[uzi]

Quote:

So price to performance ratio, are these the best in the world?

Amongst the best for sure... "the best" is open for debate.  Those who like the HD600 more would say that one is the best.  There are others like the DT880 and HE-500 that are also under $1k that vie for that title.

 

[fuzzy1969]

Quote:

Someone posted a list of some of Sennheiser's replacement parts on the deals thread.
 
Does anyone know why the costs are so different? The grill covers look the same to me on both headphones besides the color. And did they just figure out an easier way to manufacture the drivers for the HD650's, or is the quality of the HD600 drivers actually better?
 

Sennheiser UK which is the official source of Sennheiser headphone parts doesn't have spares for the hd600's anymore so I would suspect it's the last of them.

 

[fmlfml]

Nice with my JenaLab cryo cable!

 

[Jason36]

Hi guys,

I have just bought an Audio GD NFB11 DAC/AMP to use with my HD650's.....this will be used with my Netbook using JRiver MC17 and a combination of Lossless files and 24/96 Hi Res FLAC.

Anybody used the Audio GD 11 and make any comments on how good this amp is? positive I hope seeing as I have committed to it

Jason

 

[MattTCG]

Quote:

So price to performance ratio, are these the best in the world?

 
Hard to say "the best" around here without getting flogged. But it's certainly "one of the best."
 
Quote:

So, I'm currently in the honeymoon period with my 650s. I've had them for 5 days now and man, I've found the end game headphone until I'm willing to spend an equal amount on headphone gear as I did on my car. Going from 880/600's sure, the sound stage is smaller, highs are quite as sparkly, not as neutral etc but what really sets the 650s apart is how real the instruments sound. Maybe this is what's meant by the term detail? Instruments and drums have force to them and sound as though they are being played in my ear. The vocals/mids are present but never seem loud or harsh, it's a weird thing actually but freaking lovely. I'm glad I finally gave them a shot, the "veil" was my biggest concern but I really have no idea what all the fuss is about...theres plenty there to the highs, but enough missing so that they don't fatigue the the heck out of you.
Sincerely,
Another happy 650 owner.

 
I feel essentially the same way about the 650. There is a very natural reproduction of sound especially with instruments and voices that just makes the hp utterly enjoyable to listen to. I find myself picking it up again and again. 

 

[preproman]

Quote:

Hi guys,
I have just bought an Audio GD NFB11 DAC/AMP to use with my HD650's.....this will be used with my Netbook using JRiver MC17 and a combination of Lossless files and 24/96 Hi Res FLAC.
Anybody used the Audio GD 11 and make any comments on how good this amp is? positive I hope seeing as I have committed to it
Jason

 
 
Don't want to upgrade to J. River 18?

 

[fuzzybaffy]

Quote:

 
Hard to say "the best" around here without getting flogged. But it's certainly "one of the best."
 
 
I feel essentially the same way about the 650. There is a very natural reproduction of sound especially with instruments and voices that just makes the hp utterly enjoyable to listen to. I find myself picking it up again and again. 

 
 
^ Gotta second that regarding the instruments and vocals on the HD-650. Been making the rounds with my music collection, and finally got around to listening to some rock tracks with the HD-650, and... yea, the guitars and vocals pop out immediately (not in a bad or obnoxious way). It's almost as if I can literally feel the texture of some of the guitar sounds. Really, really pleasing to ear. In fact, I'd say rock is the -best- genre for the HD-650, at least so far, from what I've listened to (over hip-hop, electronic, or pop).
 
Of course, this is different than me saying that the HD-650 is the best for rock in general, and that is NOT what I'm saying (since I obviously haven't listened to all headphones in existence). What I'm saying is, among all the genres that I've personally listened to, rock sounds the best on the HD-650.
 
Some rock tracks I listened to were from: the Beatles, the Verve, Richard Ashcroft, Doves, and Beck.
 
 
 
And also... I have to say, despite all the noise/distortion issues I've had (read: me using the crappy motherboard onboard audio), which I wrote about a few pages back, I'm still really, really pleased with the HD-650.
 
