[aphex944]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiccoloNamek /img/forum/go_quote.gif No, they really can't. Even a lot of good headphones can't reproduce those frequencies very well. Listen to a violin on an SR-60 and then listen to the same violin on an HD650. The difference is profound. All of the overtones are completely lost on the SR-60. String instruments, brass instruments, and metal instruments such as triangles are all rendered with significantly more realism, because there is much more very high frequency information present.

Yeah, that's not what I was trying to convey at all, nevermind

 

[granodemostasa]

Hi
i've heard of a bright HD650. On Dada's set up (benchmark, dynamight, and silver cables) it is particularly bright. If this type of synergy isn't the case for your set up, then it might just be the ears, since i can't think of a headphone with softer treble than the HD650.

 

[Zorander]

Quote:

Originally Posted by default username /img/forum/go_quote.gif My ears are probably too good. I have bought the hd650 and I thought by reading here that the hd650 is veiled and has less highs in it. But the shrill tones of the hd650 are too much for me. I tried the hd600 in 1998 but it was very harsh for my too good ears and brought it back, so I thought I should try again with the veiled hd650. My original headphone is the 20 year old hd420 but I can't get it almost nowhere anymore, so I probable keep the hd650 so that I at least have a good headphone. I did some simple equalizer settings, but I would rather have a solution with acoustic material like special earpads or something. I tried various materials. The best thus far is 4 layers of cotton from an old T-shirt. I have put that in the earpads on top of the black foam, the sound is much better now, less harsh and fatigue. Do you have any very good solutions for softening the shrill tones of the hd650, maybe something like a special cable, a very little equalizer particular for headphones, but most of all special materials. In the hd650 there is a white sort of foam, should that do the trick? Where can you get that special foam?

Either it's your source or it's your ears. The HD-650 is nowhere close to what I would call 'bright'.

 

[Fitz]

This thread is funny...

Subscribed.

 

[derek8555]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fitz /img/forum/go_quote.gif This thread is funny... Subscribed.

Right after you

 

[aaroncort]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rrose Sélavy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Perhaps burn in is the culprit here? For many people the HD650's sound very harsh out of the box but really mellow out over time. aaroncort I read on these forums had that experience with his/her pair.

Thanks for the shout out Rrose. Yes i did find that to be the case with my pair. It took about a week of solid listening for the highs to even begin to become tame. It wasn't for a month that I could notice no more change. But is this a joke thread?

 

[MaloS]

heeey...burn in...good call lol. how long do you own these OP?

 

[nothing101]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatsudaMan /img/forum/go_quote.gif You keep on referring to your "too good ears", and I hate to say it but, over sensitivity to high frequencies often is due to damaged eardrum. If the HD650's sound bright and harsh, it might be your ears that are causing this sound of harshness. Harshness is often due to distortion. If I were you, I would get my ears checked out.

nearly every headphone i tried but the senn 485 sounded harsh to me when i first started. but now while i dont like colouring the sound with grate-o treble it doesnt hurt my ears. my ears have adapted to a truer sound and so will yours.

just give it time.

 

[default username]

Thanks for your reactions.
I am trying out artificial shammy (chammy, chamois with which you can clean windows (not xp(

))) at the moment. The 2 layers of shammy seem to work a little better than 6 layers of cotton from an old T-shirt. The sound is now exactly or almost exactly the same as my 15 year old KEF C55 speakers which I find very good.

A lot of you keep asking for the source, I think you mean the pre-amplifier or the amplifier or even both. I can be clear about that...I want a headphone to sound good from every normal average quality source.
I use sources as 15 year old Akai amplifier AM-55. But also compared it with just the outlet of my household stereoset cd player Denon, with built-in preamp and volumeknob, sounds just the same with my level of volume which is moderate. Also tried in my mixer Yamaha MG24FX and dat-recorder with built in preamp and volumeknob it all sounds the same.

I have certainly got good ears, never play loud or go to disco's etcetera.

I think the problem of today's headphones is that they force the sound directly into your ears. Old headphones like the HD420 have some dampening system so that the sound must travel through all kind of layers.

HD420 acoustic dampening system
Layer 1: A sort of window with a skeleton of black plastic legs, at the top of the window is a sort of white paper or carbon.
Layer 2: A thick piece of foam rubber almost 3 or 4 millimeter, it's yellow.
Layer 3: A yellow covering of 1 millimeter that is very nontransparent. The material is unknown but very strong.

HD650 acoustic dampening system
Layer 1: A very thin piece of foam rubber, nothing more!!!

I guess that in the 80's they did the dampening for you. But in 2006 you got to do it yourself. And at the same time new people buying headphones think that the undampened sound is the real sound. It surely is cheaper.
I should be the other way around: The dampening is for professionals in the factory, they should do it, and when the customer doesn't like it and wants a more open sound, he just takes the foam out. But now you got to do it yourself, I must say it is not easy.

 

[PiccoloNamek]

The foam in the HD650 isn't for dampening, it's for cancelling reflections.

 

[robm321]

650s have rolled off treble, so I can't imagine them sounding bright. Although my 600s (also having rolled off trebles) sound somewhat bright out of my X-cans V.3 which is very welcome with Senns.

I guess its possible, but if you think these are bright stay away from.... every other headphone except maybe the RS-1 with flats.

 

[KShep]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robm321 /img/forum/go_quote.gif 650s have rolled off treble, so I can't imagine them sounding bright. Although my 600s (also having rolled off trebles) sound somewhat bright out of my X-cans V.3 which is very welcome with Senns. I guess its possible, but if you think these are bright stay away from.... every other headphone except maybe the RS-1 with flats.

...what are 'flats'?

 

[Kees]

Quote:

Originally Posted by derek8555 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Right after you

third.

 

[neilvg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatsudaMan /img/forum/go_quote.gif You keep on referring to your "too good ears", and I hate to say it but, over sensitivity to high frequencies often is due to damaged eardrum. If the HD650's sound bright and harsh, it might be your ears that are causing this sound of harshness. Harshness is often due to distortion. If I were you, I would get my ears checked out.

I Agree

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jigglybootch /img/forum/go_quote.gif If the stock HD650 is too bright for your ears, then there is no hope for you with headphones. Just my opinion.

I Agree

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fitz /img/forum/go_quote.gif This thread is funny... Subscribed.

... AND, I Agree.

I Guess to elaborate further, there is a difference between the perception of shouty treble, or too much treble energy, and then there is "ouch! I can't stand it this hurts!". The second one is generally not due to "too good ears" but instead to ears which have endured some trauma or shock and tend to yell at you - in a similar way that putting lemon on a cut tends to sting.

Neil

Note: didn't realize this thread had two pages! Oh yah! Burn in! They will definitely mellow out/smoothen over time.

 

[Rick Hunter]

Let's put it in a very, very simple way.

Since you are the first and only person that I've seen/heard saying the HD650s has too loud highs I would do both of the following:

- check your source and amp, and try the headphone with other sources/amps
- have your hearing checked by an audiologist

Cheers!