I agree with you. I've been using these for when I practice on my digital piano for years. Clarity is unreal. I've tried out probably 30 different pairs of headphones in the last 20 years and these are the ones that have done it for me.
I actually found a guide that is great for this that you might enjoy!
I own a heavily modded HD650 (Jupiter Audio Research's JAR650); have heard a stock HD650 at length (weeks) in my system; also heard an Elear at length IMS. I find the Elear quite unlike the HD650: more insistent/dynamic, rather edgy, borderline bright, "in your face." The HD650, modded or stock, is anything but "in your face." There's nothing edgy or jumpy about it.
Of course this is purely subjective...no right or wrong answer.
People are quick to call this or that headphone "an HD650 with more (insert "sub-bass," "bass," "treble," whatever)." I find the HD650's sound to be unique, not quite like any other headphone.
A closer parallel would be the ZMF Aeolus. It's 3-4X the price of an HD650, but the frequency profile is roughly comparable. The Aeolus does have considerably more sub-bass & especially mid-bass. However, put both headphones on an OTL and the similarity grows closer. Amping aside, the biggest difference is soundstaging. The HD650, modded or stock, has constrained, intimate soundstaging--precise & very clear, but not wide/deep/tall. The Aeolus has more soundstage in every direction.
I own a heavily modded HD650 (Jupiter Audio Research's JAR650); have heard a stock HD650 at length (weeks) in my system; also heard an Elear at length IMS. I find the Elear quite unlike the HD650: more insistent/dynamic, rather edgy, borderline bright, "in your face." The HD650, modded or stock, is anything but "in your face." There's nothing edgy or jumpy about it.
Of course this is purely subjective...no right or wrong answer.
People are quick to call this or that headphone "an HD650 with more (insert "sub-bass," "bass," "treble," whatever)." I find the HD650's sound to be unique, not quite like any other headphone.
A closer parallel would be the ZMF Aeolus. It's 3-4X the price of an HD650, but the frequency profile is roughly comparable. The Aeolus does have considerably more sub-bass & especially mid-bass. However, put both headphones on an OTL and the similarity grows closer. Amping aside, the biggest difference is soundstaging. The HD650, modded or stock, has constrained, intimate soundstaging--precise & very clear, but not wide/deep/tall. The Aeolus has more soundstage in every direction.
I own a heavily modded HD650 (Jupiter Audio Research's JAR650); have heard a stock HD650 at length (weeks) in my system; also heard an Elear at length IMS. I find the Elear quite unlike the HD650: more insistent/dynamic, rather edgy, borderline bright, "in your face." The HD650, modded or stock, is anything but "in your face." There's nothing edgy or jumpy about it.
Of course this is purely subjective...no right or wrong answer.
People are quick to call this or that headphone "an HD650 with more (insert "sub-bass," "bass," "treble," whatever)." I find the HD650's sound to be unique, not quite like any other headphone.
A closer parallel would be the ZMF Aeolus. It's 3-4X the price of an HD650, but the frequency profile is roughly comparable. The Aeolus does have considerably more sub-bass & especially mid-bass. However, put both headphones on an OTL and the similarity grows closer. Amping aside, the biggest difference is soundstaging. The HD650, modded or stock, has constrained, intimate soundstaging--precise & very clear, but not wide/deep/tall. The Aeolus has more soundstage in every direction.
when I was listening to the Auteur, I switched over to the HD6XX to hear what differences are, and immediately preferred the HD6XX. The Auteur's wood colors the sound that I didn't appreciate. HD6XX just sound better to my ears, and this is technically better. Auteur has this sharpness in the upper-mids that sounded a bit detached to the low-end due to the tubby wood coloring to the sound, causing a bit of a V-shape.
I wrote this on the thread and Zach gets defensive and pulls out his innaccurate graph! What.
It's pitiful the state of so called new headphones that doesn't seem to really improve, but pricing gets significantly worse.
when I was listening to the Auteur, I switched over to the HD6XX to hear what differences are, and immediately preferred the HD6XX. The Auteur's wood colors the sound that I didn't appreciate. HD6XX just sound better to my ears, and this is technically better. Auteur has this sharpness in the upper-mids that sounded a bit detached to the low-end due to the tubby wood coloring to the sound, causing a bit of a V-shape.
I wrote this on the thread and Zach gets defensive and pulls out his innaccurate graph! What.
It's pitiful the state of so called new headphones that doesn't seem to really improve, but pricing gets significantly worse.
Many people are crazy for the Auteur. I've auditioned it numerous times and find it a bit sharp in upper mids, but that's earpad- and genre-specific. I own the Eikon, the closed back on which the Auteur is based, and find it a thrilling headphone in many ways, with epic bass, soundstaging, and dynamics--but again, sometimes sounding a bit sharp.
