[MrEleventy]

Why did you change from the DT880 to the HD600 if I may ask? Also I'm now considering returning the 600s and getting a DT 880. Which impedance is your DT 880? Is it the 250 or the 600?

It was a combination of curiosity and a price that I couldn't say no to. I find that they compliment each other even in similar genres of music. Just depends on where you want to sit or how you want the music presented. I have the 600ohm premiums.

 

[samthegreat4]

Quote:

It was a combination of curiosity and a price that I couldn't say no to. I find that they compliment each other even in similar genres of music. Just depends on where you want to sit or how you want the music presented. I have the 600ohm premiums.

Hmm.. tough choice then: sending the HD600s back and getting the DT880s or keeping the HD600s and if wanted EQ them. 

 

[Eisenhower]

Quote:

Hmm.. tough choice then: sending the HD600s back and getting the DT880s or keeping the HD600s and if wanted EQ them. 

 
I would at least listen to the HD600s exclusively for a few days with no EQ. If you want sharper sounding treble and more bass, just turn up the volume - it might not really even be a sound signature problem.

 

[MrEleventy]

You can give the For Sale threads a try and end up with both like me. I picked up my pair of DT880s for about 200 shipped, box and all. I replaced the pads and they were practically new. FS threads are a great place to pick up hps since everyone here practically babies their HPs, it's like buying new.

 

[Dark Apparition]

Quote:

You can give the For Sale threads a try and end up with both like me.

I picked up my pair of DT880s for about 200 shipped, box and all. I replaced the pads and they were as practically new. FS threads are a great place to pick up hps since everyone here practically babies their HPs, it's like buying new.

I second this!  You'll save a lot of dough.  I have the DT880's and the 600's.  I prefer the DT880's but they both have different strengths. I'd say keep both, but maybe you could even put an add up to trade them with someone?

 

[samthegreat4]

Problem is that I'm in The Netherlands so I'd have to get them second hand from here somwhere or new

 

[MrEleventy]

FS thread is global, there are ppl selling in the EU region too. It's at least worth a look. Oh, and definitely sorry about your wallet. FS has done some maaajor damage to my paychecks.

Oh, forgot to mention that if you want to "audition" how the DT880s sound, try searching for a Takstar HI2050/Technical Pro HPT990s. They're similar to the DT990s out of the box but with some burning in, they mellow out and become more like the DT880s. Found my pair for $50.

 

[iancraig10]

One of the weird things about the Senn HD600 and HD650 (less so imo) is that they can sound bland with nothing much that makes them stand out. The 650 bass can be a bit fat but the HD600 is a little more even in balance.
 
However, just the fact that they sound 'bland' with nothing sticking out means that in the long term, you will not get fatigued by things like piercing treble or bloated, fat bass.
 
The HD600 is an excellent headphone that gives a rich 'speaker like' response which, once you 'tune in to' becomes the one that actually ends up standing out above many others which try to hard to impress you with searing treble or Dre type bass.
 
Stick with it if you can, for a while. As someone has mentioned previously, try using the volume control and turn up until the sound has a good presence. You will find a place where it suddenly snaps into 'focus' and you may discover what a gem of a headphone you have bought.
 
I bet that most people who claim they are coloured have probably not actually heard a flat headphone response and just how unremarkable it sounds. They would think this coloured because they are actually used to hearing a raised bass response and a louder treble response because it sounds flashier in a headphone.
 
The hd600 is not a flashy headphone,  but you can't buy much better for the money with that level of response.
 
IMO, it's high;y underrated by many on Headfi. It has an amazingly flat mid response with a slight heft in the bass. The roll off will mean that you can listen for way longer and louder.
 
Try it!! (preferably with a half decent amp)

 

[Eisenhower]

Quote:

The hd600 is not a flashy headphone,  but you can't buy much better for the money with that level of response.
 
IMO, it's high;y underrated by many on Headfi. It has an amazingly flat mid response with a slight heft in the bass. The roll off will mean that you can listen for way longer and louder.

 
Exactly, they aren't headphones that are going to necessarily knock your socks off on first listen. Spend a week with them listening to different types of music and the advantages become clear. They just perform fantastically well with whatever you throw at them. They have been the gold standard reference headphone for a reason. Comparisons with other headphones don't reveal colorations with the HD600, but rather with the other headphone.

 

[iancraig10]

The colouration thing always brings a smile to my face. How many people have actually heard a 'flat' headphone? (or as near as possible to flat) They would be totally underwhelmed and many would describe it as 'boring'
 
Often said about the HD600 and guess what, it's pretty flat in the mids up to 4KHz.
 
I've seen comments on Headfi about how flat a DT770 is or a DT990. Well, I just don't get it. They most definitely are not flat. The BBC tend to use the DT770pro a lot but that's probably more to to with price.
 
The HD600 is way better than many on Headfi would claim which I have found quite strange for a discerning group of hi fi people where you'd have thought a flat FR would be one of the goals. It seems that many want a headphone with a built in equaliser to enhance the type of music that they favour, with no regard for what the engineers actually produced in their mixes. 

 

[samthegreat4]

Yeah, I can get into what you guys are saying about people thinking ''flat'' is something else than it actually is. 

