[tretneo]

Thanks to everyone for sharing their HD650, HE-560 opinions/experiences. Is there any sort of consensus as regards physical comfort between the two? For what it's worth, I find the HE-560 to be incredibly comfortable and if it weren't for the cord being obnoxiously "in-the-way" at times I could see myself wearing them all day.

 

[tretneo]

So far, I've really been enjoying the HE-560 paired with the Marantz HD-DAC1. Can anyone recommend a portable amp/dac for when I am on the go / out of town? It doesn't necessarily need to be battery powered but obviously I can't lug the Marantz around with me. I'm hoping to be in the $500 (or less) price range and would be using a Macbook and/or iPhone 5s for source.

 

[Hifi59]

Somebody on this thread had earlier AB'ed a Cardas cable with stock SE for 560. Apparently, no diff. But good to know all these cabling candies. I think I've maxed out; with my gear, cables would only give a 1% change (not always for the better!). Law of diminishing returns, I suppose.

I could understand someone coming to that conclusion if they were quickly A/B-ing them. There are definite differences, but it takes time to pick up on those differences and with a variety of music. It's an accumulative thing. Having said that, is it worth spending an additional $70-200 for these minor differences? That's strictly up to the individual. The ear pads make for the biggest difference no doubt. I personally think the aftermarket cable was worth it as it allows the phones to be all they could be without extreme cost.

 

[Hifi59]

Thanks to everyone for sharing their HD650, HE-560 opinions/experiences. Is there any sort of consensus as regards physical comfort between the two? For what it's worth, I find the HE-560 to be incredibly comfortable and if it weren't for the cord being obnoxiously "in-the-way" at times I could see myself wearing them all day.

I believe the 650's are slightly lighter and more comfortable but BOTH ARE comfortable and could be worn for hours on end without issue.

 

[DreamKing]

I could understand someone coming to that conclusion if they were quickly A/B-ing them. There are definite differences, but it takes time to pick up on those differences and with a variety of music. It's an accumulative thing. Having said that, is it worth spending an additional $70-200 for these minor differences? That's strictly up to the individual. The ear pads make for the biggest difference no doubt. I personally think the aftermarket cable was worth it as it allows the phones to be all they could be without extreme cost.

 
Well at first, the stock cable sounded slightly fuzzy (I kind of liked this fuzz) and the Cardas clear to me. After AB'ing for 15 minutes with different types of songs, switching within 12 seconds, I couldn't tell them apart. And then the stock cable broke on me while trying to switch another time lol. If I wanted to upgrade the sound outside of just getting other headphones, I'd go for a different DAC 100% of the time but that's just me. I can tell crap dacs and headphones apart but I'm at a loss on how cables can sound different if they're not broken, both comparing them myself and from a logical sense. I haven't tried other cables though but the next thing I'm getting is another dac before thinking about that. 

 

[money4me247]

both the hd650 and he-560 are extremely comfortable and I don't really see any glaring flaws in terms of comfort. shld work well for the vast majority of people.
 
the hd700 seems to be quite a polarizing pair of headphones. either you are a fan of its sound or you strongly dislike it. wld recommend demoing prior to purchasing.

 

[rawrster]

Actually the biggest issue with the HD600 and HD650 is the tight clamp. I know a couple of people who sold their due to the excessive clamp. I wear glasses and those headphone squeaked every time I moved my head as well. It was pretty maddening and the biggest reason why I sold them.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

  So far, I've really been enjoying the HE-560 paired with the Marantz HD-DAC1. Can anyone recommend a portable amp/dac for when I am on the go / out of town? It doesn't necessarily need to be battery powered but obviously I can't lug the Marantz around with me. I'm hoping to be in the $500 (or less) price range and would be using a Macbook and/or iPhone 5s for source.

Fostex HP-P1, paired with iPod Classic/iPhone lossless files.

