[rgs9200m]

For some reason, the 650 passes the acid test of a headphone that I can just keep listening to for a very long session. I can't even say why this is exactly, but it passes the long-term-freedom-from-fatigue test really well.
It's just totally free of the myriad types of irritation that can creep into any high-end audio experience after a while, as far as I can hear.
So for whatever super-high-end characteristic it may be lacking, this quality makes them priceless to me.

 

[harry501501]

I REALLY like these, but they seem to be missing a lot of detail my cheaper cans produce. IEMs included, I know they are hard to drive an need proper amplification but I'm starting to worry that that "veil" you hear of is what I'm hearing. I've had them running for around 20-25 hours so far.
 
I'm using a e10k on high gain and I'm getting very decent volume from them. I know this is a budget amp but I'm worried if I spend a lot of money on a better DAC I'm going to be let down.
 
Maybe I'm after something not so easy listening and energetic?! i think I'm gonna give up on over heads and stick to my IEMs lol.

 

[mysticstryk]

  I REALLY like these, but they seem to be missing a lot of detail my cheaper cans produce. IEMs included, I know they are hard to drive an need proper amplification but I'm starting to worry that that "veil" you hear of is what I'm hearing. I've had them running for around 20-25 hours so far.
 
I'm using a e10k on high gain and I'm getting very decent volume from them. I know this is a budget amp but I'm worried if I spend a lot of money on a better DAC I'm going to be let down.
 
Maybe I'm after something not so easy listening and energetic?! i think I'm gonna give up on over heads and stick to my IEMs lol.

 
The HD650 doesn't have a veil, however it is not artificially bright to give the impression of detail either.  You might just be used to brighter headphones.  As for the amp, the e10k is not pushing very much into the HD650, so it could be the problem.  I haven't heard the e10k with the HD650 before to know for sure though.

 

[audiojun]

  I REALLY like these, but they seem to be missing a lot of detail my cheaper cans produce. IEMs included, I know they are hard to drive an need proper amplification but I'm starting to worry that that "veil" you hear of is what I'm hearing. I've had them running for around 20-25 hours so far.
 
I'm using a e10k on high gain and I'm getting very decent volume from them. I know this is a budget amp but I'm worried if I spend a lot of money on a better DAC I'm going to be let down.
 
Maybe I'm after something not so easy listening and energetic?! i think I'm gonna give up on over heads and stick to my IEMs lol.

 
The HD650 is not missing any details and I hear no veil from my HD650. The HD650 is at an end game level of performance it competes with the headphones costing over +1k. Given that you feed the HD650 a great amp and dac.

 

[SirMarc]

I REALLY like these, but they seem to be missing a lot of detail my cheaper cans produce. IEMs included, I know they are hard to drive an need proper amplification but I'm starting to worry that that "veil" you hear of is what I'm hearing. I've had them running for around 20-25 hours so far.

I'm using a e10k on high gain and I'm getting very decent volume from them. I know this is a budget amp but I'm worried if I spend a lot of money on a better DAC I'm going to be let down.

Maybe I'm after something not so easy listening and energetic?! i think I'm gonna give up on over heads and stick to my IEMs lol.

Sorry man, its the amp and dac. Step them up and the 650's sing. With what you have, the hd598's would have been the better purchase.

 

[swmkdr]

Yep it's the amp - it only outputs 200mw at 32ohm so will output very little to the 300 ohms of the HD650. Even FiiO state it should only be used for 1-150 ohm headphones. 
 
I would steer clear of portable amps for the HD650 - I know you mentioned the Alpen 2 but I can't see how that would be an improvement on the E10k. Instead buy a decent budget desktop amp - the typical recommendations such as a magni, vali or O2 would be sufficient to get a sense of the headphones capabilities.1 portable option is the Geek Out 1000 or v2 which does have a decent amount of power. Personally I'd go with the Magni 2 / 2 Uber as it's fairly future proof.
 
btw I'm not really an amp person - amps are similar enough that I would rather spend money on headphones than expensive amps which offer marginal differences. However it's vital that the amp's output power is sufficient.

 

[YtseJamer]

 
 
Got my new Schiit today.  First time seeing the illusive black finish in person, I must say it is really cool looking.

 
Congratulations.  Big difference with the HD650 versus the Vali 2 ?

 

[Soundpitchblack]

Congratulations.  Big difference with the HD650 versus the Vali 2 ?

Interested in this too.

