Sennheiser HD600 - Did I do the right thing ?
Aug 8, 2011 at 1:21 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 11

msnbadger

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I have been reading the head-fi forums for a number of weeks trying to decide which set of headphones to purchase between the HD598, HD600 and HD650. I have been listening for a number of years with an anniversary model of the HD414's.
 
I FINALLY jumped today on the HD600's when Amazon had them on a special for an hour for $270. I was really thinking about the HD650's but but the time I added the amp and dac I wanted it was getting pricey....which was causing me to seriously consider the HD598's as maybe being a better choice - espeically given I was coming from the HD414's I was figuring the difference would be "stunning" with any of the aforementioned models.
 
So when it was all said an done I ordered the HD600's + the Fiio E7 & E9. My primary sources will be my computer with an archived CD collection in FLAC + streaming on Spotify and an iPod.
 
My question is should I go ahead and pop for the extra $100 to move up to the HD650s -or- given the basic set I am coming from is that a waste?
 
Any and all thoughts would be most welcome.
 
Thanks - Curt
 
Aug 8, 2011 at 1:37 AM Post #3 of 11
I've never heard the 650's, but I was in the same situation a while back trying to decide between these two headphones. After reading countless threads I gathered the conclusion that the HD650 isn't really a clear step up from the HD600, it's more of a lateral move. A lot of people characterize the 600 as being more neutral while the 650s are more colored, and for the same reason many prefer the 600 to the 650 despite it having the lower model number. If it were me I'd put the extra 100 into the amp and dac or pocket it for your next upgrade (which is inevitable no matter what you might think
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).
 
Aug 8, 2011 at 1:38 AM Post #4 of 11
Sorry!....completely fogot to mention the source material! I guess I would describe myself as having "somewhat" eclectic musical tastes...from Maynard Ferguson, Diana Krall, Sade, Sting, Ella Fitzgerlad....to....Red Hot Chili Peppers & Led Zeppelin. That said I would say I spend the majority of my listening time on the Jazz side both instrumental and vocal.
 
Aug 8, 2011 at 1:44 AM Post #5 of 11
Depends on your sound signature preference really. Some will prefer the HD-650 and others the HD-600. I prefer the HD-598, but it doesn't mean the HD-600 isn't good. The HD-600 is probably the most neutral out of the bunch, but it's still fun enough to listen to if you like it's signature. I remember really loving the HD-600 for movies. The HD-650 had a lot of bass for me and not nearly enough treble for my preferences. I guess it's not that it had too much bass, but I just didn't like it's bass. For me the HD-650 was better than the HD-600 in many areas, but I still preferred a more neutral sounding headphone.
 
The HD-650 needs a really good amp. I didn't like my HD-650 much from the E9 despite it being a fairly good amp for the price. The HD-600 seemed to benefit less from amp upgrades. The E9 should be better for the HD-600 than the HD-650. That was my experience anyway.
 
Now I prefer the HD-598 to ALL of these. Is it better? Not really, but I just love it's signature. It's got some forward sounding mids and a huge soundstage that's even bigger than that of the HD-600. The HD-600 might have a better and more accurate soundstage though but I haven't compared them.
 
I think most everyone could like the HD-600. If you don't love it Amazon is pretty good about returns. Chances are that if you dislike the HD-600 you might not like the HD-650. If you hate both, you'll probably love the HD-598
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BTW most people will hate me for saying this, but I find the HD-598 more detailed and less forgiving than the HD-600 and HD-650 on ANY amp i've tried. This doesn't mean anything, but it was kind of a surprise for me.
 
Aug 9, 2011 at 12:48 PM Post #9 of 11
I wouldn't say the 650 isn't an upgrade.

It has a better, thicker cable and matched drivers to name two upgrades over the 600.

Instead, I would say it's a small improvement but some people still like the 600 better.
 
Aug 9, 2011 at 1:05 PM Post #10 of 11
Aug 10, 2011 at 1:55 AM Post #11 of 11
Man, you're having buyer's remorse before they've even arrived? Looks like the head-fi bug bit you hard. But if you're looking for people to ease your conscience and assure you that your $270 wasn't wasted, then you're among friends. You can't really go wrong with any of those pairs, the 600s are probably the safest bet, as it's hard to find nagging flaws in neutral headphones (except for the real bass-heads). Looking at your preferred genres it seems like you chose excellently. Enjoy your new cans!
 

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