So Tempted By HD650s...But Still Not Sure...

Jul 7, 2005 at 2:39 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 22

Peppermint Duck

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I'm so tempted by the price of new HD650s atm...I remember when they used to cost a lot more. These are considered by everyone I've talked to awesome headphones, but it's hard to decide whether I'd be making the right decision in purchasing them.

I currently own a pair of MS-1s...and consider myself as someone who's big on rock, but that's not to say I don't like other music as well...my current playlist includes:

50 cent, air, audioslave, bily corgan, bloc party, bob dylan, coldplay, daft punk, dr. dre, foo fighters, gorillaz, ja rule, kaiser chiefs, korn, metallica, muse, neutral milk hotel, pink floyd, radiohead, rage against the machine, snoop dogg, system of a down, the beatles, the black eyed peas, the hives, the killers, the libertines, the mars volta, the shins, the smashing pumpkins, the strokes, the white stripes, the zutons and weezer.

I have music from other artists covering similar genres that arn't included in that playlist too of course...

Thing is, here is the U.K., for a similar price I could only pick up a pair of SR-225s on the Grado line...which, while not a bad headphone by any stretch of the imagination, wouldn't be as pleasing to buy for the price. Plus the HD650s have far nicer asthetics and are much more comfortable...but that really is a side issue, as it should be for most Head-fiers.

I understand the need for a headphone amp, but I'd purchase one pretty soon after I buy my headphones, regardless of which I buy, so that isn't a problem.

Although the HD650s are said to particularly shine with classic music - and I don't appear to listen to any (based on the above playlist), I do have some, and I would be willing to give it go considering how enjoyable it apparently is to hear with these cans...though admitedly nothing would take me away that far from my original musical interests.

So, as you can see, I'm very stuck and confused...who knows how many more threads I'll make in these forums before I FINALLY decide what I want and purchase it...hopefully I'll get it sorted out soon enough though!

As always, I really appreciate your input! Thanks for any help!
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Jul 7, 2005 at 3:01 PM Post #2 of 22
Hello

Just to say how I am a committed supporter
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of the HD650 while not listening to anything "classical". I listen to american folk-rock-country-blues-pop singer-songwriter (acoustic) music the most.
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Jul 7, 2005 at 3:39 PM Post #3 of 22
I listen to a lot of similar music as you do and I have owned a pair of Grado SR125 (should be sonically similar to the MS1) and upgraded to a pair of HD650. I liked the way the Grados sounded but they were a lil' harsh and unforgiving I thought. The HD sounded a bit more musical to my ears, even when I just ran it through my receiver. Either way, Grados or Senns, you'll be happy.
 
Jul 7, 2005 at 6:13 PM Post #4 of 22
I used to own Grados (SR-60, SR-225). They were great phones, but I found them too forward and aggressive. I got headaches after listening to them for an hour or so.

I then switched Sennheiser HD580s, and Wow! What a difference! The difference in detail and soundstange is amazing. Grados still have an edge with aggressive angry rock (System of a Down, RATM), but it sounds beautiful with everything else (classical, classic rock, rock, Hip-Hop, vocals, etc).

I keep trying to get away from the headphone habit, but I can't get away from Sennheisers. It's the best bad habit you'll ever have.
 
Jul 7, 2005 at 6:23 PM Post #6 of 22
If the HD650's are comparably priced to 225's, I'd say go for them. Here, they cost nearly twice as much (and many people say they are worth the extra money)

The Grado 225 sound is unique, and flawed in an exciting way, but the 650's provide a far more realistic, 3D, neutral set of cans....which is the way a reference headphone should sound. The 650's have a middle of the road sound that presents the music in the most neutral fashion, trying not to take anything away.
 
Jul 7, 2005 at 7:20 PM Post #7 of 22
You have my support with the 650s!
 
Jul 7, 2005 at 7:24 PM Post #8 of 22
Is there anyone with experience with both the SR-225s and HD650s and my kind of musical tastes that can add their impressions? Also what kind of amp would I need to get...atm I'm feeding from an M-Audio Transit.
 
Jul 7, 2005 at 7:29 PM Post #9 of 22
Quote:

Originally Posted by Peppermint Duck
Is there anyone with experience with both the SR-225s and HD650s and my kind of musical tastes that can add their impressions? Also what kind of amp would I need to get...atm I'm feeding from an M-Audio Transit.


I've given the MS2's and SR-225's good listens, as well as the HD-650's. I've been using the HD-580's for over a year now as well, and given your musical tastes and the artists you listed, I'd say that the safer bet would be with the HD-650's. I think they would mesh better across many genres of music, while the Grado's would be great in some, and horrible in others.

I can go from listening to Classical, to Pink Floyd, to ambient-type music, to Rage Against The Machine with my HD-580's and be very happy with the reproduction of each type of music.
 
Jul 7, 2005 at 7:32 PM Post #10 of 22
I feel like a naughty boy returning home.

I went from Senn 580 to Grado 225 to Beyer DT770 to Senn 555 to Senn 580.

Full circle (With many others in between) and I'm happier at home with the Senns at the moment.

Should have bought the 650's in the first place. It would have been cheaper.
 
Jul 7, 2005 at 7:37 PM Post #12 of 22
Quote:

Originally Posted by Peppermint Duck
How reliant is an amp though? Is it the only way to produce the sound you need? What amp could you recommend...is there anything relativey cheap that'll do the job well?


Well it all depends on how much you want to spend. It seems that a lot of people like the Gilmore Lite ($300 USD) with their Sennheiser's due to it's transparent sound. It doesn't add nor subtract from the "house sound" of the HD650's, rather it simply improves upon it.

However, there are other amps you can get that are cheaper, but like I said, it all depends on how much you're willing to shell out
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Jul 7, 2005 at 7:41 PM Post #13 of 22
I use a Naim Nait amplifier. Amplifiers do affect the sound greatly.

Trouble is, when you have something like the 580, they're good, but you always think along the lines of .... if there was just a tad more bass, that track would sound so much better ...... then you start looking for cleaner treble or something when in fact, the phones you took for granted had it all there in the first place and was maybe a little more balanced.

Senns don't show off ...... they can seem boring ...... but I reckon my 580's were right the first time round. Damn - should've got 650's.
 
Jul 7, 2005 at 7:43 PM Post #14 of 22
That's ₤400 right there for the two...not that I don't have it, but still quite a bit of money to let go of. Still, I might wait another 2 or so weeks until my birthday and then see where I stand.
 

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