[SilverEars]

Thank you! I owned an HD650 for maybe a month in 2010. It's one of my shortest owned headphones. At the time I had a DT880 and the HD650, I still own the DT880 to this day, though it is the least favorite headphone I own these days and I would sell it if it were worth anything...It's the only gear I still own from the days when I smoked cigarettes, and it still smells like it.

I went with 650. DT880 sounded too bright at the time but maybe my ears are rolled-off due to age these days. I don't like Beyers generally, constricted sounding cups. T1 was so underwhelming for a flagship. DT770 has good value for a closed-back, that's about it. I ended up selling after years of enjoyment when I transitioned to iems. There's a reason why they were so well regarded, it's due to the price and statistically well receiving among a large population of it's sound signature.

Then later I got the 6XX, and with a good system. A good jump in performance than I remember. 660S isn't really needed. It doesn't provide improvements over the already well performing classics. Maybe some people think it sound good out of portable or weak crappy sources, but 600 and 650 are better compatible with various amping (shines with quality tube amps among various amps), perform much better due to the way it scales with quality equipments. 660S has some blunted area in the response that subdues some tonalities, and therefore not as transparent as the other two.

Yeah, they are discontinued. OR are they? I mean the HD6xxs are just redesigned HD650s. They sound the same.

HD650s are not discontinued. It's being produced in Romania now.

 

[paulybatz]

Haha. Omg...that is so true.

“I learned it by watching you”

 

[CoryGillmore]

I went with 650. DT880 sounded too bright at the time but maybe my ears are rolled-off due to age these days. I don't like Beyers generally, constricted sounding cups. T1 was so underwhelming for a flagship. DT770 has good value for a closed-back, that's about it. I ended up selling after years of enjoyment when I transitioned to iems. There's a reason why they were so well regarded, it's due to the price and statistically well receiving among a large population of it's sound signature.

Then later I got the 6XX, and with a good system. A good jump in performance than I remember. 660S isn't really needed. It doesn't provide improvements over the already well performing classics. Maybe some people think it sound good out of portable or weak crappy sources, but 600 and 650 are better compatible with various amping, perform much better due to the way it scales with quality equipments. 660S has some blunted area in the response that subdues some tonalities, and therefore not as transparent as the other two.
HD650s are not discontinued. It's being produced in Romania now.

Totally agree on the DT880 having closed in cups. I do intend to snag a 6xx or 600 and an XLR cable sometime soonish. 10 years ago I just didn't feel it was a huge upgrade over the DT880, but mostly I found myself in a bit of a financial bind and the HD650 was the most valuble thing I owned, so I sold it.

I sold it to a dude in Australia via these forums. He got the headphones and was PISSED! Sent me a message saying the headphones made his entire house smell like cigarettes. Me being new to headfi, that hadn't even crossed my mind, I would sit there for hours closed up in my bedroom listening to music and smoking like a madman! He said he would pay for return shipping and that he wanted a refund. I felt terrible but I had literally already spent the damn money! I googled around a bit in a panic and saw someone mention to put the headphones outside for a day or two to get rid of smoke smells. I told him to try that and told him if it didn't get better after he tried it I would refund him (a lie). Thankfully he messaged me a couple days later and said the leaving them outside trick had completely removed the cigarette smell! Whew!

 

[paulybatz]

I’ll tell you where they are shining lately is DAC to Amp for Netflix...what a really great set of phones. And comfy too.

 

[bagwell359]

I hated the 650. It pisses bass on everything.

Correction: bass -> "midbass/upper bass" on everything.

 

[paulybatz]

Correction: bass -> "midbass/upper bass" on everything.

I can’t say that I agree… I do think it is one of those headphones and most all of the top headphones of every brand have a reliance on amp.....

I found them last night to be crisp and clear… I think it’s a lot to do with the type of music/source because I was listening to a movie… I didn’t like them as much when I was listening to Pink Floyd

 

[bagwell359]

I can’t say that I agree… I do think it is one of those headphones and most all of the top headphones of every brand have a reliance on amp.....

I found them last night to be crisp and clear… I think it’s a lot to do with the type of music/source because I was listening to a movie… I didn’t like them as much when I was listening to Pink Floyd

Too warm and dark for me. I don't listen "for fun" or for colorations (47 yrs as an audiophile will do that). I want to open my eyes and think there might actually be musicians in front of me. The percentage of that happening w/ the 650 in terms of my listening isn't that high vs fistfulls of other cans I know - starting w/ the 600.

