[LugBug1]

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 found there is a big pro and con with removing the the driver foam. It will open the sound up and will add more "clarity and intimacy" from the mids up. This can seem dramatic on first listen and you may well think wow! But, there is definately more bass and it spills. But the good news is that you can now start experimenting and fine tuning to your taste. Trying different materials in the little driver hole can tighten the bass up. The denser the material the tighter the bass, I shaved a fine piece of foam from an earplug and this really tightens the bass (more so than stock foam). Another one of my favorites was a tiny peice of toiletpaper (tissue).  I'm currently using one small layer of thin foam from another headphone and this keeps the open clarity and the bass powerful and tight enough for my preference.   
 
 
Removing the foam from behind the pads adds a little more clarity too.         

 

[olor1n]

To the those doing the foam mods - how old are your cans?

 

[scottiebabie]

Quote:

I found there is a big pro and con with removing the the driver foam. It will open the sound up and will add more "clarity and intimacy" from the mids up. This can seem dramatic on first listen and you may well think wow! But, there is definately more bass and it spills. But the good news is that you can now start experimenting and fine tuning to your taste. Trying different materials in the little driver hole can tighten the bass up. The denser the material the tighter the bass, I shaved a fine piece of foam from an earplug and this really tightens the bass (more so than stock foam). Another one of my favorites was a tiny peice of toiletpaper (tissue).  I'm currently using one small layer of thin foam from another headphone and this keeps the open clarity and the bass powerful and tight enough for my preference.   
 
 
Removing the foam from behind the pads adds a little more clarity too.         

dang thats totally correct! i played a bit with it after your post & testing out an earbud foam. bass tightened & reduced for sure plus i think the stage closed in a hair but not too bad really. i had to up the normal listening vol abit to compensate for the added smoothness but i gats loads of vol headroom so no biggie.
 
thxs lugbug1 for the tip! mucho gracias me amigos

 

[LugBug1]

Quote:

To the those doing the foam mods - how old are your cans?

Mine are old but still the newer driver type 2005
 

 

[LugBug1]

 
Quote:

dang thats totally correct! i played a bit with it after your post & testing out an earbud foam. bass tightened & reduced for sure plus i think the stage closed in a hair but not too bad really. i had to up the normal listening vol abit to compensate for the added smoothness but i gats loads of vol headroom so no biggie.
 
thxs lugbug1 for the tip! mucho gracias me amigos

no problemo my friend! There are loads of different materials you can try.    
 
 

 

[franklyshankly]

So the voltage coming from the Pure, I think I found it on the website:
 
Mains power supply: 100-240V, 50/60Hz 7.5V DC 1.2A external power adapter.
 
I have no idea how to interpret this, but it seems like more than 1 volt.
 
I'll mess around with it some more. They sound phenomenal out of my Rotel, just using the Pure i20 DAC.
 
How loud should the headphones go when driven from a decent amp? At max volume (5 o'clock), they are actually not even loud enough to "open up".
 
 

 

[franklyshankly]

There is no getting around it ... the KICAS amp makes the 650s sound tiny with no bass. The Rotel brought out impressive bass, amazing detail, and smooth power ... so I'm going to stick with these phones and get a new amp, rather than the other way around. I used the KICAS with my Shure 535 IEM and that combination sounded mind blowing ... I just hate wearing IEM's at my desk. ugh, this is getting expensive.

 

[Twinster]

 
Quote:

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?
 
AMEN! You got it Scottie
 
As for the TWag cable I got it for %50 of the original price.
 
 

 

[Twinster]

For the people interested on modding the back of their Sennheiser driver here's on very good Link with pictures. 
 
LugBubg1, how do you insert other materials behind the drivers?  Do you just stick it on the outside of the frame?
 

 

[LugBug1]

Quote:

So the voltage coming from the Pure, I think I found it on the website:
 
Mains power supply: 100-240V, 50/60Hz 7.5V DC 1.2A external power adapter.
 
I have no idea how to interpret this, but it seems like more than 1 volt.
 
I'll mess around with it some more. They sound phenomenal out of my Rotel, just using the Pure i20 DAC.
 
How loud should the headphones go when driven from a decent amp? At max volume (5 o'clock), they are actually not even loud enough to "open up".
 
 

I'm no expert on interpreting voltage, I've had a look at my MF dac and amp and the dac is 12v and amp is 24v output on the external power supplies.
 
I'd say average volume is between 9 - 12 o clock if you are using a cd player. If you are using a pc it varies depending on how loud you have the player, granted that you have soundcard settings set to max.  
 
My personal opinion would be to get a good hp amp first and take it from there.  The Schitt Lyr, X can v 3, Burson, have been said to have good synergy with the 650's. A possible cheaper solution would be to try a Lehmann Cube clone, Sennheiser demonstrate the 650's with the Cube and I've seen clones for a fraction of the price. I might try one myself for the hell of it!      
 

 

[LugBug1]

 
Quote:

For the people interested on modding the back of their Sennheiser driver here's on very good Link with pictures. 
 
LugBubg1, how do you insert other materials behind the drivers?  Do you just stick it on the outside of the frame?
 

Using a pair of tweezers, feed the small round peice of foam/material inside the plastic cone so that it is resting on the inner hole. Carefully feed any excess between the legs of the cone to keep in place if nesessary.
 
  
Heres mine with the slice of earplug in place. It's inside the cone resting on top of the inner hole.   

 

[Twinster]

Thank you LugBug1 !  I'll be experimenting tonight 

.

 

[wordlesschorus]

I know someone that owns these very same cans..They're awesome.  I would have bought a pair had i not went with my Grados.

 

[LugBug1]

Quote:

Thank you LugBug1 !  I'll be experimenting tonight 

.

 
No probs, just be careful taking your senns apart. It's pretty simple and I've done it probably about 30 times now without any damage to my phones but make sure you dont press on the grate or the drivers.  Also, when you remove the foam from the driver for the first time, try and get it out in one piece (easy to put back if need be) it is slightly glued but can be removed easily enough with tweezers. 
 
Have fun!

 

[olor1n]

Not knocking those doing the foam mods, but I feel it needs to be stated yet again how vitally important synergy is with these cans. Sure they can sound very good with minimum consideration to components in a setup, but it's quite apparent to me how responsive the HD650 is to changes and what's heard is the sum of the parts before the cans. I've heard my HD650 sound thin, hollow, metallic, etched, clinical, as well slow, muddy, smeared and somewhat veiled. I feel I've gone the spectrum with these cans and it's all been a result of the various configuration options in my setup. This tells me that the common complaints aren't inherent in the HD650.
 
Those familiar with my gear may scratch their heads at the warm signature that's apparent at every step (from dac output stage, to tubes in the amp, to the cable). Based on Head-Fi mythology, I should be hearing the slowest, most veiled and muddy signature known to man. Instead I scratch my head at the authority and slam, the width and layering of the soundstage, the energetic but smooth midrange, the dynamics and musicality, and the lack of the dreaded veil to stifle what I'm hearing.