[username643827]

Hello.

I currently own an Sennheiser HD600 and i was wondering about the HD650.

Are the HD650 better in quality, comfort, stability?

Are they any different in sound quality or the same?

Are they "worse" than the HD600?

 

[jmwant]

I find both identical. The hd650 is slightly more sensitive, and the bass is a bit more elevated.

 

[haasaaroni]

You'll find plenty of videos/articles comparing the two, but my brief impressions, owning both the HD6XX (essentially a 650) and HD600, is that the 6XX sounds smoother, perhaps slightly more resolving (there's less "grain" in the sound), with a less shouty upper midrange and more even treble, and a fuller sounding, yet softer, mid bass. If the 600 is the active, hard-working sibling, the 6XX is the one who just sits on the couch and enjoys watching a movie for the evening.

 

[username643827]

You'll find plenty of videos/articles comparing the two, but my brief impressions, owning both the HD6XX (essentially a 650) and HD600, is that the 6XX sounds smoother, perhaps slightly more resolving (there's less "grain" in the sound), with a less shouty upper midrange and more even treble, and a fuller sounding, yet softer, mid bass. If the 600 is the active, hard-working sibling, the 6XX is the one who just sits on the couch and enjoys watching a movie for the evening.

And what about the HD660S the OG one not the S2 are these any good? Beucase they are pretty cheap on the used market.

 

[haasaaroni]

And what about the HD660S the OG one not the S2 are these any good? Beucase they are pretty cheap on the used market.

I personally wasn’t a fan. They don’t scale as well as the 600/650, and sounded darker than both, with less upper mids and some weirdness in the treble response.

 

[HipHopScribe]

You'll find plenty of videos/articles comparing the two, but my brief impressions, owning both the HD6XX (essentially a 650) and HD600, is that the 6XX sounds smoother, perhaps slightly more resolving (there's less "grain" in the sound), with a less shouty upper midrange and more even treble, and a fuller sounding, yet softer, mid bass. If the 600 is the active, hard-working sibling, the 6XX is the one who just sits on the couch and enjoys watching a movie for the evening.

Excellent breakdown. I do find myself reaching for the 600 for its extra "bite" sometimes, but other times the shouty upper mids make me switch to the 6XX (650s). Overall, I use the 6XX more often and consider them the slightly superior headphone.

 

[dunring]

I've had the hd600, hd650, and hd6xx and prefer the hd600 every time. It's all personal preference. Not any difference you couldn't get with an equalizer.

 

[FuzzyLuck5550]

HD600 has a cleaner sound, more detail, and scales better than the HD650. HD650 is warmer and more relaxing. I would chose HD600 everytime, but I don't like warm headphones.

 

[AnAverageElephant]

I feel like this war has been fought many a time on many an audio forum. Having owned the 58x, 6xx, and 600 my favorite was the 600, a bit more going on in the treble. Though they’re more alike than different, I’m not sure how you could love one and hate the other. I could tell them apart when I owned both the 6xx and 600 by A B’ing them, but if I didn’t listen to my 600’s awhile and you switched out the drivers with 650’s it my take me awhile to figure out what was up id probably just blame it on the pads being worn.

 

[tomb]

Unfortunately, Sennheiser made the 580 first, the 600 second, and the 650 last. The 650 is simply more refined, period. You may find people who prefer the 600 because it has a treble spike that may make it sound more detailed*, but put it on very, very good equipment and you will hear the distortion in that treble spike. It's not there in the 650. The 580 is demonstrably worse than the 600. The plastic grilles caused peaky distortion over a greater range than the perforated metal grilles in the 600. That was the only difference in the two headphones - the metal grilles. Other refinements were put in with the 650 to make it even better than the 600.

Before he retired, I would always point to Tyll Hertsens' InnerFidelity review of the 600 and 650. Stating from memory (not a direct quote), he said something like, "the 650 is definitely more refined, but I prefer the 600." A truly contradictory statement, but he made it. Again, some may prefer that treble spike regardless, but I guarantee you there's distortion there. Whether you hear it or not depends on the music and your other equipment.

 

[DonJeremy]

I started with the HD 650, then purchased HD 600 years later. I prefer the 600 now. This is after years of singing the praises of the 650.

 

[Kerry56]

I wasn't impressed with either, though I had very little time with the HD600. Bland, unexciting, closed-in presentation... I finally had to get rid of my HD6xx, as they were putting me to sleep every time I used them.

Speaking of which, my favorite story about the HD600 and HD650 comes from a reviewer who was trying to pick out all the differences between the two. He dozed off while listening, and when he woke, he couldn't tell which one he was wearing. He had to take them off first.

 

[funkymartyn]

You still thinking about getting one then ? For me I like most sennheiser and grado headphones, Plus focal fir closed back session. I bought the hd580 when it came out for £100. And a mint hd660s for double ish, then not to long ago the newer style hd600 again for 200 ish. And I enjoy them all. The 660s being useful for playing straight from my audio players. Low ohms.

 

[RADI0HEAD]

I got the 600 first then the 650. Being that they sound similar I couldn't justify keeping both so I gifted the 600 to my brother. I'm enjoying my 650 right now.