[MWSVette]

I'm happy with the length of my cable.

I always found the long cables annoyong, due to it reaching the floor, getting tangled in stuff potentially being run over with my chair etc.

My amp is on my desk, and I only use the headphones while seated at my desk. I probably don't need more than 3ft, but I'd go with 4 just to be safe. Anything longer than that would be an annoyance.

 
When I use my headphones I need to be able to across the room so I need longer cables.  Most of my cables are either 10' or 15' and can have extensions for additional length when needed.
 
If I was using a DAP 4' would be fine.
 
Everybody has their own needs...

 

[mattlach]

Nice thought but not everyone has even basic DIY skills. 

And no $70.00 is not an ridiculous amount for a good balanced cable.

Yeah it is. Doesn't really cost any more to make than a basic standard cable. They just charge that much because they know that traditionally most people with balanced gear are used to being ripped off in the car priced audio jewelry market, and won't bat an eye.

There is nothing about a balanced cable that should make it any more expensive than Sennheiser's standard $20 TRS replacement cable, and even that is overpriced for what it is, and probably has about a 1000% markup.

 

[wood1030]

Yeah it is. Doesn't really cost any more to make than a basic standard cable. They just charge that much because they know that traditionally most people with balanced gear are used to being ripped off in the car priced audio jewelry market, and won't bat an eye.

There is nothing about a balanced cable that should make it any more expensive than Sennheiser's standard $20 TRS replacement cable, and even that is overpriced for what it is, and probably has about a 1000% markup.

We could make the argument that everything we buy is overpriced, but that's what the free market is all about, isn't it? An item is always gonna cost more than just the sum of it's parts. I don't mind paying for someone else's skill and labor, even if many might think that what i/we buy is not worth what we pay for it. That's all subjective. If I don't have the time, skill or tools needed to put together what ever it is that I need, I pay someone for the convenience. I wouldn't expect to ask YOU to make me a product for just what it cost in parts, (maybe you would, I don't know). We all pay for what we feel a "fair" price...again, subjective. Sure, sometimes we get burned but that's just part of doing business and we learn from our mistakes.

 

[mattlach]

We could make the argument that everything we buy is overpriced, but that's what the free market is all about, isn't it? An item is always gonna cost more than just the sum of it's parts. I don't mind paying for someone else's skill and labor, even if many might think that what i/we buy is not worth what we pay for it. That's all subjective. If I don't have the time, skill or tools needed to put together what ever it is that I need, I pay someone for the convenience. I wouldn't expect to ask YOU to make me a product for just what it cost in parts, (maybe you would, I don't know). We all pay for what we feel a "fair" price...again, subjective. Sure, sometimes we get burned but that's just part of doing business and we learn from our mistakes.

I have no problem paying markups to cover the R&D and experiences companies put in to their products.

But when the really complicated part (the headphones) have a small markup, and the stupidly simple part any nitwit could do in their garage (the cables) have a many thousand percent markup, I call that a ripoff.

I expect the markup to be commensurate with the difficulty of the task.

 

[MWSVette]

I have no problem paying markups to cover the R&D and experiences companies put in to their products.

But when the really complicated part (the headphones) have a small markup, and the stupidly simple part any nitwit could do in their garage (the cables) have a many thousand percent markup, I call that a ripoff.

I expect the markup to be commensurate with the difficulty of the task.

 
 
Not everybody has the same skill level, tools or even a garage.
 
What is stupidly simple for you may not be simple for all.  Maybe you should look at it more like this,
 

 

[PinkyPowers]

Yeah it is. Doesn't really cost any more to make than a basic standard cable. They just charge that much because they know that traditionally most people with balanced gear are used to being ripped off in the car priced audio jewelry market, and won't bat an eye.

There is nothing about a balanced cable that should make it any more expensive than Sennheiser's standard $20 TRS replacement cable, and even that is overpriced for what it is, and probably has about a 1000% markup.

