[intricate28]

Wow just got my GS-1 in the mail and so far I'm loving it! Some interesting things to note though.
 
 
Some background info:
 
I currently own a pair of Senn HD650 and the Denon D-2000. My taste in music is varied ranging from Rock (Pink Floyd, The Doors, Radiohead), to Jazz (Miles Davis, Diana Krall, John Coltrane), and even Trance (Armin van Buuren, Orjan Nilsen, Liquid Soul).
 
In my time without an amp (3 months waiting on the GS-1, worth the wait!), I have come to favor the Senn HD650. Even without an amp. It just seemed "smoother" straight out of my iTouch, but not as loud as the D-2000 (obviously because of impedance). I figured this gap would open up even more after receiving my GS-1, and the power to drive the Senns to their full capacity. To my absolute surprise, the Denons have taken the lead . They seem to have been infused with even more "energy" with amplification, and I find myself tapping my feet with a huge smile on my face more often as I listen to them. The highs are still a tad harsh though not as shrill as they were before amplification. The mids aren't on par with the Senns (silky smooth is the only way to describe it) but they seem to demolish them in bass impact and extension.
 
This is somewhat disconcerting to me as I want to love the Senns. I love their sounds signature, and smoothness, but I feel like they are just lacking in energy. They excel at mellower rock (Animals by Pink Floyd), and jazz (Kinda Blue by Miles Davis), but can't hold a candle to the D-2000 on songs with energy (any trance, or hard rock). Anyone know what I can do to help bring them alive a bit more?

 

[Noobiiee]

keep both and only play genres you think they like or otherwise sell them and get other cans. Personally I don't think the you can change the smoothness of HD650 dramatically like changing from HD650 to D2000. But a nice impression of the D2000 vs Hd650 anyway. I've been wondering about the D2000 for quite a while. Always thought they sound like the HD650 

 

[intricate28]

Would not think of selling them as their is definitely music I think they are better at than the D-2000, though I can tell a huge difference between the two. Before listening to the D-2000 I thought that I wouldn't ever want more bass reproduction but now I sure do wish the Senn's did. I know they "can" have it because if I EQ them they will do everything the Denon's will. The problem is I hate to EQ music as it isn't bit perfect anymore. I'm thinking maybe a cable change may help them out. Any thoughts?

 

[Noobiiee]

Cardas cable meant to make Senns more bass. I still don't believe and cable that much but if you got some spare cash, why not?! 

 

[intricate28]

Hmm Cardas Cable isn't a bad idea, uhh ohh upgraditis. How I loath the.

 

[solidsnake]

did the d2000 lose any bass impact with the gs-1?

 

[intricate28]

No it gained bass impact. It hits so hard now I feel like I'm sitting next to a subwoofer (and I own one that is over $1800 SVS PB-13 Ultra). It doesn't shake your body like it but it can hit all the lows.  

 

[Ham Sandwich]

It's not just the imedance that defines how much a particular headphone will need amplification to sound up to snuff.  And the impedance doesn't define how loud a headphone will be from an amp.
 
The sensitivity of a headphone will let you know how loud a headphone will get at a certain notch on the volume knob compared to others.  A difficulty though is that all headphone makers don't specify sensitivity the same.  Some use dB/mW and some use dB/V.  Converting from one to the other requires some engineering math.
 
For the D2000 and HD650
D2000: 106 dB/mW
HD650: 103 dB/V or 98.7 dB/mW
 
The D2000 is more sensitive and that's why it gets louder than the HD650 at a given volume setting on your amp or portable.
 
In reality both the D2000 and the HD650 need more from an amplifier than a portable can deliver.  The need for amplification is for better sound not volume.
 
With that out of the way 
 
I have both the D2000 and HD600.  I don't have the HD650 but I consider the HD600 close enough for general comparison.
 
I use both my HD600 and my D2000.  One doesn't make the other obsolete.  Both are better at different things.  For some music the HD600 is the choice while for other music the D2000 is the choice.  Then for some music I can go either way depending on how I'm feeling.
 
