Sennheiser HD 600

Overview:

The Sennheiser HD 600 (600). It literally needs no introduction – unless you’ve never heard of it before, then you might be new to the high-end audio world and you’re reading this review because you’re looking to move from the stuff that comes with your phone over to something…good. If that’s the case, you can grab these and you’ll be quite happy for a long time. The HD 600 has been around for over 20 years! It is a lightweight over-ear open-back headphone with aluminum voice coils and neodymium ferrous magnets with a 2-layer diaphragm. So, uh…it has stuff that makes it sound good – no need to get a degree in Electrical Engineering to understand that these are just higher quality than your “normal” headphones. These retail for $400 normally, but can be found for less quite often.

Accessories/Earpads/Eartips (7/10):

The 600 doesn’t come with a lot of accessories, which makes sense at this price, but what it does come with is high quality and really all you need. It has a really nice hard clamshell-style case like a DCA set comes with. I’ve seen headphones 3x as expensive that don’t come with a case, so a case of this quality is super nice. The inside is filled with soft neoprene, so it’ll keep your headphones from getting scratched, but if you hit the case hard enough against something, they could break – it’s not super padded. The 600s also come with a 6.35mm adapter that attaches to the 3.5mm jack – meaning you can use these on almost anything – a phone, a laptop, a computer, a home stereo system, etc. as long as it has one of those two jacks.

The ear pads are a soft velour that breathes well and should last quite a while, but if you want more bass, a leather/pleather aftermarket set would be the only way to get that. Sadly, these don’t come with those ear pads – multiple ear pads are more the trademark of expensive sets of headphones. Overall, these receive a decent accessory/earpad score, not the best, but better than some.

Cable (8/10):

Interesting. That’s the first word that comes to mind. For starters, it’s long AF at around 10 feet – great if you want to listen from far away. It will not work for portable use unless you want to wrap it up and carry around 8 feet of cable in your pocket. Aftermarket cables do exist for this if you want to use it portably, so add that to your cost if that’s your plan. Next, the ear cup connectors feel like a weird take on the 2-pin design you’d see on IEMs. You’re not going to find very many aftermarket cables terminated in this style as it’s not the industry standard (3.5mm is.) So, if you have literally any other cable already, it won’t work with these. The plugs do come in black and Red so you can tell which goes where (Red is Right, Black/white is Left.)

Lastly, and this is a big one, the cable is as non-microphonic as I’ve ever heard on just about ANY headphones. That’s a little crazy because I’ve heard headphones that cost 10x as much as this that still have more microphonic cables than this. Yeah, it doesn’t perfectly pass that tap test or the head-move test while there’s no music playing, but with music playing it’s nearly silent – impressive. The amp-end termination has already been mentioned, but you get two common options and I’d be surprised to see a balanced 4-pin XLR on a headphone at this price.

Build Quality/Comfort (7/10):

Sure, it’s a little clampy and there’s a lot of plastic, which can scratch easily, and the mesh grills can dent if you’re not nice to your stuff, but the overall quality on these is high for the price. You’re not going to see wooden ear cups or leather or all-metal construction, but you will pay a lot more to get those things – so if you want those, stop reading this review and go get those – message me and I’ll give you some ideas of what to get.

Comfort is good – I could wear these for a long time, but as mentioned before, the clamping pressure is high. They definitely won’t slip off your head and your ears are unlikely to overheat, but you might get a headache after a while.



Sound:

Yeah, the Frequency Response chart below from Crinacle pretty much covers the HD 600 in a nutshell. There is almost no bass. You can hear the bass, and it’s good quality bass, but it’s definitely not to blow your mind – there’s basically no thump or reverberation. The rest of the tuning here is VERY neutral, almost to a fault, though the highs actually drop off quite a lot, which can be good in some ways and bad in others. I am powering these with the 6.35mm jack on low gain from my Cocktail Audio HA500H at around 48/100 volume with the tube amp off through Tidal HiFi.

Lows (10/20):

You can definitely hear the bass drums on David Guetta’s “I’m Good (Blue)”, though they have some rattle and almost no body. The same goes for the sub-bass – you can hear it, but it’s muted and to the rear, without that breathtaking quality you can get from bassier headphones. It’s better than some I’ve heard, but it’s nowhere near the bass response of the JM Audio XTC-O I’m comparing it to (not a fair comparison, these retail for $850 and are some of my favorite headphones ever – it’s all I have to compare.) It’s certainly not the worst bass I’ve heard, but it’s just not competitive with headphones designed to have more bass.

Well, as you may imagine, on the next song, Demon Hunter’s “I Am A Stone,” the bass doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the song here. The bass is still surprisingly present, and that may be my amp pushing more low-end than a lot of other amps, but I’d expect the typical DAC/amp/computer soundcard/phone most people will use to power these to have almost no bass on this song.

Mids (10/20):

Weaving The Fate’s “The Fall” sounds decent here, but I keep having to adjust the volume because if I go loud enough to enjoy the song I also end up with harshness in the mids, which is uncommon. Everything can sound pretty grating to me here and it makes me not want to listen to one of my favorite songs.

Staind’s “Something to Remind You” is my vocals forward test song and the clean guitar sounds really good in the intro. Aaron Lewis’s voice comes in very clearly and cleanly with none of the issues “The Fall” had. The bass can be heard clearly without overwhelming the song and the overall presentation here is very good at this price.

To test classical music performance, I use The Piano Guys' “Code Name Vivaldi.” The intro bass sounds good but has a little extra reverb in spots that don’t belong there. The pianos sound good but very muted and distant. The mid-strings come in cleanly, but get lost with other instruments. The overall presentation here is very 2D and the instruments blur together more than I would like. If you’ve never listened to a headphone over $500, this might still sound really good to you, so don’t let my comments put you off from this set – I’m supposed to nitpick and the HD 600 is still an excellent performer for this price.

Now, at this price, the performance here is pretty good – I’m really not sure of anything at this price that sounds better, certainly not the Hifiman HE400, but maybe the Deva or Sundara, or XS.

Highs (7/20):

As usual, the horns sound good in the intro of Panic! At The Disco’s “High Hopes,” but I use this song to test for sibilance and sharpness. Oddly, the 600 is more sibilant than I’d expect with the rolled-off highs, but if you look at the corrected bottom chart from Crinacle, you can see that 3-4k is actually boosted, which is where the sharp “S” sound lives. So, not a great presentation from the 600 here, which hopefully means the next song does well.

Nope. There’s almost no instrument separation here – I can’t even tell there’s high-hats or cymbals in the background most of the time – that’s terrible. They elevated the highs, but that sharp drop after 3k is hurting the highs performance heavily now. Rough tuning Sennheiser – I’ve heard multiple IEMs in this price range that sound way better.

Then maybe Michelle McLaughlin’s “Across the Burren” will sound better. Yes, finally a song that benefits from the 600’s tuning. It avoids almost all of the sharpness that this song can portray. SO, if you listen to a lot of classical piano, but hate the sharpness that some other headphones present here, the 600 may be for you!

Soundstage/ Instrument Separation (5/10):

It’s OK. The soundstage is better than you would expect for this price, but it’s not mind-blowing like the HD820s are. The instrument separation is pretty bad, once again, in this price range it’s fine, but compared to more expensive headphones (or the cheaper Final A5000 IEM) it’s not great.

Comparisons:

OK, this is not a fair fight, but the XTC-Open are the only other full-size Open-back I have. Even the $275 Final A5000 IEM is better than these, but they’re brand new, not 20 years old. The XTC-Open has a more microphonic stock cable. That’s about the only thing it’s worse at. It has better bass, better mids, and better highs – no point in spending more time on that. I don’t have a Sundara here to compare to these, but I hear really good things about the Sundara, and my memory of the Deva was really good as well. Honestly? Unless you really need the long cable, I’d just get the Final A5000 IEM as I really enjoy the sound from those. If you want a full-size, check out the Sundara, Deva, or XS for under $500. If you can grab a pair of these for $200 used, it may be a good deal.

