[Vitaliy Belz]

Delete

 

[runssical]

First Photo: the late American composer George Crumb (1929-2022) reviews a score during a recording session at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania while wearing a pair of HD600.

Second Photo: Crumb wears a pair of HD600 during a recording production with Bridge Records.

 

[runssical]

Photo: composer Arvo Pärt and conductor Kristjan Järvi on the set of a Sony project to record the composer's orchestral music. Both wearing the HD600. Photo from 2010.

 

[runssical]

My last two pictorial posts are intended to demonstrate the respect that the Sennheiser HD600 headphones commanded among engineers, composers and conductors within the rarefied domain of classical music. There may be more expensive, if not better, headphones on the market today but the HD6x0 series which was introduced 30 years are still excellent headphones.

 

[bagwell359]

@Livnmuskoka thanks for your feedback! Most people, who eventually stayed with HD600 point out that timbre and tonality is what mattered more to them than any other aspect. I wonder if that's the conclusion we are all going to reach at some point, sooner or later. I wonder if that is the solution to finally get satisfaction with headphones and stick with one model instead of switching every couple of weeks or months like I did. Hifiman planars used to be the most spectacular when I started my journey, but then my preferences shifted in a completely different direction (I went from HE-400SE through Sundara, Hi-X65, M1570, TH610 to DT880/600 and countless IEMs) and really the only headphones with perfect sound quality for my needs were M1570 and they were something I could probably stay with forever, but then the weight, comfort, headband, proprietary connectors were as crap as it gets. I think it's finally time to try the legendary HD600 on OTL and see if they pass the trial of time.

600's have limitations - bass dynamics, and overall dynamics. I found the Custom Cans mod not to be a good solution to the bass issue. Of course the bass is quick, and have good timbre, it just doesn't hammer under 70 Hz. For that, get a different headphones. PEQ can fix the issues in the 3-7k area (sorry fans, they are hot in there).

Once you understand what they do and don't do, relax. I use for chamber music and mid timbre purity. I do like them on OTL tubes better, even fairly cheap ones.

For heavier sorts of music I use some of the HFM's not on your list HE-500 and 6 SE (but with mods and PEQ)

 

[carb0mb]

I have the HD600. Is there anyone here who has both the 600 and the 650 who can recommend that I need a 650 in addition to the 600?

 

[Luckyleo]

I am selling the 650. Keeping 600. ‘Nough said

Leo

 

[Livnmuskoka]

600's have limitations - bass dynamics, and overall dynamics. I found the Custom Cans mod not to be a good solution to the bass issue. Of course the bass is quick, and have good timbre, it just doesn't hammer under 70 Hz. For that, get a different headphones. PEQ can fix the issues in the 3-7k area (sorry fans, they are hot in there).

Once you understand what they do and don't do, relax. I use for chamber music and mid timbre purity. I do like them on OTL tubes better, even fairly cheap ones.

For heavier sorts of music I use some of the HFM's not on your list HE-500 and 6 SE (but with mods and PEQ)

I use a Wiim pro plus 4 band PEQ to fix the HD600 quirks/preferences. I adjusted them according to HD600 graphs, and it makes them sound amazing. One of the adjustments is a 3db peak at 40hz, not quite up to flat but a big improvement.
If I had a 5th band, I'd use it cut bass off completely under 20hz to stop unneeded driver movement/distortion.

 

[bagwell359]

I use a Wiim pro plus 4 band PEQ to fix the HD600 quirks/preferences. I adjusted them according to HD600 graphs, and it makes them sound amazing. One of the adjustments is a 3db peak at 40hz, not quite up to flat but a big improvement.

Is it a bass shelf? You could go higher - say 70 Hz and it would increase as it goes down

If I had a 5th band, I'd use it cut bass off completely under 20hz to stop unneeded driver movement/distortion.

Yes excellent idea. They basically have no output under about 34 Hz, at 15 or 20 hz they just flap which does increase IM distortion all the way up. It's similar but not as pronounced as fancy monitor speakers that give up the ghost above 100 Hz, you cross them over to woofer at say 400 Hz - 18 db slope, you get much cleaner mids and highs from the monitor.

 

[Livnmuskoka]

Is it a bass shelf? You could go higher - say 70 Hz and it would increase as it goes down

Yes excellent idea. They basically have no output under about 34 Hz, at 15 or 20 hz they just flap which does increase IM distortion all the way up. It's similar but not as pronounced as fancy monitor speakers that give up the ghost above 100 Hz, you cross them over to woofer at say 400 Hz - 18 db slope, you get much cleaner mids and highs from the monitor.

I don't have a bass shelf, didn't want to increase bass much further down than the 40hz peak. It's adding 3db of bass at 40hz and tapers down to flat again by 70hz. It adds some needed lower bass without adding any bloat to the mid bass.

 

[equalspeace]

I am selling the 650. Keeping 600. ‘Nough said

Leo

This is the way.

