That hp amplifier (a Feliks?) in the picture should be a good one to use with the HD6XX for ‘stationary’ versus ‘on-the-go’ listening, if you haven’t tried. HD6XX will be tremendous with an OTL tube hp amplifier. Let’s face it, you like the HD6XX for its sound and its build. Try giving the HD6XX some upgraded cables. As for finding a comparable build elsewhere, beyond the HD600 series, you will not. How many hps can you think of that have no screws? Be content. Money that you save by not going on the headphone ‘crusades’ can go towards music.
Yea it is a felix echo 2 you are correct, along with a bifrost 2. I haven't tried the better cables however I definitely have been using the 6xx with the amp and dac is it does sound very nice. I will point out though that the little XDuoo amp with dual bonson opamps swapped in sounds oh so spicey as well its definitely a much more digitized sound I find that seems to be more appropriate for the 6XXs than the tubes. However that's just my novice opinion.
You make a interesting observation I just realized you're right. There are no screws in those cans. However the build similarity is completely negligible as its really a quest to find a true next step up from the 6XX in sound quality, I just hope that theoretical future can doesn't feel like im wearing a backpack on my head(looking at you ZMFs... how fans wear these all day is nothing but remarkable)!
Thanks.
I haven't bothered replacing the HD600 I got back in 2010.
Susvara is better from a technical standpoint but I seriously doubt it's what you're looking for.
Why is it so imperative to replace the HD6XX anyway? I mean the Focal Utopias were nice, but it wasn't 10X the price I paid for the HD600 nice, unless I won the lottery or something (then again if I won the lottery I'd be buying a Stella Utopia, PassLabs XA160.8, and a house with a dedicated listening room, not a Utopia headphone).
I would want to say not imperative but more like... a hunger... a hunger for more. Im sure you know what I am referring to. I would like to find what I can only describe as a HD6xx 2. A can sound like the HD6xx however it does everything the HD6XX does only significantly better and is deserving a much bigger price tag.
I feel after seeing so many crazy expensive headphones talked of and loved here all the time, it must be more than just gimmicks and that there is truly a whole other level that I might not know even exists. Maybe another "wow" factor like I experienced when I first got my 6XX and still experience frequently with them to this day. Im sure anything above 1500$ and you are paying for essentially brand and build materials however evidently there must be some corelation between sound quality and price with those under that price wall.
Not really, I'm more of a one tool for one job kind of guy. If that tool works the way I need it to, even if not perfectly, no need to replace it much less stress over it. I mean I had my HD600 for 11yrs; had a Little Dot Mk2 for 2yrs, replaced it because I preferred the sound off a Meier Cantate.2, still have that amp. Only got a Pangea HP101 because 1) the Meier got busted a few years ago and 2) the Pangea was $99 and my brother and parents chipped in and got it for me for my bday (luckily, as far as the HD600 is concerned, the only real deficiency vs the Meier was a bit of tube noise).
Same way I only ditched my Canonet 45/2.8 because film was just too annoying to carry around and process, casual shots with family took time to conk out; I got the Olympus E-P2, but then ditched that because the detachable viewfinder, while able to move and do low angle shots, was an accessory that kept falling off the stupid thing; so I got the X100, which kinda felt a lot like the Canonet save for having to rely on autofocus, and only got an X-T10 because I needed something much wider and longer than the 35mm AOV on the X100 so I got an 18mm and 75mm equivalent. Then recently I just got a 53mm equivalent manual lens after I had the X100 serviced so I can still have a "normal" lens as back up when I don't have the X100.
Other people I know have multiple gyutos (Japanese chef knives), I only have two of one size because reactive steel and Western handles are a total PITA to maintain so I finally picked up one with a traditional Japanese handle.
And I'm typing this out on a 6600K and 1070Ti rig. If anything, I've been itching for 5600X and RTX 3070, but I can't find a 3070 so I might as well wait it all out and by then I have a choice between the 12600K and 6600X(?)/6800X(?).
