[Lay.]

Dolby is an obvious manipulation of sound, suggesting that you're seeking the most pleasing sound for your ears rather than pure sound. This is legitimate and respectable. If you enjoy it that way, it's right for you to do so.

I seek the right tool for the right purpose for me. I don't use Dolby Atmos or any other ways to create 3D stereo sound (binaural simulation) while listening music nor I say that my way is the only way to listen and judge what is hi-fi.

Ps. Binaural recording tries to create a 3D stereo sound with headphones. Dolby Atmos for Headphones tries to create a 3D stereo sound with headphones.

The rise of Dolby Atmos and other 360° audio film technology in relation to commercial entertainment has seen a rise in popularity of the use of binaural simulation. This is with the purpose of fully adapting the 360° soundtrack for headphones.

Edit: This is enough off topic. Let's continue with HD660S

 

[Bandoss]

I seek the right tool for the right purpose for me. I don't use Dolby Atmos or any other ways to create 3D stereo sound (binaural simulation) while listening music nor I say that my way is the only way to listen and judge what is hi-fi.

Ps. Binaural recording tries to create a 3D stereo sound with headphones. Dolby Atmos for Headphones tries to create a 3D stereo sound with headphones.

The rise of Dolby Atmos and other 360° audio film technology in relation to commercial entertainment has seen a rise in popularity of the use of binaural simulation. This is with the purpose of fully adapting the 360° soundtrack for headphones.

Edit: This is enough off topic. Let's continue with HD660S

What you're saying makes sense. Perhaps we just have a different understanding of the term 'hifi.' I believe hifi is about fidelity to the original, and there can only be one true result. Everything else falls into the realm of 'myfi,' catering to individual preferences with myriad solutions. Honestly, I see the HD660 heading more towards the 'myfi' direction, as I can't classify it as hifi since it doesn't stay faithful to the original

 

[Plieb]

What you're saying makes sense. Perhaps we just have a different understanding of the term 'hifi.' I believe hifi is about fidelity to the original, and there can only be one true result. Everything else falls into the realm of 'myfi,' catering to individual preferences with myriad solutions. Honestly, I see the HD660 heading more towards the 'myfi' direction, as I can't classify it as hifi since it doesn't stay faithful to the original

Lets also not forget the roll that an amplifier plays in tonality. My hd600 is thin and flat on my singxer but marvelous on my Rebel amp. Im also talking about it being more true to the sound source via Rebel amp. My 660s on the other hand sounds great with natural tonality on the Singxer.
I base my observations with top of the line classical recording. ie D.G.hi res

 

[kman1211]

Lets also not forget the roll that an amplifier plays in tonality. My hd600 is thin and flat on my singxer but marvelous on my Rebel amp. Im also talking about it being more true to the sound source via Rebel amp. My 660s on the other hand sounds great with natural tonality on the Singxer.
I base my observations with top of the line classical recording. ie D.G.hi res

I never thought the HD 660S sounded artificial, harsh, thin, and not realistic on binaural recordings, I thought it actually did better than the S2 on it. It could be the system the HD 660S is on, it doesn't sound good on some systems, also it could be the revision, early HD 660S's and late HD 660S's do not sound the same.

One thing I am noticing though is I'm liking the HD 660S2 less the longer I own it and I'm liking the HD 600 and HD 650 more. I never grew to feel disappointed with the HD 660S like I am with the HD 660S2. But it could simply be my system having better synergy with the HD 600 and HD 650 over the HD 660S2.

 

[Tripokaridos]

Yeah they're a different flavor, some people prefer Senns and others prefer Beyers, I like both Beyers and Senns a lot. Though my favorite headphone is the controversially tuned Beyer T1 Gen 3. While tuned quite differently it comes off as a bit of a HD 660S2 on steroids to my ears. Though perception of sound and frequency response don't always correlate.

Do u know what beyerdynamic I love and I always have on me ? Soul yrds the wired ones ... Omg I can sleep with them so comfy and so energetic, the soundstage also big ...

 

[Tripokaridos]

Anyone can find a binaural recording and perform the test. Wearing HD660S, no one will ever achieve the goal. I understand your preference for the mentioned headphone, but I don't share it. That headphone model is far from hi-fi. It's not for nothing that they radically replaced the driver on the S2, and I'm sorry you bought it, but it's not a valid reason to subvert reality.

Have u tried to get a different opinion about this headphone from a Headphone Reviewer with Great XP ? Maybe u should Ask Ichos or someone like him.
I understand that our opinions maybe feel biased to u because we love HD6 line . But try to ask them also.

 

[Tripokaridos]

Anyone can find a binaural recording and perform the test. Wearing HD660S, no one will ever achieve the goal. I understand your preference for the mentioned headphone, but I don't share it. That headphone model is far from hi-fi. It's not for nothing that they radically replaced the driver on the S2, and I'm sorry you bought it, but it's not a valid reason to subvert reality.

So u think that 600 650 and S2 are Hi-Fi and S1 are not because Sennheiser discontinue S1 ?
Man with all Respect it's not nice to say to people ( sorry you bought it ) . U can just say that u personally don't like them we get that u do not need to make the others feel bad about buying something that they like.

 

[Tripokaridos]

Just my two-penneth.

I really wanted to hear evolution in the 660S and the 660S2 but all I got was 'dressing' akin to what car manufacturers do to any given model during the course of a production run; adding bits and pieces to give it a 'mid-term refresh' to make it look up to date in order to prolong its' market appeal.
As a lifelong Sennheiser fan it's a bit disappointing to realise that they seem to be conducting these sort of shenannigans.

