its remarkable just because of how unremarkable it is
I will continue and finish it off...
The HD650/HD600 doesn’t do anything flashy, but it does everything well enough and without obvious flaws. That’s what gives it lasting value. It's not chasing the flavor of the month — it just works.
High-end “TOTL” headphones often exist more for prestige and marketing (halo effect) than for actual sonic improvement. They use exotic materials and flashy designs, but tuning can suffer as a result. Sometimes it’s intentional (to wow at first listen with exaggerated bass or treble), and sometimes it's the result of chasing a “house sound” that doesn’t age well.
Released in 2003, it doubled down on a warm, smooth, and non-fatiguing tuning compared to the HD600 — the kind that pairs well with long listening sessions and a wide range of music. In a time when many headphones had rising treble or V-shaped frequency responses, the HD 650 offered a relaxed mid-centric sound that tamed the harshness of early digital sources.
Pre- and early 2000s DACs, CD players, and even some solid-state amps were clinical, sterile, brittle and harsh, due to immature digital filtering, jitters, grainy, glassy, and low-end op-amp designs. Pairing those with bright headphones often yielded listener fatigue. The HD 650's warmth and rolled-off treble provided a kind of analog-like softness — very desirable at the time and still is today. Nothing metallic and unnatural about the HD series.
While there are headphones with greater technical refinement and resolution, few can match the unique charm, natural tonality, price and timeless musicality these offer. For this reason, everyone should own a pair — whether for daily listening or simply to stash away as a reminder of greatness through simplicity.
And this is why summit-fi cult is close to a joke class and must be mock and ridicule...
