[drarthurwells]

I have all the evidence in my experience of comparative listening.
 
I have compared two silver ICs - an expensive one and less expensive one - both pure silver and both sound great.- the CT Reference and the CT Reference II. Both used in my CD to my pre-amp connection. I used a CD where a word in the the vocals of a song are hard to understand with the cheaper silver IC and easily understandable with the more expensive silver IC. That is just one test of mid range clarity.
 
As far as the HD600, the difference between the stock cable and the Cardas cable is apparent on many aspects in favor of the Cardas - tone body richness, clarity, treble detail, and lack of harshness.
 
A budget system of low resolution may not detect cable differences that a high resolution system will reveal
 
What you listen for is critical -  a global assessment of which cable sounds best without listening to specific aspects is useless. You need to listen for a specific aspect at a time and compare, such as clarity, edge detail, tone body leanness versus richness, tone body texture and degree of timbrel naturalness in a tone, harshness. treble sibilance, and so on.
 
As far as no measurable differences, many can hear what can not be measured. There is no way to measure the degree of timbrel naturalness in a tone but this is an essential variable to realistic sound..
 
You are fortunate in not being able to perceive such auditory differences as this will save you much money in buying equipment.

 

[Astral Abyss]

Harry, I noticed you have a pair of GH-1's for sale.  Wondering how you'd compare them to the HD650?  I have the HD650s also, and I have never heard a pair of Grado's.  I'd really like to at least try some and hear their signature sound someday.  Only thing holding me back is a fear of the unknown.

 

[Harry Manback]

I've owned the following Grados:
 
SR80e, SR125, PS500e, RS1, RS1e, GS1000e, PS1000, and the GH1.
 
To me, the GH1 was only slightly behind the PS1000.
 
As for the differences, I need to listen to them again for a bit to be sure.  I will do so tonight.  I do know that the 650 seemed to have better detail retrieval than the GH1 in the treble.  The GH1 has no lack of treble, it's just a bit different.  The GH1 with the larger G-Cush pads were incredibly comfortable.  The 650 kind of hurts my head after a while from the clamping pressure.

 

[FriedRice25]

I agree with the suggestion of an entry Level STAX system. I like the HD650 and its sound quite a lot but the clarity and detail of even the SR-207 are really something. If you have a chance to audition them, try it.

Just my two cents...

 

[Astral Abyss]

I've owned the following Grados:

SR80e, SR125, PS500e, RS1, RS1e, GS1000e, PS1000, and the GH1.

To me, the GH1 was only slightly behind the PS1000.

As for the differences, I need to listen to them again for a bit to be sure.  I will do so tonight.  I do know that the 650 seemed to have better detail retrieval than the GH1 in the treble.  The GH1 has no lack of treble, it's just a bit different.  The GH1 with the larger G-Cush pads were incredibly comfortable.  The 650 kind of hurts my head after a while from the clamping pressure.

Thanks for posting your thoughts. I'm really thinking I need to try a pair.

Ive not had the problem with the 650 clamping force that people speak of, even when they were new. In fact, I can wear them for hours, unlike my LCDs that hurt my head after a while.

 

[AudioHi]

Sennheiser HD 650.


I doubt that there is anything better to any meaningful degree. Money WELL spent.

Good that you like your HD650. I had HD650 few years back and never liked the sound at all.. "boring" sound I call it.. I used to fell asleep while listening.
Grado in other hand was way too "Bright" and "Fatiguing". Could not listen more than 10 minutes...