[clarknova]

I just bought some HD600's and although I love their design and find them comfortable , mostly , I can't get over the non-relaxed sound signature of them. The HD650 really does ease back on the mids to a degree that , at least in my mind , makes them "realistic" for whatever that's worth. Granted I've owned the HD650's since 2007 and I just bought the HD600's a week ago (Used them over 60+ hours now) but they sound so alien compared to their more well known and beloved brother. 
 
The highs are so bright and the mids are extremely forward (I find these descriptions lousy but whatever) and the sub bass is entirely absent from the HD650's. For years I've seen/heard/read people who've raved about them. They are more neutral , they are more "honest" , they are more revealing but the sound signature of these cans to me is a bit.. harsh. I notice I get a bit fatigued by them after a few hours and this does not happen with the HD650's AT ALL.
 
I've got probably 10 pairs of headphones (HE-400's , Philips X1 and X2 , M50's and so on) and I've got a Schiit Mini Stack and Asgard. My equipment isn't lacking. But I want to like these. I do actually enjoy them largely but I feel like much of the hype I've been reading for years has been.. misleading. I know there is a thread on HD600 vs HD650's and the HD600's won (again its an opinion thread so not sure what that is worth) but I love Sennheiser's general sound. I find that they tune very well to a wide range of applications. My HD650's are really my favorite can of all time. I've listened to the HD800's and HD700's and I enjoyed them both but felt that they were a bit beyond my willing price range.
 
Is my HD650 bias killing the enjoyment of my HD600's? Or do they honestly have a dramatically different sound from one another?
 
I'm going to make up my mind by the end of the week and either grin and bear it for however long it takes me to acclimate to them or return them and just save for the HD700's.
 
Advice? I listen to nearly all genre's of music (except Country) and I know these are great for classical and acoustic. I watch lots of movies and play games (currently doing Farcry 4 and Darkest Dungeon) by the boatload.

 

[Boffy]

Sounds like you have finally learned what a preference is. Is there something wrong with you? I don't think so. Is there something wrong with me for liking Beyerdynamic DT880 over T1? I don't think so. It doesn't matter if you like the general sound signature of Sennheiser. At the end of the day, HD600 is HD600, and it is a completely different headphone compared to any other headphone other than HD600. I suggest you do not think too hard on this. If you don't like the headphone, then you don't like the headphone. There is nothing more to it than that. 

 

[Sundown]

HD700 isn't even worth the price of the hd600. Their sound is worse then these two. :/

 

[pp312]

You see the area from 3--5khz? That is why you prefer the HD650 and find the HD600 too forward and harsh. And I agree completely. I could never abide the 600 but used the 650 happily for 3 years. Believe what you ears tell you.
 

 

[Sefelt103]

I don't find the mid range forward on the HD600s although many people have this opinion. If you've listened to the HD650 for many years going to the likes of the HD580/600 or DT880 will be hard at first as these headphones are less euphonic, less fun and have less colouration. It depends also on other components as well. Much depends on how much you want to hear the recording as opposed to a pleasant caricature of the recording.

 

[kramer5150]

I too prefer the HD650.  Its just a more fun / enjoyable listen.  I have driver plates from both headphones that I can pop in and out.  Same pads, cable, headband / pressure fit, same oval sheet.  The ONLY difference here is the driver plate module itself. 650 versus 600.   The difference is too substantial to be mere placebo... although to dismiss that variable entirely would be mis-leading.  True the 600 measures flatter, but I already have a K701 for the times when I want flat measurement accuracy and detail resolution.  IMHO the K701 is a more detail revealing headphone too than either the 650 or 600.
 

 
FWIW I generally prefer color over accuracy.  I liked the DT770 and MDR-V6 over the HD280 (eons ago when I owned all 3 at one time).  I was a happy camper with an Alessandro MS2... until I heard the HF1 and RS1.  The K701 is measurably my flattest can and its kind of boring to listen too... IMHO.

 

[clarknova]

Thanks for the reply guys. I guess I'm going to return them. I doubt I'll change my mind and while they are very decent I just don't think they are of my personal taste.

 

[vid]

You can most likely eq the hd 600 response to match the hd 650, or vice versa, get the exact same sound as if you'd bought an actual pair, and save yourself the money.
 
I didn't fancy the hd 600 either, though. Tossed the drivers, put in drivers from a $15 vintage planar magnetic, tuned them a bit, and it's a much better sound.

 

[daltonlanny]

You see the area from 3--5khz? That is why you prefer the HD650 and find the HD600 too forward and harsh. And I agree completely. I could never abide the 600 but used the 650 happily for 3 years. Believe what you ears tell you.

I totally agree too.
There is just an unpleasant small peak in the 600's response, that just annoyed me to the point of selling them, twice over the last 2 years.
I prefer the HD 650, Hifiman HE-500/560, and Philips X2 to the HD 600 any day. The HD 600's sub bass is also somewhat lacking compared to the other above mentioned headphones as well, IMHO.