[connieflyer]

you are correct, then consider it a bit of information for you

 

[castleofargh]

  Has anyone done any testing on burn-in?  There are many graphs showing the FR of HD-650 so I would think that someone could find a new one and do a FR graph and then do a FR graph of one that has been used, or are the differences to small to be noticed on the graphs.  I'm on the side of no burn-in for most equipment but I have to also say that it is possible since my EL8 really changed from zero hours to 200 hours.

the problem is that you can't test for real life situation. whatever approach you take, there will be a difference measured, and you can't be sure it's only coming from "burn in".  that's why even if there is some burn in happening, I'm very sure that what people talk about isn't actually it. and I'm confident even before thinking about how impossibru it is for someone to remember accurately a signature a month later while still using the headphone on a regular basis.  oh sure I have a memory of how it sounded, but how it really relates to what was the sound? people who read a little about human memory will soon lose their confidence. ^_^
but people talk about what they feel and remember, and are only rarely cautious enough to worry if it's true or not. it's the all subjective vs objective stuff all over again.
 
anyway, doing measurements:
the only way would be to take out the driver and only measure it with a way to get it at the exact same position relative to the mic and be sure to have no outside noises different from the first shot. not impossible, but certainly a boring task for something that will occur anyway if it's real. and then we would also have to test if the humidity where wearing them changes something, so we would need at the very least 2 sets, then we would need to test if the shocks from handling them on a daily basis can impact the sound, more sets of drivers.
it's the problem with trying to be objective, you can't just be half objective ^_^.
otherwise just measuring the headphone as is, you will get differences from the pads changing shape with time, the user getting used to a certain position on his head, with a certain headband length(that surely impacts the pressure on the head). maybe like myself he would have bent the metal plates to get less pressure after a few days.
 any small change of placement can lead to several DBs of variations, you can see this looking at the different measurements done by Tyll http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SennheiserHD650.pdf 
each grey line is one measure at a slightly different place, while trying to find an ideal position with a good seal.  it's almost impossible to be able to put the headphone exactly at the same place twice. yet people don't talk about this or the pads, they decide to blame burn in for any remembered change(real or not). even if our memory wasn't what it is, this would be unreasonable.  correlation does not imply causation.
 
so the conclusion to all that is: we will always get differences, with of without burn in. and most of them are big enough to be audible. the left and right drivers of a hd650 most likely have more differences than whatever burn in can do after 200hours. that's the reality of headphones, they are not the super precise always identical devices people think they are. and my hd65 does not measure exactly like what Tyll measured on innerfidelity. so running after any small possible change, in the grand scheme of thing, that's not very meaningful.  but if some guys decide to call burn in what I call wear off, manufacturing margin, placement, dust and dirt on whatever filtering part, and pads changing shape, and bad memory, so be it. ^_^

 

[DavidA]

@castleofargh, thanks for the info on "burn-in", good reading for a lazy Sat morning watching football.  GF is with friends shopping so peace and quite for a few hours here.

 

[castleofargh]

^_^
well that's at least my take on it. it's not like I can pretend to define the entropy of a working hd650 on my head 

, so I'm only talking about the stuff I do understand a little.
to me changing the pads on a headphone, it's like changing the filters on an old IEM, in both cases the sound changes a audibly and feels like a reverse burn in.

 

[painted klown]

Hey all,
 
My HD-650 has finally arrived!!! 

 
I have the ones in the black box, with silver drivers and the authentication sticker on the right side.
 
I was surprised when I opened up the box to find the black box with hinges on it that opens to reveal the 'phones. Very cool, and a nice touch IMO.
 
I have them playing at a SUPER low volume as I type this. Listening to the MFSL CD pressing of Nirvana's "Nevermind" ripped to ALAC and playing back via JRiver into my Emotiva DC-1. 
 

 

 

 
 
To say I am through the roof excited is a strong understatement! I have wanted the 650's for a long while now, and to finally have a pair feels like a dream come true. Perhaps that may sound a bit over the top or corny, but it's true. I'm elated! 

 

 

[Solrighal]

  Hey all,
 
My HD-650 has finally arrived!!! 

 
I have the ones in the black box, with silver drivers and the authentication sticker on the right side.
 
I was surprised when I opened up the box to find the black box with hinges on it that opens to reveal the 'phones. Very cool, and a nice touch IMO.
 
I have them playing at a SUPER low volume as I type this. Listening to the MFSL CD pressing of Nirvana's "Nevermind" ripped to ALAC and playing back via JRiver into my Emotiva DC-1. 
 
Will get a couple pics up here in a bit. I need to get them from my phone to my PC first...

 
It's on the Left side. Otherwise, enjoy them.

 

[painted klown]

   
It's on the Left side. Otherwise, enjoy them.

Thanks. Yeah, I thought the sticker was going to be on the left side, but my left side is plain, and the little shiny sticker is on the right. I posted a pic for all to see. Not sure why mine would be different, but they are....

 

[olor1n]

Lol. What? Who cares what side the sticker is on?
 
Fwiw, mine (less than 3 weeks old) is also on the right side... this must mean new and improved drivers! Trickle-down tech from the new Orpheus and HD800S. I win. My HD650 is better than yours!

 

[Youth]

Mine is also on the right side. Did they make more changes? 

 

[painted klown]

  Lol. What? Who cares what side the sticker is on?
 
Fwiw, mine (less than 3 weeks old) is also on the right side... this must mean new and improved drivers! Trickle-down tech from the new Orpheus and HD800S. I win. My HD650 is better than yours!

Too funny.
 
Yeah, I agree that "sticker side" doesn't matter, just an observation from a new owner.

 
 

  Mine is also on the right side. Did they make more changes? 

I love how this site caters to "audiophilia nervosa" LOL!!!

 

[Solrighal]

  Lol. What? Who cares what side the sticker is on?
 
Fwiw, mine (less than 3 weeks old) is also on the right side... this must mean new and improved drivers! Trickle-down tech from the new Orpheus and HD800S. I win. My HD650 is better than yours!

 
Well, it matters because, at least on my pair, the sticker is on the left side and if his were the same that would mean he was using them the wrong way around. Not rocket science, is it?
 
It's odd that they've changed such a small detail.

 

[olor1n]

 

  Lol. What? Who cares what side the sticker is on?
 
Fwiw, mine (less than 3 weeks old) is also on the right side... this must mean new and improved drivers! Trickle-down tech from the new Orpheus and HD800S. I win. My HD650 is better than yours!

 
Well, it matters because, at least on my pair, the sticker is on the left side and if his were the same that would mean he was using them the wrong way around. Not rocket science, is it?
 
It's odd that they've changed such a small detail.

 
That's what the engraved L and R markers are for.

 

[Solrighal]

   
That's what the engraved L and R markers are for.

 
Really? Who knew? The L/R markers aren't on the driver capsules though, are they?

 

[olor1n]

 

   
That's what the engraved L and R markers are for.

 
Really? Who knew? The L/R markers aren't on the driver capsules though, are they?

You do know the HD650 is modular, right? You can safely detach the driver housing from the arms and swap sides if you so wished. All that matters is that you align the cable connectors to the correct side.
 
This is silly. Why is this even being discussed? LOL.

 

[jimmers]

Not so subtle