[IXOYE]

I recently upgraded to a Violectric V-222, and that amp can really dig out deep bass from the HD-600 that I didn't think was possible.

 

[Hengstenberg]

I recently upgraded to a Violectric V-222, and that amp can really dig out deep bass from the HD-600 that I didn't think was possible.

Tt seems you've never heard an HD600 on a Little Dot MKII/III. The LD sounds overall better with HDxxx and produces even more bass for 1/10 the price

 

[Luckyleo]

Tt seems you've never heard an HD600 on a Little Dot MKII/III. The LD sounds overall better with HDxxx and produces even more bass for 1/10 the price

Curious, do you own the V222 or owned one in the past?

Leo

 

[Lindholdt]

Getting the fabled HD600 within the next 2 days, very excited
Can't wait to find out if I like it better than the HD650 I also have, which in all honesty, ha e been a bit disappointing to me. No matter if I use OTL, OTC or SS with it.
Nevertheless, I look forward to trying out this benchmark in vocals

 

[TinearedOne]

Getting the fabled HD600 within the next 2 days, very excited
Can't wait to find out if I like it better than the HD650 I also have, which in all honesty, ha e been a bit disappointing to me. No matter if I use OTL, OTC or SS with it.
Nevertheless, I look forward to trying out this benchmark in vocals

I prefer mine with SS, but then my only tube amp is a Vali 2, which is quite "solid state-y." Still, I prefer the Heretic to that Vali or the Magni 3+. Curious to hear your thoughts on how it compares to the 650.

 

[BS5711]

Getting the fabled HD600 within the next 2 days, very excited
Can't wait to find out if I like it better than the HD650 I also have, which in all honesty, ha e been a bit disappointing to me. No matter if I use OTL, OTC or SS with it.
Nevertheless, I look forward to trying out this benchmark in vocals

We keep bumping into each other.

Be prepared to be initially a little underwhelmed …. but wait.

The HD600 don’t do anything that has an immediate WOW factor but therein also lies their strength I believe. That is they just sound so natural without overdoing anything.

They don’t excite but they satisfy which absolutely has as much value and provides as much listening pleasure.

 

[Luckyleo]

We keep bumping into each other.

Be prepared to be initially a little underwhelmed …. but wait.

The HD600 don’t do anything that has an immediate WOW factor but therein also lies their strength I believe. That is they just sound so natural without overdoing anything.

They don’t excite but they satisfy which absolutely has as much value and provides as much listening pleasure.

They excite me

 

[TinearedOne]

We keep bumping into each other.

Be prepared to be initially a little underwhelmed …. but wait.

The HD600 don’t do anything that has an immediate WOW factor but therein also lies their strength I believe. That is they just sound so natural without overdoing anything.

They don’t excite but they satisfy which absolutely has as much value and provides as much listening pleasure.

Yes, they literally just do everything right, so much so that I can’t even listen to my other headphones since getting them. Just zero desire. I finally have headphones that compete with my near field setup.

 

[Hypops]

Yes, they literally just do everything right, so much so that I can’t even listen to my other headphones since getting them. Just zero desire. I finally have headphones that compete with my near field setup.

Funny, this is the reason my set is the least listened to in my collection. Everything is a little too correct and measured. I generally prefer spice. I keep my HD 600 around mostly because it'll tell me things about my gear that my other headphones won't. But for actual music listening, I prefer most of my other pairs.

 

[TinearedOne]

Funny, this is the reason my set is the least listened to in my collection. Everything is a little too correct and measured. I generally prefer spice. I keep my HD 600 around mostly because it'll tell me things about my gear that my other headphones won't. But for actual music listening, I prefer most of my other pairs.

Whereas I, at this point, simply forget I’m wearing headphones when I have them on and just listen to the music. To each his own I suppose.

 

[bagwell359]

Tt seems you've never heard an HD600 on a Little Dot MKII/III. The LD sounds overall better with HDxxx and produces even more bass for 1/10 the price

I agree the HD-600 works best with amps that can deliver high current at 300 ohms, and also the addition of HD from OTL tubes has in the opinion of many a positive effect.

