HD600 vs. DT880 for classical

[nikp]

Quote:

It is all subjective probably because I was looking for that timbre in  HD600 I even removed protective covering of drivers, I looked every nook and cranny but I didn't find it. Timbre on hd600 has soft round edges to me. I think they are also much coloured hence nothing close to neutral. Also think veil is not like standing away from the source, it's more like processed sound to me against raw/analogue sound of Beyerdynamic/Grado. To me in ascending neutrality would be:
Hd600 /least neutral/
HD595/555 (tho little detail)
DT880 250
DT880 600 (if properly amped)
AKG K-701 /most neutral tho no reverbaration of sound, like listening in gigantic hall or in open space hence good for classical music, they give no intimacy needed for jazz/blues/soul//

 
Wow Grado as raw.. I don't know what to say. I respectfully disagree (excluding the HD595/555, AKG because I haven't heard them). 

 
Have a good day!

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
Have you considered the AKG Q701?
 
Another note: The only Sennheiser with a veil is the HD650, it truly is a dark/dim headphone. People who have never tried these headphones who like to copy & paste internet text left and right will say that Sennheiser in general has a veil which is false. The HD600 is not veiled at all.
 
Very best,

 

[econsumer666]

I'd definitely recommend HD600, cause I did find DT880 too analytical. Well maybe it depends on how you prefer to listen to music. I'd say HD600 is definitely more musical and well DT880 has the hissing "s" issue (and I tried the 600 Ohm model which should have the least issue in this regard). The build quality of HD600 is crap though, DT880 is very well built. If you buy HD600, provide feedback please, cause I'm interested in buying something that works well across all genres. 

 

[sssboa]

 
Quote:

 
Wow Grado as raw.. I don't know what to say. I respectfully disagree (excluding the HD595/555, AKG because I haven't heard them). 

 
Have a good day!

by raw I mean rough non-polished sound, not that grado are neutral, grado have metalic mids and highs, sennheiser have plasicky rolled back highs, good for someone who doesn't like string or brass instruments too much, I can't imagine listening to bebop jazz through Sennheiser. Iknow that Sennheiser are prefered by maybe 90% of people over other headphones, but I guess Lady Gaga or techno music is as well over jazz/.soul. I listen mostly to jazz and with Sennheiser it is like putting on a record, crank volume high and go to the next room to listen the music through the wall.
 
 
 

 

[sssboa]

 


 
Quote:

Heya,
 
Have you considered the AKG Q701?
 
Another note: The only Sennheiser with a veil is the HD650, it truly is a dark/dim headphone. People who have never tried these headphones who like to copy & paste internet text left and right will say that Sennheiser in general has a veil which is false. The HD600 is not veiled at all.
 
Very best,

AKG Q701 = K701, same headphones
When I got my HD600 I didnt know anything about headphones, what veil means, nothing. Itwas my third pair of headphones after HD555 and Beyerdynamic DT990 pro 250. When I put them on I straight away felt that there was something obstructing between my ears and speakers, it was instinctive feeling, I ripped off the sponges from drivers, I thought maybe they had been installed by mistake or somethnig and they started to sound slightly crispier but it was not about sponges of course. I guess it is not problem with pop music or most rock, Sennheiser dont't sound as crisp as other headphones and I thing this is what makes them so popular, people complain that they ears hurt from highs of Beyers or mids of Grados, Sennheiser soften them with the veil.
 

 

[shane55]

For my purposes, the DT880-600 is the can I kept as it reproduces a greater level of detail in the upper mids and highs. However, it needs to be paired with a very good, slightly warm amp in order not to sound to bright. But I don't listen to it for pleasure. It is too analytical.
If your only choice is to go inexpensive solid state, and these two are your headphone choices, you should go with the DH600. They produce a remarkably warm, rich, 'acoustic' sound that works very well with Classical and other acoustic music.
I sold mine because the roll-off at the upper end didn't allow me to hear the detail I knew was present in my recordings. My AH-D7000's now do both very nicely. They provide the warmth and acoustic quality, but also the detail that is necessary for putting the instruments in their 'space'. But they are beyond your price range.
 
I'm no expert regarding amps, but if you can get one that is slightly bright, you might do very well with it and the HD600's. They are very good.

 

[sejarzo]

Quote:

 

by raw I mean rough non-polished sound, not that grado are neutral, grado have metalic mids and highs, sennheiser have plasicky rolled back highs, good for someone who doesn't like string or brass instruments too much, I can't imagine listening to bebop jazz through Sennheiser. Iknow that Sennheiser are prefered by maybe 90% of people over other headphones, but I guess Lady Gaga or techno music is as well over jazz/.soul. I listen mostly to jazz and with Sennheiser it is like putting on a record, crank volume high and go to the next room to listen the music through the wall.
 
 
 

Before you bought any good headphones, did you possibly do a lot of listening with IEM's? I've found a correlation between use of IEM's as the entry to the hobby and later opinions that Senns are veiled.
 

