[god-bluff]

The hd600 chips as easily as the hd650? My pair is now a year and a half and the paint is still flawless.... But i baby them of course...

Same here that's what the box is for

 

[93EXCivic]

Yeah, sure, they don't even test the enclosure shapes and mend the sound peaks only several years later and only in hd800, not in hd700 too.

Well, there are obvious things of neglect, like de awful treble peaks that users have been mending with different methods for some time and Senn only did it much later, with hd800s. There's the ridiculous paint of the hd650, that always chips away worse than any 10$ headphones. Ok, manufacturers test their products, it's normal, but let's not exagerate with the foam, they just used some foam and that's all.

 

[L0rdGwyn]

Well the HD660S are on top of my head, been listening for all of two hours, early impressions are good, listened to a variety of music (classical, techno, hip hop, synth pop, Irish traditional). I am listening to FLAC via Foobar 2000 > Modi Multibit > Lyr 2 with 1953 Western Electric JW 2C51 tubes

From memory, first thing that jumps out is the improved clarity, as others have said. This is most definitely an HD6X0 headphone, tonally I could not tell them apart from the HD650 without having them side-by-side (which, as I said before, I sold about two weeks ago). There isn't much else to say there, as the tonal profile is so similar to the HD650. I don't think the bass reaches deeper, but it does sound more refined, likely aided by the improvement in clarity. I've never felt the HD650s are "veiled", but to those that do, the HD660s and the improvement in clarity will be to your liking the head-space on these headphones is very similar if not the same as the HD650s, indistinguishable to my ears. Again, minute differences in staging and depth cannot be discerned without a side-by-side comparison. Overall I am happy, although I knew I would be; I am not extremely hard to please, and knowing I enjoyed the HD650 going in, any improvement would be a plus. It's an HD650 with improved clarity and more refined bass, that is as much as I can say at the moment.

Clamping force out of the box is very high, already did a little bit of stretching to relieve it. Hard to say if it is just because they are brand new, but the new pads feel stiffer to me, which hopefully means they are more durable. They do feel roomier, we'll see if that changes as they inevitably get more smushed.

It will be up to ya'll to decide if these improvements are worth the additional $200-300. I can't see a reason to own both, though, they are too similar even if the HD660S is improved. If you have the disposable income and want an upgrade from the HD650, they are definitely that.

Cheers!

 

[pietcux]

Well the HD660S are on top of my head, been listening for all of two hours, early impressions are good, listened to a variety of music (classical, techno, hip hop, synth pop, Irish traditional). I am listening to FLAC via Foobar 2000 > Modi Multibit > Lyr 2 with 1953 Western Electric JW 2C51 tubes

From memory, first thing that jumps out is the improved clarity, as others have said. This is most definitely an HD6X0 headphone, tonally I could not tell them apart from the HD650 without having them side-by-side (which, as I said before, I sold about two weeks ago). There isn't much else to say there, as the tonal profile is so similar to the HD650. I don't think the bass reaches deeper, but it does sound more refined, likely aided by the improvement in clarity. I've never felt the HD650s are "veiled", but to those that do, the HD660s and the improvement in clarity will be to your liking the head-space on these headphones is very similar if not the same as the HD650s, indistinguishable to my ears. Again, minute differences in staging and depth cannot be discerned without a side-by-side comparison. Overall I am happy, although I knew I would be; I am not extremely hard to please, and knowing I enjoyed the HD650 going in, any improvement would be a plus. It's an HD650 with improved clarity and more refined bass, that is as much as I can say at the moment.

Clamping force out of the box is very high, already did a little bit of stretching to relieve it. Hard to say if it is just because they are brand new, but the new pads feel stiffer to me, which hopefully means they are more durable. They do feel roomier, we'll see if that changes as they inevitably get more smushed.

It will be up to ya'll to decide if these improvements are worth the additional $200-300. I can't see a reason to own both, though, they are too similar even if the HD660S is improved. If you have the disposable income and want an upgrade from the HD650, they are definitely that.

Cheers!

I am glad that you like them, and that I did not mislead you with my impression.
Enjoy

 

[Sigmaaa]

Yes, the HD650 paint is that bad because is a special thing, to absorb the vibrations (?!?) of the headband plastic. Priceless. And maybe each particular paint chip is calculated to fall exactly at an exact time to stop certain vibrations, and the foam that covers the drivers is made to modulate the sound for each individual user. The foam indentifies the user and his sound preferences and affects the sound for each user specifically.

Is this a fanatics' thread? Ok, I like Senn too, but let's not become religious.

The paint is a cheap hideous gloss that doesn't eliminate any vibrations from the headband, because it cannot do it and because vibrations from the headband don't even exist as to be audible. This is audiophile mythology. I bet the Senn engineers would die laughing if they read about the magic audiophile paint.

