Sennheiser HD650 & Massdrop HD6XX Impressions Thread
Jul 25, 2021 at 11:32 PM Post #44,356 of 46,497
It's been a few weeks since I seriously listened to music with my HD650, but wow Yuki Saito's album love (specifically Itsuka and Moon Waltz) sound incredible on these cans.

The instrument separation is solid on these cans as well. Always surprises me, so much value for the price.
 
Jul 26, 2021 at 6:47 AM Post #44,357 of 46,497
It's been a few weeks since I seriously listened to music with my HD650, but wow Yuki Saito's album love (specifically Itsuka and Moon Waltz) sound incredible on these cans.

The instrument separation is solid on these cans as well. Always surprises me, so much value for the price.
It sounds so flowing and natural, right?
 
Jul 26, 2021 at 9:50 AM Post #44,358 of 46,497
Jul 26, 2021 at 1:27 PM Post #44,359 of 46,497
We've removed a number of posts that were going off-topic and away from Sennheiser HD 650/HD 6XX impressions in the thread. We ask that any cable discussion in the impressions thread be directly related to personal experiences with said cables and the headphones. For those who would like to discuss cable differences or lack thereof in more general terms, we invite you to start a new thread or join in one of the currently active threads in the Sound Science or Members' Lounge forums.

Thank you to everyone who kept their discussion on topic with the HD 650/HD 6XX. We greatly appreciate it.
 
Jul 26, 2021 at 1:34 PM Post #44,360 of 46,497
I just ordered the HD600.

I’ve got a big video coming sometime hopefully soon… I’ll be comparing and demo’ing the big ones!
- 58X “Jubilee”
- 600
- 650
- 6XX
- 800 S

Someday, I’ll have the 8XX and do a 800 S comparison too.

I think I mentioned some of this before here, but I thought I’d update people on the addition of the 600 to what I will do in that comparison video.

I’ve always been so curious trying to piece together testimony across the range of products, but never have I seen or heard them all together at once. I hope people will enjoy it!

If you’re interested in seeing the full comparison video with demos and review commentary, it’ll be up on my channel within the next few weeks. Super pumped!

(I’ll also be giving away some stuff to patreon people, including sennheisers I don’t keep, so like most of it. I’ll probably give away the Jubilee in September. So far there’s only one guy so he’s guaranteed until someone competes with him lol)
 
Jul 26, 2021 at 2:02 PM Post #44,361 of 46,497
I just ordered the HD600.

I’ve got a big video coming sometime hopefully soon… I’ll be comparing and demo’ing the big ones!
- 58X “Jubilee”
- 600
- 650
- 6XX
- 800 S

Someday, I’ll have the 8XX and do a 800 S comparison too.

I think I mentioned some of this before here, but I thought I’d update people on the addition of the 600 to what I will do in that comparison video.

I’ve always been so curious trying to piece together testimony across the range of products, but never have I seen or heard them all together at once. I hope people will enjoy it!

If you’re interested in seeing the full comparison video with demos and review commentary, it’ll be up on my channel within the next few weeks. Super pumped!

(I’ll also be giving away some stuff to patreon people, including sennheisers I don’t keep, so like most of it. I’ll probably give away the Jubilee in September. So far there’s only one guy so he’s guaranteed until someone competes with him lol)

Looking forward to it, but a word of caution. Most of us have been listening to the HD-600 for years and years. And years. And with all kinds of amps. There is a LOT to be said about different synergies, different aspects of this headphone when used with particular gear.

Even aside from the different pairings with DACs and amps, there is a lot to be said about appreciating/evaluating this headphone only after you get to know it... here is what I mean: most of us have owned it, enjoyed it for years, then bought more expensive headphones (like 10x more expensive), then months later the HD-600 becomes again our favorite. What I am saying is that it takes a lot of experience and listening, enjoying the music to fully understand the value of the HD-600. When I see some review of some dude who's had it for a few days and then posts his "definitive" review... not so good.

Therefore I would advise against rushing a review. One or two weeks of ownership and two or three amp pairings may not be enough to form an opinion worthy of a review for this venerable headphone. Just my advice.
 
Jul 26, 2021 at 2:02 PM Post #44,362 of 46,497
I just ordered the HD600.

