Sennheiser HD660S... Finally a successor for the HD650?
- Thread starter Levanter
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Yes, exactly, I looked - it excellent for NDH 30It's already here if you look at the electronics in my signature!
I do intend to experiment with more expensive dacs than the Chord Qutest in the future. But with the Qutest we are already very high in the area of "diminishing returns".
You have an excellent and concise set
Tudorsound
New Head-Fier
Ok, I am eating my words. I am no audiophile and was just looking for advice (got loads from just reading as well as asking, thanks). I wanted to buy one pair of decent headphones...decided on the Bowers PX8 and thought perhaps cheekily I could one day add some affordable open backs (never owned any). I just bought the 660S on amazon (easy returns) cause I really, really just wanted to try. OMG! Stunning. Wow. And that's without an external amp....
(and useless when the family is making noise, they're watching tv next door etc)
I should really return the PX8's now.
(and useless when the family is making noise, they're watching tv next door etc)
I should really return the PX8's now.
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xSDMx
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Best of both worlds for me is a nice pair of open backs like the 660s and an intimate pair of IEMs. Covers pretty much all use cases.
Tudorsound
New Head-Fier
I've been sitting here for hours.... being totally wowed by the 660s... Amazing! (shame top of my head is starting to hurt....but will just ignore that) Poor dog is begging me for a walk. I think the PX8 will have to go back and for noise cancelling I'll stick to my good old AirPods Pro (1); not great for sound but excellent noise cancellation. So just don't listen to music when the kids are home LOL
xeizo
500+ Head-Fier
I'm not into the bluetooth hype at all, even if I have competent bluetooth cans. The fact is when I'm moving around or out and about, I don't want to have music around my head. I prefer concentrated listening when I have the time, almost all else is casual listening and could be played back by a potato.
If I'm by the PC and don't do concentrated listening I greatly prefer to use my desktop monitors over any can, for the freedom around my ears.
If I'm by the PC and don't do concentrated listening I greatly prefer to use my desktop monitors over any can, for the freedom around my ears.
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NotJeffBuckley
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Woah, indigogo likes NDH 30? Shocking development 
Edit: I think I was wrong, they do benefit from an amp enough that I'm retracting the bit I wrote about them not being too fussed - it is still true that you can like their sound from weaker sources when compared to the HD-650, but I do perceive improvement with a good source + decent amp. No comment on how much the sound improvement scales with greater and greater expenditures on source and amp, though, I'm using them with a Schiit Magni+ / Modi+ combo and that's sounding very nice for me.
I have actually been using them some when recording late, because I find their character to be pleasingly familiar and I haven't had issues with the sounds I'm working with translating well from the cans to my studio monitors. I think they're much better than the HD 650 for this as I get a better sense of the separation of parts of the mix than with the HD-650, even having been quite familiar with their sound for a long time now. I like AKGs for mixing also, by the way, not to veer too far off topic - my feeling is that intimate familiarity with your sound reproduction equipment with diverse material to provide the right context to understand what you're hearing is more important than accuracy or even to an extent audio fidelity, and really good results can be had on a massive diversity of gear provided your heart is in it.
Edit: I think I was wrong, they do benefit from an amp enough that I'm retracting the bit I wrote about them not being too fussed - it is still true that you can like their sound from weaker sources when compared to the HD-650, but I do perceive improvement with a good source + decent amp. No comment on how much the sound improvement scales with greater and greater expenditures on source and amp, though, I'm using them with a Schiit Magni+ / Modi+ combo and that's sounding very nice for me.
I have actually been using them some when recording late, because I find their character to be pleasingly familiar and I haven't had issues with the sounds I'm working with translating well from the cans to my studio monitors. I think they're much better than the HD 650 for this as I get a better sense of the separation of parts of the mix than with the HD-650, even having been quite familiar with their sound for a long time now. I like AKGs for mixing also, by the way, not to veer too far off topic - my feeling is that intimate familiarity with your sound reproduction equipment with diverse material to provide the right context to understand what you're hearing is more important than accuracy or even to an extent audio fidelity, and really good results can be had on a massive diversity of gear provided your heart is in it.
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I already wrote the whole topic about NDH 30 - they even hate me for itWoah, indigogo likes NDH 30? Shocking development
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/neumann-ndh-30.963439/page-19
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SHAMuuu
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I'm sure their are much better items but I really like the earpods with comply softconnect tips.
Earpods are the cheapest wired version apple $20. Tips are 20 I think.
But the mids are intimate and overall musical and warm.
I use them 90% of the time on laptop and phone for casual browsing/YouTube.
Again not top tier but it compliments 660S which is my primary overear now
I had the 580 drivers in the shell before but it's back to stock.
I am on the road and left them and I miss them so that's a good sign!
If you love something let it go..... I'll be reunited with them early next year
xSDMx
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IDK 660s fam. I had been using Harman target EQ all last week. Just switched back to stock tuning this week. Man, there is just SOMETHING about that snappy bass, those forward mids, and that lightly recessed treble. Methinks stock is the way forward.
Dust by Monday
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Agreed. I like to hear vanilla sound on all of my headphones. It's just a lot easier to leave them stock anyway since you can switch between a bunch of different sources and you know they'll still sound the same (provided it's not something like a tube amp).
natalieann
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Sweet! I just grabbed a pair
NotJeffBuckley
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Picking up a Schiit Magni+ and Modi+ "stack," they come well recommended in the price range. I haven't felt the 660 S are too demanding of amplification, and I am more getting these for my HD-650 and 250-ohm Beyers - but I am still interested to see what I think about how the 660 S sound with the Schiit stack (... lol), maybe I'll hear something differently - it'll be fun to find out.
Hope everyone is enjoying their cans
Hope everyone is enjoying their cans
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Sennheiser website is now selling the HD 660S for $300 (as well as most other vendors). I wonder if this is because the new owners of the consumer Sennheiser division are going to slim down their assortment of high-end headphones, especially since the market seems to be concentrated now with earbuds and gaming headsets.
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