Comparison / Review : A tale of two Sennheisers – HD600 vs HD700

[62ohm]

   
I know - still gutted I missed the last one.
 
Loving the T1 though.  Do you miss it?

 
Honestly, I do

 Though auditioning the candidates for my next amp (currently the HDVA 600 and BHA-1) reminds me of why I had to sell it.

 

[BobG55]

I've owned the HD600 since 2003 & it is one of the best headphone on the market.  It is excellent with any kind of music which makes the HD600 a good investment & a pleasant experience.  You can't go wrong if you purchase it.  MHO

 

[Twinster]

Wow!  amazing write up and very well structure. Thank you Brooko. You are becoming my favorite reviewer. I wish I could do the same and like you but English is not my primary language and like you I do not consider myself an audiophile but purely just a music lover. Cheer!   

 
PS:  I'm missing my T1 sometime and consider buying another one.

 

[mab1376]

   
Unfortunately not in a position to comment on that - but it would be interesting (especially the difference in speed/decay).  I know when I first decided on the HD600, I spent around 30 minutes comparing the 650 and 600.  The HD600 won me over by its natural presentation - still does today. 
 
 
Thanks - that would be a very interesting comparison looking at the graphs!

 
Yeah i assumed the speed of the bass would be one of the main differences based on this review. But yeah... Very close comparison in the graphs.

 

[Brooko]

  Wow!  amazing write up and very well structure. Thank you Brooko. You are becoming my favorite reviewer. I wish I could do the same and like you but English is not my primary language and like you I do not consider myself an audiophile but purely just a music lover. Cheer!   

 
PS:  I'm missing my T1 sometime and consider buying another one.

Thanks Simon
 
Appreciate the feedback.  Good time to repurchase the T1 now - especially with pricing so low recently 

 

[jjsoviet]

I'm actually being tempted by the T1 as well, which for some reason a flagship of its type can be priced so low. Since you own that and the HD600, do you think it's worth the jump?

 

[MrEleventy]

Do it......

 

[Brooko]

  I'm actually being tempted by the T1 as well, which for some reason a flagship of its type can be priced so low. Since you own that and the HD600, do you think it's worth the jump?

 
Only had the T1 for less than a month - and I don't think that's long enough for the "honeymoon" stage to wear off yet.  I also need to very carefully A/B volume matched with the DT880 - as they are very similar sonically.  So far I very much enjoy the T1 - but it is a much brighter presentation than the HD600 - so that may be influential.
 
If I go back a year, I really enjoyed the K702 combo + HD600, and also very recently the DT880 + HD600 combo - as both pairs offer a contrast (the detail of the brighter cans against the more natural sonics of the Senns).
 
At the moment I would say it's worth the risk to try the T1 at it's current price (600-700 USD) - but I won't be able to give an objective opinion until I sit down to do a more formal and in-depth comparison (with the DT880) in another 3-4 weeks time.

 

[Macedo]

I'm just curious to know how does the dt990 250 ohms stack up against these beasts. Got them today and they are the only cans I have worth mentioning, want to know if they are good value for 129 euros. I wanted an headphone to use as a reference headphone for some mixes.

 

[Brooko]

I'm just curious to know how does the dt990 250 ohms stack up against these beasts. Got them today and they are the only cans I have worth mentioning, want to know if they are good value for 129 euros. I wanted an headphone to use as a reference headphone for some mixes.

 
I suspect (from reading other's comments + seeing the graphs) that the DT990 are slightly more coloured than strictly neutral - having a "V" shaped response (elevated bass and treble).  Again though - I haven't heard the DT990 myself - so suggest that you talk to an actual owner for a true comparison.
 
I do know that the DT880 (which I own) is far more neutral, and could be considered more of a reference.
 
The HD600 is relatively well balanced, and have read of people using them for some studio work, or to check mastering before final production - so they can be considered reference.  The HD700 (IMO) is a little too coloured to be considered reference - but it is a great headphone for many genres if you like that colouration (I did). 

 

[Twinster]

I'm just curious to know how does the dt990 250 ohms stack up against these beasts. Got them today and they are the only cans I have worth mentioning, want to know if they are good value for 129 euros. I wanted an headphone to use as a reference headphone for some mixes.

I had the DT990 / 600 and they sounded good but they have a v shape signature. The treble & bass are elevated leaving the mid somewhat recess. I personnaly preferred the Dt880 / 600 with a more balanced and reference sound. This is IMHO.

 

[Macedo]

Thank you guys! I already suspected that was the case... Well I l still like them, I never had an headphone with "quality" and this may not be the best for referencing tracks but I can still use them for general listening. Guess that I will stick to the annoying process (to the neighbors) of mixing and mastering with my friend's monitors.

