[Rob80b]

Well finally.....probably get them sometime next week although I've now gotten use to using my 800S for everything where I once kept them for critical listening...
we'll see if I keep them after waiting 2 1/2 months. lol

 

[pietcux]

I am actually way more interested in hearing the HD660 at CanJam then the HD820. I kind of wish they were 300ohm so they could still benefit from the magic OTL’s can bring to the table. I will see how they sound out of the new 820 amp though!!

I have the HD660S running balanced from my WM1A right now. Havocs and Bright Lights from Alanis playing. The sound is spectacular, fast in all registers we say here. The HD660S is my favorite open can the HD650 sleeps silent in his corner.... To me it is the future of the Sennheiser backbone line, HDsixhundred. This can is more important to Sennheiser as the Orpheus I guess. Oh the bass, perfect for me.

 

[Me x3]

I have the HD660S running balanced from my WM1A right now. Havocs and Bright Lights from Alanis playing. The sound is spectacular, fast in all registers we say here. The HD660S is my favorite open can the HD650 sleeps silent in his corner.... To me it is the future of the Sennheiser backbone line, HDsixhundred. This can is more important to Sennheiser as the Orpheus I guess. Oh the bass, perfect for me.

What's your take on HD660S vs DT1990 & Amiron Home?

 

[donlin]

Well finally.....probably get them sometime next week although I've now gotten use to using my 800S for everything where I once kept them for critical listening...
we'll see if I keep them after waiting 2 1/2 months. lol

I’m really looking forward to your take on the 660s vs 800s. Very different but both excellent.

 

[havagr8da]

The HD 660 S? Let me add my two cents, well maybe 1/2 a cent. They make me Smile! Smiles per dolllar Worth It.

 

[pietcux]

What's your take on HD660S vs DT1990 & Amiron Home?

For me the HD660S is the clear winner. It has the most balanced sound and absolut no treble issue. Both Beyers DT1990 / Amiron sound very similar to me. Both have some slightly recessed mids and slightly elevated treble. The treble bothers me at times, like with the first songs of the album Flavors of Entanglement from Alanis Morisette as an example. On the Amiron, the inner rim of the earpads conflict with my rather large earlobes. The DT1990 is much better in that regard. As I listen to all kinds of music, I need headphones that can do all and do not bother me with discomfort or uneveness in the frequency range. I can like an overall warm tilt like on the Sony Z1r and Z7 a lot but the Beyers are somehow uneven over the complete range. The HD660S is my Jack of all Trades, easy to drive, technically up to date, fast and crisp and it does nothing wrong, really nothing.

 

[Mike F]

..........technically up to date.............

I'm interested to know what you mean by that, and what difference it makes to your reasons for liking it. It seems strange reasoning to me. The Orpheus isn't 'technically up to date' but I wouldn't consider that fact in deciding whether I liked it or not...........?

 

[kman1211]

For me the HD660S is the clear winner. It has the most balanced sound and absolut no treble issue. Both Beyers DT1990 / Amiron sound very similar to me. Both have some slightly recessed mids and slightly elevated treble. The treble bothers me at times, like with the first songs of the album Flavors of Entanglement from Alanis Morisette as an example. On the Amiron, the inner rim of the earpads conflict with my rather large earlobes. The DT1990 is much better in that regard. As I listen to all kinds of music, I need headphones that can do all and do not bother me with discomfort or uneveness in the frequency range. I can like an overall warm tilt like on the Sony Z1r and Z7 a lot but the Beyers are somehow uneven over the complete range. The HD660S is my Jack of all Trades, easy to drive, technically up to date, fast and crisp and it does nothing wrong, really nothing.

Interestingly I find the Amirons better for all types of music and more of a jack of all trades than the HD 660 S. I am finding the HD 660 S to struggle a little on more complex passages compared to the Amiron or if there is numerous sounds going on as it can in certain video games, not as bad as the HD 600/650 did though, so the HD 660 S does seem faster than its predecessors. Maybe it’s my system and I do plan on upgrading my system down the road so my opinion could change. Interesting you find the Beyers uneven sounding. I’m sorry to hear you’re having comfort issues on the Amirons. I personally find the Senns to more wrong sonically than the Amiron to my ears interestingly enough. Definitely shows impressions will differ from person to person.

 

[kman1211]

I'm interested to know what you mean by that, and what difference it makes to your reasons for liking it. It seems strange reasoning to me. The Orpheus isn't 'technically up to date' but I wouldn't consider that fact in deciding whether I liked it or not...........?

