[peter123]

Is that HM5 velourpad? Does it increase the SQ ?

Sorry, missed you post. This thread moves to fast

I bought my HD650 used and the pads were pretty flat (worn out) when I got them so compared to those there where a easily noticeable improvement with more airy and less congested sound. I've ordered new replacement pads as well but had the HM5 ones already so I thought I'd use them while waiting for new ones and it's been working really well for me so I'll see what I prefer when the new ones arrive.

 

[kman1211]

The AkG 7 series and Sen 6 series is a very good example of similar transient response, yet manifesting in completely different sounds. Their driver speed is amazingly very similar.

I'd like to hear more Beyers, I think I would take to the Beyer sound.

The AKG 7 and Senn HD 6xx are very different but technically both very good, I do think the Senns are better tuned though. Of the AKG's the K712 was my favorite, actually brought the sound more to focus and had more body but still a bit raw in the 2khz region like all of the K7 series. What Beyers have you heard? Beyers are quite diverse in their sound signature. Many do have too much treble but not all. I'm very fond of the darker and warmer sounding Beyers personally.

 

[EdwardPL]

People who call the 650 slow really need to update their gear or gear march. The 650 is one of the most dynamic and punchy headphones I owned a lot of phones LCD-X, LCD-3, HEX, LCD-2 and many dyabnics like the Elear, HD800.

The HD650 attapts to the amp it's driven with. The HD650 and Jot is very fast, even out of a simple Chord Mojo there's so much speed and attack mainly due to the cohesive mids and upper mids and the treble while rolled, is more of a gentle slope is you don't miss out on treble detail. I'd say the 650 has the most natural treble I've heard, it's also so smooth no spikes!

Drive it from something like an 02 which isn't very resolving and it kind of veiled will make em sound like rubbish IMO.

The 650 outperforms an LCD-2 on a good system, dynamics, treble smoothness, micro detail on the HD650 is way more impressive. There's that planar compression that sucks the fun out of them for me.

Treat the HD650 as if it cost 1K and you will have a headphone that beats many, you'd be surprised.

 

[peter123]

Attack is one word I'd never use to describe the HD650, ymmw as usual I'd guess......

 

[SEABREEZE]

 
I'm with you on that -- Cardas or any brand, for HP cables, I hear minimal improvements on my system. Which is good -- means that I don't need to throw any more dough down the wabbit hole......

 I cant agree about any brand aftermarket cables given minimal improvements. All cables are not created equal, Perhaps one could look at AMC like a equalizer.  

 

[SEABREEZE]

  I have Cardas cable for HD650, i just love it. I never used my HD650 much, but after cardas cable i am listening more to my HD650.

I  have not heard the latest and greatest from Cardas, but going back a few years, It did nothing for me. MHO

 

[penmarker]

Unless the stock or original cable is defective in some way, cables shouldn't make a major difference. Some do have different capacitance or inductance - this is more prominent in phono level cables and speaker cables as far as I'm aware of. But if they're not created with that in mind, i doubt there will be differences. Case and point, Naim speaker cables. Their power amps do not have output inductors so they rely on their cables for inductance, with a minimum recommended length of 5m. Phono level cables on the other hand transmit very low level signals so any stray capacitance can affect the overall sound of the phono cartridge. This is most prominent with MM cartridges compared to MC carts.

 

[DivineCurrent]

People who call the 650 slow really need to update their gear or gear march. The 650 is one of the most dynamic and punchy headphones I owned a lot of phones LCD-X, LCD-3, HEX, LCD-2 and many dyabnics like the Elear, HD800.

The HD650 attapts to the amp it's driven with. The HD650 and Jot is very fast, even out of a simple Chord Mojo there's so much speed and attack mainly due to the cohesive mids and upper mids and the treble while rolled, is more of a gentle slope is you don't miss out on treble detail. I'd say the 650 has the most natural treble I've heard, it's also so smooth no spikes!

Drive it from something like an 02 which isn't very resolving and it kind of veiled will make em sound like rubbish IMO.

The 650 outperforms an LCD-2 on a good system, dynamics, treble smoothness, micro detail on the HD650 is way more impressive. There's that planar compression that sucks the fun out of them for me.

Treat the HD650 as if it cost 1K and you will have a headphone that beats many, you'd be surprised.

Completely agree with everything you said. The HD650 is not slow by any stretch of the imagination. Sure, it may sound "slower" than some planars and unnaturally bright headphones, but the capability of it is crazy. They respond especially well to EQ, I add a sub bass boost, and it just sounds amazing. I've had the HE-400i and compared them extensively to the HD650, and the HE-400i lost. Sure, they got sub bass extension, but there's too many tradeoffs in the mids and treble. 650 has the best tonality I've heard from any headphone, even the LCD-X and HD-800S. Keep in mind, both the HD600 and HD650 used to be Sennheiser's flagship headphones (excluding the Orpheus). I will say however, they perform well with the O2 for me, as good as anything else I've heard them plugged into. 

