[ButtUglyJeff]

Do they really have so much bass?

 
They can, if properly driven.  But I never, ever find it overwhelming.  Something like the M100s are more for getting blasted with bass...

 

[ridethespiral]

They handled the bass boosted songs insanely well. Shook my head! They only play however much bass is actually in the song though. They aren't bass heavy, but they sure can pump it out when you feed it to them . The bass boosted songs are abnormally bass heavy, which is the point, but they certainly have authority when amped with well balanced songs.

 

[MattTCG]

I'm still amazed at how good actual sub bass sounds on the 650/crack. I put on a little Modest Mouse last night and was picking my jaw off the floor. Stand out tracks: The World at Large (listen for the bass to kick in at about 1 minute), Blame it on the Tetons...just wow. 

 
Maybe my Obligato caps are partly responsible for sub bass abilities...not sure. 

 

[Solrighal]

I've ordered my HD650's from Amazon. I should get them on Wednesday or Thursday. I just hope my ODAC / O2 is enough to let them do their stuff. This is kinda my big test. I've buggered about with different headphones in the past but never really had a plan. The ODAC / O2 was bought because I wanted an amp that was transparent and cheap. I don't really care about looks. I should now be able to select from a range of headphones to suit the music rather than having one pair and using EQ all over the place. I'll never have the money to move above the HD650 but I know there's a range of upgrades & mods I can perform to keep me going.

That's the plan anyway.

Edit - "I don't care about looks", lol. That'll be why I've ordered a cast aluminium volume knob from New York for my O2

 

[cddc]

  I'm still amazed at how good actual sub bass sounds on the 650/crack. I put on a little Modest Mouse last night and was picking my jaw off the floor. Stand out tracks: The World at Large (listen for the bass to kick in at about 1 minute), Blame it on the Tetons...just wow. 

 
Maybe my Obligato caps are partly responsible for sub bass abilities...not sure. 

lol...how's your Crack with Speedball compared to Uberforst&Lyr?

 

[cddc]

I've ordered my HD650's from Amazon. I should get them on Wednesday or Thursday. I just hope my ODAC / O2 is enough to let them do their stuff. This is kinda my big test. I've buggered about with different headphones in the past but never really had a plan. The ODAC / O2 was bought because I wanted an amp that was transparent and cheap. I don't really care about looks. I should now be able to select from a range of headphones to suit the music rather than having one pair and using EQ all over the place. I'll never have the money to move above the HD650 but I know there's a range of upgrades & mods I can perform to keep me going.

That's the plan anyway.

Edit - "I don't care about looks", lol. That'll be why I've ordered a cast aluminium volume knob from New York for my O2

I am quite new to the HiFi world too. But I heard O2 / ODAC should be good enough to power up the HD650. O/O and Mody/valhalla are about the same level (from what I read from the forum). So just save your money for the next upgrade - either HD800 or BH Crack with SB...IMHO.

 

[Androb]

  I'm still amazed at how good actual sub bass sounds on the 650/crack. I put on a little Modest Mouse last night and was picking my jaw off the floor. Stand out tracks: The World at Large (listen for the bass to kick in at about 1 minute), Blame it on the Tetons...just wow. 

 
Maybe my Obligato caps are partly responsible for sub bass abilities...not sure. 

Listen too some James blake His self-titled album have some pretty amazing bass!

 

[spiderking31]

This is my setup..sennheiser hd650, marantz cd5004, blue Dragon v3 headphone cable, monster prolink cable, little dot mk3 tube amp with telefunken 6ak5w driver tubes

 

[atraf]

  I am quite new to the HiFi world too. But I heard O2 / ODAC should be good enough to power up the HD650. O/O and Mody/valhalla are about the same level (from what I read from the forum). So just save your money for the next upgrade - either HD800 or BH Crack with SB...IMHO.

where did you read O2/ODAC and mody/valhalla are in the same level ? how can it be ? its 170$ difference ? is it really ain't worth the 170$?

 

[smallmany]

Well you see, the value of money is quite subjective as sonics in this hobby. The value of 170$ to me compared to you can differ. Now if you value $170 a lot, the amount of improvement you expect may not be reflected by the price of the Modi/Valhalla.

 

[BobG55]

The HD650 has been one of my two favourite HPs for years (the other is the HD600).  After reading the many posts lately pertaining to the HD650/BHC w/Speedball I was ready to pull the trigger on my wallet (poor thing's full of holes since I've joined Head-fi) to get the BHC when behold : what do I see in the classifieds HP amps for sale but the one I'd been waiting and praying about for over a year : the Trafomatic Experience Head One. I use the Trafo w/NOS Reflector 6S45P tubes & a NOS RFT EZ80 Vintage Vacuum Rectifier Tube. I've had the amp for about two weeks now & I have a message for all the Head-fiers who have used the v word in association with the HD650 sound (I refuse to write or pronounce the v word out loud but here's a hint at what the word is : 

).  Once you get yourself a good HP amp you will never again associate the v word with the HD650.  The sound is clear, clean, full, lush, the bass is strong and clear, no grain, no treble roll off and all instruments have their own space and when they blend together there's no grain whatsoever.  
 
I'm using the HD650, HD600 & Shure srh1540 & that's it for my upgrading (for quite a while anyways).  I've been listening to some of my favourite albums & they sound totally different.  I've upgraded in the past to such HPs as the HD800, HD700, Audeze LCD-2 rev2, RSi.1, Tesla T1, with other amps such as the Burson Soloist, HA-160D, Graham Slee Ultra Linear Diamond, Schiit Lyr, Valhalla, Asgard 1&2, Teac HA-501, et al.  & I feel I've finally found the sound I've been looking for.  The HD650 is my favourite HP & the 600 is a very close second.  It depends on the production of the album and how I feel on the particular occasion I'm listening to music.  
 
I'm not good at describing the sound in technical terms but I know one thing is for sure : the HD650 is the best HP I've owned because with the right amp it delivers the sound I enjoy best.  The symmetry of this HP amp & HP is bliss.

 

[cddc]

  where did you read O2/ODAC and mody/valhalla are in the same level ? how can it be ? its 170$ difference ? is it really ain't worth the 170$?

cannot remember exactly where I read it...read hundreds of pages in the last couple of weeks. my general impression is that O/O should be a good starting point for 650. to me Crack with SB would possibly be my next upgrade if I already owns O/O.

 

[cddc]

Besides, I totally agree with smallmany that $170 would not make a big difference here. Sometimes a $1,000 amp might sound as bad as a $500 amp. 

 

[Solrighal]

where did you read O2/ODAC and mody/valhalla are in the same level ? how can it be ? its 170$ difference ? is it really ain't worth the 170$?

If only real life were this simple. They're both in the same league for sure. I thought about the Schiit combo but I'm happier with the O2 ethos.

 

[blownaway]

Anyone using the HD650 as their portable headphone?  
 
I'm looking at the HD650 for use during walks and chores around the house.  I'll be mating it with the AK120 and the Pure II amp (at least that's the plan).  
 
Also-I just received my HD650's last week and plugged them into my 5th gen IPod and was unimpressed.  It was dreadful sounding IMHO.  Is this because the HD650's need allot of power to perform?  
 
Am I correct in assuming that I will notice a  HUGE improvement when driven by a separate amp?  I sure hope so because I'm about to return them.