Conclusion:

More bass than I was expecting, sharper mids and highs than I was expecting, better piano than I was expecting, and worse highs detail than I was expecting. A legend like the HD 600 has to compete with its own reputation, and also its younger siblings, the HD 650, 6XX, 660, 660S2, or whatever the heck it is now. Sennheiser just needs to stop remaking the same headphone over and over and over while giving them slightly different names – it’s getting old. It’s time for something new Senn. Get one of the newer versions, they’re supposedly better. The 600 is really starting to show its age, but that said, it’s still a solid choice under $300, just not under $500, and definitely not under $1k.

The HD-600s are very good sounding Headphones with average build and to me below average ergonomics. With the HD-800, Sennheiser have shown they know better. Being open back you are not isolated from noise around you and equally you leak a lot of your own music into the environment, which can cause trouble. While sonically well above average, the lacklustre build and ergonomics of the HD-600 let them down big time. Or maybe the shape of my head is not Teutonic enough? At the price they command I’d expect better, maybe more in line with the Audio Technica ATH-W1000. 
 
Sonically they offer enough of the HD-800’s magic to make them worthwhile trying on, to see if they fit your head better than mine. To me they are a Curates Egg, their excellent sound balanced by poor ergonomics and build, at too high a price, to others they may very well be THE headphone to take home.

Read the whole review here:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/648968/a-headphone-shootout-from-a-speaker-listener-testing-eight-headphones-from-80-to-1-200#post_9114824

Personally, I see as the main issue how boring, unengaging it sounds. I dont really feel like I am in direct contact with the music I am listening. Besides, there is slight muddiness. Still recommendable, but from all the hype for these headphones being recommended everywhere across the internet, I would expect better. I am not keeping these.

In direct comparison with Beyerdynamic DT250, I can immediately tell how much more lively DT250 sounds.
Yes, they are closed and have some issues too, but anyway, in comparison of these two, I really had no urge to switch back to HD600.

Amp used: JDS Atom+

I bought these headphones because I thought that closed cans were getting a bit fatiguing (pressure on the ear-drum from closed environment), because I wanted a can that could adapt to a balanced cable well, and because I wanted a neutral sound signature. I got all of those things.
 
These are great all around performers and one of the best bargains that you can get in Head-Fi if you are willing to buy them used. I live in the UK and searched around for these in the UK and Germany used (always good to look at prices in several countries). I ended up picking these up for £135 off of a seller in Germany. I saw others go for more, and later others go for less, but I still feel they are one the most spectacular non-free bargains I have gotten in Head-Fi.
 
The pair that I got has older drivers in it, and newer ones are reported to sound better--they have different materials in their voice-coils. Mine had worn down pads that made the bass sound muffled and limpid. It was like someone had strangled a snake and bathed it in chip oil. It was terrible sounding bass. Luckily, that was easy to fix, as soon as I got my replacement ear-pads they sounded like a completely different headphone. The veil was lifted, the bass was released from it's greasy dungeon, and the headphone became much more enjoyable. It still lacks on the bass, though.
 
I listen to all kinds of music, from Miles Davis to Megadeth with stop-overs in weird Indie land, twee town, and the punk pits. These play what I like very well. I compared these to the stock HD800, and found that I thought the HD800 bass sounded loose and unsatisfying. The HD800 does space and bright lights well, like the Hubble telescope pointed to far away galaxies, but it's bass image was like if you turned that Hubble telescope at earth and didn't adjust the focus enough. I don't feel that way with the HD600, yay for my wallet!
 
In the not too distant past, I finally got to try these beauties with a balanced cable, thanks, @pedalhead. I hooked up some Cable Pro Panorama balanced cables, plugged them into the balanced headphone out on a LH Labs Pulse Infinity + LPS stack and pressed play. The sound stage expanded dramatically, note impact and fullness shot up, and I found these inexpensive used purported to be mid-fi headphones performing on par with MrSpeakers Ether playing out of a single ended amp. I didn't do a direct head-to-head with both having balanced cables, and both playing out of the same amp (the MrSpeakers Ether was playing out of a special Cary Xciter Moon Audio upgraded valve amp), but damn those HD600s scale beautifully. At the Cambridge Head-Fi meet in April I had a similarly surprising experience with the Icon Audio HP8 MkII valve amp (there is one in a used shop down the street from me, very tempted). The soundstage exploded at me like a pile of black cat fireworks on the 4th of July with insufficient length faulty fuses. Luckily, no one was injured.
 
I think everyone should own the HD600. If nothing else, it is a way to keep more expensive headphones honest. I know that I won't be buying a MrSpeakers Ether after hearing the HD600 with a middle of the road balanced cable, the MrSpeakers just isn't worth $1200 dollars more to me. I've also had the privilege of hearing this with the iFi iCan, and can say that the bass boost on the iCan made it sound like the headphone I've been wanting. The iCan and Micro iDSD are stellar choices, by the way, and drive the HD600 beautifully. One big advantage of the HD600 is it's neutral signature. If I listen with these, I know that any colour I'm hearing is from the source or the amp, so they are very good headphones for critical listening.
 
There is one caveat I should apply: my HD600s have been modded. I removed the neutral acoustic foam and replaced it with what is referred to as tights in Britain (panty hose in the USA). This mod opened up the soundstage a little and made the HD600 a little brighter and crisper. Not everyone prefers it this way, and when listening to my suddenly bright Feliks Audio Elise tube amp (it's the C3G tubes) it can be a little fatiguing. The HD600s have a similar signature either way, so I'd advise people to try both ways. You can put the foam back in and tights cost next to nothing. I'm curious to try with a bit thicker acoustically neutral material to tame some of the overbright pairings. Speaking of pairings, for 300 ohm headphones, these are actually pretty easy to drive. They are listenable out of my Dell Vostro's headphone jack, and my DX50 sounds good with them. More power is better, especially for bass performance, but is not required for an enjoyable listen.
 
If you don't have these headphones. You should remedy that, unless you are a basshead. End of review.

 
[size=10.0pt]First off let me say this is my first foray into "audiophile" headphones. I have tried a few of the in the ear style buds over the years (apples and Sony's) but I find them unpleasant to wear for more than a few minutes, along with the sound lacking. So I few years ago before an overseas flight I picked a pair of Sony MDR-V150 on a whim. They worked great and I thought I be happy. But then I started to see all these cool little headphone amp and such. So I started just innocently enough reading sites such as these just a few short months ago. Well on thing led to another and well I now am the proud owner of a pair of the Sennheiser HD600's, along with an amp/DAC combo.[/size]

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[size=10.0pt]When I received my brown box in the mail I could not wait to get it home and open it. I carefully open the shipping box and inside was a beautiful black corrugated box with gold shaded picture of the ocean with words "Sennheiser HD 600 for digital Natural Sound" I open up then corrugated box and slide out what feels to be a fabric type coated dark charcoal box. It's completely plain other than the small company logo and name in the company’s trademark blue. The whole packaging is high class, clean, and simple. To my surprise the box has metal hinges on the back edge and opens up much like a fine watch/jewelry box. As the aroma of pent up closed cell foam and plastics hits my nostrils I am fully intoxicated with my purchase. Quickly I grab the phones from the box and hold them up to admire them. Everyone is right the marbling looks a thousand times better than the photos show. The next though these are much lighter than I thought they would be. I quickly dash to my Pioneer VSX92-THX AV receiver and fire it up. I attaché my iPhone bypassing it's DAC in favor of the Pioneers. Quickly I launch Bob Dylan's "Visions of Johanna" (*all tracks are Loss-less encoded) the sound that flows from the headphones instantly sound like an old friend. The separation of his voice, guitar, and harmonica floor me. The sound-stage is unlike any headphone I have every listen to. It's very close to my home speaker setup.[/size]

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[size=10.0pt] I turn the volume nob up bit to see what the headphones and my receiver can do. My impression is that the pioneer has a very decent headphone stage. It can easily push the cans well in to the deep pain range with utmost clarity. I don’t see me needing an amp for the front room, which saves some cash for more music. I reach for my Sony’s to compare the two but realize that the included adapter plug  with the HD600 will not accommodate the Sony plug. No biggie I pick up my new toy and head to my office. This is where I will be using them most of the time anyway. I have an old Mini JVC bookshelf system that I use as my near field stereo setup with my computer and it has the appropriate size connection to test both. To my surprise the JVC push both head phones very well. And also to my surprise both headphones have a similar sound at mild volumes. But when pushed the Sony’s quickly start to sound smeared and strained. Not so with the Sennheiser. They sound so incredible that you can easily slip in to the danger zone as to the volume level. [/size]

