[mitchb]

I have both the HD650 and the HD600.
I am wondering other peoples comparisons between these two headphones. I'm sure there are tons of posts on the subject but from what I've read it depends on who you ask.
My 650 are well burnt in and sound good and my 600's are a few days old and require burn in. I suppose I will be able to answer my own questions once the 600's burn in. So far I've noticed the 600 are more clear sounding but have a much narrower soundstage. Will they open up with burn in or are they much more confined sounding than the 650's? Some prefer the 600 while others prefer the 650's. What's the scoop? Are the 650's clearly better, the 600's better or are they just different. The only thing I don't like about my 600's is that they seem to have a narrow soundstage but I am hoping they will open up with burn in. They only have 2 or 3 days play on them. I find the 600's have a clearer more linear sound where as the 650's appear to have more bass subduing the mids and highs. I have both phones so it doesn’t matter which are theoretically better. I would prefer the 600's if they would have the same open soundstage as the 650's when burnt in. Is this the case in peoples experience?? I find the 600's have a more linear frequency range being nice sounding all around where as the 650's have increased bass giving a bit more of a dynamic sound. Will the 600's soundstage open up the same as the 650's. I love both headphones but ideally the 600's sound with the soundstage of the 650's would be perfect. Will this be the case?? I have a pair of Denon D5000 and they are sweet. The AKG701's I have are beginning to sound like a more balanced decent sounding headphone but it took hundreds of hours play to get them to have any warmth to the sound at all. What are your opinions between the differences’ between the 600's and the 650's?? The 650's cost more but is the increased cost justified? I hope you can help. I should mention I am using an Emmeline HR-2 headphone amp by Ray Samuels and he prefers the 600's being the headphones he voiced his amps with. What are your opinions?

 

[granodemostasa]

I would personally keep the HD650 and dump the HR2.

some little things I would like to say according to my perception of things:
1. The HD600 is a more dry sounding headphone, generally it doesn't have the warmth and beauty that the HD650 brings to the table.
2. The HD650 has a type of authority that hits with every note that is simply not replicated by the HD600 or the K701 as well (but still good nevertheless).
3. The HD650 does have a closer soundstage than the K701, the K701 has the soundstage advantage.
4. the K701 seems sanded down with every note, it's when it comes to engaging the listener.
5. the HD650's highs are somewhat soft, in comparison to both the 600 and K701.
6. I do think the HD650 offer enough of an advantage to make the cost justified.
7. I don't know about the HD650 and 600 soundstage differences, they seemed the same to me when I tried them out.
8. At the end of the day, I admire the 600 and K701... and put on the HD650.

 

[PiccoloNamek]

The HD600 and HD650 are almost identical. When I did a comparison, here is what I noticed: The HD600 had slightly less bass, and just a small amount of hissiness in the upper treble. This is smoothed out in the HD650, which is extremely refined. (Where refined is taken to mean there is nothing about the sound which stands out, such as graininess or hissiness, harshness in the treble, that sort of thing. Smooth all the way through the FR.)

 

[mitchb]

granodemonestasa.
What don't you like about the HR-2? I love it. I'm not alone with this feeling about the amp.

 

[granodemostasa]

1. Well, I personally am not a fan of it's sig... but i guess that just differs in opinion.
2. I think the HD650 is a very very good can.... unless you are considering a K1000, L3000, Qualia or something like that, the amp and source are usually the limitations on a HD650 system.

 

[greggf]

Intellectually, I reach for the HD600 (or AKG K701).

Emotionally, I reach for the HD650.

I, too, find myself using the 650 most often.

I think the 600 (and 701) are probably "better" headphones, truer to the recordings, and find myself telling myself that I "should" use the 600 or 701, yet I prefer the 650 more and more.

In a sense, once you listen to the 650 enough, it "spoils" you. It makes all other headphones sound hard and harmonically thin and shrill. It's a drug!

 

[Zorander]

I have both and I find the HD-650 easily superior to its sibling.

 

[elbrickodaviso]

I have had all 3 and prefer the HD650 hands down, but I think that has a lot to do with my rig. Suppose I had a warm sounding source and/or a tube amp, the HD600 or even the K701 would probably have been my preference (well, probably not the K701 because that tumor headband drove me insane!).

 

[greggf]

"Tumor headband," hehhehheh. I agree.

I want somebody from AKG to come here and tell us exactly what they were thinking when they designed that headband.......................

Although my HD650 creaks pretty good at times (I wear eyeglasses), especially if I wear a collared shirt.

 

[nickchen]

I've listened to both HD600 and HD650 on private meetings. I told the HD600 guy, who also had a K701 and thought about selling the Senn, that I was underwhelmed with it as well. The HD650, on the other hand, made it easely onto my personal "want to have" list, which I did not expect before.

 

[F107plus5]

When I went to the Grado side of things, I got the Alessandros' due to their more "neutral and analytical" nature.

I thought the same thing when I wandered on over to Senns.

In my system it proved to be a good choice. I can switch from MS2i to HD600 with very little sonic shock at all. They both sound equally natural for the(appropriate)types of music being listened to.

So I picked the HD600 for the perceived more natural and less colored presentation, even understanding that the HD650 was probably the "better" set of phones. But also taking into consideration the scalability of the HD650 and understanding that the remainder of my system would have to be more carefully and extensively(and expensively!)upgraded to take advantage of the additional benefits of the HD650, and if I went for the final bits of "synergy" with HD650, the MS2i presentation could perhaps suffer in comparison since the synergy with MS2i would perhaps be degraded an equal amount.

...it's a balancing act.

 

[Duggeh]

I like them both a lot but if you put a gun to my head I'd pick the HD650 without much hesitation.

 

[Chrysoberyl]

I much prefer the hd600 to any other headphone that I've listened to(hd650,hd580,k701,k501,dt880,hd595,er4s/p,e4c,sr225).They'll be my next upgrade without a hint of a doubt.

 

[mitchb]

I prefer the 600's to my 650's but the 650's are very nice. I am using a Cardason the 600's and an Equi ox on the 650's. Switching the headphone cables did not work. Both headphones prefer their cable.w

 

[mitchb]

I prefer the 600's to my 650's but the 650's are very nice. I am using a Cardas cableon the 600's and an Equinox on the 650's. Switching the headphone cables did not work. Both headphones prefer their cable.The 650's have finesse, the 600's have a little less finesse but much better clarity while still being smooth. No lack of bass. My D5000 are a different story yet I find myself listening to the senns more.