[Me x3]

  I can change the FR to suite my tastes with EQ, I can have many EQ presets for different situations. An Amp that is not transparent/linear affects all recordings with no way out for all the good recordings. I doubt that adding more distortion to a bad recording is a good thing, at least not for me as IMO it messes up everything. I prefer that my headphones not have U or V shaped FR curves that some people call fun, which is not fun for me.
At the end of the day, do what pleases you.

 
I'm a solid state guy as you can see on my signature and I use DMG Equilibrium from time to time when I want to tweak the sound.
I've studied physics at university so I know the math thing and I represent FiiO in my country which is a 100% SS brand.
More so, I own the HD800 which I like very much for its low distortion across the whole spectrum.
So we share a similar take on this, but even with those as my personal preferences, I understand that someone could prefer (read enjoy more) a less linear or less transparent amplifier over a more linear/more transparent one. For the same reason people prefer a less linear/less transparent headphone over a more linear/more transparent headphone many times as well...
Most of my friends prefer the Fidelio X1 over the Sennheiser HD800 or the AKG K702, and that's ok...
 
HD600's frequency response and harmonic distortion 'affects all recordings with no way out for all the good recordings' as well and it doesn't mess up enjoyment because we all enjoy the HD600 here.
 
Objectivism demands the understanding that perfectly linear (everything) means you'll here the recording as it is, not that you'll hear the recording as you enjoy most.
If you like one recording best with a perfectly linear system, best chances are you won't like best a different recording.
On top of that, we don't perceive tonal balance in the same way at different volume levels as you surely know, so what's perfectly linear at 90dB might not be perfectly linear at 65dB.
Some people like listening to music at moderately high levels, while others prefer listening to music at soft levels so that plays a role when picking the preferred sound signature as well.
 
So "do what pleases you" is often the best advice here in my view.

 

[StanD]

@Me x3 The distortion levels of the HD600 rise to it's highest levels in the sub bass, where it is least perceptible and for much music, less content. At the upper end of the spectrum, in most cases, the resulting harmonics are above our human range of hearing.
Once I get to spending more money I bought Planars, however, the HD800 is one of the few big buck dynamic cans that I like.
By the way, I'm curious, did you try the HD800 with a FiiO E12? What did you think?
Well, I did say, "At the end of the day, do what pleases you."

 

[Midgetguy]

  @Me x3 The distortion levels of the HD600 rise to it's highest levels in the sub bass, where it is least perceptible and for much music, less content. At the upper end of the spectrum, in most cases, the resulting harmonics are above our human range of hearing.
Once I get to spending more money I bought Planars, however, the HD800 is one of the few big buck dynamic cans that I like.
By the way, I'm curious, did you try the HD800 with a FiiO E12? What did you think?
Well, I did say, "At the end of the day, do what pleases you."

Standard HD800 and not the S right? I couldn't get into it. Could be my pairing, but most likely just not the right music paring as I listen to classical and jazz pieces much less frequently than EDM and hip-hop. HD600 just feels more involving and alive for my musical preferences, albeit lower in fidelity. But at a point, you care less about the fidelity and more about how it makes you feel.

 

[Me x3]

  @Me x3 The distortion levels of the HD600 rise to it's highest levels in the sub bass, where it is least perceptible and for much music, less content. At the upper end of the spectrum, in most cases, the resulting harmonics are above our human range of hearing.
Once I get to spending more money I bought Planars, however, the HD800 is one of the few big buck dynamic cans that I like.
By the way, I'm curious, did you try the HD800 with a FiiO E12? What did you think?
Well, I did say, "At the end of the day, do what pleases you."

I'll try it now and report.
I haven't try it for a while and memory can be tricky

 

[Me x3]

  By the way, I'm curious, did you try the HD800 with a FiiO E12? What did you think?

E12 is a very neutral amplifier in my book. It doesn't warmify or darken the sound in my experience. If you believe that different SS amplifiers can sound slightly different then E12 packs nice punch without adding warmth or bleeding into the mids, it has a mildly forward midrange and very present but not splashy treble. It measures perfectly flat, for sure, just as flat as my Asgard 2 which is warmer and more relaxed. Just as flat as my former Magni which was less punchy and more splashy. Differences are still subtle, for sure.
 