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[size=10.0pt]At this point I start to listen to some of my favorite tracks to better take in the sound of my new phones.[/size]

[size=10.0pt]I fire up another Bob Dylan song “Most Likely you go your way (and I’ll go mine)” The detail of each instrument is very impressive and they are spread very nicely apart without feeling like they all come from the same space. Next was Clark Terry’s “Chat Qui Peche (A Cat that Fishes)” the horns sound so natural and I can hear each strand plucked on the upright bass. Each band member sound like they are in the appropriate spot. “Six Blade Knife” by Dire Straits has a very strong bass line that runs from the start to the end of the song. For a set of headphones that are said to be a bit soft on the bottom end they hit it with authority and without strain. The ability to hear every little sting touch on the lead guitar brought new elements to life. Song after song the amount of texture these headphones present is unreal. Everything is presented just as it was recorded. Every little breath the singer makes, every finger drag over an amplified string instrument, and every hacked mastering jobs.[/size]

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[size=10.0pt]These headphones are great and are everything I hoped they would be. Balanced and uncolored with exceptional midrange control. Can’t see me needing another set for a long time. Well maybe….  [/size]

Welcome to Sennheiser HD600 review of mobileaudiophile.com. This is by no means my first review but I see it as beginning of greater things in the future so I will rant a little if you don’t mind. Still, if you are not interested you can skip this part.

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Many of you have a pair Sennheiser HD6** series headphones or at least heard one at some point. So probably there is no need for another review of one of the most popular headphones of all time. After all you can read review of another, more accomplished reviewer that you feel more familiar with. However what I am trying to accomplish here is setting a stone; defining a benchmark. So in the future when I review a pair, I will probably compare them to HD600 regardless of the price along with other competitors, so that you will have a better idea of the reviewed headphones and understand where they stand in the grand scheme of things.

Another reason to review such a well known headphones is so that you get to know me better. If you like something I don’t like or vice versa, it is more likely you know it this way. I hope when you get confused about a remark you will come back here and say “Oh, so that’s what he means by that.” These are Fahrettin’s take after all.
Lastly I would love to help you in anyway I can and I hope you would help me to improve myself too. That’s what I have been doing in audiophile groups and forums, helping others and asking for help myself. I see reviewing products as a means to grow up as an audiophile more than anything and definitely saw the positive results of listening with the purpose of reviewing a product. Rant is over, now back to the review.

Disclaimers​

Without boring you too much, I don’t necessarily have a sound preference. I tend to enjoy different sound profiles as long as they do well what they intend to do. I’m not very sensitive to treble so I can enjoy the most notoriously bright headphones, however I’m somewhat sensitive to upper mids area. Please keep these in mind.

Build, Comfort and Trivia​

Most of you know that Sennheiser HD6** series are very old and still going strong. Strange thing is, from the series, only HD580 is discontinued. HD600, HD650 and newest addition HD660s are still made. Apart from the newest brother HD660s, HD600 and HD650 are revised visually but the sound didn’t get changed, or if there was a change, it was not so meaningful to make note of. Also with the addition of Massdrop (Drop) collaboration HD6XX, which is an alternative skin to HD650 essentially, HD6** series headphones reached to a wider audiance.

I don’t need to go in detail about the build but have to mention anyway. The Sennheiser HD600 headphones are mostly made out of plastic and metal. One can wish to see more metal but believe me, as someone who has more premium headphones made out of mostly metal, light headphones are something you miss a lot. They may look flimsy but I assure you they are not. This build is around for more than 30 years and some people are still using their 20+ years old pairs.

They may come as clampy at first, especially if you have a big head but you can stretch the headband a little or bend the spring metal outwards to make it more comfortable. Power requirement is not too high. They don’t sound good from a headphone or laptop jack but don’t require a power plant either.

Sound​

Bass​

These are not bassy headphones, we all know that. But before we pass this section I would like to elaborate a little.

Before HD600, I had a pair of Massdrop x Sennheiser HD58X. I liked those headphones but at some point I wanted to try a more refined sound and applied some modes and to some degree I achieved to make them more clear and refined. Then when I found a deal on a pair HD600s, I jumped on it. In my initial comparison I didn’t hear much difference tonally, however difference in refinement was definitely there. Earlier I chose HD58X over HD6XX because I thought my less educated ears would appreciate more bass and extention, also HD58X required less power. But bass of HD600 was tighter, more impactful and had more texture if that makes sense. You could hear the same amount of bass from HD58X but could not “feel” it. Long story short I sold HD58X immediately.

Still HD600 don’t extend into sub-bass very well. I did my test on several songs and can’t say Sub-bass is non existent, it is there but barely. I don’t like too emphasized subbass, but here the sub-bass is simply not enough.

Midrange​

This part needs no explanation. Intimacy is the name of the game and HD600 headphones are one of the best in this area. Vocals are exceptional. I didn’t find them shouty ever but I know some people do. To get irritated I need to increase the volume more than comfortable listening levels. Well, since these are kind of mid-forward headphones, if you increase the volume, mids irritate you before bass and treble so that’s fair. It’s just that the rest of the frequency range is lacking a little compared to mids.

Most of the detail is here in the midrange. You can hear tiny changes in vocalists’ voices. If the song you listen to consist of mostly midrange instruments, you will have a really good time. If not, well…

Treble​

If last part might made you think treble is lacking. That’s not entirely true. Upper mids and lower treble is just right. It is a pleasure to listen to. I want to say I feel the slightest veil that some people make note of when I come from another headphone. But shortly it disappears as my ears adjust to the sound. What doesn’t dissappear is, just like the bass, treble also don’t extend very well. With metal songs I can’t feel the energy and excitement up top. The cymbals sound like they are too far or in another room. It makes to want to turn the knob but then mids become unbearable.

Technical Performance​

I want to say these headphones are detailed but I won’t. Like I said earlier, detailed information only exists in the midrange. I know drivers are capable to produce details for a fact. But tonaly this performance don’t spread out evenly throughout the entire frequency range. Most headphones known as detailed are bright because forward treble makes information up top more audible. Even mediocre drivers may come as detailed with this gimmick. Sennheiser makes the opposite so even if driver produces the sound, that sound masked by other notes and you can’t shake the feeling of missing something. Strangely I don’t get this feeling in my Clear MG and that headphone is even darker. Difference in quality I guess.

Soundstage is also somewhat narrow as you may already know. I feel like I am parroting other reviewers here but I have wider closed-back headphones, like Fostex TH610s. Still being open-back, they don’t fell claustrophobic. However I need to mention, there is a fact named Sundara. They are similarly priced, have better clarity and detail, decent intimacy unlike other mid-dipped Hifimans, wide soundstage and better extention on both sides. I haven’t tried HD600s on tubes unfortunately because the tubes I tried until now were sloppy and I don’t want to dive into that rabbit hole yet.,

Timbre is as natural as it gets, I sense nothing wrong with it and nothing to elaborate, which is a good thing.

Conclusion​

That didn’t end on a high note, did it? Let me address to that. What I made out of HD600s is, they are neutral for the most part but not an all rounder. For vocals, classical or acoustic music, they are a delight. I also enjoyed some low-fi lists people advertise these days a lot. It was a great match. However I couldn’t enjoy Opeth or bass heavy EDM songs, no suprises there.

Let’s take a step back and think. How many headphones do you know that is made in 90s (1998 if I’m not wrong) and still crowd favorite? Maybe other brands learned how to make headphones and competiton got fiercer but people still suggest HD6** series headphones and HD600 arguably best of the iterations. In my opinion HD6XXs are bargain for 200~$ (240$ MSRP on Drop if there is no discount). And if you can find others during sale seasons less than their MSRP, I say grab them. However in 2022 400$ for HD600 (550$ for HD650 and 500$ for HD660s) is a bit stretch. If full size headphone market improved as fast as IEM market, Sennheiser would be in great danger (and they were until they released IE600). But for now, they are still going strong.