I don't doubt that the drivers have been tweaked to give a slightly different SS but in my opinion it doesn't really warrant a new moniker or subsequent price hike. But having worked extensively with product development over the course of my career I know exactly how it goes. In this case I can only summise that Sennheiser have tried to capture and utilise some of the HD600/650's incredible long-standing market appeal in order to capitalise on a new model at a higher price point. That's business after all and I'd probably do the same if I was head of Sennheiser PD.
It's just a shame that they couldn't make a large-enough product distinction between the 600/650 and the 660S/S2 in order to appeal to a minority sector of the market (us) who are already intimately acquainted with the HD600/650 and where our comparisons between the old and new are subsequently irrelevant to Sennheiser.

To a younger and larger customer base coming into the market with no prior, direct experience of listening to those 'stuffy old cans that my granddad uses' it's obvious that the 660S/S2 has to exist in the marketplace and I can draw a direct anaelogy between the state of Bodyshop and how well Rituals is doing in comparison within that particular marketplace now. Bodyshop is what your mum bought for years and years and is considered old-hat whereby Rituals is what the kids want now.
i.e. Bodyshop = Hd600/650, Rituals = HD660S/S2.
I only wish they would re-introduce a new version of the HD-565, a lower-mid-tier product and un-sung hero headphone imo.
Marketing. Meh.

Where are the 660s and S2 I miss them in this photo ?
I have all of them and there is a difference between all models , and on a technical level speed , imaging,soundstage , separation, S1 and S2 are a progression to 600 and 650.

 

[Not so fat head]

So u think that 600 650 and S2 are Hi-Fi and S1 are not because Sennheiser discontinue S1 ?
Man with all Respect it's not nice to say to people ( sorry you bought it ) . U can just say that u personally don't like them we get that u do not need to make the others feel bad about buying something that they like.

Yeah, I really like my 660s, why give a hoot what this guy thinks? I have two closets full of headphones, with three different STAX alone.. Meh..

 

[Chuck Dee]

Where are the 660s and S2 I miss them in this photo ?
I have all of them and there is a difference between all models , and on a technical level speed , imaging,soundstage , separation, S1 and S2 are a progression to 600 and 650.

You don't see the S/S2 in the photo becasue they were SENT BACK. The ones in the photo are the ones worth keeping in my opinion.

 

[kman1211]

You don't see the S/S2 in the photo becasue they were SENT BACK. The ones in the photo are the ones worth keeping in my opinion.

I'm beginning to think switching to unsymmetrical rear-venting on the HD 660S/S2 driver from the symmetrical venting on the HD 600/650, etc. is the culprit of them not sounding quite right to my ears compared to the HD 600/650. I have yet to hear a headphone with unsymmetrical venting sit quite right with my ears with long term listening, my ears always get bothered or fatigued in some way or form. The HD 660S was probably the least offensive here, but my ears don't relax like they do with the HD 600/650, R70x, Beyers, etc. The S2 sadly has been problematic fatigue wise.

 

[rafaelo]

I'm beginning to think switching to unsymmetrical rear-venting on the HD 660S/S2 driver from the symmetrical venting on the HD 600/650, etc. is the culprit of them not sounding quite right to my ears compared to the HD 600/650. I have yet to hear a headphone with unsymmetrical venting sit quite right with my ears with long term listening, my ears always get bothered or fatigued in some way or form. The HD 660S was probably the least offensive here, but my ears don't relax like they do with the HD 600/650, R70x, Beyers, etc. The S2 sadly has been problematic fatigue wise.

Or maybe is the fact that too much detail is fatiguing. All this new generation of headphones, 660s1/2, elex and the rest are WOW headphones full of detail, dynamics, analysis and technicalities but after a long listening session you are coming out like you drove a F1 grand prix in Singapore.

Sometimes, i just put my modest 58X, which by a direct comparison is floored by the bigger brothers in technicalities, and I really enjoying listening for hours.

So who is winning here the or the ?

 

[kman1211]

Or maybe is the fact that too much detail is fatiguing. All this new generation of headphones, 660s1/2, elex and the rest are WOW headphones full of detail, dynamics, analysis and technicalities but after a long listening session you are coming out like you drove a F1 grand prix in Singapore.

Sometimes, i just put my modest 58X, which by a direct comparison is floored by the bigger brothers in technicalities, and I really enjoying listening for hours.

So who is winning here the or the ?

The T1.3 has more detail, dynamics, and much better imaging than the HD 660S2 and it doesn’t fatigue me at all. I’ve owned numerous headphones with more detail, it’s not a detail problem.

 

[rafaelo]

The T1.3 has more detail, dynamics, and much better imaging than the HD 660S2 and it doesn’t fatigue me at all. I’ve owned numerous headphones with more detail, it’s not a detail problem.

Ok understood. You know what you want.

But for me too much analysis paralysis with some of these headphones. Ok for classical but sometimes i just do not relax with them.

I love all the 6 series, i love the WOW factor but i wouldn't be suprised after all this circle i would settle on something like the 58x. This is why surprisingly my next pair of headphones might be a second pair of 58X.

 

[kman1211]

Ok understood. You know what you want.

But for me too much analysis paralysis with some of these headphones. Ok for classical but sometimes i just do not relax with them.

I love all the 6 series, i love the WOW factor but i wouldn't be suprised after all this circle i would settle on something like the 58x. This is why surprisingly my next pair of headphones might be a second pair of 58X.

I don't really try to analyze the headphones that much as it can drive me nuts, I focus on what I feel the most comfortable listening to. I was just mentioning a trend I noticed with my ears and that dynamic headphones with symmetrical rear-venting allow me to relax and enjoy the music more than those that aren't. This is something I noticed after many years of owning and auditioning dozens upon dozens of different dynamic headphones.