[b0wl1ng]

 Agreed, i have owned the D2000,s previously and am now have the D5000,s (my all time faves) and have the senn 650s love them also, great to mix and match with different music criteria, plus a nice set of Orthos for that sweet mid range, (ballads and vocals etc).
great choices though. 

 

[LugBug1]

Can I also add with the D2000's that they need to be driven on a low gain as they are low impedance and very sensitive. I noticed a significant difference when I changed to a low output from high. The treble calmed down and the bass tightened up, a much darker sound altogether. 
 
I'm probably stating the obvious here, but you never know!
   

 

[steveotron]

So my D2000s finally came (freaking UPS), and I'm now doing A/B comparisons between them and the HD650. I'm already familiar with the sound of the K701s, so I won't be doing a A/B/C comparisons, which would be a waste of time. I've listened to a few tracks already, but I want to spend a bit more time before I make any statements on SQ. My plan is just to go through a playlist of some of my favorite reference tracks twice on each headphone just to make sure I'm not imagining any differences.
 
What I can comment on is their comfort. The D2000s are probably the most comfortable of the three, as they don't have much clamping, but I do slightly feel the headband weighing down on my head; however, it's nowhere as bad as the HD650, and it's about the same as the K701. These are easily the best fit with my glasses as well, as the HD650's clamp makes glasses a bother, and the cups of the K701 don't play along with the stem of my frames as well as the D2000s. 
 
Oh, these things leak sound like crazy. I know many people have already stated it, but these leak probably almost as much as an open headphones. I don't really care, but I was just surprised. I'm also surprised at how much smaller they are in person, but I also though that about my HD650s. I've heard complaints about the cord, it doesn't seem too unruly to me.
 
I definitely don't have to turn the dial up much on my NuForce HD with the D2000s, which I knew would probably be the case since they require much less power than the other two. I am glad to say that there is no hiss with the D2000s, but I didn't have any hiss with my TripleFi 10s either. 
 
Here's a picture of my headphones and DAC/AMP. No, I normally don't have them sitting on this thing, but I just moved everything next to my bed tonight so I can blast some music since I didn't want to bother my mom (she came to visit and is wondering why I have all these headphones). There's no way I can keep all these because I'd feel to guilty having all these while living on a grad student budget, so I'll keep two at the most (tax return almost makes me feel like keeping them all, but my brain tells me "no").
 

 

[steveotron]

Alright, I did an extended 6+ hour listening session and have some initial impressions, and they aren't too different than what's already been discussed.
 
Yes, the bass in definitely boomier (impact) on the D2000s than the HD 650s, but the HD 650's bass sounds a bit fuller and richer. D2000s would be better for hip hop and electronic, but I'd actually go with the HD 650s for bass in a lot of rock songs or (this includes post-rock, experimental, etc.). I could live with the D2000's bass for rock, however.
 
The soundstage on the D2000s is exceptional considering it's a closed headphone, but the HD 650s do it a little better and also do channel effects and things like that better (e.g., track: Spoon - The Ghost of You Lingers). I also listened to Yo La Tengo's "We're an American Band," and the sound is s bit more enveloping on the HD 650. If anyone's ever heard the solo at the end, it's a wall of melody and distortion and simply gorgeous, and the 650 is the best I've ever heard it played back.
 
OK, now here's what I don't like about the D2000s: the treble. The highs on some songs are just too much. The AKGs emphasize highs, but they sound very refined and within bearable limits; the highs on the D2000s are constantly at my threshold for handling on some songs. If it weren't for this flaw, I feel I would be comfortable enough getting rid of the HD 650 and using the D2000s my sole headphone (from a price/performance ratio perspective).
 
I'm fairly certain that I'm not keeping the K701s because I feel they're just a bit too uneven in sound, so that leaves the HD 650 and D2000. Now here's a new problem for me; do I try the D5000s, which supposedly have less treble? For $400, they'd have to be my sole headphones, and I couldn't keep the 650s. My options are now:
 
1. HD 650 + D2000s
2. HD 650 by itself
3. D5000 by itself

 

[olor1n]

^ Seems like a "win" for the HD650. Why are you so keen to get rid of them if they seem to match your preference?

 

[steveotron]

I'm not exactly keen on getting rid of them, but I do feel that they aren't the ultimate all-in-one solution mainly because they don't do hip-hop and electronic music as well as the D2000s. At the moment if I could only keep only one of the headphones, it'd definitely be the HD 650 because they simply don't have any of the glaring flaws. Aside from sound, however, the D2000s are much more comfortable than the HD 650.
 
After some more thought, I think I'm just going to keep both. Yeah, the D2000s aren't perfect because of the slight treble issues, but I like having two headphones that differ enough to keep things interesting, while just having a HD 650 or D5000 alone kind of limits things too much.
 
Since this IS a D2000 vs. HD 650 thread, I'll just put in my final thoughts and say that the winner for me is the HD 650.

 

[eucariote]

Quote:

I'm not exactly keen on getting rid of them, but I do feel that they aren't the ultimate all-in-one solution mainly because they don't do hip-hop and electronic music as well as the D2000s. At the moment if I could only keep only one of the headphones, it'd definitely be the HD 650 because they simply don't have any of the glaring flaws. Aside from sound, however, the D2000s are much more comfortable than the HD 650.
 
After some more thought, I think I'm just going to keep both. Yeah, the D2000s aren't perfect because of the slight treble issues, but I like having two headphones that differ enough to keep things interesting, while just having a HD 650 or D5000 alone kind of limits things too much.
 
Since this IS a D2000 vs. HD 650 thread, I'll just put in my final thoughts and say that the winner for me is the HD 650.

