[jfdelacruz]

I've been lurking around a bit and finally my new cans have arrived! I started out with a 2nd-hand HD595 (really worn out) and used that for a year directly plugged into my MacBook. I never used iBuds after listening to those cans.
 
Here's the story on how I got around to getting the setup. Feb. 14, 2011 (valentines, duh), me and the GF were fighting. So, instead of taking her to dinner, I went to amazon and then hit the checkout button (oh was she pissed! 

). I attempted to cancel my order, but as destiny would have had it, it was already "prepared" and I couldn't cancel anymore. Fast forward to yesterday Mar. 22, I got them in my office. Plugged them in my mac and they sounded empty. Looked for a local reseller of FiiO and they had only ONE piece of each!!! So, I quickly made a deposit and had them ship it to me. I got them today and they are great!
 
Now that I have my new gear, they'll be for dedicated home use and I'll be using the HD595's for office duty. I'm still trying to decide though if I'm going to keep the 595 and buy a new headband + ear pads or just give them to my sister and then buy a new HD595 (because I'm not investing on an amp for office use).
 
I have to say. The moment I put the HD650's on, there was an immediate difference. Not night and day, but definitely an upgrade! The HD595's don't sound much different with or without an amp though. The HD650's, as expected, sucks without an amp. I love the bass on the HD650. They're "defined", could use a teeny bit more oomph, but it's enough to be "felt". Whitney Houston is very lovely in this thing!
 
I also tried both 595 and 650 on my Denon AVR-3805 receiver (optical out of my MacBook) and I must say, I think that's a better amp than the E7/E9 combo, perhaps because it's using an optical connection and I've got line filtering on the power supply of the Denon. Can't decide. But the 650's, I feel, are more "free" with the Denon.
 
Here's a few pics of the new gear:

 
Can you guys give me tips on care and "operational guidelines" on these? I haven't really found much information on how to take care of them. I am however still lacking a banana stand for the HD650's. Or is it better to put it inside it's foam-padded case and put some desiccant inside? I have a saltwater aquarium in my room so it's very humid when I'm not around (office hours) and the A/C is not on.

 

[Brent Hutto]

I've had my HD650 for about a week. Here's how I take care of it. Remove it from my ears, put it on the table next to my Schiit Asgard amp and iPod and leave it there until the next time I want to listen.

Really, I think unless it's very dirty/dusty or maybe if there were extreme temperature swings (like outdoors) you're not going to hurt a Senn headphone by leaving it sitting around on any convenient surface. Worst case the earpads will get a little crufty after a few years and you can put on a new pair.

The one thing I do is if I've been outside getting sweaty I'll go in the bathroom and wipe the sides of my head and ears off with a damp cloth before putting on the headphone. That's about it.

P.S. Oh, and I never put the HD650 on top of the Asgard which tends to run about 160-180F in operation!

 

[cswann1]

You'll want to clean the ear pads every few hundred hours of use.
 
For that procedure I remove them (they just pull off) and take a damp wash cloth and spray some fabric/upholstery cleaner on the cloth and gently wipe the pads.  You can follow up by rinsing the cleaner from the wash cloth or just take another cloth and wet it, and wiping the pads with just water if you think there is too much soap on the pads. Cleaners like Resolve are very good and it's ok if a little is left on the pads to dry.  I would never use anything like Scotchguard on your pads.  
   Same thing for the headband but you shouldn't need to remove it for cleaning and it won't need it as often.
 
Grats on the gear. Looks like a nice rig and welcome to Head-Fi.

 

[Dougeefresh]

I gotta ask. Are you still with your GF?

 

[cswann1]

Also, that is a nice pic of the Sennheiser headband.  It makes a neat desktop image.
 
I notice a very shallow DOF with nice bokeh.  That wouldn't have been taken with a Nikkor 50mm prime at f/1.8 would it?

 

[blockhead]

Quote:

I gotta ask. Are you still with your GF?

 

 

[jfdelacruz]

Still with the GF and she's also loving the new cans! The pics were taken with a Nikon D40x with the its very very good kit lens (18-55mm 3.5~5.6f). It was taken at 55mm though If you want the high res version, om me your email and I'll send it in. It does make a great wallpaper and it is my wallpaper now.
 
My first true setup and I can't help but think about buying a new Grado RA1 since it's the only other headphone AMP I can find (easily) in my country.

 

[dye1337]

Quote:

Also, that is a nice pic of the Sennheiser headband.  It makes a neat desktop image.
 
I notice a very shallow DOF with nice bokeh.  That wouldn't have been taken with a Nikkor 50mm prime at f/1.8 would it?

the 50 1.8 wouldn't have abberations around the diaphragm spots in the bokeh. 
 
That having been said, congrats on not only getting the cans but keeping the girl

 

[juman231]

Congrats on your purchase. I hope my turn to try the HD650 comes soon...

 

[MrScary]

I take care of my 650's as suggested I take them off and lay them usually by my keyboard been doing this for 3 years and they are still in perfect condition.

 

[earerror]

Welcome to the HD650's club!! 

 

[jeust0999]

Nice pictures.
 
The HD650 look slick, the HD600 are hideous.

 

[svenski]

@ jfdelacruz
Just a quick question. I am in the process of upgrading my HD595 for the HD650s. The 595s run just fine with my fiio E7 but I am concerned that the HD650 will need the bigger brother to help out. I am happy to buy the E9 at some stage in the near future but my current budget is tight. Hence from your opinion is there a big subjective difference in driving the HD650 with the E7 alone versus the E9?

 

[jfdelacruz]

I suggest you buy the E9 and put it on the high gain mode. When I first got my system, I experimented with the low and high gain and found that the low gain muffled a lot of the sound. It's either because of the electronics inside the E9 that makes it sound like that or the 650's just love power. To be honest with you, I haven't taken out the E7 out of the E9's dock since I got everything and the whole thing is now permanent on my home rig. The HD595's I find not too much improved when amped. I run my 595's straight out of my MacBook White and it sounds great but whenever I try running the 650's on them, they suck.
 
Get the E9. You won't be disappointed. I have to warn you though, I am EQ'ing on the 650's in the high-end of the frequency range. I find that the 650's lack treble. It takes an awful lot of EQ'ing to distort the sound and I've tuned it to what I most prefer. The 595's I don't EQ.
 
Hope this helps!

 

[svenski]

Running the HD650 on the E7 at the moment I feel that they are a bit narrow in soundstage although this seems to be improving every day. Perhaps there is a bit of a burn in needed? The first impression  with the HD650s high mids was that it was a bit on the low side as you mentioned. But then again, I was also a bit biased with the forward mids of the HD595. I will get an E9 and re-evaluate.
Quote:

I suggest you buy the E9 and put it on the high gain mode. When I first got my system, I experimented with the low and high gain and found that the low gain muffled a lot of the sound. It's either because of the electronics inside the E9 that makes it sound like that or the 650's just love power. To be honest with you, I haven't taken out the E7 out of the E9's dock since I got everything and the whole thing is now permanent on my home rig. The HD595's I find not too much improved when amped. I run my 595's straight out of my MacBook White and it sounds great but whenever I try running the 650's on them, they suck.
 
Get the E9. You won't be disappointed. I have to warn you though, I am EQ'ing on the 650's in the high-end of the frequency range. I find that the 650's lack treble. It takes an awful lot of EQ'ing to distort the sound and I've tuned it to what I most prefer. The 595's I don't EQ.
 
Hope this helps!