[Digital-Pride]

Quote:

Haha. I could think of at least a dozen 'mainstream audiophile headphones' more colored than the HD650... 

 But then again, I consider treble peaks and ringing one of the worst types of coloration.

Hmm, Purrin I've been wonder about this for some time.  Maybe you can shed some light on it.  What exactly is ringing?  I have an idea, but I would appreciate some clarification.

 

[logwed]

Quote:

Hmm, Purrin I've been wonder about this for some time.  Maybe you can shed some light on this.  What exactly is ringing?  I have an idea, but I would appreciate some clarification.

 
IIRC, it's the resonance after the driver's initial impulse. The longer the time of decay (and the lower the rate of change of amplitude), the worse the ringing.

 

[rhythmdevils]

Quote:

Now certainly there are more colored headphones out there, beats, etc, but of the 'mainstream audiophile headphones' the HD650 is certainly one of the most colored.

I can think of about 50 audiophile headphones that are more colored.  The HD650 is on the warm side for sure.  But it's not as far from neutral as most other "audiophile" headphones.  It's funny how warmth is considered more of a coloration than brightness on head-fi.  You give a headphone a bit of warmth, head-fi freaks out about how colored it is.  But the brighter a headphone is, the more "neutral" it becomes.  Warmth is a coloration, wheras brightness is simply "revealing your crappy recordings". 
 
It's because head-fiers are detail junkies, and because warmth is "pleasing" while brightness is not.  So clearly the serious head-fiers are the ones enduring the most painful listening experience possible so they can hear all the musicians farting in the background.

 

[purrin]

Grado <--- poster child for ringing.
 
More seriously, see the CSD thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/566929/headphone-csd-waterfall-plots
On how to read CSDs: http://www.head-fi.org/t/580283/lcd3-measurements (first post - first two paragraphs)
 
Good - err bad examples:
 

• Grado SR/RS (upper mids and lower treble - strong)
• LCD2r1/r2 (upper mid and lower treble - minor/moderate)
• Denon D2/5/7k (treble - moderate/strong)

 
Amazingly, Sennheiser has been very good at controlling resonances - until now. Admittedly, some people like the effect. I don't and RD wants to punch 'em in the face.

 

[pigmode]

Quote:

Haha. I could think of at least a dozen 'mainstream audiophile headphones' more colored than the HD650... 

 But then again, I consider treble peaks and ringing one of the worst types of coloration.
 

There's also the overt emphasis on the midrange and upper-midrange of the A-T W series, combined with the nasality of their closed construction. 
 

 

[purrin]

 
Quote:

There's also the overt emphasis on the midrange and upper-midrange of the A-T W series, combined with the nasality of their closed construction. 

The W stands for Wierd.
 

 

[GiacomoHoldini]

I find the HD650 dark, but still clear. Does that make sense? Veiled is often a derogatory term, but dark isn't necessarily.

And yet Maxvla just said the HD650 is dark and muffled, and I've seen others refer to the HD650 as veiled or muffled before, as well. It makes me wonder if the difference between "dark" and "veiled" is less reality and more perception or preference: if you don't dislike the de-emphasized high frequencies, it's "dark;" if you dislike same, it's "veiled."

 

[pigmode]

Quote:

 
The W stands for Wierd.
 

 
Its weird how many times I've been sucked in with my wallet. Otoh that particular sound is not without its charm, but like my ex-girlfriend says, charm gets old. 

 

[Maxvla]

You are being generous to the HD650. 'Giving it a bit of warmth' is mild compared to what they actually sound like. Dull, thick, dead. I've heard them on several systems and they never fail to disappoint. Take that same signature and give it precision and agility and you get LCD2. Bring the same signature and extend it to its fullest and you are looking at an HE90. As the clarity increases the coloration seems to be less and less and the more pleasing and natural it becomes. The coloration doesn't change it's just the combination of coloration with lower technology that really does a number on it's performance.

Treble boosted headphones surely are prevalent as well, but most don't eclipse how dark the HD650 is, hence why I say the HD650 is one of the most colored headphones out there. Most Grados are close, AKG K701 is right there along side the HD650, but on the other side of the spectrum.

 

[maverickronin]

^ Given that you're enjoying your Omega 2 I'm finding these statements pretty confusing...

 

[Digital-Pride]

Quote:

You are being generous to the HD650. 'Giving it a bit of warmth' is mild compared to what they actually sound like. Dull, thick, dead. I've heard them on several systems and they never fail to disappoint. Take that same signature and give it precision and agility and you get LCD2. Bring the same signature and extend it to its fullest and you are looking at an HE90. As the clarity increases the coloration seems to be less and less and the more pleasing and natural it becomes. The coloration doesn't change it's just the combination of coloration with lower technology that really does a number on it's performance.
Treble boosted headphones surely are prevalent as well, but most don't eclipse how dark the HD650 is, hence why I say the HD650 is one of the most colored headphones out there. Most Grados are close, AKG K701 is right there along side the HD650, but on the other side of the spectrum.

Interesting.  On no system, no matter how high-end, did you enjoy the HD650 at all? 

 

[Maxvla]

^ Given that you're enjoying your Omega 2 I'm finding these statements pretty confusing...

Actually it makes perfect sense. I don't like the HD650 at all. I think the LCD2 is decent but not my choice and I think the HE90 is one of the best headphones out there. The Omegas fit between the LCD2 and the HE90.

And yes to the above question.

 

[Mr.Sneis]

Maxvla -- does that include hearing them via a balanced setup?

 

[pigmode]

According to Jude, these issues that have been haunting Sennheiser for the past 10 years, have apparently been fixed.
 
 
 

Sennheiser HD 700: Officially Unveiled at CES 2012!

 

 

[Maxvla]

Maxvla -- does that include hearing them via a balanced setup?

Yes side by side with HD600 and HD800 on my old balanced rig (Dacmagic and Little Dot MKVI) and pabbi1's old rig (Cambridge 840c and balanced Bijou). Anyways, never expected this to go on for so long. Probably should get back on topic.