 

[SkySilent]

Has anyone compared HD580 with HD600 (kitchen counter-top color) recently? In the older threads I've read that HD580 are considered to be most neutral of HD 6 line up? Some people say that HD580 sits perfectly between HD650 and HD600:

Bass: not as extended as 650, similar to 600
Mids: not as forward as 600
Treble: not as "dark" as 650 but not as "shouty" as 600

 

[Arainach]

The HD650 are wonderful headphones. After wearing mine down for a decade, I recently replaced the pads (the headband with stock, the dears with Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin). Around the same time I picked up the HD800s, and while they're better in some ways, the overall sound isn't blow-your-mind better most of the time. For the money, the HD650 have still been the best investment I made in audio.

 

[dsrk]

I had the LCD2C and HD650 at same time, gave away the HD650 to my nephew. After a few months returned the LCD2C to the seller with restocking fees. Got the HD6XX, they have been my daily drivers eversince.
They still hold the crown for best mid rangers.

 

[SilverEars]

I had the LCD2C and HD650 at same time, gave away the HD650 to my nephew. After a few months returned the LCD2C to the seller with restocking fees. Got the HD6XX, they have been my daily drivers eversince.
They still hold the crown for best mid rangers.

Your story is similar to mine.

I recall the 650 a bit on the warm back in the days, and sold it at some point and then recently decided to get the 6XX due to good pricing.

It didn't sound like what I recall of 650, and it may have been due to pads wearing out on the 650 over time. I also think my setup is much better than now than back in the days.

I can't say 650 is really anymore colored than 600, but in a different tilt. 650 and 600 are fairly balanced and calling them colored given the other headphones out there that really deviated from balanced in some respects. Beyers with peaks, Audeze with upper-mids dip, Grados with the usual 2k and 8-10k peaks, etc.. many headphones deviates significantly more than these two classics.

One of my biggest mistake purchase on hype was ZMF Auteurs. I really disliked it due to sound colorations from the wood, etc.. it just sounded off to me due to overly colored sound, in contrast to HD6XX. I hated that it was $1.5k for such level of technical performance and sold it as quickly as I could. I told myself never to buy another ZMF again. I heard the new Verite isn't worth it for the price sounding dark. I would go with a Denon D9200 instead, or satisfied with the wood fix from a Fostex Ebony.

There's a good reason why 6XX has such a reputation and is the best seller on Massdrop.

I would highly recommend BH Crack with 650/6XX/600

 

[dsrk]

Your story is similar to mine.

I recall the 650 a bit on the warm back in the days, and sold it at some point and then recently decided to get the 6XX due to good pricing.

It didn't sound like what I recall of 650, and it may have been due to pads wearing out on the 650 over time. I also think my setup is much better than now than back in the days.

I can't say 650 is really anymore colored than 600, but in a different tilt. 650 and 600 are fairly balanced and calling them colored given the other headphones out there that really deviated from balanced in some respects. Beyers with peaks, Audeze with upper-mids dip, Grados with the usual 2k and 8-10k peaks, etc.. many headphones deviates significantly more than these two classics.

One of my biggest mistake purchase on hype was ZMF Auteurs. I really disliked it due to sound colorations from the wood, etc.. it just sounded off to me due to overly colored sound, in contrast to HD6XX. I hated that it was $1.5k for such level of technical performance and sold it as quickly as I could. I told myself never to buy another ZMF again. I heard the new Verite isn't worth it for the price sounding dark. I would go with a Denon D9200 instead, or satisfied with the wood fix from a Fostex Ebony.

There's a good reason why 6XX has such a reputation and is the best seller on Massdrop.

I would highly recommend BH Crack with 650/6XX/600

I heard good things about D9200, some say they are the best closed back.

 

[BobG55]

I have tried many and own several other pricier cans, but the HD600 remain my favorite all arounders. Sennheiser just got it right with these models.

Same with me.

 

[paulybatz]

Wow. The D9200 look sweet??

 

[CoryGillmore]

Speaking of the flagship Denon, I think there's a used on on the forums at the moment. $1k I think.