Yes, they aren't quite as "obvious" or forward as the the Grado RS-1 and/or Sony MDR-CD3000 I've had nearly 10 years ago, but I do remember experiencing fatigue with the Sony CD3000 (the treble was pretty bright), and I don't ever remember wanting to really sit down, sit back, and listen to music for long periods of time with the RS-1's (although, I have to admit the RS-1's at times, were quite exciting and fun).
 
It just seems to me, the HD-650 was meant and intended for long listening sessions. You can either just jam out to them, or do really low-level listening sessions, while still keeping things enjoyable.
 
Which brings me to another point... it just seems like Sennheiser built these having in mind that these would actually be used as, well, headphones, rather than just simply attaching mini-speakers on a headband (read: Grado headphones). The HD-650 sound signature that gets along with almost all genres, and its "laidback" presentation, all tells me that everything Sennheiser did was intentional, for the sake of comfortable, yet enjoyable headphone use, over long periods of time. It just makes me appreciate the headphones a little more.

 

[Jason36]

Don't want to upgrade to J. River 18?

I will be yes, I haven't used the netbook for a while, due to the lack of a decent DAC/AMP combo....hence the purchase of the Audio GD 11.

I've mainly been using my IEM'S and HP's with my iPod and The National Amp combo....the HD650's sound good with this, but the National amp is on the slightly darker side and I wanted a fairly neutral amp....which I believe the GD is...so I'm hoping it will be a good match.

The GD amp has also had the USB problem sorted so I am really hoping that it will be a good match with HD650's

 

[Porter1]

Quote:

...finally got around to listening to some rock tracks with the HD-650, and... yea, the guitars and vocals pop out immediately (not in a bad or obnoxious way). It's almost as if I can literally feel the texture of some of the guitar sounds. Really, really pleasing to ear. 

 
i second the sentiment of your post.  i listen to mostly laid-back, slow, vocal-focused music (e.g. Damien Rice, Bon Iver, etc.) and i recently got around to some of my Rock collection.  CCR, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Zeppelin, Petty, Skillet, Rise Against....all sound fantastic on the HD650's. 

 

[Wolf11]

So, I've had my HD650's for almost a year now, but I'm considering selling them... Don't get me wrong, the quality out of these cans are amazing but I am finding that I am using them less and less. That's probably because I've stopped listening to music while studying, and I have very little free time outside of school now. So I need some convincing as to why I should keep them Also, I am not using a DAC or an amp... How much do they improve the quality? 
 
So, any words of advice?
 
Thanks. 
 
And sorry if this is the wrong thread but it seems the approriate group of people that I am appealing to...

 

[longbowbbs]

Life goes in circles...you will use them again.....
 
As far a DAC or AMP's....The better they are the better the 650's perform. You can always come back to them....

 

[tdockweiler]

Quote:

So, I've had my HD650's for almost a year now, but I'm considering selling them... Don't get me wrong, the quality out of these cans are amazing but I am finding that I am using them less and less. That's probably because I've stopped listening to music while studying, and I have very little free time outside of school now. So I need some convincing as to why I should keep them Also, I am not using a DAC or an amp... How much do they improve the quality? 
 
So, any words of advice?
 
Thanks. 
 
And sorry if this is the wrong thread but it seems the approriate group of people that I am appealing to...

 
I'd suggest at least trying them with a LOD cable (if you use portable devices) and portable amp. The Headroom Total Airhead can drive them with ease. That's only $49 if it's still on sale.
Right now i'm loving the HD-650 with the Airhead from a Ipod Touch 2G with the Fiio L11 LOD connector. This setup is finally complete after trying every portable player I could find..
 
I know this will hurt the Ipod Video 5.5 fanboy's feelings, but I think the Ipod Touch 2G sounds better with the HD-650. The 5.5 (and Clip+) are too warm for the HD-650. At least for my preferences.
I wonder what makes the Ipod 5.5 sound too warm? I guess it doesn't measure flat. I'd like to try the Ipod Classic 7G sometime. I had an earlier 160gb version previously. Got the Ipod Touch 2G as a gift when the 3G came out.
 
BTW I've found the HD-650 to sound good, but not great from portable devices with no (external) amp.

 

[wazzupi]

I don't find the volume very high with my o2 amp+ipod touch 4th gen unless I use gain what does the lod give you over headphone jack ? 

