[Solrighal]

I've never had a problem with vocals. The HD 650 isn't perfect but this is the first time I've seen vocals singled out as a flaw. Maybe you could stick up a YouTube link to something you think is wrong and we could judge for ourselves?

 

[funkisound]

Got my new pair today (my third or so.. tried other headphones, but yeah, I guess they're not as good as this one), but it seems the sound is focused more to the the right side. I don't remember my previous pairs having this, is this normal?
It's a brand new pair, i'll let it play for the weekend to see if it stays. I tried turning around the headphones, listened to different songs and mono songs too, and also unplugged and replugged both cables, but is still the same..

 

[Kramer01]

  Got my new pair today (my third or so.. tried other headphones, but yeah, I guess they're not as good as this one), but it seems the sound is focused more to the the right side. I don't remember my previous pairs having this, is this normal?
It's a brand new pair, i'll let it play for the weekend to see if it stays. I tried turning around the headphones, listened to different songs and mono songs too, and also unplugged and replugged both cables, but is still the same..

What songs are you listening to?? Older songs have sharp left right panning so they always end up favoring one channel if that is the case then nothing is wrong with the headphone. Watch something on youtube to see if the same thing happens.
 
The HD650 does require some run in to sound its best but the channel imbalance should not be there. Just check if you plugged the cables correctly R & L in R & L??  

 

[Kramer01]

  Got my new pair today (my third or so.. tried other headphones, but yeah, I guess they're not as good as this one), but it seems the sound is focused more to the the right side. I don't remember my previous pairs having this, is this normal?
It's a brand new pair, i'll let it play for the weekend to see if it stays. I tried turning around the headphones, listened to different songs and mono songs too, and also unplugged and replugged both cables, but is still the same..

Are you comparing the new HD650 to an older/used HD650 or some other headphone??

 

[LazyListener]

@dakanao  Have you considered EQing with something like Equalizer APO to boost the vocals?  I've since returned my 650 because I didn't think their price justified the minimal improvements in SQ over my 598 with the other gear I own, but when I had them, I thought the vocals were quite neutral and smooth overall.  By comparison, the 598 have slightly boosted female vocals.

 

[funkisound]

  What songs are you listening to?? Older songs have sharp left right panning so they always end up favoring one channel if that is the case then nothing is wrong with the headphone. Watch something on youtube to see if the same thing happens.
 
The HD650 does require some run in to sound its best but the channel imbalance should not be there. Just check if you plugged the cables correctly R & L in R & L??  

Seems it was my ears, it's centrally balanced sounding now, so no channel imbalance yay. My left ear must've been clogged up a bit cos it got water in it or something.
Unless there was actual channel imbalance that magically fixed itself, also good.

 

[dakanao]

So I've downloaded Sonar Works, but I don't see any option to start the program up?
 
Does anybody know how I can use Sonar Works for global use on my laptop?

 

[Solrighal]

It comes with two plug-ins as far as I remember, one for Apple computers (AU) and one for everything (VST). Assuming you're on a Windows machine you'll need an audio player that supports VST plug-ins. JRMC does and I think most of the expensive players do too. Foobar can use them but you need a 'wrapper' to enable this functionality. There's no way currently to use Sonarworks system-wide but I've been receiving emails from them over the last week talking about a new development in the pipeline that will allow what I think you're looking for.
 
I'm on a Mac so that's as far as I can go in helping out I'm afraid.

 

[kevinaom]

Hi,
 
I have searched long for the answer to this question so I apologize if it was already discussed.  I have finally started to go "upscale" in my desire for good audio equipment.  My start was to get headphones and I purchased Sennheiser HD650.  Right now, I am listening out of a Samsung Galaxy S7 phone and everything I read said I needed an amp to power the 600ohm cans.  So, I wanted one portable and I bought a E1 Soundblaster.  
 
I know this is cheaper and I just wanted to put my toe in the water here. But, alas, I have to have both the phone and the AMP up to full blast and it still is just barely good.  I figured it would be a lot louder and fuller. 
 
Any idea what I need to do here?  I know I can get very powerful amps for desktop but I travel a lot. My plan is to use:
 
- On airplane, Bose TC15
- in Hotel - Sennheiser HD650 with portable amp. 
 
Do I have a problem with how I am hooking them up?  Is the amp just too bad (all reviews said it would get volume to the point of pain.. but for me, at full blast, it is not even close).
 
Thank you so much for any help.  

