[vforrest]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nak Man Very well said !! =) I wasn't clear either as I addressed the original poster and was too much to edit when I realized he had hfi 550. I listened to both 650s brand new out of the box and liked the senn 650% better. =)

I'm not suggesting the Ultrasone HFI550 is any sort of ultimate standard, just that they have a much stronger response in the areas where I perceive the Senns are lacking.

 

[vforrest]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earwax vforrest, this is something that almost seems too simple to need mentioning, but take a look at my thread over here and see if this might help a bit.

It's worth a try--thanks!

 

[Nak Man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vforrest I'm comparing the sound of the Senns mostly to the sound I hear from most speakers. I don't think they are all bright and forward. There is a severe information loss with the Senns.

May I know what speakers do you use in your system ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRESCENDOPOWER but one thing I have learned over the years is that there is not one transducer that does it all

Crescendo, how do you think your 650 compared to sound of your thiel ? Do you also feel there is something notably wrong compared to your speakers ? If so, in what area i.e. bass / mid / highs ? I'm very curious as you guys seem to have good home system + speakers.

 

[PATB]

My first serious non-canal phone is the Grado SR-225. I thought they sounded great and have great detail. I loved them so much I thought I was a "Grado Man" for sure.

I then bought an HD650. At first, I thought they were dull, "veiled", and have rolled off highs. Having just spent $339 for them, I forced myself to listen to them with my Rega Ear. One night, after about 40+ of use, treble appeared out of nowhere. They became my favorite non-canal phone and the SR-225 went into the box. I was listening to Neil Young's "Like A Hurricane" last night with the HD650 and decided to take the SR-225 out of the box to get an idea, once again, how a bright sounding phone sounds like. Well, the SR-225 didn't sound that much brighter anymore, only grainier, have less bass, and less detail. The HD650 is definitely technically superior to the SR-225 and NOT veiled or dull at all. This is with a stock cable (Zu cable coming in next week!

) and an HD650 having less than 100 hours.

I would have been completely happy with the HD650 had I not heard the Sensaphonics 2X-s. The sensas are like HD650s with better highs, bass, detail, and comfort! Unfortunately, the sensas are not as easy to put on and off and not so cool to use at home when the kids and wife always try to call you for something, so I am on the lookout again for a phone just like an HD650 but a little brighter. If the Zu cable does not add a touch of treble to my HD650, I too will seriously start considering the Sonys.

 

[Yikes]

I own the HD600’s and I have listened to the HD650’s. The 650’s are better but they are still cut from the same cloth. They are “Polite”. The HD600’s are my headphone of choice for most of my rock recordings. The better the recording the less likely it is that I would listen with the HD600’s. With a great recording the HD600’s are un-involving. With the HD600’s I seldom look down and find my toe tapping away.

Which headphones I use depends on the quality of the recording.

AKG1000 - for use with all great (Rock/Pop, Jazz, Classical) recordings, and some good jazz and classical recordings. The K1000’s put the recording under a microscope. At some point hearing all of the faults with a mediocre recording becomes distracting, at that point the HD600’s are a better choice.

HD600 – For use with everything else. Many of the recordings that I love from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s are of questionable sonic quality. The HD600’s smooth over their faults.

The point of my diatribe is that I can understand vforrest’s opinions of his HD650’s. I agree with the others that suggest that the 650’s may not be his cup of tea. I’d suggest the Beyer DT931, or perhaps the CD3000’s (I have no experience with the Sony’s).

Now that I have blown ten minutes it is time for me to leave for the Symphony. Tonight it’s Ravel Stravinsky and Gershwin.

Later

 

[bangraman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRESCENDOPOWER Yeah, I know I don't have the expertise you do, but one thing I have learned over the years is that there is not one transducer that does it all, and that would included the Stax Omega II. I am sorry for being so misinformed, and I promises I won’t get out of line like that anymore. I guess post count really does count for something after all!

Really? Post counts count? Man, I've only got a bit to go until I'm the reigning expert then. You really have opened my eyes. I was only making my posts on the basis of running both the Omega II and the HD650 from a variety of systems above and beyond what I own, the latest being a dCS Verdi La Scala + Elgar Plus + Verona combo.

