madwolfa
Headphoneus Supremus
I've been using my old pair with $200+ Cardas cable for more than 10 years. I'm using my new pair with stock cable now. There is 0 difference.
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Sennheiser HD 600 Impressions Thread
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yangian
Headphoneus Supremus
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Did you AB them? I'm using Stefan Equinox cable and stock cable and AB them and very big improvement on Stefan cable.
madwolfa
Headphoneus Supremus
YMMV, I guess. I've used Cardas because it looked "cool" and I got it very cheap.
“HC-1 was the first headphone cable we ever produced and is made from Kimber GQ-24SS-Cu. This is an extremely high purity, solid core copper cable what is similar to that used in there Select range of interconnects. The headphone plugs were custom made in-house.“
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Midgetguy
Headphoneus Supremus
I got my cable cuz it was super cheap and shorter
Tom L
New Head-Fier
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I can't claim to be a regular on this thread, but I bought my HD-600 in November 2004. I haven't used them much in the past few years, though. Most of the paint has come off the headband, but the HD-600 still sounds very good.
ToTo Man
500+ Head-Fier
My HD600 stock pads are starting to flatten a little so I'm thinking about taking part in the Massdrop for Dekoni Ear Pads for my HD600 which ends tomorrow.
I was wondering if any HD600 owners have compared all 4 versions to the stock pads? I've seen the response charts on the Dekoni website but would welcome a second opinion.
I'm very happy with the stock HD600 sound so am not seeking much sonic change, more an improvement in comfort. I find the stock velour pads become a little warm and claustrophobic on my ears after a whole, I prefer the lambskin pads on MrSpeakers Ether for example.
I currently use the following EQ settings on my HD600:
-1.5dB notch cut at 3500Hz
+1dB high shelf boost above 10kHz
+5dB low shelf boost below 80Hz
With these EQ settings my HD600 sound perfect to my ears, so I'm concerned that the Dekoni FR Graphs show a boost from 100Hz to 2kHz for all Dekoni pad versions. My ideal replacement pad would have same FR as stock pads but with two exceptions: slight reduction from 2kHz-5kHz and a slight boost above 10kHz. I'm trying to decide which Dekoni pad best fits my sonic preferences?
I was wondering if any HD600 owners have compared all 4 versions to the stock pads? I've seen the response charts on the Dekoni website but would welcome a second opinion.
I'm very happy with the stock HD600 sound so am not seeking much sonic change, more an improvement in comfort. I find the stock velour pads become a little warm and claustrophobic on my ears after a whole, I prefer the lambskin pads on MrSpeakers Ether for example.
I currently use the following EQ settings on my HD600:
-1.5dB notch cut at 3500Hz
+1dB high shelf boost above 10kHz
+5dB low shelf boost below 80Hz
With these EQ settings my HD600 sound perfect to my ears, so I'm concerned that the Dekoni FR Graphs show a boost from 100Hz to 2kHz for all Dekoni pad versions. My ideal replacement pad would have same FR as stock pads but with two exceptions: slight reduction from 2kHz-5kHz and a slight boost above 10kHz. I'm trying to decide which Dekoni pad best fits my sonic preferences?
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I highly recommend to stick with the stock HD600 pads. I had the elite sheepskin and elite velour for my hd650. The frequency response charts don’t tell the whole story. I felt there was a muffling and loss of resolution with both Dekoni pads I ordered. Whatever the secret sauce is in the stock pads, it’s worth it.
The Dekoni hd6xx pads are well made but they do not provide the comfort level of the Mrspeakers Ether pads.
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I was checking out Ty Hertsens' updated Wall of Fame, Over Ear Open Headphones list this evening. The following are the top four models that Ty has rated as best (most likely "best sounding & value for the money") :
1-) Sonoma Model One Electrostatic Headphone System ($5,000)
2-) Focal Clear ($1499)
3-) Mr. Speakers Aeon Flow Open ($799)
4-) Sennheiser HD 600 ($399)
Retired from this list :
Focal Elear ($999)
Audeze LCD-4 ($3995)
Focal Utopia ($3999)
Stax SR-009 ($5,250)
Mr. Speakers Ether Flow ($1799)
HiFiMAN HE1000 ($2999)
Mr. Speakers Ether ($1499)
Sennheiser HD 800 S ($1,699)
Sennheiser HD 800 ($1,499)
Audeze LCD-3 ($1945)
Audeze LCD-X ($1699)
Oppo PM-1 ($1095) and PM-2 ($695)
Audeze LCD-2 ($1145)
Points/ facts, to consider :
- the HD600 was introduced in 1997 therefore it has entered it's 22nd year of existence.
- It's no. 4 on the WOF list. It's been on Ty's WOF list for years.
- Every other headphone on the list & retired from the list were produced after the HD600.
- Every other headphone cost more than the HD600.
I'm a boxing fan and amateur historian. The term pound for pound was created to designate whom the majority of boxing experts considered the greatest fighter ever because he wasn't a heavyweight. BTW the fighter was Sugar Ray Robinson who started out as a welterweight and eventually fought as a middleweight plus one fight as a light heavyweight.
In my humble opinion, the Sennheiser HD600 is, pound for pound, the best headphone ever made. In conclusion, the Sonoma Model One is now considered by Ty of Innerfidelity as the best headphone or to put it another way, he has it sitting at the top of his WOF list. And yet ... here's what he writes in his review in the Sound Description part :
" ... and I'd say a pair of Sennheiser HD 600s in a nice rig would best it in mid-range liquidity. (It would best many if not most reference cans there.)"
