[Goofy145]

I'd like to discuss my impressions of the hd 650's, I just got them today. I hope this helps people who are wondering about what these sound like, or those who are looking to get the most out of their headphones.
 
I'm not very knowledgeable about audio equipment at all. I still don't understand how different DACs work. I don't understand what amplifiers do besides give me a fancy volume knob. Should I be spending so much on headphones? Probably not. I'd probably be happy with ath-m50s or something similar. But I was curious to know what the hype around higher end headphones was on this forum.
 
I chose the hd650 for their comfort. I didn't really care if I wouldn't particularly like their sound signature. I knew I could live with them because they were so comfortable, and they really are.
 
I tried the hd 600s at a store and found them quite bright, but I read the hd650s were a touch warmer so I decided to get those instead.
 
I plugged them into my schiit modi/ objective 2 amp setup. Unusual to mix the families but odacs tend to be a little pricier.
 
I read a lot about different amp/DAC combos for these headphones. A lot of people say they like the bottlehead crack with the speedball or other tube amps which can cost you over 350$. A lot of people also get higher end DACs than the modi. I figured I might end up getting the crack with speedball if I wasn't happy with how the hd650s sounded with the o2.
 
So what did I think? Well, I liked the clarity. Then I raised the volume and found the sound extremely harsh. The bass sounded like it was barely there. I was just getting bombarded with highs and it was awful.
 
I was ready to accept the fact that I would never be able to raise the volume on my songs because the highs would make me go deaf. This part really made me question how anyone with this setup copes with it. The headphones really sound quite bright.
 
So after I bought the hd650s, I decided I was probably going to sell my Digizoid ZO2. It's a little mini amp that boosts the bass of anything you plug into it. I've had great experiences with this little device with things like apple earpods and my old mrspeakers mad dogs, which I actually found had enough bass on their own. But I rarely ever used it anymore.
 
So I thought hey, why not see what the hd650s sound like with my ZO2?
 
That's when I found the exact sound I was looking for. The bass was exactly where I wanted it, the treble cooled off and let the rest of the songs come alive.
 
So the moral of this story is that it's really hard to find what you're looking for by going by what other people say. Today I found out I'm probably a basshead because I can't live without that big thump in the background. Should I have gotten hd650s as a basshead? Probably not, but I'm glad I did. I get the comfort I'm looking for and the bass I'm looking for thanks to the ZO2.
 
I really can't see how the bottlehead crack or another tube amp could add to what I'm experiencing right now, but if I can give them a try I might change my mind.
 
If you're a basshead and you want comfort, the hd650s can work. But they need something like a ZO2 to give them that boost. Otherwise with neutral amps/dacs like the schiit stack or the objective stuff, it's going to be quite bright.
 
It really comes down to what YOU are looking for in your music. I'm sure people will think it's a sin to bass boost hd650s, but I couldn't be happier with the sound that I'm getting out of these.
 
I'd love to hear if anyone else uses the ZO2 with hd650s/hd600s and what they think about it.
 
TL;DR: Found the HD650s too bright(edit: LACKING BASS, NOT BRIGHT.). Digizoid ZO2 saves the day.
 
Edit: After some playing around, I've discovered that the reason I found them bright is simply because I was trying to extract more bass by raising the volume which isn't going to work. It was just making the highs uncomfortable because the volume was way too high. By using a bass boost I was able to enjoy the sound without raising the volume so much.
To conclude, they are a fairly neutral headphone with a decent amount of bass, but not enough for me I shouldn't call them bright.

 

[olegausany]

I'd like to discuss my impressions of the hd 650's, I just got them today. I hope this helps people who are wondering about what these sound like, or those who are looking to get the most out of their headphones.
 
I'm not very knowledgeable about audio equipment at all. I still don't understand how different DACs work. I don't understand what amplifiers do besides give me a fancy volume knob. Should I be spending so much on headphones? Probably not. I'd probably be happy with ath-m50s or something similar. But I was curious to know what the hype around higher end headphones was on this forum.
 
I chose the hd650 for their comfort. I didn't really care if I wouldn't particularly like their sound signature. I knew I could live with them because they were so comfortable, and they really are.
 
I tried the hd 600s at a store and found them quite bright, but I read the hd650s were a touch warmer so I decided to get those instead.
 
I plugged them into my schiit modi/ objective 2 amp setup. Unusual to mix the families but odacs tend to be a little pricier.
 
I read a lot about different amp/DAC combos for these headphones. A lot of people say they like the bottlehead crack with the speedball or other tube amps which can cost you over 350$. A lot of people also get higher end DACs than the modi. I figured I might end up getting the crack with speedball if I wasn't happy with how the hd650s sounded with the o2.
 
So what did I think? Well, I liked the clarity. Then I raised the volume and found the sound extremely harsh. The bass sounded like it was barely there. I was just getting bombarded with highs and it was awful.
 
