[Mike F]

Semantics, "Lots of "quality" base on my end".....

On that I can definitely agree, don't think it's even physically possible... I don't have a monster system but even with my stand mount Dynaudio Special 25s and Velodyne DD sub I can get my 10' x 15' room easily pressurized


....the Audeze LCD-2 at the back of the room were the closest but still far away, IMHO headphone and stereo listening are still far apart.

IMHO headphone and stereo listening are still far apart.

‘IMHO headphone and stereo listening are still far apart.’

Absolutely 100% agree. I think we are lucky to have good speaker systems! It is a totally different experience. Love Bryston BTW! Used to have a 0.5B pre and a 2B power, and then ended up with two 4B powers used as mono blocks. That was before I went active with the ATC SCM100A’s!

 

[Metalingus]

I bet Zeos will find 2 dollar item from IKEA and stick it to the back of original 660S to sound it exactly the same as 660 S2 graph.

Jokes aside, I'm excited.

 

[headstef]

@ericpalonen Speaking of evolution of drivers, my old HD-580 Precision have been for long in the hands of a relative and I think they need new drivers (diaphragms were pressed in the middle and stayed disfigured for too long). Should I ask for the original drivers (if still available) or for the drivers of a certain model up in the HD 6### family? Maybe they can accept a subsequent driver and sound even better? I would like to keep them working after 27 years! (They work as they are anyway).

 

[Rob80b]

‘IMHO headphone and stereo listening are still far apart.’

Absolutely 100% agree. I think we are lucky to have good speaker systems! It is a totally different experience. Love Bryston BTW! Used to have a 0.5B pre and a 2B power, and then ended up with two 4B powers used as mono blocks. That was before I went active with the ATC SCM100A’s!

Those ATC are no laughing matter but I guess you save on not buying new Bryston mono blocks. : )

0.5B pre and a 2B power

back in the 80s that was also my 1st Bryston duo, doubling up for the studio and music listening.

 

[michael2v]

So if that graph is to be believed, how did they finally get actual low end into a 6–series headphone?

It looks like they just took it back to the same level as the HD650?

 

[OnlySoMany]

Pre-ordered! Excited to hear these and start playing with amp and source matching.

 

[Ichos]

As per @ThanatosVI request, the review now includes a detailed comparison with the Meze 109 PRO.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sennheiser-hd-660s2.26337/review/30158/

 

[ThanatosVI]

As per @ThanatosVI request, the review now includes a detailed comparison with the Meze 109 PRO.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sennheiser-hd-660s2.26337/review/30158/

Love you, thx mate

 

[IXOYE]

Yep. EQ to enhance sound as you see fit, but if an expensive headphone "needs" EQ to not sound terrible, it's not a good headphone to begin with.

Name me one headphone that doesn't need some EQ? I have never heard anyone, and a low-shelf subbase lift on 660s makes wonders.

 

[Backsplash7]

I don't mind the 660S going away, and the 650 and 600 staying. There is a reason for that (e.g.: scaling, getting more things right without doing too many things wrong).
Those who want an easy-to-drive headphone without a need for a DAC/amp combo might as well listen to compact stereos or sensitive IEMs. I am yet to hear a good heaphone that does not benefit from a decent setup. And I'd rather enjoy the luxury of listening to music alone for shorter periods of time than having something over my head whenever and wherever, budget and portability being the reason for the demand mostly. This would also explain why I have the HD540 Reference Gold and HD250 Linear I, both 600Ohms, in my setup at home. There are technically better headphones out there, but I find they take me closer to the music when properly served in a good setup. Which makes me curious as part of the Senn crowd of the 660S2, or, since we are on a popular request trip, even an S3 in a 600Ohm version.

I totally agree with you on technically inferior headphones sounding great, and I've enjoyed many hours with my 540 II, which were my daily drivers for a long time. Sometimes that 'certain something' is always preferable, and I'd much rather have that in a best case scenario home listening scenario for an hour, than something so-so all day.
That said, I'd give an arm, leg and a moustache for an HD700 successor with the V2 treatment, and in a 300ohm or 600ohm variant... perhaps @ericpalonen could say whether something like this is a hopeless dream?

 

[ericpalonen]

Name me one headphone that doesn't need some EQ? I have never heard anyone, and a low-shelf subbase lift on 660s makes wonders.

On the more "philosophical" side, we all need to remember that in most desktop hifi setups we are equalizing the signal not the headphone, whether it is to cut or boost to whatever is satisfactory to our ears. A few days ago someone said that not all headphones take EQ well, and that is quite true. What a transducer is (or isn't) capable of can be revealed quite quickly through an EQ, fwiw.

 

[Beagle]

Name me one headphone that doesn't need some EQ? I have never heard anyone, and a low-shelf subbase lift on 660s makes wonders.

Any headphone worth listening to.

 

[Harry Manback]

Name me one headphone that doesn't need some EQ? I have never heard anyone, and a low-shelf subbase lift on 660s makes wonders.

ETA Mini-S
Focal Elear with Focal Clear pads.

There are 2 for you.

Source is BF2 OG -> EC ZDT Jr.

 

[KaiFi]

Any headphone worth listening to.

Agreed. I think this is just a clash of listening philosophies here. I don’t use EQ, period. I haven’t since I really got into this hobby in 2017. If a headphone doesn’t sound good to me out of the box, then it isn’t for me.

 

[569424]

Agreed. I think this is just a clash of listening philosophies here. I don’t use EQ, period. I haven’t since I really got into this hobby in 2017. If a headphone doesn’t sound good to me out of the box, then it isn’t for me.

are we now acting like the HD600 series doesn't sound good out of the box? LOL Cmon! the exact opposite, in fact the HD580 is probably the headphone which kick started this whole hobby, its the benchmark and has always been the reference, an audio product which has stood the test of time like no other and is even currently one of the favourite headphone of all popular reviewers, even no matter which year. we have listened to it so much that we became picky of even the slightest potential improvement. namely more bass (which might be a passing preference trend) but anyone who says the hd600 series has never sounded good out of the box probably has cauliflower ears like a ufc fighter or is an absolute fool sorry to say.