tylerfutrell
Head-Fier
Recently, after trying out many, many headphones at the local store (HD800S, Focal Clear, Elear, Audeze LCD-2f & 2C, MrSpeakers AFO, Ananda, Sundara, Beyer Amiron Home) I bought their HEX V2 demo model. I was looking to improve on my HD650s. After a listening to many tracks (about 50/50 classical and various pop/rock genres) on both these headphones (source: iTunes lossless and a few Spotify 320 kbps, directly to Schiit Magni 2 from a 2016 Macbook Pro touch bar), here are my general comments about the differences in these HPs. I imagine much of this is already well-known, but perhaps some isn't commented about so much:
Treble/Mid/Bass: HEX has more extended and impactful bass (sometimes capturing sub bass when the 650s don’t), while remaining detailed. It also has a slightly sweet and very natural midrange, which is one of its highlights. The 650s have more emphasis in the treble, which sometimes highlights things like attacks in strings nicely, or changes the color of brass to more brassy, but sometimes sounds a little too sharp, especially if the mix artificially bumps those frequencies already (lookin’ at you, Nigel Godrich). In comparison. It's very laid back compared to, say, anything by Beyer. (Perhaps I should point out I'm sensitive to sharp treble; it fatigues me after a short time and hurts my ears.)
Soundstage, imaging, separation: HEX is super spacious, both taller and wider than the 650s. This gives you a more natural sense of the room, and helps with instrument separation. Sometimes, however, it places thing a little far down vertically which feels strange (perhaps because most headphones can’t do this), but can certainly be gotten used to. The 650s sometimes achieve better the feeling that the sound is outside you (binaural-like effect). The 650s are a bit like the group is in a room up a couple stairs; HEX is more like you’re in the room with them: closer, and some sounds are even below you (sort of). The fact that you’re farther away makes the 650s sound more binaural sometimes, however, real binaural recordings are just as effective on the HEX, sometimes better. I listened to true binaural recordings after normal recordings that achieve a semi-binaural effect, where the 650s "won", so I thought the 650s were going to be better at true binaural also, however HEX wins there. Overall, on soundstage, imaging, and instrumental separation, HEX wins.
Dynamics (especially relevant in orchestral stuff): HEX has more powerful dynamics, both when it gets loud, and when the performance hints that it can, or might, or will get loud. You feel that potential power, due to capturing smaller differences in the loudness than the 650s can.
Resolution: HEX resolves better than 650s, especially complex reverb; it's smoother, making the 650s sound slightly grainy in comparison (despite not being a grainy headphone at all).
Impedance/sensitivity: HEX is capable of being driven quite well without an amp. The advantage to this is portability (you can use it anywhere in the house, not only near your desktop setup); the disadvantage is high end amps are probably overpowered and may (I've read) distort, or at least not provide tons of added value. I didn't hear any distortion on my Magni 2. The volume difference is 10 o'clock vs. 12 for the 650s.
Comfort, price: 650s are lighter and more comfortable, and considerably cheaper. The 650s are probably a better value for the money, although HEX is clearly superior in a number of areas; it just depends how much you value those areas (personally, I'm quite happy I bought HEX; it's certainly worth it to me).
Those are my general, collected thoughts. Below are my notes track by track (in the order I listened to them, to illustrate evolution), in case anyone is interested:
Morning (Beck)
HEX smooth, sub bass present, spacious; 650s sharper treble, bringing out guitar picking more, narrower soundstage, less bass extension.
Winner: HEX
Little One (Beck)
650s guitar a little sharper, mix a little thicker/more solid feeling - perhaps more compressed feeling. HEX bass line sticks out more, Beck’s voice sounds a little better, and wind chimes more natural, less tinny. Both headphones picked up reverb details nicely.
Winner: HEX
Little Faith (The National)
650s bring out high mids in vocals a little unnaturally, although this emphasizes the gravel in his voice a little in a good way. HEX detailed guitar strums are like silk, more natural vocals. Soundstage also presented more naturally (still a little emphasized in upper mids - must be EQed mix), mix felt more layered. HEX puts opening distortion above left eye, 650s put it a little lower down and a little farther to the left.
