[riddley]

I'm putting together my new humble home rig. It will consist of:

1. Maxed out Pimeta amp
2. Marantz CD5000

Now for the phones.

I've got up to $400 to play with, so I'm thinking of going straight to the top and getting the Senn HD-650 + Meier cable.

Is it worth it? I read so often that the high-end Sennheisers really need a powerful amp to shine. So I'm wondering if I should stick to the HD580 and save ~$170.

I am going to upgrade my source and amp sometime, but I don't know when. Please help me decide whether to give in to upgraditis now or to fight it off a bit longer...

 

[gpalmer]

If I were you I would go for the 650s right now. They will sound better with a better amp, but they should sound very good with the PIMETA. Not only do I think you would get better sound now, but when you do upgrade your other gear, you won't have to take the loss upgrading your headphones!

 

[usc goose]

not only will the pimeta power the hd650s and do a pretty good job of it, you have to wonder why in the hell 2 guys in california are up at 4am on a sunday morning answering these questions.

amazing...

 

[Jeff Guidry]

Why not make it three?

I don't have the 650's. I'm just left coast representin'...

 

[3lusiv3]

That must be how you guys got to have so many posts, you spend all night here.

 

[Jeff Guidry]

Quote:

Originally posted by 3lusiv3 That must be how you guys got to have so many posts, you spend all night here.

Well, according to your profile, you post an average of 3.01 posts per day. I post an average 1.47. Who spends all night here?

 

[tourmaline]

the better the source and amp you throw at it, the better it will perform. as a matter a fact, it needs a " good" setup.

if you plan on upgrading sometime later, you'll be best of with the hd650, since it will grow with your system.

 

[tom hankins]

Quote:

Originally posted by gpalmer If I were you I would go for the 650s right now. They will sound better with a better amp, but they should sound very good with the PIMETA. Not only do I think you would get better sound now, but when you do upgrade your other gear, you won't have to take the loss upgrading your headphones!

Take this advice. These are words of wisdom.

 

[dd3mon]

Get the 650's - it'll save you money in the long run. If you're posting here, you're going to upgrade in the future. There's not a "question" (only self-delusion).

I only speak the truth,

-dd3mon

 

[sacd lover]

Get the 650's.

 

[JaZZ]

Yeah!

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally posted by dd3mon Get the 650's - it'll save you money in the long run. If you're posting here, you're going to upgrade in the future. There's not a "question" (only self-delusion). I only speak the truth,

He's not kidding. I would have saved a lot of money if I had just bought a Sennheiser Orpheus to start, and stopped right after that.

(Then again, I would still want a system for work, I'd need cables, power conditioners, tweaks...never mind)

 

[Alex Altorfer]

Guys, shame on you! there's such peer pressure here! Please pity the poor mans wallet!

Quote:

Originally posted by riddley I've got up to $400 to play with, so I'm thinking of going straight to the top and getting the Senn HD-650 + Meier cable.

The 650s stock cable is very very similar to the Meier Oehlbach cable. I wonder if the sonic improvements would be significant. Some have claimed the 650s stock cable is the same as the 580/600 stock cable except with thicker insulation and larger connector plugs. If this is so then the Meier Oehlbach cable would probably be an improvement, but I think you should wait and read more upcoming comparative reviews in order to ascertain whether the sonic difference between the 650 stock and the Meier is really there. Otherwise I say you should go all out and get the HD 650 plus ZU MOBIUS to boot. Lately, the ZU has been the most highly regarded cable around here.

oh, dear wallet

I also wonder whether the HD 580 plus Zu Mobius beats the 650 stock. That's something to think about as well, especially if one doesn't want to spend as much.

Cheers,
Alex

 

[Wmcmanus]

Yes. IMO, the HD650's are the best value for a headphone in their price range of $350 +/- $100. This is considering the HD600's as well as Sony CD3000, AT100/1000, Beyer DT880, you name it. The HD650's can definitely be your last stop headphone.

The only other phone in this general price range that I would recommend as highly as the HD650's would be the K-1000's but that would cost you a lot more in terms of getting a proper amp to drive them, and of course you would need to have a dead quiet listening area.

 

[musicmaker]

get the 650.....