[TinearedOne]

Well, just plugged in my brand spanking new HD 600s and now I know what y’all mean by “clamp.”

 

[IXOYE]

Well, just plugged in my brand spanking new HD 600s and now I know what y’all mean by “clamp.”

Enjoy, it's easy to fix.

 

[TinearedOne]

Enjoy, it's easy to fix.

It's not that bad. I was joking a bit. It just has more clamp than my AKG K612 Pro and Hifiman X-4, which both have approximately zero. I assume the headphones take some time to burn in, but they do already sound significantly better than either of the others I have. They are more detailed-resolving than the K612. They present the mids in the proper place, instead of sucking them into the background like the X-4. I'm looking forward to "discovering" a bunch of old music with them. So far, so good.

 

[Hypops]

It's not that bad. I was joking a bit. It just has more clamp than my AKG K612 Pro and Hifiman X-4, which both have approximately zero. I assume the headphones take some time to burn in, but they do already sound significantly better than either of the others I have. They are more detailed-resolving than the K612. They present the mids in the proper place, instead of sucking them into the background like the X-4. I'm looking forward to "discovering" a bunch of old music with them. So far, so good.

The out-of-the-box clamp of the HD 600 is a bit like being poked with a blade of grass. It's noticeable, but too lightweight to be much of a bother. And I've got an unusually large head.

 

[kman1211]

The out-of-the-box clamp of the HD 600 is a bit like being poked with a blade of grass. It's noticeable, but too lightweight to be much of a bother. And I've got an unusually large head.

Yeah I actually found the HD 600 (and HD 660S) the least clampy of the the HD 6xx line. The HD 650 and especially the HD 660S2 were very clampy to the point I had to stretch them some on a box for a bit whereas I didn't on the HD 600 and HD 660S. It actually caused me fatigue on the S2 but now it's fine thankfully. This is of recent production models of each. Could be luck of the draw where it's random how much the clamp is or maybe clamp varies depending on the model.

 

[kman1211]

It's not that bad. I was joking a bit. It just has more clamp than my AKG K612 Pro and Hifiman X-4, which both have approximately zero. I assume the headphones take some time to burn in, but they do already sound significantly better than either of the others I have. They are more detailed-resolving than the K612. They present the mids in the proper place, instead of sucking them into the background like the X-4. I'm looking forward to "discovering" a bunch of old music with them. So far, so good.

I have the K612 as well (an early Austrian made one with a lot of wear), the HD 600 is a tier above the AKG.

 

[TinearedOne]

Well, I can say one thing about the HD 600s. They make me want to turn up the music. That may be bad for my hearing, but my tolerance of higher volumes is definitely related to the more even way in which they present the music compared to my Hifiman and AKG headphones.

Post listening clamp feeling is definitely real on this, the first day, though. It's not bothering me while they are on, just very clear they were there when I take them off. Comfort while they are on is fine. Also, I like the cable except for the ridiculous length. I really don't need 3M of cable. It is not microphonic at all.

As for a comment I read over and over in reviews, I don't know what people are saying about lack of bass response. For my musical tastes, bass notes are reproduced just as they should be. I don't notice the rolloff, just the clean bass the headphones have, and I have zero desire to EQ.

Glad I bit the bullet and finally invested in some of these cans.

 

[bagwell359]

Well, I can say one thing about the HD 600s. They make me want to turn up the music. That may be bad for my hearing, but my tolerance of higher volumes is definitely related to the more even way in which they present the music compared to my Hifiman and AKG headphones.

Post listening clamp feeling is definitely real on this, the first day, though. It's not bothering me while they are on, just very clear they were there when I take them off. Comfort while they are on is fine. Also, I like the cable except for the ridiculous length. I really don't need 3M of cable. It is not microphonic at all.

As for a comment I read over and over in reviews, I don't know what people are saying about lack of bass response. For my musical tastes, bass notes are reproduced just as they should be. I don't notice the rolloff, just the clean bass the headphones have, and I have zero desire to EQ.

Glad I bit the bullet and finally invested in some of these cans.

If the AKG-612 and HE-4XX are your reference headphones than the lack of low bass of the HD-600 won't seem like a problem. The other two hold up pretty well into the 40's a bit below the 600. If you listen to acoustic music its not an issue, but modern music that purposely tries to have a lot of loud content under that lacks a bit on all 3.

The timbre and speed of the Senn is excellent, and that's the sort of music I run on them, and they as you say are just fine.

 

[TinearedOne]

If the AKG-612 and HE-4XX are your reference headphones than the lack of low bass of the HD-600 won't seem like a problem. The other two hold up pretty well into the 40's a bit below the 600. If you listen to acoustic music its not an issue, but modern music that purposely tries to have a lot of loud content under that lacks a bit on all 3.

The timbre and speed of the Senn is excellent, and that's the sort of music I run on them, and they as you say are just fine.

Yeah, I leave the thumping artificial bass-tone music to my kids.

 

[Hypops]

As for a comment I read over and over in reviews, I don't know what people are saying about lack of bass response. For my musical tastes, bass notes are reproduced just as they should be. I don't notice the rolloff, just the clean bass the headphones have, and I have zero desire to EQ.

Totally. As I've learned with loudspeakers, bass rolloffs are inevitable. What sets headphones apart from one another is how they rolloff. There's magic in a good bass curve. I'll take a good bass curve--regardless of where it rolls off--over unshaped bass extension any day.

