Let me put it this way, if you are buying new today, high price is not a guarantee of high-end sound but you cannot get high-end sound without paying a high price (MSRP obviously, doesn't apply if you buy used or buy direct form the factory without a dealer network).
Sadly a lot of fancy and very expensive boutique stuff out there. : (
Just to add...and probably why I keep adding HD600 series headphones to my roster...never had one fail, distort, they always sound rather good, all the parts are user replaceable, I like the form factor and fit...there is just a piece of mind in owning a pair...what's not to like. And looks like the new S2 makes them even better. : )
I don't think it is going to happen anytime soon, for various reasons... Mainly though because (pro) Sennheiser/Neumann do not target the "audiophile" listeners so they do not send samples for official reviews to be published in forums like this one.
And that is the dumbest thing ever. You make it sound like Sennheiser got every reviewer and everyone by the balls and make puppets of them. Hilarious but has a darker shade of truth.
Not really sure what is the story exactly on Axel, I believe he became more of an engineering consultant (I know a few engineers in other fields, this is not uncommon especially after they gain a lot of experience).
Edit: I actually remembered a dac that I like that's sub $5k - it's dangerous music convert 2. Not the most user friendly being a studio gear but it's a near high-end sound. It's sub $5k because they sell crap loads of this to studios and have economics of scale in terms of manufacturing and BOM costs.
Relative HeadFi newbie here, but I'm not sure I understand why it makes sense to pair a $500 headphone with a $10000 source chain in order for the test and review of that headphone to be "valid".
In the review that started all this (post #1026), the author talked about all the gear he'd trialed previously using a known and trusted JDS stack. He described impressions of the differences between HD6x0 models that seemed legit (I can't speak from experience but they at least appeared to be in line with other things I've read about the series). So if a reviewer is equipped (in every sense of the word) to discuss differences between the 600 and 660S, I'm going to go ahead and extend them the latitude to discuss the 660S2.
$500 is a mid-fi price. I am a mid-fi buyer. I am going to pay the most attention to reviews that reflect a mid-fi focus.
I think Axel Grell worked for Sennheiser/Neumann as an independent. I didn’t know that Sennheiser itself had split. I’ve learned something in the thread!
Relative HeadFi newbie here, but I'm not sure I understand why it makes sense to pair a $500 headphone with a $10000 source chain in order for the test and review of that headphone to be "valid".
In the review that started all this (post #1026), the author talked about all the gear he'd trialed previously using a known and trusted JDS stack. He described impressions of the differences between HD6x0 models that seemed legit (I can't speak from experience but they at least appeared to be in line with other things I've read about the series). So if a reviewer is equipped (in every sense of the word) to discuss differences between the 600 and 660S, I'm going to go ahead and extend them the latitude to discuss the 660S2.
$500 is a mid-fi price. I am a mid-fi buyer. I am going to pay the most attention to reviews that reflect a mid-fi focus.
Bottlenecking and scaling. Same reason you don’t test 4090 on a Pentium. We are talking about published professional reviews here not people’s impressions.
Edit: you are only hearing a fraction of what 600 is capable of on a JDS stack. So any comparison with that combo is automatic DNF for me.
after spending few more days with 660s2 i would like to share some ideas
a better cable helps, i picked a copper cable to enhance the mids and it did gets a better frontal depth with more body to the mids.
i did some comparison with dt900prox send by a friend, and dt900prox does present a larger soundstage with shaper imaging. however 660s2 have more body in the mids and lows makes it more engaging with pop songs.
nighthawk from audioquest have very similar presentation in soundstage and bodys but much darker and colored not as clean as 660s2.
660s2 reminds me of zmf atrium a lot, but for obvious reason atrium is better in almost every way. but 660s2 does not fall behind that far compare to their price.
660s2 is not a headphone that gives you technical wonders, but it is light weight and relatively comfortish. most importantly it does not fall short in any category makes it a pretty good all rounder for any music type.
modhouse argon is a strong contender at the price range, i still consider current price point is bit too high for 660s2.
Bottlenecking and scaling. Same reason you don’t test 4090 on a Pentium. We are talking about published professional reviews here not people’s impressions.
Edit: you are only hearing a fraction of what 600 is capable of on a JDS stack. So any comparison with that combo is automatic DNF for me.
Alright here are the top misconceptions about sources：
6. Compared to speakers, it is more difficult to judge the quality of a source on headphones because it’s a compromised reproduction medium and the small sound they produce.
I would agree there. It is easier to judge such things as headphones remove the confound of room modes. Regardless, you can't hear the difference between properly designed sources unless a company is deliberately coloring their device, which is of course ridiculous and by definition, flawed. Amplifiers and DACs are meant to get out of the way, that's it. They should contribute absolutely nothing to the sound characteristics you perceive at all, that happens unavoidably at the speaker.
And yes, I have to admit, unless you are absolutely loaded with money and it makes no difference, it seems possibly uninformed and unwise to spend thousands on an amplifier or DAC when spending hundreds will already get you to the point of audible transparency. However, if you truly believe that you are hearing a difference between audibly transparent devices, more power to you. The placebo effect is a real effect, even if the work is done with our imagination. Whatever makes someone smile is just fine.
EDIT: I changed part of a sentence as it was not correct to talk about a decision the way I had. I figured the change better reflected how I feel and is more respectful.
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: )
Mainly though because (pro) Sennheiser/Neumann do not target the "audiophile" listeners so they do not send samples for official reviews to be published in forums like this one.
