[Wolf11]

Quote:

 
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.

Hmm... well I don't use it with any portable device. Mostly with my laptop which has a realtek alc275 card (not sure how good it is). 
 
And to those saying, just hold on to it... If i sell it i'd likely buy something else like a mirror-less camera with the money.

 

[longbowbbs]

Cash is king....You have to make your own call on this....

 

[B-Dawk20]

Yep, after some final research, I am sure the HD650 is my next choice.

 

[Whitetriton]

I have lurked on Head-Fi for a while now and just made an account today.  I wanted my first post to be about my Sennheiser HD650's.  I bought these headphones a little while back in part due to research I had performed on this site and an incredible price on Amazon via a daily Quick Pick special.  I was apprehensive about spending so much on headphones but have to say that I am extremely pleased with my purchase. 
 
First, they are, BY FAR, the most comfortable headphones that I have ever used for any extended period of time (I also own the Audio-Technica AT-M50S, Bowers & Wilkins P5, Philips Citiscape Downtown, Koss PortaPro, and Klipsch S4).  They are so light that I can almost forget I'm wearing headphones and don't make my ears warm/sweat at all.  Also, I can wear glasses with these and not experience any pressure on the temples (arm piece of glasses) against the sides of my head. That alone is huge for me.  Yet, the clamping force is more than sufficient to hold the headphones in place while I move my head.  I never feel like they are about to fall off if I tilt my head down. 
 
I won't pretend that I am any kind of expert on sound, but these headphones sound incredible to me.   I can easily distinguish the different instruments/vocals in music.  Sound is clear.  There is plenty of bass for me and high frequencies are never too sharp.  And, I actually have thought to myself, "I don't remember hearing that in this song before" while listening to these cans.      
 
The only thing I don't like about these cans is the length of the cable.  It's about 10 feet or so.  For my needs, it is ridiculously long.  But, that has very little effect on my enjoyment of these headphones. 
 
For reference, I run FLAC files and Rhapsody subscription tracks through an Asus DG sound card optical port to Schiit Bifrost to Schiit Asgard to Sennheiser HD650. 
 
This could definitely be my end game set up (. . .although I have to admit I am quite curious about the Hifiman HE-400 and HE-500.  I've never had a chance to try either pair). 
 
Lastly, just wanted to say thanks to all who posted information the HD650's that helped me learn about them. 
 

 

[fuzzybaffy]

Quote:

I have lurked on Head-Fi for a while now and just made an account today.  I wanted my first post to be about my Sennheiser HD650's.  I bought these headphones a little while back in part due to research I had performed on this site and an incredible price on Amazon via a daily Quick Pick special.  I was apprehensive about spending so much on headphones but have to say that I am extremely pleased with my purchase. 
 
First, they are, BY FAR, the most comfortable headphones that I have ever used for any extended period of time (I also own the Audio-Technica AT-M50S, Bowers & Wilkins P5, Philips Citiscape Downtown, Koss PortaPro, and Klipsch S4).  They are so light that I can almost forget I'm wearing headphones and don't make my ears warm/sweat at all.  Also, I can wear glasses with these and not experience any pressure on the temples (arm piece of glasses) against the sides of my head. That alone is huge for me.  Yet, the clamping force is more than sufficient to hold the headphones in place while I move my head.  I never feel like they are about to fall off if I tilt my head down. 
 
I won't pretend that I am any kind of expert on sound, but these headphones sound incredible to me.   I can easily distinguish the different instruments/vocals in music.  Sound is clear.  There is plenty of bass for me and high frequencies are never too sharp.  And, I actually have thought to myself, "I don't remember hearing that in this song before" while listening to these cans.      
 
The only thing I don't like about these cans is the length of the cable.  It's about 10 feet or so.  For my needs, it is ridiculously long.  But, that has very little effect on my enjoyment of these headphones. 
 
For reference, I run FLAC files and Rhapsody subscription tracks through an Asus DG sound card optical port to Schiit Bifrost to Schiit Asgard to Sennheiser HD650. 
 
This could definitely be my end game set up (. . .although I have to admit I am quite curious about the Hifiman HE-400 and HE-500.  I've never had a chance to try either pair). 
 
Lastly, just wanted to say thanks to all who posted information the HD650's that helped me learn about them. 
 

 
Nice. Glad to hear they're working out for you.

 

[HamilcarBarca]

Quote:

[...]
I won't pretend that I am any kind of expert on sound, but these headphones sound incredible to me.
[...]

 
Then you are an expert.

