[teofilrocks]

  I was just wanting to hear the HD 650 brought up to date. Perhaps using the same chassis as the HD 700 / HD 800. I read that that chassis is very comfortable. Something with the same subdued sound signature but, well, more.

Agreed. I'm happy I finally put down my money to try the HD650 because the sound signature is a great fit for me. I'd been interested in the HD700 as well, but mainly because of the great comfort. So, I'd love an updated HD650 that brought in a new, more comfortable, design, but that retained as much of the classic sound.

 

[Solrighal]

I've had my HD 650's on my head for near on 5 hours tonight and I honestly can't see how I'd improve them. Everything I throw at them just sounds so right.

 

[Guidostrunk]

+1 lol

lmao boring ? the only way the 650's are boring is if you have no soul... or a good amp lmao.

 

[raybone0566]

Just pulled the trigger on a set of 650's off amazon. Really excited, should get here Thursday. Have the old 595's and 518's. Gonna pair them with modi/ Asgard2.

 

[bkyoung]

1.  How will the 650's be different?  I can tell you but maybe later.  YOU will hear them and experience them for yourself.  No reason to add to preconceptions of what you may hear, especially since with your research you might already have expectations.  Plug them in and listen and enjoy!
2.  Yes, your M&M stack will be excellent.  I do prefer the Vali over the Magni, but I can't tell you how MUCH difference there is.  I decided to sell the Magni at a slight loss and buy a Vali.    
So, the math worked out to be about $40 more to dig the Vali, and for me it was worth it.

 


You raise an excellent point about expectations. I am intellectually aware that this subject is highly subjective and opinionated, but I am just so eager to develop the language to be able to discuss it that I was wondering how others would describe the difference. I fully expect to thoroughly enjoy my new headphones, though. I harbor some suspicion that I may be a tube guy, so I think I'm gonna have to spring for the Vali just so I can stop wondering.

 

[bkyoung]

^^^ Welcome to Head-Fi ... sorry about your wallet.



Enjoy your new 'phones with your excellent Modi + Magni stack. One upgrade at a time, IMO, or you will burn through cash without learning to love what you have (and learning what you like, along the way).

 

I appreciate the advice. It's easy to get so caught up in the next upgrade you forget to enjoy the current upgrade. I just have so many questions still, and it is such early days for my habit/hobby. Breathe ...

 

[teofilrocks]

  I harbor some suspicion that I may be a tube guy, so I think I'm gonna have to spring for the Vali just so I can stop wondering.

 
That's the part that'll really kill your wallet in this world.

 

[bkyoung]

 
Don't expect fireworks. The HD 650 is better than your current choice in every way but they won't shout it at you. Sit back and relax. Your DAC & amp are well up to the job, don't worry about it. Is there a specific genre of music you like?
 
edit - I meant to say, it's now time to start looking at building a FLAC collection. Your brain will thank you.

 

I had an experience today that made me question any expectation I secretly harbored about fireworks. Apparently, I fail at discerning between a high quality MP3 and full CD quality; so I am certain I will love my HD-650's because I probably won't be able to tell if they suck. I enjoy a wide variety of music including rock, metal, synth pop, jazz, blues, and classical. Historically, I have been a guitar rock kind of guy, but as my audio equipment grows more capable, my preferences seem to be shifting to the synth pop genre more. Stuff like Depeche Mode. But classic guitar rock jams as much as ever, too. Most of the blues I like (John Lee Hooker, Lightnin' Hopkins) is such bad source recordings that good headphones aren't really going to help much, I think.

 

[TeddyShot]

Just pulled the trigger on a set of 650's off amazon. Really excited, should get here Thursday. Have the old 595's and 518's. Gonna pair them with modi/ Asgard2.

For how much did you get them?

 

[TeddyShot]

I've been hearing that the newest version of the 650 sounds less veiled. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[Folex]

I don't know if anyone can answer this question. What physical aspect of the Sennheiser 650 allows them to be so smooth ? Is it the complete openness? The driver? How it was dampened ?

 

[teofilrocks]

I had an experience today that made me question any expectation I secretly harbored about fireworks. Apparently, I fail at discerning between a high quality MP3 and full CD quality; so I am certain I will love my HD-650's because I probably won't be able to tell if they suck. I enjoy a wide variety of music including rock, metal, synth pop, jazz, blues, and classical. Historically, I have been a guitar rock kind of guy, but as my audio equipment grows more capable, my preferences seem to be shifting to the synth pop genre more. Stuff like Depeche Mode. But classic guitar rock jams as much as ever, too. Most of the blues I like (John Lee Hooker, Lightnin' Hopkins) is such bad source recordings that good headphones aren't really going to help much, I think.

 
Yea, don't get too hung up about the high-quality compressed vs uncompressed thing. If you can't hear the difference, enjoy the extra hard drive space and app streaming options that are opened up to you
 
Even though the HD650 may not be the "fastest" headphone out there, compared to say planar magnetics, I really do like it for electronic music. The bass is there and the treble is softer so it doesn't fatigue.

 

[olor1n]

Owned the 650 over 2 years ago and loved it. Got into technically higher end headphones, and sold the hd650.

Recently repurchased the hd650 and it's now my personal end game headphone. Paired with the Zana Deux, it's the best music I've heard, period. I even prefer it over the hd800 on the ZD. Just goes to show how special the hd650 really is.

I prefer the HD650 over the LCD-2. It's my workhorse - everything I play through it is engaging and there is little to detract from the experience.
 
The HD800 is technically more proficient, but the manner in which it highlights flaws in upstream components and recordings can be a distraction. When all elements align though, the HD800 is sublime.

 

[timkwhite]

 Apparently, I fail at discerning between a high quality MP3 and full CD quality; so I am certain I will love my HD-650's because I probably won't be able to tell if they suck.

 
OK, so this made me laugh and as I am nursing a cold, it hurt, a lot. So thank you for that.
 
I started with the HD650 and an Asus STX sound card. This was a really nice setup for a while and it started me down the path of building a nice FLAC collection with mostly CD quality files along with some higher bitrate music thrown in for good measure. I then attended a meetup and my world was opened up to tubes and their various nuances. I still use the STX soundcard, but only for the coaxial out and the AISO driver from J.River. My current setup is a Bifrost DAC to a Valhalla 2 AMP. I really, really LOVE this combo. As is stated so many times here on this thread, I can literally sit here for hours with the senn's on my head and just listen. The music is so effortless for this combination. And like you, I listen to a large breadth of music and as Zorrofox stated, they handle anything I can throw at them.
 
So enjoy the senn's with your Schiit stack for a while (many months is the minimum, IMHO) and if you have a chance to listen to some potential upgrades to your equipment, by all means do it. But remember, you have been happy until this point with your current setup (and you WILL be happy).
 
Good luck and enjoy... that is the most important part. It sometimes gets lost in this equipment centric hobby but really good renditions of really good recordings is why we are all here.

 

[donlin]

I've been hearing that the newest version of the 650 sounds less veiled. Can anyone confirm this?

That is true. I bought my first pair about the first day they hit the street in 2003 and that pair was much less clear than my current pair.