[koven]

quick question, will HD650 grills fit on a HD580/600?

 

[aragornmustdie]

I'm really curious about these cans. So far listening sessions have been fun but.. I found that coming from ES7, HD600 doesn't really give that much of an improvement. Am I missing something here? Or do they share similar sound? At that price range I also tried Grado SR325i which I really like- snares hit so hard and guitars roar. The thing is that the Grado looks so cheap.
I'm saving up to buy either of this one 2nd hand. Oh and btw, the HD600 is off Sony HD3 lineout -> Iqube v2 and the SR325i is straight through HD3 headphone out.

 

[doping panda]

Your source and amp probably aren't good enough for the HD600 to shine. The Grados are easier to drive and have a more obvious coloration. The HD600 is a fairly transparent and hard to drive headphone. Its sound will reflect your source more than the Grados will. The HD600 also needs to be driven by a quality desktop amp. Without ampflication, the bass won't be nearly as well-controlled and the headphone will sound slower than it should. Of course, you might also just not like the sound of the HD600.

 

[roebeet]

I just got a pair via the newegg sale, last weekend. What's interesting about them so far is that they are inconsistent, depending on the DAP and amp I use. They sound phenomenal on my Gigabeat F and E+ for example, but surprisingly bland with my Cowon D2 plus E+. I really wasn't expecting that, but I need to test some more.

It might also be the source files - my Gigabeat has a number of FLAC files, due to its large storage size. I might have to finally start making FLAC the standard, and not the exception.

 

[Drumonron]

I just had to get one of those HD600s from the Newegg.com deal, also and it arrived today at about 1:15Pm....burning it in now....I just couldn't resist...I know, I know, I have the HD800 but the HD600 is a more forgiving phone on lesser quality tracks...Now, yup, had to get an SAA equinox for it and luckily I found a noir equinox on the FS Forum and got it at a reasonable price...waiting for it now...maybe I'll get it within a couple of days....ahhh....I remember the 600s....just like an old broken in pair of Blue Jeans...everything is comfortable on them.

 

[koven]

Quote:

Originally Posted by roebeet /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just got a pair via the newegg sale, last weekend. What's interesting about them so far is that they are inconsistent, depending on the DAP and amp I use. They sound phenomenal on my Gigabeat F and E+ for example, but surprisingly bland with my Cowon D2 plus E+. I really wasn't expecting that, but I need to test some more. It might also be the source files - my Gigabeat has a number of FLAC files, due to its large storage size. I might have to finally start making FLAC the standard, and not the exception.

im not surprised, they are very source dependent

 

[aragornmustdie]

I have a desktop amp myself. Well, it's a preamp but it has a headphone out. Would that be sufficient for HD600? Yea at that time I was quite skeptical when I see the shop owner gave me an IQube...

 

[Carter54]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carter54 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just purchased a set of used HD600's here in the FS section. This is my first real pair of open dynamics. I started in the high end headphone game by getting a pair of ATH-A900 and a Zero DAC/AMP. The HD600's have the Clou Blue cable and the Pads are really warn but seem in great shape. I listened to them for about 4 hours last night mostly rock and my initial impressions are that they are repressed and less detailed than my A900's. I am wondering if the Zero is not enough amp to get the detail out of these. The volume levels seem fine so Im not running out of gain on the amp. I put the stock cable on them and it was even more recessed. I currently listening to them now with the clou cable but I am wondering if I really need to upgrade the pads or amp or am I just getting a different sound that I am not used to and need to give it time. I have read through this thread and I see they are picky about source and amp I am just wondering if I am missing something obvious.

The major issue was definately the pads. I received new ear and headband pads today and the sound is unbelievable even out of my Zero. The sound stage and Detail is Hugely improved. I am now very pleased with my purchase. IF your pads are worn go for new ones its worth it.

 

[WilCox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by koven /img/forum/go_quote.gif quick question, will HD650 grills fit on a HD580/600?

Definately! Totally interchangeable.

 

[hentai]

The funny thing about hd600 is that different people rank the headphone differently. Some prefer AD700/d2000/sr225/dt880/ to hd600 but there are some who said that hd600, when properly amped and recabled, is among the 'best' ( maybe 2nd or 3rd best) dynamic headphones. What i personally feel is that it is better than rs2 for sure and it suit my taste more than my previous headphones and what i have heard so far.

 

[koven]

^ all of those phones you listed are easily driven, they must not have heard the hd600 properly amped!

 

[chews89]

DT880 easily driven? Not really aye, but the rest, yes.

 

[Drumonron]

I found total synergy with the following rig for the hd600s:

ipod w/wav lossless -> wadia 170itransport -> DAC1 USB -> Whiplash Audio Starving Student -> SAA Equinox -> HD600s

to me, unbeatable for lush Sennheiser sound full of quality bass and a soundstage that is so intimate...very easy going sound...I could listen for hours!

 

[aragornmustdie]

guys, how different is exactly the two versions of HD600? and how do I know which one is which?

Because today, I tried a Senn HD600, different to the one that I tried previously. This one is placed in a public shopping mall and according to the guy there, has been there for more than 3 years. It does show signs of wear; the earpads are grey, the headband pads are almost flat. This one is plugged to a small plastic, cheap looking amplifier that had 4 outputs each with different volume control. The volume control is simply a bar not the usual cylindrical pot. The amp said reference amplifier something and is made in USA. The guy states that this amp is provided by Sennheiser itself.

This setup blows me apart as compared to the previous one that I tried out of an Iqube V2. This one is faster, livelier, with more bass slam.

My question is how could this be? Is it burn in? Amplifier? Or simply different versions? The one with Iqube sound brighter and thinner, and the shopkeeper confirmed that it is the second version. But I don't know about the other one, the better one. Because it is situated in a shopping mall and the guy there doesn't know a thing about headphones. He just said that even though he doesn't know the existence of two different versions, he is sure that the one on display and the other he's selling is the same version, whether the older or the newer.

How is this possible eh? I am quite sure that even though Iqube V2 is a portable nonetheless, there shouldn't be that MUCH of a performance difference with a small, unknown desktop amp. Maybe I'm wrong here and the amp really is the main factor of such a different sound?

Enlighten me guys!

 

[noinimod]

You are absolutely spot on - it is largely due to the amp. hd6xx will always sound their best out of a desktop amp, not a portable one