[Dionysus]

Wow! Is all I can say! After reading, researching and the several let down im a happy camper.
I played several songs that I was extremely familiar with from Tool, Rush and Norah Jones, and It was immediate to me that this was the best set of headphones I have ever listened to.

The HD650 handles music without feeling like its being push to the point of distorting the music, like the HD595which is my point of reference.
The level of detail in the way the phones represent is what I have been in search of. If this is what veil sounds like ah well bring it anytime.

I’m not very good at expressing music all I can say is that I feel extremely happy and after several fail attempts at finding the right headphone I’m glad I went with the 650 thanks for all the help from Head-Fi and the wealth of information on this site.

BTW the combination of the Asus Essence STX is superb with these headphones it is truly amazing the HIFI setting along with the impendence set on 300-600 makes the HD650 sing.
Anyone looking at a headphone sound card combo look no further the dedicated headphone amp is stunning.

 

[Rob T]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ciphercomplete /img/forum/go_quote.gif No, but they are perfect partners IMHO. I don't ever get bored between the two. The K501 is a even better match for the HD650 though. I think the closest thing to a opposite of the K701 is the HD580.

Thanks. I just ordered a new pair of HD650's, so I can take my time and compare them with my still very new k701's.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katysax /img/forum/go_quote.gif The veil is not an overwhelming thing - it is somewhat perceptible. You probably won't even know it unless you also compare them to a high quality headphone of another brand that doesn't have it. I've owned several Sennheisers and I've always found myself preferring other headphones because to me something is missing. But if I never heard an alternative I'd probably never have known it was there.

Makes sense. I will have the opportunity to make the same comparison so I can see how perceptible, if at all, it is.


Quote:

Originally Posted by rds /img/forum/go_quote.gif For what it's worth to my ears the 650s sound the most like high end tower speakers. They have a very powerful and smooth sound, but are also very detailed. When listening to them I feel like I'm listening in some kind of real environment (like a room). On the other hand headphones like the k701s seem to be creating sound within a vacuum (yeah, I know you can't have sound in a vacuum, but the I think you get the idea). I like both styles, and like someone else said these two headphones compliment each other very well.

Interesting description. There can be certain musical passages where I think to myself "that sounded really 'thin' or shrill", but is rarely lasts more than a few moments.

I am going to start marking time codes on songs when I experience this with my k701's so I can compare that same part with the HD650's when they arrive.

 

[Goit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelvinz /img/forum/go_quote.gif completely disagree the 650's all versions I've owned/heard have the veil

The one from a store that I have heard had the white stuff in it, so it's a new unit, and it still is very dark and moody.

 

[kboe]

Just put several hundred hours on them and the veil will lift to a large degree. They also brighten up to a more natural balance, not bright, but less dark in sound.
Kevin

 

[hypoicon]

Much of what gets discussed depends on what people are comparing 650s with. When I got mine, I thought they were awfully veiled compared with my Grado RS-1s. Sort of like listening through a mattress. They did get better with break-in, and perked up significantly when I moved from a Little Dot MK III to a Channel Islands VHP-1. The tube amp just didn't work that well for me with those phones, though it works wonderfully with my Grados. The solid state amp finally "perked up" the 650s to the point where I really started to like them.

Then I bought a pair of Magnepan MMG speakers. If you put the sennheisers on after listening to them, it's like stuffing cotton in your ears. To each his own-- I will say that the 650s are great on digital recordings because they filter out all of the crappy high frequency artifacts. I'm glad I have them, but they are not my favorite tool for listening.

 

[inukage0029]

i dont plan on buying any senn over ear cans, but just hypothetically:

If i wanted to find an amp, at any price range, that would "fit" the 650's perfectly, or would simply do a really good job making the headphone sound great, what amp would this be? for example, my P-51. Is this a good amp to be driving the senns with??

 

[rocker]

I auditioned the HD650s listening to 'Led Zeppelin I' amongst others - compared with Beyer's and AKG the Senn were the only can that brought out the bite in Plant's vocals, bass was deep and detail good - I could hear a need for recabling to smooth out the mids, a little veiled but the emotion was there for ME. It's all up to taste.

 

[Beagle]

Current version of 650 is not veiled. The silver coloured acoustic silk they are now using is less detrimental to the sound than the original black material. The highs and mids have more sparkle.

The "excitement" and "speed" of music is usually triggered in the upper midrange; if a headphone enhances that part of the spectrum, it is more lively and exciting, but fatiguing after extended listening. By the same token, headphones with seeming flat response can seem dull after extended listening but never tiring.

 

[dallan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by inukage0029 /img/forum/go_quote.gif i dont plan on buying any senn over ear cans, but just hypothetically: If i wanted to find an amp, at any price range, that would "fit" the 650's perfectly, or would simply do a really good job making the headphone sound great, what amp would this be? for example, my P-51. Is this a good amp to be driving the senns with??

Eddie Current Zana Deux without a doubt.

 

[dallan]

^^Recabling is actually a cheap good beginning, the cable they come with restricts the sound dramatically.

 

[olblueyez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by inukage0029 /img/forum/go_quote.gif i dont plan on buying any senn over ear cans, but just hypothetically: If i wanted to find an amp, at any price range, that would "fit" the 650's perfectly, or would simply do a really good job making the headphone sound great, what amp would this be? for example, my P-51. Is this a good amp to be driving the senns with??

Quote:

Originally Posted by dallan /img/forum/go_quote.gif ^^Recabling is actually a cheap good beginning, the cable they come with restricts the sound dramatically.

Any tube amp with a decent number of tube rolling options and or a new cable will work. The P-51 is not a proper amp for the 650. Denon, Grado, and AT make low impedance headphones that will work very well with your Mustang.

 

[TopPop]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dallan /img/forum/go_quote.gif ^^Recabling is actually a cheap good beginning, the cable they come with restricts the sound dramatically.

I have an order in for a Headphile V2 BlackSilver, which I hope will open up my HD-600 just a tad, without sacrificing the bass. I'm currently using a stock HD-650 cable on them, so I'm looking forward to hearing what the aftermarket (silver) cable can do.