[SchwizzelKick66]

Today there are some new measurements on the hd660s2 and the fr response graph looks quite similar to some popular-modded hd600/hd650 . With the relative dip in the mids and jarring treble. But it is what makes people love modifying their 600/650. I think Sennheiser has been reading internet comments and implementing some acoustic changes like it did on the hd800s.
I promise myself to not buy any new headphone for the next few years cause I think my modded hd650 is the best hp I have bought . But my lonely heart and ocd brain now want to do otherwise ..

Got any links for these measurements?

 

[eswng679]

Today there are some new measurements on the hd660s2 and the fr response graph looks quite similar to some popular-modded hd600/hd650 . With the relative dip in the mids and jarring treble. But it is what makes people love modifying their 600/650. I think Sennheiser has been reading internet comments and implementing some acoustic changes like it did on the hd800s.
I promise myself to not buy any new headphone for the next few years cause I think my modded hd650 is the best hp I have bought . But my lonely heart and ocd brain now want to do otherwise ..

Still trying to wrap my head around the 660S2 vs. my copper-modded 650s but in the short sessions I've had switching between the two...I am noticing a bit more plankton on the 660S2s. I am picking up minute details here and there in various tracks. I will emphasize that the differences are VERY subtle between the two. I still prefer a tiny bit of EQ on the 650s vs. 660S2, which I run with no EQ. My modded 650s remain a favorite in my collection due to its syrupy notes but the 660S2's tuning makes it a better match for modern genres like pop. It really sounds like an evolution of the 650s.

TL/DR - I am personally enjoying the improvements that the 660S2 but one could reasonably argue that the $200+ premium could be spent elsewhere.

 

[Smugsie]

How's the JDS Labs Atom amp?

JDS Atom is spectacular with the HD660S2. It's neutral, airy, and has a wide soundstage which works well with the HD660S2. The flaws with the JDS Atom is that there's an upper mid glare, but it's a lot more narrow sounding than the HD600 for example. So in this case the JDS Atom tends to sound better with guitar riffs, for example Lynyrd Skynyrds Free Bird's guitar solo sounds spectacularly detailed.

The FiiO K7 narrows that soundstage, and thus hinders the HD660S2's imaging. The other hindrance with the FiiO K7 is that the treble smoothed out along with some treble detail. It also glazes over peaky upper mid glares of the JDS Atom. This combination of a more tolerable upper mid clarity and smoothness is just fantastic with wind instruments. The bass is also punchier than the JDS Atom, but I don't think the extra bass punch was needed.

So it looks like I'll be going on an adventure to research for a clean sounding source like the JDS Atom, rough treble won't be an issue for me, but a smoothed upper mid would be nice.

 

[jonathan c]

If your budget or tolerance is around $800 USD: for a wonderful solid-state h/p/a for HD-660S2 (and other h/p), I highly recommend HeadAmp Gilmore Lite II with Golden Reference power supply unit.

 

[SchwizzelKick66]

JDS Atom is spectacular with the HD660S2. It's neutral, airy, and has a wide soundstage which works well with the HD660S2. The flaws with the JDS Atom is that there's an upper mid glare, but it's a lot more narrow sounding than the HD600 for example. So in this case the JDS Atom tends to sound better with guitar riffs, for example Lynyrd Skynyrds Free Bird's guitar solo sounds spectacularly detailed.

The FiiO K7 narrows that soundstage, and thus hinders the HD660S2's imaging. The other hindrance with the FiiO K7 is that the treble smoothed out along with some treble detail. It also glazes over peaky upper mid glares of the JDS Atom. This combination of a more tolerable upper mid clarity and smoothness is just fantastic with wind instruments. The bass is also punchier than the JDS Atom, but I don't think the extra bass punch was needed.

So it looks like I'll be going on an adventure to research for a clean sounding source like the JDS Atom, rough treble won't be an issue for me, but a smoothed upper mid would be nice.

