Sennheiser HD 600 Impressions Thread
May 24, 2017 at 5:08 PM Post #18,241 of 23,278

Oh, that makes more sense.

Ultrasone also makes an edition 10, but I think that they are really different from HD600 and Hifiman's edition X in signature, they really go for different things.

All in all, hifiman needs a ton of power to be driven well, if you're driving them well, they should sound good. My top picks right now are LCD-4 for well-driven planars though, was able to hear one and it sounds awesome if driiven properly. The only hifiman I heard was He-560, which are really well regarded and while the mids were really good, the top end was quite... not as sparkly as I would want a TOTL headphone to be.
 
May 24, 2017 at 5:21 PM Post #18,242 of 23,278
Oh, that makes more sense.

Ultrasone also makes an edition 10, but I think that they are really different from HD600 and Hifiman's edition X in signature, they really go for different things.

All in all, hifiman needs a ton of power to be driven well, if you're driving them well, they should sound good. My top picks right now are LCD-4 for well-driven planars though, was able to hear one and it sounds awesome if driiven properly. The only hifiman I heard was He-560, which are really well regarded and while the mids were really good, the top end was quite... not as sparkly as I would want a TOTL headphone to be.
Really? I found the top end of the HE560 to easily have enough sparkle. From my brief listen, the HD600 itself is different in signature to the Hifiman Edition X which is different in signature to the HE560. All of them good, but at slightly different things. Edition X was more comfortable than the HE560 though. When I owned both the HE560 and the HD600, I ended up keeping the HD600 and I suspect I would do the same with regards to the Edition X.
 
May 24, 2017 at 5:59 PM Post #18,243 of 23,278
Oh, that makes more sense.

Ultrasone also makes an edition 10, but I think that they are really different from HD600 and Hifiman's edition X in signature, they really go for different things.

All in all, hifiman needs a ton of power to be driven well, if you're driving them well, they should sound good. My top picks right now are LCD-4 for well-driven planars though, was able to hear one and it sounds awesome if driiven properly. The only hifiman I heard was He-560, which are really well regarded and while the mids were really good, the top end was quite... not as sparkly as I would want a TOTL headphone to be.
Other than the Hifiman HE-6 and perhaps another can, most of them do pretty good with just one Watt. The HE-500 or HE-560 will damage one's hearing if one turns it up using a 1 W Amp.
Edit: I own an HD600 as well as the HE-500 and HE-560.
 
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May 24, 2017 at 6:33 PM Post #18,244 of 23,278
Other than the Hifiman HE-6 and perhaps another can, most of them do pretty good with just one Watt. The HE-500 or HE-560 will damage one's hearing if one turns it up using a 1 W Amp.
Edit: I own an HD600 as well as the HE-500 and HE-560.

Of course, 1W of power is quite good!

I don't know exactly how much each needs, but none of those aren't drivable from a smartphone. HD600 can be driven well from a FiiO X5ii, but not absolutely sure about HE560.

1W is way enough power

Really? I found the top end of the HE560 to easily have enough sparkle. From my brief listen, the HD600 itself is different in signature to the Hifiman Edition X which is different in signature to the HE560. All of them good, but at slightly different things. Edition X was more comfortable than the HE560 though. When I owned both the HE560 and the HD600, I ended up keeping the HD600 and I suspect I would do the same with regards to the Edition X.

I have not heard Edition X, but I know I like HD600 quite a bit.

To my ears, HD600 feels better extended than He-560, at least feels like it has a more natural-sounding treble. I don't know how to properly put it in words, and HE-560 might have been under powered when I tested it tho
 
May 24, 2017 at 6:55 PM Post #18,247 of 23,278
Of course, 1W of power is quite good!
I have not heard Edition X, but I know I like HD600 quite a bit.