I don't think this is about wood coloring sound. I suspect you just don't like the way Zach voiced the Auteur. That's fine...there's no right or wrong in sonic preferences. As for me, I appreciate the "ZMF House Sound" (most especially w/my Ori, the first really serious, kick-ass headphone I bought). The Aeolus also has some strikingly good sound qualities.
These headphones are quite different from the HD650. They aim higher in terms of sonics, physical design & construction, and they're obviously on another level altogether as far as aesthetics & build quality. The HD650 is essentially a budget headphone (designed & constructed on a strict budget) that has extremely good, cleverly voiced sound. It's an over-achiever, and I admire it greatly.
You're correct in saying that pricing is going up. But based on what I've heard at shows & from borrowed headphones, many of the new headphones are rather adventurous and innovative in sound quality. IMO this is kind of a magic moment for headphone audio.
When they were introduced 15 years ago they were definitely not a budget headphone they were flagship, that they can be bought today for $319.00 is more a function of their longevity so they can be sold for cost plus margin unlike individually hand-crafted headphones that are priced to what the market will bear.
(or in the case of the Massdrop HD6XX version at $200 where ~ 73,000 have been sold to date)
Has anyone compared the bass of the HD 650/6xx from the Chord Mojo out of optical or a Jitterbug, to another DAC/amp around the same price for bass performance?
I'm starting to find the HD 650 to lack bass punch with my Mojo and 2 Jitterbugs (which make the Mojo more full bodied)
Many people are crazy for the Auteur. I've auditioned it numerous times and find it a bit sharp in upper mids, but that's earpad- and genre-specific. I own the Eikon, the closed back on which the Auteur is based, and find it a thrilling headphone in many ways, with epic bass, soundstaging, and dynamics--but again, sometimes sounding a bit sharp.
I don't think this is about wood coloring sound. I suspect you just don't like the way Zach voiced the Auteur. That's fine...there's no right or wrong in sonic preferences. As for me, I appreciate the "ZMF House Sound" (most especially w/my Ori, the first really serious, kick-ass headphone I bought). The Aeolus also has some strikingly good sound qualities.
These headphones are quite different from the HD650. They aim higher in terms of sonics, physical design & construction, and they're obviously on another level altogether as far as aesthetics & build quality. The HD650 is essentially a budget headphone (designed & constructed on a strict budget) that has extremely good, cleverly voiced sound. It's an over-achiever, and I admire it greatly.
You're correct in saying that pricing is going up. But based on what I've heard at shows & from borrowed headphones, many of the new headphones are rather adventurous and innovative in sound quality. IMO this is kind of a magic moment for headphone audio.
It will be a magic moment.. In 5 to 10 years when companies like Focal, ZMF, MrSpeakers etc bump their prices down by at least 50%. Right now, the HD6XX/650 still competes well against headphones 10x the price. It still will 10 years from now.
Has anyone compared the bass of the HD 650/6xx from the Chord Mojo out of optical or a Jitterbug, to another DAC/amp around the same price for bass performance?
I'm starting to find the HD 650 to lack bass punch with my Mojo and 2 Jitterbugs (which make the Mojo more full bodied)
You say you’re starting to find it lacks bass punch so it had it but now it doesn’t or does it not sound like the headphone you want it to sound like. To me it has never been a real heavy hitter in the bass department good but not real slamming hard.
Has anyone compared the bass of the HD 650/6xx from the Chord Mojo out of optical or a Jitterbug, to another DAC/amp around the same price for bass performance?
I'm starting to find the HD 650 to lack bass punch with my Mojo and 2 Jitterbugs (which make the Mojo more full bodied)
It will be a magic moment.. In 5 to 10 years when companies like Focal, ZMF, MrSpeakers etc bump their prices down by at least 50%. Right now, the HD6XX/650 still competes well against headphones 10x the price. It still will 10 years from now.
I had an opportunity recently to compare HD650 (balanced) with HD800 (single ended) on HDVD600. I'm very disappointed of HD800. Is it better than 650? Yes. Deserved 3-4 times of price? Ridiculous.
I had an opportunity recently to compare HD650 (balanced) with HD800 (single ended) on HDVD600. I'm very disappointed of HD800. Is it better than 650? Yes. Deserved 3-4 times of price? Ridiculous.
I haven't heard the HD800, but I just bought a pair. Waiting to receive them. I am not surprised at all to hear this though. The HD650s were one of the best headphones around when I got into this hobby 15 years ago, and they still are today.
That's typical of this hobby though, returns are diminishing once you get past a certain point. The HD6XX at 200 bucks is an amazing value for the money, I will never sell mine, and if anyone who isn't already into this hobby asks me for recommendations, from a price/quality perspective, I will recommend the HD6XX before anything else. They are just incredible for the price, especially since they scale up to your gear a lot more than most. And I'm a Grado guy!
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