[Audict123]

The Massdrop offering is really attractive but came right after I bought a second set of HD650. I remember when my first HD650's arrived some 10 years ago. Thick, slow sound. Guess what: the new pair again is thick and slow... Having the well burned in pair, a direct comparison can be made and the difference is huge. Way bigger than eg between stock Elise tubes and my personal favorite tubes. After some 100 hours of burn-in, the highs have really opened up but the lows are still thick and slow. I'm confident more playing time will cure that too. Summarizing: if you buy HD650, give them time before you judge them. Burned in and powered by a fitting amp like Elise, HD650's are just incredible. I liked them more than baby Orpheus, which didn't get 10% of the playing time when I owned both at the same time.  

 

[connieflyer]

Thanks for reminding me of why I sold off both pairs, the first pair I had for over five years and the bass never did improve much. Tried the newer pair and after a few hundred hours gave up moved to the 700, which was much better, but now with the 800 I think I will leave things alone.  I had the T1 V1 and really like those as well until the left driver gave out and amazon could not replace them ad the dealer they got them through did not offer exchanges, so amazon refunded the money and I bought the 800. If I could be sure on the drivers, I would get another T1 v1.  With the Elise the sound is excellent with the T1 and 800. So thank you for reminding meabout the long burnin and slow bass.  Will pass on these now, I owe you one.

 

[DecentLevi]

Hi all, just a quick note - yeah the special socket savers I mentioned a few pages back are not likely to make an improvement in SQ - the seller even told me so, it's just that maybe one customer had some fluke experience (or placebo effect) to why his sounded better with those, and the only thing that sets those apart from standard socket savers is silicone rubber in in the adapter, which wouldn't seem to do much. In anticipation for my major bag of tube goodies incoming and to spare my Elise from too much wear & tear, I'll be getting just the standard black socket savers... seems perhaps the tubes would wiggle in/out more easily from a cheap one rather than the fancy socket savers like the one shown in H1's new upgraded Elise which would appear to make a very tight fit.

 

[Spork67]

  Thanks for reminding me of why I sold off both pairs, the first pair I had for over five years and the bass never did improve much. Tried the newer pair and after a few hundred hours gave up moved to the 700, which was much better, but now with the 800 I think I will leave things alone.  I had the T1 V1 and really like those as well until the left driver gave out and amazon could not replace them ad the dealer they got them through did not offer exchanges, so amazon refunded the money and I bought the 800. If I could be sure on the drivers, I would get another T1 v1.  With the Elise the sound is excellent with the T1 and 800. So thank you for reminding meabout the long burnin and slow bass.  Will pass on these now, I owe you one.

This might save me some $ also.
As someone who's had both HPs, is there any advantage to the HD650 over T1G1?
If the T1 is better in every way then I can't justify another mid-fi purchase, regardless of how good a deal it might be.
 
(Would get a pair for one of the kids for xmas - but just recently gave she-child some ATH-AD900x, and minime mk1 has some HE-350's on their way already.)
 
Edit.
Although these might not be better, or as good, as my T1s, I'm convinced they will be WAAAAY better than the HE-350s.
If I can get in on the drop I will, and sell the HE-350s.

 

[HOWIE13]

Just some thoughts about these current topics.
 
I've never fallen in love with the HD650. It's useful for equipment comparisons because lots of people know it's sound signature but I've always found it lacks bite and dynamics.
I also find the sound stage claustrophobic, like listening through a letter box- not much height or depth to the sound. It definitely sounds better with better amps, like Elise, when the treble becomes more pronounced  but then it sounds to me odd, when the treble is clarified but the bass is somewhat inarticulate in comparison. I find it doesn't compare to my AKG 702/712, both of which open a window to the sound compared to the HD650. I do, however, like the HD600. I appreciate it will depend on your musical taste- HD650 will suit laid back, relaxing music and an overly bright system.
 
As to socket savers, unless needed to raise certain tubes above the amp casing, as with my Vali2, I tend not to use them.
 
I don't see the point of spending hundreds of pounds on an amp, then another load of money on expensive tubes to have what is essentially a mass produced, non audiophile grade product at the end of the circuit. If the socket breaks I'll pay for a repair or consider whether I can use it as an excuse to treat myself to a new amp.
The only place I have a socket saver is in my tube tester.
 
As for hyperbolic, rave reviews, I suspect quite a few are written for marketing purposes.