Winner: HEX
Pink Rabbits (The National)
Challenge here is that the mix is inherently veiled. 650s mix feels a little upper mid bloomy, veiled. HEX the veil is reduced (but still there), instrumental separation is broader, bass deeper, perhaps that helps. Voice sounds clearer. HEX snare roll is more delicate: 650s snare is generally brighter. Re-listening I think the veil is about the same. The file doesn’t sound fantastic in either headphone, honestly, but I don’t think that’s either HPs fault.
Winner: HEX
Kyrie (Josquin Missa Pange Lingua, A Sei Voci)
HEX resolves the reverb well. When the sopranos come in it feels nice and wide. 650s didn’t notice reverb while singing as much, soundstage not as wide when sopranos enter at 0:32. 650s I notice distortion when full choir is singing. HEX distortion less noticeable. (Distortion is in the source.)
Winner: HEX
Haydn Op. 76 (Engegård Quartet)
HEX places the quartet lower down, perhaps a little too far down (vertically) which makes them feel slightly more centered. The reverb reaches the same height on both, but that’s taller on the HEX given the starting point (also it goes wider on the HEX). The reverb is slightly more resolved on the HEX; in any case it feels smoother. The 650s have slightly sharper strings, but not too sharp. It brings out the trill details better.
Winner: 650s
Beethoven Op. 131 (I.) & 132 (III.) (Alban Berg Quartet)
Op. 131 HEX puts quartet around eye level. Nice delicate texture on opening violin. HEX presents the strings more nicely by a hair. Op. 132 players are closer together and higher (forehead). HEX puts them slightly higher than 650s, and the 650s put them slightly farther out in space, but the two are extremely similar.
Winner: 650s
Tchaikovsky 6th symphony, I. (8:49 start) (Gergiev / VPO)
HEX projects forward out of head nicely. 650s more centered clarinet, can hear static buzz. Notice the pegg rattle on violins. Soundstage shorter, narrower. Attacks better than HEX (due to sharper treble). HEX much more spacious. Tough to decide, but for this specific part of this movement, attack wins over spaciousness and naturalness.
Winner: 650s
Mahler 5, I. (Bernstein VPO)
HEX very spacious, good resolution on reverb. Strings nice texture. Puts trumpet slightly above head. Cymbals sound natural. 650s trumpet slightly lower, cymbals a little sharper, less spacious, HEX taller and wider. Strings maybe not as delicate as HEX. 650s make trumpet feel farther outside the head. Very close call: HEX wins on soundstage (main reason for choosing track), but 650s win on the trumpet presentation (also important).
Winner: draw
Scelsi String Quartet 3, I. (Arditti Quartet)
650s put the opening 5th clearly outside head, HEX less so. Prefer the tonality of the 650s for this track.
Winner: 650s.
Arnesen: Magnificat
HEX brings out full size of church, also bass. Solo voice natural. Choir entrance has a bigger impact. 650s place sound more narrowly (both in height and width), but a little farther outside head perhaps. Solo voice swallowed slightly by ensemble on 650s.
Winner: HEX
Svete Tikhij (O Peaceful Light), Saint Petersbourg Vocal Ensemble
The HEX again has a wider and especially taller soundstage (big upside down egg shape, sort of), placing the choir a little lower down and surrounding them in the church more fully. 650s are more a much smaller egg laying on its side. HEX much more spacious. The deep bass is also more finely textured and deeper. This is in some ways the perfect track for the HEX. I also felt the dynamics were more alive, sensing the potential energy as the choir hints at getting louder.
(Big) Winner: HEX
Bach Cell Suite No. 1, Prelude and Courante, Kirshbaum
HEX presents a slightly richer, smoother, more natural cello, and gives wonderfully deep low notes still with sharp attack. Clear winner. 650s have less impact on the low notes, and less gorgeous tone. HEX also puts you slightly closer to the cellist.
