[AuroraProject]

The Gilmore Lite arrived today, I connected it to it's dedicated power supply and the Rotel and

I'm still interested in getting the MG Head to sound better, and I want to audition a Singlepower amp, but I'm liking the 650/Gilmore sound right now.

 

[swalker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bangraman The HD650 isn't dark, but it's not bright either. I think once you've weaned yourself off the unnatural sound of the ER-4S, ...

I don't know about that.. I've had to listen only to the HD650 for over a month but as soon as I put the Etys back I was immediately reminded why I loved them so much in the first place. (and I love my HD650's) They give two very different perspectives on music but they share something similar that I cannot quite point out articularly. Like them or not the ER-4S offers a unique sound(from what I've heard so far anyway) and some people will always like that sound signature no matter what their other headphones are.

 

[Zoide]

Quote:

Originally Posted by md01 Hmmm... I ment headphones. I was thinking of cables and that's what I ended up typing. I do remember the sound turning darker after several hundred of hours.

But don't most people say that the treble "opens up" with burn-in? Doesn't that mean that the cans actually get less dark over time?

 

[tom hankins]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoide But don't most people say that the treble "opens up" with burn-in? Doesn't that mean that the cans actually get less dark over time?

Yes. Thats what mine did.

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom hankins Yes. Thats what mine did.

Ditto!

 

[Guss2]

Yep.

 

[spilner]

Same here. My 650's are way past the 350 hour mark, and I'd say they've actually gotten too bright for my taste, especially at high volumes, even though I chose not to replace the cable. Sometimes I really miss the way they sounded out of the box - dark, but sooo powerful.

Oh well - time for a source upgrade, I suppose. Upgraditis, here I come.

[size=xx-small]edit: spelling[/size]

 

[Gundam]

I think the HD650's 'soft' treble is a direct result of its almost complete lack of grain/colouration. If the recording has bright treble you're going to hear it! I think also that Sennheiser have made a phone that is more inherently 'listenable' (treble information is still present, correct and fabulous). That is, unlike some other phones, it is non-fatiguing to listen to in the long run.

Even in the accompanying literature to the HD650, Sennheiser state:

"Today many music-lovers want to feel the sound more instead of plainly analysing it."

How do you listen to your music? Do you demand absolute neutrality or would you like some euphoney with it?

 

[saint.panda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazyfrenchman27 I don't think they're that much better than the HD600, to be truthful.

The HD650 does everything a little bit better than the HD600 but if you add all these small improvements, the total improvement is huge. Well, one big improvement is that the weirdness in the HD600'S treble is gone. Pianos just sounded wrong somehow. When listening through a Prehead, I preferred the Beyer 880 to the HD600 not only by a margin but the HD650 was noticeably better than the Beyer. The HD650 are excellent headphones and I've compared them a dozen of times to a SR4040 system and a PS1 with bowls through a X-can V3. Source was a Rega 2k. I liked the HD650 more than the PS1 and I thought that the Stax was only slightly better in some areas such as detailing and midrange and a lot better in some areas such as clarity, transparency and soundstage. However, the HD 650 did better in the bass region and had a much more natural sound, which I prefer. Further, the HD650 as a dynamic headphones can generate an impact which the Stax never will. With the Stax you don't feel the music, it's just there. I mean, this is amazing indeed but sometimes the impact is really necessary. I wonder how the HD650 would compare to the Stax if paired with a Zu/Silver Dragon cable and something like a Headroom Max or Prehead or some crazy tube amp.
The Stax win hands down when it comes to comfort though...

I'd love to have both but would take the Senn if I had to choose - like right now.

 

[cd3000]

I will post my impressions on these phones after the cables have been burned-in equally. Probably in a week or two.

Here's the line-up:

Cd3k w/ full maple headphile cup & cable upgrade
650 w/ zu
600 w/ zu
600 w/ headphile Black-Silver cable
Small & Large headphile maple cup's that I'll swap between 600 & 650

Initial thoughts:

-Very impressed w/ the sound change on the Cd3k right out of the box.
I can't wait to hear this phone after cable burn-in.

-Right now I like the 600 w/ zu better than the 650. But after reading these post I realize my 650 probably needs more burn-in.

-With no burn-in Larry's Black-Silver cable sounds very sweet. I think it will compare well with the zu.

-Larry did a great job achieving good flames on all the cups. Thanks Larry!

 

[md01]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoide But don't most people say that the treble "opens up" with burn-in? Doesn't that mean that the cans actually get less dark over time?

I might be wrong, but that's how I felt at the time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoide Doesn't that mean that the cans actually get less dark over time?

I don't think that they get less dark over time, but become more coherent, less muddy, better soudstage, etc. Some heaphones go from bright to dark (think of CD3000).

 

[darkclouds]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saint.panda Further, the HD650 as a dynamic headphones can generate an impact which the Stax never will. With the Stax you don't feel the music, it's just there. I mean, this is amazing indeed but sometimes the impact is really necessary. I'd love to have both but would take the Senn if I had to choose - like right now.

Agreed! The Stax just didn't have the "bite" I needed in music. I just couldn't sink my teeth into it (Stax) eventhough technically, everything is there sonically. I chose the senns 650/Stealth combo over my Stax srm007t/sr404.

 

[AuroraProject]

I attached the Zu Mobius to my 650's today, to be honest I wasn't expecting to hear a difference, all I have to say now is get one. If you are using 650's with the stock cable you're missing out! I can't believe the difference it makes, it opens the highs up a lot.

I'm enjoying the 650's with my Gilmore now, sadly though, the Gilmore is going back for repair tomorrow.

 

[iamdone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AuroraProject I attached the Zu Mobius to my 650's today, to be honest I wasn't expecting to hear a difference, all I have to say now is get one. If you are using 650's with the stock cable you're missing out! I can't believe the difference it makes, it opens the highs up a lot. I'm enjoying the 650's with my Gilmore now, sadly though, the Gilmore is going back for repair tomorrow.

Yeah the Zu cable is a big improvement. It opens things up, brings out the detail and extends the bass. I believe you'd have no problem picking out the hd650 w/Zu vs stock in a blind test.

 

[nierika]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AuroraProject I'm enjoying the 650's with my Gilmore now, sadly though, the Gilmore is going back for repair tomorrow.

What happened!?