Neutral headphones to complement the HD650?
Apr 11, 2019 at 6:06 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 53

fedocable

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Hey there. I've been an audio enthusiast for long years, but pretty new to the headphones world. I recently bought a Modi 3 - Valhalla 2 - HD650 combo to use while I'm working, and have been immediately sucked in and living inside of the headphones ever since. After much browsing in these forums I've decided to get another pair with the opposite sound signature, to switch them between different music genres and amps -that is: neutral & analytical instead of warm & mellow.
So, since you got this idea in my head, you better help me out here. Which one would you recommend for that purpose? I guess the obvious choice would probably be the HD600; but I also guess they are maybe too close to the HD650s, and I want something really different. How about the Beyerdynamic DT-1990 Pro instead?
Mind I would go for something in the same price range of the HD650 -around 500 bucks at most, no chance of getting anything fancy like Focals or HD800 unfortunately. The cheaper the better, of course. Also mind I'd prefer them to be high impedance, to get along with my Valhalla amp (I already have a nice low impedance pair to use on the go -the good old Momentums).
Thanks for any recommendation!
 
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Apr 11, 2019 at 6:38 PM Post #2 of 53
Hey there. I've been an audio enthusiast for long years, but pretty new to the headphones world. I recently bought a Modi 3 - Valhalla 2 - HD650 combo to use while I'm working, and have been immediately sucked in and living inside of the headphones ever since. After much browsing in these forums I've decided to get another pair with the opposite sound signature, to switch them between different music genres and amps -that is: neutral & analytical instead of warm & mellow.
So, since you got this idea in my head, you better help me out here. Which one would you recommend for that purpose? I guess the obvious choice would probably be the HD600; but I also guess they are maybe too close to the HD650s, and I want something really different. How about the Beyerdynamic DT-1990 Pro instead?
Mind I would go for something in the same price range of the HD650 -around 500 bucks at most, no chance of getting anything fancy like Focals or HD800 unfortunately. The cheaper the better, of course. Also mind I'd prefer them to be high impedance, to get along with my Valhalla amp (I already have a nice low impedance pair to use on the go -the good old Momentums).
Thanks for any recommendation!
Not sure if you are looking for closed or open. If open, I would suggest you look at the AKG K7-series and see if there is one there that meets your fancy. Generally and broadly speaking, they are fairly neutral and analytical. No bass cannons. If you need tons of bass, you ought to look elsewhere, most likely. The Beyer will have the famous Beyer peakiness in the treble, which some people just cannot manage. Not sure how you feel about sibilance. That said, the DT 1990 Pro will certainly be different from the HD650, that is for sure.

I own the HD600 and HD650 and have for several years. To me, they are rather different in signature, specifically in terms of things like warmth, treble and bass extension, and, to a lesser extent, detail. I am one who feels the 650 is a bit more detailed than the 600, but not everyone feels that way and your mileage could vary. Best thing to do on these two is to get yourself a listen to an HD600 and see what your reaction is. Lastly, if you want something closed, I would look at a SoundMAGIC HP151, AKG K550/553, or an NAD HP50. It is possible one could work for you. These are all fairly neutral in signature--each to a greater or lesser extent, of course. Good luck.
 
Apr 11, 2019 at 6:55 PM Post #3 of 53
Thanks for the heads-up. I'm actually a bit of a treblephobic, so it really comes in handy. Most of the time I would be able to eq them (aren't Oratory presets fantastic?), but not always. So it's better if they are not harsh-ish in the higher end.
Unfortunately I live in a country where getting to try any of these headphones comes as somewhat problematic, to say the least. This is why I need to really do my homework before buying.
As for your suggestion: yes, the AKG K-702 are very often compared (opposed?) to the HD650. Aren't those the ones that Z (from Z-Reviews) is always raving about? If they are neutral and analytic, they could be an excellent choice here. Also, apparently they have an extremely wide soundstage, which is always a good asset.
 
Apr 11, 2019 at 7:00 PM Post #4 of 53
I have not seen the z-reviews piece on the K702 but I do think it is basically as you describe, at least in my experience. I do not consider the HD600 to be particularly in the 'analytical' realm, but it is quite neutral to me. I really like it as a nice change from the HD650 from time to time. That said, I have too many headphones and it is a problem. :frowning2:
 
Apr 11, 2019 at 7:09 PM Post #5 of 53
Me neither. But he's always kissing and screaming "I love you!" to some headphones that look very much like the K702. To be honest, I'll probably end up getting a pair of HD600 -or HD660s- at some point. But being my second pair, I'd like them to be not Sennheiser -to change a bit the panorama, so to speak.
By the way, we have a very similar setup (the Modi Multibit is also on my list), so it's good to know you enjoy the HD650s so much. That means I'm not crazy. Or at least I'm not the only one.
 
Apr 11, 2019 at 7:11 PM Post #6 of 53
Me neither. But he's always kissing and screaming "I love you!" to some headphones that look very much like the K702. To be honest, I'll probably end up getting a pair of HD600 -or HD660s- at some point. But being my second pair, I'd like them to be not Sennheiser -to change a bit the panorama, so to speak.
By the way, we have a very similar setup (the Modi Multibit is also on my list), so it's good to know you enjoy the HD650s so much. That means I'm not crazy. Or at least I'm not the only one.
Lots and lots of HD650 fans here on Head-fi. :)
 
Apr 11, 2019 at 7:44 PM Post #8 of 53
Well if you are treblephobic then I would not look for analytic as most classified that way are very bright .
 
Apr 11, 2019 at 10:36 PM Post #9 of 53
Good point. Maybe "treblephobic" was an overstatement. I just don't like pins inside my ears, like the next guy.
Let's rephrase then: looking for something less warm, airier, a notch brighter, more neutral (?) than the HD650. Or even better: something as engaging and pleasurable as the HD650, but with a different angle. Any other recommendation will be highly appreciated.
 
Apr 11, 2019 at 11:23 PM Post #11 of 53
I wonder what the HE400S or 400i would sound like on the lo-gain (3.5 ohm) setting?? Damping factor works out fine strictly numerically. I have never heard that setup on an OTL with relatively low impedance. Schiit says lower impedance headphones are no problem on the Valhalla. Have you tested this claim with any other headphones? Classic teaching is obviously that OTLs ought not be used with low impedance cans. Is Schiit correct about your amp? I would really love to know...
 
Apr 11, 2019 at 11:34 PM Post #12 of 53
Nop, I haven't tried anything but the HD650 and the Momentum, and my amps are this Schiit Valhalla 2, and also a Magni 3 and probably an O2 in the future.
And nop, I haven't tried the low-gain set in the Valhalla yet. I could give it a try with the Momentums, although I don't know if I'll be able to ascertain anything very clear from that test -unless they sound really bad. Will keep you posted here.
 
Apr 11, 2019 at 11:51 PM Post #15 of 53
I have both HD-650 and all the other 6 Series except the HD-660s.

You might consider the Hifiman HE-4XX or even the Hifiman Sundara .
Both are pretty good and they have quick response and sparkling highs but in a good way .

But if you like the Sennheiser sound you might be like me and really love the HD-58X jubilees ,
They aren't as laid back as the HD-650s and are usually my go to and in my opinion they are the best bang for buck headphones in the last ten years .
 

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