[yangian]

  The SS amps that I have/had (Asgard2, headphone output of UD-301, Magni, AH-01, VX1) didn't really drive the HD-600 or HD-650 well, probably not as good match compared to the BH Crack and Ember and it also could be my personal taste/preferences.  Some of the higher end SS amps that I've heard do work quite well with the HD-650, Liquid Gold and MHA-100 really made them sing, unfortunately they didn't do as well with the HD-600 for me.

I have a SS and a OTL from Taobao. 600 sounds better on tubes and 650 sounds better on SSs. Later I got a Valhalla 2. Unfortunately, I had returned 650. Actually I like 600 on SSs. The main complain on SS is obvious smaller soundstage compared to OTL. I read before it was said only high end SS amp. could drive 6x0 really well. Tube amplifiers are relatively cheap. But if you were addicted to tube rolling, that's a abyss

 

 

[DavidA]

 

I have a SS and a OTL from Taobao. 600 sounds better on tubes and 650 sounds better on SSs. Later I got a Valhalla 2. Unfortunately, I had returned 650. Actually I like 600 on SSs. The main complain on SS is obvious smaller soundstage compared to OTL. I read before it was said only high end SS amp. could drive 6x0 really well. Tube amplifiers are relatively cheap. But if you were addicted to tube rolling, that's a abyss

 

This is one thing that I don't agree with, most tube amps are usually more expensive than SS, at least for the ones that I've looked at.
 
And agree that tube rolling can be a abyss but not always, I went nuts with my Ember but after that it was much more controlled with my Lyr2 and BH Crack, granted I can use many of the driver tubes from the Ember with the BH Crack and Lyr2.

 

[yangian]

  This is one thing that I don't agree with, most tube amps are usually more expensive than SS, at least for the ones that I've looked at.
 
And agree that tube rolling can be a abyss but not always, I went nuts with my Ember but after that it was much more controlled with my Lyr2 and BH Crack, granted I can use many of the driver tubes from the Ember with the BH Crack and Lyr2.

 
I have two questions, David.
1. May I use 6080 tubes for Ember? If not, is it possible for Horizon?
2. Is it not more lower utput impedience is, more better SQ? What's the 35 and 120ohm setting for?

 

[DavidA]

   
I have two questions, David.
1. May I use 6080 tubes for Ember? If not, is it possible for Horizon?
2. Is it not more lower utput impedience is, more better SQ? What's the 35 and 120ohm setting for?

can't use the 6080 on the Ember as far as I check but you can use 6SN7 and if you go to the tube rolling thread for the Ember some have use adapters to go to a dual tube setup (some call it a FrankenEmber) which I haven't tried.
 
You set the output resistance/impedance at what you think sounds best but I generally change it to better match the headphone I'm using at the time, low for most planars, TH-600, SRH-1840, med for most Grado's, HD-700, HE-6X0 and HE-560, high for DT-990, T1 and HD-800.

 

[yangian]

  can't use the 6080 on the Ember as far as I check but you can use 6SN7 and if you go to the tube rolling thread for the Ember some have use adapters to go to a dual tube setup (some call it a FrankenEmber) which I haven't tried.
 
You set the output resistance/impedance at what you think sounds best but I generally change it to better match the headphone I'm using at the time, low for most planars, TH-600, SRH-1840, med for most Grado's, HD-700, HE-6X0 and HE-560, high for DT-990, T1 and HD-800.

 
Oh, really! 120ohm OR for 300ohm HD800! So HD800 is not that good at 0.1ohm setting?

 

[DavidA]

   
Oh, really! 120ohm OR for 300ohm HD800! So HD800 is not that good at 0.1ohm setting?

It can be quite bright and harsh at the 0.1 setting IMO.  My BH Crack is about 70-80 ohm with the tubes currently in use, with a 6080 it would be about 110 IIRC.  I could be wrong but the HD-800 changes it impedance quite a bit more than the HD-600 over its frequency response so the output resistance of the amp will alter the sound differently between both headphones.

 

[Pedro Oliveira]

  @Pedro Oliveira Sounds like the 650's are the ticket then! No pun intended. 
 
I'm not sensitive to that peak but I don't find them as smooth. I've been able to listen to the 650's for hours and hours no problem.

its easier to listen for long periods with the 650's then? Wich would you say is more suitable for a certain genre?
 
The fiio question was for me or for David?
 
Despite having a few problems there is stuff that sounds really cool on the hd600's.... Bloc party sounds really good on them for instance.... Listening to "Octopus" right now...
 

  It's funny, I enjoy the 650's more listening to RHCP's album Blood Sugar Sex Magik than the 600's. Flea's bass is better to listen to.
 