Here's my thoughts on the HD 600. During the review, I'll be throwing in the similarly priced HE-400 and the lower end HD 598 for comparison. Be warned, these are not direct comparisons. I have sold my HE-400 and HD 598, but still remember how they sounded on certain songs and if I don't feel comfortable about any statements towards them I simply won't post them.  
 
Build Quality/Design/Comfort (3.75/5): These are really comfortable, they have a bit of clamping force but you will easily get used to them. They weighed a lot less then I expected and the pads are made up of very soft material. I would say the HD 598 is more comfortable because it has less clamping force and softer pads, but the HD 600 is still excellent in this category. The cables are removable but they aren't as thick and don't feel as sturdy as the HD 598's cable. These are plastic with some metal in them, the plastic doesn't feel very cheap, but to me they don't look or feel like a $400 headphone in your hands.
 
Lows (4/5): The bass has good power at the mid-bass area, but under 40hz is lacking a bit in impact. The bass is not the fastest, I noticed the HE-400 had quicker bass when I listened to upbeat Techno, like the song "E" by Drunkenmunky. I would say the HD 600's bass is adequate, it never wowed me with power and speed, but it didn't sound anemic or very slow either. It did well with Trap, rap, and dubstep showing good extension and moderate power but it doesn't exaggerate the bass which makes those genres enjoyable to some. Comparing the HE-400 I actually think the HD 600 has more perceivable bass in most songs, because of it's stronger mid-bass which you hear more in music, but at the same time the HE-400 will seem to have more bass if you play a song that relies heavily on sub-bass. Comparing the HD 598, I simply felt the HD 600 had just a touch more quantity wise.
 
Mids (5/5): The mid-range is less forward than the HD 598 making the 600 a bit easier to listen to without fatigue. The mid-range is smooth, vocals almost never seemed to be harsh or sound fake in any way. The HD 600's mid-range felt a bit more full than the HE-400, mainly in the upper mids. I felt the HE-400 was a bit recessed in that area, even with new velour pads.
 
Highs (4/5): The treble in this headphone lacks some detail and excitement. The treble is not veiled, but I couldn't say it is bright. The HD 600 has close to neutral treble that makes it very easy to listen to. Cymbals still have some sparkle and energy but it isn't overdone in any way, sibilance rarely occurs on well recorded tracks and when it comes it isn't heavily exaggerated. If you like a relaxed signature, this will probably be a 5/5 for you. If you want a more dynamic sound with excitement, you should probably look elsewhere. I think the treble was less bright and fatiguing versus the HD 598 and HE-400.
 
Soundstage (3.75/5): The soundstage has a good size to it but it doesn't always give you that out of your head sound with some headphones. This is kind of a good thing, because the intimacy the HD 600 gives you can be more exciting. Sometimes when I listened to my previously owned HD 598 and the Q701 I auditioned these headphones seemed to make some songs sound too far away, which made me lose excitment. The HD 598 has a larger sound-stage, not only in width but also in height. I listened to "Kitchen Sink , Boxcutters remix" by Amon Tobin and I could tell the song sounded smaller on the HD 600 than the 598.I can not comment on the HE-400 because I don't feel comfortable with my memory regarding soundstage on them.
 
Amping & Synergy: The HD 600 is a bit harder to drive than your average headphone but it scales incredibly well. It sounded good out of my phone, even better out of my Vintage Fisher 400 & JA-S55 stereo, and excellent out of my mediocre headphone amp (RA53b). Comparing the sound from out of my cellphone to the 30+ year old receivers or my headphone amp wasn't a night and day difference, but I noticed the treble was more relaxed and less sharp, plus the bass had increased power.
 
Final thoughts: The HD 600 is a great headphone that can handle almost all genres. It has a smooth and relaxing signature that I personally love. You will need to look elsewhere if you want a fun and more dynamic experience, but if you're looking for a easy to listen to headphone that won't make you too bored the HD 600 should be near the top of your list.

I've been a Sennheiser user for a a while. My first headphones were the HD450BT, terrible comfort but sounded good to my ears. Then I changed to the Sony's WH-1000XM3 for travelling, they are not that comfortable and sound was overwhelming. Then I bought the HD560s, pretty good but treble was harsh to me, then HD599. Too much bass and not a lot of detail. I wanted something neutral but engaging at the same time. The HD600 are amazing headphones for the money, you can enjoy them for hours without fatigue. They are not for everyone (bassheads), but I think many people will like their neutrality.

I've owned these for a year now so I think I can pass fair judgement. Great headphones. A legend among headphones. Neutral, clear and the reference I use to compare all others. Very comfortable, the most comfortable headphones I've ever used with the Beyer over ears. I sold my Audeze LCD2.2 and kept these, that's how much I like them.
 
Surprisingly easy to drive for 300ohm. They improve with adequate amplification, but I think people really overstate how important it is.
 
I did have the headband crack on me when stretching it (they have a bit of a tight grip initially), but Sennheiser were great and replaced them straight away for a new pair.

The Sennheiser HD 600 needs no introduction. These legendary headphones have been reviewed by many, so what do I have to add? First, I would like to talk about why I decided to purchase these many years ago.

Some Random Backstory​

In December 2019, I got into the audio world with the Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee. Coming from a Razer Kraken Pro v2, it took me some time to appreciate its sound signature. After all, I switched from a bassy gaming headset to a warm neutral headphone. It wasn’t until I switched back to the Razers that I finally heard how muddy and boomy it was. So, I stuck with my 58X satisfied—for a few months.

Around this time, I was getting interested in getting another headphone, deciding between the HD 600 or the HD 650. Yep, I caught the upgrade bug. Eventually, in August 2020, I chose the HD 600, because I wanted to hear what a neutral reference sounded like.

Nearly three years later, I am still using these headphones almost daily, despite trying other headphones like the RODE NTH-100 and the AKG K701s. So already, you know I like these a lot. Still, I would like to share my thoughts on it.

Non-Sound Stuff​

The build quality is solid. It is made mostly of plastic—with the grills made of metal—but it is very good plastic. I have dropped these a few times on wooden floor, and they still look good as new. I have not seen any wear or cracks, so I am confident these will last a long time.

I also love the modularity of these headphones. It feels great knowing if something happens to any part, that I can easily order them and replace without any tools. Beyerdynamic is the only other company I’m aware of that has accessible replaceable parts.

The comfort is pretty good, though out of the box and with new velour pads, it can feel clampy. Once the headband is stretched and the pads wear in, they are one of the most comfortable headphones I’ve worn. My ears never feel hot wearing these. And I find the four-nugget headband to be far more comfortable than what the HD 58X has. I think Sennheiser made a big mistake changing them with the newest revision.

Sound Parameters​

For listening, I use JDS Labs Atom amp and DAC, connected to my Windows 10 PC. I listen to music through Spotify and foobar2000. My tastes have gravitated towards progressive and post rock and other genres recently. Here’s a playlist to give you an idea of what I usually listen to nowadays.

Bass​

I am always surprised when people say the HD 600’s have no bass. Sure, they lack in sub-bass, and I wish it digs lower at times, but they definitely have mid-bass presence, especially in comparison to something like the AKG K701. At lower volumes, I can see it being a problem, but since I mostly listen at moderate to high volumes, they have more than enough for my liking.

Midrange​

Ah, those mids. They are truly something special. Its timbre are still something I haven't found in any headphone to date. When I listen to other headphones, the midrange sounds artificial and makes me aware I am listening to headphones, if that makes sense. However, with the HD 600's, they sound so natural and organic that I forget I am wearing headphones at times. I imagine myself in the studio in front of the musicians. It is that good. With that being said, I would not call the mids completely neutral. They have peaks around 1.2kHz and 3.5kHz. They do not bother me personally, but I can see why some would call the mids forward or shouty.

