Sennheiser HD 600 Impressions Thread
Mar 5, 2011 at 1:02 PM Post #152 of 23,313
I have the SR-71A - and the HD600 and the SR-71A are supposed to be made for each other....Ray tested all his portables with this specific headphone...
Having said that - I just got my HD600's in the post - finally got my own...
 
BTW - What's a good 1/4 to 1/8 connector for the HD - 600s so that I can hook it up to the SR-71A portable amp?? I saw the Grado and Cardas adapters were on head-room...
 
H
 
Mar 5, 2011 at 3:09 PM Post #153 of 23,313
Quote:
What amp/dac do you guys use for your 600s?
 
I'm considering ordering a pair, but need an amp and a dac.
 
The e7/e9 combo appeals to me slightly because I can also use the e7 on the go with my IEMs. Then again, I remember being in a shop many years ago and listening to a great setup with a tube amp/components, and part of me wants to go in that direction.
 
I'm listening to jazz, some rock, radiohead, some classical and some hip-hop.
 
Any input regarding tube vs ss for this type of music with these phones? Recommendations?


With the HD 600, the E7/E9 combo is quite a good low-cost all round possibility that is certainly enjoyable to listen to music with. I owned the E7/E9 but returned it due to a fault which seems to be common with those units: When the E7 is docked in the E9, the audio on one channel is prone to cutting out. (The fault can be temporarily resolved by waggling the E7, but with the E7/E9 combos I had, it got to the point that no amount of E7-waggling would solve the problem, so in the end it had to go.)
 
After returning the E7/E9, I again realised how much of a difference a DAC makes, especially for laptop-based listening, so I went to my local music store and purchased a Lexicon Alpha USB DAC. It is designed as a home recording studio module and has inputs for instruments, but it has a DAC and inbuilt headphone amp and plays back music at 24bit/96kHz (more than the E7/E9) and it seems to be very neutral, which is what I was after for my listening set up. 
 
I'm in the process of checking out the Burson HA 160-D which I've heard is an awesome DAC/Amp combo and a great one-box DAC/Amp possibility that sounds enjoyable with the HD 600. The HA 160-D is apparently excellent for rock, but I haven't heard it with my own ears let alone other styles.
 
As a more inexpensive alternative to the Burson, I've read that the Audinst MX-1 and Yulong U100 are great sounding DAC/Amp combos. 
 
Reviews for each of the above amps can be found on these forums and on www.headfonia.com
 
Mar 5, 2011 at 3:09 PM Post #154 of 23,313
I love this headphone! Even owning the HD-800 I just can't part with it. What I got with the HD-800 was about 10% more of everything that the 600 does extremely well. I have also owned, and sold, the HD-650 which, “for me,” was a bloated and exaggerated sonic mess (yes, it was broken-in and even had a pricey aftermarket cable). Incredibly, the HD-600 can be had for $289 from an EBay seller who is an authorized Sennheiser dealer. The HD-800 is currently $1499 from most/all stores. (Admitting that I am willing to pay $1200 more for 10% greater audio thrills is a bit embarrassing.)
 
To get the very best from the HD-600, I strongly feel that one needs to pair it with a superb (not costly!) amplifier, have good-to-excellent source equipment and software, and replace the original cable for the one on the HD-650 (about $25-$33 on EBay). Currently I have it paired with a Darkvoice 3322 (currently waiting for the La Figaro 339) and it’s pure magic. The level of realistic instrumental timbres and detail, natural bass, and realistic ambience are spectacular. If I had purchased the HD-600 before the HD-800, I don't think I would have bought the latter (well, maybe I would have auditioned it, of course.
wink_face.gif
)
 
I am at a loss to explain the mention in some quarters of “lack of bass” and/or “rolled-off treble” in the HD-600. I have tried everything from Widor Organ Symphonies (the “Finale” of the 5th, for example) to Bela Fleck’s “Flight Of The Cosmic Hippo” (no better recorded bass out there) and the bass is full and deep without the unnatural boominess I heard from the HD-650. String timbre, high brass, and cymbals in well-recorded symphonic classical music is not exaggerated or grating (please note: “well-recorded”).
 
I listen to classical, jazz, popular and the great bands from the Mesozoic (Pink Floyd, Boston, Kansas, Alan Parsons, Genesis, etc.). Of less importance, I am also a classical musician.
 
Mar 5, 2011 at 3:18 PM Post #155 of 23,313
Quote:
I have the SR-71A - and the HD600 and the SR-71A are supposed to be made for each other....Ray tested all his portables with this specific headphone...
Having said that - I just got my HD600's in the post - finally got my own...
 
BTW - What's a good 1/4 to 1/8 connector for the HD - 600s so that I can hook it up to the SR-71A portable amp?? I saw the Grado and Cardas adapters were on head-room...
 
