[LugBug1]

 
Quote:

I'm glad you're enjoying the changes from the foam mod. I personally reverted back to stock after a few days of trying it. I felt the added clarity from the mod came at the expense of less bass quantity and occasionally sibilant upper treble.

Thanks, I am surprised that you thought the bass had less quantity though? The reason I am loving the new sound is because of the extra bass impact. I've went back to my 650's now following a crazy fling with the d2000's... because my 650's now sound exciting!
 
Ive had a few more experiments with dampening the driver and changing the ear cup material. What Ive settled with now and what seems to be better (a little more refined) is leaving nothing on the driver (everything I tried dulled the bass) and using a dense fabric (from my sock!) in the ear cups. This has kept the new dynamic impact from the free driver, but the denser material smoothed out the overall presentation more than the foam did.
 
I can now relax and enjoy the music.... with one sock on ha ha          

 

[chrome]

J&R has 'em for a pretty good price

 

[sphinxvc]

Quote:

I have a 3 channel Beta22 right now, and the Beta22-650 combination is very very very good. It minimizes many of the 650 shortcomings (better transient response, better dynamics, less 3 blob soundstage and bigger) which results in a headphone that is very hard to beat if you are looking for that warm presentation.
 

Hey Roger, did you build that Beta22 yourself?  Have you tried or considered the 4 channel version?  I think I mostly get a 3 blob soundstage from my rig at the moment and that's my primary reason for wanting K701s.  By the way, did you get a chance to try the K701s with your Beta before you got rid of them?  How did they compare?  

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

 


 Actually it's "aspire to", since I'm in a gently pricking mood.

 
However, I do appreciate any and all compliments as they're so rare.
 
(But how come no-one voted for me recently as the most helpful person on Head-Fi after all this friendly, useful advice I give? T'ain't fair!) 

Aren't you assuming that we all have the same size heads? Your argument kinda falls apart when you consider the many different head sizes around here. Yes there was a certain amount of pressure intended by Sennheiser, but for what head size were the HD650s optimally designed around?
 
Those of us with...ahem...larger head sizes (7 5/8") simply could not live with the HD650s out of the box. My head felt like a walnut at Christmas time...simply unbearable and I don't think that the smart folks at Sennheiser would design a pair of headphones (especially their prized flagships for many years) to be as uncomfortable.

 

[canoners]

I just ordered this I hope I won't be disappointed

 

[vcoheda]

listening to my HD650 + bal zu mobius cable now after many months of non-use due to the arrival of the HD800 and LCD2. let me say that the 650s easily hold up. they are truly classic (high-end) headphones.

 

[Vader815]

Hey folks, got a few questions and thought you guys would know best. 
 
Couple of questions, if anyone would oblige, I'd greatly appreciate it. 
 
A.) Is the soundstage as huge as I'd hope it is? I have 595's now. They're a bit boring sometimes, but I mostly love them. 
 
B.) How do these perform with most forms of rock (Radiohead, a lot of harder stuff, some acoustic)/classical/electronic? 
 
C.) Any recommend amps in the $300-$400 range? I've been eyeing http://www.meier-audio.homepage.t-online.de/ (Meir Corda Stepdance) and Pico's http://www.headamp.com/order/index.htm
 
Would either of those be enough to drive these? 
 
 

 

[Roger Strummer]

Quote:

Quote:


Hey Roger, did you build that Beta22 yourself?  Have you tried or considered the 4 channel version?  I think I mostly get a 3 blob soundstage from my rig at the moment and that's my primary reason for wanting K701s.  By the way, did you get a chance to try the K701s with your Beta before you got rid of them?  How did they compare?  

The story of this B22 is kind of curious. It started last year when I began buying all the parts necessary for building a 4 channel beta for myself, but I ran out of minerals to keep buying what I needed (I need to stop playing and watching so much Starcraft), since I haven't had a steady paying job for quite a long time. But in Christmas I convinced a friend to buy a LCD-2 (so I could try them... mwahaha) and when he got them he didn't like them that much out of his Luxman amp, and since he knew I was stuck with the Beta and wanted to try the LCD's with it to see if he will keep them, he decided to ask me to finish building the beta and sell it to him (since he also knows that I really can use any extra money these days). But he asked me to build a 3-channel so he didn't need to recable or reterminate his headphoness. He will come for his amp (and his LCD's that I borrowed since January) next month probably.
 
But whenever I build myself one, it will be a 4 channel one (I simply love the XLR connectors, they  look cool) or maybe even I will go crazy with a 5 channel one (so to be able to use it in 4 channel and 3 channel modes, I believe it is possible but I haven't really looked into that), although that won't happen until 4th quarter of 2012 at the earliest

. I didn't get the chance to hear the 701 with the beta since I sold them a long time ago, but I sold them to a friend, so I might ask him to let me try the combination just to hear it, and compare it to the 650.
 

 

[senndroid]

 
Quote:

B.) How do these perform with most forms of rock (Radiohead, a lot of harder stuff, some acoustic)/classical/electronic? 

 
I am very qualified to answer this question.
 
You will find Radiohead to be QUITE pleasing in the HD650s, but definitely not perfect. I have mine on my head right now, running out of the gear in my signature. Radiohead is one of my very favorite bands. Here are my impressions:
 
Nude, In Rainbows: Easily my favorite track of all time in the HD650s. I am not kidding, this track sounds perfect in this headphone when properly amped. The opening :30 is perfectly separated and balanced, with a stellar kickdrum and rhythm that is placed optimally behind the cascading vocal harmonies. Then, all of the sudden, the relaxed bass riff kicks in, also perfectly balanced with the percussion--the bass is impactful, warm, extended, dark, and creamy. I'm serious, the instrumentation sounds unbelievable. Finally, when Thom's smoky falsetto tenor voice comes in, it is absolutely hypnotizing. When I hang out with other audiophiles, I play this song to show off my gear.
 
I honestly could talk about this track in the HD650s all day, and about how amazing the 650s are for In Rainbows all night, but I would probably bore everyone to tears. Suffice it to say that the HD650s + In Rainbows feels like audio Nirvana for me, and the two compliment each other very nicely. I've probably listened to In Rainbows cover to cover in the HD650s around one hundred times in the 650s.
 
Now, to be fair
 
Anyone Can Play Guitar, Pablo Honey: This is a different flavor of Radiohead, and it doesn't perform as well in the HD650s. The balance is still there, and Thom's voice still sounds great, but the instrumentation becomes problematic. The hard rock and roll starts to blend, or mix together, in a not-so-nice way at the chorus. Between the heavy, watered-down hi-hat and fuzzy electric guitars, I can't really separate or detail the treble as much as I could in a Grado headphone--ah yes, here it is, that classic Sennheiser Veil. The trade-off is that I can listen to Radiohead as much as I please without getting listener's fatigue.

I honestly could write so, so much more on the subject of Radiohead+HD650s, but I'm not sure how much you (or anyone) would care (or want to read). If you have any more specific questions about my analysis or the synergy between 650 and Radiohead, throw them my way. Glad to help.

 

[Roger Strummer]

 
 
 
Quote:

B.) How do these perform with most forms of rock (Radiohead, a lot of harder stuff, some acoustic)/classical/electronic?
 
 

 
^I pretty much agree with senndroid (maybe replacing grados with HD800 since thats the can I have experience with). Acoustic is also very good, the midrange is great in the 650.
 
But when you mention harder stuff, I think it depends on exactly what harder stuff you are talking about, since their performance is quite different say for prog metal than for thrash metal,  overall they don't do a bad job even in their worse genres, but they might not be the best for harder stuff.
 
 
Quote:

 
A.) Is the soundstage as huge as I'd hope it is? I have 595's now. They're a bit boring sometimes, but I mostly love them. 
 

 

The soundstage of the 650 compared to the 595, when amped averagely, is wider but less deep. But when well amped it is just better (by quite a bit).
 

 

[olor1n]

Radiohead were a huge part of my life in the OKC and Kid A years but I hadn't really listened to them for some time until King of Limbs. In Rainbows was an album that I enjoyed but it never really registered for me until recently, when I heard it again for the first time through my current setup. Senndroid is correct in stating that this album is a showcase for the HD650 (particularly if your gear is resolving enough to present it in all its glory).
 
I'm listening to OKC at the moment and I'm at a loss for words to describe the connection I feel to this music and how it's being presented through my modest setup. Everything's there, complex and layered, yet defined and occupying its own space. The virtuosity of Mr Greenwood is brought to the fore with the punk swagger Radiohead had in their prime and that energy is somehow conveyed by these infamously "boring" headphones. The micro detail on display in "Let Down" and a seismic bass punch at the start of "Karma Police" are other highlights.
 
Moments like this are when all of this is justified and when thoughts of "upgrading" and hoarding gear is utterly ridiculous. What a way to rediscover a favourite band!

 

[Morten]

Quote:

A quick question that's probably been asked before: how do you fit the foam pads along with the earpads? If you lay the foam pads first, the earpads won't be able to 'click' in place.

bump

 

[rasmushorn]

Quote:

A quick question that's probably been asked before: how do you fit the foam pads along with the earpads? If you lay the foam pads first, the earpads won't be able to 'click' in place.
 

You have to do the opposite. Click the earpads on first and then put the foampads on place afterwards. 
You could also consider not using the foampads. I think HD650 sounds way better without the foampads. 
...or you could go all the way and do the APureSound mod.

 

[pp312]

 
Quote:

Aren't you assuming that we all have the same size heads? Your argument kinda falls apart when you consider the many different head sizes around here. Yes there was a certain amount of pressure intended by Sennheiser, but for what head size were the HD650s optimally designed around?
 
Those of us with...ahem...larger head sizes (7 5/8") simply could not live with the HD650s out of the box. My head felt like a walnut at Christmas time...simply unbearable and I don't think that the smart folks at Sennheiser would design a pair of headphones (especially their prized flagships for many years) to be as uncomfortable.

 
I find it hard to believe there are such huge variations in head size that the 650 fits one and squeezes the next like a walnut (you sure it was your head it was squeezing), In any case as I say the headband is designed to give after a couple of weeks of use, and presumably it will adjust itself  according to head size. If your head is really so big, I suggest you return to Alpha Centauri and check out the headphones there--I'm sure they have just your size.  
 
 


 
  
Always good for a chuckle.

 

[Morten]

Quote:

You have to do the opposite. Click the earpads on first and then put the foampads on place afterwards. 
You could also consider not using the foampads. I think HD650 sounds way better without the foampads. 
...or you could go all the way and do the APureSound mod.

Alright, thanks.