I think the BHCs, BHC, XDUOO T-26 are all in that order quite good with the 600. The only SS amp I really like with them is the V-281 and assuming the newer Violectrics with similar output at 300 ohms.

The counter to what you say is that it's true for the HD-600 and other 200+ ohm headphones, but if you just have one amp and like planars and other low impedance cans, you are SOL with an OTL tube.

 

[Livnmuskoka]

The HD600's without EQ sound pretty good. But with a 3db boost around 30hz and tapering back to normal by 70hz, and bringing that 3khz or so peak down, is a huge improvement to me.
They sound almost boring sometimes, but near perfect at the same time. Depends mostly on the recording, they can draw attention to nothing or wow you with the tone and accuracy.
I also have the bass EQ'd to drop off sharply below 25hz, and a slight boost around 5khz or wherever that dip is. Using the 4 bands from a Wiim Pro plus. When they up it to 8 bands soon, I'll put a slight boost back in around that 10khz dip, I've changed it to the sub bass cut for now, trying to add more clarity with the driver moving unessessarily.
The biggest change to mine lately was adding a BHA-1 with balanced cable. Has the best clarity I've heard from them and the soundstage is slightly better.

 

[bagwell359]

Whereas I, at this point, simply forget I’m wearing headphones when I have them on and just listen to the music. To each his own I suppose.

It's quite true that any piece of equipment that is basically accurate with mostly errors of omission listened too frequently w/o live music or better headphones over time can start to seem like a reference.

On my BHCs, there are quite a few moments when that's what it seems like, and given the price of them and low priced OTL amps I can't name any amp/headphone combo that can do that at the same or lower price.

But it's not perfect, not at all - but being the best combo of compromises at the price, and very long lived - hard to deny a place in the firmament.

 

[bagwell359]

The HD600's without EQ sound pretty good. But with a 3db boost around 30hz and tapering back to normal by 70hz, and bringing that 3khz or so peak down, is a huge improvement to me.
They sound almost boring sometimes, but near perfect at the same time. Depends mostly on the recording, they can draw attention to nothing or wow you with the tone and accuracy.
I also have the bass EQ'd to drop off sharply below 25hz, and a slight boost around 5khz or wherever that dip is. Using the 4 bands from a Wiim Pro plus. When they up it to 8 bands soon, I'll put a slight boost back in around that 10khz dip, I've changed it to the sub bass cut for now, trying to add more clarity with the driver moving unessessarily.
The biggest change to mine lately was adding a BHA-1 with balanced cable. Has the best clarity I've heard from them and the soundstage is slightly better.

Just so, I've been beating the PEQ drum on these too. Given 3 bass settings and the key drop around 3.2 kHz - with 10 settings I also trim them a hair around 130 Hz, 1.2 kHz, 4.5-6.5 kHz - than a little up at 6.8 kHz and bit more at 9.5 kHz - individually it can take quite a few cuts to be sure of the settings, taken as a group of those 6 if you can A/B them easily then they become clear - of course tastes might cause most to find their own settings - which is a good thing.

What amp/source?

 

[Hypops]

Just so, I've been beating the PEQ drum on these too. Given 3 bass settings and the key drop around 3.2 kHz - with 10 settings I also trim them a hair around 130 Hz, 1.2 kHz, 4.5-6.5 kHz - than a little up at 6.8 kHz and bit more at 9.5 kHz - individually it can take quite a few cuts to be sure of the settings, taken as a group of those 6 if you can A/B them easily then they become clear - of course tastes might cause most to find their own settings - which is a good thing.

I just use a bass shelf to bring the whole low end up a few dB, but with a similar little drop at ~200Hz to give the bass some shape and separation. I mostly leave the mids alone since that's the whole reason these headphones exist. Having said that, I do still kick them up a smidge at ~2k and bring them down juuuust a hair at ~3.2k.

I'm curious if pads might add a bit more liveliness. Are most of you all just rolling the stock pads, or do folks generally go for things like the ZMF pads?