[Midgetguy]

 
Yep, I remember that I once bought a pair of inexpensive IEMs ($70 USD) based upon a positive nod by the projectionist at CNET. It has terrible sibilance that I tuned out by notching it using EQ, The sibilance was gone, the IEMs sucked anyway. That pair now sits in my junk drawer. So, "You can beat a dead horse, but you can't make it get up and drink."
My HD600 responded well to having its Sub Bass boosted by some EQ.

The HD600 has pretty quality sound all around, it just strikes me as a matter of currently tuned sound signature for people. I'm pretty much fine with the sig, but some people can easily find an overemphasis of one thing or deficiency of another (like the subbass in your case). EQ works quite well with the HD600 because it's very capable at all frequency ranges, it's just a matter of whether the stock sound signature is your type of signature.

 

[Tayyab Pirzada]

  I have a question. Anyone has Garage Horizon? Is it a pure tube amplifier? If it is, I wonder can an tube amplifier only use a small tube to get enough power?
Moreover, Anyone can give some comment for it compared with Valhalla 2? Especially soundstage.
Thanks.

I have Project Starlight, not Horizon. It is a hybrid tube and opamp amplifier. Yes it has enough power for HD600's even with a single tube. But remember some tubes are high gain and some are low gain. I use an Amperex 12AT7 tube which I believe is high gain.

 

[yangian]

  I have Project Starlight, not Horizon. It is a hybrid tube and opamp amplifier. Yes it has enough power for HD600's even with a single tube. But remember some tubes are high gain and some are low gain. I use an Amperex 12AT7 tube which I believe is high gain.

Thank you for the info.!
Yeah, one tube is normal for hybrid. But for an OTL amplifier, I'm curious how can one tube works!

 

[madwolfa]

  No such thing as endgame, eventually we grow used to a sound signature and crave a new signature. 

 
I went full circle.... HD600.. Sold after 10+ years. Bought HD650. Sold. Bought LCD-2... Sold... Bought HD600 again. Now using them in a pair with Fidelio X2.

 

[natalieann]

hard to top

 

[Billheiser]

 
 
Yeah, one tube is normal for hybrid. 

Well, no, it depends on the design.  My hybrid headphone amp has 2 tubes on the input side.  My main stereo preamp, a hybrid, has 4 tubes, while its matching hybrid power amp has 2 tubes.

 

[Pahani]

   
I went full circle.... HD600.. Sold after 10+ years. Bought HD650. Sold. Bought LCD-2... Sold... Bought HD600 again. Now using them in a pair with Fidelio X2.

I fully support the pairing of HD600 and X2

 

[Midgetguy]

  I fully support the pairing of HD600 and X2

+1, seems like a good combo. My current runners are the HD600 and TH-X00. I don't think I'll be changing that for a long while. Perhaps I'll listen to others to hear what they sound like, but these two will probably be permanently on my desk for a while.

 

[StanD]

  +1, seems like a good combo. My current runners are the HD600 and TH-X00. I don't think I'll be changing that for a long while. Perhaps I'll listen to others to hear what they sound like, but these two will probably be permanently on my desk for a while.

A new toy will not make them sound any less than they do. Why should anyone find a reason to discard what works for them? Other than the new kit itch.

 

[danmlr]

 
A new toy will not make them sound any less than they do. Why should anyone find a reason to discard what works for them? Other than the new kit itch.

I wish I could internalize this message. I'm super happy with my line of budget koss headphones. Extremely happy. The nice thing is, they equalize so easily and so nicely. You don't need a third party frequency graph, just tune by ear and intuition. As in, this is a little lite on the top end, let's boost the treble a touch. Or, it's a bit treble happy, a bit of bass'll do. So easy.

Yet, I read SO MANY positive reviews of the 600 as a neutral reference standard. So I wail until hopefully black friday when I can find this at a  black friday price. Here's to waitin'.

 

[notfitforpublic]

  +1, seems like a good combo. My current runners are the HD600 and TH-X00. I don't think I'll be changing that for a long while. Perhaps I'll listen to others to hear what they sound like, but these two will probably be permanently on my desk for a while.