Treble​

What really helps the midrange make it the way it sounds is that treble. It is present, yet smooth and inoffensive. There aren't any sharp peaks or anything overly off-putting about it, nor would I call it "veiled". Some have reported peaks at 5kHz and 10kHz, but I am not sensitive to them and have never bothered me. I will say though that there is quite a bit of air above 13kHz, which is the complete opposite of it being rolled off. On a rare occasion, it can be a bit much, but this is more to do with how I am feeling and also how the music is recorded.

Pad Tax​

I can't talk about the HD 600 without mentioning the pad tax. Before the new revision, the velour pads wore out really quick, thus changing the sound. The treble especially took a big hit. Paying $50-60 USD for fresh pads is already crazy, but to keep the sound "fresh" at least yearly is ridiculous, although there is worse (and I won't name names). With the new pad revision, the pads are noticeably stiffer, and last much longer. Thankfully, the sound is very similar to what I had when I first got them a year ago.

Conclusion​

The Sennheiser HD 600 is a headphone that everyone should hear at least once. Their well-balanced tonality, exquisite midrange timbre, reliability, modularity, and durability. All that together makes a headphone, even 25 years later, that is timeless and won't ever be forgotten. And I am not sure there will be another one like it again.

Info:
DAC: CA Dac Magic Plus.
Player: Foobar2000.
Source: PC lossless files through USB to DAC.

I've had these headphones since Christmas now and coming from HD 598's the improvement was noticeable (less grain,more bass impact, NEUTRAL and more realistic) but the treble sounded hot, and the stereo-image too narrow... 

After listening for them and comparing them for few days, my brain started to adjust to the sound of the headphones and it started to sound AMAZING.
The headphones stereo-image started to widen a bit (or a placebo).

Anyway, now 4 months after owning them I have been really happy with them and I just did the foam mod (I replaced the inside foam with stocking and stretched it over the driver)
and OH MY GOD. It's pretty much a whole different headphone. The whole sound of them just opened up and the stereo-imaging is now clearer and sharper than ever.
Listening to Tipper's Forward Escape album, I could hear every little sound moving around in space super clearly.
Only negative is the lack of bass impact, but I guess I can't have it all.

(Excuse me if bad grammar )
 
Sennhieser hd 600 review (So Far, No AMP.) *keep in mind I have never been a person who likes loud music, so the HD600s have enough volume directly plugged in for my ears. Not everyone is the same and it does not mean you are death. Im just accustomed to listening at this level because I believe you get more fidelity from doing so.
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Highs- Not as prominent as I want them to be. Very peaceful on your ears though, absolutely no fatigue and very natural. It seems the 558s color this area to a much greater extent than the 600
 
Mids- The most beautiful I have heard. Even directly plugged in to my macbook pro the mids are very detailed and natural, sometimes even sounding realistic  slightlyoverall  better than my SR 325is.
 
Bass/Lows- VERY good bass (atleast to me) lacking a bit of sub-bass but the mello highs help establish a good amount of body.This means, It never really seems like it lacks body although it’s sub bass is not as prominent.
 
 
Detail- On par with the m50, less fatigue. Absolutely brilliant 
 
Imaging/soundstage- So far the imaging increases as the quality of the file does. This is a forgiving headphone but it does benefit from higher quality recordings. Good separation and soundstage, although a bit bigger would be nice. In the long run, the amp might give me what i’m looking for here .
 
Compared to HD 558 (Modded foam pads) directly plugged in (NO AMP YET PEOPLE)
 
HD600>HD 558 Detail
HD600<HD558 Highs (The 558s are more aggressive especially during guitar riffs, and I like it better so far)
HD600=HD558 Imaging
HD600>558 BASS
HD600>558 Overall presentation, NO amp or DLC
 
But remember, this is directly plugged into the 3.5mm jack. Subject to change when my DAC/AMP arrives sometimes next week.

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I received my shiit valid/modi amp.
Overall I am very satisfied with the result. The soundstage seems to have increased and I can now hear “layers” of instruments. I did not think this level of fidelity would be possible with a sub-200 dollar amp/dac combo and the HD 600.
 
 
Everything seems to be perfect. And I actually don’t believe it!
 
 
Highs- It seems like the dac/amp combo is slightly brighter than neutral and a tad more aggressive. To me, the combination with the HD 600, being more laid back,  made it absolutely perfect!
 
Mids- These beasts were already good without an amp. Now I am hearing the same amount of refinement and balance but with even more detail. It’s safe to say this headphone now  has more detail than my ATH m50s. Definitely getting to a point where they sound realistic.
 
 
Bass- Absolutely one of my favorite parts of this combination. The bass has been increased but has also gotten tighter than when directly plugged into the Macbook Pro. This is more noticeable with high quality recordings. There is enough “Thump” for most music, but I still feel it’s not proper for EXTREMELY (Slightly annoying and restarted) dubstep.
 
 
Imaging/SS- Is this a dream? I am hearing layers of instruments  and the wind around them. No i’m serious. Do i really need to upgrade further?
 
 
In direct comparison with an amplifier there is absolutely no competition with it’s little brother the HD558. I am so satisfied with this purchase I don’t think I will be upgrading in the near future. 5/5

Preface: Hi there! I am a young audio enthusiast who has retained all my hearing (up to about 19khz) thus far. Unfortunately I do suffer from mild tinnitus, meaning I have slight high frequencies ringing in my ears. I don't listen to music loud generally, because I don't want to damage my ears, and I can get fatigued fairly easily. I am pretty sensitive to sibilance. I am a musician, I have played French Horn for about 7 years now, and have dealt with classical/ish instruments and music since. I am also, somewhat new to the high-end audio world (been about a two and a half years) and do not have first-hand experience with end game equipment (yet). So, you can take all my words with a grain of salt. Now, for the review!

Sources: Extreme quality Spotify -> Dragonfly Black V1.2 -> HD600

Foobar2000 with FLAC and AAC files -> Dragonfly Black V1.2 -> HD600

Extreme quality Spotify -> Dragonfly Black V1.2 -> Little Dot 1+ -> HD600

Foobar2000 with FLAC and AAC files -> Dragonfly Black V1.2 -> Little Dot 1+ -> HD600

Panasonic DVD-RV32 with CDs -> Little Dot 1+ -> HD600

Packaging and accessories: The packaging is pretty barebones for the headphones, especially for the price. The box it comes in is a made of a textured cardboard with a shiny black Sennheiser label on the front. it has metal hinges to open the lid (which I find kind of cool) and upon opening shows the glorious headphones sitting in a form fitted foam to hold the headphones snugly in place. just beneath the headphones is a foam block that is covering a hole where the cable, and its 3.5mm to 6.3mm adapter (which fits very flush to the cable end) resides. there is only one other object in the box, a manual. That's it. I guess I understand the lack of accessories, there's really not much you could include. They get straight to the point, the headphones.

Build Quality: The build of the HD600 is very good. It has a hard plastic surrounding around the ear cups, and the same hard plastic for the headband, with memory foam bumps on the part that touches your head, and metal hinges to adjust the height. The grills are metal, and the earpads are memory foam with velour covering them. When bought new, I hear that the clamp force is very strong, and the pads are stiff. Fortunate for me, I bought mine used, and the previous owner had already stretched the metal hinges so that they are very comfortable and practically float on my head. Overall very good.

Sound: The HD600 is an exceptional headphone. It is a classic in the community, and that was one of the reasons I bought it. I've had it for several months now, and it is still amazing.

Bass: Lets start with the bad: the bass. I wouldn't say its necessarily bad, but if there were one thing I would improve upon for the HD600's, it would be the bass. It is very lean, due to the nature of dynamic headphones. The headphones experience a pretty severe sub-bass roll-off around 70hz going down all the way to 10hz. The bass is slightly textured, but lacks quantity. The detail of the bass is pretty good, though it can suffer from one-note-itis sometimes. Overall its alright, at least to me, but I have yet to hear how it compares to other high-end headphone's bass. If you like rap music, or electronic, you may want a different pair of headphones.