H

 
As far as I know, the HD 600 stock cable has an 1/8 jack with a 1/4 inch adapter - you may want to check your cable. 
smile.gif

 
Mar 5, 2011 at 3:29 PM Post #156 of 23,313
Quote:
I love this headphone! Even owning the HD-800 I just can't part with it. What I got with the HD-800 was about 10% more of everything that the 600 does extremely well. I have also owned, and sold, the HD-650 which, “for me,” was a bloated and exaggerated sonic mess.
 
To get the very best from the HD-600, I strongly feel that one needs to pair it with a superb (not costly!) amplifier, have good-to-excellent source equipment and software, and replace the original cable for the one on the HD-650 (about $25-$33 on EBay). Currently I have it paired with a Darkvoice 3322 (currently waiting for the La Figaro 339) and it’s pure magic. The level of realistic instrumental timbres and detail, natural bass, and realistic ambience are spectacular. If I had purchased the HD-600 before the HD-800, I don't think I would have bought the latter (well, maybe I would have auditioned it, of course.
wink_face.gif
)
 
I am at a loss to explain mention in some quarters of “lack of bass” and/or “rolled-off treble” in the HD-600. I have tried everything from Widor Organ Symphonies (the “Finale” of the 5th, for example) to Bela Fleck’s “Flight Of The Cosmic Hippo” (no better recorded bass out there) and the bass is full and deep without the unnatural boominess I heard from the HD-650. String timbre, high brass, and cymbals in well-recorded symphonic classical music is not exaggerated or grating (please note: “well-recorded”).
 
I listen to classical, jazz, popular and the great bands from the Mesozoic (Pink Floyd, Boston, Kansas, Alan Parsons, Genesis, etc.). Of less importance, I am also a classical musician.


I love the HD 600; to my ears, it's yet unparalleled in sonic neutrality. After comparing it to other headphones, including many of the world's flagship models, I've plugged in HD 600 and heard myself saying to myself, 'this just sounds right.'  
bigsmile_face.gif

 
 
Mar 5, 2011 at 4:28 PM Post #157 of 23,313
I use the E7/E9 combo and I think they work great with the HD600s, but for what you listen to, tube amps might possibly be better for you. I personally have never tried tube amps so I can't comment on those, but they usually run much more than the E7/E9 combo. Depends on your budget I guess.
 
Quote:
What amp/dac do you guys use for your 600s?
 
I'm considering ordering a pair, but need an amp and a dac.
 
The e7/e9 combo appeals to me slightly because I can also use the e7 on the go with my IEMs. Then again, I remember being in a shop many years ago and listening to a great setup with a tube amp/components, and part of me wants to go in that direction.
 
I'm listening to jazz, some rock, radiohead, some classical and some hip-hop.
 
Any input regarding tube vs ss for this type of music with these phones? Recommendations?



 
 
Mar 5, 2011 at 8:00 PM Post #158 of 23,313


Quote:
 
As far as I know, the HD 600 stock cable has an 1/8 jack with a 1/4 inch adapter - you may want to check your cable. 
smile.gif



 
 
Yes - however, I am using the Cardas HD 600 cable that terminates with a 1/4 connector. This is most suitable for my headphone amp / but not my portable...hence, the need for the adapter...
 
Mar 7, 2011 at 9:18 PM Post #159 of 23,313
What amps do you guys use with your hd600s? My pair just shipped and I'm in the market for an amp.
 
I love the tube sound, but am a bit concerned that with a warm set of headphones like the hd600s (apparently), it may be a bit too much.
 
At first I'll be listening mostly from a digital source (also need a DAC). Eventually I'll be listening to more and more vinyl.
 
Mar 7, 2011 at 10:01 PM Post #160 of 23,313


Quote:
I love the tube sound, but am a bit concerned that with a warm set of headphones like the hd600s (apparently), it may be a bit too much.


 
That's exactly what I found.  The warm sound of my tube amp combines with the warmth of the headphones, giving them a pretty soft sound with an emphasis in the middle and bass frequencies.  In contrast, the SS headphone plug on my dac (Lavry DA11) has a very clean and neutral sound, which makes the HD600 sound more balanced overall.  The added treble detail give them a more crisp sound and a slightly better sense of space.
 
Mar 8, 2011 at 7:40 PM Post #165 of 23,313


Quote:
What amps do you guys use with your hd600s? My pair just shipped and I'm in the market for an amp.
 
I love the tube sound, but am a bit concerned that with a warm set of headphones like the hd600s (apparently), it may be a bit too much.
 
At first I'll be listening mostly from a digital source (also need a DAC). Eventually I'll be listening to more and more vinyl.



I would say that you are completely off base. Not that you might not find a tube amp that was too warm for your tastes, but that I do not consider and have never heard the HD600 categorized as warm. I have a Yamamoto HA-02 amp and a CDP that has a touch of warmth, and together I find the sound from the HD600 to be perfectly balanced.
 

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