I was like a lot of audiophiles starting out. I had a below $100 pair of headphones and thought it couldn't get much better than that. I looked at headphones like the HD650 and thought their pricetag, which is a hefty sum to most, couldn't be justified. For a few headphones that might remain true, but after a long journey through thousands of dollars of headphones I realized the HD650 is worth the money if you start to really care about your audio like I have.
A while ago I felt like it was time to upgrade my audio setup to something more high quality. I got myself a JDS LABS O2+ODAC Combo RevB and tried 10 of the best open-back headphones $400 and under from many big name brands. But don't get me wrong, all of those headphones are good. Great even, but they usually had one flaw holding them back that struck at the perfectionist in me. Be it a lack of low-end, recessed mids, grainy highs, or just not being comfortable enough. While many people could ignore that and just focus on what those headphones did good, I was on a hunt for the best all-rounder headphone there is so I wouldn't need to purchase multiple headphones for different purposes. And while there's nothing wrong with doing that if you've got the cash to spare, not everyone does.
I tried the HD600 before the HD650. They beat these in neutrality and make a great standard for headphones to be compared to, but if you want to enjoy your music to the fullest then the HD650 has that extra oomph you need. The HD650 has a very similar sound signature to the HD600, but with more low-end and mid-bass, giving it a warmer sound which I personally enjoy more. The comfort is also slightly better than the HD600, but nothing significant enough to sway your decision. The boost in the low-end doesn't take away from the rest of the sound either. And while this isn't among the brightest headphones out there, the highs still extend far enough that almost nothing feels like it's missing. I've heard the HD650 described as dark or veiled, but I don't think that applies anymore in the latest versions. I wouldn't even call it darker than the HD600 like many people claim, and I believe that Sennheiser has made the two headphones very similar over the years. However, I'd grab something like the AD2000X over these if I wanted maximum detail retrieval, but that doesn't always make music more enjoyable and can actually reveal flaws in the recording which hinder your listening experience.
I was surprised by the soundstage on the HD600 and HD650. I had low hopes that these headphones would do soundstage well, but it's actually decent. Every instrument or sound is right where it should be, be it further or near in the recording, without sounding too airy like some headphones with much larger soundstages do. This even makes the headphones usable for gaming and movies, but especially the HD650 thanks to it's extra bass. Just don't expect sounds to feel like they're coming at you from the other side of the room.
A while ago I felt like it was time to upgrade my audio setup to something more high quality. I got myself a JDS LABS O2+ODAC Combo RevB and tried 10 of the best open-back headphones $400 and under from many big name brands. But don't get me wrong, all of those headphones are good. Great even, but they usually had one flaw holding them back that struck at the perfectionist in me. Be it a lack of low-end, recessed mids, grainy highs, or just not being comfortable enough. While many people could ignore that and just focus on what those headphones did good, I was on a hunt for the best all-rounder headphone there is so I wouldn't need to purchase multiple headphones for different purposes. And while there's nothing wrong with doing that if you've got the cash to spare, not everyone does.
I tried the HD600 before the HD650. They beat these in neutrality and make a great standard for headphones to be compared to, but if you want to enjoy your music to the fullest then the HD650 has that extra oomph you need. The HD650 has a very similar sound signature to the HD600, but with more low-end and mid-bass, giving it a warmer sound which I personally enjoy more. The comfort is also slightly better than the HD600, but nothing significant enough to sway your decision. The boost in the low-end doesn't take away from the rest of the sound either. And while this isn't among the brightest headphones out there, the highs still extend far enough that almost nothing feels like it's missing. I've heard the HD650 described as dark or veiled, but I don't think that applies anymore in the latest versions. I wouldn't even call it darker than the HD600 like many people claim, and I believe that Sennheiser has made the two headphones very similar over the years. However, I'd grab something like the AD2000X over these if I wanted maximum detail retrieval, but that doesn't always make music more enjoyable and can actually reveal flaws in the recording which hinder your listening experience.
I was surprised by the soundstage on the HD600 and HD650. I had low hopes that these headphones would do soundstage well, but it's actually decent. Every instrument or sound is right where it should be, be it further or near in the recording, without sounding too airy like some headphones with much larger soundstages do. This even makes the headphones usable for gaming and movies, but especially the HD650 thanks to it's extra bass. Just don't expect sounds to feel like they're coming at you from the other side of the room.