Definitely want to hear your thoughts when you get a chance to try them too!

 
From your description i can kind of imagine the changes on the hd600 sound to get to the hd650's sound.... on modern rock (bloc party or artic monkeys) for instance, basically the hd650 will boost the bass lines a bit and soften the guitars a bit while on the hd600 you have more lively guitars, more fleshed out vocals (slightly) bur overall a lighter sound....
 
The difference on the soundstage is that noticeable?
 
Do you think despite being similar both are worth having at the same time?
 
Edit: Pink Floyd sounds so awesome on the hd600's..... yep this are headphones for good old mastered music thats maybe i also get the buzzing thing on my ears.... i lsten to a lote of comtemporary music, from metal to edm, therefore i must get some pretty badly mastered stuff because thats were my ears feel the ringing more.... listening to pink floyd, Beatles, Queen... doesnt seem to f.... up my ears....

 

[PinkyPowers]

it's the original Sennheiser hd650 cable, works great with the hd600

Ah, thanks. I hoped that's what it was.

 

[yangian]

  It can be quite bright and harsh at the 0.1 setting IMO.  My BH Crack is about 70-80 ohm with the tubes currently in use, with a 6080 it would be about 110 IIRC.  I could be wrong but the HD-800 changes it impedance quite a bit more than the HD-600 over its frequency response so the output resistance of the amp will alter the sound differently between both headphones.

 
Oh, really! Thank you very much for such teacing!

 

[JoHit]

 
its easier to listen for long periods with the 650's then? Wich would you say is more suitable for a certain genre?
 
The fiio question was for me or for David?
 
Despite having a few problems there is stuff that sounds really cool on the hd600's.... Bloc party sounds really good on them for instance.... Listening to "Octopus" right now...
 
 
From your description i can kind of imagine the changes on the hd600 sound to get to the hd650's sound.... on modern rock (bloc party or artic monkeys) for instance, basically the hd650 will boost the bass lines a bit and soften the guitars a bit while on the hd600 you have more lively guitars, more fleshed out vocals (slightly) bur overall a lighter sound....
 
The difference on the soundstage is that noticeable?
 
Do you think despite being similar both are worth having at the same time?
 
Edit: Pink Floyd sounds so awesome on the hd600's..... yep this are headphones for good old mastered music thats maybe i also get the buzzing thing on my ears.... i lsten to a lote of comtemporary music, from metal to edm, therefore i must get some pretty badly mastered stuff because thats were my ears feel the ringing more.... listening to pink floyd, Beatles, Queen... doesnt seem to f.... up my ears....

Jazz and classical suit the 650's the best. They're good for everything else though too. 
I enjoy the 600's more on louder modern music, regardless of genre, that includes Arctic Monkeys 

. They make the mids stand out more which, for me, distracts from shallow dynamics. When I listen to the 650's the lows sound great, but they make sounds like the snare drum and vocals less apparent... Tuning into percussion instruments are a dead give away to how much dynamic range is in a song. What the 650's do is take away from their presence which makes their compressed sound even more noticeable (because I want to hear them better).
 
Soundstage and separation are better, but not very noticeable.
 
I don't think both are worth keeping. Keep the flavor you like and put the money towards a different piece of gear. I'll be parting ways with my 650's to save up for the 800's.

 
Another way to look at the 600's is like this... A-lot of recording studios use them. For the most part they translate mixes better than the 650's, because of their neutral signature.
 
@DavidA Thank you for the input. I'll be considering the Fiio X3ii next year. It'll be relegated to earbuds only though. I don't know if I can walk around in public with giant headphones.

 

[DavidA]

  Jazz and classical suit the 650's the best. They're good for everything else though too. 
I enjoy the 600's more on louder modern music, regardless of genre, that includes Arctic Monkeys 

. They make the mids stand out more which, for me, distracts from shallow dynamics. When I listen to the 650's the lows sound great, but they make sounds like the snare drum and vocals less apparent... Tuning into percussion instruments are a dead give away to how much dynamic range is in a song. What the 650's do is take away from their presence which makes their compressed sound even more noticeable (because I want to hear them better).
 
Soundstage and separation are better, but not very noticeable.
 
I don't think both are worth keeping. Keep the flavor you like and put the money towards a different piece of gear. I'll be parting ways with my 650's to save up for the 800's.

 
Another way to look at the 600's is like this... A-lot of recording studios use them. For the most part they translate mixes better than the 650's, because of their neutral signature.
 
@DavidA Thank you for the input. I'll be considering the Fiio X3ii next year. It'll be relegated to earbuds only though. I don't know if I can walk around in public with giant headphones.

