[equalspeace]

So this new 620s is tuned to be a 600 w bass in a close back version at a lower impedance?

 

[Hypops]

The new updated sennheiser pads I like as they don't go flat as quickly as the old ones ... but both of my newer pads have come away from the plastic retaining ring
never happen on the old pads

The old ones were softy too

The new ones sound good, but I really don't like how they feel. Both too stiff and too soft at the same time. Like cardboard wrapped in tissue paper. Definitely interested in trying out some aftermarket pads.

 

[WoodyLuvr]

The new ones sound good, but I really don't like how they feel. Both too stiff and too soft at the same time. Like cardboard wrapped in tissue paper. Definitely interested in trying out some aftermarket pads.

Would highly recommend that Dekoni Audio would be your first stop on your aftermarket pad journey.

 

[lost&confused]

I've only tried a few aftermarket pads but none of them sounded good as stock.
The ones I've tried are Elite Velour and these sounded horrible with the hd600 the yaxi pads were better but not as good.
Saying this tho I prefer the sound of the stock pads when they go flatter ....but then I hate the long term comfort.
I also tried some ebay china pads with memory foam not good and gets dirty real quickly.

Also I think the new pads don't like being taken off and on as much as the old ones and pressing them down loosens the glue to the plastic retaining ring?

My pads failed within a year .. but i do change pads every 2 years a most and the cables always breaks at the headphone socket connection

The amount of times I've replaced the cables you wouldnt belive

I had a cardas cable once but I didnt like the fit going into the headphone socket connection ..it didn't feel up the hole as much as hd650 cable
I was thinking over time it may damage the connection inside the headphone were is wasnt as tight

​

heres my hd600 been using them everyday for over 20 years still going strong

 

[frkasper]

Saying this tho I prefer the sound of the stock pads when they go flatter ....but then I hate the long term comfort.

I too like the sound more when the stock pads start to flat out. As for the pain, it went away after developing the (HD-6 series) cauliflower ears.

Definitely interested in trying out some aftermarket pads.

Would highly recommend that Dekoni Audio would be your first stop on your aftermarket pad journey.

All the (Elite version) Dekoni pads I have purchased ended up back in their boxes. The sheepskin leather variations I have (solid and fenestrated) are well made and may last you good years, but my issue with them is that they are too thick. Having more midbass is nice, but it also made the HD600 sound veiled and muffled to my taste.

They used to sell a very good velour clone called "Earpadz Velour Series" but this is no longer being offered, I think? Here's a legacy link to the product. Too bad, because I thought they were good alternatives to stock pads. Got 2 sets in early 2021. One of them is installed in my 660S in the office, and the other one is still brand new in its package. Here's an old picture:

 

[frkasper]

The amount of times I've replaced the cables you wouldnt belive

Did you ever have to replace the spring within the female side of the connectors?

 

[lost&confused]

Did you ever have to replace the spring within the female side of the connectors?

Luckily i've never had that problem only with cables breaking under the strain relief at the headphone socket connection ...
the problem you talk about with springs failing is why i sold my cardas cable as i didnt wanna risk it .
I did once snap the very thin wire on an old hd580 driver once very sad I was

I snapped the wire while using tweezers opening those springs funny enough ! While taking them apart for cleaning as a hair had got stuck inside the driver making it distort
cleaning them up I remembered a video with the guy saying those springs could lossen up losing the spring strength ...so stupid me 12'oclcock night under a table lamp broke the wire

 

[Hypops]

Would highly recommend that Dekoni Audio would be your first stop on your aftermarket pad journey.

Usually I go with Dekoni pads for my other headphones, but I know the HD 600 is a bit finickier than most about pad matching/tuning. Even according to Dekoni's own measurements, each of their HD 600 pad offerings significantly damps the upper mids and treble.

Think I might shell out for the pricier ZMF pads since it sounds like the Dekoni ones alter the tuning too much.

 

[Livnmuskoka]

I've been really enjoying the HD600's the way I have them set up. Which is with some PEQ (low bass almost up to flat, slight midbass hump flattened, 1khz-4khz area down 3db), which really helped my enjoyment of them, as well as a balanced XLR cable that gets the most out of my bryston bha-1 amp.
The cable gives some more headroom, a little better soundstage, and slightly better clarity and detail.
The only other upgrade I've been considering are the ZMF auteur classic, which I've read several times are a super HD600. Main concern for me is I won't do without that HD600 tone.
Very luckily, I found a pair of Auteur classics for sale in Canada, in excellent condition, and just after they were listed. A very rare find, so I couldn't refuse.
But I was also hoping they weren't as good as people are saying and I could save some money by reselling them.
Only have an hour on them so far, but they indeed are a super HD600. When starting the first song the differences didn't seem really noticeable.
But after a couple songs and several more later, the clarity and detail, and better sub bass extension revealed themselves to be a good step up. The soundstage is also a little better and a little farther away. There is no noticeable midbass hump, which is what I also really like. And most importantly, that amazing natural tone is still there.
This is while using the stock perforated lambskin pads. I haven't tried the suede pads and from what I've read about the sound differences, I probably won't bother.
After the improvements from the bha-1 and balanced cable into the 600's, I was about ready to call it done. But despite the cost of the Auteur's, I'm glad I didn't.
And they're only going to get better yet, because the improvements are quite noticeable even without EQ or a balanced cable. So I have another cable on the way, and I'll spend some time setting up PEQ.
Headphone system endgame achieved.
Now hopefully I'll feel the same about my new and best stereo system when I finally get a chance to set it up.
I've spent way more lately than I wanted to on everything, but I'm 48, and I've played the upgrade game long enough. I want my systems to be done and finally want to be satisfied with my choices.