While I agree there is nothing special about a balanced cable that would require extra cost, I disagree that $70 is over-priced for a custom, hand-made cable.

I make my own cables. Braid, paracord, and heatshrink all myself. And I would not feel right about selling one for anything less than $150. They take a lot of work and I value my time as worth more than a pittance.

I did sell an HD600-650 cable on Head-Fi for.... I think $65. But that was because the conductor I used was essentially free, due to another transaction I made.

 

[Voxata]

I agree with you Pinkie, as a cable maker I choose quality cabling and connects which cost a fair amount, coupled with the sometimes hours it can take to prepare, weave, solder and complete a cable.. there's a lot of debate, but I've heard subtle changes in sound for the better with quality cables. Especially compared to some really terrible stock cables (looking at you beyerdynamics).

 

[Modular]

Got mine today - a day early! Listening now while I have a chance. Initial impressions are very good. My chain is FLAC files from PC --> Behringer UCA202 --> Garage 1217 Project Sunrise 2 (stock tube).
 
DISCLAIMER: I don't have "golden ears", I don't typically listen "critically" to music and I sure as hell don't know all the lingo. But what I do know is what I like and what I don't - so I'll talk about that here. Take this as one man's ramblings and that is it.
 
My other headphones are in my profile, but I will list them here as well as a quick rundown on my thoughts on them:
 
DT880 Pro (250 ohm) - I keep going back to these as my reference time and time again. I love these headphones. They are not too bright to my ears and I believe that the bass, while lacking when the pads are new, gets really good when they settle in a little closer to your ears.
 
HE400i - tough to say these are 2nd to the Beyers, as I'm not 100% sure that they are. The Beyers do classical music so well and are so comfortable that they still get much head time, but these have an excellent sound even if a little rolled off in the highs. Plus, I just love the bass and midrange of these HifiMans.
 
HE400 - these have the Jergpads on them. They are OK IMO. Not great. These were my first planars and from the moment I got them I wasn't really sold on them. I rarely listen to them anymore as the 400i has just as good of bass IMO and does literally everything else better.
 
Massdrop HifiMan RE00 - I use these when I workout and if I need a portable decent headphone. They are great for that. Nothing really stands out to me with these, but then again, I've not spent that much time listening to them.
 
Bose Quiet Comfort In Ears - I use these when I travel or when I'm playing my electric drum set. They are not used for any enjoyable listening. These are amazing headphones for listening or watching movies while flying though!
 
 
OK, so on to the HD6xx:
 
I wasn't sure I was going to be sold on these at all, but I'd heard so much about them over the years that I couldn't hold back from picking them up at this price. I've always wanted to try them, but the idea of the Sennheiser house sound - rolled off highs and the fabled "Veil" always held me back. My favorite headphone being the DT880's should be a tip off that I like a more "neutral" if not "bright" headphone. But hey, for $199 and free shipping, I would have been crazy not to dive in and give the Senn house sound a shot. Besides, like most of you, I love listening to different sounds and experiencing music in new ways. I've always been told that the best way to change the sound you hear it to change headphones first and foremost. I agree.
 
The Sound - Anyways, listening to some Ryan Adams Live at Das Haus in Ludwigshafen, Germany and I am blown away by how "musical" these headphones are. I don't know about synergy with my setup or whatever, but these seem to pair well. There is definitely less high-end treble energy than the Beyers, but I'm not getting the feeling that I'm missing anything in the music. Maybe that's because the HD6xx's do the mid-range so well. The bass is just enough. Similar in quantity to the he400i, but definitely not as controlled (no surprise as the he400i is seriously tight when it  comes to bass). The HD6xx definitely have more bass than the Beyers though, that's for sure, and it makes the sound kind of "fun" but without detracting from the mid-range. I think this is a sound that I will enjoy for years.
 
