[deadchip12]

I have had the HD 600 and HD 650 for a couple of years and have always been puzzled by people saying they have such an “intimate” sound or tiny soundstage.

I always had for quite a while the Fidelio X2 and didn’t find it to have some shockingly bigger soundstage than the HD 600 or HD 650, though certainly more, yes.

Maybe because of the difference in the dac amp used? I remember using a fiio e10k with the x2hr and that dac amp made the x2hr sound very muddy and congested. Now I use the sound blasterx g6 (stereo mode only) and it sounds very clear and wide. I thought dac amp was hyperbole but based on my experience, it does seem to affect audio tremendously. Either that or my ears are messed up.

 

[octaviansan]

Due to it's unavailability and my urgent needs for a flat open midcentric can (i mix voices) my hd600 arrives tomorrow. This thread has an intermittent hype and reading opposite things I can't understand if the mids, distant or not, are on the cold side with less body and thin chest notes, warm like dt880 and k712; neutral hd600 and shp9500 or cold like ad700 or brighter open cans... everybody's sayin better or worse but it's an opinion.

Sorry if my explanations are not good. Im also a newbie at this i find quite hard to describe "sound".

 

[octaviansan]

Maybe because of the difference in the dac amp used? I remember using a fiio e10k with the x2hr and that dac amp made the x2hr sound very muddy and congested. Now I use the sound blasterx g6 (stereo mode only) and it sounds very clear and wide. I thought dac amp was hyperbole but based on my experience, it does seem to affect audio tremendously. Either that or my ears are messed up.

Fiio e10k is a piece of crap. Learned that the hard way

 

[Luis Mad]

So first some details (in my country)
HD559 = 70$
HD599 = 144$
HD560s = 240$

HD559 are the only Sennheiser that i don't quite like (bloated,muddy,etc).
From 559 -> 560s is an insane jump (also 3x+ the price) but i feel its worth it (in my opinion of course).
With 559 you can only listen to EDM, Rap, Trace (bassy songs) and maybe something with vocals but bass bleeds into mids.
They suck with games, movies, youtube, etc. So i can't really recommend them.

Bass goes deep (on some songs it rattles), has speed and feels overall just better.

So 560s are the best in the 5xx range. I like them over the 6xx aswell but 6xx has it's place.
If money were no problem i would own: 599, 560s and 6xx for sure.
Maybe i'll go for the 660s in the near future.

Hope this helps, im here if you have more questions. Again, my gear is in my sig, also my spotify playlist.
Im also aware that the DAC im using its not the best. I'll get a Topping D10s or something better next month.

Many thanks for your through and clear answer. I have the 599 and I love them, so confortable and also love the sound. I cannot compare with any of the other Sennheiser. I will try to listen to the 560s and 660s for a future improvement plan! Right now I have just purchased Denon Ah-d7200 closed cans arriving tomorrow, so maybe next year...

 

[pasi123567]

everybody's sayin better or worse but it's an opinion

Very true. If you or anyone want to know what the HD560s kind of sounds like, you can become a patreon of "Oluv's gadgets". He makes the most accurate sound demos and released one for the HD560s yesterday. Or you can wait a few more days until he publishes the video for everyone.
From the demo I can say it sounds definitely more open than the HD58X but also A LOT brighter! It is actually on the verge of being piercing to my ears. Though it sounds more complete in general.

 

[trellus]

Maybe because of the difference in the dac amp used? I remember using a fiio e10k with the x2hr and that dac amp made the x2hr sound very muddy and congested. Now I use the sound blasterx g6 (stereo mode only) and it sounds very clear and wide. I thought dac amp was hyperbole but based on my experience, it does seem to affect audio tremendously. Either that or my ears are messed up.

I don’t think so. I didn’t find the X2 to be muddy or congested, just a little to sharp up top sometimes. It’s been a while since I had the X2 now as I sold it, but it was out of an SU8 and Project Polaris, and separately out of a Yulong D100 DAC/amp.

I recognize that the HD 600 and 650 are universally recognized to not be soundstage monsters, and to that I would agree, certainly they have a smaller soundstage than my K712 and HD 700, but I never found it to be “small” just not remarkably big, and I definitely don’t feel it is closed in.

I guess I will need to get the HD 560 given all the wonderful things said about it.