Absolutely, it's a golden combination. Had a moment of weakness and thought about splitting these two up and quickly changed my mind, though not soon enough 

. Between the T1's, HD600's and X00's, I don't think I'll stray again. 

 

[notfitforpublic]

 
I wish I could internalize this message. I'm super happy with my line of budget koss headphones. Extremely happy. The nice thing is, they equalize so easily and so nicely. You don't need a third party frequency graph, just tune by ear and intuition. As in, this is a little lite on the top end, let's boost the treble a touch. Or, it's a bit treble happy, a bit of bass'll do. So easy.

Yet, I read SO MANY positive reviews of the 600 as a neutral reference standard. So I wail until hopefully black friday when I can find this at a  black friday price. Here's to waitin'.

Depending on where you are, you can probably find them used in good condition cheaper than any Black Friday sale. I buy most of my gear used and only been disappointed once by a schiity set of tubes. 

 

[StanD]

 
I wish I could internalize this message. I'm super happy with my line of budget koss headphones. Extremely happy. The nice thing is, they equalize so easily and so nicely. You don't need a third party frequency graph, just tune by ear and intuition. As in, this is a little lite on the top end, let's boost the treble a touch. Or, it's a bit treble happy, a bit of bass'll do. So easy.

Yet, I read SO MANY positive reviews of the 600 as a neutral reference standard. So I wail until hopefully black friday when I can find this at a  black friday price. Here's to waitin'.

Yes, and one can improve sub bass on some cans and you can hear the difference in mids. Once you get good at it a Parametric EQ becomes a powerful tool. There are things that EQ cannot solve, e.g., uncontrolled bass, extreme corrections that might impact DR and cause clipping, overdriving some headphones to buzz, etc. A better pair of headphones will allow one to go further and IMO the HD600 is one of the best priced audiophile grade headphones to be found.
So keep the faith and save up a bit. Check on Amazon or on this thread for notice of an occasional sale. In the meantime, enjoy what you are using.

 

[Midgetguy]

 
A new toy will not make them sound any less than they do. Why should anyone find a reason to discard what works for them? Other than the new kit itch.

That's right. I have owned and listened to gear that's priced and considered to be higher end. But I haven't gotten rid of these because they still do a fantastic job and gets the most stuff right for me.
 

 
I wish I could internalize this message. I'm super happy with my line of budget koss headphones. Extremely happy. The nice thing is, they equalize so easily and so nicely. You don't need a third party frequency graph, just tune by ear and intuition. As in, this is a little lite on the top end, let's boost the treble a touch. Or, it's a bit treble happy, a bit of bass'll do. So easy.

Yet, I read SO MANY positive reviews of the 600 as a neutral reference standard. So I wail until hopefully black friday when I can find this at a  black friday price. Here's to waitin'.

It's too bad you can't get it to test out, you know like borrowing it from someone or a demo unit. Because I find that it's great to stick with what makes you most happy, but trying out things is a very good experience. It's not always just for when you're looking to upgrade but just getting to experience different gear and hearing what you like, what you don't like, and what exists. Sometimes, you ending up hearing something you love and it becomes a new addition to your stable. That's what the TH-X00 was for me. While I bought the HD600 knowing I'd most likely like it, I bought the TH-X00 just because I wanted to try a Fostex headphone and see what kind of build and sound quality it would deliver; now it's part of my permanent stable because it complements the HD600 very well.

 

[Pahani]

 
I wish I could internalize this message. I'm super happy with my line of budget koss headphones. Extremely happy. The nice thing is, they equalize so easily and so nicely. You don't need a third party frequency graph, just tune by ear and intuition. As in, this is a little lite on the top end, let's boost the treble a touch. Or, it's a bit treble happy, a bit of bass'll do. So easy.

Yet, I read SO MANY positive reviews of the 600 as a neutral reference standard. So I wail until hopefully black friday when I can find this at a  black friday price. Here's to waitin'.

Hmm, I think I can trust you. Send me an IM, my HD600's are just sitting around looking pretty on my stands currently......I could be persuaded to let you borrow them for a couple weeks to a month to audition
 
Actually, that's a good idea. Then you could perform the tests you initially requested on your own, and report the findings here! I'd be interested to know, myself.