[yangian]

  Interesting point you make and when I think about it the tubes that I was using in either the BH Crack or Ember did influence my opinion of both a little.  This could be why I didn't care for the HD-600 driven by most SS amps while the HD-650 didn't sound as bad on the same SS amps, with tubes it was more a matter of preference in sound signature.

 
I also noticed by few try 600 is better to be driven by tube amplifier and 650 seems work well with SS amp.

 

[yangian]

I was stuck between the two, and since nowhere anywhere near where I live has either available for audition, I went with the HD 600 based on the raft of impressions I've read about it over the years. It just seemed like a better match for my preferences, though I would still love to hear an HD 650 someday to compare.

I think it depends on the genre of music you would listen to. 650 is more versatile.

 

[UtopiaB]

  I think if audiophiles did blind testing you would find some prefer the HD600 and some prefer the HD650.  The difference is not the headphones, it is the sound signature that each individual enjoys.  Some people will like one and some the other.
 
 
That is why they make and sell both in large numbers...

 
 
The intent behind my comment was if the criteria for testing was to listen for neutrality and overall sonic balance without deviant quirks or overt personality traits, and in that case, in a blind listening test, I believe audiophiles would give the thumbs up to the 600 over the 650. The upper bass in the 650 has a podgy hump, and the sonic signature is definitely warm, and it's definitely lacking air in the treble region. I've done many A/Bs with these two, and the 650 makes no sense to me, like I said in a previous post, you couldn't give me one for free.

 

[theaudiologist]

hey guys, my dac/amp can push this headphone to 105dB. is that enough for peaks? will i hear all the instruments and details?

 

[DavidA]

   
 
The intent behind my comment was if the criteria for testing was to listen for neutrality and overall sonic balance without deviant quirks or overt personality traits, and in that case, in a blind listening test, I believe audiophiles would give the thumbs up to the 600 over the 650. The upper bass in the 650 has a podgy hump, and the sonic signature is definitely warm, and it's definitely lacking air in the treble region. I've done many A/Bs with these two, and the 650 makes no sense to me, like I said in a previous post, you couldn't give me one for free.

Your descriptions of the sound from the HD-600 and HD-650 make them seem like 2 radically different headphones which is not a very common view shared by many, most say that there are differences but its not as drastic as you make it out to be.  Even someone like Tyll who is a well respected reviewer does not make them out to be so drastically different.  I don't quite understand why you are so negative in your opinion of the HD-650.

 

[heishiro]

  The intent behind my comment was if the criteria for testing was to listen for neutrality and overall sonic balance without deviant quirks or overt personality traits, and in that case, in a blind listening test, I believe audiophiles would give the thumbs up to the 600 over the 650. The upper bass in the 650 has a podgy hump, and the sonic signature is definitely warm, and it's definitely lacking air in the treble region. I've done many A/Bs with these two, and the 650 makes no sense to me, like I said in a previous post, you couldn't give me one for free.

same here, i found the 650 to be too warm, boring and lifeless...

 

[UtopiaB]

What I don't understand is why people who apparently like the 600 feel the need to defend the 650 in the 600 thread?? We get it, you like the 650, please tell the guys over in the 650 thread your feelings about it. But I thought the 600 thread is where we get to laud the 600

 
IMO, the people claiming that the 600 and 650 have very similar sound, are dreaming. I have an opinion of the 650, i've heard it, i've listened to it, i've auditioned it, i've A/Bed it, time and time again, I don't like it! The sound is warm, veiled and dark, simple as that. Smooth yes, endearing metallic treble yes, but warm and dark overall, not desirable, whereas the 600 is open-sounding and clear and balanced and neutral and accurate. The 650 and 600 sound quite different. One is clearly better than the other, they can't both be right! Never mind preference, one of them is more right than the other, that's my point, and the 600 users have obviously voted with their money, true or false? The sound signature of the 650 is well-known, and the majority of 600 users don't like the 650, not just me.

 

[yangian]

 
Your descriptions of the sound from the HD-600 and HD-650 make them seem like 2 radically different headphones which is not a very common view shared by many, most say that there are differences but its not as drastic as you make it out to be.  Even someone like Tyll who is a well respected reviewer does not make them out to be so drastically different.  I don't quite understand why you are so negative in your opinion of the HD-650.

Agree. Though I like 600, since I mainly listen to symphony. I really felt they are so similar, that the main reason I returned 650 before.

 

[Midgetguy]

  What I don't understand is why people who apparently like the 600 feel the need to defend the 650 in the 600 thread?? We get it, you like the 650, please tell the guys over in the 650 thread your feelings about it. But I thought the 600 thread is where we get to laud the 600

 
IMO, the people claiming that the 600 and 650 have very similar sound, are dreaming. I have an opinion of the 650, i've heard it, i've listened to it, i've auditioned it, i've A/Bed it, time and time again, I don't like it! The sound is warm, veiled and dark, simple as that. Smooth yes, endearing metallic treble yes, but warm and dark overall, not desirable, whereas the 600 is open-sounding and clear and balanced and neutral and accurate. The 650 and 600 sound quite different. One is clearly better than the other, they can't both be right! Never mind preference, one of them is more right than the other, that's my point, and the 600 users have obviously voted with their money, true or false? The sound signature of the 650 is well-known, and the majority of 600 users don't like the 650, not just me.

