[kman1211]

Pedro, that's because detail brings out harshness, it's inevitable. That's why HD650 is so smooth and "silky" and "woolly" etc, because it masks harshness and detail in the recordings to a degree, that's why it's veiled. A headphone can be either veiled/smooth or harsh/detailed, it cannot be very smooth and very detailed. Or maybe you can find a balance. I'm sure HD660s aren't harsher than most Beyers, AKGs etc, it's just harsher than HD650....which is somewhat veiled, and veiled is not something bad if you want smoothness and relaxing sound and don't count every bit of detail.

I can't really agree, the most detailed headphones I've ever heard weren't harsh in the slightest, in fact some were some of the least fatiguing headphones I've ever put on my head. A bit overwhelming at times yes, but not what I call harsh.

 

[Sigmaaa]

Harsh compared to the HD650. That's the idea, I don't think the HD660s are really harsh in an absolute way, just detailed.
I haven't really heard smoother headphones than HD650 and more detailed. I can listen to some records with artifacts and all sort of issues and I sometimes don't hear them at all, other times I hear them, but in a very discreet manner. I cannot do that with AKGs, Beyers, HD800 etc, they're harsh compared to HD650. You can listen to a demo in a garage or a vintage record with the HD650 and feel it like a modern studio production and a slightly badly produced record can feel like a demo with the HD800.

And if it's the HD700 driver, the HD700 weren't really harsh, except for the peak at 6-7kHz, which is now gone.

 

[psikey]

I can't really agree, the most detailed headphones I've ever heard weren't harsh in the slightest, in fact some were some of the least fatiguing headphones I've ever put on my head. A bit overwhelming at times yes, but not what I call harsh.

No harshness to my ears but crystal clear with tingling highs, deep bodied bass, great separation & sense of space. Many people rated the B&W P7 Wireless but I found them weak in the Mids. These just seem great across the board. I only tried the HD800 (didn't like) in Sen range so can't comment on how these compares to the other HD600 range. I wanted a balanced 4.4mm cable for use with Sony ZX300 and the HD660S comes with balance plus I got a discount code so not much more expensive than new HD600/650 for me (though I suppose I could have used discount code for those too).

Even Spotify Extreme sounds good through them, not just Tidal MQA/HD tracks.

 

[Pedro Oliveira]

Harsh compared to the HD650. That's the idea, I don't think the HD660s are really harsh in an absolute way, just detailed.
I haven't really heard smoother headphones than HD650 and more detailed. I can listen to some records with artifacts and all sort of issues and I sometimes don't hear them at all, other times I hear them, but in a very discreet manner. I cannot do that with AKGs, Beyers, HD800 etc, they're harsh compared to HD650. You can listen to a demo in a garage or a vintage record with the HD650 and feel it like a modern studio production and a slightly badly produced record can feel like a demo with the HD800.

Funny.... Now i AM used to it but the only headphone that ever bothered me was the hd600. Maybe because of the peak many speak of but for whatever reason at first i couldnt wear them for more than 10 minutes without hearing a buzzing in my ears (and even now when my ears feel a bit tired). I had headphones like the hd25, dt770, m50x, Fidélio x2, hd598, v6, k550 and i never felt like that.... even with the beyers i just felt they sounded a bit too steryle and thin but not harsh.... I hated the akg k550 though....

There is one thing that ibam liking on the reviews though.... Many people mention, dynamic, full bodied, punchy and agressive when conpared to the others.... Thats how i see the hd25 and that makes me think i will like the hd600.... On the other hand i AM starting to move away from the hd650.... Seems to warm and less impacfull and i AM starting to think it resembles the Sony mdr 1a wich i did not liked (no impacto on the bass and felt bloated and muddy).

 

[amartignano]

Hey, just thought i'd share incase of anyone who doesn't know. But this Steve Guttenberg ( a person Tyll Loves) has his own channel and posts daily with interesting information
on audio in general, as well as headphones! Including some of Sennheiser history, which is nice to remember here and there when they introduce something new like hd660, which creates
so much excitement. Shows like Innerfidelity, Hifi Insider, and this only grow in value with subscribers. Just FYI.

Please consider to help it take off...

Love love love for my 2000ohm Hd414x

 

[kman1211]

Harsh compared to the HD650. That's the idea, I don't think the HD660s are really harsh in an absolute way, just detailed.
I haven't really heard smoother headphones than HD650 and more detailed. I can listen to some records with artifacts and all sort of issues and I sometimes don't hear them at all, other times I hear them, but in a very discreet manner. I cannot do that with AKGs, Beyers, HD800 etc, they're harsh compared to HD650. You can listen to a demo in a garage or a vintage record with the HD650 and feel it like a modern studio production and a slightly badly produced record can feel like a demo with the HD800.

And if it's the HD700 driver, the HD700 weren't really harsh, except for the peak at 6-7kHz, which is now gone.

I never found the HD 650 as lacking harshness as many said, it's a headphone that can easily cause me fatigue on the wrong system. I've found the Amiron Home and even the hyper detailed DT 480 less fatiguing as a whole on a variety of systems. I didn't listen to the HD 660S quite long enough to see how I feel about it and fatigue.

