[kman1211]

It's twice the weight of the Senn 6 series, no way. Also, the Sony is a bit expensive for a secondary and the headband padding doesn't look too comfortable (I have some kind of skull crest)

Kman, what do you mean hd660s is more midrange forward? It's the same untill 1.5kHz and more laid back in the 1.5-5kHz area than the hd650 and a lot of people can hear it. It seems that everyone hears a different thing with this headphone, so little consensus.

The midrange has more weight on the HD 660 S. The lower mids come across as more forward due to the dip on the HD 660 S than the HD 650. The dynamics I find are more aggressive in general and the headphone has less of a laid-back sound to it. The HD 650 just doesn't have the dynamic attack of the HD 660 S.

 

[Sigmaaa]

Oh, you were talking about the lower mids, not the mids up to 5khz. Yes, the lower mids can be a bit forward due to the 2-3dB less in the high mids. Hard to detect, but I guess it's the way it is.

Yes, the 660s is pretty attacking and has a kind of rhythm to it. It's not the overly relaxed character of the hd650 that bothered me though (that would have been a reason to keep it as secondary) but the masking of some detail that I hear on other headphones. It happened from time to time, not on all tracks, but couldn't live with it

 

[kman1211]

Oh, you were talking about the lower mids, not the mids up to 5khz. Yes, the lower mids can be a bit forward due to the 2-3dB less in the high mids. Hard to detect, but I guess it's the way it is.

I notice changes in the lower mids quite easily. Impressions are all over the place on the headphone. I don't find the bass extension much different between the HD 650 and HD 660 S, both are less than what I'm used to. I've been spoiled by the Tesla Beyer bass too long, it's just a different level.

 

[DivineCurrent]

Having said all of the above, it is always possible, I suppose, that the 650's I've just received are not the very latest. Is it possible these days to tell from the serial number?? It would make more sense if Sennheiser is using the new type (HD 660 S) pads on every 600 series headphone now, as well as using them for the replacement pads, and my new 650's definitely have the original sort.

I will add though that I think the pads on my new 650's are a little different from the original pads on my 580's, the 650's being a little bevelled on the inside, but not as noticeably as on the new replacement pads. I actually don't care about all this very much, and they all become indistinguishable from each other after several months, but hey, this is Head-Fi and we're supposed to talk endlessly about insignificant details......

Does anyone else have a very recent HD 650?

I'm also curious as to when the 3D sticker may have disappeared.......

I got a new 2017 HD650 before I sold it to try the 660S. I was messing around with pads and stuff, and I noticed the 3D sticker was never removed, it was just moved to the opposite side of the driver behind the pads.

Anyway, as this is a 660S forum, I had a good test run with the 600S. However, I'm going to stick with the 650 for now. As much as I appreciate the advantages of the 660S, I don't think it's worth $499. I want to eventually own both the 650 and 660S, but I will wait until the price goes down a little or get them used. I will say Sennheiser did an excellent job refreshing the 600 series with the 660S, but hopefully they don't discontinue the 650 anytime soon.

 

[vaibhavp]

As much as I am liking the HD 650 I am trying out, I honestly want to keep the HD 660 S over it. Mainly because the Amiron fills in the role of a more laid-back sound for me but has the energy I desire when called for, I like how much the Amiron changes from low volume listening to higher volume listening, goes from mellow and soothing to hyper and aggressive, the HD 650 doesn't quite do that and it falters when it comes to more aggressive music. The HD 660 S fits my alternative listening mood where I want full upfront mids better than the HD 650 does. It's simply a better compliment to what I already have as a main headphone and I do find the tuning of the HD 660 S more suited for more genres in my experience, it just doesn't have the same transparency and doesn't do the soothing relaxing effect like the HD 650 can.

Same thing happens with hd700. It can go from aggressive to relaxing. But it has nothing to do with volume. It depends on music being played.

This brings me to the question about 660s. Is it never relaxing? Even with relaxing smooth acoustic music? After all a transparent hp shouldn't sound soothing if i play death metal and vice versa.

 

[kman1211]

Same thing happens with hd700. It can go from aggressive to relaxing. But it has nothing to do with volume. It depends on music being played.

This brings me to the question about 660s. Is it never relaxing? Even with relaxing smooth acoustic music? After all a transparent hp shouldn't sound soothing if i play death metal and vice versa.

