[haasaaroni]

All I have to say about this live acoustic instruments discussion (and something I’ve shared on this thread before), is that as a classical guitarist, the HD 600 is the only headphone in my small collection that replicates the sound of my own guitar - and my beloved teachers’ guitars I’ve heard throughout the years - accurately. The Auteur Classic doesn’t, the 6XX doesn’t, the 8XX sure as hell doesn’t. I had to go all the way up to the ZMF Atrium to get a more faithful reproduction of classical guitar sounds than the 600’s reproduce. So needless to say, they're staying put in my system.

That said, I know of a few crappy recordings of guitarists and guitars that I know very well, and unfortunately, no headphone system on the planet will save them. And conversely, a great recording will sound good on almost anything. It really makes me appreciate great recording when I hear it. Case in point here for my old teacher’s most recent recording for your listening enjoyment:

 

[Luckyleo]

blast the 600's too - at a mighty cost. But back here in IRL with a tight budget for just one headphone and one amp and you don't want a bass cannon or "fun" V shaped sound - then get an OTL amp and a good DAC for your HD-600 - avoid the CC ring mod, get a PEQ too, and you are doing very well.

Awesome. As you say, a performance in one venue sounds recognizably different from a performance in another. The same instrument can sound wildly different from place to place (as do PA systems, monitors, etc). The true "sound" of an instrument only really emerges after you hear it in many different places in many different circumstances. There's no way to hear a live instrument separate from the space it's being played in. It's what makes studio recording such a different beast.

Anyway, yeah, next on my list is doing exactly what you describe: replacing my long-lost HD 600 and getting an OTL amp for it.

Don't forget the CC mod, as it transforms this headphone to tremendous levels! LOL

 

[WoodyLuvr]

Don't forget the CC mod, as it transforms this headphone to tremendous levels! LOL

You missed it!

...then get an OTL amp and a good DAC for your HD-600 - avoid the CC ring mod, get a PEQ too, and you are doing very well.

 

[bagwell359]

Don't forget the CC mod, as it transforms this headphone to tremendous levels! LOL

Oops missed the LOL! D'oh

 

[rafaelo]

The cc mod is non reversible? I mean only to put the rings and take them out again.

Also cannot be done on 660s as far as i can tell.

 

[kman1211]

The cc mod is non reversible? I mean only to put the rings and take them out again.

Also cannot be done on 660s as far as i can tell.

Only if you take the rear foam out, if you leave the foam in, it's easily reversible. I'm personally leaving my HD 600, 650, and 660S2 stock. I like them all as is and don't want to tweak with them as it may take away certain aspects I like about them.

 

[rafaelo]

Only if you take the rear foam out, if you leave the foam in, it's easily reversible. I'm personally leaving my HD 600, 650, and 660S2 stock. I like them all as is and don't want to tweak with them as it may take away certain aspects I like about them.

You are right. I would do it only if i had a second pair. My OCD does not allow me to do different...

 

[jonathan c]

CC modification (with ring backweight) is reversible.

 

[rafaelo]

I remember the guy says in a you tube video that in some models the ring fits perfectly but in some others does not fit and you need to cut something extra.

I am not expert though people that have done it know better.

 

[bagwell359]

CC modification (with ring backweight) is reversible.

I couldn't get the foam back in position - with it laying along the top of the spider w/ hours of attempts. Laying it back in flat isn't the same.

 

[bagwell359]

Only if you take the rear foam out, if you leave the foam in, it's easily reversible. I'm personally leaving my HD 600, 650, and 660S2 stock. I like them all as is and don't want to tweak with them as it may take away certain aspects I like about them.

The picture in my instructions show no OG foam. I remember reading a claim from from CC and one person here it's reversible. But I've read more that say it is not so. One of my OG foams ripped while removing it, the other could be put flat under the spider against the magnet well, but not arched up and attached to the spider - which is the original position. IMO it's not reversible.

 

[bagwell359]

I remember the guy says in a you tube video that in some models the ring fits perfectly but in some others does not fit and you need to cut something extra.