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

  I REALLY like these, but they seem to be missing a lot of detail my cheaper cans produce. IEMs included, I know they are hard to drive an need proper amplification but I'm starting to worry that that "veil" you hear of is what I'm hearing. I've had them running for around 20-25 hours so far.
 
I'm using a e10k on high gain and I'm getting very decent volume from them. I know this is a budget amp but I'm worried if I spend a lot of money on a better DAC I'm going to be let down.
 
Maybe I'm after something not so easy listening and energetic?! i think I'm gonna give up on over heads and stick to my IEMs lol.

 
The myth of the "veil" is simply people trying to power them from sources that cannot do the headphone justice.  The HD650, in my useless opinion" is the greatest scaling headphone ever.
 
If you can use the e10k as a DAC only, and you like its resolution/tone, then maybe you should budget yourself a stand alone amplifier.  Maybe something from garage1217?

 

[harry501501]

Okay, I've just bought the Geek Out 1000 to give them another shot. I did say it was probably the DAC though... took a bit of a kicking there didn't I, still sore

 

[markbrauer]

  I REALLY like these.

You say it all right there.
 
In an era where many (most?) "audiophile" headphones focus on reproducing SOUND, the HD650s continue to be excellent at reproducing MUSIC - and doing it with just the right balance between lushness and detail. Just think how much you would like the Sennheisers with a proper (and not necessarily expensive) amp. Head-Fi threads contain a copious amount of advice on amps that show special synergy with the HD650. A bit more break-in time might not be a bad idea either.
 
P.S. As I was responding, you were posting your latest. Sounds like you are on the right track.

 

[SirMarc]

Okay, I've just bought the Geek Out 1000 to give them another shot. I did say it was probably the DAC though... took a bit of a kicking there didn't I, still sore

It was for your own good though lol. You'll thank us later

 

[harry501501]

It was for your own good though lol. You'll thank us later

 
The thing I was most disappointed in was the sub bass. I'm no basshead but most reviews said they had nice textured deep bass which I just couldn't hear. The e10k has a bass boost but it makes everything too warm and fuzzy and took away from the naturalness of the vocals. I'll look forward to trying the Geek Out 1000 then and I'll get back to you all. 
 
If I'm still let down I'm going to get a gang of hd650-haters and get my revenge on you lot

 

[vintinfinity]

The thing I was most disappointed in was the sub bass. I'm no basshead but most reviews said they had nice textured deep bass which I just couldn't hear. The e10k has a bass boost but it makes everything too warm and fuzzy and took away from the naturalness of the vocals. I'll look forward to trying the Geek Out 1000 then and I'll get back to you all. 

If I'm still let down I'm going to get a gang of hd650-haters and get my revenge on you lot

I am also into big speakers and I've found that sometimes (this also applies to headphones) an amp that sounds amazing with suitable matches can sound terrible, making the speakers seem like the culprit. Example is A pair of some small bookshelf speakers that work well with my low output tube amp. Or a 55w SS amp. But my new A/D/S speakers need an amp with grunt behind the power, called damping factor to drive the large sealed 10" woofers well. And by all means they sound terrible on both of the other two amps that aren't (in this case) a solid 240wpc with high damping to control the sub bass.

The hd650 are high quality and driving them with a portable amp of that tier will do the same thing in regards to bass control and extension

 

[DavidA]

   
The thing I was most disappointed in was the sub bass. I'm no basshead but most reviews said they had nice textured deep bass which I just couldn't hear. The e10k has a bass boost but it makes everything too warm and fuzzy and took away from the naturalness of the vocals. I'll look forward to trying the Geek Out 1000 then and I'll get back to you all. 
 
If I'm still let down I'm going to get a gang of hd650-haters and get my revenge on you lot

To get the "nice textured deep bass" takes a little more than the e10k and bass boost is not the way to get it.  As the others have said the HD-650 scales very well but the reverse is also true in that if the audio chain is average then the sound will be average.  I didn't really get the love of the HD-600 & 650 until I got a BH Crack, that's the point when I understood the love for these headphones and after hearing them on a TOTL DAC/amp (MHDT Pagoda / EC Balancing Act) I understand the saying about the scaling ability of these headphones and also the part about synergy between components such as the amp and headphone.
 
I hope you get to try your HD-650 on equipment that will make them shine before giving up on them but then it might also be that your preferences may be better satisfied with a different headphone.
 
Its Friday, time to enjoy the weekend