 

[earfonia]

   
Only had the T1 for less than a month - and I don't think that's long enough for the "honeymoon" stage to wear off yet.  I also need to very carefully A/B volume matched with the DT880 - as they are very similar sonically.  So far I very much enjoy the T1 - but it is a much brighter presentation than the HD600 - so that may be influential.
 
If I go back a year, I really enjoyed the K702 combo + HD600, and also very recently the DT880 + HD600 combo - as both pairs offer a contrast (the detail of the brighter cans against the more natural sonics of the Senns).
 
At the moment I would say it's worth the risk to try the T1 at it's current price (600-700 USD) - but I won't be able to give an objective opinion until I sit down to do a more formal and in-depth comparison (with the DT880) in another 3-4 weeks time.

 
When you buy T1, ask for a discount to buy the Custom 1 Pro pads together with it.  Guess what, you'll get both T1 and 'refined version' of custom 1 Pro with it
T1 sounds differently (very differently) with different pad. Recently I bought the Custom 1 Pro pads for my T1, because when I tried in the shop, swapping the T1 original velour pads with the Custom 1 Pro pleather pads, I was very surprised, T1 sounded like a refined version of Custom 1 Pro!  It's sounded warm and a little dark, the opposite of T1 original sound. The bass boosted and the treble soften. Nice variety of sound signature from 1 headphone
 
 

I had the DT990 / 600 and they sounded good but they have a v shape signature. The treble & bass are elevated leaving the mid somewhat recess. I personnaly preferred the Dt880 / 600 with a more balanced and reference sound. This is IMHO.

 
+1
DT880 600 ohms still considered bright, but so sweet and enjoyable, especially for classical.  Overall tonal balance is very nice for classical recordings.

 

[Rob80b]

Hi Brooko
 
Nice comparative review.
I’ve had the HD700s in my system since January this year which augment my HD580 (with the 600grills, 650 cable and nylon mesh) http://www.head-fi.org/t/81090/hd600-grills-on-the-hd580-revisted, so more or less the 600s which I have compared them directly with.
I’ve also made up a Canare L-4E6S balanced cable for the HD580'600 to take full advantage of the Bryston BHA-1 balanced configuration as I have with an OEM HD700 cable.
Other phones on hand are the AKG K701’s with the bass port mod http://www.head-fi.org/t/660408/reversible-akg-k701-bass-mod , Grado SR325i’s and AKG K501s, like you I am not “treble sensitive” and also have fairly eclectic tastes.

 
But I think we differ on opinion where you mentioned first off “The HD700 in comparison is immediately noticeable as being slightly warmer and darker”. Direct comparisons with my set-up, the HD700 are much more open and “clear” and the Hd580/600s are a lot “warmer and darker” (the infamous viel?). Yes the older Senns are still very good and I still enjoy them but my overall impression is that they have been superseded in every aspect by the HD700s. The improvement can somewhat be related as to when I went from my Dynaudio Contour 1.3MKIIs to my Dynaudio Special 25s.
As a mostly speaker guy I find the HD700s emulate sonically my Special 25s fairly well, more so than any other headset I’ve had to date.
Headphone staging will of course always be quite different from listening to speakers, but again I find the HD700s superior over the HD580/600s in that regard, quite often the HD600 series producing more of a convex presentation where the central performer may sound larger and disproportionate, the AKG K701s the opposite being more convex and the HD700s being more linear left to right.
Again this is all recording dependent and each phone may sound somewhat more correct than the other but I believe Sennheiser’s development with regards to the ear cup /driver integration on the HD700 has come a long way from the original HD600 series design.
 
The other aspect that I do appreciate with the HD700s is that they have IMHO less of a sonic signature than my other phones, more chameleon in nature so that each recording sounds completely different, the HD580/600 always sound like….I’m listening through the HD580/600 : )
I guess it all comes down to references and preferences; the HD700s are my direct alternative to my speaker set-up but I still employ my 580/600s, K501/701s and Grado SR325is when I have a taste for something different.
 
Now having said that my hybrid HD580/600s are still my go-to phone to lay back and chill out with.

 
Headamps: Bryston BHA-1, Bryston 2BLP pro, Shanling PH1000
Sources: Bryston BCD-1, Rega P25/w Tango Spinner upgrades

 

[kman1211]

   
Yep - for me personally it's the HD600.  But I know the HD800 is still calling 

.  Not sure how that will go with Tania.  Unfortunately I'll have to buy it blind if I do - and that probably means selling the DT880, HD700 and HD600.  Either that or I keep the HD600 and T1, and call it a day.
 
Then there's always the LCD2 r2 ..........
 
Gotta love this hobby.

Don't forget to consider the K812 as well. When I auditioned the HD 800, T1, and K812, I preferred the K812 out of all three, it sounded the most true to life of the three to me, you just get lost in the music. They sound phenomenal on tubes from my experience. The LCD-2 r2 is great but is sadly marred a bit by it's comfort.