(update) don't laugh, but Koss UR40 compared to Sennheiser HD650?
Nov 15, 2010 at 9:19 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 33

jasonb

Headphoneus Supremus
Joined
Sep 14, 2010
Posts
5,564
Likes
2,860
UPDATE ON PAGE 3: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/523104/update-don-t-laugh-but-koss-ur40-compared-to-sennheiser-hd650/30#post_7081186
 
i know i know, these headphones are in waaaaaay different leagues, but i must ask anyway.
 
i have a pair of Koss UR40 that i am actually enjoying. i like the sound of them quite a bit. the only improvement i'd really welcome would be some added sub-bass. like the stuff below 50hz or so. the UR40's have nice bass quantity, but seem to drop off pretty sharply.
 
now i look on headphone.com at frequency response graphs and see that the KSC75(same driver as the UR40) is pretty similar to the famed HD650. see below
 

 
now, i find this hard to believe, but it looks like the HD650 should sound similar to the KSC75 (or UR40's since it's the same driver), but offer additional bottom end extension. bass quantity looks similar, but extends lower.
 
can anybody confirm that this is really the case? i would like to finally invest in a worthy headphone, but $350 is a lot for me to drop on headphones.
 
Nov 15, 2010 at 9:24 PM Post #2 of 33
I believe thy have a similar tone, but the HD650 will out perform them many, many times over.
 
Heh, I never realized how my UR40 sounded similar to the HD650 until you posted this.
 
Nov 15, 2010 at 9:27 PM Post #3 of 33


I believe thy have a similar tone, but the HD650 will out perform them many, many times over.


 


Heh, I never realized how my UR40 sounded similar to the HD650 until you posted this.







Same boat here. Now that it's been brought up, I would agree that they do indeed have a great deal in common tonally.
 
Nov 15, 2010 at 9:29 PM Post #4 of 33
yea, i realize that they should be in a different league, but i'm just concerned about bass quantity. i'm not a basshead, but i do like bass. i know i have XB500's in my sig, but i actually prefer the UR40's over them so i'm not a total bass addict. i prefer a warm bassy(ish) sound, but i still like my mids and highs to be there too.
 
does it sounds like i would like the HD650's? if i like the UR40's will the HD650's be worth the 320 dollar difference?
 
Quote:
I believe thy have a similar tone, but the HD650 will out perform them many, many times over.
 
Heh, I never realized how my UR40 sounded similar to the HD650 until you posted this.

 
Nov 15, 2010 at 10:53 PM Post #5 of 33
any comments?
 
Nov 15, 2010 at 11:25 PM Post #6 of 33
I guess that would explain why so many HFers like KSC75 so much. 
ksc75smile.gif

 
Nov 15, 2010 at 11:32 PM Post #7 of 33
While the UR-40s are muddy and dirty sounding, the tone thing is dead on.  Its actually a really good observation.  They are not as detailed as the senns, but they have the same "commit no wrong" attitude when it comes to presentation of tones and colors. 
 
Nov 15, 2010 at 11:44 PM Post #9 of 33
not according to this thread: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/140879/koss-headphone-driver-distinctions
 
Quote:
To the best of my knowledge the UR40s share drivers with the KSC35, not the 75.

 
Nov 15, 2010 at 11:47 PM Post #10 of 33
they don't seem THAT muddy. i won't claim they sound perfect, but they don't sound bad in terms or bass. to me they sound cleaner than my XB500's. i haven't heard any really top tier headphones though to compare to, so i guess maybe i don't know any better yet.
 
if the HD650's sound like these but more detailed and cleaner and can get louder, then they will be my next headphone.
 
Quote:
While the UR-40s are muddy and dirty sounding, the tone thing is dead on.  Its actually a really good observation.  They are not as detailed as the senns, but they have the same "commit no wrong" attitude when it comes to presentation of tones and colors. 

 
Nov 15, 2010 at 11:51 PM Post #11 of 33

That is a blessing in disguise my friend.  You are right, they are not "that" muddy, but compared to even good entry level headphones, like the ES7s or A700s, or SR80s and the like, they do come across as veiled to a good degree.  of course we have to remember that these are not only full size headphones, but downright comfy and that they produce a large sound, something even the ES7 and SR-80s struggle with.
Quote:
they don't seem THAT muddy. i won't claim they sound perfect, but they don't sound bad in terms or bass. to me they sound cleaner than my XB500's. i haven't heard any really top tier headphones though to compare to, so i guess maybe i don't know any better yet.
 
if the HD650's sound like these but more detailed and cleaner and can get louder, then they will be my next headphone.
 

 
Nov 16, 2010 at 12:14 AM Post #12 of 33
Actually, UR40 uses the same driver as KTX Pro 1, KSC-50 and KSC-55 - flat back, titanium diaphragm. Its FR is a bit different from KSC-75 or PortaPro. Nevertheless, it responds well to the various mods, you may improve the SQ a lot. Drill grills, add resistors, replace cable to 4-wired, search for these and other mods at head-fi. You will have a fun time and get much better can for a few money spent.
 
Nov 16, 2010 at 12:19 AM Post #13 of 33
if this is the case, which i read it is not. i have read numerous times that the ur-40 is the same driver as the ksc75.
 
you say the freq response is a bit different, how is it different?
 
Quote:
Actually, UR40 uses the same driver as KTX Pro 1, KSC-50 and KSC-55 - flat back, titanium diaphragm. Its FR is a bit different from KSC-75 or PortaPro. Nevertheless, it responds well to the various mods, you may improve the SQ a lot. Drill grills, add resistors, replace cable to 4-wired, search for these and other mods at head-fi. You will have a fun time and get much better can for a few money spent.

 
Nov 16, 2010 at 3:00 AM Post #14 of 33
The differences are subtle, so it is quite a job to describe them in numerous terms. Let me give you just a general picture. I experimented a lot with 4 drivers and my order of preference in terms of overall SQ was:
 
1. Drivers taken from UR40
2. Drivers taken from PortaPro
3. Drivers taken from KSC-75
4. Drivers taken from KTX Pro 1
 
It seems strange, because 1 and 4 looks identical. Different years/versions? Different internals, while they share the same enclosure and basic electric specs? I do not know.
 
Nov 16, 2010 at 4:26 AM Post #15 of 33
If the HD650 sounds like the UR40, I will never EVER try the HD650. The UR40 is soooooo bad...
eek.gif

 
If the UR40 shares the same drivers as the KSC75, Koss did a fine job in butchering EVERYTHING that made the KSC75 sound as great as they do. The UR40 is a bass bloated mess.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top