 

[gregr507]

Just thought I'd post in here since I just got some hd650's the other day, and I have to say so far I am loving them. I was a bit disappointed out of the box, but they're definitely starting to open up. Part of it may be that I've got a fiio e7 as DAC and e9 as amp, but I think it's sufficient for now. Can't see myself spending 400 dollars on an amp when I could buy some nice new headphones with that (or 200 for cables for that matter).
 
Anyway I just wanted to say that I really like the sound signature! It may have a tendency to be a bit "boring" (not sure that's the right word) with some genres, but the thing that I absolutely love is I can listen to these for HOURS and HOURS without getting fatigued. Even rock music. I'm usually pretty sensitive to fatigue from headphones, so these very comfortable, very non-fatiguing headphones seem to fit me perfectly. And the mids are just gorgeous. Hoping the bass opens up a bit more with burn in. But I'm very glad I went with these over the he400's, comfort is a big issue for me.
 
Just thought I'd chime in and say I'm definitely enjoying them so far, and am looking for to some minor improvements as they burn in. Even my girlfriend, who is nothing close to an audiophile, could appreciate the soundstaging and detail and said like she felt she was there. I'll take it! Although I'm pretty sure she doesn't understand they money I spend on it lol. It's worth it to me!

 

[Doc-holliday]

Congrats!......

 

[gregr507]

Thanks man man this is addictive, I'm already wondering how much more I'd get of a lyr rather than the e9. Unfortunately my budget won't allow a more expensive amp right now

 

[tdockweiler]

I think I could sell off every headphone I have now and keep the DJ100 and HD-650 and be perfectly happy with my setup.
Actually I'd keep the Q701 around, but lately it hasn't gotten much use. I even use the HD-650 for gaming.
 
Sometime i'll try an even better amp under $500, but I want to keep it as uncolored as possible. I'm a bit worried the Lyr will make it sound too warm. I definitely don't want that and some people prefer that I guess.
I imagine the Lyr isn't one of those dead neutral amps despite possibly measuring flat. I guess a nice bonus on an amp upgrade would be a slightly larger soundstage. Of course that also can come with some negatives.
I'm not going to bother with upgrading my ODAC since I don't want to spend over $500 on a new DAC I don't need. BTW I do have to wonder what exactly the Lyr does or changes that make so many people love it.
Usually when people love a specific amp here, it seems fairly colored and only good with specific headphones

I had to deal with that before and don't want to make that mistake again.
 
At the moment I just need to figure out how to get lossless audio using my DAC to my TV (screen) somehow. I don't want to buy an AppleTV and any of that other nonsense. Heard you can get bit perfect audio that way, but requires the Airport I believe.
Sometimes I get tired of sitting at my computer and using my laptop for audio. I think maybe I can convert my worthless Mac Mini PPC to just audio use on my TV. The thing is so old you can't even browse the web with flash enabled! Too slow!
Too bad there's no Foobar for Mac OS. The only thing I found is a PPC port of Songbird which is kind of annoying. I guess there's always WAV support on the Xbox 360, but no optical input on the ODAC, so there went that idea.
 
Sorry, a bit off topic..

 

[serious7]

I"ve been an owner of HD 650 for few years now and I also bought HD 555 for my sister. Last year I remember comparing the two side by side (amped with Lehmann BCL) and I could not tell the difference in sound quality between the two. Are the two headphones similar or do I have a fake pair of HD 650? I want to also add that I have to put the volume knob higher for the HD 650 so I thought maybe I can't tell the difference but they both sound very close to my ears. I also had my cousin try both and he also felt they sounded the same.

 

[Hellenback]

Quote:

I"ve been an owner of HD 650 for few years now and I also bought HD 555 for my sister. Last year I remember comparing the two side by side (amped with Lehmann BCL) and I could not tell the difference in sound quality between the two. Are the two headphones similar or do I have a fake pair of HD 650? I want to also add that I have to put the volume knob higher for the HD 650 so I thought maybe I can't tell the difference but they both sound very close to my ears. I also had my cousin try both and he also felt they sounded the same.

What was your source material -> DAC->Amp?

 

[B-Dawk20]

Now that I'm going to get these, I wonder how they sound with stuff like prince....

 

[Doc-holliday]

Now that I'm going to get these, I wonder how they sound with stuff like prince....

They'll make u wanna party like it's ninteen nintey-nine .

 

[B-Dawk20]

Quote:

They'll make u wanna party like it's ninteen nintey-nine

.

 
Then I'm all in!