 

[penmarker]

  Completely agree with everything you said. The HD650 is not slow by any stretch of the imagination. Sure, it may sound "slower" than some planars and unnaturally bright headphones, but the capability of it is crazy. They respond especially well to EQ, I add a sub bass boost, and it just sounds amazing. I've had the HE-400i and compared them extensively to the HD650, and the HE-400i lost. Sure, they got sub bass extension, but there's too many tradeoffs in the mids and treble. 650 has the best tonality I've heard from any headphone, even the LCD-X and HD-800S. Keep in mind, both the HD600 and HD650 used to be Sennheiser's flagship headphones (excluding the Orpheus). I will say however, they perform well with the O2 for me, as good as anything else I've heard them plugged into. 

Yes, well, the HD650 is 300 ohms. Even though they're quire sensitive in the sense of being able to be driven from portable sources like phones, mp3 players, etc, those coils do put up a lot of resistance.
Whatever current is sent to the coils to move through the magnetic field, the opposite force will be almost equal to it as a result from the coils moving through the magnetic field (Newton's 3rd Law). Without a powerful or synergetic amp for it, even though the currents are driving the coils according to the fed signal, the coils are being pushed back by its own movement through the magnetic fields. Better or more powerful amps could reduce this effect, and that could explain why it sounds veiled and slow compared to other headphones.
Those who has opened up the drivers and looked at the coils will know that their cylindrical height is substantially high.

 

[rikk009]

Attack is one word I'd never use to describe the HD650, ymmw as usual I'd guess......

Hehe...within two pages people go from 'laid back' to 'attack' to again laid back and so forth, I think that's how this thread has come along this far. 

 

[WriterHead]

People who call the 650 slow really need to update their gear or gear march. The 650 is one of the most dynamic and punchy headphones I owned a lot of phones LCD-X, LCD-3, HEX, LCD-2 and many dyabnics like the Elear, HD800.

The HD650 attapts to the amp it's driven with. The HD650 and Jot is very fast, even out of a simple Chord Mojo there's so much speed and attack mainly due to the cohesive mids and upper mids and the treble while rolled, is more of a gentle slope is you don't miss out on treble detail. I'd say the 650 has the most natural treble I've heard, it's also so smooth no spikes!

Drive it from something like an 02 which isn't very resolving and it kind of veiled will make em sound like rubbish IMO.

The 650 outperforms an LCD-2 on a good system, dynamics, treble smoothness, micro detail on the HD650 is way more impressive. There's that planar compression that sucks the fun out of them for me.

Treat the HD650 as if it cost 1K and you will have a headphone that beats many, you'd be surprised.

Not even in your wildest dreams.

 

[Solrighal]

  Completely agree with everything you said. The HD650 is not slow by any stretch of the imagination. Sure, it may sound "slower" than some planars and unnaturally bright headphones, but the capability of it is crazy. They respond especially well to EQ, I add a sub bass boost, and it just sounds amazing. I've had the HE-400i and compared them extensively to the HD650, and the HE-400i lost. Sure, they got sub bass extension, but there's too many tradeoffs in the mids and treble. 650 has the best tonality I've heard from any headphone, even the LCD-X and HD-800S. Keep in mind, both the HD600 and HD650 used to be Sennheiser's flagship headphones (excluding the Orpheus). I will say however, they perform well with the O2 for me, as good as anything else I've heard them plugged into. 

 
Are you serious? What else have you heard them plugged into?

 

[rikk009]

This is arguably the most entertaining thread on head-fi. 

 

[Dobrescu George]

  This is arguably the most entertaining thread on head-fi. 

 
Couldn't resist 

 

  Not even in your wildest dreams.

 
 
For real though, HD650 is not up to the others in that kinda way, but given the weight difference and comfort between HD650 and LCD-2, I could wear a HD650 for 4-6 hours while LCD-2 for less than half an hour, not to mention that the neck strain would really affect my mood, in the end HD650 coming out as the better overall option. 
 
 
 

   
Are you serious? What else have you heard them plugged into?

 
 
HDVA 600 is something everyone should try. Might not fit all, but it's a good option nonetheless! 
 
HDVD800 as well 

 

[DavidA]

  Completely agree with everything you said. The HD650 is not slow by any stretch of the imagination. Sure, it may sound "slower" than some planars and unnaturally bright headphones, but the capability of it is crazy. They respond especially well to EQ, I add a sub bass boost, and it just sounds amazing. I've had the HE-400i and compared them extensively to the HD650, and the HE-400i lost. Sure, they got sub bass extension, but there's too many tradeoffs in the mids and treble. 650 has the best tonality I've heard from any headphone, even the LCD-X and HD-800S. Keep in mind, both the HD600 and HD650 used to be Sennheiser's flagship headphones (excluding the Orpheus). I will say however, they perform well with the O2 for me, as good as anything else I've heard them plugged into. 

Like @Solrighal, I have to disagree with the highlighted part, the ODAC/O2 was not an DAC/amp that I liked with most headphones.  A Jot and Asgard2 are better IMO, a BH Crack is slightly better still.  The HD650 does scale and sounds really good on a Liquid Glass but a HD700, HD800, T1, HE560 or LCD2 are all a touch better than the HD650 to me when driven by the Liquid Glass.