instrumentals that didn't involve lots of heavy percussion, and most vocal/rock. The Denons performed better with electronic and hip-hop, but still had the sheer musicality and detailed sound to keep up with the Sennheisers in other genres. Either way they're both extremely well performing headphones, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend either one for their money.
Introduction:
As a long time D2000 owner, I've always liked a pair of headphones that weren't shy to strut their deep end without falling over themselves and losing clarity. After owning a couple different headphones and auditioning many more, the Denons were able to satisfy my audial needs for close to a year. However, since becoming more accustomed to my speaker setup, I began to develop a love/hate relationship with the Denons' treble and lack of soundstaging from time to time. I've listened to the HD650s time and time again before, but have never been fortunate enough to really put them through their paces vs my favorite headphones. Just recently I snuck a deal with my local hi-fi store to audition a pair of HD650s (new, silver damping version) for a week. Would the famous 'dark' and bassy HD650 satisfy my wants? Below are my musings and impressions while comparing these two head-fi juggernauts.
The Equipment:
256-1411kbps AAC/WAV files
Little Dot MKII (6N6P/CV4010)
HRT Music Streamer II
*I happen to like the Denons better out of the Little Dot than my iMac or iPhone, even if it has a worse damping factor*
Build Quality and Presentation:
Upon reading this section in Katun's comparison of these two headphones, I had to scroll up to see if it wasn't my very own avatar shown. His thoughts were so closely matched to mine I had to makesure it wasn't me who accidentally and unknowingly posted a review between these two headphones already. Most likely anybody reading this topic has already been through these ropes already, so I'll keep this section shorter than it could be.
The Denons' build quality and presentation simply make the Sennheisers look very adolescent and fragile in comparison. A quick handling of both headphones would have had me believe it would be the Sennheisers running into quality control issues fairly often. Sennheiser chose to use a very lightweight plasticy/carbon-fiber-esque material for the frame of the HD650s, and even though it makes them shockingly light, it also makes them feel very weak and toyish in comparison to the D2000s-- it's a far cry from the HD800s. The Denons on the other hand, have a good bit of heft to them, and their materials come off as very durable and elegant. The headband adjustment is silky smooth and the best I've ever had for a pair of headphones, while their earpads are also the best I've ever used or touched. The Sennheiser's headband adjustment is clunky in comparison. There's no question the Denons eat the Sennheisers alive when it comes to presentation and build quality, although it's been said multiple times the small screws on their yokes can break fairly easy. Mine havn't yet. There is one thing I'd take away from the Denons though, which is actually quite major. I don't see how a headphone with the best pads and headband I've ever seen also share the worst cable I've ever seen. This thing bothers me quite a bit, it has more memory than Ken Jennings, and it gets tangled all too often. Because of its refusal to bend easily, it's already seen some wear and tear on its jacket.
Comfort:
I think 9 out of 10 people would prefer an open headphone for both short and long term listening when comfort is concerned-- I'm one of those people as well. The Denons would like to have a talk with all the open headphones on the market. They somehow manage to have more short-term comfort than all the headphones I've personally tried and tie the AD700s (and even vs the AD700 it's an issue of weight vs fit) I once again have to give the ear pads of the Denons major props; they are a work of art when it comes to giving your ears the most natural fit they could have. The pads are of very high quality pleather and have been as supple now as when I first got them, plus their unique curvature and extra padding in the back assures your ears to barely touch the fabric covering the drivers. The Sennheiers, on the other hand, have decent comfort as well, but only match the Denons in long term comfort; they fall to the Denons in short-term comfort pretty easily. The HD650's open-backed cups and velour pads allow your ears to breathe completely naturally, and the cups themselves are smartly oval and more ergonomic, they're not circle and clumsy (Beyerdynamic I'm looking at you). Although the HD650 cups aren't as spacious and comfortable as the HD800s, your ears have plenty of space to breathe. The major, major downside to the Sennheisers is their infamous clamping force. I'd stretch my pair out and I'm sure it would help some, but they're only being borrowed. Because of the clamping pressure, I often find myself adjusting them every couple of minutes. The Denons have the perfect blend between clamping force and looseness, although they suffer in the isolation department because of it. (but at least the lower clamping force means their pads won't compress over time). Both headphones' headbands are very comfortable: the Sennheisers smartly have a split in their padding to reduce the chance for a pressure point to build up at the very top of your head. The Denons' headband padding is very soft, but also very conservative. It can get a small pressure point over a long period of time, but a slight adjustment cures it easily enough. Just like the build and presentation, the Denons win in comfort.
General Sound Signature of the HD650 compared to the D2000:
I've heard the HD650s time and time again before this prolonged session, and I never thought of them as treble shy. In short, I have to severely question anybody who's ever once called the HD650 veiled. It's either they have some seriously flawed components, or they've been used to listening to some painfully sharp headphones (ironic considering I've owned the DT990s for the longest time). The Denons can get pretty strident with their treble if a recording has too much of it, which was my initial reason for hating them in the first place, but the HD650s seriously aren't that far behind with their abundance of upper mids in comparison. Instead of the Denons making the Sennheisers seem veiled, I'd have to say the Sennheisers do the opposite. Let this comparison be the end all of the malicious hype: the veil IS a myth.
Besides the treble being completely in line and never once veiled or exaggerated on the HD650s, I have to say they have a good bit more upper mids than the D2000, which is a big reason why many people consider the D2000s to have a sucked out midrange I feel. The D2000 has a hole in the range of 3-5khz, and a large hump at 1khz that extends flat downward from there on. This isn't to say the Denons don't have midrange, because they do have one, and it's very articulate, but it's just not as aggressive as the Sennheisers. Because of those oddities in the D2000's frequency response, I have to say the Sennheisers do a far better job of transitioning from mids to highs and lows to mids. The freefall after 1khz on the Denons tend to make vocals and many instruments have a darker timbre on them compared to the Sennheisers, whereas the Sennheisers are overall the brighter sounding headphone in the mids.
A big difference the HD650 has compared to the D2000 is a lack of bloat in its upper-bass. The HD650 can give a nice mid-bass and outstanding reproduction of drum hits, but it loses out by a mile against the Denons when impact is concerned. Also note the D2000 has bass extended down to 30hz or so (but loses out on low bass impact and clarity when the full-range drivers are forced to play it during busy passages of a song). The HD650 is good down to around 50hz then takes a free fall (again bass performance is compromised during busy passages-- the full range drivers can only do so much).
Quite honestly, these silver versioned HD650s are the overall most balanced headphone I've yet to audition, but their major downfall is lack of bass extension and impact. If I could get the HD650s with subwoofer extension I'd be quite happy. (planar magnetics anybody?)
This is quite honestly what I hear between these two headphones, and is what I feel should be used instead of the headroom graphs:
The Face-Off:
In this section I'll be choosing 14 favorite recordings of mine and try to cover a good amount of genres while putting each headphone through their paces. The recordings range from mostly rock/alternative to instrumentals/clasiscal and electronic/hip-hop. I'll be dedicating an hour or two for every song to compare either headphones. Each song will get 4-5 playthroughs to give my ears enough time to acclimate to one headphone, then I'll switch to the other headphone and see if I hear any significant differences, and repeat said process three or four times over. Following each brief description of how either headphone handles the song, I'll give my opinion on which one I liked better for that particular song. My favorite performer will receive a perfect score of 5/5 while the second place contender will get anywhere from 1-4 depending how far it trailed in performance. I will then tally up all the scores and give an overall rating of each headphone. I feel this is the fairest way to compare the headphones; what I will not be doing is abx'ing specific sections of a song multiple times to look for the most subtle of differences as I feel that's not a realistic measurement of performance in a comparison.
Adele: Hometown Gory
I'm having a harder time following the piano's bass notes amid the rest of the recording when things get a bit busy on the Denons. It's definitely there and audible-- even a tad more than the HD650s, but a bit more mushy and harder to follow. If the HD650s had any less bass than it does, I'd probably lose track of the bass line. In either phone's soundstage, both Adele and the piano seem to be on the same layer with one another, and there is no significant difference in the positioning of her vocals. The recording is very intimate in general, something which sort of plays into the advantage of the D2000's lack of soundstage. Both headphones have the resolution and treble extension to pick up the slight hiss of the air and slight movements from the artists, and both have little amounts of sibilance that was from the original recording. Adele's voice remains just as chilling on both headphones, but a bit weightier and darker on the Denons. I can't say which is more true to her real voice as I've never heard her in person. Overall both headphones sound very good with this recording. HD650: 5 D2000: 4
Jethro Tull: Up To Me
This recording right away shows you just how different these headphones can sound. After listening 5 or so times on the Denons and switching to the Sennheisers, I noticed a substantial loss in mid to upper bass bloat. The bass guitar and keyboard both became more separated from one another and easier to follow. The flute is a bit more separated as well. Even though there's a good loss of bass bloat on the HD650s, they still give you a low rumble whenever the bass guitar digs down low. The punchy high-pitched percussion is absolutely glorious on both headphones, but the D2000's treble spike plays even better to the already dynamic recording, giving the percussion a sense of energy and crispness that's outstanding. Ian's voice takes a backseat to the instruments on both headphones, but that's part of the recording. The dynamics of this already dynamic recording are very nice, on the Denons, but the HD650s play really well with instrument separation, while still retaining a good amount of dynamics with its colorless and airy treble. HD650: 5 D2000: 3
Fleet Foxes: Bedouin Dress
This is a fairly bright recording, and it doesn't help that the lead singer of Fleet Foxes has a nasally voice with an echo in the recording either. Once again, both the D2000s and HD650s draw a parallel to their sound characteristics. Both show roughly the same amount of detail retrieval and crispness, but the more apparent differences are a slight loss of mid-bass bloat and more defined strike for every hit of the kick-drum on the HD650, but a loss of impact and low-end that sort of makes the kick drum sound anemic in quieter passages. The multitude of stringed instruments are rendered beautifully on either headphone, but at times the instruments and vocals seem to have more air and separation on the HD650s; at times you almost get the sense the guitars are floating in the air on either side of your head-- suspended in air. There is no apparent loss of treble on the HD650s with this recording, as it struts its high end with the utmost of confidence, never trailing behind the Denons. Even though the Sennheisers are more airy in this recording, I'd take the added impact over more air 6 out of 7 days of the week. D2000: 5 HD650: 4
Johnny Cash: Highwayman
This recording sounds very amazing on both the Denons and Sennheisers. A better pressence of upper mids on the Sennheisers bring out the violins/brass more while giving them a better timbre compared to the Denons. The HD650's other big advantage is its open-backed quality giving it a more focused soundstage than the D2000. Just like Bedouin Dress, instruments and vocals can seem suspended in air compared to the D2000, giving the D2000 a cavernous affect. The HD650 is overall brighter in this recording, and both Willy and Johhny's voices sound heavier/meatier on the Denons. On the Sennheisers, their vocals can get slight harsh/nasally at times. Whether or not this is realistic to their true voices is beyond my expertise as once again I've never heard them in person. Instrument separation and detail are very close on both headphones for this recording, neither significantly out-doing the other. The bass drum is more apparent and impactful on the D2000, and at times tends to get lost on the HD650. However, the airy soundstage and better timbre on the HD650s wins me over for Highwayman. HD650: 5 D2000: 4
Hans Zimmer: Mombasa
The constant bombardment of orchestral bass drums and a 30-40hz reverb plays into the strengths of the Denons on this recording. This is one of the tracks that demonstrates a major difference in the two headphones' sound signatures. Coming from 4-5 listens with the D2000, the HD650 can sound quite tinny and borderline bright in comparison. The Denons hit harder with beautiful impact, but isn't quite fast enough to nearly keep up with the drum work for the cleanest and most impactful of hits. The HD650s make quick work of the drum hits on this recording, but falls short in providing the amount of energetic lower bass impact the D2000 does. Both headphones demonstrate roughly the same amount of soundstaging and instrument separation in this song. Even though both contenders have roughly the same resolution, both tend to highlight different aspects of the song better. When listening to the HD650 I heard something that sounded like a piano's bass at around the 55 second mark and then the 1:03 mark again that I didn't hear on the Denons, but going back to the D2000 I realized it was equally represented as well. Both headphones play the recording well, but with different flavors. The Denons' impact won me over at the end of the day. D2000: 5 HD650: 4
Mumford & Sons: Thistle & Weeds
Macrus's voice is every bit as sibilant on the Sennheisers as the Denons, and his voice is about as forward on the Denons as it is on the Sennheisers. However, the major difference between the two for this recording I feel is in the bass guitar. It's very present but tad bloated on the Denons, and tends to get lost on the Sennheisers at times. The drums are rendered beautifully on the Sennheisers and have a crisp attack/decay, but lose out on some impact. The horns tend to get lost a bit once the song picks up on the Denons, but remain easy to follow on the Sennheisers. Overall I feel the song has a better balance and more airy sound on the Sennheisers that the Denons can't reproduce, however the Denons render the song in a very beautiful, warm fashion, whereas the recording can sound a tad tinny on the Sennheisers in comparison. Other than the Sennheisers tending to lose the bass guitar and the Denons losing the horns, I think both headphones offer about the same amount of instrument separation and detail the song has to offer-- with a slight edge of texturing to the Sennheisers. The major difference lie within the sound signature of the headphones, and not their technicalities. Even though the Sennheisers offer a slight better technical representation of the song, I like the musicality of the Denons better for this recording. D2000: 5 HD650: 4
Lil Wayne: Outro
This rap song has a lot of mid-bass impact centered around 80-90hz, but alsoh as an underlying tone centered around 30-40hz played under the 4th, drawn out bass note of each section of the main bass line, that's also played separate starting at 1:14. Such a play gives the bass a multi-dimensional aspect that might trouble some headphones and speakers as far as extension goes. When EQ'd liberally, the Denons turn into absolute monsters when the lowest bass notes in this song are played. The bass line of the song was mastered loud enough so the Sennheisers played very well with it, but it didn't reach as low or as impactful as the Denons. The 30-40hz tones are lost in comparison, and aren't as distinctly impactful as the Denons'. The synth clap is rendered beautifully on the Sennheisers, mainly I feel due to its airy soundstage and fuller upper-mids. D2000: 5 HD650: 3
Big Tymers: Still Fly
A rather average bass line consisting of lower mid-bass throughout, but there is one special area in this classic of a song. Around the 2:52 mark there's an enormous bass drop that goes from 100hz down to subterranean levels of under 20hz in a matter of a second. It's something that only the most badass of full sized subwoofers could play back properly, and something that headphones could only dream about. That said, both the Denons and Sennhesiers receive and epic fail grade for this specific part of the song. The D2000 plays nice with the song's bass line, keeping it powerful while remaining sharp as can be on the claps and treble, and revealing enough to show every moment of clipping within the vocal recording. The Sennheisers play well with the 70-80hz bass within the song, playing it back with more tightness but less authority. The song is noticeably brighter on the Sennheisers with the vocals, and claps centered in the upper mids command attention. The underlying lower pitched horns that kick during the chorus are a bit easier to hear on the Sennheisers than the Denons as well. D2000: 5: HD650: 4
Three6Mafia: Late Night Tip
A somewhat famous bass tester of a song I've seen thrown out here and there by head-fi members on bass topics. The bass in this song goes decently low-- low enough to give the Denons trouble, as well as lots of other headphones. In the song, once the vocals kick in, a 50hz and 30hz bass tone start oscillating in the background, each lasting about 4 seconds. The Denon has no problem with the 50hz background rumble, however has some trouble with the 30hz tone, reproducing its actual tone faithfully, but not being fast enough to reproduce the full amount of impact to go along with that 30hz tone. Additionally liberally EQ'ing the Denons up at the 32hz only distorts the vocals; the D2000's microfiber drivers have met their match. The 30hz all but disappears on the Sennheisers, and the 50hz tone is anemic while lacking in impact compared to the Denons. D2000: 5 HD650: 3
Trentemøller: Moan
One of the few songs I've heard on the D2000 where the bass seems more like a constant pressure build-up rather than something audible. It's a strange phenomenon considering most of the bass in the song doesn't even go below 40hz, and it's something that's very pleasing if you're up for the earthquake. There's always something new to follow and listen to with the upper mid and treble effects in the song: both the Denons and Sennheisers produce them to a tee with absolute crispness and texture, and neither falls behind the other significantly, although it times it seems like the Sennheisers extend higher and with more air at times. The Denons have the huge advantage on the Sennheisers in the bass department in this song. Although the Sennheisers do a great job at producing a lot of the sound and impact from the mid-bass, it somehow manages to lose all of the sub-bass presence the Denons had on some passages of the song such as :54. D2000: 5 HD650: 3
Pinchas Zukerman and the St. Paul Orchestra: Violin Concerto #2 in D, K 211-1 Allegro
I wish I could write a very in-depth comparison of how the two handle every single instrument within the recording in terms of fidelity, but unfortunately I've only a couple years of experience with a band, and none of it involved orchestral string instruments like violins and cellos. However I'll try my best to describe the differences in soundstaging and instrument separation, and the two headphones' general approach to the song. Once again, the Denons' cavernous attribute takes over, and the layers of the soundstage seem a bit blurred together compared to the Sennheisers. There's a clearer separation between the center image violins and the surrounding orchestra on the HD650s, and the virtual room seems to be a tad bit bigger on the Sennheisers as well, however there's also the ironic loss of slow bass decay t hat makes the Sennheisers seem too sterile at times, and makes it seem like the orchestra isn't playing in a massive theater where bass tends to be come omnipresent. The Denons have that omnipresent bass, but it's still a tad bloated. The Denons render each instrument thicker and meatier than the Sennheisers, making it harder to distinguish between each individual instrument of a section within the orchestra. It also makes it seem like there's more 'black' background on the Sennheisers as well. Even though the omnipresent bass of the Denons gave a nice touch to the presentation of the recording, the delicacy at which the Sennheisers presented each individual set of instruments won me over. Both headphones had no trouble highlighting every small mannerism from the musicians during the recording. HD650: 5 D2000: 3
Depeche Mode: Personal Jesus
The Denons play nicely with the punchy drums and clean treble effects of the song, but the Sennheisers never lag behind on the crispness and dynamics in the upper registers either. The Sennhesers do however, lack the punch and impact of the drums when they hit deep. In that sense, the Denons have a leg up on the Sennheisers on dynamics when the drums are concerned. It's that very rendering of the drums that made me enjoy this song so much on the Denons, and doesn't make me feel as excited about it on the Sennheisers. Going from the Denons to the Sennheisers makes me notice a slight veil in the vocals on the D2000. The vocals seem more airy and a bit more forward at times on the Sennheiser, but mostly more separated from the rest of the recording. It's hard to describe, but on a lot of recordings, the voices can seem grounded with the rest of the elements in a song on the Denons, whereas at times they can become more separated within the layers of a soundstage on the Sennheisers. Once again I attribute that to the cavernous effect the closed-back Denons have compared to the open Sennheisers. Even though both headphones play this song in a super crispy and resolving matter, the impact of the Denons wins me over. However, since the Sennheisers never trialed behind in a technical fashion, I can't give it too bad a mark. D2000: 5 HD650: 4
Rage Against the Machine: Take the Power Back
The recession of the Denons' upper mids is well demonstrated in this recording. Much of the crunch that makes the guitars lively, aggressive, more textured and clearer on the HD650 is lacking on the Denons-- this is especially true around 3:10. However, the sheer impact of the mid-bass was clearly present on the Denons, the opening kick-drum of the song will floor you if you're not prepared for it. the impact of the kick-drum is lacking on the Sennheisers in comparison, but it's also leaner and a tad bit cleaner on the Sennheisers as well. Because of the kick-drum's bloated nature on the Denons, the lower notes of the bass guitar are also a tad harder to follow at times as well. The HD650 has slightly better layering to its soundstage in this recording. Even though the main guitars remain aggressive and at the forefront, the cymbals and other background instruments are a bit more separated from the center image on the Sennheisers. Although the HD650s play the recording technically better than the Denons, the sheer impact of the kick drum never goes away once the song gets going on the D2000, something which nearly every headphone struggles with on a lot of busy recordings. The HD650 is the technical champion but the D2000 has great musicality. HD650: 5 D2000: 4
Two Steps From Hell: To Glory
After a good 5 with the HD650, the first thing you notice with the D2000 is that it puts a higher emphasis on the drums within the song-- they are both louder and have a deeper timbre to them. The opening trumpets have a darker timbre on the D2000 as well. In terms of resolution and speed, the Denons seem to virtually mask the electric guitars once the song gets going. The Sennheisers do as well, but have an easier time bringing them out. I think the song might be too busy for even the Sennheisers, but it's still more separated than the Denons. Once again the HD650 is the brighter headphone of the two, and has a greater depth to its virtual soundstage. The Denons surprisingly keep up with the fast pace of the percussion, but the drum hits are a bit more hard-edged and easier to keep track of on the Sennheisers. HD650: 5 D2000: 3
Overall: D2000: 61 HD650: 59
Ratings:
These are the 11 categories I look for in an overall good pair of home listening headphones (they might not necessarily translate into your wants and needs in a headphone)
Build Quality & Presentation:
D2000: 8
HD650: 6
Comfort: Short Term:
D2000: 9
HD650: 7
Comfort: Long Term:
D2000: 7
HD650: 7
Soundstaging: Depth:
D2000: 6
HD650: 7
Soundstaging: Layering & Imaging:
D2000: 5
HD650: 7
Instrument Separation:
D2000: 6
HD650: 8
Resolution & Data Retrieval:
D2000: 8
HD650: 8
Tonal Balance:
D2000: 6
HD650: 9
Bass Extension:
D2000: 9
HD650: 6
Bass Impact:
D2000: 8
HD650: 4
Timbre:
D2000: 7
HD650: 9
Overall:
D2000: 79
HD650: 78
Conclusion:
The 500 dollar HD650 put up a great fight against my current favorite headphone, the D2000. Even though it showed its technical prowess on a lot of recordings for me, and at times made me miss the airy sound of open headphones, it ultimately lost out over the Denons because of its lesser comfort and bass extension/impact-- two things which I highly value. Overall it wasn't enough of an upgrade to warrant my spending the money. The HD650s had a very refined sound, but for my tastes it's more along the lines of a specialty headphone while the Denon still holds true as an all-around performance king. The Denon bass has yet to meet its match as far as speaker-sounding bass is concerned, and gave the HD650 a run for its money when detail was concerned. Once again I'd like to reiterate about the HD650s being overall the brighter sounding headphone. This isn't to say they're the direct offspring of a Grado, but that their neutrality in the 3-5khz region (which gets shoved right into your ears) combined with a lesser bass output compared to the Denons makes them the brighter sounding headphone of the pair. The Sennheisers robust upper-midrange and open-backed cans often times makes the Denons seem veiled in comparison in the mids as well. The performance of these headphones to me was very close, and although they're two very different headphones, I think it depends the most heavily on the recordings being fed to them more than anything. If I did something as subtle as using one less rap song and putting a jazz song or another vocal heavy song in the mix of recordings, the Sennheiser would have come out on top. The Sennheisers tended to play better with most instrumentals that didn't involve lots of heavy percussion, and most vocal/rock. The Denons performed better with electronic and hip-hop, but still had the sheer musicality and detailed sound to keep up with the Sennheisers in other genres. Either way they're both extremely well performing headphones, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend either one for their money.