- The HD600 bests the Sonoma Model One in mid-range liquidity ...
- & it would best many if not most reference cans there. The "most reference cans there" Ty's referring to are all of the other headphones appearing on the WOF most of which have just been retired from the list. Guess which one was there before, during & after those "reference cans" ?
I've owned the HD600 since 2003.
1-) Sonoma Model One Electrostatic Headphone System ($5,000)
2-) Focal Clear ($1499)
3-) Mr. Speakers Aeon Flow Open ($799)
4-) Sennheiser HD 600 ($399)
Retired from this list :
Focal Elear ($999)
Audeze LCD-4 ($3995)
Focal Utopia ($3999)
Stax SR-009 ($5,250)
Mr. Speakers Ether Flow ($1799)
HiFiMAN HE1000 ($2999)
Mr. Speakers Ether ($1499)
Sennheiser HD 800 S ($1,699)
Sennheiser HD 800 ($1,499)
Audeze LCD-3 ($1945)
Audeze LCD-X ($1699)
Oppo PM-1 ($1095) and PM-2 ($695)
Audeze LCD-2 ($1145)
Points/ facts, to consider :
- the HD600 was introduced in 1997 therefore it has entered it's 22nd year of existence.
- It's no. 4 on the WOF list. It's been on Ty's WOF list for years.
- Every other headphone on the list & retired from the list were produced after the HD600.
- Every other headphone cost more than the HD600.
I'm a boxing fan and amateur historian. The term pound for pound was created to designate whom the majority of boxing experts considered the greatest fighter ever because he wasn't a heavyweight. BTW the fighter was Sugar Ray Robinson who started out as a welterweight and eventually fought as a middleweight plus one fight as a light heavyweight.
In my humble opinion, the Sennheiser HD600 is, pound for pound, the best headphone ever made. In conclusion, the Sonoma Model One is now considered by Ty of Innerfidelity as the best headphone or to put it another way, he has it sitting at the top of his WOF list. And yet ... here's what he writes in his review in the Sound Description part :
" ... and I'd say a pair of Sennheiser HD 600s in a nice rig would best it in mid-range liquidity. (It would best many if not most reference cans there.)"
- The HD600 bests the Sonoma Model One in mid-range liquidity ...
- & it would best many if not most reference cans there. The "most reference cans there" Ty's referring to are all of the other headphones appearing on the WOF most of which have just been retired from the list. Guess which one was there before, during & after those "reference cans" ?
I've owned the HD600 since 2003.
Argyris
Head-Fi's third most long-winded poster.
This all really just puts things in perspective. The headphone hobby has basically been spinning its wheels since the HD 6x0 series debuted, with meaningful improvements in one dimension invariably cancelled out by regressions in another. And all the while the prices have been pushing upward, though the recent crop of sub-$1500 (often sub-$1000) choices might be an indication that this is finally starting to correct itself (one can only hope).
It really comes down to what's most important to you. For me, it's midrange accuracy, treble smoothness, coherence and overall balance. The HD 600 is unbeatable in its price range for this list of criteria, and it might well be currently unbeatable period, since most of the "better" headphones on that list trade mastery in at least some of these criteria for better bass response (extension and distortion), which I'm not as concerned about. Others might weight that bass improvement more highly or be less sensitive to midrange and treble issues than me, which would make the other WoF alternatives more attractive.
And there's one hidden benefit to the HD 6x0 series: as it has the unusual combination of high performance, reasonable cost, ubiquity and longevity, I can pretty safely say that if I want to listen to an HD 600 for the rest of my life, I probably can. Even if it's eventually discontinued, there are tens of thousands of them out there, meaning if mine ever breaks, I can just get another one relatively cheaply or cannibalize a donor unit for replacement parts. Try that with literally any of the current megabux flagships, say, ten years down the road from now, and you'll find it's either nearly impossible to find another one or else it'll cost you a mint to buy it.
It really comes down to what's most important to you. For me, it's midrange accuracy, treble smoothness, coherence and overall balance. The HD 600 is unbeatable in its price range for this list of criteria, and it might well be currently unbeatable period, since most of the "better" headphones on that list trade mastery in at least some of these criteria for better bass response (extension and distortion), which I'm not as concerned about. Others might weight that bass improvement more highly or be less sensitive to midrange and treble issues than me, which would make the other WoF alternatives more attractive.
And there's one hidden benefit to the HD 6x0 series: as it has the unusual combination of high performance, reasonable cost, ubiquity and longevity, I can pretty safely say that if I want to listen to an HD 600 for the rest of my life, I probably can. Even if it's eventually discontinued, there are tens of thousands of them out there, meaning if mine ever breaks, I can just get another one relatively cheaply or cannibalize a donor unit for replacement parts. Try that with literally any of the current megabux flagships, say, ten years down the road from now, and you'll find it's either nearly impossible to find another one or else it'll cost you a mint to buy it.
Midgetguy
Headphoneus Supremus
My HD600 isn't leaving the stable anytime soon.
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I got HD600 and have question which third party cable can replace the stock one? Thanks for help.
Midgetguy
Headphoneus Supremus
Just search for an HD600 cable and you'll probably find one. They range anywhere from under $20 to several hundred dollars. I'm personally using this one, which is cheap and meets my needs:
https://www.amazon.com/NewFantasia-Replacement-Sennheiser-headphones-1-2meters/dp/B01D76YYKA/
Important thing is just to take note of the connectors and read the vendor descriptions for what headphones the cable for sale fits.
I like the replacement cables I have from Periapt cables and Venus Audio. They are reasonably priced cables.
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