Interesting. The Amiron also depends on the track as well, if a track is aggressive, it will sound aggressive, if it's relaxed it will sound relaxed, it just gets quite aggressive(not talking treble but very strong and powerful dynamics) at louder volumes with aggressive tracks, that vividness the Teslas can have.

It can be calm, but it never relaxes me like the HD 650 or Amiron can. It honestly reminds me of the DT 1990 a lot despite their different sound signature in that they both play a bit on the neutral-aggressive side but do falter a bit on calmer more relaxing music to my ears, almost like they struggle to fully convey the emotional depth of more relaxed or sorrowful songs. But with more neutral, happy, and aggressive music they do fantastic. The HD 650 is one of the best headphones I've ever come across for calm, sorrowful, and relaxing music. The HD 660 S and DT 1990 is better suited for more neutral, aggressive or happy music in my opinion. The Amiron is good for all types of music but it end up being second best on everything, jack of all trades syndrome so to speak. Hopefully this helps describe how I feel about these headphones. Others may have different opinions on these.

I need to listen to the HD 600 again, I think I need to try and borrow a pair of them as well.

 

[pietcux]

Same thing happens with hd700. It can go from aggressive to relaxing. But it has nothing to do with volume. It depends on music being played.

This brings me to the question about 660s. Is it never relaxing? Even with relaxing smooth acoustic music? After all a transparent hp shouldn't sound soothing if i play death metal and vice versa.

If you play soft and mellow music, the HD650 will not turn it into death metal,that is for sure. It will follow the recorded signal more accurate than the HD650, that's all. I want my music as detailed and accurate as possible. The headphone is my tool to do just that. The HD660S is a very precise tool. Not less,not more.

 

[guido]

https://www.amazon.it/dp/B076NWQXPS...colid=XEX6YDYXX957&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

335 euros!

 

[vaibhavp]

If you play soft and mellow music, the HD650 will not turn it into death metal,that is for sure. It will follow the recorded signal more accurate than the HD650, that's all. I want my music as detailed and accurate as possible. The headphone is my tool to do just that. The HD660S is a very precise tool. Not less,not more.

Agree. To me, real magic happens when a precise tool is also enjoyable to listen to. Thats where amp matching and synergy comes into play.

 

[Mike F]

https://www.amazon.it/dp/B076NWQXPS...colid=XEX6YDYXX957&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

335 euros!

Didn't take too long. They'll be cheaper than 650's soon.....

 

[RuiPP]

https://www.amazon.it/dp/B076NWQXPS...colid=XEX6YDYXX957&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

335 euros!

Great price. Thanks for the information.

 

[Sigmaaa]

Mike, this is in the realm of psychiatry already. You haven't even listened to it, yet you criticize it for 50 pages and rejoice like a kid whenever somebody says something bad about it or you imagine he did by twisting their words. It's insane, I haven't seen such behaviour on any other forum.

You came here criticizing it, you didn't try it, you kept criticizing for half the thread's pages, you establish you won't buy it or try it (you never intended anyway, I guess), then you stick around to keep criticizing it without even seeing it on a shelf, let alone listening to it. This is a syndrome, not a discussion.

 

[Mike F]

Mike, this is in the realm of psychiatry already. You haven't even listened to it, yet you criticize it for 50 pages and rejoice like a kid whenever somebody says something bad about it or you imagine he did by twisting their words. It's insane, I haven't seen such behaviour on any other forum.

You came here criticizing it, you didn't try it, you kept criticizing for half the thread's pages, you establish you won't buy it or try it (you never intended anyway, I guess), then you stick around to keep criticizing it without even seeing it on a shelf, let alone listening to it. This is a syndrome, not a discussion.

Sigmaaa my friend, I'm beginning to think that * * doesn't display on your browser? In any event, thank you for your kind words. I won't bother to respond to your comments because I think that anyone who has read my posts will realise that they are, at best, a misinterpretation.

But I have a question for you. Have you listened to every headphone on the market at the price point of the HD 660 S and HD 650 - which now seems to be exactly the same *cheeky wink* (in case you can't see ). If not, how have you decided which headphones to listen to and purchase? It's a serious question.

 

[Lonely Shepherd]

I've been following this topic since it started and finally felt compelled to actually post my first reply.

