[mysticstryk]

No, the HD 525, 535, 545, and 565 Ovation. Which are basically 150 ohm versions of the HD 6xx and used the same pads, cables, and parts could be interchanged with the HD 6xx. They were out during the HD 580s time.

Gotcha. I doubt the 5x0 series will ever be upgraded to quite that level. More likely to see new models in the 6x0 or 7x0 line.

 

[kman1211]

Gotcha. I doubt the 5x0 series will ever be upgraded to quite that level. More likely to see new models in the 6x0 or 7x0 line.

I'm don't think so either. The problem with Sennheiser now is their current lower-end stuff isn't the same level of their lower-end stuff from the past. There is a huge divide from the HD 600 and the stuff below, wasn't really so in the past. It was a more gradual increase of fidelity. Maybe it has to do with the China shift on much of the cheaper Senns. I know the original HD 555/595 were made in Ireland and a 150 ohms I believe, but never heard a pair.

 

[mysticstryk]

  I'm don't think so either. The problem with Sennheiser now is their current lower-end stuff isn't the same level of their lower-end stuff from the past. There is a huge divide from the HD 600 and the stuff below, wasn't really so in the past. It was a more gradual increase of fidelity. Maybe it has to do with the China shift on much of the cheaper Senns. I know the original HD 555/595 were made in Ireland and a 150 ohms I believe, but never heard a pair.

 
I still have and love my HD595.  First step out of the portable world and into full sized at home audio.  They are 120 ohm and sound really great.  Not on par with my 650, but probably a little better than my newer 598.

 

[kman1211]

   
I still have and love my HD595.  First step out of the portable world and into full sized at home audio.  They are 120 ohm and sound really great.  Not on par with my 650, but probably a little better than my newer 598.

That's good to hear. Ah so the Ireland ones are 120 ohms. I had a HD 555, the 55 ohm one as my first open back headphone, I felt mixed about it, was grainy and boring to listen to but was decent in other ways.
 
I just ordered the HD 600, will have it here Friday. Took advantage of the Amazon deal with the $150 gift card. 

 

[Argyris]

 
I just ordered the HD 600, will have it here Friday. Took advantage of the Amazon deal with the $150 gift card. 

 
Awesome. I took advantage of the same deal, months ago. It's nice to see it's still going, and to anybody reading here who is still on the fence about buying one and has this deal available to them...well, I'll say this much: the HD 600 is the best $400 headphone I ever paid effectively a little over $280 for (with tax, plus one day shipping, since I was impatient and couldn't wait). I also would have gladly paid the full $400 for it, and when I started saving up I was fully prepared to, figuring that the gift card deal wouldn't last until I could finally buy the headphone.
 
Seeing the discussion here about the 5xx series, I'm glad I waited and got the HD 600 instead. A few years ago I was very close to pulling the trigger on the HD 558 (or even stretching to the HD 598, as it occasionally flirted with the ~$180 price point), and a few times since then I considered it. I always held back based on advice I received in the DT880 thread (yes, I brought up Sennheiser in there, and nearly three years later the scars are barely visible anymore

). I think Brooko specifically weighed in and recommended that if at all possible I go for the HD 600, saying that it would be a noticeable step up from the 5xx series and would be more in line with what I was looking for at the time, which was something a bit less vivid and more laid back than the DT880 but without a substantial sacrifice in raw technical ability.

 

[DavidA]

   
Awesome. I took advantage of the same deal, months ago. It's nice to see it's still going, and to anybody reading here who is still on the fence about buying one and has this deal available to them...well, I'll say this much: the HD 600 is the best $400 headphone I ever paid effectively a little over $280 for (with tax, plus one day shipping, since I was impatient and couldn't wait). I also would have gladly paid the full $400 for it, and when I started saving up I was fully prepared to, figuring that the gift card deal wouldn't last until I could finally buy the headphone.
 
Seeing the discussion here about the 5xx series, I'm glad I waited and got the HD 600 instead. A few years ago I was very close to pulling the trigger on the HD 558 (or even stretching to the HD 598, as it occasionally flirted with the ~$180 price point), and a few times since then I considered it. I always held back based on advice I received in the DT880 thread (yes, I brought up Sennheiser in there, and nearly three years later the scars are barely visible anymore

). I think Brooko specifically weighed in and recommended that if at all possible I go for the HD 600, saying that it would be a noticeable step up from the 5xx series and would be more in line with what I was looking for at the time, which was something a bit less vivid and more laid back than the DT880 but without a substantial sacrifice in raw technical ability.

