mtillman
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2002
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This is a preliminary impression really, as I've had the HFI-650s for just three days. However, my first impressions usually stick with me, so don't expect an update
Out of the box the 650s looked and felt well built, with a fairly thick (4mm diameter) cable, the first 1m of which is straight, followed by 38cm of coiled cable then 20cm of straight cable to the 3.5mm jack, which has a thread to which the 1/4in adapter attaches (all gold plated).
The ear cups are rather small, and don't really totally encompass my somewhat larger than average lugs. Only those with average to smaller than average lugs will fit properly. However, this doesn't compromise comfort unduly.
The headband produces a good but not overtight grip, perhaps slightly more pressure than my HD600s.
The headband is quite substantial and although there is a pad at the top, it is not sufficiently soft to prevent obvious unpleasant pressure on the top of my head. This is my biggest complaint over comfort. However, comfort in general is only average due additionally to weight, and the pleather earcup material, which does a good job of heating up the ears after an hour or so.
The main reason for using closed cans is probably the isolation factor. This is why I bought the 650s. Reduction of external sounds is good - the TV at normal volume is reduced to a low bassy boom boom. Leakage out is almost non-existent, only at painfully loud levels can a tizz tizz be heard. Excellent.
So, that's the boring stuff out of the way.
Now, how do these babies rock?
Well, these babies rock real good. REAL GOOD.
Excellent bass extension, excellent top extension, excellent mid-range. What more can I say? Oh, they're excellent.
These are the most neutral cans I own (others are Senn MX500, PX200, HD600, Koss KSC50, and I've had more than my fair share of sub-standard earbuds, and previously owned the Ety ER6 and ATH-EM7).
Neutral, in my book, is praise indeed. I do not want over-emphasised anything. (Maybe that comes of spending 30 years in the broadcast audio industry...)
The bass end seems as extended as the HD600s, but doesn't have the mid-bass hump of the 600s. The HD600s are said to be a little recessed in the mids - I agree, so the HFI-650s sound a little more forward than the 600s. At the top end the 650s seem a little more extended than the 600s resulting in a more neutral and perhaps analytical HF.
Compared to the PX200s, my absolute favourite portable phones, the 650s have more, and more extended, bass. This is good even if it makes one or two PX200 owners, or ex-owners, giggle and wonder just what I'm hearing. The 650s have less middle than the 200s, again a good thing as the 200s do have an over-emphasised 1.5-3KHz region, to my ears. At the top, the 650s again have a bit more, and are more extended.
I only bought closed cans to stop annoying other people. I only bought the 650s because I'd read that they sound more like an open can than other closed cans. My only previous experience with closed cans has been for professional monitoring, and I most certainly wouldn't have used any of those for listening for pleasure. The 650s really do sound almost like open cans - amazing!
How easy are the HFI-650s to drive? All my listening was done with a SlimX either through it's headphone jack or through the Fixup Super-mini V2 (gain = 5), or my laptop souncard. The SlimX can't drive the HD600s, and the super-mini only drives the 600s to a reasonable level. The SlimX drives tthe HFI-650s adequately, and with the super-mini, to very high levels. Overall, I'd say they are 6dB or so quieter than the PX200s and about 10db louder than the HD600s.
Well, these are great headphones. Nowhere near as comfortable as the HD600s, but sonically it's a pretty close call. The 600s are most certainly totally seductive, I just get lost in the music, but the 650s are probably more accurate, more neutral, more extended. Fortunately the choice of which to use is often out of my hands, there are times when I have to use the 650s, at other times I'll use the 600s
Out of the box the 650s looked and felt well built, with a fairly thick (4mm diameter) cable, the first 1m of which is straight, followed by 38cm of coiled cable then 20cm of straight cable to the 3.5mm jack, which has a thread to which the 1/4in adapter attaches (all gold plated).
The ear cups are rather small, and don't really totally encompass my somewhat larger than average lugs. Only those with average to smaller than average lugs will fit properly. However, this doesn't compromise comfort unduly.
The headband produces a good but not overtight grip, perhaps slightly more pressure than my HD600s.
The headband is quite substantial and although there is a pad at the top, it is not sufficiently soft to prevent obvious unpleasant pressure on the top of my head. This is my biggest complaint over comfort. However, comfort in general is only average due additionally to weight, and the pleather earcup material, which does a good job of heating up the ears after an hour or so.
The main reason for using closed cans is probably the isolation factor. This is why I bought the 650s. Reduction of external sounds is good - the TV at normal volume is reduced to a low bassy boom boom. Leakage out is almost non-existent, only at painfully loud levels can a tizz tizz be heard. Excellent.
So, that's the boring stuff out of the way.
Now, how do these babies rock?
Well, these babies rock real good. REAL GOOD.
Excellent bass extension, excellent top extension, excellent mid-range. What more can I say? Oh, they're excellent.
These are the most neutral cans I own (others are Senn MX500, PX200, HD600, Koss KSC50, and I've had more than my fair share of sub-standard earbuds, and previously owned the Ety ER6 and ATH-EM7).
Neutral, in my book, is praise indeed. I do not want over-emphasised anything. (Maybe that comes of spending 30 years in the broadcast audio industry...)
The bass end seems as extended as the HD600s, but doesn't have the mid-bass hump of the 600s. The HD600s are said to be a little recessed in the mids - I agree, so the HFI-650s sound a little more forward than the 600s. At the top end the 650s seem a little more extended than the 600s resulting in a more neutral and perhaps analytical HF.
Compared to the PX200s, my absolute favourite portable phones, the 650s have more, and more extended, bass. This is good even if it makes one or two PX200 owners, or ex-owners, giggle and wonder just what I'm hearing. The 650s have less middle than the 200s, again a good thing as the 200s do have an over-emphasised 1.5-3KHz region, to my ears. At the top, the 650s again have a bit more, and are more extended.
I only bought closed cans to stop annoying other people. I only bought the 650s because I'd read that they sound more like an open can than other closed cans. My only previous experience with closed cans has been for professional monitoring, and I most certainly wouldn't have used any of those for listening for pleasure. The 650s really do sound almost like open cans - amazing!
How easy are the HFI-650s to drive? All my listening was done with a SlimX either through it's headphone jack or through the Fixup Super-mini V2 (gain = 5), or my laptop souncard. The SlimX can't drive the HD600s, and the super-mini only drives the 600s to a reasonable level. The SlimX drives tthe HFI-650s adequately, and with the super-mini, to very high levels. Overall, I'd say they are 6dB or so quieter than the PX200s and about 10db louder than the HD600s.
Well, these are great headphones. Nowhere near as comfortable as the HD600s, but sonically it's a pretty close call. The 600s are most certainly totally seductive, I just get lost in the music, but the 650s are probably more accurate, more neutral, more extended. Fortunately the choice of which to use is often out of my hands, there are times when I have to use the 650s, at other times I'll use the 600s
