[Solrighal]

Due to the electricity cuts lately, my amp/ DAC has been switched off thrice while music was playing at moderate volume with my HD 650s. They sound a bit harsh in the upper midrange now. Have I cooked the high frequencies a bit due to the electricity cuts? I was so excited about the HD 650s. Now this has made me sad. Is it possible to cook high frequencies this way? Help me plz.

 
I have no technical insight I'm afraid just anecdotal evidence. In my last house we suffered power cuts a lot in the winter. They never caused any damage though, not even once.

 

[axcel]

I have no technical insight I'm afraid just anecdotal evidence. In my last house we suffered power cuts a lot in the winter. They never caused any damage though, not even once.

That's a relief to hear. I think I should let them break in for some more time .I had tried my friend's HD 650 like a year ago. The highs on his pair sounded sweet and silvery. The highs on my pair sound a bit steely and forward. I don't know , I kinda think the power cuts cooked the high frequencies. I hope burn in would change that. My DAC sounds a bit forward in the upper midrange. Maybe that's the reason why they sound like that. I saved the cash to buy the HD 650s + amp/ dac for a year. This is very disappointing and saddening

 

[Solrighal]

What DAC/amp are you using and what music are you listening to? Maybe throw up a youTube link and tell us what you're hearing that's not to your taste?

 

[DavidA]

That's a relief to hear. I think I should let them break in for some more time .I had tried my friend's HD 650 like a year ago. The highs on his pair sounded sweet and silvery. The highs on my pair sound a bit steely and forward. I don't know , I kinda think the power cuts cooked the high frequencies. I hope burn in would change that. My DAC sounds a bit forward in the upper midrange. Maybe that's the reason why they sound like that. I saved the cash to buy the HD 650s + amp/ dac for a year. This is very disappointing and saddening

FWIW I didn't notice much change in the sound of my HD-650 from brand new to the current sound but I don't rule out burn-in due to my experience with my EL8.
 
What DAC and amp are you using?  The DAC and amp will factor more in to the sound than any "burn-in" would contribute.

 

[axcel]

What DAC/amp are you using and what music are you listening to? Maybe throw up a youTube link and tell us what you're hearing that's not to your taste?

FWIW I didn't notice much change in the sound of my HD-650 from brand new to the current sound but I don't rule out burn-in due to my experience with my EL8.

What DAC and amp are you using?  The DAC and amp will factor more in to the sound than any "burn-in" would contribute.

Fiio k5(amp) + fiio x1 player( DAC). My set up is not high end. My amp puts 150 mW into 300 ohms. Is it enough to drive them well?

 

[DavidA]

Fiio k5(amp) + fiio x1 player( DAC). My set up is not high end. My amp puts 150 mW into 300 ohms. Is it enough to drive them well?

While I have the X1, haven't used it with my HD-650 but the X1 is a little forward in the upper mids and highs so that might be what you are hearing.  The original X3 is a much warmer sounding DAP, my GF used to use it with a HD-700 and it was a pretty good pairing.  I don't have any experience with the K5 amp so hopefully someone else will chime in on them.
 
150mw @ 300ohms is more than enough to power the HD-650 but I've found its also a way that a headphone and amp can have great or bad synergy between them that seems to matter more than just the output power of the amp.  You seem to have only portable gear so I take it you need the portability?  The HD-650 was not really designed for portable use but some have used them as portable so I know it can be done.  If you don't need the portability then I would suggest a amp from Garage 1217 like the Project Starlight to use with your X1.

 

[axcel]

Yes,

While I have the X1, haven't used it with my HD-650 but the X1 is a little forward in the upper mids and highs so that might be what you are hearing.  The original X3 is a much warmer sounding DAP, my GF used to use it with a HD-700 and it was a pretty good pairing.  I don't have any experience with the K5 amp so hopefully someone else will chime in on them.

150mw @ 300ohms is more than enough to power the HD-650 but I've found its also a way that a headphone and amp can have great or bad synergy between them that seems to matter more than just the output power of the amp.  You seem to have only portable gear so I take it you need the portability?  The HD-650 was not really designed for portable use but some have used them as portable so I know it can be done.  If you don't need the portability then I would suggest a amp from Garage 1217 like the Project Starlight to use with your X1.

Yes, I can save for a new amp. But what If my HD 650s are already cooked in the upper midrange/ treble. A new amp would not help.

 

[bavinck]

There's an HD700 setting? I don't see one...

Using the hd800 setting. Stupid auto-incorrect.

 

[DavidA]

Yes,

Yes, I can save for a new amp. But what If my HD 650s are already cooked in the upper midrange/ treble. A new amp would not help.