 

[Letmebefrank]

Hi,

I have searched long for the answer to this question so I apologize if it was already discussed.  I have finally started to go "upscale" in my desire for good audio equipment.  My start was to get headphones and I purchased Sennheiser HD650.  Right now, I am listening out of a Samsung Galaxy S7 phone and everything I read said I needed an amp to power the 600ohm cans.  So, I wanted one portable and I bought a E1 Soundblaster.  

I know this is cheaper and I just wanted to put my toe in the water here. But, alas, I have to have both the phone and the AMP up to full blast and it still is just barely good.  I figured it would be a lot louder and fuller. 

Any idea what I need to do here?  I know I can get very powerful amps for desktop but I travel a lot. My plan is to use:

- On airplane, Bose TC15
- in Hotel - Sennheiser HD650 with portable amp. 

Do I have a problem with how I am hooking them up?  Is the amp just too bad (all reviews said it would get volume to the point of pain.. but for me, at full blast, it is not even close).

Thank you so much for any help.  

Sounds like you may have a faulty E1. The HD650s are not that hard to drive to loud volumes. In fact, straight out of my gs7 with volume maxed is quite a bit above my normal listening level. The main reason to get an amp for the HD650s is synergy. Certain amps have amazing synergy with the HD650. Jotunheim is one, vali 2 is another. Everyone loves the HD650 with Bottlehead Crack. Many say the Chord Mojo is great with the HD650 as well. If you search this thread you will find a good list of synergistic headphone amps for the HD650. If you just want it to be louder, the E1 should be more than cable of driving the HD650 to levels no human could stand unless they were already deaf.

 

[1wyseman]

  Hi,
 
Right now, I am listening out of a Samsung Galaxy S7 phone and everything I read said I needed an amp to power the 600ohm cans.

 
They are 300 ohms.

 

[kevinaom]

   
They are 300 ohms.

Correct.... sorry

 

[kevinaom]

Sounds like you may have a faulty E1. The HD650s are not that hard to drive to loud volumes. In fact, straight out of my gs7 with volume maxed is quite a bit above my normal listening level. The main reason to get an amp for the HD650s is synergy. Certain amps have amazing synergy with the HD650. Jotunheim is one, vali 2 is another. Everyone loves the HD650 with Bottlehead Crack. Many say the Chord Mojo is great with the HD650 as well. If you search this thread you will find a good list of synergistic headphone amps for the HD650. If you just want it to be louder, the E1 should be more than cable of driving the HD650 to levels no human could stand unless they were already deaf.

Wow... OK, well out of the box that was not true from me.  I do have some hearing loss (Army tanker for many years.. head right next to a 105mm gun inside a metal tank exploding all day long!) but not enough to matter.  I would not crank up my earbuds or my TC15 to full volume.. it would be painful.  Not so with the HD650's.  Is it possible I am just getting used to listening to "open back"?  I assume since the sound is not completely contained your ear can stand louder volumes?
 
Also, I did go in and turn off all the adjustments in the S7 advanced sound (turned of the surround et).  That was on advice of a person and it definitely made it louder. 
 
I am listening to Amazon Music.. does that matter?  Is one music service better than the other in terms of quality of sound?
 
Thanks for all your help... 
 
KAO

 

[raybone0566]

I've been wanting to try other options besides USB since lately I've been hearing how crappy it is. I was able to acquire a singxer f1 & installed it invetween my wyrd & gumby. Improvements were significant. Detail retrieval, symbals were crisper & more natural sounding. Vocals were much clearer. Acoustic guitars were more natural sounding. Singxer was connected to my gumby via 75ohm coax cable. But this was a definite improvement over usb. I was able to acquire a liquid fire this morning. I'll be comparing against the cavalli bijou and probably sell one afterwards.

 

[gefski]

I've been wanting to try other options besides USB since lately I've been hearing how crappy it is. I was able to acquire a singxer f1 & installed it invetween my wyrd & gumby. Improvements were significant. Detail retrieval, symbals were crisper & more natural sounding. Vocals were much clearer. Acoustic guitars were more natural sounding. Singxer was connected to my gumby via 75ohm coax cable. But this was a definite improvement over usb. I was able to acquire a liquid fire this morning. I'll be comparing against the cavalli bijou and probably sell one afterwards.

That's still USB. It's an outboard USB box instead of Schiit's built-in USB. There are several very good ones. Empirical Audio, bel canto, Audiophilleo. The Singxer f-1 and SU-1 are really well regarded here among Seattle Head-Fiers, some say the best yet. I used a bel canto (with & without Wyrd) with my Yggy, and was very satisfied. That is, until I was exposed to the Dante Ethernet interfaces and abandoned USB completely. Then I had to have surgery for "jaw dropped" injuries.

IMO
YMWV