Midrange: This is where the HD600 shines. The midrange of the HD600 is very natural and organic. Vocals and acoustic instruments come across with crystal clear clarity, and they appear so lifelike. Candido's Arcason is perfectly replicated, the brassy sound of the trombone and trumpet, the laid-back vocals of the song, the striking of guitar strings, the precise hits of the bongo played in the left channel, to the point where I can pinpoint the areas on the drum head the player is hitting. In Arnesen: MAGNIFICAT 4. Et misericordia, the lead female vocal is just dreamy, so liquidy smooth, and clear, with the strings accompanying her, it feels like I'm sitting in a concert hall listening to a live performance. Overall my favorite part of the headphone, and has made me a complete sucker for a good midrange.

Treble: A lot of people talk about the "Sennheiser veil" and honestly, I'm not quite sure what that means or entails. I find the detail of the of the treble to be very good, if not even a little harsh (for my ears) with some recordings. In Ying Quartet's performance of Adante Espressivo - Allegro, the strings, particularly the violins are brilliant in presentation, revealing the forwardness that is part of the instruments nature. Overall very detailed, and enjoyable with well mastered recordings.

Microdetail: You can hear microdetails well. very slight echoes in music can be heard if you concentrate, or maybe even a page flip on an orchestral piece, or the breathing of a flute player. Overall pretty good.

Overall detail: These headphones are very detailed, especially in the midrange and treble regions. Bass detail is polite, but there. Just very good in general, there's a reason you can find these in recording studios all around the world.

Soundstage and imaging: The soundstage is decent on these headphones. It has a pretty good left, middle, right representation of music. Any sort of panning effects are accurately represented. It isn't very wide, or tall in presentation, mainly keeping intimate feel to them, which works well for them in my opinion. Imaging goes hand in hand with soundstage, but does so very well in the small space its offered. I can pretty easily pick out where an instrument or sound effect is coming from, whether that be to my front right, or directly behind me.

Source pairing: I thought this was important enough to warrant its own section. Using the headphones straight out of an iPhone 7 (only did this once), I got it to listenable levels, but it sounded a little harsh and lacking detail. With the Dragonfly Black out of my PC, it has more detail and more than enough power, but I still found it a bit harsh. I found my optimal usage out of my Little Dot 1+, a hybrid tube amp that can power these cans on low gain with extreme ease. I never turn the volume nob past 26 (out of 100), for fear of damaging my ears. I must say though, the Little Dot takes the little bit of edge I experience with Solid-State sources, and adds a hint of warmth to the lower midrange and bass, that I think the 600's really benefit from.

Conclusion: I LOVE these headphones. Despite the problems with the bass, the midrange and treble make up for it, and more. I bought them at $210 USD, and would do so again in a heartbeat. These are/will be my reference against any other open-backed headphones I review or audition. Overall I would give them 8.5/10.

Thanks for reading!

Album

VERY flat. Now this is a headphone I enjoy.

Except for that bass roll off. Forget the HD800, forget the HD700, find some way to get deep sub bass out of these and you have a winner.

It sounds quite clean and is never veiled (HD650, HD598) nor is ever harsh (HD700, HD800). That is all.

First off I'm going to say I was rather hesitant about buying these headphones.I had recently purchased the Hifiman He-400's, and while I very much enjoyed the SQ on those i found them far too cumbersome and uncomfortable. This was most likely due to the weight of the cans and lack of cushioning on the headband (which you can buy cushioning for). I also found that the velour cups didn't form a precise seal on my head which i suspect really didn't help with the bass. 
 
My preferences for headphones have to date been a rather bright sound signature. I was brought up on a healthy dose of AD900's and i freakin loved the comfort they offered. The bass was a bit lack lustre. This was my incentive for searching for a new headphone. 
 
I read a lot about the Hd600 and was struck curious by the sound signature that it offered. A much more natural sounding headphone, with a mid emphasis. This was most definitely different from my normal tastes. I demo'd a HD600 at a friends and was really quite unimpressed. I have a feeling that something was up with his setup (he was running a Matrix M stage amp and dac combo which i suspect was not genuine, as were his various headphones). 
 
Still after a lot of trawling through forums, friendly help from the lovely folk here, and a nice discount from the local audio store I made my purchase.
 
Packaging:
Quite impressed with the packaging truth be told. It has the feel of a quality product. It comes enclosed in a hefty black box with metal clasps. To open the lid has the feeling of opening the lid on high fidelity music. There on a foam bed lie the HD600's with an instruction manual on top. 
 
Build Quality & Appearance:
Straight out of the box the build quality seems solid. The first thing that struck me was the 'marble' design. From pictures I was anxious to see what it looked like in person. I had a bad feeling it would look tacky and cheap but this was not the case. You can immediately appreciate the build of the headphones, the marble finish is actually quite sophisticated. 
Coming from the Hifimans I was quite suprised at the comparative light weight of these cans. They really don't weigh much. 
 
Comfort: 
When I first put these on I was a bit taken aback at the clamp. I have a medium sized head (i would like to think) and the force was quite apparent. I was told however this would ease with time and it has. I have had these headphones on for the past four hours straight and they are sitting very nicely. They stay firmly in position if i say feel the need to bob my head vigorously, which is quite a bonus if you like to have a bit of quiet time at the desk and place you're head on your forearms. With the hifimans they would immediately slide out of place and I would be constantly needing to adjust them. Given time these headphones seem to adjust and stretch naturally to your head. 
 
Sound Quality:
First impressions:
That Sennheiser veil. It had to be mentioned. This was one thing that I was again anxious about. I like my music to be upfront and alive, not be distanced. Having listened to the Hifimans for a few weeks I had gotten used to that sound signature. If theres anyway to describe the Hifiman's in one word it would be 'alive'. Music on the hifiman's sound almost electric, very energetic and present. I enjoyed it. When I loaded up 'Beast' by Nico Vega the very first chord was like two cymbals crashing together at the center of your head. That was one of the moments where my eyes widened, I sat back and went 'huh... that.... sounds *******... awesome.' I have come to understand that this is a characteristic of the planar technology in the Hifiman's. To give a quick quick summation the sound signature I would describe as being present and alive if one can use those terms. The high's are good, the mids are a bit recessed from what I could tell, and the bass is pretty good. I was however a tad dissapointed with them as I was led to believe the bass would be something that it clearly was not. When users describe the bass as 'phenomenal' I expected it to be super impactful, deep and rumbly, almost visceral. This was not the case and I unfortunately regarded the Hifimans as having not met my expectations. Despite this the bass was deep and quick, it made rock music sound awesome whenever a snare was present. After listening to the Hifiman's for more than half an hour things tend to, for me, get a bit uncomfortable. The weight of the headphone caused strain on my head and having to constantly readjust the strap was a bit of a pain. I also found that despite the comfort factors my ears started to get quite fatigued from the headphone itself. 
 
Now back to the Senn's. As a comparison when I first started listening I was a bit shocked and intrigued by what I was hearing. There was none of this excessive 'im alive' sound coming from the music anymore. It sounded different, and in a good way. To put it bluntly it sounded the way it was supposed to sound. I then realized that what I was hearing on the Hifiman's was really something that I didn't overly care for. They did sound good but in comparison to the HD600's they sound a bit fake and overemphasized. I would liken it to getting a new girlfriend, and finding out that your recent ex had fake boobs, and your current gf had the real deal. For some reason they just seem better. This was really a turning point for me in appreciating a different sounding headphone. While i did enjoy the bright sounding headphones I found an immense pleasure in the reality of the Senn's. Listening to music the way it was meant to sound without any artificial meddling to accommodate the 'mass audience'. By this I mean the treble centric and bass heavy headphones that seem to popular these days......coughbeatscoughcough. 
 
Highs-
As I have previously mentioned I am or was a fan of bright headphones. I liked hearing that sparkling treble as I listen to a lot of female vocals. I was absolutely terrified that I would lose that sparkle and a lot of my music would lose that magical allure that sends shivers down your whole body. The infamous sennheiser veil was something of a dealbreaker for me. I am very happy to report that the highs on the sennhieser while not able to be as in your face as other bright headphones (a good thing it turns out) does a remarkable job. 
 
