[jonathan c]

This headphone continually knocks my socks off. Currently running it with a Forza Noir MkII cable from the Singxer SA-1 fed by the SMSL SU-9 dac/xDuoo x10T II (transport) combo. Best i’ve heard, and I’ve owned quite a few newer/more expensive headphones

Two possible next stops for you and HD-600:
1. Custom Cans UK driver backweight modification: $70 approximate.
2. Schiit Audio Valhalla II output transformer less tube hpa: $349 + shipping. The Valhalla II can handle high and low impedance hps. I own it, with three other tube hpa, and use it with Beyerdynamic DT880 at 600 ohms to Audeze LCD-X at 20 ohms.

 

[Strat1117]

Two possible next stops for you and HD-600:
1. Custom Cans UK driver backweight modification: $70 approximate.
2. Schiit Audio Valhalla II output transformer less tube hpa: $349 + shipping. The Valhalla II can handle high and low impedance hps. I own it, with three other tube hpa, and use it with Beyerdynamic DT880 at 600 ohms to Audeze LCD-X at 20 ohms.

Do you know if there a US source for the custom cans mod or do you order it direct from them in the uk?
Thanks.

 

[equalspeace]

Two possible next stops for you and HD-600:
1. Custom Cans UK driver backweight modification: $70 approximate.
2. Schiit Audio Valhalla II output transformer less tube hpa: $349 + shipping. The Valhalla II can handle high and low impedance hps. I own it, with three other tube hpa, and use it with Beyerdynamic DT880 at 600 ohms to Audeze LCD-X at 20 ohms.

I don't know about the mod dude. I tend to be of the mind that you can only worsen the sound by changing what Senn intended. But I'm open to your impressions regarding what Custon Cans UK did to change the sound characteristics of your 600.

Re amps was looking to get a custom built Bottlehead Crack. Prob will go that route soon.

 

[donlin]

I don't know about the mod dude. I tend to be of the mind that you can only worsen the sound by changing what Senn intended. But I'm open to your impressions regarding what Custon Cans UK did to change the sound characteristics of your 600.

Re amps was looking to get a custom built Bottlehead Crack. Prob will go that route soon.

Totally agree with you about not doing the mod.

 

[Dawgfish]

No harm in the mods if they are reversible. I love the curtain mod on the 58X. Transforms it into a much better headphone. I need to read up on the Custom Cans mods. Don't really know anything about them.

 

[jonathan c]

I don't know about the mod dude. I tend to be of the mind that you can only worsen the sound by changing what Senn intended. But I'm open to your impressions regarding what Custon Cans UK did to change the sound characteristics of your 600.

The Custom Cans UK mod is reversible. I have comments on it and on a modification by me: post #20,986 of this thread. Two photographs from that post are below. [I see that you ‘liked’ that post.]

 

[jonathan c]

Do you know if there a US source for the custom cans mod or do you order it direct from them in the uk?
Thanks.

Direct. You can contact @jfunk, a fellow HeadFier and principal of Custom Cans, for more information.

 

[equalspeace]

The Custom Cans UK mod is reversible. I have comments on it and on a modification by me: post #20,986 of this thread. Two photographs from that post are below. [I see that you ‘liked’ that post.]

Oh lol. I have look at it again then. I’ll check it. Nice to know the mod is reversible. If i did go ahead with CC UK I’d prob buy a modded pair from them straight away rather than send my 600 there. I can’t be w/out it for too long

 

[jonathan c]

Oh lol. I have look at it again then. I’ll check it. Nice to know the mod is reversible. If i did go ahead with CC UK I’d prob buy a modded pair from them straight away rather than send my 600 there. I can’t be w/out it for too long

I actually bought the HD600 equipped with the CNC backweight from Custom Cans. The earfoam replacement I did myself. I should tell you that the low capacitance cable that Custom Cans makes for the HD600 (mod or not) is fantastic.

And one last item (from the Custom Cans thread):

 

[Strat1117]

Oh lol. I have look at it again then. I’ll check it. Nice to know the mod is reversible. If i did go ahead with CC UK I’d prob buy a modded pair from them straight away rather than send my 600 there. I can’t be w/out it for too long

From what I saw on their website, the mod looks pretty simple to do yourself. No need to send the headphones to them. Also, adding a little weight makes logical sense to me - I have experimented with brass weights on small tower and monitor speakers (and other stereo equipment) and it can have a positive effect if you don’t go overboard - too much can deaden the sound. Caution though - the CC mod is only MOSTLY reversible; you can remove the weights but you can’t replace the rear foam disc (which I’ve already removed from my 600’s to give them a little more air). With the 650’s, I went a different route - Dekoni hybrid pads to slightly smooth out and tighten the bass response, and custom made mogami/furutech cables, which I bought because I needed the length (15’), but which also added some transparency as a bonus. Changing pads did not work for me with the 600’s. These two sets of cans as modified continue to hold their own among some much pricier competition. Of course, I’m old enough to still remember when these were Sennheiser’s TOTL, and I still think of them as something to be desired. I power them with solid state Burson class A amps and they never fail to make me happy. IMHO, with proper care and feeding, the 600/650 are not merely relevant, but are an exceptionally satisfying listen.

