[bagwell359]

I just use a bass shelf to bring the whole low end up a few dB, but with a similar little drop at ~200Hz to give the bass some shape and separation. I mostly leave the mids alone since that's the whole reason these headphones exist. Having said that, I do still kick them up a smidge at ~2k and bring them down juuuust a hair at ~3.2k.

I'm curious if pads might add a bit more liveliness. Are most of you all just rolling the stock pads, or do folks generally go for things like the ZMF pads?

If the bass shelf maxes out at 4 db at 30 Hz, and you have suitable amp, and you listen at reasonable levels than it works. But if you go say 7.5 db and run loud esp on bass heavy tracks you are courting IM distortion throughout the audible range and also HD in the bass.

Despite what I just wrote earlier I'm generally comfortable with less points of PEQ 48, 70, 130, 3.2k are the critical 4, then 5.5k, 9.5k, 1.2k if I want to get in the weeds.

Some folks really like the ZMF's, and some others. I can't help with that. I've become such a fan of the timbre/construction of the designers - that after the CC copper ring fiasco - I use less PEQ and less mods on the 600 then my two HFM's - by a good amount.

 

[Hypops]

If the bass shelf maxes out at 4 db at 30 Hz, and you have suitable amp, and you listen at reasonable levels than it works. But if you go say 7.5 db and run loud esp on bass heavy tracks you are courting IM distortion throughout the audible range and also HD in the bass.

Despite what I just wrote earlier I'm generally comfortable with less points of PEQ 48, 70, 130, 3.2k are the critical 4, then 5.5k, 9.5k, 1.2k if I want to get in the weeds.

Some folks really like the ZMF's, and some others. I can't help with that. I've become such a fan of the timbre/construction of the designers - that after the CC copper ring fiasco - I use less PEQ and less mods on the 600 then my two HFM's - by a good amount.

Yeah, bass EQ is always a tough call because pretty much every set will distort on the low end if pushed too hard. And I don't remember the impedance graph for the HD 600 off the top of my head, but IIRC it's got a serious spike somewhere in the bass region, making bass EQ potentially an even bigger issue (depending on the amp). Probably yet another reason that the HD 600 seems to like high output impedance amps.

 

[Lindholdt]

We keep bumping into each other.

Be prepared to be initially a little underwhelmed …. but wait.

The HD600 don’t do anything that has an immediate WOW factor but therein also lies their strength I believe. That is they just sound so natural without overdoing anything.

They don’t excite but they satisfy which absolutely has as much value and provides as much listening pleasure.

We do seem to visit many of the same threads
I've only unpacked then and hooked them up, so they can get hours on them before I really start to listen to them.
But did have a quick sneak peek, and I think they might offer what I feel is missing on the HD650.

My first world problem now, is that I have received so much new gear this week, I don't know where to start And time is limited

 

[Livnmuskoka]

Yeah, bass EQ is always a tough call because pretty much every set will distort on the low end if pushed too hard. And I don't remember the impedance graph for the HD 600 off the top of my head, but IIRC it's got a serious spike somewhere in the bass region, making bass EQ potentially an even bigger issue (depending on the amp). Probably yet another reason that the HD 600 seems to like high output impedance amps.

No bass spikes, just a 2db peak around 180hz. Starts climbing from 120hz up to 180, then back down to flat around 300.

 

[Hypops]

No bass spikes, just a 2db peak around 180hz. Starts climbing from 120hz up to 180, then back down to flat around 300.

Nope. Talking about impedance, not frequency response. Here's what I was talking about:

While people usually talk about these headphones as "300 Ohm" headphones, it might be more useful to talk about them as 300-600 Ohm headphones when matching them to an amp. I presume that this is also the reason that a high output impedance amp (like a Bottlehead Crack) brings bass to these headphones. Low output impedance amps with moderate power output probably just roll off the bass region entirely and might even struggle with the upper treble.

Could explain why these headphones sound pretty "flat" to me, even if their midrange still sounds fantastic. On a typical solid state amp with very low output impedance, the HD 600 might actually be something like an upside-down v-shaped tuning (is "^-shaped tuning" a thing?).

 

[Livnmuskoka]

Just so, I've been beating the PEQ drum on these too. Given 3 bass settings and the key drop around 3.2 kHz - with 10 settings I also trim them a hair around 130 Hz, 1.2 kHz, 4.5-6.5 kHz - than a little up at 6.8 kHz and bit more at 9.5 kHz - individually it can take quite a few cuts to be sure of the settings, taken as a group of those 6 if you can A/B them easily then they become clear - of course tastes might cause most to find their own settings - which is a good thing.

What amp/source?

Amp/source is Tidal streamed to Wiim Pro plus to bryston bha-1 and a balanced cable.
I set my PEQ by looking at HD600 response graphs. Ended up having completely flat response except still 1 or 2db down on low bass instead of the stock 4 or 5db down.
I also didn't raise that 3khz dip up to flat, left it around 2db down because my ears are sensitive in the 1khz to 4khz area.
Then I cut the bass off almost completely below 20hz to prevent unnecessary driver movement. Can't remember what I'm currently using the 4th band for right now, maybe raising that dip around 5khz up some.
I'll try remember to post a pic of my PEQ settings here when I get a chance.

 

[Livnmuskoka]

Nope. Talking about impedance, not frequency response. Here's what I was talking about:

While people usually talk about these headphones as "300 Ohm" headphones, it might be more useful to talk about them as 300-600 Ohm headphones when matching them to an amp. I presume that this is also the reason that a high output impedance amp (like a Bottlehead Crack) brings bass to these headphones. Low output impedance amps probably just roll off the bass region entirely and might even struggle with the upper treble.