I was ready to accept the fact that I would never be able to raise the volume on my songs because the highs would make me go deaf. This part really made me question how anyone with this setup copes with it. The headphones really sound quite bright.
 
So after I bought the hd650s, I decided I was probably going to sell my Digizoid ZO2. It's a little mini amp that boosts the bass of anything you plug into it. I've had great experiences with this little device with things like apple earpods and my old mrspeakers mad dogs, which I actually found had enough bass on their own. But I rarely ever used it anymore.
 
So I thought hey, why not see what the hd650s sound like with my ZO2?
 
That's when I found the exact sound I was looking for. The bass was exactly where I wanted it, the treble cooled off and let the rest of the songs come alive.
 
So the moral of this story is that it's really hard to find what you're looking for by going by what other people say. Today I found out I'm probably a basshead because I can't live without that big thump in the background. Should I have gotten hd650s as a basshead? Probably not, but I'm glad I did. I get the comfort I'm looking for and the bass I'm looking for thanks to the ZO2.
 
I really can't see how the bottlehead crack or another tube amp could add to what I'm experiencing right now, but if I can give them a try I might change my mind.
 
If you're a basshead and you want comfort, the hd650s can work. But they need something like a ZO2 to give them that boost. Otherwise with neutral amps/dacs like the schiit stack or the objective stuff, it's going to be quite bright.
 
It really comes down to what YOU are looking for in your music. I'm sure people will think it's a sin to bass boost hd650s, but I couldn't be happier with the sound that I'm getting out of these.

I'm not sure if Crack or other tube amp could help bass head but I know that tube rolling when possible could make you more happy

 

[Solrighal]

   
I'm interested in hearing what people recommend over the ODAC. I'm more than willing to get a new DAC if it has audibly better sound. I just don't understand how if a DAC measures transparent, how you can get a 'better' one, unless the better one has a distorted sound you prefer.

 
Same here regarding transparency but my O2 is also transparent and the Project Ember sounds better in every way. So now I'm wondering if the same level of improvement can be achieved by changing the DAC. My problem is that whilst I can understand the circuitry in an amp and understand the theory, DAC's are a different kettle of fish altogether.

 

[Solrighal]

 
It really comes down to what YOU are looking for in your music. I'm sure people will think it's a sin to bass boost hd650s, but I couldn't be happier with the sound that I'm getting out of these.
 

 
+1. This is all that's important.

 

[olegausany]

But there are examples when you will prefer one over another or when you will hear no difference whatsoever

 

[Goofy145]

I'm not sure if Crack or other tube amp could help bass head but I know that tube rolling when possible could make you more happy

Which is why I won't buy any other amp unless I get the opportunity to try them. The modi and the o2 were completely blind buys, meaning I had never tried either of them. I think you'd have to be crazy to "blind buy" an amp/dac worth more than 150$. Then again, most people who blind buy expensive audio equipment can afford to throw around that kind of money to try something new, so more power to them.

 

[kman1211]

   
Same here regarding transparency but my O2 is also transparent and the Project Ember sounds better in every way. So now I'm wondering if the same level of improvement can be achieved by changing the DAC. My problem is that whilst I can understand the circuitry in an amp and understand the theory, DAC's are a different kettle of fish altogether.

DACs make a noticeable improvement, if they are the bottleneck they may have a bigger improvement than a better amp. What took me by surprise is how much clean power improved things, especially with USB powered DACs. 

 

[blse59]

 
So what did I think? Well, I liked the clarity. Then I raised the volume and found the sound extremely harsh. The bass sounded like it was barely there. I was just getting bombarded with highs and it was awful.
 
I was ready to accept the fact that I would never be able to raise the volume on my songs because the highs would make me go deaf. This part really made me question how anyone with this setup copes with it. The headphones really sound quite bright.

I just don't understand how you're getting this kind of sound. It makes me think there's something in software that's altering the sound, like an EQ or DSP. Do your other headphones sound strange like that when you plug it into the modi/o2 setup?
 
edit: either that or the O2 could be clipping. Hit the gain button on the O2 and make sure it's in the position where it's jutting out the most. That's the low gain setting. Just a thought...

 

[Goofy145]

  I just don't understand how you're getting this kind of sound. It makes me think there's something in software that's altering the sound, like an EQ or DSP. Do your other headphones sound strange like that when you plug it into the modi/o2 setup?

I just tried my iems (ue 600) and they sounded great. The UE600 isn't a very bass heavy headphone either, but I don't mind as much. I really appreciate the clarity from the modi/o2 when using those, but for some reason the hd650 sound really thin. I'll give you an example.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMt3civOT7g 
 
Listen to that song. When the vocals start, they sound very thin and so do the cymbals. They sound like they have no impact. Same thing when the main beat starts, the song doesn't hit me hard enough. With the bass boost everything gets so much better, the vocals get thicker and the cymbals hit harder. Since everything is so thin and lacks impact, it sounds harsh to my ears.
 