Winner: HEX
Tchaikovsky 4th Symphony, Alsop CSO
The opening horns are more somber on the HEX and more brassy on the 650s. Again, the HEX puts you closer to the orchestra, and puts it in a bigger space. The low trombone notes have a little more impact on the HEX. The reverb after timpani strikes is more natural and bigger on the HEX, but the relative treble emphasis on the 650s give it a nice coloration too. The strings entrance is effective on both, but subtly more finely textured on the HEX.
Winner: HEX
Vivaldi Stabat Mater, Concerto Italiano
One remarkable thing about this recording is the semi-binaural effect it captures. Because the 650s put you farther away from the action, this effect works better on them. The strings are a little (too) sharp on the 650s at times, but the solo voice is about equal.
Winner: 650s
Soon Forget (Pearl Jam, Binaural)
Surprisingly, HEX gives an as-good binaural effect as the 650s, and portrays the ukulele and voice more naturally.
Winner: HEX
Of The Girl (Pearl Jam, Binaural)
650s catch some treble details more than HEX. Binaural effect good on both. The bass and bass drum entrance more impactful on the HEX. Voice also more natural.
Winner: HEX
Rite of Spring, Sacrificial Dance (Binaural), Pasadena Symphony
HEX puts you closer to the orchestra, where the binaural effect is actually more effective. HEX positions you better. It also tones down the somewhat sharp mix on the trumpets, which is nice. The orchestra feels more real.
Winner: HEX
Time (Inception soundtrack), Hans Zimmer
Another track seemingly made for HEX’s gorgeous spaciousness. Clarity in the nicely extended bass. Smooth overall. Guitar entrance nice texture. Dynamics powerful and effective. Strings smooth too. Track sounds great on 650s too, but it’s not even close.
(Big) Winner: HEX
oh baby (LCD Soundsystem)
Sounds fantastic on both HPs, however the HEX shows better detail retrieval generally, more impactful and detailed bass especially, and more a natural voice.The larger soundstage also helps.
Winner: HEX
Give Life Back to Music (Daft Punk)
HEX gives a more natural presentation in every way. 650s emphasize treble/high mid too much, and the instrumental separation is perhaps too little. HEX has more impactful and detailed bass drum, better placement of instruments, and captures all high frequency details just fine without overdoing it.
Winner: HEX
Treble/Mid/Bass: HEX has more extended and impactful bass (sometimes capturing sub bass when the 650s don’t), while remaining detailed. It also has a slightly sweet and very natural midrange, which is one of its highlights. The 650s have more emphasis in the treble, which sometimes highlights things like attacks in strings nicely, or changes the color of brass to more brassy, but sometimes sounds a little too sharp, especially if the mix artificially bumps those frequencies already (lookin’ at you, Nigel Godrich). In comparison. It's very laid back compared to, say, anything by Beyer. (Perhaps I should point out I'm sensitive to sharp treble; it fatigues me after a short time and hurts my ears.)
Soundstage, imaging, separation: HEX is super spacious, both taller and wider than the 650s. This gives you a more natural sense of the room, and helps with instrument separation. Sometimes, however, it places thing a little far down vertically which feels strange (perhaps because most headphones can’t do this), but can certainly be gotten used to. The 650s sometimes achieve better the feeling that the sound is outside you (binaural-like effect). The 650s are a bit like the group is in a room up a couple stairs; HEX is more like you’re in the room with them: closer, and some sounds are even below you (sort of). The fact that you’re farther away makes the 650s sound more binaural sometimes, however, real binaural recordings are just as effective on the HEX, sometimes better. I listened to true binaural recordings after normal recordings that achieve a semi-binaural effect, where the 650s "won", so I thought the 650s were going to be better at true binaural also, however HEX wins there. Overall, on soundstage, imaging, and instrumental separation, HEX wins.
Dynamics (especially relevant in orchestral stuff): HEX has more powerful dynamics, both when it gets loud, and when the performance hints that it can, or might, or will get loud. You feel that potential power, due to capturing smaller differences in the loudness than the 650s can.