Funny, that's sort of the differences I heard between my magni modi stack and the fiio K3 with ess DAC. The soundstage on the K3 was slightly smaller, and things sounded a bit more "smoothed", vs the schiit stack which sounds slightly wider and more airy, but also more sharp. I am assuming the schiit stack and atom stack perform similarly and probably are more "correct", but sometimes it's not bad to have a source that smooths things out a bit. For me I like the larger width and more detailed presentation.

I previously had a Schiit hel and then a hel 2e, and those sounded slightly warmer and boomier, and more "in your face". Again really small differences but def there, and probably to good effect for gaming.

The differences are small though so if someone has a fiio unit or an atom/schiit stack they aren't missing out on anything vs the other. I used to be one that scoffed at people hearing differences between sources, but the 6xx changed that as you can actually tell, albeit very very slightly. The 800s you can hear difference in source even more. I'm also hearing it with the 660s2, which was NOT the case with 660s. Those sounded the same on basically everything I tried them on.

 

[Smugsie]

If your budget or tolerance is around $800 USD: for a wonderful solid-state h/p/a for HD-660S2 (and other h/p), I highly recommend HeadAmp Gilmore Lite II with Golden Reference power supply unit.

Thank you, I've added the HeadAmp to my buy list for the near future

 

[jonathan c]

I would like to ask if anyone has tried the 660S2 with the xDuoo TA-26 OTL amplifier (or DarkVoice 336SE, similar design...) ?

I will be running the 660S2 through the OTL gauntlet soon. The h/p/a will be Woo WA3 (with Tung-Sol 5998, pair Western Electric 396A).

 

[jonathan c]

Thank you, I've added the HeadAmp to my buy list for the near future

The $800 USD is total for both amp + psu.

 

[tombrisbane]

Soundstage NDH 30 also towards HD800S?

Nope, the HD800S is still the king there! (Although a somewhat artificial one )

 

[funkymartyn]

Well digging my 660s tonight fed my my old mint Topping NX1 . Via line-out on Fiio M3pro . Playing top fusion / funky jazz . Naoya Matsuoka. And sounding good. Bongos on left, drums on right , sax , horns middle. Very nice .......

 

[ku1185]

So I tried these a few times at Canjam just a couple of hours ago, including side-by-side with HD660S and HD600s (newer model).

I thought the difference between S1 and S2 was quite stark. Much more bass and treble presence with the S2. Almost feels like a different presentation entirely with slightly less mid-focus and much more prominent/faster transients.

Will give them another go tomorrow. =)

 

[Plieb]

If your budget or tolerance is around $800 USD: for a wonderful solid-state h/p/a for HD-660S2 (and other h/p), I highly recommend HeadAmp Gilmore Lite II with Golden Reference power supply unit.

Any pairing thoughts on singxer sa1 or Rebel Amp?

 

[solid12345]

I will be running the 660S2 through the OTL gauntlet soon. The h/p/a will be Woo WA3 (with Tung-Sol 5998, pair Western Electric 396A).

No room to hookup my darkvoice right now but I dusted off my old Luxman-R115 and I’d forgotten how dynamics can really sing on these vintage (is 80s vintage now?) amps. The bass just roared like a monster in the dungeon and has that real old-school warm sound compared to the more metallic tinge I find in modern phones. That is what I love about the Sennheiser line is how versatile they are, I still liked it yesterday but on an old analog amp without all the modern digital processing it really gives Focal a run for its money in the dynamics department.

 

[Dust by Monday]

which was NOT the case with 660s. Those sounded the same on basically everything I tried them on.

Thank you for confirming that’s the case with the 660s. I tried them on multiple amps, portable, desktop, Bluetooth and straight out of my iPhone and I couldn’t hear a difference in any of them. I also had no issues with getting them to a reasonable volume on any source too.

 

[jonathan c]

Any pairing thoughts on singxer sa1 or Rebel Amp?

Sorry, I have no experience with either .