[Unfie]

I am going out of state for spring break and will be leaving my HD 650s behind. Ugh...I'm not looking forward to the one-week withdrawal. Someone pray for me...

 

[radiojam]

To anyone who is a little skeptical about amps and sources, I encourage you to plug your nose, open your wallet, and take the plunge.  I had been using a Nuforce HD(P) to drive my 650s since I got them a year ago, and I didn't really understand how it could get much better.  After all, the Nuforce was worlds better than what I was using before (Total Bithead).  It took a year of reading "Schiit"loads of praise heaped upon that particular company's offerings (and a well-timed tax refund) before I relented and decided on the Bifrost Uber and Valhalla.  When I got everything set up, plugged in, turned on (oooh, so that is what the pretty tube glow looks like), and the music started, I was pleasantly surprised.  I don't know if I was quite "$900 pleasantly surprised" at the time, but I was definitely satisfied with my purchase.
 
After spending a few weeks with the Bifrost/Valhalla combo, I thought for laughs and giggles I would plug in the Nuforce to see what my newly Schiit-trained ears would hear.  The results this time around were a lot more startling. What happened to the music? Everything up the middle sounded muffled and congested. The bass was ill-defined and the highs lost their sparkle.  In a word...veiled!  Maybe the Schiit just needed some time to burn in, or maybe my brain just needed time to burn in. Whatever the case, the barrier between me and the music is all but gone, and that crippling upgradeitis is in remission (for now...)

 

[Don Lehrer]

Spoiler: Great work

I am a long time user of Sennheiser HD series headphones. I was happy with the HD 650 attached to a RME Babyface dac. Last weekend I built the Bottlehead Crack amp with Speedball upgrade. The first time I listened to it, I was blown away. The sound is incredibly lucious, spatious and detailed. This combination is by far the best I have ever heard.
 
 

 
http://bottlehead.com/smf/index.php/topic,5898.0.html

 

 

 
Nice work, congrats. Me likes the simple but elegant design, I would like to have something like this, hopefully soon

 

[Tom1510]

Thanks  

 

[phobos0411]

It's now just over a year since I acquired my Sennheiser HD 650s and they are just fantastic. From day one they sounded great and over the past year seem to sound even better from recollection! Hours of listening through these exemplary phones reinvigorated my love for music and revealed nuances I'd never noticed through lesser cans. They are also my favourite companion for films and never fail to impress with their distinctly crisp yet laid back sound signature.

So in short another two thumbs up from me and hours more use on my daily cans to come!

 

[MattTCG]

I was surprised at how well the 650 does with movies. I don't often use hp's to listen to movies with. I was watching Deathly Hallow a while back and was amazed at how good it sounded through the 650's. 

 

[phobos0411]

Oblivion with Tom Cruise had fantastic sound through the HD 650s also. Its just such a versatile headphone. I did a side by side listening test of a few tracks with both the hd650 and hd800 and I enjoyed both for their own signatures. Just because I now have hd800s I don't think in any way will the 650s become neglected now. Its great to finally have two awesome cans to choose from. For instance I much prefered KT Tunstall's album eye to the telescope with the hd800s but prefered Ayria's Plastic Makes Perfect with the hd650s. I feel this way about a lot of my music but either way both cans sound amazing regardless of my preference.

 

[Paulo83]

Does anyone have any experience pairing the hd650 with the portaphile 627x? I love my 650s but exploring some more pale options for traveling/work. Any other suggestions are welcome!

 

[JamieMcC]

I needed to buy a replacement amp for the speaker set up in the spare room/office after a little accident this morning involving a spilt drink a table with amp running underneath that then went phuzzzt phuzzzt hummm pop, (thankfully not my Crack) . 
 
As luck would have it a contact I have dealt with before had a small Teac ah-500reference up for grabs which is rumoured to have a half decent headphone out while primarily for speaker service it will be interesting to give the cans a try out with it. Hopefully pick it up later in the week.

 

[Paulo83]

Just realised my predictive text made an appearance in my post, pale should read portable lol. I'm interested in any options though, I'm running them out of a ld mkiii at the minute but it just isn't doing it for me anymore. Would love to try a crack!

 

[NotaLefty]

I just bought a pair of HD700's 2 weeks ago and I'm using them straight from my Asus Z87-C motherboard. I sold my HD600's in early January, and from what I remember, the 700's are much better. I used the 600's with a Schiit Vali. I've been considering returning the 700's and getting the 650's with a decent amp. I don't think I'd want to shell out more than $250 on an amp, and I'm fine with buying used. Would the 650's + ~$250 amp be an "upgrade" over the 700's?

 

[HPiper]

Just realised my predictive text made an appearance in my post, pale should read portable lol. I'm interested in any options though, I'm running them out of a ld mkiii at the minute but it just isn't doing it for me anymore. Would love to try a crack!

That is the amp I was using and I thought it was doing a really good job...until I got my Lyr.

 

[olegausany]

I just bought a pair of HD700's 2 weeks ago and I'm using them straight from my Asus Z87-C motherboard. I sold my HD600's in early January, and from what I remember, the 700's are much better. I used the 600's with a Schiit Vali. I've been considering returning the 700's and getting the 650's with a decent amp. I don't think I'd want to shell out more than $250 on an amp, and I'm fine with buying used. Would the 650's + ~$250 amp be an "upgrade" over the 700's?

Is wider soundstage and better instruments separation important for you? If yes, I would stick with HD700

 

[Hellenback]

Does anyone have any experience pairing the hd650 with the portaphile 627x? I love my 650s but exploring some more pale options for traveling/work. Any other suggestions are welcome!

I use a 5.5 gen iPod and a Headstage Arrow with the 650's with excellent results. A good friend uses the Arrow with his 650s when not running a portable, balanced iBasso amp. Portability can't get better than the Arrow and there are plenty of reviews here on Head-Fi.

 

[whirlwind]

I am not sure how much burn in these cans need...but it sure seems like mine are opening up more the last week of listening.