To my ears, HD600 feels better extended than He-560, at least feels like it has a more natural-sounding treble. I don't know how to properly put it in words, and HE-560 might have been under powered when I tested it tho
I'm not sure I agree with you on extension, but I totally know what you mean about the treble. I liked HD600's treble better than the HE560, even though the HE560's feels more detailed. Edition X is warmer than the HE560 and HD600, but I was only demoing that at a shop so it could've also been down to difference in DAC and amp. Can't really get more specific than that.
 
May 24, 2017 at 7:32 PM Post #18,248 of 23,278
I'm not sure I agree with you on extension, but I totally know what you mean about the treble. I liked HD600's treble better than the HE560, even though the HE560's feels more detailed. Edition X is warmer than the HE560 and HD600, but I was only demoing that at a shop so it could've also been down to difference in DAC and amp. Can't really get more specific than that.

I'm glad that there are so many different headphones to chose from since the HD600 was one that I didn't like and it was because of the treble peak at 4-5khz which irritated me at times while the HE560 and HD700 which are brighter to most don't bother me at all. The 2 times that I've heard my friends Edition X it didn't impress me at all, too polite and lacked life/soul to me (MHDT Pagoda DAC and Liquid Glass amp) but if I only had a cheap low powered DAP like a Fiio X1 or a phone the Edition X is quite good since its really easy to drive.
 
May 24, 2017 at 7:39 PM Post #18,249 of 23,278
I'm glad that there are so many different headphones to chose from since the HD600 was one that I didn't like and it was because of the treble peak at 4-5khz which irritated me at times while the HE560 and HD700 which are brighter to most don't bother me at all. The 2 times that I've heard my friends Edition X it didn't impress me at all, too polite and lacked life/soul to me (MHDT Pagoda DAC and Liquid Glass amp) but if I only had a cheap low powered DAP like a Fiio X1 or a phone the Edition X is quite good since its really easy to drive.
We're spoiled for choice these days and I'm totally fine with that. The Edition X was indeed very easy to drive. I demoed it on my iPod Touch 5g.
 
May 24, 2017 at 10:17 PM Post #18,250 of 23,278
As I've said, I own the HD600, HE-560 and HE-500. The HE-500 and HD600 are very similar, except that the HE-500 has much better extended bass, both have excellent mids. I prefer the HE-500 to the HE-560.
The HD600 requires different driving capabilities as it's high impedance. Many smartphones can limp along and drive any of these three, however, an Amp takes it all the way. The HD600 requires voltage swing (high impedance) and the Hifimans need current (low impedance) and a bit more due to their low sensitivity. IMO none of them require exotic amps, there's too much myth surrounding that story. If I was forced to give something up the HD600 and HE-500 aren't going anywhere.
 
May 25, 2017 at 11:35 AM Post #18,251 of 23,278
Already made the same questions on the hd650 thread but theres is no such thing as too much feedback.... Specially when talking headphones that are so similar as these ones.... :)

Wich would you guys recomend for stuff like, maximo Park, the amazons, fatherson, royal blood, highly supect, audioslave, rage against the machine and etc..... The hd650 or the hd600?

Also adding a bit of pop, prog and trance to the mix....

Wich sounds Fuller and more powerfull for this particular bands and styles? wich is more musical and engaging?

Been using Sony mh1c as iems and hd25 and over ear momentums.....

Also i like the harman kardon go play more than the JBL xtreme (a bit muffled and weak low bass) (i know these are but speakers but just using them as a sound reference).

Cheers....
 
May 25, 2017 at 12:45 PM Post #18,252 of 23,278
Already made the same questions on the hd650 thread but theres is no such thing as too much feedback.... Specially when talking headphones that are so similar as these ones.... :)

Wich would you guys recomend for stuff like, maximo Park, the amazons, fatherson, royal blood, highly supect, audioslave, rage against the machine and etc..... The hd650 or the hd600?

Also adding a bit of pop, prog and trance to the mix....

Wich sounds Fuller and more powerfull for this particular bands and styles? wich is more musical and engaging?