I would like to find what I can only describe as a HD6xx 2. A can sound like the HD6xx however it does everything the HD6XX does only significantly better and is deserving a much bigger price tag.
Audeze LCD-2 Classic, or LCD-2 Fazor if you want a bit more at the top end.
Imaging isn't necessarily 5X wider nor deeper though, although the weight will feel like it's 5X heavier. Personally the latter isn't a problem - if you're actually listening to music you just lean back - but in my case 5X the price unless I don't have to sweat out spending it wouldn't be worth it for me.
Also I'm not sure why you even tried the 1770X; Beyers tend to be very, very different from Sennheisers.
I feel after seeing so many crazy expensive headphones talked of and loved here all the time, it must be more than just gimmicks and that there is truly a whole other level that I might not know even exists. Maybe another "wow" factor like I experienced when I first got my 6XX and still experience frequently with them to this day. Im sure anything above 1500$ and you are paying for essentially brand and build materials however evidently there must be some corelation between sound quality and price with those under that price wall.
You have adjusted to the headphone in every way possible. The 6XX is not perfect, but nothing is. What has happened is you bought into the illusion whole heartedly and that's great. You don't question it and it sounds natural to you. You have mentally adapted in every way possible. Ignorance is bliss. Time to buy a back-up pair.
Not really, I'm more of a one tool for one job kind of guy. If that tool works the way I need it to, even if not perfectly, no need to replace it much less stress over it. I mean I had my HD600 for 11yrs; had a Little Dot Mk2 for 2yrs, replaced it because I preferred the sound off a Meier Cantate.2, still have that amp. Only got a Pangea HP101 because 1) the Meier got busted a few years ago and 2) the Pangea was $99 and my brother and parents chipped in and got it for me for my bday (luckily, as far as the HD600 is concerned, the only real deficiency vs the Meier was a bit of tube noise).
Same way I only ditched my Canonet 45/2.8 because film was just too annoying to carry around and process, casual shots with family took time to conk out; I got the Olympus E-P2, but then ditched that because the detachable viewfinder, while able to move and do low angle shots, was an accessory that kept falling off the stupid thing; so I got the X100, which kinda felt a lot like the Canonet save for having to rely on autofocus, and only got an X-T10 because I needed something much wider and longer than the 35mm AOV on the X100 so I got an 18mm and 75mm equivalent. Then recently I just got a 53mm equivalent manual lens after I had the X100 serviced so I can still have a "normal" lens as back up when I don't have the X100.
Other people I know have multiple gyutos (Japanese chef knives), I only have two of one size because reactive steel and Western handles are a total PITA to maintain so I finally picked up one with a traditional Japanese handle.
And I'm typing this out on a 6600K and 1070Ti rig. If anything, I've been itching for 5600X and RTX 3070, but I can't find a 3070 so I might as well wait it all out and by then I have a choice between the 12600K and 6600X(?)/6800X(?).
Audeze LCD-2 Classic, or LCD-2 Fazor if you want a bit more at the top end.
Imaging isn't necessarily 5X wider nor deeper though, although the weight will feel like it's 5X heavier. Personally the latter isn't a problem - if you're actually listening to music you just lean back - but in my case 5X the price unless I don't have to sweat out spending it wouldn't be worth it for me.
Also I'm not sure why you even tried the 1770X; Beyers tend to be very, very different from Sennheisers.
AKG K1000 but it won't be an HD6XX improved version. It's more of "Focal Chorus 706V, but on your head."
Your proccessor right now is actually just fine for anything a normal user would want. I run a 2600k myself along with a 3080 Ti. Dont waste the cash on a new platform along with a cpu. However I gotcha this itch really comes when money isnt the object but rather finding what exactly what you are looking for. I ended up ordering a focal clear, try those out probably in a few days try to get rid of my zmfs. But thanks and goodluck with the pc. I suggest just get atleast 16gb of ram but better 4x8gb and a 3080 evga ftw. That card for the price is phenomenal performance. Oh but dont forget to OC your current processor to whatever forums have gotten it to stable. In my situation i got it to 5 ghz but running at 4.6 24/7and it hasnt crashed a single time. Trick is to not be scared of the voltage. Intels max voltage means you can go even higher with possible crashes or stay at max forever stable. Cheers!