Interesting, I started with the HD-598 and HE-400.  After listening to them for a few months I gave the HD-598 away since it was not a sound signature that I cared for and got the HD-650 since it was along with the HD-600 the reference headphones that many were using to compare new headphones coming out.  Only reason I went with HD-650 first was cost, it was cheaper than the HD-600 at the time from Amazon, ($290 for HD-650 vs $339 for HD-600).  When I finally bough a HD-600 it was $235 during the black Friday sale last year.

 

[kman1211]

   
Awesome. I took advantage of the same deal, months ago. It's nice to see it's still going, and to anybody reading here who is still on the fence about buying one and has this deal available to them...well, I'll say this much: the HD 600 is the best $400 headphone I ever paid effectively a little over $280 for (with tax, plus one day shipping, since I was impatient and couldn't wait). I also would have gladly paid the full $400 for it, and when I started saving up I was fully prepared to, figuring that the gift card deal wouldn't last until I could finally buy the headphone.
 
Seeing the discussion here about the 5xx series, I'm glad I waited and got the HD 600 instead. A few years ago I was very close to pulling the trigger on the HD 558 (or even stretching to the HD 598, as it occasionally flirted with the ~$180 price point), and a few times since then I considered it. I always held back based on advice I received in the DT880 thread (yes, I brought up Sennheiser in there, and nearly three years later the scars are barely visible anymore

). I think Brooko specifically weighed in and recommended that if at all possible I go for the HD 600, saying that it would be a noticeable step up from the 5xx series and would be more in line with what I was looking for at the time, which was something a bit less vivid and more laid back than the DT880 but without a substantial sacrifice in raw technical ability.

It seems they have been doing this deal for a while now. The HD 600 is one of the best headphones I've owned. While not the best headphones I've owned but they are up there and definitely have a place in my headphone rotation. I am curious how they will respond to my current system after I spent a good deal of time with them.
 
Honestly it's best to just ignore the HD 5xx line, I don't think they are all that good for what you pay. Better to get a Beyer in the HD 5xx price range imho.

 

[mysticstryk]

It seems they have been doing this deal for a while now. The HD 600 is one of the best headphones I've owned. While not the best headphones I've owned but they are up there and definitely have a place in my headphone rotation. I am curious how they will respond to my current system after I spent a good deal of time with them.

Honestly it's best to just ignore the HD 5xx line, I don't think they are all that good for what you pay. Better to get a Beyer in the HD 5xx price range imho.

At the cheap prices the dt880 goes for these days, I fully agree. Much better headphone than my 598. However the $99 sale that goes on a couple times a year on the 598 is a pretty good deal at that price.

 

[Argyris]

At the cheap prices the dt880 goes for these days, I fully agree. Much better headphone than my 598. However the $99 sale that goes on a couple times a year on the 598 is a pretty good deal at that price.

 
Amazon had it at $109 for Prime Day. I was actually tempted, despite having just bought the HD 600 a few weeks previously. It was such a good price, it felt hard to pass up. But since the HD 600 is likely better in every way apart from sensitivity, I ultimately couldn't find a justification, as curious to compare the two as I may have been. If I knew somebody whom I could have given the HD 598 as a gift, I would have bought it. Alas, I am alone among my friends and family in my interest in personal audio; most non-enthusiast people would regard a headphone that's not easily portable and which is useless outside of quiet surroundings as impractical and therefore a poorly thought out gift.

 

[StanD]

   
Amazon had it at $109 for Prime Day. I was actually tempted, despite having just bought the HD 600 a few weeks previously. It was such a good price, it felt hard to pass up. But since the HD 600 is likely better in every way apart from sensitivity, I ultimately couldn't find a justification, as curious to compare the two as I may have been. If I knew somebody whom I could have given the HD 598 as a gift, I would have bought it. Alas, I am alone among my friends and family in my interest in personal audio; most non-enthusiast people would regard a headphone that's not easily portable and which is useless outside of quiet surroundings as impractical and therefore a poorly thought out gift.