Resolution: HEX resolves better than 650s, especially complex reverb; it's smoother, making the 650s sound slightly grainy in comparison (despite not being a grainy headphone at all).
Impedance/sensitivity: HEX is capable of being driven quite well without an amp. The advantage to this is portability (you can use it anywhere in the house, not only near your desktop setup); the disadvantage is high end amps are probably overpowered and may (I've read) distort, or at least not provide tons of added value. I didn't hear any distortion on my Magni 2. The volume difference is 10 o'clock vs. 12 for the 650s.
Comfort, price: 650s are lighter and more comfortable, and considerably cheaper. The 650s are probably a better value for the money, although HEX is clearly superior in a number of areas; it just depends how much you value those areas (personally, I'm quite happy I bought HEX; it's certainly worth it to me).
Those are my general, collected thoughts. Below are my notes track by track (in the order I listened to them, to illustrate evolution), in case anyone is interested:
Morning (Beck)
HEX smooth, sub bass present, spacious; 650s sharper treble, bringing out guitar picking more, narrower soundstage, less bass extension.
Winner: HEX
Little One (Beck)
650s guitar a little sharper, mix a little thicker/more solid feeling - perhaps more compressed feeling. HEX bass line sticks out more, Beck’s voice sounds a little better, and wind chimes more natural, less tinny. Both headphones picked up reverb details nicely.
Winner: HEX
Little Faith (The National)
650s bring out high mids in vocals a little unnaturally, although this emphasizes the gravel in his voice a little in a good way. HEX detailed guitar strums are like silk, more natural vocals. Soundstage also presented more naturally (still a little emphasized in upper mids - must be EQed mix), mix felt more layered. HEX puts opening distortion above left eye, 650s put it a little lower down and a little farther to the left.
Winner: HEX
Pink Rabbits (The National)
Challenge here is that the mix is inherently veiled. 650s mix feels a little upper mid bloomy, veiled. HEX the veil is reduced (but still there), instrumental separation is broader, bass deeper, perhaps that helps. Voice sounds clearer. HEX snare roll is more delicate: 650s snare is generally brighter. Re-listening I think the veil is about the same. The file doesn’t sound fantastic in either headphone, honestly, but I don’t think that’s either HPs fault.
Winner: HEX
Kyrie (Josquin Missa Pange Lingua, A Sei Voci)
HEX resolves the reverb well. When the sopranos come in it feels nice and wide. 650s didn’t notice reverb while singing as much, soundstage not as wide when sopranos enter at 0:32. 650s I notice distortion when full choir is singing. HEX distortion less noticeable. (Distortion is in the source.)
Winner: HEX
Haydn Op. 76 (Engegård Quartet)
HEX places the quartet lower down, perhaps a little too far down (vertically) which makes them feel slightly more centered. The reverb reaches the same height on both, but that’s taller on the HEX given the starting point (also it goes wider on the HEX). The reverb is slightly more resolved on the HEX; in any case it feels smoother. The 650s have slightly sharper strings, but not too sharp. It brings out the trill details better.
Winner: 650s
Beethoven Op. 131 (I.) & 132 (III.) (Alban Berg Quartet)
Op. 131 HEX puts quartet around eye level. Nice delicate texture on opening violin. HEX presents the strings more nicely by a hair. Op. 132 players are closer together and higher (forehead). HEX puts them slightly higher than 650s, and the 650s put them slightly farther out in space, but the two are extremely similar.
Winner: 650s
Tchaikovsky 6th symphony, I. (8:49 start) (Gergiev / VPO)
HEX projects forward out of head nicely. 650s more centered clarinet, can hear static buzz. Notice the pegg rattle on violins. Soundstage shorter, narrower. Attacks better than HEX (due to sharper treble). HEX much more spacious. Tough to decide, but for this specific part of this movement, attack wins over spaciousness and naturalness.