The Build Quality and Clamp - I have a pretty narrow head and I've been wearing these for over an hour with no issues from clamp. Actually, now that I'm focusing on it, they are a little tight, but not that bad. Generally, they definitely don't feel as well made as my Beyers, but I've read that nothing really ever will. Those things seem to float on my head and I can wear them forever and not really care. These feel light enough on my head for longer listening and I'm sure when they aren't quite as tight, they will be fine. If you have a bigger (wider) head, these are going to be a little uncomfortable.
 
The Cable - It's definitely shorter than advertised, but I really don't care. I use these at my desk while reading/playing chess, etc. so I don't need  a longer cord. I'd also like to say that I was pleased with the lack of microphonics this cord produces. Especially coming from the RE00's. Those are a disaster for a portable IEM.
 
 
I'll update this as I get the chance to listen to my other headphones and more music. For now, I'm really quite pleased with my HD6xx's!

 

[wood1030]

  Got mine today - a day early! Listening now while I have a chance. Initial impressions are very good. My chain is FLAC files from PC --> Behringer UCA202 --> Garage 1217 Project Sunrise 2 (stock tube).
 
DISCLAIMER: I don't have "golden ears", I don't typically listen "critically" to music and I sure as hell don't know all the lingo. But what I do know is what I like and what I don't - so I'll talk about that here. Take this as one man's ramblings and that is it.
 
My other headphones are in my profile, but I will list them here as well as a quick rundown on my thoughts on them:
 
DT880 Pro (250 ohm) - I keep going back to these as my reference time and time again. I love these headphones. They are not too bright to my ears and I believe that the bass, while lacking when the pads are new, gets really good when they settle in a little closer to your ears.
 
HE400i - tough to say these are 2nd to the Beyers, as I'm not 100% sure that they are. The Beyers do classical music so well and are so comfortable that they still get much head time, but these have an excellent sound even if a little rolled off in the highs. Plus, I just love the bass and midrange of these HifiMans.
 
HE400 - these have the Jergpads on them. They are OK IMO. Not great. These were my first planars and from the moment I got them I wasn't really sold on them. I rarely listen to them anymore as the 400i has just as good of bass IMO and does literally everything else better.
 
Massdrop HifiMan RE00 - I use these when I workout and if I need a portable decent headphone. They are great for that. Nothing really stands out to me with these, but then again, I've not spent that much time listening to them.
 
Bose Quiet Comfort In Ears - I use these when I travel or when I'm playing my electric drum set. They are not used for any enjoyable listening. These are amazing headphones for listening or watching movies while flying though!
 
 
OK, so on to the HD6xx:
 
I wasn't sure I was going to be sold on these at all, but I'd heard so much about them over the years that I couldn't hold back from picking them up at this price. I've always wanted to try them, but the idea of the Sennheiser house sound - rolled off highs and the fabled "Veil" always held me back. My favorite headphone being the DT880's should be a tip off that I like a more "neutral" if not "bright" headphone. But hey, for $199 and free shipping, I would have been crazy not to dive in and give the Senn house sound a shot. Besides, like most of you, I love listening to different sounds and experiencing music in new ways. I've always been told that the best way to change the sound you hear it to change headphones first and foremost. I agree.
 
The Sound - Anyways, listening to some Ryan Adams Live at Das Haus in Ludwigshafen, Germany and I am blown away by how "musical" these headphones are. I don't know about synergy with my setup or whatever, but these seem to pair well. There is definitely less high-end treble energy than the Beyers, but I'm not getting the feeling that I'm missing anything in the music. Maybe that's because the HD6xx's do the mid-range so well. The bass is just enough. Similar in quantity to the he400i, but definitely not as controlled (no surprise as the he400i is seriously tight when it  comes to bass). The HD6xx definitely have more bass than the Beyers though, that's for sure, and it makes the sound kind of "fun" but without detracting from the mid-range. I think this is a sound that I will enjoy for years.
 