 

[jsk ksj]

This is the way.

god bless AI

 

[LeonidK]

600's have limitations - bass dynamics, and overall dynamics. I found the Custom Cans mod not to be a good solution to the bass issue. Of course the bass is quick, and have good timbre, it just doesn't hammer under 70 Hz. For that, get a different headphones. PEQ can fix the issues in the 3-7k area (sorry fans, they are hot in there).

Once you understand what they do and don't do, relax. I use for chamber music and mid timbre purity. I do like them on OTL tubes better, even fairly cheap ones.

For heavier sorts of music I use some of the HFM's not on your list HE-500 and 6 SE (but with mods and PEQ)

Eventually I got HD650 with Feliks Audio Echo MKII. I couldn't decide between the two 6X0 so I decided it doesn't matter which one I buy first and I got a deal from trusty person on 650. I mean I heard both before but never on OTL so it doesn't count.

I enjoy stock tuning of 650+Echo MK2 immensely with any kinds of jazz, funk, soul, rock, vocal music. Usually these genres don't benefit much from extended treble because it's mostly percussion there. Sadly, the tonality with classical music is SO WRONG it's unbelievable, it's almost like listening to Nighthawk. Lack of treble causes wonky, echoic and shouty sound and makes upper midrange dominant. BUT - Oratory's EQ fixes this headphone completely and brings it to insane level where it's actually the most tonally correct hp I've ever had. I know soundstage on 650 is kinda terrible, but I still enjoy symphonies and chamber ensembles a lot and the timbre is just spot on. I wanted to sell them initially, but I think I'm going to withdraw from it (I'd prefer Focal Clear hands down but it's a bit too expensive for me atm). I'm just a bit disappointed because I was sure that I could use this, out of all headphones in the world, without EQ. It forces me to turn on PC and open Roon instead of just using my R26 in-built streamer. So if I have to use EQ, I could buy some Audezes anyway.
IIRC HD600 stock tonality is better for classical, I had no complaints when I demoed them in store, but that was 1.5 year ago. Perhaps I will try them too when I get the chance, but somehow I feel like 650's drivers are more capable in bass and soundstage aspects. Not by much tho.
I have to admit HD650+OTL is the first combo that made me listen to music instead of analyzing headphones 24/7. I still think M1570 are superior in every regard and they also have incredible, smooth midrange, but then what's the point of using headphones if they cause physical pain.

 

[bagwell359]

I have the HD600. Is there anyone here who has both the 600 and the 650 who can recommend that I need a 650 in addition to the 600?

The 650 has a warmer sound (mid bass -> low mids raised). So the sonic weight is lower, and the highs seem flatter because of that emphasis. They have a lot of fans. To my ear they seem cloudier/veiled - add that to tubes and its just too warm.

The 600 at its worst can sound ascetic/dry/bright. Under powered SS amp and a bright DAC will do that. But a potent SS amp or an OTL amp and what you get is the one of the few headphones that can play piano with accurate timbre from top to bottom. A window onto the music for very little $

 

[bagwell359]

Eventually I got HD650 with Feliks Audio Echo MKII.

Excellent amp!

I couldn't decide between the two 6X0 so I decided it doesn't matter which one I buy first and I got a deal from trusty person on 650. I mean I heard both before but never on OTL so it doesn't count.

I enjoy stock tuning of 650+Echo MK2 immensely with any kinds of jazz, funk, soul, rock, vocal music. Usually these genres don't benefit much from extended treble because it's mostly percussion there. Sadly, the tonality with classical music is SO WRONG it's unbelievable, it's almost like listening to Nighthawk. Lack of treble causes wonky, echoic and shouty sound and makes upper midrange dominant. BUT - Oratory's EQ fixes this headphone completely and brings it to insane level where it's actually the most tonally correct hp I've ever had. I know soundstage on 650 is kinda terrible,

Yeah PEQ helps lift the veil of the 650, and neither the 600/650 can image. On my BHCs, the 3 blob stage becomes a 5 blob stage - great for trios and quintets!

but I still enjoy symphonies and chamber ensembles a lot and the timbre is just spot on. I wanted to sell them initially, but I think I'm going to withdraw from it (I'd prefer Focal Clear hands down but it's a bit too expensive for me atm). I'm just a bit disappointed because I was sure that I could use this, out of all headphones in the world, without EQ. It forces me to turn on PC and open Roon instead of just using my R26 in-built streamer. So if I have to use EQ, I could buy some Audezes anyway.
IIRC HD600 stock tonality is better for classical, I had no complaints when I demoed them in store, but that was 1.5 year ago. Perhaps I will try them too when I get the chance, but somehow I feel like 650's drivers are more capable in bass and soundstage aspects. Not by much tho.

Interesting.

I have to admit HD650+OTL is the first combo that made me listen to music instead of analyzing headphones 24/7.

Any playback device that does that for a person is an automatic keeper