[Fluency]

Hi guys,

Right now I own a pair of M50's without an amp/DAC. I'm into music production, and I think they work pretty well. However, I'm thinking way ahead towards holiday season when I'll be able to upgrade my equipment. Right now I'm looking at the Sennheiser HD600 with the Magni/Modi combo. Since it's a relatively expensive setup (for me, at least) I'm trying to figure out if the money put in will be worth it. There's a lot of other useful things I could buy for $600 and I'd only want to spend that amount if the difference in quality is pretty big.

I've read a few threads saying that an upgrade from the M50's to the HD600 won't be a 'WOW' factor, but I'd like some more details on the comparison. If there's anyone who has owned both, it would be great to hear what you think about the upgrade. Thanks!

 

[NA Blur]

If you know what you expect the HD600 well amped should deliver a definite wow factor.
 
Expect better resolution, less fatigue, a more open soundstage, airy bass, better fit, and an overall more enjoyable listening experience.
 
I have owned both.
 
Another amp option is the O2 amp.  If you want / need a DAC the O2+ODAC Combo is awesome.  It sounds as good as my Grace Design m903, but costs 1/5th as much.
 
O2+ODAC
http://www.jdslabs.com/item.php?fetchitem=48
 
I have not heard the Schiit Stack you mention, but have ready quite a few issues with these products as of late.  A tube amp I have heard with the HD600 is the WA3 which makes the HD600 easier to listen to and a bit more fun than a good solid state amp.

 

[lxxl]

I have owned the HD600, and I have the SRH840, which is close to the M50 sound signature.
 
I totally recommend you to try the HD600, it is an improvement. Personally I find them sound very different from one to another, unless of course you can manage to amp the HD600 signature like the M50.
 
If you like the M50, I'd recommend trying out some Beyerdynamic, to me, they are much closer match, from closed to open phones.

 

[Fluency]

Quote:

I have owned the HD600, and I have the SRH840, which is close to the M50 sound signature.
 
I totally recommend you to try the HD600, it is an improvement. Personally I find them sound very different from one to another, unless of course you can manage to amp the HD600 signature like the M50.
 
If you like the M50, I'd recommend trying out some Beyerdynamic, to me, they are much closer match, from closed to open phones.

Thanks for the input! Do you have a specific model/series from Beyerdynamic that you would recommend?

 

[lxxl]

I have the DT880/600 and had DT990/600 personally, but I never tried the higher end stuff like the T1 and T90.
 
if you can try at a store, give DT880 or DT990 a shot, recommend 600ohm, or at least 250ohm. but you'll need amping to drive 600ohm properly.
 
I am sure there are other people here can recommend higher end, similar sounding signature headphones 

 

[area51]

I went the other way :from HD600  to M50: never regretted it.The Senn has NO bass.Ciao...

 

[NA Blur]

Quote:

I went the other way :from HD600  to M50: never regretted it.The Senn has NO bass.Ciao...

This simply is not true.  Properly amped the HD600/650 have some of the finest bass I have heard for an open headphone.  Sure they will not super rumble your head like the M50 can, but then again not every track out there is supposed to.

 

[Sound Quest]

Quote:

This simply is not true.  Properly amped the HD600/650 have some of the finest bass I have heard for an open headphone.  Sure they will not super rumble your head like the M50 can, but then again not every track out there is supposed to.

 
Perhaps some people like low bass rumble with their Beethoven.

 

[Delirious Lab]

Well, it is a must in that "ripe for the madhouse" passage of the Seventh...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._7_(Beethoven)#Reception

 

[Fluency]

Quote:

I went the other way :from HD600  to M50: never regretted it.The Senn has NO bass.Ciao...

The M50 might have more bass, but I'm not looking for that. I do a lot of music production and a neutral headphone is critical for getting a proper mix.

I'll definitely look around and try to test the HD600's and the couple Beyerdynamic cans. Something tells me most stores around my area won't carry them though. Especially for just test-listening purposes. 

 

[lxxl]

neutral is a term that can not be define fully, because it varies from one person to another.
 
If you live in the US or Canada, at a specialized sound/headphones store, you can probably find the Senns HD line, and it's not surprising to see a set of HD600 for testing.
 
Better yet, know someone who owns them, and likely these people will have amps for them and can describe them much better.

 

[blueangel2323]

I think the HD600 would be great for music production because of the smooth, flat, accurate frequency response. Just bump up the lowest sub-bass by a few db to compensate for the mild rolloff. I wasn't all that impressed with the M50 TBH. Yes the exaggerated treble is great for monitoring and identifying high frequency flaws in the mix, but the uneven and peaky frequency response makes it less than ideal for mixing and mastering.

 

[Fluency]

The treble is one of the main reasons I'm considering upgrading. I know there's no such thing as a completely neutral headphone, but I'm just looking for one that's more "honest" than some others. Based on what you've said, I think the HD600's would be a pretty good fit.

 

[blueangel2323]

Yes the treble extends very well on the HD600, and there is not much of a 10k peak compared to most other "neutral" headphones.