The Build Quality and Clamp - I have a pretty narrow head and I've been wearing these for over an hour with no issues from clamp. Actually, now that I'm focusing on it, they are a little tight, but not that bad. Generally, they definitely don't feel as well made as my Beyers, but I've read that nothing really ever will. Those things seem to float on my head and I can wear them forever and not really care. These feel light enough on my head for longer listening and I'm sure when they aren't quite as tight, they will be fine. If you have a bigger (wider) head, these are going to be a little uncomfortable.
 
The Cable - It's definitely shorter than advertised, but I really don't care. I use these at my desk while reading/playing chess, etc. so I don't need  a longer cord. I'd also like to say that I was pleased with the lack of microphonics this cord produces. Especially coming from the RE00's. Those are a disaster for a portable IEM.
 
 
I'll update this as I get the chance to listen to my other headphones and more music. For now, I'm really quite pleased with my HD6xx's!

Thanks for sharing!
My ears have been tingling in anticipation for what's to come...12/22, hopefully.

 

[mattlach]

While I agree there is nothing special about a balanced cable that would require extra cost, I disagree that $70 is over-priced for a custom, hand-made cable.

I make my own cables. Braid, paracord, and heatshrink all myself. And I would not feel right about selling one for anything less than $150. They take a lot of work and I value my time as worth more than a pittance.

I did sell an HD600-650 cable on Head-Fi for.... I think $65. But that was because the conductor I used was essentially free, due to another transaction I made.

Well, yeah, I'm not talking about artisan hand crafted designer sleeved stuff.

If you do them on a small scale the effort involved would mean you'd have to sell them at a price that on the surface sounds kind of ridiculous.

I'm talking about basic black cables with an XLR connector on the end, mass produced in a factory somewhere.

This should run under $20, and not sound any different than a more "special" cable.

I'm all about function and don't care about the esthetics of my cables. I'd never buy anything custom sleeved.

 

[Voxata]

Have you ever owned a nice cable? Parts alone can be pricey. You also might be pleasantly surprised.

 

[caenlenfromOCN]

Well, yeah, I'm not talking about artisan hand crafted designer sleeved stuff.

If you do them on a small scale the effort involved would mean you'd have to sell them at a price that on the surface sounds kind of ridiculous.

I'm talking about basic black cables with an XLR connector on the end, mass produced in a factory somewhere.

This should run under $20, and not sound any different than a more "special" cable.

I'm all about function and don't care about the esthetics of my cables. I'd never buy anything custom sleeved.

It's not about sound for me, it's about comfort, style, sex appeal, etc. 6ft cloth midnight blue cable is a nice compliment to something like the midnight blue HD6xx, especially since the 650 is a smooth and relaxing can, you want to be comfortable, the feel of the cloth cable/style of it all, some people are willing to pay for these things, no different than some people are willing to pay loads of money for a pair of jeans, everyone I know buys 80-120 dollar jeans, they look and last the same as my $15 ones from walmart... I don't get it, but I don't rag on them either, some people like image.

 

[Modular]

Thanks for sharing!
My ears have been tingling in anticipation for what's to come...12/22, hopefully.

No problem. I think that you will be in for some fun Holiday listening. I can't get over how much headphone this is for the cost!

 

[mattlach]

  It's not about sound for me, it's about comfort, style, sex appeal, etc. 6ft cloth midnight blue cable is a nice compliment to something like the midnight blue HD6xx, especially since the 650 is a smooth and relaxing can, you want to be comfortable, the feel of the cloth cable/style of it all, some people are willing to pay for these things, no different than some people are willing to pay loads of money for a pair of jeans, everyone I know buys 80-120 dollar jeans, they look and last the same as my $15 ones from walmart... I don't get it, but I don't rag on them either, some people like image.

 
Fair enough, I'm not looking to seduce my headphones, but to each their own
 
I'm not belittling the choices of those who knowingly seek premium cables, just trying to inform those who - like me - don't care about premium sleeving or stuff like that, that there is another way.
 
And I agree.   I've only bought one pair of jeans in the last 15 years, and they were some noname brand.

 

[BarDash]

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