What do you guys think about the following? Coming from this thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/513393/guide-sonic-differences-between-dt770-dt990-models-more#post_6938759
 

HD600 VS DT880
The HD600 and DT880 sound very different. The Sennheiser headphone having a more relaxed and warmer sound while the Beyerdynamic phone to have a more lively, involving sound. The treble is very different between them. Just liek with the DT770, the HD600's treble kind of sounds very muted or toned down and lacks detail  and extension while the DT880 has lots of detail and extends way up there. The DT880's treble is also far cleaner sounding and hazy sounding like the HD600's, but the HD600's treble is still nice in my opinion. The treble on the HD600 can tame normally brightly mastered music as well.
 
The midrange on both is as stated before with the DT770, but the DT880 has far more detail to it's midrange than the DT770 has but also is a lot more resolving and detailed than the HD600's. The HD600's midrange can sound a bit hazy and congested on some pieces, and can also add some unneeded warmth to already warm recordings. It can also add more warmth to recordings that lack some midrange body. It's also good for covering up recording errors.
 
Bass on both is still very different. The HD600 still has a one tone sound to it compared to the complex bass of the DT880. The DT880's bass has a lot of texture to it and can easily trump the HD600's bass. The DT880's also extends even deeper than the DT770. The HD600 has decent extension to it but lacks some texturing. One thing to note is that the HD600 does have more body and impact to it's bass than the DT880 does, but the DT880's bass sounds more realistic and natural.
 
The soundstage on both is very comparable in terms of width and depth, but the DT880 sounds bigger. Layering on both is good and the DT880 has the edge on separation and air this time.  The DT880's has one of the best stages in the mid-fi category I believe, and is more accurate as far as where sounds would be originating from.

 

[Eisenhower]

Quote:

Yeah, I can get into what you guys are saying about people thinking ''flat'' is something else than it actually is. 

What do you guys think about the following? Coming from this thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/513393/guide-sonic-differences-between-dt770-dt990-models-more#post_6938759

 
I disagree with that reviewers assessment of the HD600 in one regard. The mids are far from being congested or overly warm. The HD600 has world class mids, and it is what they are known for. I would agree that the treble is toned down compared to the Beyers and the bass is somewhat 'woolly' sounding. But I think it comes together in a way which makes them work very well. They don't really lack detail in the sense that they distort or are flawed. They just have a little less treble in places, which can be tweaked with EQ. The DT880's would also 'lack detail' around 3-4 kHz compared to the HD600.
 
This is a better comparison, and demonstrates my point, when the Senns win the long term test: http://www.head-fi.org/t/554575/dt880-k702-hd600-a-beginner-audiophiles-thoughts
Note that this review neglects most of the genre's the HD600's really excel at, like jazz.
 
That being said, if you aren't listening to music for long periods of time (like over 2 hours), and if you don't like the sound signature of the HD600s, I would just return them and buy the DT880 in 250 ohm, unless you are okay with EQing them.

 

[Tigerhawk]

Changes can be a shock initially, going from a certain sound to another. I do believe some things should be given time to adjust. I once thought I desired ultra treble because it "seemed more lively". I'm glad I got over it because all it does is fatigue my ears quickly and I'm left unable to listen any further. It's not necessarily natural either, but of course not everyone desires such things. That ultra sparkly/metallic treble found on some of the headphones out there is ridiculous and fatiguing to my ears. One thing that really completed my HD-600s was finally getting another amp and finally a dac as well. I didn't expect much going into it, but everything ended up being clearer, more detailed, and refined compared to running directly out of my HT Omega sound card. I think it is important to realize source does indeed affect your sound, even if your phones don't "require" amping, etc. to run them just fine.
 
One thing you can do with the HD-600s is situating exactly where the cans fit on your ears. I have found with experimenting that a little lower placement of the cans reduces treble, while up a notch on the band reveals a tad more. Also kicking the cans front to back of head affects it as well. The cans further forward on the ears add slightly to treble, while placing them further toward the back of the head takes away slightly. Just some thoughts.

 

[samthegreat4]

Hmm.. bugger. I'm thinking about just ordering the DT880 and then trying them out both for a short period of time before deciding and sending one back.

 

[Brooko]

Some great advice on this thread.
 
OP - as another owner of both (HD600 & DT880) - here's what I would advise for a start.
 

• Put your Samson away.  Don't use it for at least a week.
• Use the HD600 exclusively for a week
• After a week try your Samsons briefly again.

 
What you should find .......

1. The Samsons will sound excessively and unnaturally bright
2. The HD600s by now will sound very natural
3. You should now also notice that the HD600 treble is not 'veiled', and that it's not missing any details.

 
I really can't understand the comments on the famed Senn veil.  All the detail that I get from a headphone like the DT880 is still there in the HD600 - it just doesn't have a spotlight shone on it 

 
Don't get me wrong - I love both the DT880 and HD600 - but they have two very different presentations.  One is very bright (actually almost unnaturally so), and the other is slower - but IMO is more life-like, with far better presentation of tone and timbre (HD600).
 
If you are going the DT880 route - you will need a reasonable amp with it.  And even the HD600 (although they are relatively easy to drive) IMO scale well with amping.  You can get them to reasonable volume straight out of an ipod - but via my NFB-12 or Little Dot I notice no murkiness, cloudiness, or veil.
 
If after a week you still don't like the HD600 - get rid of it and either go DT880 or K701/702/Q701.  They may be more to your liking.