[Whitebread]

Ok, I'm going to get the HD580s and save some money!

 

[spike33]

This may be too late but don't listen to all the HD650 haters. I too was once one of them after owning HD580, which I found to have boomy midbass and artificial glary mids. It totally turned me off HD580/6xx series. A year later after going thru dozens of other headphones, I finally bought HD650 and couldn't be happier. Tight deep bass, beautiful natural mids. Maybe it's colored, maybe not but coloration does not mean it's artificial. If you enjoy HD650, expect to be disappointed with HD580. If you like HD580, I'm happy for you and your wallet.

 

[jim580]

If your choice is 650/no amp or 580/amped, the 580's will blow them away.
With both amped, I'm not qualified to answer that.
I do know that un-amped I prefer the sound of my SR-60's.
With the micro the 580's are great.
Good luck...........Jim

 

[SennFan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by calgary2800 I wouldnt buy the 650 even if its the same price as the 580.

Why?

 

[skyline889]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim580 If your choice is 650/no amp or 580/amped, the 580's will blow them away. With both amped, I'm not qualified to answer that. I do know that un-amped I prefer the sound of my SR-60's. With the micro the 580's are great. Good luck...........Jim

Why??? The Senn HD650s and HD580s have the exact same impedance rating and in my experience are equally hard to drive. And even straight out of my Zen Vision the HD580s get blown out of the water, imho the HD580 sounded too grainy and not as velvety smooth in the highs as the HD650s, plus the added lower end bass response of the HD650s is an extra bonus for me when I switch over from Alternative & Rock to Reggae and Hip-Hop. Not to mention the matte plastic finish on the HD580s looks really cheap and feels really cheap compared to the HD600s and HD650s. Whenever I wear the HD650s out in public, people at school always ask what kind of headphones they are my friend who had the HD580 never gets asked that, they just have more elegance than the HD580s.

 

[granodemostasa]

the 580 is great if you want a solution now that's cheap...with the 650 you can really built a good rig around it.

 

[Superpredator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwitel Does anybody know where I can find the 580's in Gray?? Ive seen them in a Charcoal color a couple of times, but the more popular one I guess is the basic Blue. In Gray with the 650 grills they look quite nice.

I'm not sure, but aren't they all the same color? Before I bought mine I took a look at dozens of pictures, and they always looked different, sometimes dramatically, with regards to color. Mine are charcoal with blue/gray headband/grills.

 

[Bones13]

Mine are that color too. I have both, but have not put the time in with the 580s to attempt a critical comparison.

I would advise though, if you don't have an amp yet, get the 580s and an amp if required by your budget.

For my uneducated, not yet audiophile ears. My Raptor/650 rig is more "there" than my home rig with the 580, but not a fair comparison. At home, my computer/listening room is shared with a cat, and I do not want to risk tubes/expensive cans there.

Good sound card + good amp + 580s is a set up that will marvel you if you are not a jaded audiophile

(notice I said "good" - not "the best")

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svperstar Well one thing to consider is bass. I for one absolutely hate strong bass in headphones. It just hurts my ears and gives me a headache and it covers up the rest of the music.

I agree. I find Sennheiser 580/600/650 bass somewhat bloated and wooley. It's a bit indistinct and slow.
Quote:

Originally Posted by Svperstar In my experience when sitting in front of someone playing acoustic guitar it is much brighter then how it sounds on either my 580s or my AKG 240s, both warm/dark cans. This is why many people think rock on Sennheisers is "boring". It lacks that sparkle in guitars that exists in real life.

Very true. And the leading edges and speed are a bit muted. People seem to forget this.

So, regarding the original question, if you are concerned with this, save the dough and go for the 580 (if you are currently content with the Senn sound in general). Or try and audition other phones to see if you can find something ideal to your requirements.

 

[JaZZ]

The HD 580 would mean a downgrade in terms of resolution and over-all refinement, although better amplification would probably compensate for this. But since the HD 580 doesn't have the same sonic potential, you're limited in view of further upgrades. Although I agree on the greater airiness, I also think it's rather the result of a coloration (mild resonance peaks) than of accuracy -- the HD 650 is closer to reality to my ears. -- What exactly is your source and «amp» now?
.

 

[boodi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whitebread Is the sound signature the same? I would assume the 580s are less dark than the 650s. Is the top end as rolled off? What should I do?

not the very same
650 midbass is more viby and upfront , bass is more and more palpable
you'll sense a top end on hd580 that is less rolled off probably
650 are more capable in terms of sonic performance ( dynamics , fine details / textures .. but not that much really . My ears tell me they're more coloured then the 580 though , and by a noticeable degree )

Imo a 580 + mid nice amp combination is definitely better then a 650 with a casual setup
If you're not going to invest 1-2k on a hd 650 system and brain buy sell -more then a while- for finiding out the perfect clean source IC amp for them , please stay with hd580

just my 2c

 

[vpivinylspinner]

I had the HD-580s first and then upgraded to the HD-650. I found the HD-650 to be a worthwhile upgrade. The HD-580 was a decent headphone but I thought my Beyerdynamics DT-880s were better and got most of my serious listening time. The HD-580s were burnt in having over 200 hours on the clock and played through both of my headphone amps. I decided to try out the HD-650 and after a bit of burn in I found the HD-650s were now at the top of the heap. I played both sets for a bit for some direct comparison and could clearly hear a difference especially in bass and midrange. The highs were too laid back on both sets but the HD-650 seemed to have a bit more texture on cymbals, violins, etc. Overall, I think the HD-580 is a great deal but the talk of preferring the HD-580 to the HD-650 I would have to strongly disagree with.

 

[tomb]

The choice for me was $150 for a 580 vs. $280 for a 600. $350-$400 for a 650 didn't even enter the equation. The only thing that stops the 580 from being one of the 2 or 3 best dynamic cans in the world is the 600 and 650. The 580 is more than worthy as a can to build up any amplifier collection.

I am looking forward to the HD700 release as well - because the 600 and 650 will then become everyone else's stale bread.

 

[seantx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomb The choice for me was $150 for a 580 vs. $280 for a 600. $350-$400 for a 650 didn't even enter the equation. The only thing that stops the 580 from being one of the 2 or 3 best dynamic cans in the world is the 600 and 650. The 580 is more than worthy as a can to build up any amplifier collection. I am looking forward to the HD700 release as well - because the 600 and 650 will then become everyone else's stale bread.

X2. Very well stated.

 

[Whitebread]

Currently, I'm using a turtle beach santa cruz to an Onkyo reciever headphone out. I know that equipment is not worthy of hte 650, but I plan on building an M3 based preamp and a USB dac. I need to save up more money first because I just bought a new Opteron 165 based computer. I suspect i'll be able to buy the preamp within the next 1 to 1.5 months. Maybe a week or so earlier if I go wtih the HD580s. I get paid 160 a week so I can make up the price of the 650s I 2 weeks, but I still prefer to spend wisely even if I can make up the difference in a short amount of time.