HD600's came: impressions

[Supsup]

I bought these on Amazon for that nice refurbished price.

First off, I have to comment on the packaging and materials. My Grado SR-225s came in a thin paper box with a cheap foam insert. I had to rip the box to get inside. Then the headphones were all plastic, save the grill and the headband, and the "pad" that covered the metal headband was the same material that covers those cheap notebook folders you buy at K-Mart for 50 cents. Very disappointing.

The Senns arrived in a nice box with a sticker on the front that read "Natural Sound." Opening this box produced another box. A very sturdy hinged box with a molded foam insert. Very impressive. Then, the headphones were made with good materials. Lots of padding, very light, yet very sturdy. Not a single creak. Also I noticed a nice treat when I picked them up: Three Braille-like raised dots on the left side of the headband, so you can properly put them on without looking to see the faint R or L. VERY NICE.


Just looking at them I was expecting them to be very comfortable, and they surely are, save the death-vice grip that Sennheiser likes to put on all their products. These guys will have a few books between them when not in use.

As for the sound: I'm just using these straight out of an Audigy2 zs. Despite what every wants to say music sounds great out of them. Yeah there's better cards but they cost a lot more. I am planning to get a Gilmore Lite sometime in the next few weeks to amp these guys. I'll comment again on their sound after they are amped.


First off, the sound is very... full. Soundstage is a wonderful thing. No longer is music just inside my head as with the Grados. Now it's far to the left and far to the right. Very enjoyable. I used the Grados with flat pads, so I don't find the Senns dark at all. There is one major difference between the sounds: The senns are SMOOOOOOOOOTH. The highs are most definitely there, but there is no sibilance at all. Very nice. The mids are liquid and the lows are very deep yet impactful. Not close to the midbass impact that the Grados have, but that's a tradeoff. Hopefully bass will improve after they break in and are amped.

So far I have not found any music that doesn't sound great. From Vivaldi to Pearl Jam, Tool to Coldplay, it's all wonderful. I'll say that the Grados are more enjoyable with rock, but the senns sound fantastic nonetheless. I find the smoothness and sounstage excellent for techno. The Crystal Method never sounded better.


All in all, I'm keeping the Grados as I still like to rock out, but the majority of the time I see I will be wearing the HD600s. I know the Grados will improve with the Gilmore Lite as well, so they're going to be quite the duo. The SR-225 and HD600 are like Yin and Yang. They are different yet complement each other perfectly. I am VERY happy.

And now I can use this

 

[fr4c]

Congrats on your new purchase!

IMO, the Gilmore Lite matches very well with the Sennheiser lineup, so expect to hear improvements when you get them.

 

[SNR]

Supsup how do you find the senn compared to grado unamped

cheers

 

[jjcha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Supsup As for the sound: I'm just using these straight out of an Audigy2 zs. Despite what every wants to say music sounds great out of them. Yeah there's better cards but they cost a lot more. I am planning to get a Gilmore Lite sometime in the next few weeks to amp these guys. I'll comment again on their sound after they are amped.

Woo hoo! Congrats man, the HD600 was my entry into headphone hi-fi.

I agree - not having the best amp/source shouldn't prevent anyone from getting these phones. Still, definitely keep your eye out on good amps. It surprised me how "flat" the HD600 sounded to me out of a regular headphone jack, after I had gotten used to them amped. Not as big of a gap as the Grado's soundstage, but still definitely there.

Best,

-Jason

 

[mintyfresh]

If the drivers aren't burned in, prepare yourself for a pleasant surprise in about a week.

 

[HiGHFLYiN9]

Congrats Sup Sup, Like jjcha the HD600s were my first real pair of cans. That was before I came to Headfi and found out I made a good choice

I agree that Senns and Grados sort of sit on opposite sides of the spectrum. Unfortunently the Senns are money pits, and an aftermarket cable and amp go a long way to improving sound quality. Fortunently your Grados will also benefit from an amp when you decide to take the plunge... ah isn't this site evil

 

[Supsup]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mintyfresh If the drivers aren't burned in, prepare yourself for a pleasant surprise in about a week.

Even though they are refurbished I have reason to believe that they aren't burned in yet. They just have that "fresh" sound to them, can't really explain it in words but I'm sure many people know what I'm talking about.


I decided to get a Gilmore Lite because it's:

1) In my price range
2) Good for the HD600s
3) Also has synnergy with Grados

So it's like a win/win/win. WOO HOO.


These things are very comfortable. I'd forget I had them on if it weren't for the music coming out of them.


SNR: I can't make good comparisons because I've never heard any headphone through a standalone amplifier. Right now, unamped, they both sound superb. Worth every cent I paid for them and more.


edit: I need to point out that Coldplay sounds absolutely amazing on them. Wow... I want an amp so bad right now