Been using Sony mh1c as iems and hd25 and over ear momentums.....

Also i like the harman kardon go play more than the JBL xtreme (a bit muffled and weak low bass) (i know these are but speakers but just using them as a sound reference).

Cheers....
I haven't listened to any of those bands, but I'm gonna say that if you've been listening to Momentums, the HD650 probably fits better for the pop and electronic. Personally, I prefer the HD600s though. The decision, for me, lies in the tradeoff of mid presence vs. bass ability. The HD650 is the better bass performer with more oomph and a little more extension, which also results in more treble sparkle, but the presence of the mids in the HD600 is my preferred mark given that the HD600s bass qualities aren't terribly lacking in comparison to the HD650 anyway.
 
May 25, 2017 at 1:27 PM Post #18,253 of 23,278
I haven't listened to any of those bands, but I'm gonna say that if you've been listening to Momentums, the HD650 probably fits better for the pop and electronic. Personally, I prefer the HD600s though. The decision, for me, lies in the tradeoff of mid presence vs. bass ability. The HD650 is the better bass performer with more oomph and a little more extension, which also results in more treble sparkle, but the presence of the mids in the HD600 is my preferred mark given that the HD600s bass qualities aren't terribly lacking in comparison to the HD650 anyway.

I actually heard HD600 having a better treble extension, but the two headphones had different degrees of usage in both headphone and pads, so that might have affected the treble response somehow.
 
May 25, 2017 at 1:37 PM Post #18,254 of 23,278
I haven't listened to any of those bands, but I'm gonna say that if you've been listening to Momentums, the HD650 probably fits better for the pop and electronic. Personally, I prefer the HD600s though. The decision, for me, lies in the tradeoff of mid presence vs. bass ability. The HD650 is the better bass performer with more oomph and a little more extension, which also results in more treble sparkle, but the presence of the mids in the HD600 is my preferred mark given that the HD600s bass qualities aren't terribly lacking in comparison to the HD650 anyway.

I have the hd600. It ruins my ears as i stated on the hd650 thread posts. It gives me a kind of weird buzzing effect after 5 to 15 minutes that never got from any other headphones including dt770s, k550, m50x, hd25, v6 and others... Dont know if its my unit or if i am sensitive to the hd600s SIG.....

I was hoping the hd650 would havê a similar but Fuller sound without hurting my earing.

Most posts seem to describe the hd650 as having laidback treble compared to the hd600. I dont want to go too laidback as well. I kind of like the way eléctric guitars havê some agressiveness and bite on the hd600. I just want the hd600 sound to be a bit Fuller sounding (less dry and a little more rounded bass) and without ruining my hearing after a while.... :)
 
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May 25, 2017 at 2:01 PM Post #18,255 of 23,278
I have the hd600. It ruins my ears as i stated on the hd650 thread posts. It gives me a kind of weird buzzing effect after 5 to 15 minutes that never got from any other headphones including dt770s, k550, m50x, hd25, v6 and others... Dont know if its my unit or if i am sensitive to the hd600s SIG.....

I was hoping the hd650 would havê a similar but Fuller sound without hurting my earing.

Most posts seem to describe the hd650 as having laidback treble compared to the hd600. I dont want to go too laidback as well. I kind of like the way eléctric guitars havê some agressiveness and bite on the hd600. I just want the hd600 sound to be a bit Fuller sounding (less dry and a little more rounded bass) and without ruining my hearing after a while.... :)

HD600 are really comfortable for me, both audio and comfort wise, maybe there is something wrong with your pair

What volume are you listening at?

The only thought that crosses my mind is that the really low THD // Total Harmonic Distortion of HD600 makes you push the volume more. K550 has a bit of a peak compared to HD600, it should push your hearing way faster than HD600, but HD600 has a lower THD and I remember that the lower THD something has, the louder some people tend to listen to that thing , me included.
 

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