I am not expert though people that have done it know better.

That's about using the two sided glue tape to hold the ring down.

 

[Luckyleo]

You missed it!

I didn't miss it...... LOL. Just being sarcastic

 

[Star Ace]

For some reason, some audiophiles believe that musicians have poor headphone/earphones taste. Others also seem to think they know the instruments we play better than ourselves. Fact is that we all like what we like, and that is fine. I know which headphones sound life-like (indeed the HD600 has a natural tonality.)

A well-regarded, now retired audiophile once described a violin's sound as "smooth", but it is nothing of the sort for most violins. Good, powerful violins have certain edgy sound even with good gut strings. Smoothness can be preferred, but often is not clear/projecting enough. So I forgave his opinion as well-meaning, biased ignorance. But the point stands, some audiophiles appear to think they have "chosen ears" to distinguish between "right and wrong" (tonality.) There is much more to headphones than a frequency response graph, useful as those can be. The HD600 sounds both speaker and "instrument like," as you suggested, even if their measurements are not "in" as per the latest flavor of the month. Cymbals decay naturally despite supposedly "lacking extension," and even the bass sounds perfectly normal, as it would in real life! Incredibly well-balanced and natural, amazing product.

(Note that as far as I know the aforementioned audiophile enjoyed the HD600-my annoyances come more from the "HD600 is outdated" camp because it doesn't have the graph measurements they want.)

Haven't played classical guitar since my teens, but it is an amazing instrument!

All I have to say about this live acoustic instruments discussion (and something I’ve shared on this thread before), is that as a classical guitarist, the HD 600 is the only headphone in my small collection that replicates the sound of my own guitar - and my beloved teachers’ guitars I’ve heard throughout the years - accurately. The Auteur Classic doesn’t, the 6XX doesn’t, the 8XX sure as hell doesn’t. I had to go all the way up to the ZMF Atrium to get a more faithful reproduction of classical guitar sounds than the 600’s reproduce. So needless to say, they're staying put in my system.

That said, I know of a few crappy recordings of guitarists and guitars that I know very well, and unfortunately, no headphone system on the planet will save them. And conversely, a great recording will sound good on almost anything. It really makes me appreciate great recording when I hear it. Case in point here for my old teacher’s most recent recording for your listening enjoyment:

 

[Hypops]

For some reason, some audiophiles believe that musicians have poor headphone/earphones taste. Others also seem to think they know the instruments we play better than ourselves. Fact is that we all like what we like, and that is fine. I know which headphones sound life-like (indeed the HD600 has a natural tonality.)

A well-regarded, now retired audiophile once described a violin's sound as "smooth", but it is nothing of the sort for most violins. Good, powerful violins have certain edgy sound even with good gut strings. Smoothness can be preferred, but often is not clear/projecting enough. So I forgave his opinion as well-meaning, biased ignorance. But the point stands, some audiophiles appear to think they have "chosen ears" to distinguish between "right and wrong" (tonality.) There is much more to headphones than a frequency response graph, useful as those can be. The HD600 sounds both speaker and "instrument like," as you suggested, even if their measurements are not "in" as per the latest flavor of the month. Cymbals decay naturally despite supposedly "lacking extension," and even the bass sounds perfectly normal, as it would in real life! Incredibly well-balanced and natural, amazing product.

(Note that as far as I know the aforementioned audiophile enjoyed the HD600-my annoyances come more from the "HD600 is outdated" camp because it doesn't have the graph measurements they want.)

Haven't played classical guitar since my teens, but it is an amazing instrument!

You could also throw in the fact that even among high-caliber musicians, there are fierce debates over "proper" or "natural" sound for their respective instruments. Arguments over what is "natural" do not begin and end with recorded playback; they go all the way back to the instruments/techniques themselves.

And, yeah, as a lifelong guitarist I can say that I was horrified the first time I heard a solo violin up close and personal. There is nothing "smooth" about a violin! It takes dozens of violins and other stringed instruments all playing together to round off those harsh edges.