 

[vforrest]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nak Man May I know what speakers do you use in your system ? Crescendo, how do you think your 650 compared to sound of your thiel ? Do you also feel there is something notably wrong compared to your speakers ? If so, in what area i.e. bass / mid / highs ? I'm very curious as you guys seem to have good home system + speakers.

2nd ReTHMs in my system, but those aren't the only ones I use for comparison.

 

[CRESCENDOPOWER]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nak Man May I know what speakers do you use in your system ? Crescendo, how do you think your 650 compared to sound of your thiel ? Do you also feel there is something notably wrong compared to your speakers ? If so, in what area i.e. bass / mid / highs ? I'm very curious as you guys seem to have good home system + speakers.

I really can’t comment on the exact differences between the 7.2, and the HD-650 beings they are in two different systems with completely different equipment, and surroundings. Also, comparing headphones to speakers is like comparing apples to oranges, and there are many threads that compare the advantages, and disadvantages very well.
But, I will say that the diffused sound field of speakers is much more closely related to the Sennheiser HD-650s than any other headphone I have heard. I also hear more harmonic information from the HD-650s than any other headphone.
I have absolutely no problem with someone preferring Stax, Grado, Sony, Beyers, or any other headphone as long as he, or she understands no one headphone stomps all over everything out there. The only type of person that would make my previous statement would be someone that has heard a vast amount of equipment over the years, and someone who understands that every piece of equipment will have its advantages, and disadvantages no matter what the cost.
I remember a day when this site was about discussing the merits of different equipment instead of holding a flag in the air, and declaring your cans the best, and the very same people that are doing it are the people who don’t have experience, because if they did they wouldn’t be thinking in that manner.

 

[bangraman]

This site is indeed for discussing the merits of different equipment. It is not for the hyping thereof. But it happens all the time. I suppose I'll have to get used to it

 

[Blitzula]

"They sound very laid back, with recessed midrange and rolled off highs."

Your headphones aren't broken....that is how the HD-650 sounds. I too tried to change that sound by buying a Zu cable. The Zu cable will dramatically improve the sound...but that improvement will be a perfection of the same sound signature, with some but not all of the veil removed, and improved clarity/deepness on the bass.

I agree with those who say don't spend money trying to change the headphone into something it's not. If you don't like a polite, laid-back sound with somewhat recessed mids/rolled off highs, the 650s aren't for you.

They're great headphones for what they do. But you have to like what they do.

 

[GlowWorm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yikes HD600 – For use with everything else. Many of the recordings that I love from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s are of questionable sonic quality. The HD600’s smooth over their faults.

Funny, but I havn't found that to be the case at all. On the contrary, for me the HD580/600's are remarkably uncolored, and ruthlessly revealing to recordings, worts and all. This is one of the main reasons why the HD580's still remain to be my reference headphones, in that they DON'T try to "smooth" things over. I WANT a headphone that remains true to the original recording, and with the HD580 I can hear all the details and nuances of music better then any other headphones that I've tried.

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari From my experience the HD-650 sounds good the first 20 hours, then it heads off into a vagueish mess of sound for the next 200-250 hours before it starts to settle down again into an entirely different sound compared to the beginning

[size=xx-large]LOL!!![/size]

 

[pp312]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari Give it around 300 hours

Won't he be too old to care by then?

 

[PhilS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blitzula "They sound very laid back, with recessed midrange and rolled off highs." Your headphones aren't broken....that is how the HD-650 sounds.

Not in my system. Obviously, what's on the other end of the heaphone cable must make a huge difference. I can't imagine anyone listening to my system and concluding that the midrange is recessed and the highs are rolled off.

 

[Blitzula]

Yeah, I don't know if the difference is our tastes or equipment. The setup I used at the time was an EMU1212 soundcard to an XP-7 amp, to HD-650 with Zu Cable.

I noticed you had the Silver Dragon cable, which I've read is brighter, so perhaps that makes a difference.

Either way, unless the original poster has a lot of extra money lying around (as well as a great deal of time) to find that magic combination of system synergy, I'd think he'd be better off finding something that is instinctually appealing to him in a headphone first.

That's what I would do if I had it to do all over again....or maybe I would have just stuck with my SR80 and Ipod, which have consistently brought me the most musical pleasure, regardless of cost and technical specifications. Who knows, heh.