 

[Cotnijoe]

  Actually the biggest issue with the HD600 and HD650 is the tight clamp. I know a couple of people who sold their due to the excessive clamp. I wear glasses and those headphone squeaked every time I moved my head as well. It was pretty maddening and the biggest reason why I sold them.

 
+1 they push against my glasses and give me some mad headaches. The clamping and padding are a lot more acceptable on the HE560 imo.

 

[Hifi59]

Well at first, the stock cable sounded slightly fuzzy (I kind of liked this fuzz) and the Cardas clear to me. After AB'ing for 15 minutes with different types of songs, switching within 12 seconds, I couldn't tell them apart. And then the stock cable broke on me while trying to switch another time lol. If I wanted to upgrade the sound outside of just getting other headphones, I'd go for a different DAC 100% of the time but that's just me. I can tell crap dacs and headphones apart but I'm at a loss on how cables can sound different if they're not broken, both comparing them myself and from a logical sense. I haven't tried other cables though but the next thing I'm getting is another dac before thinking about that. 

I agree with a good Dac making a bigger difference. No doubts there. However , cables can and often do sound different from one another although it's rarely a deal breaker. A case in point , change the stock cable on the HE-400i to a good aftermarket one and anyone with tin ears could hear the improvement in the mid bass region especially.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

   
+1 they push against my glasses and give me some mad headaches. The clamping and padding are a lot more acceptable on the HE560 imo.

agree completely. 560 just ain't there, it disappears on my head, almost.

 

[Wildcatsare1]

So far, I've really been enjoying the HE-560 paired with the Marantz HD-DAC1. Can anyone recommend a portable amp/dac for when I am on the go / out of town? It doesn't necessarily need to be battery powered but obviously I can't lug the Marantz around with me. I'm hoping to be in the $500 (or less) price range and would be using a Macbook and/or iPhone 5s for source.

If you can find one, my Apex Glacier does a pretty good job, have also heard good reports on the iFi iDSD Micro.

 

[rawrster]

   
Well at first, the stock cable sounded slightly fuzzy (I kind of liked this fuzz) and the Cardas clear to me. After AB'ing for 15 minutes with different types of songs, switching within 12 seconds, I couldn't tell them apart. And then the stock cable broke on me while trying to switch another time lol. If I wanted to upgrade the sound outside of just getting other headphones, I'd go for a different DAC 100% of the time but that's just me. I can tell crap dacs and headphones apart but I'm at a loss on how cables can sound different if they're not broken, both comparing them myself and from a logical sense. I haven't tried other cables though but the next thing I'm getting is another dac before thinking about that. 

 
I went a slightly different route with the HE-560. I got the better amp before getting the best DAC I could get. Usually the rule is to get the best source but in this case I didn't feel my amp was where I wanted it so the amp was more important. Once you get to a certain level it is very difficult to tell dac's apart once you volume match. 
 
As far as cables I've bought a good number of them. Usually it's for function into a balanced amp or something easier to use. 

 

[DreamKing]

   
I went a slightly different route with the HE-560. I got the better amp before getting the best DAC I could get. Usually the rule is to get the best source but in this case I didn't feel my amp was where I wanted it so the amp was more important. Once you get to a certain level it is very difficult to tell dac's apart once you volume match. 
 
As far as cables I've bought a good number of them. Usually it's for function into a balanced amp or something easier to use. 

 
That is true, from the high end ones I've momentarily tried. Amps of a certain level are even harder though, imo. And I mean in the same amp category (SS, tube, etc). I'm fine on amps though, just waiting on either trickle down R2R from Schiit, an affordable way to get the Yggy in Canada (without the crazy import charges or dealer surcharge), or I might go with the audio gd dac 19.  

 

[tretneo]

If you can find one, my Apex Glacier does a pretty good job, have also heard good reports on the iFi iDSD Micro.

 
Was reading about the iFi iDSD Micro earlier today, it's definitely on my short list although a bit over what I was hoping to spend.