 

[Spork67]

Good information there @HOWIE13
Your impressions of the '650s makes me think yet again...
My boy will use his HPs for music AND gaming, and I'd imagine positioning and sound stage will be more important to him that musicality or fidelity.
I'd imagined the '650s would do this well, given the HD-800's reputation for being about the best there is for these.
Is there another HP in the $200 price barcket that would be better for both gaming and music (he likes heavy metal)?
 
nb. He has my old Yulong u100 amp, it's on the warm / dark side, so maybe it will pair better with the HE-350's...
 
 
Your reasoning re: "If I break a socket - buy a new amp" has merit... 

 

[HOWIE13]

  Good information there @HOWIE13
Your impressions of the '650s makes me think yet again...
My boy will use his HPs for music AND gaming, and I'd imagine positioning and sound stage will be more important to him that musicality or fidelity.
I'd imagined the '650s would do this well, given the HD-800's reputation for being about the best there is for these.
Is there another HP in the $200 price barcket that would be better for both gaming and music (he likes heavy metal)?
 
nb. He has my old Yulong u100 amp, it's on the warm / dark side, so maybe it will pair better with the HE-350's...
 
 
Your reasoning re: "If I break a socket - buy a new amp" has merit... 

 
I'm not really into gaming or heavy metal but the AKG K702 is, I think, fantastic value for sound-stage, clarity and excitement and I would imagine it might suit. The K712 has a more refined treble and even bigger sound stage, but is more expensive. I would think about the HD600, though it's also a bit above $200,, it's cleaner in the upper mids and provides for me better imaging than the HD650, and has a clearer and more dynamic bass. It's only the way I hear it though.
It's really hard to advise firmly though-maybe others can chip in here to help.

 

[HOWIE13]

@Spork67     'Your reasoning re: "If I break a socket - buy a new amp" has merit.'.
 
Here's how it works in our house:
 
 
Me ( sobbing to wife):   I've had no sleep all night worrying about my music.
Wife;(unconcerned)      Why, what's up now?
Me (plaintively)            My amplifier's broke and I only hear sound from one channel
Wife;                          What's a channel?
Me;                            Half the sound.
Wife;                          So? Does it matter-just put up the volume.
Me:                            No it's more than that, anyway all the money I've spent on tubes and headphones is now wasted unless I buy a new amp.
Wifewith venom)       Get it repaired then
Me                             Well technology has advanced so much in the last year it's not worth repairing and it will cost a fortune to send it to Poland anyway.
Wife::                         Oh alright- anything to get you out of my way, I can't bear the thought of you spending all day eating and making a mess, better you have your                                        music to listen to.
Meto myself)             YAY!!!!!

 

[hypnos1]

  Just some thoughts about these current topics.
 
I've never fallen in love with the HD650. It's useful for equipment comparisons because lots of people know it's sound signature but I've always found it lacks bite and dynamics.
I also find the sound stage claustrophobic, like listening through a letter box- not much height or depth to the sound. It definitely sounds better with better amps, like Elise, when the treble becomes more pronounced  but then it sounds to me odd, when the treble is clarified but the bass is somewhat inarticulate in comparison. I find it doesn't compare to my AKG 702/712, both of which open a window to the sound compared to the HD650. I do, however, like the HD600. I appreciate it will depend on your musical taste- HD650 will suit laid back, relaxing music and an overly bright system.
 
As to socket savers, unless needed to raise certain tubes above the amp casing, as with my Vali2, I tend not to use them.
 
I don't see the point of spending hundreds of pounds on an amp, then another load of money on expensive tubes to have what is essentially a mass produced, non audiophile grade product at the end of the circuit. If the socket breaks I'll pay for a repair or consider whether I can use it as an excuse to treat myself to a new amp.
The only place I have a socket saver is in my tube tester.
 
As for hyperbolic, rave reviews, I suspect quite a few are written for marketing purposes.

 
Wholeheartedly agree H13...never fully grasped this until I got the T1s lol!!...no comparison!

...
 
Re. socket savers, your point is precisely why I never fancied using them, despite my amp's sockets being "awkward" LOL!!  As I mentioned previously, by taking certain precautions with Elise's ones, hopefully there shouldn't be too much of a problem with 'excessive' rolling (which the F-A guys didn't fully anticipate!

). Actually, if those - as DL said - "looser" pin receptors do indeed get pushed about too much, careful prising with either very small precision pliers or watch-repair screwdrivers can in fact get them back into better/tighter position.
 