Could explain why these headphones sound pretty "flat" to me, even if their midrange still sounds fantastic. On a typical solid state amp with very low output impedance, the HD 600 might actually be something like an upside-down v-shaped tuning.

Oh ok, I didn't catch impedance.

 

[bagwell359]

Amp/source is a Wiim Pro plus to bryston bha-1 and a balanced cable.
I set my PEQ by looking at HD600 response graphs. Ended up having completely flat response except still 1 or 2db down on low bass instead of the stock 4 or 5db down.
I also didn't raise that 3khz dip up to flat, left it around 2db down because my ears are sensitive in the 1khz to 4khz area.
Then I cut the bass off almost completely below 20hz to prevent unnecessary driver movement. Can't remember what I'm currently using the 4th band for right now, maybe raising that dip around 5khz up some.
I'll try remember to post a pic of my PEQ settings here when I get a chance.

Nice. The other thing about Harman - its wrong. It's too fat under 100, and not enough off the 3-4k area - which it seems you've figured.

I haven't studied it closely with the HD-600 but back in the old days of analog EQ's setting adjacent octave more than about 6 db from each affected phase in a negative way. In the limited time I've tried it on the 600 I like the +1.4 db @ 70, +2.6 @ 48, and -4 db @ 25 Hz - I have not tried something like -8 db yet, so not clear.

Nice amp - can drive the HE-6 6 screw which is all you need to know about planars and the BHA-1.

 

[BS5711]

We do seem to visit many of the same threads
I've only unpacked then and hooked them up, so they can get hours on them before I really start to listen to them.
But did have a quick sneak peek, and I think they might offer what I feel is missing on the HD650.

My first world problem now, is that I have received so much new gear this week, I don't know where to start And time is limited

Nice problem to have.

I think you will tough your way through it

 

[Lindholdt]

Well, the HD600 vs HD650 comparison turned out to be quite easy for me:
I prefer the HD600. It cleans up the lower midrange/upper bass, that I feel is too thick on the HD650, while also being just a tad more open in the treble, which again, is something I prefer. I feel the forward lower midrange on the HD650 masks some og the vocal performance, and I don't get that with HD600.
When I put the HD600 on OTL, I get a bit of warmth bump, but in a better way that what the HD650 offers. On OTL the HD650 becomes way too warm for my ears.

I thought this would be a tough call, based on what I saw on measurements, but listening to them, it was an easy call

 

[xeizo]

Well, the HD600 vs HD650 comparison turned out to be quite easy for me:
I prefer the HD600. It cleans up the lower midrange/upper bass, that I feel is too thick on the HD650, while also being just a tad more open in the treble, which again, is something I prefer. I feel the forward lower midrange on the HD650 masks some og the vocal performance, and I don't get that with HD600.
When I put the HD600 on OTL, I get a bit of warmth bump, but in a better way that what the HD650 offers. On OTL the HD650 becomes way too warm for my ears.

I thought this would be a tough call, based on what I saw on measurements, but listening to them, it was an easy call

It's about how I hear the difference too, I greatly prefer the HD600 over HD650. The HD660S2 is nice, sounds powerful and "HiFi" but HD600 still sounds more natural though it breaks up earlier when playing loud.

I once did comparison between HD600 and HD650 in a musical instruments shop. I played a very expensive stage piano on it's headphone out and the difference was simply with the HD600 I thought something was wrong with the headphones as the sound came from the stage piano .... HD650 firmly sounded straight out of the headphones ...

HD600 can sound uncanny natural at times.

 

[bagwell359]

It's about how I hear the difference too, I greatly prefer the HD600 over HD650. The HD660S2 is nice, sounds powerful and "HiFi" but HD600 still sounds more natural though it breaks up earlier when playing loud.

I once did comparison between HD600 and HD650 in a musical instruments shop. I played a very expensive stage piano on it's headphone out and the difference was simply with the HD600 I thought something was wrong with the headphones as the sound came from the stage piano .... HD650 firmly sounded straight out of the headphones ...

HD600 can sound uncanny natural at times.

That's my go to instrument on the HD-600. Piano - solo and duets - top to bottom. HD-800, LCD-3, HE-6, HEK (any) - and piles more. Without EQ forget it, but even with PEQ on the others - they can't match the timbre.

As @Lindholdt and many others have noted, the 650's mid-bass -> lowest mids too much, bad match for OTL - and the highs not transparent. Senn got it right the 1st time - all the other 6**'s are lesser variations on the OG.

 

[endrasarios]

The small soundstage prevents me from truly enjoying them. I guess the neutral signature too, I want that powerful bass and sparkling treble. I understand why they're respected and recommended by the audiophile community, but for me, with the music I listen to with them (metal), the experience emotionally isn't that different from my Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds tbh. Great for audio production though, the main thing I'm feeling I'm getting my money's worth from with them. Currently looking for an upgrade.

 

[Angel III]

The small soundstage prevents me from truly enjoying them. I guess the neutral signature too, I want that powerful bass and sparkling treble. I understand why they're respected and recommended by the audiophile community, but for me, with the music I listen to with them (metal), the experience emotionally isn't that different from my Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds tbh. Great for audio production though, the main thing I'm feeling I'm getting my money's worth from with them. Currently looking for an upgrade.

What amplifier do you use?

 

[endrasarios]

What amplifier do you use?

FiiO K7