E12 always keeps up with the music and the timing is superb, bass tones are clear and layered, so all in all it's a good match for the Sennheiser HD800 as far as you enjoy HD800's extremely analytical presentation. E12 is very powerful, so even in low gain you should check the levels because the pot is small and you could end up listening to music at higher levels than with other amplifiers.
 
I think E12 would make a good pairing with HD600 as well, because it's very clear and that's something good for HD600 in my experience. HD600's mids are more forward than HD800's, so for people wanting to push HD600's mids backward this might not be the right amp.
 
(Source used was a trusty Bifrost 4490)

 

[yangian]

  E12 is a very neutral amplifier in my book. It doesn't warmify or darken the sound in my experience. If you believe that different SS amplifiers can sound slightly different then E12 packs nice punch without adding warmth or bleeding into the mids, it has a mildly forward midrange and very present but not splashy treble. It measures perfectly flat, for sure, just as flat as my Asgard 2 which is warmer and more relaxed. Just as flat as my former Magni which was less punchy and more splashy. Differences are still subtle, for sure.
 
E12 always keeps up with the music and the timing is superb, bass tones are clear and layered, so all in all it's a good match for the Sennheiser HD800 as far as you enjoy HD800's extremely analytical presentation. E12 is very powerful, so even in low gain you should check the levels because the pot is small and you could end up listening to music at higher levels than with other amplifiers.
 
I think E12 would make a good pairing with HD600 as well, because it's very clear and that's something good for HD600 in my experience. HD600's mids are more forward than HD800's, so for people wanting to push HD600's mids backward this might not be the right amp.
 
(Source used was a trusty Bifrost 4490)

 
 
E12 is powerful enough for HD600, but the soundstage is too congested. The soudstage of HD600 from E12 is so smaller so that it's like a IEMs. Not an ideal pairing at all.

 

[alitomr]

I have been comparing the HD600 vs. the AD700x and DT990 pro 250ohms for gaming and it's like comparing a Corolla with a space shuttle. They are not in the same league. The HD600 is by far the best out of the three and it's not close. I dont know what they mean what they say the soundstage is small and the detail or whatever. I am playing Black ops 3 like a ninja after including in my setup the Mixamp pro TR. I am double amping with either my Valhalla 2 or my magni 2 uber and I dont know how things can be better. Tbh, I dont care. Listening by myself how ahead the HD600 is of offerings so well regarded as the beyer dt990 and the AD700x, has convinced me that there is not really much else for me, at least until I double my income. 
 
Respect and appreciation for the Sennheiser HD600!!!!
 
PD: I havent tried the DT990 with my valhalla 2 or the magni 2 uber for music, but out of my computer and cheap BLU cellphone it sounds very fun. I will post with my findings after I try them with my whole rig. 

 

[Sonic Defender]

  I have been comparing the HD600 vs. the AD700x and DT990 pro 250ohms for gaming and it's like comparing a Corolla with a space shuttle. They are not in the same league. The HD600 is by far the best out of the three and it's not close. I dont know what they mean what they say the soundstage is small and the detail or whatever. I am playing Black ops 3 like a ninja after including in my setup the Mixamp pro TR. I am double amping with either my Valhalla 2 or my magni 2 uber and I dont know how things can be better. Tbh, I dont care. Listening by myself how ahead the HD600 is of offerings so well regarded as the beyer dt990 and the AD700x, has convinced me that there is not really much else for me, at least until I double my income. 
 
Respect and appreciation for the Sennheiser HD600!!!!
 
PD: I havent tried the DT990 with my valhalla 2 or the magni 2 uber for music, but out of my computer and cheap BLU cellphone it sounds very fun. I will post with my findings after I try them with my whole rig. 

I think the DT 990 out of any rig hasn't a chance to match the HD600. Granted I haven't heard the 990 enough. but what I heard of it was enough to convince me it is not a signature I could ever enjoy. I loved my DT 800, quite a bit, but the 990 sounded messy and unbalanced to me. Perhaps I need to give it another listen to be fair.

 

[kman1211]

  I think the DT 990 out of any rig hasn't a chance to match the HD600. Granted I haven't heard the 990 enough. but what I heard of it was enough to convince me it is not a signature I could ever enjoy. I loved my DT 800, quite a bit, but the 990 sounded messy and unbalanced to me. Perhaps I need to give it another listen to be fair.

The DT 990 can sound really good out of the right system. It's a headphone I don't really like much overall, but on the right system they really sing. 