 

[jonathan c]

From what I saw on their website, the mod looks pretty simple to do yourself. No need to send the headphones to them. Also, adding a little weight makes logical sense to me - I have experimented with brass weights on small tower and monitor speakers (and other stereo equipment) and it can have a positive effect if you don’t go overboard - too much can deaden the sound. Caution though - the CC mod is only MOSTLY reversible; you can remove the weights but you can’t replace the rear foam disc (which I’ve already removed from my 600’s to give them a little more air). With the 650’s, I went a different route - Dekoni hybrid pads to slightly smooth out and tighten the bass response, and custom made mogami/furutech cables, which I bought because I needed the length (15’), but which also added some transparency as a bonus. Changing pads did not work for me with the 600’s. These two sets of cans as modified continue to hold their own among some much pricier competition. Of course, I’m old enough to still remember when these were Sennheiser’s TOTL, and I still think of them as something to be desired. I power them with solid state Burson class A amps and they never fail to make me happy. IMHO, with proper care and feeding, the 600/650 are not merely relevant, but are an exceptionally satisfying listen.

At this point, I own eight headphones - from Audeze LCD-X to ZMF Auteur. The Sennheiser HD-600 has always been in my active listening rotation. The HD-600 does not get much ‘downtime’.

 

[Strat1117]

At this point, I own eight headphones - from Audeze LCD-X to ZMF Auteur. The Sennheiser HD-600 has always been in my active listening rotation. The HD-600 does not get much ‘downtime’.

I’m not surprised. I’ve had LCD-X, Ananda, Focal Elear, among others, and decided to sell them all and kept only the 600 and 650. As I believe you mentioned earlier, at 300 ohms, the sennheiser 600/650 have the ability to scale with a badass amplifier in a much more spectacular way than even megabuck headphones which are designed with substantially lower impedance to sound good from your phone. Again, the caveat being that I’m an old school guy who believes that investing in a quality amp will ultimately give you a ton more musical satisfaction than a lesser amp with fancier speakers (headphones). One can always upgrade the cans later, IF you still want to. Im listening to Garcia, Grisman & Rice (Pizza Tapes) right now on a naim CD player with hi-cap2, into the preamp section of a plinius hautonga integrated into the Burson Soloist feeding the 650s, and it just doesn’t get much better than this. If you listen to headphones for intimacy, as I do (I’ve got a multi-megabuck stereo system for soundstage, space, imaging and the like), then a properly fed pair of 600/650 with the right amp and sources just might be the ticket.

YMMV, just my 2 cents, etc., etc.

 

[Strat1117]

Direct. You can contact @jfunk, a fellow HeadFier and principal of Custom Cans, for more information.

I ordered the CC copper weight mod direct. US$53 shipped. Now comes the hard part - waiting for it to arrive…

 

[jonathan c]

I ordered the CC copper weight mod direct. US$53 shipped. Now comes the hard part - waiting for it to arrive…

You will find it to be a very well spent $53. What hp cable will you use? The backweight modded HD-600 will definitely scale up to a cable upgrade.

 

[john2000]

I’m not surprised. I’ve had LCD-X, Ananda, Focal Elear, among others, and decided to sell them all and kept only the 600 and 650. As I believe you mentioned earlier, at 300 ohms, the sennheiser 600/650 have the ability to scale with a badass amplifier in a much more spectacular way than even megabuck headphones which are designed with substantially lower impedance to sound good from your phone. Again, the caveat being that I’m an old school guy who believes that investing in a quality amp will ultimately give you a ton more musical satisfaction than a lesser amp with fancier speakers (headphones). One can always upgrade the cans later, IF you still want to. Im listening to Garcia, Grisman & Rice (Pizza Tapes) right now on a naim CD player with hi-cap2, into the preamp section of a plinius hautonga integrated into the Burson Soloist feeding the 650s, and it just doesn’t get much better than this. If you listen to headphones for intimacy, as I do (I’ve got a multi-megabuck stereo system for soundstage, space, imaging and the like), then a properly fed pair of 600/650 with the right amp and sources just might be the ticket.

YMMV, just my 2 cents, etc., etc.

I definitely agree with this. I've tried a bunch of higher end planars and dynamics but 600/650 have a certain magic I feel no other headphone has