[chocolates]

If it's driven to sufficient volume, does it matter? Or do amps actually change sound quality (assuming they meet basic thresholds like inaudible THD and whatnot)?

this is not the thread for that discussion

 

[donlin]

Haha, yeah? He who shall not be named being the most notorious advocate of the view I pitched? I think I'm inclined to it. I am not privy to any science suggesting otherwise.

I guess the only way for you to know for sure is to try some different amps. If they all sound the same, then it doesn't matter.

 

[equalspeace]

A smartphone doesn't have nearly enough power for an HD-600; you won't be hearing it at its best without an amp. Focal Clear, on the other hand, doesn't require an amp; you'll get the best sound possible from a smartphone's electronics. I have both headphones and tried them out with my iPhone 11 during a recent power outage. The Clears even sounded good with my 10 year old cheapie portable CD player.

I like it from my Xperia 5 ii.

Tried swapping out the foam covering the driver w a nice speaker grill cloth cut to fit with excellent effect earlier

 

[jonathan c]

All I know is I never listen to the 600's on the Rag 1 since I finished my BHC.

Own a 600, if you haven't had it on a capable OTL I don't think you have heard it.

~ Indeed! I am fortunate to own several h/p/a: tube OTL, tube OTC, hybrid tube/ss, ss. This last one is the Flux Lab FA-22, a really fine class A h/p/a. The Sennheiser HD-600 sounds wonderful, layered, reverberant etc with the FA-22: no complaints.
~ With the Woo Audio WA2 (OTL: Mullard EZ81, GEC CV2984, RFT ECC81), the HD-600 gains in stature. Everything comes through with more gravitas. The movement of air is more palpable. Emotion, excitement is more directly, more easily conveyed.
~ I certainly enjoy different pairings of h/p with h/p/a and the one below is a “sonic oasis” to which I always return. Yes, Bagwell, one hasn’t heard the HD-600 really strut its stuff until fueled by “a capable OTL”!

 

[pbarach]

If it's driven to sufficient volume, does it matter? Or do amps actually change sound quality (assuming they meet basic thresholds like inaudible THD and whatnot)?

Yes, it matters! I used an HD-600 with the headphone jack on my Denon receiver. There was plenty of volume, but the sound was very thin (and no audible distortion). Other headphones that require less power sounded fine through the AVR. Then I got a Burson HA-160 amp, which has more power than the AVR but is hardly a beast--the HD-600's sound great.

 

[abheybir]

Not able to decide which one to keep for life!! Initial impressions one has nice airy treble extensions while other has lush musical notes.

 

[G0rt]

Consider them a set. I do.

 

[pofofo]

I think I`m in the minority here, but I really didn`t like the HD650 (HD6XX) at all. I tried for several months with SS and tube amps, but found it veiled and and such. A while after I sold the HD6XX I bought the HD600 on a whim, that one I really liked and will probably never get rid of.

 

[equalspeace]

Started to notice yesterday i'm losing some information in busy passages during classical listening. The 600 gives up a decent amount to the MDR-M1ST and the 660s in terms of imaging and soundstage. i don't think i could ever give it up either tho as it's so good for rock w it's timbre superpowers

 

[chocolates]

I think I`m in the minority here, but I really didn`t like the HD650 (HD6XX) at all. I tried for several months with SS and tube amps, but found it veiled and and such. A while after I sold the HD6XX I bought the HD600 on a whim, that one I really liked and will probably never get rid of.

you're not alone - i also found the 6XX extremely veiled, almost like a cloth over it. i corroborated my findings with multiple other people as well, so it's definitely just my ears. i haven't tried many others (2 6XX and a 650) so i'm not too sure if it was just minor QC or pad differences.

 

[Dawgfish]

Consider them a set. I do.

Same here!

 

[pofofo]

you're not alone - i also found the 6XX extremely veiled, almost like a cloth over it. i corroborated my findings with multiple other people as well, so it's definitely just my ears. i haven't tried many others (2 6XX and a 650) so i'm not too sure if it was just minor QC or pad differences.

From my short experience with HD600 the pads are very important. When I first got them (HD600, old marble), the pads on them where almost worn to shreds, but the mids where so damn good. With the new pads it`s a significant different sound which I dont like as much, hopefully the pads will wear in a bit.

 

[Strat1117]

I always go with the simple rule of headphones/speakers first and than an amplifier/DAC. These sennheisers scale, but you wont bring the performance to the top headphones in todays market. Personally if I had a budget for Mojo Audio Evo DAC I would simply buy a better headphones, but others may enjoy the tonality of HD600 too much and can live with it’s quirks

A good amp with ok headphones will always give you a better result than good headphones with an ok amp. It’s pretty obvious that the speakers (headphones) can’t correct for problems earlier in the chain. Anyone who has put together enough two channel systems knows this. Idk why the headphone guys don’t seem to accept it. Source first, then amplification, then speakers (headphones). The good news about the 600s is that they will scale up very well as you improve your sources and amplification.

 

[donlin]

A good amp with ok headphones will always give you a better result than good headphones with an ok amp. It’s pretty obvious that the speakers (headphones) can’t correct for problems earlier in the chain. Anyone who has put together enough two channel systems knows this. Idk why the headphone guys don’t seem to accept it. Source first, then amplification, then speakers (headphones). The good news about the 600s is that they will scale up very well as you improve your sources and amplification.

Agree completely.

 

[291079]

you're not alone - i also found the 6XX extremely veiled, almost like a cloth over it. i corroborated my findings with multiple other people as well, so it's definitely just my ears. i haven't tried many others (2 6XX and a 650) so i'm not too sure if it was just minor QC or pad differences.

Yes, i also disliked the 6xx because of the veil but love the hd600