[ziggysp2000]

I agree, totally flat isn't often desirable, but.... no... nevermind. Inner peace.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

  Crossfeed applications attempt to make your headphones into "artificial speakers" by having a set percentage of each ear bleed into the other. The reasoning is that if you listen to actual floor speakers, the sound pans from side to side but both ears still hear what comes out of each. Headphones can be fatiguing because the imaging is SO severe.
 
For example, on a lot of albums, the drum kit is panned like a real drum it would be. Hi hats on one side, snare and kick in the center, toms travel from side to side. With stereo floor speakers, it sounds like a drum kit in front of you. On headphones, it sounds like the hi hats are allllll the way to one side of the room and toms are allllll the way to the other. You're not sitting in front of the instruments, you're sort of sitting in the center of them. 

 
That's a damn nice explanation. You should consider teaching.

 

[ziggysp2000]

   
That's a damn nice explanation. You should consider teaching.

Yeah, I agree, and have experienced this on occasion. It is annoying.

 

[mikoss]

  Actually based on that, HD650 would be the better choice for me... not because I'd prefer, but because it would offer much more contrast to HD800. HD600 sounds like a mini HD800 in that review the way it is described.

The funny thing is that the stock HD-800's vs the modded ones sound very different. With the first mod, the 800's sound to me like 650's on steroids... I hear the beautiful midrange of the 650's being toned more accurately (and less romantically); a lot more depth in bass notes, and also of course much more treble energy. (Stock treble energy to my ears is overkill... they last a couple of minutes before they're intolerable). Mine are modded with Anax's ver 1, with just a touch more fabric on the sides... they sound warmer than stock.
 
I can live with very few other headphones, but the 800's for me are preferred for almost everything except acoustic performances, or guitar heavy stuff (which is admittedly the majority of my music... and probably why I can't live without the 650's). If I had to pick only one set of cans, the 800's might actually be it. The thing I like the most is that they don't completely change the presentation that I heard with the 558/598/650's, they just alter it here and there, retaining (I guess) the Sennheiser "house sound". 

 

[ziggysp2000]

 
I can live with very few other headphones, but the 800's for me are preferred for almost everything except acoustic performances, or guitar heavy stuff (which is admittedly the majority of my music... and probably why I can't live without the 650's). If I had to pick only one set of cans, the 800's might actually be it. The thing I like the most is that they don't completely change the presentation that I heard with the 558/598/650's, they just alter it here and there, retaining (I guess) the Sennheiser "house sound". 

 
That's interesting, acoustic performances are one the things I love my 800's the most for!

 

[SomeGuyDude]

   
EQ is simply the alteration of a sound signature to something more desirable to the listener. Valves do pretty much the same thing.
 
Anyway, I'm not arguing the point, merely pointing out that truly flat isn't what most people are looking for.
 
In a studio, maybe. On the couch, not so much.

 
Exactly. A truly flat response would be deafening. Our ears don't pick up all frequencies equally and if everything was ruler flat it would start sounding bizarre. It's telling that even music producers don't use flat responses for casual listening. A good buddy of mine makes EDM and he keeps some AKGs on hand as well as actual monitors for production, but when he's listening? EQ ahoy!
 
 

   
That's a damn nice explanation. You should consider teaching.

 
Haha, thanks! I've thought about it, actually. Always kinda wanted to teach something, probably music or social studies. Need those certs and crap though.

 

[mikoss]

   
That's interesting, acoustic performances are one the things I love my 800's the most for!

 
With tubes, the 650's just bring out euphonics for me that just add so much more to the atmosphere of acoustic music than simply just the extreme detail that the 800's offer... just amazing resonance that creates such an intimate atmosphere with acoustic stuff... 
 
The 800's do present every ounce of detail, but I guess this is just the 650 + tube magic showing through.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

  Haha, thanks! I've thought about it, actually. Always kinda wanted to teach something, probably music or social studies. Need those certs and crap though.

Ya got all the time in the world, man. One of the most satisfying pursuits in life -- instilling understanding and inspiring achievement in the next generation. Not kidding around.

 

[DivineCurrent]

Very good question. I have extensive experience (and very narrow, at that) with one IEM: Nocs NS500.  It is warm and very good at the highs. I really like it. And it looks very slick -- white cable with a gold shell. Haven't heard any other IEMs except for Shure SE-425, which I tired of (too clinical and bright and a PITA to fit around and into the ear).

http://nocs.se/products/ns500-aluminum

Use it with my iPod Classic 160GB on the go. I don't crave for more, put it that way.

Thanks, will check it out!

 

[Solrighal]

I teach

 

[CanadianMaestro]

  I teach

Nice. What subject (besides 650 science

) ?

 

[Solrighal]

  Hello, what do you mean by a crossfeed application? Do you mean like a pre-amp?

 
Sorry, I missed this.
 

  Crossfeed applications attempt to make your headphones into "artificial speakers" by having a set percentage of each ear bleed into the other. The reasoning is that if you listen to actual floor speakers, the sound pans from side to side but both ears still hear what comes out of each. Headphones can be fatiguing because the imaging is SO severe.
 
For example, on a lot of albums, the drum kit is panned like a real drum it would be. Hi hats on one side, snare and kick in the center, toms travel from side to side. With stereo floor speakers, it sounds like a drum kit in front of you. On headphones, it sounds like the hi hats are allllll the way to one side of the room and toms are allllll the way to the other. You're not sitting in front of the instruments, you're sort of sitting in the center of them. 

 
What he said

 
The only time I don't use it is with electronic music. I mean, who's to say what the soundstage is supposed to be? But if it's a 5-pice band I'm listening to I want them to be in front of me, on a stage. Crossfeed does this, more or less, but not all crossfeed plug-in's are created equal.

 

[Solrighal]

 
Nice. What subject (besides 650 science

) ?

 
Politics.

 

[Jeff Y]

I'm in love the the HD650 again but the problem is I don't know what to do with my HD598s. I use them only for gaming now that I got the 650s.
Also, it's difficult to listen to my modded SR80Es because it's so much brighter/thinner compared to the HD650s.
Only headphone that gets regular use other than my 650s is my NAD Viso HP50.
Perhaps it's time to sell some things?

 

[CanadianMaestro]

  I'm in love the the HD650 again but the problem is I don't know what to do with my HD598s. I use them only for gaming now that I got the 650s.
Also, it's difficult to listen to my modded SR80Es because it's so much brighter/thinner compared to the HD650s.
Only headphone that gets regular use other than my 650s is my NAD Viso HP50.
Perhaps it's time to sell some things?

Variety never hurts. Keep at least two HPs with sharply contrasting profiles. Your ears tire of one HP, then switch to the other.
What would you rather own -- 3 Benzes, or a Benz, a 1964 Mustang, and a Rolls?