 

[codythelucario]

Hey, I've taken a break from constantly comparing my cans, and I've been starting to love them again! I made an appreciation post already but thought posting here would be good too:

I got the HD600's approximately last year, and I loves these headphones at the store so I impulsively bought it. I've enjoyed sennheiser products, but recently I felt like I have lost my way....

I listen to a lot of rap, hip-hop, pop, electronic type music from modern times, so a lot of sub-bass is necessary to have fun.

I got my head caught in a whirlwind of worry after trying on my friend's Hifiman HE400i. Compared to the hd600, they had high highs, and ever since I compared my headphones to others so much.

I've tried other headphones so far: the DT990 Pro X, AKG k371, and AKG K553 MII. I feel like those headphones are great for what they do and provided the color I needed. However, I was so caught up in this comparison frenzy that I forgot the reason why I tried on the headphones at the store. Basically, I lost my way and started to hate my sennheisers just for one specific detail, risking to spend hundreds of dollars for other gear.

I had to take a step back, and get a break for a couple of weeks away from this comparison frenzy.

Trying all the headphones recommended for sub-bass, I felt like all of them failed to achieve what the HD600 did: make electronic digital sounding vocals sound like a person that's actually singing into a mic as if it's classical/jazz/rock music, no EQ required. The DT990s have achieved it, but it requires heavy EQ to get rid of the piercing high's.

Every other frequency is good, but as background music. I totally forgot this recently, trying to search in pursuit of the "perfect sound" to have the sub-bass present.

I'm falling back in love with the HD600, as they feel like I'm in a concert live with the singer; it feels so intimate now that even the lack of sub-bass and other frequencies feels sufficient now, just in the background playing while the vocals are right up to my ears. These are the best neutral cans in my books, where the vocals are here to the point you can forget about everything else and even then they fill the gaps sufficiently. These cans aren't colored at all, bit I'm starting to see why others love non-colored cans and why the HD600s are a fan favorite

I've decided to keep my HD600. I'm in love again!

 

[jonathan c]

I've been really enjoying the HD600's the way I have them set up. Which is with some PEQ (low bass almost up to flat, slight midbass hump flattened, 1khz-4khz area down 3db), which really helped my enjoyment of them, as well as a balanced XLR cable that gets the most out of my bryston bha-1 amp.
The cable gives some more headroom, a little better soundstage, and slightly better clarity and detail.
The only other upgrade I've been considering are the ZMF auteur classic, which I've read several times are a super HD600. Main concern for me is I won't do without that HD600 tone.
Very luckily, I found a pair of Auteur classics for sale in Canada, in excellent condition, and just after they were listed. A very rare find, so I couldn't refuse.
But I was also hoping they weren't as good as people are saying and I could save some money by reselling them.
Only have an hour on them so far, but they indeed are a super HD600. When starting the first song the differences didn't seem really noticeable.
But after a couple songs and several more later, the clarity and detail, and better sub bass extension revealed themselves to be a good step up. The soundstage is also a little better and a little farther away. There is no noticeable midbass hump, which is what I also really like. And most importantly, that amazing natural tone is still there.
This is while using the stock perforated lambskin pads. I haven't tried the suede pads and from what I've read about the sound differences, I probably won't bother.
After the improvements from the bha-1 and balanced cable into the 600's, I was about ready to call it done. But despite the cost of the Auteur's, I'm glad I didn't.
And they're only going to get better yet, because the improvements are quite noticeable even without EQ or a balanced cable. So I have another cable on the way, and I'll spend some time setting up PEQ.
Headphone system endgame achieved.
Now hopefully I'll feel the same about my new and best stereo system when I finally get a chance to set it up.
I've spent way more lately than I wanted to on everything, but I'm 48, and I've played the upgrade game long enough. I want my systems to be done and finally want to be satisfied with my choices.

... only 48 !!! ... ... plenty of time to be ... ( ... psst, try 70).

 

[WoodyLuvr]

Usually I go with Dekoni pads for my other headphones, but I know the HD 600 is a bit finickier than most about pad matching/tuning. Even according to Dekoni's own measurements, each of their HD 600 pad offerings significantly damps the upper mids and treble.

Think I might shell out for the pricier ZMF pads since it sounds like the Dekoni ones alter the tuning too much.

Agreed, some models like the sheepskins are prone to this. Have you personally tried all their model lines with the HD600? I was really quite surprised that the Elite Hybrid pads are not as drastic of a change in the primary sound signature as other Dekoni models... most especially their Elite Velour line which I have a hard time distinguishing between them and the stock Sennheiser stock OEM pads on all but my most familiar music tracks and then it is not a one is better than the other but simply rather a very minor but still pleasant difference in presentation. Maybe worth your time experimenting with the Hybrids or the Elite Velours, you might be surprised . Good luck.