 

[nikp]

Quote:

 

by raw I mean rough non-polished sound, not that grado are neutral, grado have metalic mids and highs, sennheiser have plasicky rolled back highs, good for someone who doesn't like string or brass instruments too much, I can't imagine listening to bebop jazz through Sennheiser. Iknow that Sennheiser are prefered by maybe 90% of people over other headphones, but I guess Lady Gaga or techno music is as well over jazz/.soul. I listen mostly to jazz and with Sennheiser it is like putting on a record, crank volume high and go to the next room to listen the music through the wall.
 
 
 

Again, I respectfully disagree. Imo, as a violinist myself, the HD600 doesn't have plasticky rolled back highs and I listened to violin concertos and solos 70% of the time so I definitely know what I'm talking about. 
 


Quote:

 


 

AKG Q701 = K701, same headphones
When I got my HD600 I didnt know anything about headphones, what veil means, nothing. Itwas my third pair of headphones after HD555 and Beyerdynamic DT990 pro 250. When I put them on I straight away felt that there was something obstructing between my ears and speakers, it was instinctive feeling, I ripped off the sponges from drivers, I thought maybe they had been installed by mistake or somethnig and they started to sound slightly crispier but it was not about sponges of course. I guess it is not problem with pop music or most rock, Sennheiser dont't sound as crisp as other headphones and I thing this is what makes them so popular, people complain that they ears hurt from highs of Beyers or mids of Grados, Sennheiser soften them with the veil.
 

Many people who own both cans would disagree on the Q701 = K701. A funny ear you have / or mine. I seemed to disagree with everything you said. Sound really is subjective. 

 
 

 

[vese]

I've heard the DT880s are kind of uncomfortable for long sessions...and fatiguing, I havent tried them for extended times personally but I've heard this more than once.

 

[sejarzo]

Quote:

I'd definitely recommend HD600, cause I did find DT880 too analytical. Well maybe it depends on how you prefer to listen to music. I'd say HD600 is definitely more musical and well DT880 has the hissing "s" issue (and I tried the 600 Ohm model which should have the least issue in this regard). The build quality of HD600 is crap though, DT880 is very well built. If you buy HD600, provide feedback please, cause I'm interested in buying something that works well across all genres. 

 
Agreed. I've listened to my well-used HD600's and a fairly new pair of DT880-250's quite a bit over the past two days, and the overall balance of the DT880 is too bright for most acoustic/orchestral music. Yes, one does hear more detail with the DT880 but IMHO that's only due to the difference in the frequency response. Brass frequently comes across as unnaturally "blatty" even on otherwise well-recorded programs.
 
I'd disagree with your comment on the build quality of the HD600, though, but see why you might make it. On first inspection, I'd certainly agree the DT800 has more apparent build quality. I've had my HD600's for over 5 years, and they've been dragged off my computer desk onto the floor many times and are none the worse for it. (I have a bad left eye now, and often don't see that I have caught the cable with the arm of my desk chair...I turn to get up, and down they go.)
 
I use the HD650 cable, and must admit that I have run over it with the casters on my chair 10x as often as the HD600's have hit the floor, and it's also still just fine.
 
 

 

[lejaz]

Quote:

Again, I respectfully disagree. Imo, as a violinist myself, the HD600 doesn't have plasticky rolled back highs and I listened to violin concertos and solos 70% of the time so I definitely know what I'm talking about. 
 
Many people who own both cans would disagree on the Q701 = K701. A funny ear you have / or mine. I seemed to disagree with everything you said. Sound really is subjective. 

 
 

I've been to countless live jazz, classical, folk, and rock events as well as playing in jazz orchestras throughout high school, and the 580(same driver as 600) sound darn natural/true to life to me. I think the post you responded to is intentionally misleading...trolling....or else he's just become accustomed to/addicted, to boosted treble and upper mids 

 

[Dubstep Girl]

hmm interesting thread, i was considering buying one of these two headphones just to try them out, i'm probably just gonna get hd 800s soon though.

 

[Graphicism]

Owned both and found the DT 880 better for my personal taste in audio and comfort, the 880s are one of the comfiest phones out there while the HD600s can clamp. Sound wise the extension of the DT 880 specifically the 600 Ohm model is excellent, the bass is almost identical to that of the HD800 and the highs are crystal clear. They will expose a bad recording and a bad music source and do require much more amping compared with the Sennheisers. The HD600 are more for a relaxed listen, extension is subpar and for that reason makes them easy to listen to. Both headphones are close to neutral and you really can't go wrong with either, it comes down to fast and analytical or slow and relaxing.

 

[MrTechAgent]

Super Bump.
Get both , I recently tried the hd600's and I own the 650's , the dark signature of the 650 is phenomenal , for a more analytical pleasure I recently got the 880's too , I prefer the 650's over the 600's just because they are such a comforting headphone , smooth , easy , relaxing ahh love it
This is the best one can do for headphones in this price range ..... 650's and 880's.
Many people recommend the 600's just because they are a flatter but the 650's ..... One of the most beautiful sounding can

 

[weirdfishes]

Quote:

I've heard the DT880s are kind of uncomfortable for long sessions...and fatiguing, I havent tried them for extended times personally but I've heard this more than once.

 
DT880s are the most comfortable pair of headphones I own. The fit like they sound - light and airy.
 
For the OP, having owned both at some point, I would say that if you prefer an airy, even sparkly balanced sound, the DT880s are better, while if you would rather go without that, the HD600s would probably be better.