 

[tdockweiler]

Quote:

I don't find the volume very high with my o2 amp+ipod touch 4th gen unless I use gain what does the lod give you over headphone jack ? 

Seriously? I get more than enough volume from ANY source. I'm not even a very low volume listener. I know it's at least 75-80db from just my Ipod 3G (monochrome).
I think this whole LOD cable thing being like 1000x better than a headphone jack to amp is a bit of nonsense. Apparently it's supposed to give a cleaner sound, but this is rarely detectable to my ears with 95% of my headphones.
I do think the Sansa Fuze's Line out is horrible and much worse than the headphone out. Not sure why or how.
 
With my HD-650 though, the sound is much clearer with Ipods when I use the LOD method. I guess the HD-650 is picky and doesn't like the "double amping" method since the LOD is bypassing the internal amp of the player (but not the DAC of course). Actually I haven't compared the two methods (LOD vs headphone jack) with the hD-650 a whole lot. No point really for me since the L11 is really cheap and lets me charge it while using the line out.
 
BTW it's interesting to find that the rip-off Apple Dock (the big one) has a DAC inside it. Wonder why? I wanted to get another one for my Ipod Touch, but they're like $99 for the whole kit! Sorry, but that's a bit overkill. I'm probably just a cheapskate.
 
A docked Ipod Touch to an amp is pretty nice to have in another room when you don't want to haul around your main setup..

 

[B-Dawk20]

Sorry, I had to leave for a day.
 
Quote:

 
If I asked you: what do you prefer for speed metal, a somewhat darker, warmer sounding headphone or a more aggressive, forward and brighter sounding headphone; what would your answer be?
 
If I am any judge on people, you'd probably tell me you wouldn't know and that you first needed to hear how it actually sounded.
 
If you however feel confident that you can answer that question right away, then you have your answer right there .

I don't listen to speed metal lol, I was just using it as an example of music that is face paced and more oriented towards having good transient response and being able to give it a natural sound. Really, I can't actually judge with listening just like you said

, I'm just curious about it's versatility.
 
Quote:

Personally I don't care what genre it is, I just like how the 650's sound period. I like how I can always fall back on its sound signature, which to me is absolutely stunning. No matter the music, the highs will basically never be fatiguing, the mids will always be rich and the bass will always be appreciably prominent. I don't really believe they're "not fast enough" for certain genres. My experience with these headphones is that stuff that is meant to sound fast will sound fast, nothing more.
Finding out the truth for yourself will be the ultimate service you can do for yourself. I've heard people call the HD650's bright, dark, bass-light, bass-heavy, with rolled off treble, with too strong treble with certain tubes on their tube amp, with a nice 3d sound stage, with a lacking soundstage, warm, analytical, muddy, detailed...
 
You get the picture.

 
Hm, this is pretty much what I want. This whole concept of rich mids is kind of funny to me. Like, I have a can that apparently has recessed mids and I can understand, hear, and evaluate highs and lows but mids has always been a foreign concept to me lol. And that's apparently where most of the music is too! Hmmm, I guess I'll get the idea when I hear a contrast to the cans I have.
 
Quote:

^ x2 and I also I agree with Nirvana Woman, descriptions of the HD650 are all over the map sometimes, but it just shows you how much the sound can change on them from set-up to set-up. I've literally read people say they are they are the best headphones they've ever owned to people saying they are the most boring sounding headphones they've ever heard! But one thing is for sure, they respond well to scaling up and just seem to get better and better as you go up the source and amp chain. (Did I mention they sound AWESOME on a good tube amp?)

 
That is a very good thing for me. I want a headphone that scales well and that I'll be comfortable with wanting to upgrade my system or take places and demo other peoples rigs with. I just hope they'll be good with the D1. I've demoed them for a tiny bit some months ago and I know at least that it had no problems at all driving them but the actual sound is something I didn't get a chance to evaluate much.
 
