[SP Wild]

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/16343460/Olive%20ALMA%202014%20Winter%20Symposium%20Headphone%20Talk%20copy.key.pdf

Research would disagree .

 
Interesting.
 
To summarise...the HD800 is not bright enough and should be brighter to match the most preferred "neutral JBL harmon reference"....
 
ohhh well, I've been wrong all these years.  I have a physical allergy to neutral. 

 

[James-uk]

   
Interesting.
 
To summarise...the HD800 is not bright enough and should be brighter to match the most preferred "neutral JBL harmon reference"....
 
ohhh well, I've been wrong all these years.  I have a physical allergy to neutral. 

I've always thought the 800s were neutral and I do think they are amazing headphones .I was surprised by the research, I thought it would show more people liked a slightly warmer sig. Anything Brighter than the 800s wouldn't be pleasant to my ears. I still reach for my 650s on a regular basis though, their sound sig is so addictive and pleasing! I can appreciate why you don't like the 800s they certainly are not for everyone. Most of my friends (and Mrs) prefer the 650s. 

 

[castleofargh]

the graph with the corrected hd800 shows what it needed to sound like the flat speaker in room X blah blah blah... this graph shows how they made the hd800 to sound before starting the experience, nothing more.
it's not a preference.
you see at the end that on average they all turned the bass up and the treble down like mad to get a 9db slope.
that's the difference between the quest for perfectly neutral, and the quest for what we prefer. on this pdf the conclusion is pretty much that what we prefer is the sound resulting from a neutral speaker but altered by the room. so a slight but regular reduction while advancing to trebles.
everything else is just to make the phone sound like a speaker. because they found that it is the prefered sound overall. in fact the hd650 is closer to what "most people" like than the hd800.

 

[cswann1]

   in fact the hd650 is closer to what "most people" like than the hd800.

 
Agree 1000%  I spent some time with an HD800 this past weekend. Much of what it does my Stax SR404 does as well or better imo....and it cost a third the price.  But the HD650 is such a great headphone for pure music enjoyment.  I've been so happy with my HD580s that I've completely ignored all other dynamics for the past 4 years or so....after the Austin meet and hearing a HD650 and a Crack......I may be getting a 650 soon.

 

[James-uk]

the graph with the corrected hd800 shows what it needed to sound like the flat speaker in room X blah blah blah... this graph shows how they made the hd800 to sound before starting the experience, nothing more.
it's not a preference.
you see at the end that on average they all turned the bass up and the treble down like mad to get a 9db slope.
that's the difference between the quest for perfectly neutral, and the quest for what we prefer. on this pdf the conclusion is pretty much that what we prefer is the sound resulting from a neutral speaker but altered by the room. so a slight but regular reduction while advancing to trebles.
everything else is just to make the phone sound like a speaker. because they found that it is the prefered sound overall. in fact the hd650 is closer to what "most people" like than the hd800.
It's strange then that in the results the 800s are preferred over the LCD2.

 

[James-uk]

^huh? It didn't add my text. I was meant to add that it's strange the HD800 was preferred To the LCD 2 which is more bass less treble.

 

[castleofargh]

I guess the test was done with the hd800 because it was so different from the lcd2 yet also a great phone. doing the same test with the lcd2 that was already preferred in the first test, would have led logically to very little EQing.
and the hd800 is great enough to accept that people would EQ it only for FR and not to hide bad distortion or poor extension or a sens of soundstage etc
 
personally hd800 and T1 were the best dynamic phone I've heard. they impressed me in every ways possible, but I didn't buy one of those because the signature blows my brains out after 30mn.
the hd650 isn't as good for my ears, but it does a lot of thing nicely and, most of all I can keep it for hours with no stress at all. I'm simply more comfortable with that sound. it came down to that.

 

[James-uk]

I guess the test was done with the hd800 because it was so different from the lcd2 yet also a great phone. doing the same test with the lcd2 that was already preferred in the first test, would have led logically to very little EQing.
and the hd800 is great enough to accept that people would EQ it only for FR and not to hide bad distortion or poor extension or a sens of soundstage etc

personally hd800 and T1 were the best dynamic phone I've heard. they impressed me in every ways possible, but I didn't buy one of those because the signature blows my brains out after 30mn.
the hd650 isn't as good for my ears, but it does a lot of thing nicely and, most of all I can keep it for hours with no stress at all. I'm simply more comfortable with that sound. it came down to that.

Yeah some days the 800s sound stage/separation and smooth extended natural sound just doesn't do it, that's when I reach for the 650s and I realise why I will always have them plugged in ready to go. They just have a sound which is instantly satisfying and always just works! Gotta love the 650s

 

[HiFi1972]

Originally Posted by dxanex /img/forum/go_quote.gif

...I also didn't think upgrading the volume pot would do a whole lot, but never-the-less I did install an ALPS Japan Blue pot in my current build. I don't know the difference between it and the valab, but its supremely quiet, which I would more attribute to the tubes/speedball upgrade.
 

 
A high quality stepped attenuator is going to give you more accuracy than a potentiometer (providing more accuracy especially when it comes to "tracking" the channels). The DAC/Monitor Controller I have uses a Goldpoint attenuator with matched precision 0.1% tolerance resistors. It would be ~$200 to replace just the attenuator if need be, but after working with this DAC for a few years now for critical listening, I wouldn't want anything else!

 

[eantala]

anyone know of a ready made leather/pleather earcup solution for the hd650?  trying to get away from the dust/carpet fibers the cloth attracts

 

[daigo]

  anyone know of a ready made leather/pleather earcup solution for the hd650?  trying to get away from the dust/carpet fibers the cloth attracts

 
The oblong shape of the HD5XX and HD6XX series limit the option of using another headphone's pads, unfortunately.  I've never seen the option for a leather/pleather earcup solution for the HD650, but I'm curious now that you bring it up.  

 

[Lorspeaker]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6Lijx_MJyU
 
take a look at the new sein models...wonder if the new pads will fit the 650.

 

[cswann1]

It's hard to tell from that vid but it looks like those pads were a little more squared at the tops and bottoms of the oval, whereas the HD6x0 are more rounded.
 
Regarding lint/dust...it is a pain, but pretty easy to clean.  If you don't want to bother with a lint remover brush or roller, you can keep a roll of masking tape handy and just tear off a 6" or so piece and make a loop with the sticky side out, put the loop around 3 fingers and you have a good tool to clean the lint off of your pads.

 

[Fearless1]

HE60 pads fit, they are leather and expensive.

 

[Lorspeaker]

HE60 pads fit, they are leather and expensive.

Has it got the plastic snap on base?

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Or just buy an old leather bag from the thrift shop.. cut out two ovals ..n stick them over the velor;p