I don't think the power outages can "cook" your HD-650 but a power surge or spike has a very small possibility, but if your gear was connected to a surge protectors then its highly unlikely that a spike could do any damages.  I would try your HD-650 on a different system if you have a way of doing so of better yet if you can compare your headphone to your friends HD-650 on his system.

 

[raybone0566]

Buy a trip lite isobox and plug all your gear into that. Solves all those surge & power outage problems.

 

[axcel]

I don't think the power outages can "cook" your HD-650 but a power surge or spike has a very small possibility, but if your gear was connected to a surge protectors then its highly unlikely that a spike could do any damages.  I would try your HD-650 on a different system if you have a way of doing so of better yet if you can compare your headphone to your friends HD-650 on his system.

My friend lives in a different country now.so can't compare.
I don't have a surge protector. I am very new to this hobby. I directly connect my amp to the wall.
How does a cooked frequency sound? Is there a subtle change or it is very noticeable? I hear a small change.

 

[EK95]

My friend lives in a different country now.so can't compare.
I don't have a surge protector. I am very new to this hobby. I directly connect my amp to the wall.
How does a cooked frequency sound? Is there a subtle change or it is very noticeable? I hear a small change.

I don’t believe loss of power would be a concern – as that is of course what happens when you shut down equipment. It might be that before the power loss there occurs a brief spike as part of the instability of the process, a power fluctuation before the total shutdown, a sort of dirty/impure electricity event. As far as damage, give it time as perhaps it is just a momentary change in your perception. 
 
That sort of psychoacoustics perceptual change happens with me all the time. Occasionally the cause is specific and clear – as I type, my tinnitus is so extreme it makes me sick. Fingers crossed you are merely experiencing a momentary change in perception. Try listening at a very, very low volume to see how it sounds, then gradually raising the level. I would be curious if you notice (distortion? crackling? tinny sound?) at low level as well as at higher.
 
Really funny – I was thinking about commenting on the fiio x1 650 pairing today. Your post encourages me to do so, and this relates to perception or perhaps synergy. You speak of the x1 as a DAC (and source) for the amplifier. I tried to get the x1 to work with HD 600’s straight out and could not stand to listen to the combo, thin and harsh. With no other amp, I much more enjoy the x1 with the 650. But last night the pairing took me to a whole ‘nother place. I put aside work I was SUPPOSED to be doing and sat and listened for three hours; I COUD NOT stop.
 
I listen to good CDs ripped lossless. By good I mean relatively uncompressed, well-mixed and mastered but not “audiophile” remastered, maybe soft on top, fairly expansive soundstage. I prefer, for example, second-generation Led Zeppelin to the most recent remastered stuff; Michelle Shocked Arkansas Traveler from 1992; Tierney Sutton After Blue. And as far as perception and individuality, I might listen at no higher than 45 on the volume scroll wheel, whereas others might want to go higher. For whatever it is worth, an online audio test my indicated hearing does not extend even to 8 kHz (whereas my son picked up the level at 17 kHz on down, so I know it was working).

 

[DavidA]

My friend lives in a different country now.so can't compare.
I don't have a surge protector. I am very new to this hobby. I directly connect my amp to the wall.
How does a cooked frequency sound? Is there a subtle change or it is very noticeable? I hear a small change.

My only experience with a "cooked" driver is a Vmoda X-Fade, the headphone was connected to my Lyr2 amp with the volume at about 3/4 and the amp was turned on without turning the volume down so the drivers were "cooked" and the only sound after was a crackling sound, no music.  I @EK95 has a good suggestion as to what you are hearing. 

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Using the hd800 setting. Stupid auto-incorrect.

Ahhhh, makes sense then, because the HD800 is a brighter headphone, the compensation would add a heck of a bass boost and really give low end to the 700s.

 

[rovopio]

Due to the electricity cuts lately, my amp/ DAC has been switched off thrice while music was playing at moderate volume with my HD 650s. They sound a bit harsh in the upper midrange now. Have I cooked the high frequencies a bit due to the electricity cuts? I was so excited about the HD 650s. Now this has made me sad. Is it possible to cook high frequencies this way? Help me plz.

Power outage happened weekly where I live when there's a lot of rain. I think I had like, 5 daily power outages in a row in this month. But... I'm talking isolated example based on my very own experience though. My hd650 is fine and I'm currently watching youtube with them. Hope that alleviates your worry even if it's just a bit. Worst case scenario, you can always order a new driver from sennheiser UK and get them sent to France? Or the Sennheiser France's distributor or someplace?
 
It's not that expensive at 43 pounds (times 2?), all things considered. Better than a cooked headphone, if it's indeed cooked.