I'm using foobar2000 and the EQ is turned off.
 
edit: Ya I played with the gain switch, didn't make a difference.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

  Which is why I won't buy any other amp unless I get the opportunity to try them. The modi and the o2 were completely blind buys, meaning I had never tried either of them. I think you'd have to be crazy to "blind buy" an amp/dac worth more than 150$. Then again, most people who blind buy expensive audio equipment can afford to throw around that kind of money to try something new, so more power to them.

 
LOL I admit I bought the Lyr/V-DAC blind and the LCD-2.2 was mostly blind because I'd only heard it once and didn't like it. 

 

[mcandmar]

the LCD-2.2 was mostly blind because I'd only heard it once and didn't like it. 

 
...wait, what?

 

[castleofargh]

 

 
So what did I think? Well, I liked the clarity. Then I raised the volume and found the sound extremely harsh. The bass sounded like it was barely there. I was just getting bombarded with highs and it was awful.
 
I was ready to accept the fact that I would never be able to raise the volume on my songs because the highs would make me go deaf. This part really made me question how anyone with this setup copes with it. The headphones really sound quite bright.

I just don't understand how you're getting this kind of sound. It makes me think there's something in software that's altering the sound, like an EQ or DSP. Do your other headphones sound strange like that when you plug it into the modi/o2 setup?
 
edit: either that or the O2 could be clipping. Hit the gain button on the O2 and make sure it's in the position where it's jutting out the most. That's the low gain setting. Just a thought...

he said the hd600 at the store was bright, and is used to the digizoid ZO2. he just likes very warm very rolled off signatures. I doubt there is anything wrong with his setup, he just needs to EQ the hell out of the system to get what he loves. clearly neutral isn't for him that's all.

 

[blse59]

  I just tried my iems (ue 600) and they sounded great. The UE600 isn't a very bass heavy headphone either, but I don't mind as much. I really appreciate the clarity from the modi/o2 when using those, but for some reason the hd650 sound really thin. I'll give you an example.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMt3civOT7g 
 
Listen to that song. When the vocals start, they sound very thin and so do the cymbals. They sound like they have no impact. Same thing when the main beat starts, the song doesn't hit me hard enough. With the bass boost everything gets so much better, the vocals get thicker and the cymbals hit harder. Since everything is so thin and lacks impact, it sounds harsh to my ears.
 
I'm using foobar2000 and the EQ is turned off.

I see what you're talking about. You want more boom and bass impact. But the source quality should also be taken into consideration. Youtube audio quality isn't the best. But if the ZO2 gives you the sound you want, that's great!

 

[Goofy145]

 
I see what you're talking about. You want more boom and bass impact. But the source quality should also be taken into consideration. Youtube audio quality isn't the best. But if the ZO2 gives you the sound you want, that's great!

I have the 320kbps version on foobar, still not the flac I usually listen to but I think 320 is acceptable. That was exactly my point though, even though I think these are the wrong headphones for me, I found a way to make them work. They are so damn comfortable! 

 
 
 
 

 
he said the hd600 at the store was bright, and is used to the digizoid ZO2. he just likes very warm very rolled off signatures. I doubt there is anything wrong with his setup, he just needs to EQ the hell out of the system to get what he loves. clearly neutral isn't for him that's all.

I heard the hd650 were a warm headphone and were very laid back, maybe I just don't understand the terms people throw around. I just like a sound where everything is balanced and nothing overpowers something else, like I don't want to raise the volume and feel the highs just punish my ears. Isn't that what neutral means?
 
To me, a laid back and smooth headphone has a healthy amount of bass. Low frequencies stress your ears much less than high frequencies, and they make you actually feel the music in some way. Hearing high frequencies hurts my ears and I can't enjoy violins, high pitched vocals or other instruments if they aren't rolled off.
 
How do people listen to high frequencies all day without getting tired?

 

[Billheiser]

  I have the 320kbps version on foobar, still not the flac I usually listen to but I think 320 is acceptable. That was exactly my point though, even though I think these are the wrong headphones for me, I found a way to make them work. They are so damn comfortable! 

 
 
 
 
I heard the hd650 were a warm headphone and were very laid back, maybe I just don't understand the terms people throw around. I just like a sound where everything is balanced and nothing overpowers something else, like I don't want to raise the volume and feel the highs just punish my ears. Isn't that what neutral means?

Yes that's what neutral means.  Like some of the others, tho, I'm puzzled by what you're hearing without putting the digizoid in the chain. The 650's have slightly more bass than neutral, which you should like.  The mids and highs are nice and balanced and smooth and NOT harsh or punishing.  So, while I accept that you are perceiving what you are perceiving, it is not at all similar to what a boatload of HD6xx owners experience.