[Sniperboy]

  I got a pair of Sennheiser HD650s yesterday and so far I prefer my HD598s. I guess I should give the 650s a little more listening time.

 
That is definitely the first time I've read that.  Don't get me wrong, I have a soft spot in my heart for the 598 as it my first foray into this mess, but after hearing the 600 and 650, I never picked the 598 up again.  However I do respect your honesty - a lot of people would have simply chosen the flavour of the month and gave in to peer pressure. I for one preferred the 600 over the 650.

 

[Schokolade bar]

I recently updated my headphones and found this to be the cycle of personal preference -
1. Balanced HD650 configuration
2. Balanced T50RP with Mrspeakers alpha pads
3. FitEar F-111
4. FitEar Parterre 
5. Hifiman HE560
6. Westone UM3X
 
Least favorite/not preferred
1. AKG K702
2. ATH M50
3. Shure SE215

 

[takato14]

   What did you find the flaws of the headphone were? 

It sounded highly tizzy, out of control, and etched to me, with disappointing bass extension and a thinner midrange than I was expecting. Very nice staging, good transients, good clarity, but too cold and loose for my tastes. Clean was not a term I would've used to describe them.

 

[kman1211]

  It sounded highly tizzy, out of control, and etched to me, with disappointing bass extension and a thinner midrange than I was expecting. Very nice staging, good transients, good clarity, but too cold and loose for my tastes. Clean was not a term I would've used to describe them.

I don't really have those problems with them after tinkering with pads and tube rolling except some minor control issues. With the stock pads and another system the headphone would sound out of control and be what you described them, the headphone needs to be beaten into submission and brought into focus. The midrange is definitely cooler than I expected but the pads and some resonance reducing dampening under the pads really helped bring the headphone into focus and made it a bit warmer, a bit more dampening can make them almost too warm. Don't have any issues with bass extension, it has plenty of sub-bass. I have learned from experience AKGs are often very dampening dependent. I just found they have a good amount of potential that can be squeezed out, I find it a headphone worth experimenting with.

 

[Tiemen]

  It sounded highly tizzy, out of control, and etched to me, with disappointing bass extension and a thinner midrange than I was expecting. Very nice staging, good transients, good clarity, but too cold and loose for my tastes. Clean was not a term I would've used to describe them.

 
How we all hear differently

I never would describe a Sextett as tizzy, etching, out of control, with disappointing bass extension and thinner midrange than expected. More the opposite....
To my ears they are one of the best sounding (semi) open headphones. The DT 150 and ZMF the best closed backs.
That is, among those I had a listen to. Of course there are better sounding ones, but I'm not willing to spend a fortune on headphones in order to find out.

 

[metalboss]

My current order of pref...
 
1) Abyss AB-1266
2) Sennheiser IE800
3) Shure SE846
4) B&W P5 Series 2
5) RHA MA600i
6) Ostry kc06a
7) Shure SE215
8) Sennheiser MM 70i
9) AKG K 550

 

[MacedonianHero]

Here is the way I'm currently feeling:
 
1.) SR009
2.) SR007 Mk1
3.) LCD-X
4.) HD800
5.) PS1000e
6.) LCD-XC
6b.)TH-900
7.) Sony Z7
8.) SE535
 
Between #4 and #5 there is a wide margin though.

 

[waynes world]

  Here is the way I'm currently feeling:
 
1.) SR009
2.) SR007 Mk1
3.) LCD-X
4.) HD800
5.) PS1000e
6.) TH-900
7.) Sony Z7
8.) SE535
 
Between #4 and #5 there is a wide margin though.

 
That's quite a disgusting list.

 

[MacedonianHero]

   
That's quite a disgusting list.

Ah, what are ya gonna do? 

 

[waynes world]

  Ah, what are ya gonna do? 

 
Remain envious apparently! 

 

 

[Mr Rick]

   
That is definitely the first time I've read that.  Don't get me wrong, I have a soft spot in my heart for the 598 as it my first foray into this mess, but after hearing the 600 and 650, I never picked the 598 up again.  However I do respect your honesty - a lot of people would have simply chosen the flavour of the month and gave in to peer pressure. I for one preferred the 600 over the 650.

Things have changed. I've put a few more hours on the HD650s and today I received a Schiit Lyr 1 Noir ( Black ). It seems the HD650s and the Lyr are a match made in heaven.  My 650s are now on the top of my short list.

 

[willowbrook]

  Things have changed. I've put a few more hours on the HD650s and today I received a Schiit Lyr 1 Noir ( Black ). It seems the HD650s and the Lyr are a match made in heaven.  My 650s are now on the top of my short list.

Amps can change everything

 

[Genjisleeps]

1) J.V.C HA-SZ2000 
2) V-Moda Crossfade LP
3) Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBL
4) Philips Downtown (Purple)
5) House Of Marley (Rebel)
6) Beyerdynamic Custom Pro White
7) A cheap $40 Superlux headphone I got at Philippines.
 
Even though I got 7 headphones I still feel like a audio/headphone noob. 

 

[ChatAlors]

My current ranking (bought more headphones/gears & spent a great time with them since) :
 
1. STAX SR-009
2. STAX SR-007MKI
3. JPS Labs Abyss AB-1266
4. SONY MDR-R10 Bass Heavy
5. STAX SR-007MKII
6. SENNHEISER HE60
7. SENNHEISER HD800
8. SONY Qualia Q-10
9. AKG K1000 Bass Heavy
10. AKG K812
11. HIFIMAN HE-6
12. AUDEZ'E LCD-X
13. BEYERDYNAMIC T1
14. FOSTEX TH900
15. ULTRASONE EDITION 12
16. SONY MDR-Z7
17. BEYERDYNAMIC DT770 Pro
18. BEYERDYNAMIC DT990 Pro

 

[skimrn]

1. STAX SR-009
2. STAX SR-007MKI
3. JPS Labs Abyss AB-1266
4. SONY MDR-R10 Bass Heavy
5. STAX SR-007MKII
6. SENNHEISER HE60
7. SENNHEISER HD800
8. SONY Qualia Q-10
9. AKG K1000 Bass Heavy
10. AKG K812
11. HIFIMAN HE-6
12. AUDEZ'E LCD-X
13. BEYERDYNAMIC T1
14. FOSTEX TH900
15. ULTRASONE EDITION 12
16. SONY MDR-Z7
17. BEYERDYNAMIC DT770 Pro
18. BEYERDYNAMIC DT990 Pro
 
Wow, that's the worst list I've seen so far on this thread!  Do you own a headphone store?