The top quality sockets in my new amp will indeed probably be a tighter fit, and so shall still have to ensure all tube pins are straight as can be, and as smooth/clean as possible...which is no real problem for me anyway, as my best tubes are either adapted using gold-plated pin bases, or I gold-plate the pins of tubes' native bases...such as the GEC powers lol (easier though of course is to clean and smooth the pins with fine emery paper, then treat with Deoxit).
 
And yeah...let's hope excessively hyperbolic, rave statements are left behind us once and for all!!

...(but please allow me a certain leeway when my new amp caresses my ears!

...which should be in just a few hours now!!!

...).

 

[HOWIE13]

   
Wholeheartedly agree H13...never fully grasped this until I got the T1s lol!!...no comparison!

...
 
Re. socket savers, your point is precisely why I never fancied using them, despite my amp's sockets being "awkward" LOL!!  As I mentioned previously, by taking certain precautions with Elise's ones, hopefully there shouldn't be too much of a problem with 'excessive' rolling (which the F-A guys didn't fully anticipate!

). Actually, if those - as DL said - "looser" pin receptors do indeed get pushed about too much, careful prising with either very small precision pliers or watch-repair screwdrivers can in fact get them back into better/tighter position.
 
The top quality sockets in my new amp will indeed probably be a tighter fit, and so shall still have to ensure all tube pins are straight as can be, and as smooth/clean as possible...which is no real problem for me anyway, as my best tubes are either adapted using gold-plated pin bases, or I gold-plate the pins of tubes' native bases...such as the GEC powers lol (easier though of course is to clean and smooth the pins with fine emery paper, then treat with Deoxit).
 
And yeah...let's hope excessively hyperbolic, rave statements are left behind us once and for all!!

...(but please allow me a certain leeway when my new amp caresses my ears!

...which should be in just a few hours now!!!

...).

 
OMG a few hours-I'm surprised you are still at your computer and not pacing up and down outside waiting for the brown UPS van 

 
Now remember, if there's any doubt in your mind which version sounds better, A/B comparisons are best and I could easily come to 'The Swan' with my original, socket perfect (as of now) amp to help you make comparisons. LOL

 

[hypnos1]

   
OMG a few hours-I'm surprised you are still at your computer and not pacing up and down outside waiting for the brown UPS van 

 
Now remember, if there's any doubt in your mind which version sounds better, A/B comparisons are best and I could easily come to 'The Swan' with my original, socket perfect (as of now) amp to help you make comparisons. LOL

 
Hi H13....did I say a few hours?...should have said minutes, lol!....THE NEW AMP IS HERE, FOLKS!!...and I'm drooling already (once again!

), just looking at it :
 
A few shots for starters...more later...

...
 

 

 

 
Hands still shaking...hope I don't drop her!!
 
ps. Looks like the front plate is slightly less matte than my original, presumably in response to remarks re. dust attraction...(but I believe this may have been the case for a while?...).
 
BFN guys...need my dose of Caffeine to (try!) and settle my nerves LOL...CHEERS!...

 

[connieflyer]

Put another pot of coffee on start the show! So happy to hear she has arrived, must have been a sleepless night.  Well, will be waiting patiently (not) for your initial reactions.  Go forth and listen H!

 

[HOWIE13]

@hypnos1
 
Steady your hands before you insert the tubes, otherwise another socket may break, LOL 
 
Good luck!

 

[hypnos1]

Thanks @connieflyer and @HOWIE13...new girl next to the old gal for starters - tears in my eyes already!

...but also filled with joy for what (hopefully!) is in store...(afraid any sensible report wiill have to wait a wee while...sorry cf!

...but not sure just how patient I can be either, mon ami!!).
 
And a trip to Lavenham sure does sound exciting, H13!!

...despite 'Witchfinder General' vibes lol!!

...
 
Now for that extra strong coffee!...BFN (once again!!)...
 

 
Oh dear..."scratching of eyes out" do I sense - behave girls!!

...

 

[HOWIE13]

  Thanks @connieflyer and @HOWIE13...new girl next to the old gal for starters - tears in my eyes already!

...but also filled with joy for what (hopefully!) is in store...(afraid any sensible report wiill have to wait a wee while...sorry cf!

...but not sure just how patient I can be either, mon ami!!).
 
And a trip to Lavenham sure does sound exciting, H13!!

...despite 'Witchfinder General' vibes lol!!

...
 
Now for that extra strong coffee!...BFN (once again!!)...
 

 
Oh dear..."scratching of eyes out" do I sense - behave girls!!

...

 
Not strong coffee H1-the caffeine will increase your shakes-better a soothing Horlicks, or hot chocolate, with a small whisky-then to work. YIPPEE!!!