[Amictus]

Thank you, Joebobbilly! The truth of the matter is that I like both sets of cans. I am a mainly classical listener, so the extra bass and timbral richness (and truth-telling) of the HD650s is already delighting me. The new cable was a big shock, as it sounded completely different to the stock cable. It took away the 'veil' which is so often referred to, but opened up the soundstage so much that there is a gap in the middle in some recordings. It also, briefly, imitated the digital glare of the Q701s on the upper-mids. That has now settled down. These are now my standard headphones. The warmth is now more subtle.
 
The Q701s are still splendid at some things. I am still trying to kill the digital glare by long-term burning-in. All my desk equipment is new, however. Audiolab M-DAC, Lovely Cube amp, HD650s. It's all burning in together. I think that the amp is a better fit for the Senns than for the AKG.
 
On the menu at the moment: The 1958 'Sacre du Printemps' with Lenny and the NYPO. A long-time recording for hi-fi show-offs, it still sounds fine, but no dynamic lower than mezzo-forte is favoured! Not subtle, maybe, but good for burning-in!
 
Interestingly, the 'gap' seems to be decreasing. Or my ears are compensating.

 

[pdrm360]

  Thank you, Joebobbilly! The truth of the matter is that I like both sets of cans. I am a mainly classical listener, so the extra bass and timbral richness (and truth-telling) of the HD650s is already delighting me. The new cable was a big shock, as it sounded completely different to the stock cable. It took away the 'veil' which is so often referred to, but opened up the soundstage so much that there is a gap in the middle in some recordings. It also, briefly, imitated the digital glare of the Q701s on the upper-mids. That has now settled down. These are now my standard headphones. The warmth is now more subtle.
 
The Q701s are still splendid at some things. I am still trying to kill the digital glare by long-term burning-in. All my desk equipment is new, however. Audiolab M-DAC, Lovely Cube amp, HD650s. It's all burning in together. I think that the amp is a better fit for the Senns than for the AKG.
 
On the menu at the moment: The 1958 'Sacre du Printemps' with Lenny and the NYPO. A long-time recording for hi-fi show-offs, it still sounds fine, but no dynamic lower than mezzo-forte is favoured! Not subtle, maybe, but good for burning-in!
 
Interestingly, the 'gap' seems to be decreasing. Or my ears are compensating.

 
Honestly, I like the HD650 for all type of music except classical orchestra music. 

 

[Lorspeaker]

Amictus, can u post a foto of your new cable...what is it made of?
i love listening to classicals on my hd650...i get wrapped into the music..enrapturing..rapturing...something along that line.

 

[joebobbilly]

   
Honestly, I like the HD650 for all type of music except classical orchestra music. 

Really?? I love Beethoven's 6th thru the Mojo/Gun stack!

 

[Xcellere]

Hey folks, just ordered a JDS 02 amp and a HD650. I was wondering if the DACs in either a 2012 MacBook Pro Retina or 2013 iMac be sufficient to drive the 02 and HD650, or would I need a stand-alone DAC?

 

[bracko]

Really?? I love Beethoven's 6th thru the Mojo/Gun stack!

Imho hd650 kills the natural timbre of the acoustic instruments and i personally prefer k501, k701 or Dt660 to it, actually by a large margin. Modded hd650 though sound fine with classical. Ymmv.

 

[ffivaz]

Hey folks, just ordered a JDS 02 amp and a HD650. I was wondering if the DACs in either a 2012 MacBook Pro Retina or 2013 iMac be sufficient to drive the 02 and HD650, or would I need a stand-alone DAC?

 
It will be enough at the beginning, but you'll want more of the goodness. You could have ordered the O2 + ODAC combo.

 

[Lorspeaker]

BTW, the alpha pads r almost the same size as the hd650 pads...just slightly bigger...90% sitting inside the rim.
u can simple scotchtape up the sides n u have a lambskin treat, if u are not particular of how it looks.
Or u can force squeeze the alphapads into the rim, n have a slightly distorted inner hole
 
 
Soundwise...i believe i lose a little of the lower bass, music sounded somewhat tunnelled/focused/brighter.
I am guessing u might like it on the stock cable..but i am using a spc cable, so its tending towards a T1 kind of sound.
(if u know what i am trying to say...hmmm) 

 

[Amictus]

Lorspeaker - here's a couple of photos. I selected ones which give a better impression of the cable used, which is h-e-a-v-y and inflexible.
 
 

 

 

[Amictus]

   
Honestly, I like the HD650 for all type of music except classical orchestra music. 

 
 

  Amictus, can u post a foto of your new cable...what is it made of?
i love listening to classicals on my hd650...i get wrapped into the music..enrapturing..rapturing...something along that line.

 
Well, for me, the jury is still out. After much switching and comparison, I ended up yesterday evening listening to come of Stravinsky's 'The Firebird' conducted by Ernest Ansermet in a miraculously good 1955 recording. I was congratulating myself on the magnificence of the HD650s rendering of the music and was very surprised to discover, when I took the cans off, that I had left the Q701s on! I think that both headphones are recording specific at the moment... by which I mean that there are some recordings that will suit one and some that will suit the other.
 
I will post musical impressions as time goes on with the burning-in. I have stopped buying new kit for a while!

 

[Lorspeaker]

Ya..looks stiff..could be some solidcore wires tats gonna pump some honey into your cans

Some cans do bring out the best in some recordings.
Played a 'bad recordg' awhile ago on the d7000,
And i said to myself..where did this cd come from???

 

[MattTCG]

Here is my after market 650 cable. Super soft, and flexible. Maybe the best I've ever used.
 

 

[ngyu]

  Here is my after market 650 cable. Super soft, and flexible. Maybe the best I've ever used.
 

 
you have mini-XLR on your hd650??? what wires are you using?

 

[olor1n]

Can't go past the Q for ergonomics and quality. I used this with my LCD-2 but these "earrings" can be ordered from Q to convert it for use with the HD650. Steve is a good guy who looks after his customers.
 

 

[MattTCG]

^^ same as above. This way you can use one nice cable with all your hp's with the adapters.