I’ve got a big video coming sometime hopefully soon… I’ll be comparing and demo’ing the big ones!
- 58X “Jubilee”
- 600
- 650
- 6XX
- 800 S

Someday, I’ll have the 8XX and do a 800 S comparison too.

I think I mentioned some of this before here, but I thought I’d update people on the addition of the 600 to what I will do in that comparison video.

I’ve always been so curious trying to piece together testimony across the range of products, but never have I seen or heard them all together at once. I hope people will enjoy it!

If you’re interested in seeing the full comparison video with demos and review commentary, it’ll be up on my channel within the next few weeks. Super pumped!

(I’ll also be giving away some stuff to patreon people, including sennheisers I don’t keep, so like most of it. I’ll probably give away the Jubilee in September. So far there’s only one guy so he’s guaranteed until someone competes with him lol)

Excellent! I would love to see a comparison between the 650/6XX and the 8XX. I love the 650 and I'm curious about the 8XX, especially if it has the spaciousness of the original 800 but without the treble bite.
 
Jul 26, 2021 at 2:12 PM Post #44,363 of 46,497
Looking forward to it, but a word of caution. Most of us have been listening to the HD-600 for years and years. And years. And with all kinds of amps. There is a LOT to be said about different synergies, different aspects of this headphone when used with particular gear.

Even aside from the different pairings with DACs and amps, there is a lot to be said about appreciating/evaluating this headphone only after you get to know it... here is what I mean: most of us have owned it, enjoyed it for years, then bought more expensive headphones (like 10x more expensive), then months later the HD-600 becomes again our favorite. What I am saying is that it takes a lot of experience and listening, enjoying the music to fully understand the value of the HD-600. When I see some review of some dude who's had it for a few days and then posts his "definitive" review... not so good.

Therefore I would advise against rushing a review. One or two weeks of ownership and two or three amp pairings may not be enough to form an opinion worthy of a review for this venerable headphone. Just my advice.
That hits home with me. Did a full circle of experimantion and came back to the one that is the most natural to just sit back and enjoy. Sennheiser HD600/580
 
Jul 26, 2021 at 2:12 PM Post #44,364 of 46,497
Looking forward to it, but a word of caution. Most of us have been listening to the HD-600 for years and years. And years. And with all kinds of amps. There is a LOT to be said about different synergies, different aspects of this headphone when used with particular gear.

Even aside from the different pairings with DACs and amps, there is a lot to be said about appreciating/evaluating this headphone only after you get to know it... here is what I mean: most of us have owned it, enjoyed it for years, then bought more expensive headphones (like 10x more expensive), then months later the HD-600 becomes again our favorite. What I am saying is that it takes a lot of experience and listening, enjoying the music to fully understand the value of the HD-600. When I see some review of some dude who's had it for a few days and then posts his "definitive" review... not so good.

Therefore I would advise against rushing a review. One or two weeks of ownership and two or three amp pairings may not be enough to form an opinion worthy of a review for this venerable headphone. Just my advice.
Words well appreciated. My first audiophile love of any headphone was actually the HD650. It took me into my music for many months or more, until I got the 800, and eventually the 800 S.

You couldn’t be more right with how time exposed to something can affect our appreciation. It’s an unfortunate circumstance of trying to grapple with so much new gear all the time that any one of those items could have great enjoyment left under appreciated. The most I can honestly do then, is to give an impression only and be transparent about how what I’m hearing may be different from how I could feel about what I’m hearing, if given more time to listen.

And then there is indeed amp synergies, let alone getting tubes involved!

At the end of the day, I’ll try my best to convey my awareness of these things and yet will have to come up with at least my take as just one set of ears, with biased tastes due to what I’ve been using lately, with what library I listen with, etc.

This hobby is difficult to navigate for those personal differences and takes we rush to or neglect to consider…So at least I’ll have recordings for people online to hear for themselves too :) Plus, my words of caution I try to give, along with trying to point out what enjoyment might be in the gear that others may get that I’m not quite connecting to yet.

Good on you for reinforcing good mindful and critical listening habits sir!
 