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I recently got my 650's, driving them with HiSound Studio V Anniversary, definitely not as high end a source as some of the amp/dac's I read about here (lusting after a Lyr...), but does drive them with no problem. I've been in a Power Pop phase/obscession recently (probably older than most posting-listening to Fountains of Wayne and Aimee Mann almost all the time, take a Wilco or a jazz break here and there), and, while there is certainy much happening in the mids, The music doesn't work if it doesn't have drive (especially FOW). Not only don't I find them slow, I find the need to dance when playing the music through them, not something that happens with many headphones. I also don't find the highs a problem (the JVC HFX500 have more energy, sometimes sibilance/harshness), and the resolving power, bass, rhythm, beautiful midrange (audiophile magazines always say 'most music residdes in the midrange') make these a keeper.

 
Hm, thanks for your evaluation. Harshness is something I know I can't take and if the HD650 keeps it smooth and warm while still keeping the life to the music, I would love that.
 
Quote:

So, I'm currently in the honeymoon period with my 650s. I've had them for 5 days now and man, I've found the end game headphone until I'm willing to spend an equal amount on headphone gear as I did on my car. Going from 880/600's sure, the sound stage is smaller, highs are quite as sparkly, not as neutral etc but what really sets the 650s apart is how real the instruments sound. Maybe this is what's meant by the term detail? Instruments and drums have force to them and sound as though they are being played in my ear. The vocals/mids are present but never seem loud or harsh, it's a weird thing actually but freaking lovely. I'm glad I finally gave them a shot, the "veil" was my biggest concern but I really have no idea what all the fuss is about...theres plenty there to the highs, but enough missing so that they don't fatigue the the heck out of you.
Sincerely,
Another happy 650 owner.

 
Yeah, the "veil" people always say really is the one thing that's been holding me back. It's just now the more I hear people talk about it, the more the headphone doesn't seem veiled, just not aggressive and more natural and musical.
 
Quote:

 
 
^ Gotta second that regarding the instruments and vocals on the HD-650. Been making the rounds with my music collection, and finally got around to listening to some rock tracks with the HD-650, and... yea, the guitars and vocals pop out immediately (not in a bad or obnoxious way). It's almost as if I can literally feel the texture of some of the guitar sounds. Really, really pleasing to ear. In fact, I'd say rock is the -best- genre for the HD-650, at least so far, from what I've listened to (over hip-hop, electronic, or pop).
 
Of course, this is different than me saying that the HD-650 is the best for rock in general, and that is NOT what I'm saying (since I obviously haven't listened to all headphones in existence). What I'm saying is, among all the genres that I've personally listened to, rock sounds the best on the HD-650.
 
Some rock tracks I listened to were from: the Beatles, the Verve, Richard Ashcroft, Doves, and Beck.
 
 
 
And also... I have to say, despite all the noise/distortion issues I've had (read: me using the crappy motherboard onboard audio), which I wrote about a few pages back, I'm still really, really pleased with the HD-650.
 
Yes, they aren't quite as "obvious" or forward as the the Grado RS-1 and/or Sony MDR-CD3000 I've had nearly 10 years ago, but I do remember experiencing fatigue with the Sony CD3000 (the treble was pretty bright), and I don't ever remember wanting to really sit down, sit back, and listen to music for long periods of time with the RS-1's (although, I have to admit the RS-1's at times, were quite exciting and fun).
 
It just seems to me, the HD-650 was meant and intended for long listening sessions. You can either just jam out to them, or do really low-level listening sessions, while still keeping things enjoyable.
 
Which brings me to another point... it just seems like Sennheiser built these having in mind that these would actually be used as, well, headphones, rather than just simply attaching mini-speakers on a headband (read: Grado headphones). The HD-650 sound signature that gets along with almost all genres, and its "laidback" presentation, all tells me that everything Sennheiser did was intentional, for the sake of comfortable, yet enjoyable headphone use, over long periods of time. It just makes me appreciate the headphones a little more.

 
Yeah, I appreciate the aggression of Grado but it just doesn't fit with me sometimes. I have a lot of music that isn't very aggressive type of stuff. It's not extremely slow either, It's somewhere in the middle and I think this warm treatment I keep hearing about is what I want.
 
 
 
 
I think I'm 90% sold on these. I want to read one more review my friend wrote between this and the 600 but I don't think it will matter. The more I hear of it, this is just what I want from music. An immersive, emotive twist on sound while still maintaining great sense of detail and overall fidelity.