I have a pet theory that the reason the Harman preference data is all over the place when it comes to bass is because people care less about how much bass there is in a pair of headphones (or speakers) than they do about how bass is proportioned/shaped.

 

[kman1211]

As I've learned with loudspeakers, bass rolloffs are inevitable. The thing that sets headphones apart is how they rolloff. There's magic in a good bass curve. I'll take a good bass curve--regardless of where it rolls off--over unshaped bass extension any day.

I actually have a pet theory that the reason the Harman preference data is all over the place when it comes to bass is because people care less about how much bass there is in a pair of headphones (or speakers) than they do about how it's proportioned/shaped.

I think that is true, I’ve noticed some headphones with not much bass I enjoy quite a bit and don’t feel it’s missing anything and others with plenty of bass that annoys me, and vice versa.

I have zero issue with the bass response with the HD 600, in fact I like how it presents bass quite a bit and have zero issues with its lack of extension. I find the HD 650’s and HD660S’s lack of extension on the other hand a little problematic though. I also really like how the very bass prominent and nicely extending T1.3 sounds as it has a very nice bass presentation and shape to my ears, whereas I find the HD 660S2’s nicely extended and present bass a bit problematic for my ears and takes careful system matching to make me content with it. I also really like the bass presentation on my R70x.

 

[bagwell359]

Totally. As I've learned with loudspeakers, bass rolloffs are inevitable. What sets headphones apart from one another is how they rolloff. There's magic in a good bass curve. I'll take a good bass curve--regardless of where it rolls off--over unshaped bass extension any day.

I have a pet theory that the reason the Harman preference data is all over the place when it comes to bass is because people care less about how much bass there is in a pair of headphones (or speakers) than they do about how bass is proportioned/shaped.

I think you're talking about excessive bass anywhere in the range. Some have excess mid/upper bass which masquerades (somewhat) as having full bass. Often they are overly warm, and sloppy ('Q' too high) with chesty male voices and instruments bleeding into each other. Some (usually closed backs) have extra bass low down and sometimes from 400 Hz down. Overblown and inaccurate musically - but some love them.

A can like the HD-600 has quick bass, and has good timbre - that's better to me (and seems you too) than the phonies. Of course there are headphones that do bass all the way down, very well even if w/ open backs there is some loss in volume. Many of those are planars, a bit of PEQ, and viola. The HD-600's cannot be EQ'd to give convincing bass under 40 Hz, and the copper ring mod boosts mid bass more than low bass and boosts 3k too - which is the worst place to add to those.

 

[jonathan c]

:

 

[bagwell359]

Totally. As I've learned with loudspeakers, bass rolloffs are inevitable. What sets headphones apart from one another is how they rolloff. There's magic in a good bass curve. I'll take a good bass curve--regardless of where it rolls off--over unshaped bass extension any day.

I got to thinking about this again. Bass rolloff isn't inevitable, but it is expensive to obtain a flat response. even moreso if its not just FR that is being addressed. Also, it's not magic, it's engineering and then for speakers - room tuning and supporting equipment. For the headphones I use (only open backs) it's PEQ, and supporting equipment.

For me bass is 3rd on the list after mids and highs. Highs I think are more important because a really good high end supports mids and even bass (percussion esp) with proper harmonics. Bass is of course foundational - but as long as its quick to start and stop giving it proper timbre above 75 Hz it is most of the battle. Both my speakers and the HD-600 start to fade under 75 Hz, and do little under 35 Hz, that's one octave. I borrowed a Crown amp with a L-R 24 db bass slope to add woofers I have that are flat to 34 Hz and it didn't make an impression on 90% of what I listen too.

That brings me back to the 600's and lots of good equipment that captures the essence of the recording, and whatever it lacks - it just doesn't do, whereas speakers (except the bit of extra at 3k and 6k) and headphones that are additive fatigue much quicker.

 

[Hypops]

I got to thinking about this again. Bass rolloff isn't inevitable, but it is expensive to obtain a flat response. even moreso if its not just FR that is being addressed. Also, it's not magic, it's engineering and then for speakers - room tuning and supporting equipment. For the headphones I use (only open backs) it's PEQ, and supporting equipment.

I should probably have clarified. I didn't mean to suggest that bass rolloff is universal, since it obviously isn't. By "inevitable," I just meant that the longer you're in the hobby, the less you will be able to avoid it.

For me bass is 3rd on the list after mids and highs. Highs I think are more important because a really good high end supports mids and even bass (percussion esp) with proper harmonics. Bass is of course foundational - but as long as its quick to start and stop giving it proper timbre above 75 Hz it is most of the battle. Both my speakers and the HD-600 start to fade under 75 Hz, and do little under 35 Hz, that's one octave. I borrowed a Crown amp with a L-R 24 db bass slope to add woofers I have that are flat to 34 Hz and it didn't make an impression on 90% of what I listen too.

Bass takes center stage for me. Much more than the high treble ("air" region), it is the bass that establishes the size of the soundstage. As Esperanza Spaulding once said in an interview, "The bass lays out the dance floor." That's true for me while wearing headphones as much as it is while listening to loudspeakers. Sub-bass especially. Must be something to do with the omnidirectionality of bass.

This is an area where the HD 600 lacks for me. They communicate bass just fine, but they don't give me a sense of "space" via bass the way that other headphones do.