 

[caenlenfromOCN]

Very true. If you or anyone want to know what the HD560s kind of sounds like, you can become a patreon of "Oluv's gadgets". He makes the most accurate sound demos and released one for the HD560s yesterday. Or you can wait a few more days until he publishes the video for everyone.
From the demo I can say it sounds definitely more open than the HD58X but also A LOT brighter! It is actually on the verge of being piercing to my ears. Though it sounds more complete in general.

not piercing at all to me. and i just got done listening all night. i give them a 9/10 for price. my minus 1 isn't really a minus for most people, but they do sound a bit clinical sometimes, as in they do everything so well, that sometimes they lack that energy that makes me want to get up and start dancing. I kind of expected that with a neutral headphone though. i love everything else though, especially that comfort level.

 

[lastsd]

https://en-ca.sennheiser.com/
Allows ordering again, I guess they got more stock.

The site still has problem of showing $259.95 on the product page but showing $298.94 on checkout.
Last time I contacted Digital river about it they just sent me a phone number to order with.

I personally will be waiting for Amazon.ca or local store to get it but for those who are willing to deal with Digital river, go for it!

 

[caenlenfromOCN]

just hooked these up to custom hybrid amp - first time... been using Asgard 2...

OMG THAT BASS amps matter boys amps matter!!!!! FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF I LOVE THESE HEADPHONES FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF HYBRID TUBES go nom nom nom nom clarity and slam and airiness... ffffffffffffffff i love these

omg. these things are slamming now, lmao

 

[rev6]

just hooked these up to custom hybrid amp - first time... been using Asgard 2...

OMG THAT BASS amps matter boys amps matter!!!!! FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF I LOVE THESE HEADPHONES FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF HYBRID TUBES go nom nom nom nom clarity and slam and airiness... ffffffffffffffff i love these

omg. these things are slamming now, lmao

It'll be interesting to see the corrections Sonarworks make to these. It'll be subtle of course just like the HD600, which mainly just adds more sub bass but with added distortion. If these can be flattened down that low, with less distortion, that would be great.
Ps: I'm not saying these need an eq.

 

[mvule]

Very true. If you or anyone want to know what the HD560s kind of sounds like, you can become a patreon of "Oluv's gadgets". He makes the most accurate sound demos and released one for the HD560s yesterday. Or you can wait a few more days until he publishes the video for everyone.
From the demo I can say it sounds definitely more open than the HD58X but also A LOT brighter! It is actually on the verge of being piercing to my ears. Though it sounds more complete in general.

Bright? Really? That suggests the gear is bright.

 

[Luigi Milazzo]

Bright? Really? That suggests the gear is bright.

Just listened. I am very happy to have purchased the 600 instead of the 560... I am very sensitive to the 5-8 khz peak diyaudioheaven showed in his graph but I love a little bump on 2 khz like in the hd6xx or k702/712: Oluv made a great work letting me listen the dealbreaker peak for me. I know it is not the real experience but i listened to the hd58x and hd600 comparison video and it was similar to my real life experience in terms o difference in sound reproduction. I hated the sound of hd560 so much!!! That kind of sound helps to widen the sondstage but it's like a 2 dimensional picture. I am ready to welcome the hd600 as the definitive improvement of both hd6xx and k712, whose are too much warm and forgiving. A musical embrace that hide sone of the details. Maybe, not having the permission (mine) to spend more than 300 euros, tomorrow maybe will I be in the end game territory for me? The hd600 will arrive at 11:00

 

[conquerator2]

Good luck Luigi, hope you like it!
Here's the HD600 impressions thread for your convenience - https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sennheiser-hd-600-impressions-thread.538255/

 

[ics1974]

I was going to order the HD6XX from Drop but now I can't decide if I should get the 560S instead. I already own the HD600. Which would you choose and why?

 

[SchwizzelKick66]

I was going to order the HD6XX from Drop but now I can't decide if I should get the 560S instead. I already own the HD600. Which would you choose and why?

Hmmmm, tough call. I would say if you already own hd600, then it might not be worth getting the 6xx. They are more similar than they are different. The 560s will be different enough in that the soundstage is fairly wide vs the narrow presentation of the 6 series. I think it would be a better compliment.

I think the true best combo would be the 560s and the 6xx. I've never heard the hd600 but from others impressions it seems the 560s is similar in sound signature but with wide soundstage. The 6xx is a different flavor than the 600 in that it's more warm with godly mids.

Then again if you are happy with the hd600 I dont see a real reason for you to buy another pair at all.