[KG Jag]

You might want to start a conversation with this poster:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/597996/hd650-iphone-remote-cable-amping-with-remote-and-a-baggie

 

[Dubstep Girl]

sennheiser hd 650 works with iphone, yes you will not hear everything the hd 650 has to offer, and you have to have iphone on max volume to get anywhere near decent hearing levels, but it will work, at least until you can afford to buy an amp. 

 

[stv014]

Quote:

The frequency issue I mentioned is because the impedance of headphones varies according to the signal frequency. The HD650 can go upto 550 Ohms @ 100 Hz, hence low response in the bass region.

 
No, the lack of bass is because the phone is either still not loud enough (see equal loudness contour), or it is loud enough only at the expense of severe distortion, which may be perceived as missing frequencies, in addition to generally poor sound quality, or both. Impedance peaks like that of the HD650 do not reduce bass, since most headphones are expected to be driven from constant voltage sources, in fact they increase bass with high output impedance. Also, what is loud enough, and hence the required amount of power, is highly variable depending on personal preferences and the dynamic range of the music; that is why you occasionally see people claiming that 600 Ohm headphones sound fine from an iPod or other low power device.

 

[paulc35]

I am new to this forum as well has high-end headphone equipment in general. I was wondering how well Sennheiser 650's would fare powered by an iPhone. I understand listening without an amp is not doing these hp's justice. I plan on purchasing an amp in the near future for movies and listening at home, however, for now I will be without one. Will the difference between lower end headphones and the 650's be noticeable without an amp? Is there anything portable than can be used to enhance the listening experience.
-Excuse my ignorance
Thank you

Edit*
Do they even work without an amp?

Yes I know this is a very old post, but in case someone else reads this. The thing that was in question was running, or not running Senheiser HD650s from an Iphone. First I second..Are you kidding me?? I thought audiophiles hung out here. Forget the fact that these are 300 ohm headphones and that you think those senheisers sound just fine from the iphone . First even if you think it sounds ok you are putting a tremendous load on that little iphoneand may fry it. Second why are you buying headphones like this to run off an iphone. IT's a huge waste of hundreds of dollars. Headphones for an iphone shouldn't be anymore than a $60 expenditure. You all are buying Corvettes with a lawnmower motor. You are not and will not benefit anything at all and actually will suffer from trying to use an iphone, or any phone to power these headphones. Go get an Oppo HA 2se, or Chord mojo then pair it with your phone for the source at a minimum. You not only need an amp you also need a good Dac. I keep seeing in different places people talking about and writing reviews on headphones like the Senheisers, or Hifiman and AKG 701, 702s and running them from their phone. I'm not sure who out there convinced people they needed headphones like these, but until you have a good dedicated headphone dac/amp quit wasting your money on headphones that cost 3-600 dollars. Get yourself a set of entry lever Audio Technica, or AKG if you want a decent set to listen to tunes from your iphone.

 

[hungping]

My definition of "working" may be quite different. But I found HD600, HD650, or even 6XX sound terrible with iphone6s (even 7 or 8).

 

[DevilDog]

Yes I know this is a very old post, but in case someone else reads this. The thing that was in question was running, or not running Senheiser HD650s from an Iphone. First I second..Are you kidding me?? I thought audiophiles hung out here. Forget the fact that these are 300 ohm headphones and that you think those senheisers sound just fine from the iphone . First even if you think it sounds ok you are putting a tremendous load on that little iphoneand may fry it. Second why are you buying headphones like this to run off an iphone. IT's a huge waste of hundreds of dollars. Headphones for an iphone shouldn't be anymore than a $60 expenditure. You all are buying Corvettes with a lawnmower motor. You are not and will not benefit anything at all and actually will suffer from trying to use an iphone, or any phone to power these headphones. Go get an Oppo HA 2se, or Chord mojo then pair it with your phone for the source at a minimum. You not only need an amp you also need a good Dac. I keep seeing in different places people talking about and writing reviews on headphones like the Senheisers, or Hifiman and AKG 701, 702s and running them from their phone. I'm not sure who out there convinced people they needed headphones like these, but until you have a good dedicated headphone dac/amp quit wasting your money on headphones that cost 3-600 dollars. Get yourself a set of entry lever Audio Technica, or AKG if you want a decent set to listen to tunes from your iphone.

One of the questions was will they even work. Yes, they WILL work. It won't the absolute best sound you would ever be capable of getting out of a 650, but they WILL work. I don't agree with those that say they sound fine, I think maybe those people haven't heard them at their best. But I think that they sound better than a lot of people on here give them credit for. You're right, it doesn't make sense to buy a headphone like the 650s and play them straight out of an iphone particularly because it is a 300 ohm headphone and the output on iphones is not that good to begin with., but the poster wanted to know if they would work and how bad it would be. I think that was answered. In my experience, the 650s sound better than some cheaper headphones, worse than others out of a phone, an amp makes a world of difference but it is never going to bring them anywhere close to their potential because after all, it is just a phone.

 

[KG Jag]

The 650 will function out of an iPhone.

However, they won't sound as they are intended or anything remotely close to it. Quality sub-$100 headphones that are easy to drive (e.g. the CAL!) will sound much better.

Also the 650 (unlike the CAL!) is an open headphone, which means it leaks and isolates poorly. For that reason alone it is a poor choice for general use with any phone (or DAP).