Winner: 650s
Mahler 5, I. (Bernstein VPO)
HEX very spacious, good resolution on reverb. Strings nice texture. Puts trumpet slightly above head. Cymbals sound natural. 650s trumpet slightly lower, cymbals a little sharper, less spacious, HEX taller and wider. Strings maybe not as delicate as HEX. 650s make trumpet feel farther outside the head. Very close call: HEX wins on soundstage (main reason for choosing track), but 650s win on the trumpet presentation (also important).
Winner: draw
Scelsi String Quartet 3, I. (Arditti Quartet)
650s put the opening 5th clearly outside head, HEX less so. Prefer the tonality of the 650s for this track.
Winner: 650s.
Arnesen: Magnificat
HEX brings out full size of church, also bass. Solo voice natural. Choir entrance has a bigger impact. 650s place sound more narrowly (both in height and width), but a little farther outside head perhaps. Solo voice swallowed slightly by ensemble on 650s.
Winner: HEX
Svete Tikhij (O Peaceful Light), Saint Petersbourg Vocal Ensemble
The HEX again has a wider and especially taller soundstage (big upside down egg shape, sort of), placing the choir a little lower down and surrounding them in the church more fully. 650s are more a much smaller egg laying on its side. HEX much more spacious. The deep bass is also more finely textured and deeper. This is in some ways the perfect track for the HEX. I also felt the dynamics were more alive, sensing the potential energy as the choir hints at getting louder.
(Big) Winner: HEX
Bach Cell Suite No. 1, Prelude and Courante, Kirshbaum
HEX presents a slightly richer, smoother, more natural cello, and gives wonderfully deep low notes still with sharp attack. Clear winner. 650s have less impact on the low notes, and less gorgeous tone. HEX also puts you slightly closer to the cellist.
Winner: HEX
Tchaikovsky 4th Symphony, Alsop CSO
The opening horns are more somber on the HEX and more brassy on the 650s. Again, the HEX puts you closer to the orchestra, and puts it in a bigger space. The low trombone notes have a little more impact on the HEX. The reverb after timpani strikes is more natural and bigger on the HEX, but the relative treble emphasis on the 650s give it a nice coloration too. The strings entrance is effective on both, but subtly more finely textured on the HEX.
Winner: HEX
Vivaldi Stabat Mater, Concerto Italiano
One remarkable thing about this recording is the semi-binaural effect it captures. Because the 650s put you farther away from the action, this effect works better on them. The strings are a little (too) sharp on the 650s at times, but the solo voice is about equal.
Winner: 650s
Soon Forget (Pearl Jam, Binaural)
Surprisingly, HEX gives an as-good binaural effect as the 650s, and portrays the ukulele and voice more naturally.
Winner: HEX
Of The Girl (Pearl Jam, Binaural)
650s catch some treble details more than HEX. Binaural effect good on both. The bass and bass drum entrance more impactful on the HEX. Voice also more natural.
Winner: HEX
Rite of Spring, Sacrificial Dance (Binaural), Pasadena Symphony
HEX puts you closer to the orchestra, where the binaural effect is actually more effective. HEX positions you better. It also tones down the somewhat sharp mix on the trumpets, which is nice. The orchestra feels more real.
Winner: HEX
Time (Inception soundtrack), Hans Zimmer
Another track seemingly made for HEX’s gorgeous spaciousness. Clarity in the nicely extended bass. Smooth overall. Guitar entrance nice texture. Dynamics powerful and effective. Strings smooth too. Track sounds great on 650s too, but it’s not even close.
(Big) Winner: HEX
oh baby (LCD Soundsystem)
Sounds fantastic on both HPs, however the HEX shows better detail retrieval generally, more impactful and detailed bass especially, and more a natural voice.The larger soundstage also helps.
Winner: HEX
Give Life Back to Music (Daft Punk)
HEX gives a more natural presentation in every way. 650s emphasize treble/high mid too much, and the instrumental separation is perhaps too little. HEX has more impactful and detailed bass drum, better placement of instruments, and captures all high frequency details just fine without overdoing it.
Winner: HEX
Last edited:
