[TwoEars]

They are NOT harsh.
 
Your opinion is biased by the DT880s which are bass heavy - try an equalizer if you must listen to 128 kb/s mp3s, low quality TV-rips and cam-videos.
 
These are $300-500 headphones, they are supposed to be detailed and revealing. That's what you pay for. If you want a muddled sound that smears over every imperfection you could have bought a pair of $50 headphones.
 
My entire collection is FLAC, 720p and 1080p video. That's what's needed to do these cans justice.

 

[nicholars]

I used to think this with my speakers.... I thought they were harsh etc. Until I realised from buying more expensive speakers such as Dynaudio etc. that all they are doing is playing the source file and if it is crap quality such as <320kbps MP3 or freeview TV audio then it will sound bad even on £50,000 speakers.... Sibilance and harshness are 95% of the time from the source file and the more revealing the headphones are the worse it is....

 

[PelPix]

I never said that they were harsh-sounding, I said that they were harsh.

 

[nicholars]

Quote:

I never said that they were harsh-sounding, I said that they were harsh.

 
Ah I see thanks for clearing that up then. (lol)

 

[stevenlongs]

Quote:

 
For high ultra-sopranos like Brightman and Evancho I woudln't listen to it on anything but HD650!

  I really would not want to hear them on HD800, HD700, Beyers or Grados

 

I loved her voice. Then I googled who it was and it just floored me. She's like 12 years old? MY GAWD.

 

[NujaBlessed]

this may be due to my musical preferences, but i feel the hd650 are inferior to my dt880. it's so laid back and boring and the treble lacks sparkle.

 

[caracara08]

Quote:

this may be due to my musical preferences, but i feel the hd650 are inferior to my dt880. it's so laid back and boring and the treble lacks sparkle.

not everyone will love any headphone. i havent tried the dt880 but i dont think the hd650 lacks any sparkle and is anything but boring.  its not the most resolving headphone but i know that, and accept that. it does other things very very well.

 

[imackler]

Quote:

this may be due to my musical preferences, but i feel the hd650 are inferior to my dt880. it's so laid back and boring and the treble lacks sparkle.

 
Yup! Musical preferences. I found the DT880 liefeless w/ sucked out mids and mechanical, artificial treble. Violins felt so industrial w/ the DT880. 
 
And that friends, is why they are both classics and have devotees! 

 

[cyborg00900]

Perception.

 

[longbowbbs]

Or personal preference....

 

[Max F]

Some people like V shaped frequency response.  Flat as a pancake can sound weird too.  Really it is personal preference - which will change also - even daily, lol!
 
Reminds me of some zen monks looking at a flag waiving in the wind.  One says the flag  is moving, the other says the wind is moving.  The third replies "mind is moving".  It's all perception.

 

[nicholars]

Quote:

Some people like V shaped frequency response.  Flat as a pancake can sound weird too.  Really it is personal preference - which will change also - even daily, lol!
 
Reminds me of some zen monks looking at a flag waiving in the wind.  One says the flag  is moving, the other says the wind is moving.  The third replies "mind is moving".  It's all perception.

 
No it is the flag that is moving.

 

[caracara08]

No it is the flag that is moving.

But without the wind moving, the flag doesn't move. Without our eyes and brains processing what they see, there is no movement

 

[nicholars]

Quote:

But without the wind moving, the flag doesn't move. Without our eyes and brains processing what they see, there is no movement

 
I will give you the wind bit, but the flag is still moving even if you dont see it.

 

[HamilcarBarca]

Quote:

 
I will give you the wind bit, but the flag is still moving even if you dont see it.

 
It may be moving when he doesn't see it, but it's not moving when you don't see it.