[80smusicboy]

Thank you so much for your replies on the durability of these great 'cans!
 
Yesterday I A/B compared the HD650 with the Q701 and the HD650 are better, IMHO. The sound on the Q701 is still a bit too thin and makes vocals a bit screechy. The soundstage is wider, but not as sharp as on the HD650 as these can convey a sense of location of the various instruments much better. The highs seem equally detailed on both headphones, just more pronounced on the Q701. The Sennheisers are a much more bassy phone (I didn't expect such amount of bass from a "reference class" headphone), but it's very well integrated on the sound spectrum.
All things considered, the Sennheisers sound "higher-end" to me, more refined. And are also easier to drive than the Q701!

 

[daniel0407]

Hi all,
 
As I mentioned in another post, I recently updated from a FIIO e09k to a Lehmann Audio BCL.
 
The sound is much "better" than with the Fiio. But funny enough, the Fiio sound great, even in direct comparation with the BCL. How to explain it? Lets say, with the Fiio, the HD650 is more itself: warmer, has a closer soundstage, very "romantic" sounding. With the BCL is more analytical, better separation between the instruments, better timbre and more detail.
 
It is indeed a big difference, but I though there would be also a big difference in the way I enjoy the HD650 with both amps, but it is not the case. The sound is different, the BCL sounds much "better", but I like both almost the same.

 

[techboy]

Try with a better source/dac. The difference is likely to be much greater then.

 

[daniel0407]

Hi,
 
You could be right. At first I try the combination: CDP > BCL > HD650 and did not like it. The CDP Dac is too bad. I like much better what I wrote in this post:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/691689/use-the-fiio-e17-together-with-the-lehmann-audio-black-cube-linear-how#post_10002901
 
But I understand it is only a temporary imperfect solution. Will appreciate any opinion.
 
Daniel

 

[Amictus]

  Thank you so much for your replies on the durability of these great 'cans!
 
Yesterday I A/B compared the HD650 with the Q701 and the HD650 are better, IMHO. The sound on the Q701 is still a bit too thin and makes vocals a bit screechy. The soundstage is wider, but not as sharp as on the HD650 as these can convey a sense of location of the various instruments much better. The highs seem equally detailed on both headphones, just more pronounced on the Q701. The Sennheisers are a much more bassy phone (I didn't expect such amount of bass from a "reference class" headphone), but it's very well integrated on the sound spectrum.
All things considered, the Sennheisers sound "higher-end" to me, more refined. And are also easier to drive than the Q701!

I agree with 80smusicboy. As followers of this thread will know, I have been making the same comparison, but with mostly classical music. It was the Q701s tendency to harshness in the treble when under pressure which led me to buy the HD650s. They seem very well balanced, and the bass 'warmth' has only ever been too much of a good thing on one occasion - the basses in Karajan's Berlin PHilharmonic loomed a bit too large in Bruckner 3. Those bass players would have loved it.
 
The treble fierceness and sudden going out of focus when under pressure up top was the main problem chez AKG. The other tendency is one of emphasizing the 'edge' of the sound, the attack, while failing to deliver the timbre ( the heart of the sound) adequately. The HD650s provide timbre to die for. I keep the Q701s for their much-vaunted 'airiness', which is phenomenal and which is perfect for some music. The HD650s are my default cans for their sheer musicality and involvement. It's a matter of taste, but the music generally tastes better with Sennheiser, at least as far as I'm concerned. I suspect that my amp (Lovely Cube) favours the Senns.

 

[ChubbsAU]

Just before I pull the trigger on a pair of these was wondering if the FIIO E12 will drive these sufficiently ?

 

[Anavel0]

Just going by FiiO specs sheet, I would say yes. It's putting out 880mW at 32 ohms and says suitable up to 350 ohms, HD650 is 300 ohms. It might not be the greatest pairing but the HD650 is pretty forgiving, compared to other high end headphones, when it comes to amping.

 

[ChubbsAU]

Ok cool thanks, got them for $375 so will probs have a bit left to get a dedicated desktop amp.
 
O2 / magni good options ?

 

[olegausany]

Be aware that HD650 are very picky with pairing

 

[ChubbsAU]

Which entry level amp do you recommend ?

 

[pdrm360]

^^ Schiit Valhalla

 

[calipilot227]

  Just before I pull the trigger on a pair of these was wondering if the FIIO E12 will drive these sufficiently ?

The E12 is a beast of an amp. It sounds very good with the HD650.
 

  Which entry level amp do you recommend ?

 
For a desktop amp, it depends on how much you're willing to spend. Under $500: Hands down, the Bottlehead Crack. Might even be the best under $1000 for the HD650. Soldering is easy to learn, and the assembly manual walks you through every step of the process, complete with photos.

 

[Amictus]

Following ChubbsAU's useful question, here's another. What amps do people recommend for the HD650s full stop. Where is heaven to be found?

 

[Lorspeaker]

Heaven is found in a glass tube on eBay....
The amp is just the chariot...

 

[Norway]

Sennheiser's pricing on replacement pads for HD 600 / 650 is absolutely ridiculous! I hand washed a pair of pads, and both of them broke at the exact same point after drying (top of inner pad stitching). Makes me wonder if there is some planned obsolesce going on with these extremely overpriced pads.
 
People rant that Beats are overpriced. Now how about that ludicrous price on a pair of pads?
 
I can understand Audeze's pricing etc, they're much smaller and their pads are in real leather, but Sennheiser is huge and have sold many units that use these pads over the years and ... well, I just find them extremely overpriced.