 

[pietcux]

Yes, the HD650 paint is that bad because is a special thing, to absorb the vibrations (?!?) of the headband plastic. Priceless. And maybe each particular paint chip is calculated to fall exactly at an exact time to stop certain vibrations, and the foam that covers the drivers is made to modulate the sound for each individual user. The foam indentifies the user and his sound preferences and affects the sound for each user specifically.

Is this a fanatics' thread? Ok, I like Senn too, but let's not become religious.

I am fine with whatever you want.

 

[Rob80b]

...............
.......... because vibrations from the headband don't even exist as to be audible. This is audiophile mythology.[/QUOTE

dah..put your 650s on and tap on the headband......microphonics...big time.....like someone walking on ones head......not sure the paint helps...but it doesn't hurt....

 

[rkw]

When the 650 paint chips off, does the plastic underneath look kinda ugly? If it does, you have your answer why they paint it.

 

[BobJS]

Mine will be here tomorrow (Friday) as well. I have the HD600, but rarely listen to it anymore, favoring the modded HD800. About 4? years ago I got the HD650 as one of my first pairs of headphones but sold it because I found the bass "muddy" (as has been noted by others), and not nearly enough energy on the high end.

Since that time, my ear has become more experienced and I can enjoy a headphone without sizzling highs (aka Audeze?), so from the descriptions so far, I'm hoping the 660S will now be my cup of tea.

OK, I've been listening about an hour. Not bad. I A/B'd with my HD600's and still prefer the HD600, but these are very listenable. I remember back when, I couldn't listen to the HD650s. Since it's been 4 years, I don't know if I like the 660s more because they've improved, or my ear has become experienced.

 

[Sigmaaa]

rkw, it's matte black underneath. Peeled mine completely. It looks a bit rough and unfinished at a very close inspection, but better than the gloss. I'm sure the plastic can be finished even better in factory and be kept unpainted. The hd660s is a big improvement, it's unpainted or a very thin layer of very adherent paint, not the thick chipping glaze of the hd650.

Rob, nobody taps the headband as you are listening, I've waited for a headbant tap from nowhere too and nothing happened so far. He was talking about the driver vibrations I guess. Senn put a rubber thing on the headband of the HD700 to stop vibrations spread from one earcup to another (believe it or not, they really said that), maybe that's where he got the idea from.


Bob, are the HD600 brighter sounding than the HD660s? And if yes, by how much?

 

[BobJS]

rkw, it's matte black underneath. Peeled mine completely. It looks a bit rough and unfinished at a very close inspection, but better than the gloss. I'm sure the plastic can be finished even better in factory and be kept unpainted. The hd660s is a big improvement, it's unpainted or a very thin layer of very adherent paint, not the thick chipping glaze of the hd650.

Rob, nobody taps the headband as you are listening, I've waited for a headbant tap from nowhere too and nothing happened so far. He was talking about the driver vibrations I guess. Senn put a rubber thing on the headband of the HD700 to stop vibrations spread from one earcup to another (believe it or not, they really said that), maybe that's where he got the idea from.


Bob, are the HD600 brighter sounding than the HD660s? And if yes, by how much?

Overall, yes, I'd call them brighter. The frequency distribution is just a bit different. To my ear, the HD600 is more reference, the HD660s relaxed. It's a matter of preference.

 

[amartignano]

OK, I've been listening about an hour. Not bad. I A/B'd with my HD600's and still prefer the HD600, but these are very listenable. I remember back when, I couldn't listen to the HD650s. Since it's been 4 years, I don't know if I like the 660s more because they've improved, or my ear has become experienced.

Hi! Can you explain deeper the differences between the hd600 and the hd660s?

EDIT - oh ok, never mind

 

[Sigmaaa]

I hoped they would be as bright as HD600 (that's a bit brighter than HD650), I'm a bit confused, as people said they were brighter than HD650. That would put the HD660s between the HD650 and HD600 in terms of brightness? That's a very tight comparison, many people claim that hd600 and hd650 are just a little different, so it should be (in theory) very hard to place the HD660s in between the 2.

 

[BobJS]

Hi! Can you explain deeper the differences between the hd600 and the hd660s?

EDIT - oh ok, never mind

I don't want to p** anyone off. I hear the HD600 as having more refined highs. I hear the HD660s as having more pronounced lows. The HD660s sub bass is very nicely defined. The HD660s mid to high bass is a tad bloated for my taste compared to the HD600.

But I'm guessing that's exactly what HD650 fans are looking for.

 

[amartignano]

I don't want to p** anyone off. I hear the HD600 as having more refined highs. I hear the HD660s as having more pronounced lows. The HD660s sub bass is very nicely defined. The HD660s mid to high bass is a tad bloated for my taste compared to the HD600.

But I'm guessing that's exactly what HD650 fans are looking for.

I asked because I love the Hd600 and not-so-love the Hd650... So I'm trying to guess if I can like the Hd660s