Funny.... Now i AM used to it but the only headphone that ever bothered me was the hd600. Maybe because of the peak many speak of but for whatever reason at first i couldnt wear them for more than 10 minutes without hearing a buzzing in my ears (and even now when my ears feel a bit tired). I had headphones like the hd25, dt770, m50x, Fidélio x2, hd598, v6, k550 and i never felt like that.... even with the beyers i just felt they sounded a bit too steryle and thin but not harsh.... I hated the akg k550 though....

There is one thing that ibam liking on the reviews though.... Many people mention, dynamic, full bodied, punchy and agressive when conpared to the others.... Thats how i see the hd25 and that makes me think i will like the hd600.... On the other hand i AM starting to move away from the hd650.... Seems to warm and less impacfull and i AM starting to think it resembles the Sony mdr 1a wich i did not liked (no impacto on the bass and felt bloated and muddy).

It could be it, I did have problems with the peak on the HD 600 at first, but it stopped bothering me overtime, maybe due to system changes. Honestly the new Tesla 2.0 Beyers(DT 1770/1990 and Amiron Home) aren't thin or sterile in the slightest, I actually found them more musical and euphoric than the HD 600/650. The Sony MDR-1A is a mess, I have one, haven't been able to save it with modding either.

 

[L0rdGwyn]

I borrowed a pair of HD600s, doing a side-by-side comparison with the HD660S over the next couple of days, only ever owned the HD650. All the talk of the 600 besting the 660S got me wondering.

Not ready to divulge extensive comparative thoughts, but I will say this right off the bat:

1) peakiness of the HD600 is noticeably gone with the 660S
2) soundstage is larger with the 660S (noticed this from memory of the HD650, by now can confirm absolutely)
3) the bass impact/slam/overall dynamics of the 660S are increased (superior?), depends on your preference. I would say tonally they are more laid back/warmer, but the character is more dynamic/faster attack
4) more emphasized upper midrange/treble of the 600 gives them more airiness. What really piqued by interest was people saying that they are better for classical music, which I listen to a fair amount of. I have to say, hot take here, the 600s are better for classical than the 660S, even with the decreased soundstage
5) deeper bass/slam/dynamics of the 660S makes them excellent for electronic/EDM, which I also listen to a fair amount of
6) not 100% sure of this yet, but I think the 600 are also more forgiving of poor recordings than the 660S. I wouldn't go as far as to call the 660S analytical, but it falls more in that camp than the 600

That was more than I meant to say, keep in mind those are some early impressions. I was afraid this was going to happen...but now I want to own both LOL, 600 for classical, 660S for electronic

 

[Beagle]

But just imagine the situation, the production you can ramp up until you hit a limit, you can't always match the production to the demand, they are maybe selling 7 times as normal these weeks. Should they have held the release and produce them for another month before starting to sell them? I don't know... Maybe they should have thrown a few dozen for the countries that didn;t get anything or maybe just a few sets for the dealers. Not even the dealers got them here, you cannot give it a listen and stuff....

Makes you wonder, why are so many people buying so many headphones? And they worry about an opioid crisis!

Pedro, that's because detail brings out harshness, it's inevitable. That's why HD650 is so smooth and "silky" and "woolly" etc, because it masks harshness and detail in the recordings to a degree, that's why it's veiled.

Not veiled at all. Some just prefer bright sound. The detail is all there.

 

[SHAMuuu]

Love love love for my 2000ohm Hd414x

Yes the first time i heard of a 2000ohm'r was a dt100 (i ended up with a 16ohm vocal monitor set) . I was like crazy ... but seems there are many oldschool German 2000ohm'ers. Which sounds cool as hell

But i guess it was revolutionary, so the folks can have fun dicussing the 6xx line

 

[pietcux]

Listening to Kandace with HD660S via Dragonfly Red on PC, its just like I'm in same room !!

I'm really loving these headphones. For home use I'm now preferring to listen through the HD660S than my Shure SE846's !!

Sounds Perfect es you described out of my Galaxy Tab A using the HD660S, thanks for the vid.

 

[Pedro Oliveira]

Sounds Perfect es you described out of my Galaxy Tab A using the HD660S, thanks for the vid.

Just conected to the tab a? Usually i use a 8" tab s2 or my ipad air 2 for my listenings....

3) the bass impact/slam/overall dynamics of the 660S are increased (superior?), depends on your preference. I would say tonally they are more laid back/warmer, but the character is more dynamic/faster attack

5) deeper bass/slam/dynamics of the 660S makes them excellent for electronic/EDM, which I also listen to a fair amount of

That was more than I meant to say, keep in mind those are some early impressions. I was afraid this was going to happen...but now I want to own both LOL, 600 for classical, 660S for electronic

Keep it coming sir....

You just made my day with points 3 and 5.
Wich sounds leaner overall? Wich has more body to the sound? Just wana make sjre the hd660 does not sound any thinner than the hd600..

So would you say they are different enough and that it is worth keeping both?

 

[Beagle]

Is it possible that the bulk of the differences between the 660S and the 650 are due to the pads and the lower impedance? I was curious because it seems to sound similar to the difference between the high impedance (250/600ohm) Beyers and the 32ohm ones.

 

[-ImageX]

After initial dissapointment from the “backorder email” from Sennheiser... I’m happy to say that they came back in stock and will be delivered tomorrow!

 

[Caribou679]

Can I use my HD600 3.5mm cables with these HD660s?

 

[swmtnbiker]

Yep. The connectors are identical.