I also kept both my HD600 & D7000, after finding the same strengths & flaws that you describe above.  They're very different, and synergize well with different types of music so you'll have better sound across a bigger variety of music.  As a bonus, you now have an open and closed headphone for times when may need to keep the sounds away from a roommate/spouse/baby.

 

[Andrew Jones]

When I first received the 650s they were very uncomfortable, it was only when I bent the metal part of the headband (quite firmly) to release the grip, that they became comfortable. I now prefer them (comfort wise) to the D2000s, which feel a bit too loose (I don't always keep my head still when listening to music ). Both accommodate my glasses OK, but both are better without glasses (I find HD-595s most comfortable with glasses, so these get used for watching DVDs). Sound-wise, I prefer the HD650s for most music, but don't find a great deal of difference between them - the 650s have a slightly lusher, fuller sound.

 

[Katun]

Quote:

Sound-wise, I prefer the HD650s for most music, but don't find a great deal of difference between them - the 650s have a slightly lusher, fuller sound.

That's just the thing. I really don't find a great deal of difference between ANY headphone I try out. Yes of course, they all have different sound signatures, but we aren't talking miles. It's almost like each headphone has some sort of emphasis, and it's up to the listener to find a headphone that has an emphasis they like. But when it comes to the nitty gritty, all headphones sound very similar. (Excluding unfair match-ups like iBuds vs D2000 etc.)

 

[pp312]

Quote:

That's just the thing. I really don't find a great deal of difference between ANY headphone I try out. Yes of course, they all have different sound signatures, but we aren't talking miles. It's almost like each headphone has some sort of emphasis, and it's up to the listener to find a headphone that has an emphasis they like. But when it comes to the nitty gritty, all headphones sound very similar. (Excluding unfair match-ups like iBuds vs D2000 etc.)

 That's quite an amazing conclusion. I couldn't think of anything further apart than, say, the HD650 and the DT880, or a HD595 and Grado SR80. Are you really saying those sound more-or-less alike? If you were saying this about amps or even CD players I could certainly agree, but headphones...!

 

[Katun]

Quote:

 
Quote:

That's just the thing. I really don't find a great deal of difference between ANY headphone I try out. Yes of course, they all have different sound signatures, but we aren't talking miles. It's almost like each headphone has some sort of emphasis, and it's up to the listener to find a headphone that has an emphasis they like. But when it comes to the nitty gritty, all headphones sound very similar. (Excluding unfair match-ups like iBuds vs D2000 etc.)

 That's quite an amazing conclusion. I couldn't think of anything further apart than, say, the HD650 and the DT880, or a HD595 and Grado SR80. Are you really saying those sound more-or-less alike? If you were saying this about amps or even CD players I could certainly agree, but headphones...!

The only way we can tell a difference between headphones is to compare them directly. And to me, I HAVE to do that in order to tell a difference and do a review. If I heard the HD650 tonight, and then heard the DT990 next week, I'm not sure If I could tell you all the differences. Bottom line, all headphones present music. The lyrics are the same, the rhythms are the same, the notes are the same. Each headphone just presents it in a different way, and in a lot of cases, very similar.
 
You are right, the DT880, SR80i, and HD650 couldn't all be more different -- but that is when I compare them side by side, so I can actually hear how they differ...

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I can somewhat agree with what Katun is saying.
 
I will limit it to headphones with somewhat similar sound signatures, like the M50, Creative Aurvana Live, DT770 Pro, D7000... in that ballpark. They are all unique and different, but the differences may not be glaringly obvious. It's the said emphasis in certain frequencies that will truly let you notice what the differences are.
 
I remember upon first hearing the M50 vs D7000, I thought they had similarities. I certainly didn't just feel like OMG the D7000 was leaps and bounds better. I was with more critical listening that I could truly appreciate the improvements going from the M50 to the D7000. Kind of like how unamped vs. amped is. With lots of headphones, I'm sure an amp may not make the improvement make much of a change in the sound, but if you pay attention, you may hear the difference.
 

 

[dscythe]

lol steveotron, I saw that thread last night on /g/

 

[shane55]

Yeah, and nah...
MLE, you are spot on. The M50 and D7000 have more in common that different. But Katun's premise, while I understand, doesn't work for me, and certainly not as a generalization.
I realize Katun is talking about listening without direct comparison, but even from memory and the overall impression certain cans made, some cans are just very different than others.
 
The DT48 is the wierdest sounding thing I've ever heard. The sound signature is unlike anything I've put on my head. Some might care for it, many do, but not me.
And yes, the DT770, etc have almost diametrically opposed 'mates'. Comparing the DT770 to the HD600 / 650 is almost night and day... especially in everything above 6khz, where so much of what's important to my ears lies.
 
Even Katun's original D2000 v. HD650 are also worlds apart to me. Again above 5khz the HD650 dives, while the D2000 climbs (each too much IMHO). And on the other end, the boom and fat bass of the D2000 is smooth and tight on the HD650. The HD650''s mids are far more 'natural' than the D2000.
None of this is a slam against either. I like them both, and while not keepers for me, they certainly had their appeal.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Yeah, which is why I said headphones within a hair's breadth of each other in signature. I don't completely follow Katun's overall generalization. Headphones CAN be quite literally world's apart in signature, certainly enough to make us remember how one sounds over another.
 
I certainly remember the clear difference between my AD700 and my XB700. XD And not just talking about bass, but pure signature.
 
I find that the HD598 and K701 sound similar enough for me to sort of forget how one sounded over the other unless I A/B them directly.
 
edit: just check here, and the graphs may be proving my point.
 

 
I definitely felt the HD598 had clear but non fatiguing sparkle too.