 

[Me x3]

  E12 is powerful enough for HD600, but the soundstage is too congested. The soudstage of HD600 from E12 is so smaller so that it's like a IEMs. Not an ideal pairing at all.

Recessed upper midrange increases the sense of soundstage depth.
HD600 has pretty forward upper midrange and thus its soundstage is clearly on the intimate side.
As I stated above, the E12 is also slightly forward sounding in the midrange and thus sense of depth is decreased even further.
The soundstage on E12 is not congested in my experience and it provides good focus, forward midrange is very different from congested soundstage in my book.
 
HD600 has forward midrange
Fidelio M1 has congested soundstage

 

[DavidA]

  I think the DT 990 out of any rig hasn't a chance to match the HD600. Granted I haven't heard the 990 enough. but what I heard of it was enough to convince me it is not a signature I could ever enjoy. I loved my DT 800, quite a bit, but the 990 sounded messy and unbalanced to me. Perhaps I need to give it another listen to be fair.

 

  The DT 990 can sound really good out of the right system. It's a headphone I don't really like much overall, but on the right system they really sing. 

This is why I'm glad there are so many different headphones made, we hear differently so there should be a bunch of different sounding headphones.
 
For me I'll take the DT-990 premium over the HD-600, but this is mainly due to the HD-600 having the peak at 4-5khz which irritated me at times along with the DT-990 having slightly better sound stage and a sound signature that is a bit more fun.  Comparison is based on both being driven with Bimby and BH Crack.

 

[MacTechReviews]

Just got my pair of HD 600s wanted to share an album of some pics I shot. http://imgur.com/a/E5k01

 

[Midgetguy]

  I have been comparing the HD600 vs. the AD700x and DT990 pro 250ohms for gaming and it's like comparing a Corolla with a space shuttle. They are not in the same league. The HD600 is by far the best out of the three and it's not close. I dont know what they mean what they say the soundstage is small and the detail or whatever. I am playing Black ops 3 like a ninja after including in my setup the Mixamp pro TR. I am double amping with either my Valhalla 2 or my magni 2 uber and I dont know how things can be better. Tbh, I dont care. Listening by myself how ahead the HD600 is of offerings so well regarded as the beyer dt990 and the AD700x, has convinced me that there is not really much else for me, at least until I double my income. 
 
Respect and appreciation for the Sennheiser HD600!!!!
 
PD: I havent tried the DT990 with my valhalla 2 or the magni 2 uber for music, but out of my computer and cheap BLU cellphone it sounds very fun. I will post with my findings after I try them with my whole rig. 

What you're experiencing with BO3 is imaging. It refers to accurate placement of sounds which is incredibly useful in shooter situations for picking up noise cues. Soundstage is representation of how far or close something is. I personally feel that the HD600 is fairly average for an open headphone, but that doesn't mean it doesn't do a good job.
 

   
This is why I'm glad there are so many different headphones made, we hear differently so there should be a bunch of different sounding headphones.
 
For me I'll take the DT-990 premium over the HD-600, but this is mainly due to the HD-600 having the peak at 4-5khz which irritated me at times along with the DT-990 having slightly better sound stage and a sound signature that is a bit more fun.  Comparison is based on both being driven with Bimby and BH Crack.

Choice is the spice of life right?

 

[Tayyab Pirzada]

I really love the HD600's. They don't make you go wow when you first hear them, but as you listen to music for longer periods they really feel magical.

 

[alitomr]

  What you're experiencing with BO3 is imaging. It refers to accurate placement of sounds which is incredibly useful in shooter situations for picking up noise cues. Soundstage is representation of how far or close something is. I personally feel that the HD600 is fairly average for an open headphone, but that doesn't mean it doesn't do a good job.
 
 

 
The most amazing thing with the HD600 with the Mixamp pro TR is that I can tell the exact spot where shots are being fired. I can tell is the shots are in the middle of the map, if its in the middle-right hall, whatever. It's really amazing what the Dolby headphone does with the HD600.  
 
And I repeat it, for all that, neither AD700x or DT990 is close to the HD600. Again, I need to put more hours on the DT990, but in the few hours I used I can tell they are not as precise for gaming. I had a real hard time spotting where sounds where coming from, mostly everything felt coming from behind and sounds from the top like UAVs where really hard to locate.