[sphinxvc]

Quote:

Pure i20 DAC ... no idea how much V (volts?) it puts out ... does power come from the source, I thought it came from the amp?

It matters, I'm not sure how much the Pure i20 puts out though.  That said, the 650s aren't very hard to drive.  Try feeding the KICAS with a different source to test.  Perhaps the KICAS needs some burn-in.

 

[Shahrose]

Source line-out voltage definitely matters. The KICAS is already a low-power amp, so it needs to be fed a high voltage signal. Try a different source.

 

[Twinster]

my fav amp for the 650s is a vintage Pioneer SA7500 & they sound fab. a recable is next on my to-do list with prolly a cryo mogami. these things are so forgiving that it really doesnt matter which DAC is used (within reason ofcos). the amps more important in bringing it out of the proverbial closet.
 

Hey Scottiebabie, I' glad to see that you are enjoying the Hd650. . I'm sure still like mine too.

Cheer's man

 

[scottiebabie]

Quote:

Hey Scottiebabie, I' glad to see that you are enjoying the Hd650.

. I'm sure still like mine too.

Cheer's man

hi Simon good to hear from u here. yaa im really starting to enjoy these cans esp after i did the hose & rear foam removal mods. i can hear these 650s straining to reach full bloom with each & every upgrade. didnt expect much to begin with but these cans certainly exceeded my expectations.
 
hope ya enjoying the beyers too. im currently working on another deal to swap for some K702 to see what the hooplas about. i be mitey stoked if its anywhere close to the potentials of these 650s. 
 
have a nice one ya. Vive le Québec libre! LOL

 

[sphinxvc]

Quote:

hi Simon good to hear from u here. yaa im really starting to enjoy these cans esp after i did the hose & rear foam removal mods. i can hear these 650s straining to reach full bloom with each & every upgrade. didnt expect much to begin with but these cans certainly exceeded my expectations.
 
hope ya enjoying the beyers too. im currently working on another deal to swap for some K702 to see what the hooplas about. i be mitey stoked if its anywhere close to the potentials of these 650s. 
 
have a nice one ya. Vive le Québec libre! LOL

Bass-lover + K70X = 

 

 

[franklyshankly]

Quote:

Source line-out voltage definitely matters. The KICAS is already a low-power amp, so it needs to be fed a high voltage signal. Try a different source.

Would most decent DACs provide this? Something like a NFB2? Wouldn't it make more sense to just get a more powerful amp?
 
I've heard such wildly different things about how hard (or easy) it is to drive the 650s. My understanding is that they may not be hard to drive, but they DO require more power than many headphones to sound their best. No?
 
Loving them on my Rotel, though. I totally understand why they are considered laid back, such a smooth sound. But it seems very dependent on the recording. Some music REALLY comes alive, other music remains very subdued and smooth (in a good way).
 
I think I'm gonna stick with these because I like how they look, they are comfortable and they sound fantastic, but I have a feeling I need to build my system around them. Now, to go balanced or not, since now would be the best time to decide that. Is this a dangerous road to go down? I am NOT rich, btw.

 

[Shahrose]

A good single-ended design will best a poor balanced one any day. Remember that. Balanced isn't always better...but it usually is more expensive.
 
Anyways, I haven't heard the NFB-2 but I bet, like any decent DAC, it would provide a sufficient line-out signal. I'm from the "source first" camp. You have a great transducer...now upgrade your DAC/transport.
 
Though not the best out there, your amp is of decent quality and is more than enough for the HD650s.

 

[ImitationOfLife]

Not to come between any prior discussion, but I'm still enjoying my HD650s. I look forward to using them every chance I get.

 

[tdockweiler]

Ok, someone just mentioned the mod for removing the BACK foam behind the driver (not below the pads). What does this change exactly? I read somewhere I believe that it may add in too much bass. I don't want that.
If it adds any extra treble that would be perfectly ok for me.
 
I wonder if there are any mods to reduce the bass?

 
I hate to say it, but lately I've been EQing down the bass a little. On my pair the default EQ setting of OFF (with any cable or amp) seems to reduce the level of detail.
I kept comparing songs with EQ on and off and there's some things I can't hear without the EQ set to reduce the bass. One is "Lasidan" where there is 5 metallic sounds at the start of the song.
Only on a few headphones can I actually count the number. Strangely, only on my modded/recabled SR-80, DJ100 and Sextett. I can't easily hear it on the K601 and K702 due to it's soundstage and because it's so distant sounding.
Yes, I'm actually nit-picking about 5 tiny sounds that someone shouldn't even hear! I guess the more detail the better.
 
With my HD-650 and it's reduced bass (after EQ) I could. Recording hiss is also more present with the bass EQed down. Maybe I have a strange pair. I guess using an equalizer isn't the end of the world! Not a fan of them though.

 

[shaunybaby]

Quote:

Ok, someone just mentioned the mod for removing the BACK foam behind the driver (not below the pads). What does this change exactly? I read somewhere I believe that it may add in too much bass. I don't want that.
If it adds any extra treble that would be perfectly ok for me.
 
I wonder if there are any mods to reduce the bass?

 
I hate to say it, but lately I've been EQing down the bass a little. On my pair the default EQ setting of OFF (with any cable or amp) seems to reduce the level of detail.
I kept comparing songs with EQ on and off and there's some things I can't hear without the EQ set to reduce the bass. One is "Lasidan" where there is 5 metallic sounds at the start of the song.
Only on a few headphones can I actually count the number. Strangely, only on my modded/recabled SR-80, DJ100 and Sextett. I can't easily hear it on the K601 and K702 due to it's soundstage and because it's so distant sounding.
Yes, I'm actually nit-picking about 5 tiny sounds that someone shouldn't even hear! I guess the more detail the better.
 
