[cddc]

   
 
Do the online stores still sell the old version? It would be a pain to send the headphones back considering i will receive them around two full weeks after i made the payment.

 
Senn started to sell new models 4 - 5 years ago. So I don't think you can find old models anymore, unless used.
 
I bought mine 5 months ago, and the serial number is above 170,000.

 

[brokenthumb]

I bought my first pair in 2010 or '11 can't remember but they were the silver version also.

 

[JacobLee89]

As a general rule of thumb: All post-2007 production HD650's are the silver/white/whatevercolour mesh drivers.

 

[spiderking31]

I have the newest drivers, and they sound good to me!

 

[JacobLee89]

I have the newest drivers, and they sound good to me!

 
Generally they shouldn't sound any different than a pair of "well made" HD650's. From what I've been told, the "veil" was caused by the difficulty in maintaining quality assurance measures on the dark fabric. The white mesh was touted to be one which was easier to manage, resulting in a more consistent SQ across the production run.
 
However, I'd like to think that it's cheaper to skip the process of colouring the fabric from white to black. Mine's a second hand 650 and it works its highs quite well!

 

[kramer5150]

Regarding the senn "veil", and another way of looking at it too... Is i think headphones generally have gotten warmer and more bass heavy the past 7-8 years. Current grado "i" models are darker and overall less edgy than the non- i predecessors. The Q701 is warmer than the k701, which in turn was more bass prominant than the k501. Consumer- hyper marketed cans are also bass heavy to an extreme... Dre beats come to mind immediately. So i think to a certain extent its all relative to whats currently available on the market. With every new released bass heavy or upper midrange recessed can the senn veil further and further receedes into the past. Imho the hd650 veil still exists in my pair... Smooth, relaxed and a very soothing presentation.

 

[spiderking31]

Generally they shouldn't sound any different than a pair of "well made" HD650's. From what I've been told, the "veil" was caused by the difficulty in maintaining quality assurance measures on the dark fabric. The white mesh was touted to be one which was easier to manage, resulting in a more consistent SQ across the production run.

However, I'd like to think that it's cheaper to skip the process of colouring the fabric from white to black. Mine's a second hand 650 and it works its highs quite well!

my hd650 has very nice treble extension, but my telefunken driver tubes also help make the treble extension better, and helps the treble frequencies sound much better, than with cheaper tubes, or a cheap SS amp imho

 

[pez]

Regarding the senn "veil", and another way of looking at it too... Is i think headphones generally have gotten warmer and more bass heavy the past 7-8 years. Current grado "i" models are darker and overall less edgy than the non- i predecessors. The Q701 is warmer than the k701, which in turn was more bass prominant than the k501. Consumer- hyper marketed cans are also bass heavy to an extreme... Dre beats come to mind immediately. So i think to a certain extent its all relative to whats currently available on the market. With every new released bass heavy or upper midrange recessed can the senn veil further and further receedes into the past. Imho the hd650 veil still exists in my pair... Smooth, relaxed and a very soothing presentation.

 
A lot of people give an explanation that other headphones around the time (Beyer, AKG, Grado, etc.) were all 'brighter' types of sound signatures, so the HD650 kind of brought a new and different sound to the table.  Even against the HD600, it's quite a large difference.  I mean, they both have similar sound signatures, but the more sterile/neutral sound of the HD600 is quite a bit different from the warm and flowing sound of the HD650.  At the same time, I believe the veil claim can be a bit overdramatized.  Highs are certainly there, but they aren't bright and shiny like Beyers or Grados.  I think for anyone that has a treble sensitivity, the HD650s and good SS amp or HD600s and a good tube amp is the way to go.

 

[JamieMcC]

I feel certain there are more than a few negative reviews out there on what are generally well regarded headphones that are entirely due user inexperience.  Perhaps some of the veil dogma can be attributed to this. Running many of the flagship over-ear headphones out of a mobile phone fed with low rez mp3 is going to lead to a disappointing price vs performance experience .

 

[tdockweiler]

I love the sound of the HD-650, but for some reason it always makes me want to go to sleep. Do you ever experience this?
When i'm using it for online gaming it does this too.
 
It must be due to the pads, the comfort and the slightly reduced treble.
 
This HD-650 somehow manages to sound good for me on almost all desktop amps.
The only time it didn't was when the amp was too warm sounding.
 
Right now i'm testing it with a Headroom Micro DAC (CS4398) to O2. I just replaced the stock op amps on the O2 with some LM4562s I got for $3 each. Sounds good so far.
I previously tried OPA2227 but didn't like that combo too much. Sounded too warm(!) with the HD-650 but perfect with the Q701. Seems impossible.
 
The Modi is also a nice cheap DAC for the HD-650. I don't use mine much but going to keep it around since it's so good. The Micro DAC is a bit better, but costs twice as much. I would say it's a bit more revealing and clearer.
 
BTW I think the Bravo V2 for $60 sounds great with the HD-650 but not much else I have. It would be a perfect backup amp for watching movies or gaming (with HD-650 only).

 

[Solrighal]

I wouldn't say they make me want to sleep but they're the only ones that will allow me to sleep. I've noticed they work better at low levels when compared to my other headphones. Although quiet they still maintain presence & weight. Or something like that.

From all I've read the Bottlehead Crack+Speedball is my Holy Grail.

 

[doctorjazz]

I've had the 650 for a year and half...I've always felt it was "veiled" and soft sounding, mostly listen to portable, Fiio X3 connected to ALO National, which should be decent amplification. Thought that was it, just got the Geek Out 100, WOW!!! Did it change the sound sig, involving, no veil, the thing grabs the 650's and makes them sing! I'm sure there are other combos that are great (the past 1100 pages of this thread must be full of them), shocked me how much the amping made a difference.

 

[spiderking31]

My little dot mk3 makes a difference on my hd650 too! If your using a tube amp like me, try to find a driver tube that will suit your liking. I personally prefer my telefunken 6ak5w tubes, but will settle also with my Siemens 6ak5w tubes also. But the two sound totally different to each other, even though there the same class tube

 

[Aldem]

Well, only tried my 650s with the Asus Xonar Essence STX I, so I can't really tell, but I don't hear the so called ''veil'' that everyone talks about. I hear piano, violon, harp well enough, and I love listening to Rush with those.

 

[Anavel0]

My little dot mk3 makes a difference on my hd650 too! If your using a tube amp like me, try to find a driver tube that will suit your liking. I personally prefer my telefunken 6ak5w tubes, but will settle also with my Siemens 6ak5w tubes also. But the two sound totally different to each other, even though there the same class tube

I just got a pair of Siemens 6AK5W tubes and they're blowing my mind compared to my Sylvania gold brand 5654 tubes. How do the Telefunken 6AK5W compare to the Siemens?