Personally I haven't found the peak fidelity of headphones to have improved much, what there is, is a lot more good headphones that are better realized. The baseline quality of headphones is at the best it's probably ever been. There were definitely more trash headphones in the past, but the peak fidelity of headphones and speakers hasn't seemed to of changed much as actual drivers have been a mature technology for a very long time. And in terms of other driver technologies, many old STAX electrostatics are still better than a good chunk of modern headphones. The biggest improvements in the future may come on the software side, such as DSP filters. Biggest improvements recently have been better utilization of the drivers, materials, better housing, tuning, etc. but this doesn't always translate into a better sound. Sometimes vintage headphones are just as good with a bit of proper dampening. What I consider the best headphone I own to my ears is 40 years old, it just has some mods on it to better realize it's potential. And some such as the R10 and original Orpheus have a sound that hasn't really been replicated.

This is a market that is now saturated with so many headphones and so many new releases that it's easy to overlook the greats with the new stuff around, the thing is the new stuff may not always be better. It's gotten hard to keep up with all the new releases compared to when I first got into this hobby, many major players now were in their infancy or haven't even gotten in the game yet.

 

[pietcux]

I'm interested to know what you mean by that, and what difference it makes to your reasons for liking it. It seems strange reasoning to me. The Orpheus isn't 'technically up to date' but I wouldn't consider that fact in deciding whether I liked it or not...........?

First of all I like the sound. Technical up to date for a dynamic driver headphone within it's price bracket. I hear it in every note, it is technical better then the Beyers and it's own predecessors. Again my opinion. Driven by my gear (Sony WM1A balanced out high gain). What you like is your decision only. Buy it, try it. It is that simple and you can have it for 350$€ so the risk is small compared to other cans out there.

 

[kman1211]

First of all I like the sound. Technical up to date for a dynamic driver headphone within it's price bracket. I hear it in every note, it is technical better then the Beyers and it's own predecessors. Again my opinion. Driven by my gear (Sony WM1A balanced out high gain). What you like is your decision only. Buy it, try it. It is that simple and you can have it for 350$€ so the risk is small compared to other cans out there.

It must really sound good balanced from the WM1A. Curious how the Amiron will sound balanced on the WM1A, not sure where to get a pentaconn balanced cable for the headphone though. If I came off as not liking the HD 660 S, it's not the case, it's one of my favorite headphones. When I tried both on portable devices I liked the HD 660 S a lot more though, but I have found the Amiron to shine on desktop gear personally. The Amiron can sound a bit too lean and bright on portable devices and I think my desktop amp may be thickening up the sound of the HD 660 S a bit too much, I need to get a less warm amp for the Sennheisers desktop wise. The difference is I'm using both the headphones single-ended on a somewhat dark/warm sounding desktop system.

 

[musicmaker]

I know they're not in the same price bracket, but has anyone compared a HD660s with the Focal clear ?

 

[tayano]

I know they're not in the same price bracket, but has anyone compared a HD660s with the Focal clear ?

Yes, check @donlin messages in the thread. He has both and seems to prefer the HD660S.

 

[Mike F]

Deleted

 

[Mike F]

Personally I haven't found the peak fidelity of headphones to have improved much, what there is, is a lot more good headphones that are better realized. The baseline quality of headphones is at the best it's probably ever been. There were definitely more trash headphones in the past, but the peak fidelity of headphones and speakers hasn't seemed to of changed much as actual drivers have been a mature technology for a very long time. And in terms of other driver technologies, many old STAX electrostatics are still better than a good chunk of modern headphones. The biggest improvements in the future may come on the software side, such as DSP filters. Biggest improvements recently have been better utilization of the drivers, materials, better housing, tuning, etc. but this doesn't always translate into a better sound. Sometimes vintage headphones are just as good with a bit of proper dampening. What I consider the best headphone I own to my ears is 40 years old, it just has some mods on it to better realize it's potential. And some such as the R10 and original Orpheus have a sound that hasn't really been replicated.

This is a market that is now saturated with so many headphones and so many new releases that it's easy to overlook the greats with the new stuff around, the thing is the new stuff may not always be better. It's gotten hard to keep up with all the new releases compared to when I first got into this hobby, many major players now were in their infancy or haven't even gotten in the game yet.

This reflects my thoughts exactly. In addition I would say that although the upsurge in interest in headphones in general is probably good thing (at least people are listening to music more!), I regret that headphone manufactures are inevitably being pressured into producing new models at an ever increasing pace. I can foresee many downsides to that, as I'm sure you can..........