Well said about keeping the one that you like better and using the funds for other gear.
 
As for going public with large headphones IIRC there was one person who uses the HD-600 in public that was on this thread a while back and my GF used to use her HD-700 which has been changed to a Ypsilon build, light and better sounding to her with the Fiio X3, she doesn't like the X3ii as much since to both of us its a touch brighter than the original X3 but with headphones like a slightly warmer headphone like a Momentum or Fidelio L1 its a pretty good pairing.

 

[Pedro Oliveira]

You guys are going to kill me but....

A&Bing between the hd600 and dt770 pro 80ohm right now (both conected to the e12) and for rock i prefer the dt770 (and i dont even like the dt770 that much). I give the upper henad to the hd600s on the vocals because they sound more natural and slightly fuller but the dt770 makes everything else sound more fun and powerfull. I am mosty listening to metal right now.... rage against the machine, audioslave, muse.... the vocals sound clearly more thin on the dt770s but the extra subbass makes the low end more fun (and i dont think the dt770 is a basscan at all, the momentums, m50x and hd25 have much more bass punch and extension.... the dt770s are not very far away from the sony mdr v6 bass response from what i recall) and the edgier treble makes guitars sound more extended and powerfull (and usually the dt770s sound too thin for my ears).

The hd600 sound clearly more warm, dark and laidback (maybe a little boring) to my ears.... although i recognize their great instrument placement, airyness and voicing.

As i clearly stated earlier.... i think i am a weird guy.... only had two open backs, hd598 and hd600, and despite recognizing that they are better on instrument placement i prefer all my closed backs to be honest.... They just feel more intimate, more fun, more engaging and immersive....

You guys can stone me at will but this is what i feel...sorry..... :/

 

[U-3C]

You guys are going to kill me but....

A&Bing between the hd600 and dt770 pro 80ohm right now (both conected to the e12) and for rock i prefer the dt770 (and i dont even like the dt770 that much). I give the upper henad to the hd600s on the vocals because they sound more natural and slightly fuller but the dt770 makes everything else sound more fun and powerfull. I am mosty listening to metal right now.... rage against the machine, audioslave, muse.... the vocals sound clearly more thin on the dt770s but the extra subbass makes the low end more fun (and i dont think the dt770 is a basscan at all, the momentums, m50x and hd25 have much more bass punch and extension.... the dt770s are not very far away from the sony mdr v6 bass response from what i recall) and the edgier treble makes guitars sound more extended and powerfull (and usually the dt770s sound too thin for my ears).

The hd600 sound clearly more warm, dark and laidback (maybe a little boring) to my ears.... althought i recognize their great instrument placement and voicing.

As i clearly stated earlier.... i think i am a weird guy.... only had two open backs, hd598 and hd600, and despite recognizing that they are much better on instrument placement i prefer all my closed backs to be honest....

You guys can stone me but this is what i feel...sorry.....

Many people are like you. Open back headphones, especially those with large soundstage can be very bizarre and unnatural for people as many do prefer a more intimate experience.

What matters is that you enjoy your music, not you spend money buying more gear to pair with your setup, changing the sound so that you can confirm other people's preferences and assumptions for them.

Above all, don't feel like you deserve to be stoned for enjoying your music, and don't stone others if they do not want to surgically transfer your hearing system into their head to enjoy music your way.

 

[JoHit]

  Well said about keeping the one that you like better and using the funds for other gear.
 
As for going public with large headphones IIRC there was one person who uses the HD-600 in public that was on this thread a while back and my GF used to use her HD-700 which has been changed to a Ypsilon build, light and better sounding to her with the Fiio X3, she doesn't like the X3ii as much since to both of us its a touch brighter than the original X3 but with headphones like a slightly warmer headphone like a Momentum or Fidelio L1 its a pretty good pairing.

If I'm outside of home, sitting somewhere, maybe on a trip or something I'll try the headphone thing and see how the 600's pair up. As for activities like walks, I want to stick with earbuds for sure. Looking for something <$100.
 
@Pedro Oliveira Like U-3C said, enjoy your music. Everyone has their own preference for how they like music to sound. 

 

[Sonic Defender]

   
For me though - the HD800S eclipses both - and sadly the HD600 will be going to a new owner once I get round to listing it.

The 800S is the real deal for sure. Loved it from OTL and solid state. Don't know what Tyll was going on about, and don't care the 800S is stunning. I sold mine as I wanted to get a Z1R and needed the funds, but I fully intend to repurchase an 800S. I just have to love how the HD600 is still so darn relevant and respected. This thread remains very active which is nice to see. I consider the DT880, while a different signature, also one that will stand the test of time and remain relevant.