The 598 can be driven by a smartphone as it's not high impedance and is sensitive enough. So it depends on the application, of course it's not a sonic equal to the 600, however, it's pretty good.

 

[Audioholic123]

Many people still consider the hd6x0 line to compete with headphones in the >$1k range, myself included.

Don't mind my saying but I think this is a little silly.

 

[Jallen]

Hello guys, I've done a little reading about the hd600s, and am planning to snag myself a pair. I've been searching for a few amp/dac options to pair with my PC, what do you think of these?
 
-FiiO E10k
-Schiit Fulla
-SMSL M3
-SMSL SD793-II
 
These are well within my price range, to the point that I could probably stretch it about £20. I'm slightly concerned that at 300 ohms, these amps may struggle with the 600's, however.
Please let me know any suggestions you may have.
 
Thanks guys!

 

[Argyris]

  Hello guys, I've done a little reading about the hd600s, and am planning to snag myself a pair. I've been searching for a few amp/dac options to pair with my PC, what do you think of these?
 
-FiiO E10k
-Schiit Fulla
-SMSL M3
-SMSL SD793-II
 
These are well within my price range, to the point that I could probably stretch it about £20. I'm slightly concerned that at 300 ohms, these amps may struggle with the 600's, however.
Please let me know any suggestions you may have.
 
Thanks guys!

 
If your concern is whether or not the amp can drive the headphone to sufficient volume, and do so without having to max out the amp, there's actually a great site that lets you select an amp and a headphone and, after some calculation wizardry (presumably involving magic and pixie dust), estimates the peak output amplitude.
 
For instance, using the Schiit Fulla above, the HD 600 will reach just over 113 dB. For reference, I have a FiiO Q1, which reaches almost the same amplitude (shy by just a few tenths of a dB). On virtually all material (apart from some exceptionally quiet recordings) I can get earsplitting volume and still have ample headroom on the volume dial, meaning my Q1 has absolutely no trouble driving the HD 600. You can extrapolate out from there by plugging all your choices (if they're all there) into the site and comparing the peak amplitude estimates.

 

[Jallen]

   
If your concern is whether or not the amp can drive the headphone to sufficient volume, and do so without having to max out the amp, there's actually a great site that lets you select an amp and a headphone and, after some calculation wizardry (presumably involving magic and pixie dust), estimates the peak output amplitude.
 
For instance, using the Schiit Fulla above, the HD 600 will reach just over 113 dB. For reference, I have a FiiO Q1, which reaches almost the same amplitude (shy by just a few tenths of a dB). On virtually all material (apart from some exceptionally quiet recordings) I can get earsplitting volume and still have ample headroom on the volume dial, meaning my Q1 has absolutely no trouble driving the HD 600. You can extrapolate out from there by plugging all your choices (if they're all there) into the site and comparing the peak amplitude estimates.

Sounds brilliant, thanks so much. I'm also interested in the sound quality, if you have any experience with these amps. 
 
113db is similar to a 747 taking off at a range of 50m. I think I'd like to avoid permanent hearing loss within 4 minutes of listening, so i'll keep the volume low.

 

[rgs9200m]

As I mentioned in the 650 thread, the HD6xx can outperform and deliver the perfect musical balance of insight and fatigue-free listening in a very-high end upstream chain of components.
Why? Because high-performance amps and DACs can be so ruthlessly revealing that a high-priced super-resolving headphone can generate too much of a good thing and end up in a world of pain.
In that sense, the HD600/650 may be considered state of the art, but that is a philosophical question.
 
So, un-intuitively, a very high end DAC and headphone amp with very good cables may sound better with the HD600/650 than any other headphone.
At least this has been how I have heard things.
(I really don't like glare and digititus, which expensive equipment can pick up and transmit, especially on older non-audiophile recordings.)
 
To me the greatness of the HD600/650 is they, to my ears, do give a subjective sense of resolution and realism, where I don't feel in anyway shortchanged.
Is as if they magically know what to reveal to be truthful and natural without relaying the painful artificial aspects, the noise.
 
So the HD6xxs are certainly not out of place or inappropriate with the best components out there, in fact the very opposite may be true. The HD600/650 are not in the no pain no gain camp, and I am thankful for that.