Jul 30, 2021 at 11:46 AM Post #44,365 of 46,497
That hits home with me. Did a full circle of experimantion and came back to the one that is the most natural to just sit back and enjoy. Sennheiser HD600/580
Same here - been through many Hifiman, focal, Audeze, etc., but I keep coming back to hd600/650 as the easiest to live with and overall most enjoyable. I had hd580 precision for 20+ years before I even thought about playing around with different headphones (sadly, I gave those away), but sennheiser got something very right with these models.
 
Aug 5, 2021 at 12:10 PM Post #44,367 of 46,497
I've been listening to the HD6XX for one week now, I have K712, LCD 2F (2017), Grado 225e, I can see why people call this the tonality king, cello sounds absolutely phenomenal on these, best I've heard that instrument sound, that being said I believe the LCD 2 is the better headphone overall, much more refined sounding, better bass, a room sized soundstage with good imaging that spreads from left to right evenly, the HD6XX definitely has that left right centre blob imaging, compared to the K712 it's actually nice to have a more defined centre image.

I'm very eager now to hear how the HD600 sounds, I would like that touch more 'neutral' flavour, I wouldn't call the HD6XX veiled like some people say, just smooth, it's a warm sounding headphone no doubt, you guys know if there is much of a difference from the HD6XX and HD600?
 
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Aug 5, 2021 at 6:46 PM Post #44,368 of 46,497
I've been listening to the HD6XX for one week now, I have K712, LCD 2F (2017), Grado 225e, I can see why people call this the tonality king, cello sounds absolutely phenomenal on these, best I've heard that instrument sound, that being said I believe the LCD 2 is the better headphone overall, much more refined sounding, better bass, a room sized soundstage with good imaging that spreads from left to right evenly, the HD6XX definitely has that left right centre blob imaging, compared to the K712 it's actually nice to have a more defined centre image.

I'm very eager now to hear how the HD600 sounds, I would like that touch more 'neutral' flavour, I wouldn't call the HD6XX veiled like some people say, just smooth, it's a warm sounding headphone no doubt, you guys know if there is much of a difference from the HD6XX and HD600?
Using a different headphone and randomly use one of 6 line no there is no big differences.
But using 600 650 and 660s at the shame time yeah i can hear differences, 600 neutral tight sound , 650 smooth and warm. 660s something in the Middle with better speed ,imaging , separation.
 
Aug 5, 2021 at 7:31 PM Post #44,369 of 46,497
I've been listening to the HD6XX for one week now, I have K712, LCD 2F (2017), Grado 225e, I can see why people call this the tonality king, cello sounds absolutely phenomenal on these, best I've heard that instrument sound, that being said I believe the LCD 2 is the better headphone overall, much more refined sounding, better bass, a room sized soundstage with good imaging that spreads from left to right evenly, the HD6XX definitely has that left right centre blob imaging, compared to the K712 it's actually nice to have a more defined centre image.

I'm very eager now to hear how the HD600 sounds, I would like that touch more 'neutral' flavour, I wouldn't call the HD6XX veiled like some people say, just smooth, it's a warm sounding headphone no doubt, you guys know if there is much of a difference from the HD6XX and HD600?

The 650/6XX have more of a musical, romantic sound sig. When burned in fully with the right gear they can make you want to cry they sound so good. What the 600 has is it's clearer, faster in the attack/decay department and it images better. The 600 doesn't make you want to cry, but it can enthrall/excite you with it's preciseness and detail, particularly with the right amp and a really good cable
 
Aug 5, 2021 at 8:53 PM Post #44,370 of 46,497
The 650/6XX have more of a musical, romantic sound sig. When burned in fully with the right gear they can make you want to cry they sound so good. What the 600 has is it's clearer, faster in the attack/decay department and it images better. The 600 doesn't make you want to cry, but it can enthrall/excite you with it's preciseness and detail, particularly with the right amp and a really good cable

Thanks for the input, I'm hoping to snag a pair of HD600's off eBay next week if bidding goes in my favour, I don't find the HD6XX very exciting to listen to but they are a very enjoyable, relaxing, non-fatiguing listen, I often find myself bobbing my head or tapping my foot without realising it, I've loved my K712's for many years but I would say the HD6XX's are better for pure music listening.
 

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