[Beagle]

Would Sennheiser not be more interested in competing with the Z1R, K872 and Ether Flow C?

 

[mysticstryk]

Isn't the 598CS too close to the sound of the 6XX series to bother?

Not even close. That is not to say the 598CS is a bad headphone though.

Would Sennheiser not be more interested in competing with the Z1R, K872 and Ether Flow C?

I mean, Sennheiser wouldn't even have to try very hard... Then again, I consider the new ZMF dynamics to be the closed headphones to beat these days. I kind of liked the original Ether C, but feel Dan took a step back with the Flow. The Aeon I have not heard yet, but would really like too as ears I trust say good things about them.

 

[Topspin70]

Competition is intense these days. When I started it was pretty much Grado, Senn and AKG, then came Audeze, then hifiman...then choices galore!

 

[canali]

Please have HD650 mids with HD650 treble smoothness and HD800 bass texture. One can dream right?

i'd take more detail over smoothness.. last week i was listening to the senn 650s against my new sony z1r and the sony's blew them away...felt like so much was missing with the senns.
after the comparative listening i then suddenly better understood that rap ''the 650 sennheiser veil''.....so sure add some lushness and mids or what not...but also the details, separation and clarity of the 800 series, too...and also a healthy dollop of that great Sony bass slam.
can't we have it all, lol?

 

[Topspin70]

Every time a more resolving headphone comes along, the HD6XX sounds poorer because of the Sennheiser veil. Not because they are simply less resolving when compared to something that costs many times more. ; )

 

[mysticstryk]

Sennheiser veil is really only a thing with a poor amp pairing or you just like a bump in the treble, nothing wrong with that.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Sennheiser veil is really only a thing with a poor amp pairing or you just like a bump in the treble, nothing wrong with that.

Agree. I've worked with HD6xx in the studio and I'm currently running 650s through a Modi/Magni 2U and they sound clear and very detailed. The "veil" isn't a thing IMO. What is a thing is the scalability of the HD6xx. There's a reason these have been such enduring workhorses.

 

[LaCuffia]

I don't get the "veil" criticism either. It's all about the proper amplification but can't change anyone's mind if they feel otherwise. I actually like the 650 over the Z1R but I realize I much prefer open backed over closed. The 650 is like the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry of headphones but that's a compliment - it's solid, dependable and there is nothing out of place in the sound signature. You can get it for $315 now. Nothing else better at that price.

 

[Topspin70]

Tyll gave a likely explanation about the Veil's origins. The HD6XXs were the de facto standards a long time back when the trend started to move towards brighter (seemingly clearer) cans like our Grados and ATs. That's when people coined the term to justify their preference for their newer 'clearer-sounding' toys and the term got stuck ever since.

Even now the term surfaces usually for the same reason. It's understandable given how fickle our hobby is. It's just interesting that there's no similar terms being coined for other brands, like the "Grado Glare" or the "Audeze Gloom".

 

[1yay1]

^ there are definitely similiar terms, like the "beyer peak"

 

[canali]

Would Sennheiser not be more interested in competing with the Z1R, K872 and Ether Flow C?

yes this is interesting....esp given 4 or so yrs ago the 800s was (still is i guess) considered a top tier set of cans...but from a price point
it's been surpassed...so it'll be interesting to see what sennheiser's next release will look like both in performance and price point.
ps: just sold off the sony z1r last week...have participated in massdrop's hifiman4xx drop.
would be my first planars...don't expect much given the price, but not a big sacrifice, either.
i am considering the hifiman edition x v2...but someone told me a new set of cans is to be releaesed in the next week or so that should catch alot of attention and be in the more ''affordable'' sub $1k range.

 

[chimney189]

I would think that a closed-back Sennheiser HD8-- would bring with it more bass, and hopefully in a way that isn't just a distortion (this made me stick to the HD800 SDR). I can't imagine how much detail would be packed into such a design! The famous HD8-- soundstage would surely be effected as well. I'm excited.

 

[FlyingWing]

This is just Vaporware, as was the HD 760N, which was a bluetooth-type prototype of the HD 700-driver put into a closed-back shell in 2014.

At this point it is pretty clear now that they want to merge two Vaporware-Products into one actual product, means a closed-back bluetooth ring-radiator driver Headphone ready for the new LDAC-Standard.

 

[dharma]

Sennheiser veil is really only a thing with a poor amp pairing or you just like a bump in the treble, nothing wrong with that.

I had 650 older, first (or second) year version, which, when compared to later version of 650, sounded 'darker' (and I am not alone who discovered that difference). Also I compared 600 and 650 ('old' version) and the very first impression that came to my mind was, that 600 sound was like a pair of big floor-loudspeakers or -monitors and 650 sound was like big loudspeaker system with overpowered subwoofer.
But another moment, 6xx velure earpads, when old and 'worned out' (slightly flattened and/or dirty) definitely change/spoil the sound... better to get new pair of earpads, or just detach them from hp's and wash 'deeply' (but gently) with soap and lot of slightly warm water and let them dry naturally (it takes some time).

 

[Peti]

Let's not turn this thread into a hd650 discussion thread, ok? It's so freaking frustrating to click on the alert of the forums I've subscribed only to see some irrelevant discussion to go on.

Go to the dedicated thread if you want to discuss hd6xx for god's sake!!