I need to warn you though.  I EQ my D2000 to fix the recessed midrange.  My comparisons of the D2000 are with it EQed.  The EQ is necessary for many rock recordings to give the guitars their proper distorted edge.  The EQ is necessary for classical to give the violins their proper sound and edge.  Without the EQ things get too recessed and dull and sucked out of the music.  The EQ is a good thing.  I have a pic of my EQ curve in my gallery and in my sig.
 
The HD600 does classical music nicely.  But I still use the D2000 for classical, especially if it is classical that has some aggressiveness or punch (tympani or bass drum or big huge bass section).  The HD600 though is too "polite" for hard rock.  It doesn't deliver the energy needed and for that the D2000 does better.  To get more energy from the HD600 you need to crank them up unfortunately.  The HD600 is always begging me to crank the volume a little bit more while the D2000 does not beg me to crank them up in the same way. 
 
For jazz the HD600 is usually the choice except for things like Jaco Pastorius where I'll get the D2000 cause of the bass.  For acoustic guitar I prefer the D2000 to the HD600.  For rock like Pink Floyd I can go either way and use either the HD600 or D2000.
 
All in all it's a toss-up.  I like both headphones and each has their own area where they are better than the other.  A good reason to keep both.
 

 

[Poetik]

Quote:

did the d2000 lose any bass impact with the gs-1?

You should already know the answer to this man. How could the D2000's possibly lose bass impact when being half driven from an Itouch compared to being used with a GS-1?  =)
 
Anyways, I bet those Denon's sound great with that amp and your impressions just go to show that the Denon's love an SS amp.  Also for the HD650's that's pretty much just how they sound.  Even if you upgrade to a pricier cable it'll just be a subtle change in the grand scheme of things.  Those two headphones definitely compliment and pair well together though.

 

[intricate28]

Quote:

You should already know the answer to this man. How could the D2000's possibly lose bass impact when being half driven from an Itouch compared to being used with a GS-1?  =)
 
Anyways, I bet those Denon's sound great with that amp and your impressions just go to show that the Denon's love an SS amp.  Also for the HD650's that's pretty much just how they sound.  Even if you upgrade to a pricier cable it'll just be a subtle change in the grand scheme of things.  Those two headphones definitely compliment and pair well together though.

Completely agree. I am getting the feeling if I don't "love" a particular piece of music that I know I like I just switch headphones and viola!

 

[plonter]

imho,upgrading to the cardas won't change the HD650 sound.  usually people that recable the senns are usually ones who already love the initial sound and only want to "polish" it. 
if you can keep both,than go for it.   if not,keep what sounds best to you.    you are right about the energy thing..the HD650 doesn't have the energy or the hugs bass of the D2000. for trance and other electronic music i would take the D2000 over the HD650 any day in the week!  for rock and metal as well.   i only found the HD650 to perform nicely on jazz and classical music,where i don't need a bass punch. (and even than..the denons are great performers as well)
the D2000 would be my personal pick,especially with your ss amp.

 

[SP Wild]

You can never get the HD650 to match your so called "energy" of the D7000 (which I own and should have similar characteristics).  The HD650 excels in different genres - The only significant changes that can be made with the HD650 if you're coming from SS, is to go tubes. 
 
I just did a marathon comparison of this tube amp with my other amplifiers (I own 5 in total) and it comes up trumps in a large marigin compared to the rest.  This includes my Lehmann BCL - Senheissers own reference amplifier. 
 
Our own Skylab ranks this unit significantly higher than the LD and DV amps which are extremely popular here for driving 650's.  The 650 is known to give great performances from tube amps and the MingDa will bring up the upper midrange which adds additional detailing - ie it is more detailed than my BCL.
 
For the price of an upmarket 650 cable, you might as well just save a little more and buy this remarkable amplifier.

 

[intricate28]

Or maybe sell the Senns and get the Denon's MarkL modded!