[White Lotus]

Do not bend or torque the non-metal part of the headband, the part that goes over your head. Doing so unnecessarily stresses it, which can result in an immediate or eventual fracture.

Properly adjust your HD650, HD600, or HD580. Immediately customize its comfort, prevent premature degradation of the ear pads, and minimize the chance of fracturing the non-metal part of the headband. The metal part of the headband that extends between the ear cups and plastic part of the headband is designed to be adjusted. It is very sturdy metal, and it bends. I only recommend doing this if you understand the following procedure.

The Procedure:
Fully extend the headband so no more of the metal part of the headband can be exposed. Grasp one ear cup with one hand and the plastic part of the headband with the other right where the metal part starts to go into the plastic part. To clarify, grasp plastic directly on each end of the metal band, and put your thumbs on the metal band for leverage. Then bend it until the metal band is straight or slightly bent backwards, hold for 3 seconds, repeat X times. Repeat X times with the other side. Repeat until the headphones are as loose as you want. This also can be done to tighten the grip of these headphones. Just bend the metal band in the same manner but in the opposite direction.

 
Sorry for grave-digging, but this is VERY helpful - thank you!

 

[HemiSam]

Is your HD650, HD600, or HD580 comfortable, uncomfortable, or fractured?

Please first read this post. You can vote for more than one option since you may have owned more than one.

I lump these models together because their fit is similar and each can be properly adjusted in the same way.

----------------

Do not bend or torque the non-metal part of the headband, the part that goes over your head. Doing so unnecessarily stresses it, which can result in an immediate or eventual fracture.

Properly adjust your HD650, HD600, or HD580. Immediately customize its comfort, prevent premature degradation of the ear pads, and minimize the chance of fracturing the non-metal part of the headband. The metal part of the headband that extends between the ear cups and plastic part of the headband is designed to be adjusted. It is very sturdy metal, and it bends. I only recommend doing this if you understand the following procedure.

The Procedure:
Fully extend the headband so no more of the metal part of the headband can be exposed. Grasp one ear cup with one hand and the plastic part of the headband with the other right where the metal part starts to go into the plastic part. To clarify, grasp plastic directly on each end of the metal band, and put your thumbs on the metal band for leverage. Then bend it until the metal band is straight or slightly bent backwards, hold for 3 seconds, repeat X times. Repeat X times with the other side. Repeat until the headphones are as loose as you want. This also can be done to tighten the grip of these headphones. Just bend the metal band in the same manner but in the opposite direction.

 
 
Great post...thanks.  The HD 650's have a ridiculous kung-fu grip on my noggin...ouch.  The velour also gets quite warm.  Love them otherwise...truly do.  
 
HS

 

[Willy 2 Streams]

The HD 580's-650's are THE MOST comfortable cans I've ever worn bar NONE (especially my 20 year old 580's). It does NOT get better than this.

 

[Mkoll]

Very helpful, thank you!
 

 

[wader]

Did a quick search and found this thread . . . I just obtained a lightly used, otherwise new HD650 from my previously-stretched-over-a-basketball-then-worn-tactically-for-years HD555 model (which, despite the super-soft cushions, still gets to me after a bit of time) and the new Sennheiser is >>TIGHT<< as heck.  I mean, ridiculously so.
 
Taking 1Time's intriguing advice, I just tried experimenting via this method on my HD555 (which appears to have plastic bands) and it's become more loose in one minute than I obtained from weeks of having it stretched over a basketball.  Not sure if the plastic has a memory though, so may try to carefully work on this further before trying this technique on the HD650 - but, if this works, I'll be rather pleased.  Although I have a sentimental liking for the HD555's pleasing sound characteristics (despite being slightly sluggish for some of the faster, more crisp things I sometimes listen to), the HD650 model blows the roof off everything I've heard with cans in a truly enjoyable way.
 
- wader

 

[Darien]

Is your HD650, HD600, or HD580 comfortable, uncomfortable, or fractured?

Please first read this post. You can vote for more than one option since you may have owned more than one.

I lump these models together because their fit is similar and each can be properly adjusted in the same way.

----------------

Do not bend or torque the non-metal part of the headband, the part that goes over your head. Doing so unnecessarily stresses it, which can result in an immediate or eventual fracture.

Properly adjust your HD650, HD600, or HD580. Immediately customize its comfort, prevent premature degradation of the ear pads, and minimize the chance of fracturing the non-metal part of the headband. The metal part of the headband that extends between the ear cups and plastic part of the headband is designed to be adjusted. It is very sturdy metal, and it bends. I only recommend doing this if you understand the following procedure.

The Procedure:
Fully extend the headband so no more of the metal part of the headband can be exposed. Grasp one ear cup with one hand and the plastic part of the headband with the other right where the metal part starts to go into the plastic part. To clarify, grasp plastic directly on each end of the metal band, and put your thumbs on the metal band for leverage. Then bend it until the metal band is straight or slightly bent backwards, hold for 3 seconds, repeat X times. Repeat X times with the other side. Repeat until the headphones are as loose as you want. This also can be done to tighten the grip of these headphones. Just bend the metal band in the same manner but in the opposite direction.

 

OMG thank you for this !!! idk why but recently the clamp force been bothering me extra badly, (maybe cus i moved to hot florida?) and i was looking at new headphones when hd650 is my favorite headphones of ALL TIME!! - but this made me fall in love with them all over again thanks!!
 
though maybe i may get some non velour cans for the summertime, cus this forum always makes me buy stuff!!! 

 

[Salvuryc]

Thank you Kindly just received the HD 6XX.

Was clamping so hard I had to counter it by pushing back with my jaw muscles. Did you trick once (5x) with only bending the metal straight. Good and comfortable after 10 minutes little hurt. Did a again even more gentle and have had them on for an hour! Great stuff.

 

[chris.egeskov]

My HD 650 clamped a bit, to start with, but after a few weeks I'm not noticing it anymore

 

[LIVE_EVIL]

HD600 clamped me like crazy ( i am super sensitive to this). Took me one year to finally stop caring about the headphone and then I finally i managed to pull it out somehow too much (i thought) but actually they became comfortable. So my suggestion to all new owners if they clamp too much pull out metal all the way out and bend only by holding metal and not the plastic part of the headphones. Metal in hd600 is super sturdy so there is little chance in damaging it. Be forceful but careful.