I'm afraid I'm with Sigmaaa on on this one, Mike you're running the risk of ruining this topic with your incessant snide comments and then claiming you didn't mean anything by them because you happened to also post an emoji.

You seem to have an unhealthy desire to see the 660s fail and latch on to any slight criticism of them to justify your bizarre obsession. Quite why this is I don't know.

Not only that, you seem to want to try and criticise or question anyone who has actually acquired them and are actually enjoying listening to them and who find them a step forward from the 650s. As an owner of both a 2 year old pair of 650s and new 660s I fall into this camp.

Please, either buy these headphones and try them for yourself, which I'm sure you can afford to do as you so proudly posted a link to your $17000 monitors, 400 Euros for the 660s must be a drop in the ocean to you, post your conclusions like everybody else has who's listened to them, and if indeed you end up not liking them then absolutely fine, otherwise move on because right now you have absolutely zero credibility with your constant negativity regarding these cans

 

[Mike F]

I've been following this topic since it started and finally felt compelled to actually post my first reply.

I'm afraid I'm with Sigmaaa on on this one, Mike you're running the risk of ruining this topic with your incessant snide comments and then claiming you didn't mean anything by them because you happened to also post an emoji.

You seem to have an unhealthy desire to see the 660s fail and latch on to any slight criticism of them to justify your bizarre obsession. Quite why this is I don't know.

Not only that, you seem to want to try and criticise or question anyone who has actually acquired them and are actually enjoying listening to them and who find them a step forward from the 650s. As an owner of both a 2 year old pair of 650s and new 660s I fall into this camp.

Please, either buy these headphones and try them for yourself, which I'm sure you can afford to do as you so proudly posted a link to your $17000 monitors, 400 Euros for the 660s must be a drop in the ocean to you, post your conclusions like everybody else has who's listened to them, and if indeed you end up not liking them then absolutely fine, otherwise move on because right now you have absolutely zero credibility with your constant negativity regarding these cans

Lonely Shepherd, I appreciate your comments.

First, a word about my ATC's. I have in fact owned them since 1994 at which time they cost a fraction of what they do now. They weren't the SL version then, but I've had them upgraded to the latest spec. The only reason I mentioned them was because I wanted to make it clear that I knew what a good transducer should sound like. You're going to point out that a headphone and a speaker don't sound anything alike and you'd be right, but as far as is possible they should. It's the reason why, for instance, some headphone manufacturers have introduced headphones with angled drivers - to help give something of the soundstage which is available with speakers. My point was that I was comparing the HD 650 with a very familiar high quality sound source, so that my specific questions, for example about detail on the HD 660 S, were not asked without any comparative reference.

Second, let me take the opportunity to apologise to Sigmaaa, yourself, and anyone else who may have found any of my comments about the HD 660 S overly negative. I concede that my last comment about the price drop, whilst genuinely said in jest, could have caused offence. None was meant, and I'm sorry if any was taken.

It was in fact my intention to leave this thread, having made an informed decision not to buy the HD 660 S, several pages ago, but I came back to respond to Sigmaaa's post about pads where he was clearly, in my view, trying to discredit a certain reviewer. I have to say, in my defence, that if I've been guilty of any negativity in this thread then I'm not the only one.

I will also tell you that more recently I have been having a PM discussion with another member who is on this thread (whom I won't name, of course) because I wanted to continue the discussion about the sound differences between the HD 650 and HD 660 S. I contacted him saying that I no longer felt comfortable with asking questions on the forum because of the negative reaction that I was receiving from some members who owned the HD 660 S. I said I thought that they were taking anything I questioned as criticism of the HD 660 S which they also seemed to be taking personally. This member totally agreed with me and understood why I didn't want to continue the discussion on the forum. Furthermore he told me that at the beginning the thread hadn't been like that but more recently had become so, and that he himself had 'held back' from giving his thoughts on the HD 660 S for the same reasons.

I have absolutely no wish to ruin this thread or sour relationships here. I came here to have a good and informative discussion and I'd like to thank those members who have kindly interacted with me. I also want to add that I hope that those of you who like the HD 660 S continue to enjoy it and that it's a success for Sennheiser, even if I'm sure that it's not for me. If I get to hear it and I change my mind I will come back and say so. Perhaps some of you will hope that doesn't happen!