The problem isn't that people are talking about/liking/defending the HD650 in this thread. They are both similar headphones in every way besides sound signature (to my ears at least and I feel there is enough difference to hear, not enough to outright hate one or the other, YMMV). And being from the same manufacturer with very similar design, this naturally makes a comparative talking point. The point I'd like to get to is that it's closed-minded to outright say one is "wrong" while the other is not. I prefer the HD600 too, but that doesn't make the HD650 "wrong", just different. The HD600 may sound like it's far better than the HD650 to you, but that's not going to be the case to everyone. "They can't both be right." Except they can; audio is subjective, there is no absolute right or wrong.

 

[Brooko]

What I don't understand is why people who apparently like the 600 feel the need to defend the 650 in the 600 thread?? We get it, you like the 650, please tell the guys over in the 650 thread your feelings about it. But I thought the 600 thread is where we get to laud the 600:blink:

IMO, the people claiming that the 600 and 650 have very similar sound, are dreaming. I have an opinion of the 650, i've heard it, i've listened to it, i've auditioned it, i've A/Bed it, time and time again, I don't like it! The sound is warm, veiled and dark, simple as that. Smooth yes, endearing metallic treble yes, but warm and dark overall, not desirable, whereas the 600 is open-sounding and clear and balanced and neutral and accurate. The 650 and 600 sound quite different. One is clearly better than the other, they can't both be right! Never mind preference, one of them is more right than the other, that's my point, and the 600 users have obviously voted with their money, true or false? The sound signature of the 650 is well-known, and the majority of 600 users don't like the 650, not just me.

No actually this is the HD600 impressions thread. There are no such thing as appreciation threads. And comparisons to other headphones is fine. Also (respectfully) who made your opinion better than anyone else? I could also make s statement such as "anyone who says the HD600 and HD650 are vastly different is over exaggerating". And I actually think my statement is more realistic than yours. Take a look at the graphs. And see if you can get both an HD600 and HD650 to A/B together. Make sure they have similar vintage and pad wear. Volume match properly with an SPL meter and spend a few days with both.

The modern HD600 and HD650 do sound very close - so close that after a while you can forget which one you have on your head.

 

[Argyris]

  The problem isn't that people are talking about/liking/defending the HD650 in this thread. They are both similar headphones in every way besides sound signature (to my ears at least and I feel there is enough difference to hear, not enough to outright hate one or the other, YMMV). And being from the same manufacturer with very similar design, this naturally makes a comparative talking point. The point I'd like to get to is that it's closed-minded to outright say one is "wrong" while the other is not. I prefer the HD600 too, but that doesn't make the HD650 "wrong", just different. The HD600 may sound like it's far better than the HD650 to you, but that's not going to be the case to everyone. "They can't both be right." Except they can; audio is subjective, there is no absolute right or wrong.

 
Well said. I was going to post a long-winded, self-reflective novel yesterday with basically the same message, but your version is far more concise and gets the point across quite well.
 
The way I look at the difference between the HD 600 and HD 650 is as a difference in perspective. The HD 600 gets you closer to the action, and the HD 650 positions you a little further away. Both seem like perfectly valid perspectives to me, and which you prefer depends on what you're looking for and probably what you're used to. Over the years I've seen advocates for both on a fairly even basis, and I've read the same arguments for and against each model ad nauseam. I've also read arguments about the HD 6x0 headphones as a class that, now as an HD 600 owner, I fail to see eye to eye on. I've learned over time that there's no accounting for taste, and that people will prefer different things. Sennheiser clearly has figured out the same thing, as they continue to offer the HD 600 and HD 650 side by side. Now if only they would get rid of the pointless price differential....

 

[DavidA]

   
Well said. I was going to post a long-winded, self-reflective novel yesterday with basically the same message, but your version is far more concise and gets the point across quite well.
 
The way I look at the difference between the HD 600 and HD 650 is as a difference in perspective. The HD 600 gets you closer to the action, and the HD 650 positions you a little further away. Both seem like perfectly valid perspectives to me, and which you prefer depends on what you're looking for and probably what you're used to. Over the years I've seen advocates for both on a fairly even basis, and I've read the same arguments for and against each model ad nauseam. I've also read arguments about the HD 6x0 headphones as a class that, now as an HD 600 owner, I fail to see eye to eye on. I've learned over time that there's no accounting for taste, and that people will prefer different things. Sennheiser clearly has figured out the same thing, as they continue to offer the HD 600 and HD 650 side by side. Now if only they would get rid of the pointless price differential....

Agree with this point, but the funny thing is the replacement driver for the HD-600 cost more than the HD-650, go figure

 

[Brooko]

It's one of the reasons I've often thought about buying a pair of HD650 drivers and just throwing them in - see if I like it.

 

[yangian]

It's one of the reasons I've often thought about buying a pair of HD650 drivers and just throwing them in - see if I like it.

 


I read that they are the same drivers. And such test has been done and it'll be just 600 if you use the cavities of 600.

 

[DavidA]

 

It's one of the reasons I've often thought about buying a pair of HD650 drivers and just throwing them in - see if I like it.

 


I read that they are the same drivers. And such test has been done and it'll be just 600 if you use the cavities of 600.

Interesting, I didn't know they were the same drivers, do you have a link to where they confirmed this? seems like interesting reading