Mids-
Now. This is what really suprised me. The HD600's have changed my perception of what I consider sounding 'good'. I listened to a lot of music that centered around mid's. One track that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to was 'Iron Man' by Nico Vega. That whole album in my opinion is very well recorded. The guitar, piano, pipes(organ?) that come in half way through the song redefined my perception of good music. It was also conincidentally the moment where I knew I would not be getting rid of my HD600's for a very. very long time. The HD600's seem to bring the mid's forward a tad, it makes male vocals standout a lot more which I find pleasant. Michael Buble has never sounded better. One thing I will note, and I can't say for sure. Is that it really depends on the quality and recording of the source as to how much these come through. For Buble's music his voice is very prevelant, if it was any more so it would be in danger of becoming uncomfortable. When I switch to Tool however the whole band seems to have taken a step back from the microphone, sounding ever so slightly distant and far away. 
 
Bass-
The bass was something I was not expecting to impress me. The Hifiman's were allegedly a bassier headphone both in regards to the quantity, impact and depth. I have a feeling people will have very different opinions as to which bass sounds better. The bass on the Senn's in comparison with no EQ has roughly the same quantity with a marginal amount more impact which I would I would say comes to its alleged slightly boosted mid bass. I would say that in general the bass does not extend to the depths of sub bass that the 400's can (Pun. Bet that's never been used before). There are moments when you are listening to some recordings when the Senn's delight the socks off you with some rather visceral subbass. You kinda just sit there thinking where.... the fudge did that come from. Despite the inconsistency in subbass I do find it more enjoyable than the 400's. The impact is greater and that really does add a lot of value to music for me. Whether it be Part of Me by Katy Perry or Flume's latest album (which sounds freakin dope by the way. If you own the HD600's please give it a listen. It is fantastic). The bass never ever overpowers the rest of the frequencies and is very consistent. If a song calls for an appropriate amount of bass it will deliver, if it doesn't then no bass for you. 
 
Equalisation-
These headphones... LOVE EQ'd bass. While I love the natural sound they produce 90% of the time. Increasing the bottom two frequencies in the STX centre releases the inner bass head. For stuff like flume or Mt Eden Dub where just a touch more bass really does add a lot to the music its incredible. Just bumping up the frequencies makes the Senn's breathe new life into the bass. The impact becomes a lot greater and the subbass more prevalent (although not greatly so). What is best is that in doing this, it doesn't mess with the rest of the frequencies. No distortion, no nothing. With the 400's I couldn't increase the bass without the rest of the spectrum suffering a noticeable amount. 
 
Gaming-
I'm a competitive gamer. Not professionally but I play a lot of FPS to the point where if I'm not in the top 3 I'd be dissappointed. With my current soundcard the Asus Essence STX I find the game and EAX settings completely useless. Not to say they don't work, but they don't work with the Senn's. Once you activate them positioning becomes completely indistinguishable. Sounds become muddied and it sounds like its all coming from center stage. If you keep the HQ option ticked where the source is the cleanest you can get a fairly good idea of where things are. Not pinpoint accuracy by any means but you can get the general gist of where things are coming from. For non competitive I jammed some Mass Effect 3. Focussing just on the audio experience the Senn's do a good job. The mids do a good job of making dialogue clear and the overall experience is pretty flawless. Only option I could mention is again upping the two lower frequencies a tad. Just allows for a more immersive experience. 
 
Just as a note, if you are planning on getting the 600's the source and recording of your music will impact on you're listening experience.
Also as much as I may have whinged about the Hifimans the SQ is still stellar. A great headphone and the after sales service at Head Direct was nothing short of spectacular. After a month of owning the 400's and finally (and at the time slightly begrudgingly) returning them, Head Direct had no problems with extending that two weeks when I was due to travel to HK so I could avoid the rather steep return shipping fee. If you find the Hifiman's comfortable (or perhaps invest in the cushioned pad if you don't) they would be a fantastic addition to any headphone collection. 
 
To finish I will say this. The HD600's have redefined my perception of quality audio. Whilst i was previously a pure bass and treble fan the HD600's have grown on me at a lightning rate. The detailed an prominent mids have made music I have loved that much more enjoyable and that really is priceless for me. Best of all In the hour it took me to write this, I have listened to a large portion of a Tool album, with this being the 5th consecutive hour of wearing the 600's. I have absolutely no fatigue and have no need to readjust them. I may as well sleep with them on.
 
Apologies for the poor grammar and spelling errors but it is now 3am. Bloody Sennheisers. 

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Perfect headphones for most instruments and vocals, could be better for hard rock and metal. I've never been so immersed in music in my life than while listening to these. My Bottlehead Crack Amplifier definitely improved their energy and sound quality. I do find myself using treble boost on my ipod, however, and I feel like there could be more "fun" headphones out there. I will be searching for a more bass heavy headphone with a full bodied sound for my hard rock and bass-necessary tracks.

These were the best audiophile purchase I have made. I've used them nearly everyday for 5 years, and I have little desire to purchase another set of open over-ear cans.
 
Sound:
The sound signature is neutral. Some have criticized the treble for being rolled off. While the treble lacks a certain energy (stemming from a lower quantity) one might find on Grados, I find that it still replicates high frequency instruments very well, and that the "laid back" nature makes listening non-fatiguing. They also have a great airy sound to them, which makes them sound more like speakers (which is a good thing).
 
The bass response is perfect, not too little, not too much. They can "slam" as much as the music allows. Using a decent amp helps in this area. In my experience, I can not tell the difference between my cmoy, Aria Headfive, EMU 0404 usb headphone out, and from my Onkyo receiver headphone out. These are all considered to have/be good headphone amps. You don't need anything super expensive.
 
The mids are very rich and full. It's got just the perfect amount of warmth in the mids.
 
Comfort:
The padding is velour, and is extremely comfortable.
I have longish hair, and sometimes the headband pulls  on or rips out my hair. Once you know how it happens, it's not hard to avoid.
 
Conclusion:
I just don't see how anyone could be disappointed with these. They just do so many things right. They also aren't that expensive nowadays.

This is a classic for a good reason, it just does so much right. It basically excels at nothing (but the mids), but it's just so easy to believe in the way it represents music. It's my go-to headphone for checking out mixes and music production in general. 
 
Here's my video-review of the HD600:

 
 
COMFORT, BUILD & CABLE
They sit tightly on one's head, but the clamp is pretty much spot on - a bit tight at first, but it gets very good. These fit my big head easily. The oval-shaped earpads are some of the comfiest (Beyers are maybe even better). They are very light and seem to take lots of beating too. For the price they are kind of plasticky, but all of the components can be replaced in needed. I once misplaced the input on the right side - I thought these 'phones were done for... Well, all I needed to do (after watching a tutorial) was take the HD600 apart (without any tools, mind you!) and move the socket back into place. This took me under 2 minutes.
 
I've had the HD650 cable from the start, that's what my used pair came with. Buying an expensive replacement cable would be the last thing I'd do to make them sound better. If you want different looks or length, go for it - but it's not going to affect the sound quality substantially. If the cable works, it works!
 
Let's get into sound quality! I listen to lots of rock, metal, pop, hip-hop and some jazz...
 

 
 
 
THE BASS
Very well proportioned, it's one of the few that get the amount right. It's not bass-deficient like AKG K701 or too fat like Philips Fidelio X2, it's somewhere in between. For me, it's the right amount of lows to make good judgments when mixing. It's also very pleasing when listening, as long as you're not coming straight from some bassy 'phones. It doesn't screw up the mids or seem lacking either. Bass is where my (150 euro) HD595 faltered, they were kind of all over the place in it.... BTW, I trust the HD600 much more when mixing bass frequencies than my Adam A7 active monitors (with a sub) because of the bad acoustics in my apartment. All in all, these type of neutral headphones are great for mixing the lows especially, much recommended!
 
The sub-region is not at all at the level of my Audeze LCD-2 (rev.1), but this is very similar to most speakers without external sub-woofers. Just to mention, the sub-bass region isn't even that important in most mixes, it's very often cut out almost completely. The "meat" of any mix is above say 60hz anyway. There's no problem with the HD600 there. (When there is much information in the subs I grab my LCD-2's...)
 