With my HD-650 and it's reduced bass (after EQ) I could. Recording hiss is also more present with the bass EQed down. Maybe I have a strange pair. I guess using an equalizer isn't the end of the world! Not a fan of them though.

hi tdockweiler, sorry to hear you not enjoying the bass but its rather weird that you say that because there are threads complaining about there not being that much bass on the 650,s, personly i find it nice but not to deep as i would like it to.
 
anyway im gonna get some lcd 2,s soon and a headphone amp so i should this. i heard its the next great step from the 650s.
 

 

[brasewel]

 
Quote:

hi tdockweiler, sorry to hear you not enjoying the bass but its rather weird that you say that because there are threads complaining about there not being that much bass on the 650,s, personly i find it nice but not to deep as i would like it to.
 
anyway im gonna get some lcd 2,s soon and a headphone amp so i should this. i heard its the next great step from the 650s.
 

What's with the bolded text? Yes the LCDs is a significant step up from the 650s.
 

 

[scottiebabie]

Quote:

Ok, someone just mentioned the mod for removing the BACK foam behind the driver (not below the pads). What does this change exactly? I read somewhere I believe that it may add in too much bass. I don't want that.
If it adds any extra treble that would be perfectly ok for me.

not sure 'bout adding bass but to my ears, the hose & foam removal mods gave me abit of clarity & intimacy. being a closet basshead, im more in the not enuff bass camp but more importantly than too much or not enuff bass, its the (comparatively) lack of articulated bass that im hurting for since being spoilt by a set of hifiman orthos. though not bothersome, i can certainly hear the rolloff highs so adequately described. im sure a decent recable will help alleviate some of those concerns.
 
what the 650 brings to my table at this moment is the best mids in the biznes. its lush, smooth, sweet & onstage upfront intimate - atleast amp'd by my vintage pioneer. mikey likey

 
 

     Quote:

Quote:

Bass-lover + K70X = 

 

yaaa im def not expecting thunderous bass from the 702s but me thinks the bass (or lack of rather) issue is prolly due to inadequate amping. the 650s taught me how important & infact vital adequate & synergistic amping is to bring out the best in headphones. i hear mucho difference in amps much more so than dacs.
 
still it should be fun to investigate another aspect of this hobby plus i can always resell if it doesnt floats ma boat.
 

 

[brasewel]

Quote:

not sure 'bout adding bass but to my ears, the hose & foam removal mods gave me abit of clarity & intimacy. being a closet basshead, im more in the not enuff bass camp but more importantly than too much or not enuff bass, its the (comparatively) lack of articulated bass that im hurting for since being spoilt by a set of hifiman orthos. though not bothersome, i can certainly hear the rolloff highs so adequately described. im sure a decent recable will help alleviate some of those concerns.
 
what the 650 brings to my table at this moment is the best mids in the biznes. its lush, smooth, sweet & onstage upfront intimate - atleast amp'd by my vintage pioneer. mikey likey

 
 

     Quote:

yaaa im def not expecting thunderous bass from the 702s but me thinks the bass (or lack of rather) issue is prolly due to inadequate amping. the 650s taught me how important & infact vital adequate & synergistic amping is to bring out the best in headphones. i hear mucho difference in amps much more so than dacs.
 
still it should be fun to investigate another aspect of this hobby plus i can always resell if it doesnt floats ma boat.
 

No amount of amping is going to get big bass impact from the K701/702. They are lean sounding headphones, that's all there is to it.
 

 

[Twinster]

hi Simon good to hear from u here. yaa im really starting to enjoy these cans esp after i did the hose & rear foam removal mods. i can hear these 650s straining to reach full bloom with each & every upgrade. didnt expect much to begin with but these cans certainly exceeded my expectations.
 
hope ya enjoying the beyers too. im currently working on another deal to swap for some K702 to see what the hooplas about. i be mitey stoked if its anywhere close to the potentials of these 650s. 
 
have a nice one ya. Vive le Québec libre! LOL

Hey Scottie, I enjoyed the DT990 for a while but end up trading them for some Alessandro MS2i. The Bass was too much for me and I was missing the Grado signature since I had sold my Woody SR225.

Cheer men!

Also to get the High up on the HD650 get a SPC base cable or pure Silver. I both an Apuresound from Shahrose and loving it.I also converted a TWag IEM cable (pure silver) and liking it. It add some speed to the HD650 and a more up front clear music.

 

[scottiebabie]

Quote:

Also to get the High up on the HD650 get a SPC base cable or pure Silver. I both an Apuresound from Shahrose and loving it.I also converted a TWag IEM cable (pure silver) and liking it. It add some speed to the HD650 and a more up front clear music.
 

ouchh! why does your cable reccos sound expensive!!?? LOL think im gonna stick to diy'in a cable. 10ft of cryo mogami's + cardas connectors + sleeves will stand me approx $40 or so which is more up my cheapskater-fi's budget! but i have no doubt that TWag thangy sounds goood though. let me know when u wanna be really nice & blow it out cheap! heh
 


Quote:

No amount of amping is going to get big bass impact from the K701/702. They are lean sounding headphones, that's all there is to it.
 

understood & thxs for the heads up. again after reading the opinions here on the K70x, i wasnt expecting thunder (though i hear theres lots of lightning). that said, its my personal view that music like art, is not meant merely as an academic endeavor but a journey of discovery to be fully embraced & experienced. how else can music & art be fully appreciated otherwise?
 
anyways, deals made & i'll soon see if its a hero or zero.