MID-RANGE
Man, these do great here. Guitars, vocals, bowed instruments, you name it. HD600 rule the roost (HD650 too). Listening to Back In Black by AC/DC those rhythm guitars just sound so in-your-face, neutral and correct.... Very few headphones get to these levels of mids quality. My LCD's get there pretty much, but maybe not quite as realistic levels - the differences are not that big. This is where HD600 can compete with those 1K-headphones very well.
 
THE HIGHS
Those nice guitars by AC/DC are doing their their beautiful crunch in the highs too, and yes, they most certainly are. There is a boost in the 3K region, that might be the reason HD600 sounds kind of "dry", not dressing up any ugly things happening with the most important things in a mix (vocals, guitars, snare, kick etc.). The sound stage is very much controlled, not very big like K701. But, my Audezes sound audibly more clear in the highs - it seems as if there is more headroom and less distortion. They're at least more pleasant up there. That's for sure.
 

 
 
VERSUS HD650?
I used to have both of the HD6xx-models. But, once I got my LCD-2's, the HD650 became kind of redundant - they didn't match the fun factor of that Audeze low-end or have the same level of resolution in the highs. HD600 is dryer and more "boring" in some ways than the 650, but that's the exact reason I kept them. They are just great at telling what's going on in a mix. HD650 were pretty close, but slightly too nice and fat in the low-end... Bad mixes just didn't sound bad enough! If I could only have one pair of open headphones at home, HD650 just might be my choice. But, HD600 are more neutral and LCD-2 more fun.
 
AMPING
I used to use these straight out of my Apogee Duet's headphone output. Recently I bought a Schiit Lyr 2 that makes the low-end slightly more balanced. But, the differences aren't huge (say it like Trump!). The Schiit brings a slight more subs into the mix and flattens the "hump" in the lows/low-mids. I bet I'd be quite happy with the Duet still though, if I didn't have my Lyr.
 

 
 
Thanks for reading! This headphone gets my recommendation easily, after +30 pairs of different models owned. As the prices for top models go up, these stand firm. Released in 1997, almost 20 years ago... They are still one of the best! Check out a pair if you haven't yet.
 
BTW, I'm not affiliated with anyone, I'm doing these reviews for my own (and your) enjoyment.
 
Cheers folks!  

This is by far the closest I have come to writing a 5 star review. Of course to get that, I would have to find the holy grail of headphones for me.
 
I had tried the HD558, HD598, HD650, and HD700 and figured I would simply fill in my knowledge gap. I had no intention of keeping the HD600 for any length of time. I found a new pair new for $200, thought it was worth the experience. Obviously, I got more than a fleeting memory.
 

 
These headphones sound like a dance in the ballroom. Calm, composed, simply natural. No hidden tricks, but all the skill is present. They are like a golfer who hits the ball 150 yards perfectly straight every stroke. Undeniably others have noted how neutral these headphones sound. Yes, they are correct. A little bass/sub-bass-light, but not many open back dynamics aren't. In fact, the more power you feed to the HD600, the more bass is spit back out. As some of you know, I don't really care what a graph tells me about headphones as cool as graphs are. What matters to me is how they sound, and what wonderful thing they can do to make my music more enjoyable, real, or revealing.
 
Thanks to our lovely community here, I bought a Project Polaris Amplifier from Garage1217 simply to bring more life to my new friend.
 

 
Yes, this made a difference. I plugged it all in real quick, and proceeded to be disappointed until I had the brains to move the gain setting up, and boy that made all the difference! There is now more bass, more extension, and overall more life. The Polaris also showed me something wonderful about the HD600. For the first time I found myself using a headphone to figure out what my gear was doing, rather than narrowing down variables with many other headphones. That is the definition of reference. I spent many hours with many headphones determining the exact sound of a FiiO e10, when it took 10 minutes and some HD600s to find out the same things I had spent so much time gathering.
 In case you were wondering about the Polaris: there is a slight tubey hollowness, though not much, excellent extension, and enough low end power to fill out the sound. (The thing needs its own review).
 
I'm gonna sneek in the ugly real quick.
The clamp is real. The cord is typical Sennheiser (FIX YOUR CABLES), but I don't hate it as much as any other cord they make. At least it ends in a 3.5 default...Not to mention the 1/4 inch adapter is fabulous as well. There isn't really a veil (at least if powered correctly), but there could be more detail.
 
I came from daily using HD700s. I love them by the way. Now they are in rotation with my HD600s, mostly because the HD600s clamp becomes a bit uncomfortable after a while, or my ears get a tad hot. I can honestly say that there is very little I can find wrong with these headphones.
Would I mix with them? Yes.
Would I test the mix equipment with them? Yes.
 
The balance and tone are fantastic. Every other headphone I have tried is immediately Bright/Dark Warm/Cold. The HD600s took me by surprise with being none of these things. The only distinguishing factor seems to be the slight lack of lower bass, and the slight hike toward the treble. The best part is pretty much nothing is offensive about the sound. I can relax while listening to them. It is not so much a relaxing sound, but it allows me to be relaxed. Priceless.
 
As for my per review music recommendation; this is most difficult because everything sound wonderful on these. Nothing was hugely exciting, but everything was as it should be.
I had songs that I really didn't listen to anymore become part of the regular loop again simply because the HD600 did them the right amount of justice.
 
Song Recommendation: The Veldt (Original Mix) - Deadmau5
 
If any of you have some nice recommendations, please share. Questions are cool too.
 
 
Future comparisons go here: I have found that this is pretty much just describing the sound characteristics of everything except the HD600
 
HD600 vs HD700:
The HD700 has some warmth, more detail in many frequencies, way more soundstage, and sounds quite smooth due to the warmth. The problem lies in the treble spike which the HD600 simply doesn't have. The HD700 can be a little harsh at times from that spike. The HD600 clamps much more too. They are like cousins. They clearly are from the same family, but have enough difference to not be brothers. I think I like them both equally.The HD700 adds that magic spark to many songs, while the HD600 has a magic neutrality which works with EVERYTHING.
 
HD600 vs SHP9500:
The SHP9500 has far less clamp, much more shallow pads, and of course the wonderful advantage of having a single 3.5mm port for the wire. The sound is a bit grittier on the SHP9500. The SHP9500 sounds a leaner than the HD600 though they are very similar sound signature-wise. The soundstage is a bit better on the SHP as well. The SHP9500 is a wonderful deal for the price point. I also think the HD600 is a worthy upgrade, especially if you just want fuller, more cohesive sound. Simply put, the HD600 basically replaced my SHP9500 for daily use.
 
HD600 vs HD558:
Seems unfair right? Well, the Project polaris amp added much clarity to my HD558s, so now they are not far off of a very bassy HD650. Obviously still more veiled, a bit of a treble hike at like 10k? Much boost in the mid-bass. There is more extension in the HD600. The pads are thicker on my HD600, but wither pair can have the pads replaced with HM5 pads using adapters from ModHouseAudio.
They both share that Sennheiser smoothness.
 
HD600 vs Superlux 668b
Well, now you know my next review. The Superlux is much less forgiving and harsh, more treble, and gives excellent detail. The Superlux strikes me as a bit V shaped with emphasis on the treble comparatively. Definitely leaner than the HD600. some frequencies are a bit under-represented on the Superlux. The bass is a bit lean too, but it gives pretty good extension, and great soundstage. The real difference for me is that it sounds like you are monitoring a recording on the Superlux, While listening to music on the Senneheiser. Of course the 668b has far less "veil" and more excitement similar to the HD700, but not nearly as full as the HD700. I think these are wonderful as well.
 
HD600 vs HD650
With fairness that the HD650 did not get the Polaris amp treatment: While the HD600 is pure neutrality, the HD650 tries to become a bit more fun by adding mid-bass. The treble becomes slightly accentuated as well. the result is that the roll off in lower bass is more noticable, but the overall sound is smoother. The vocals are not quite as clear with the 650, but gains enough warmth to make up for it. I think it is just as capable as the 600 in detail retrieval. I recommend the 650 if you herd the 600 and wanted a little soundstage and smooth warmth instead of only raw neutrality.
 
Conclusion: If you have not tried HD600s on a good amp; make it a must for your audiophile knowledge. I now understand the well deserved status these carry after all this time. I not only put these on my list of approved headphones, they go right on top, right where they belong, on their throne.