So, Viper4android huh?
Very nice. I'm using it myself since the first day i rooted my phone, and i refuse to ever give it back
Really unbelievable what you get for free with that little sound-module.
Reason why not many people speak about it / know about it is simply because you have to have a rooted android phone with unlocked bootloader.Thats enough to hold most people back i guess.
I'm still amazed what it does to even trashy headphones. But that surely is stuff for a different thread.
Good luck with your 6xx upgrade (or the acceptance that there is none personally for you).
Pretty hard to beat the HD600 line. I preferred it over 9 out of 10 more expensive headphones. If you want a real technical upgrade get Utopia, Susvara or an electrostat or invest the money in a good IEM like U12t, Softears RSV or some of the newer tribrids.
For me, HD6xx is like slipping into a comfortable pair of slippers and a robe, sitting by the crackling fire while reading a paper and enjoying a brandy. What isn't to like about that?
And for only $199??
I have HD800S, it's worth checking out while on sale for $1399, but it's quite different from a 650. I think the 6XX and 800S complement each other well depending on mood. I haven't seen this mentioned yet but wonder if the Meze Empyrean is worth considering. But if you can go for the Susvara, hey, way to go. I'll go back to sticking my head in the Sennheiser sand
1. 50fps+ 1% lows on Total War: Three Kingdoms on high 1440p because a) I'm getting ~35fps 1% lows at 1080p high and b) I might as well get a 32in 1440p 120hz 100% SRGB monitor to upgrade this 1080p 1ms 60hz screen from 2010 more so when I'm about to move. Like...not even U-Haul move. Which adds to why I've been planning on getting a new computer. (see #4)
2. Faster HDR merging followed by multi-vista stitching while being able to view the RAW files on the PC to know which ones are for merging or which ones are not for HDR or stacking without slowdowns, because I've been draining cam batteries just looking at the photos on a slow-ass interface (ie four way buttons, no touch) just to know what to do with a bunch of blank squares on a window.
3. Do 1 and 2 with even less noise, which means I'm looking at replacing this old Cooler Master with a Fractal Torrent running two 180mm X 38mm fans on the front, a Dark Rock Pro 4 on the CPU and the GPU, then do a pair fiberglass shrouds - one to cover the whole back end of the Torrent, the other over a board with the Torrent's 140mm fans, then connected via a ventilation tube - so any heat generated by the computer will just go out the window instead of making me still utterly dependentt on A/C unless it's already winter. And night time.
4. A computer on the other side of the Pacific, because I'm not hauling this mATX rig onto a plane when I move, more so when I'm already hauling my cat and other stuff I might as well leave a 5 year old computer behind and get 1 to 3 in the process.
I already have 16gb and it already noticeably slows down with 10 RAW files open (not to mention a 10-exposure merge takes about 3mins) but I can't check the next batch of files as to which ones are single exposure edits and which ones need HDR merging or stacking.
Which is why I'm going hexacore or more (so long as I don't start losing clocks for gaming) with 32gb of RAM for those times when I spend the computer's turns or my brother's turn on TW editing photos.
Unfortunately even if that helps gaming it doesn't help photo editing.
That even assumes my PSU can run it without tripping protections (it's a Corsair, so it'll probably trip instead of exploding like a Gigabyte), which means I'm going to upgrade the PSU and GPU without any gains on non-gaming things I do on a computer.
Oh and that assumes I can even find an RTX 3080. Which is one reason why I haven't upgraded yet, on top of "I'm not adding to my luggage," except once I do fly out I'm gonna have to build one (hauling a 1070Ti in my luggage is not completely off the table, but definitely not the whole computer).
Oh but dont forget to OC your current processor to whatever forums have gotten it to stable. In my situation i got it to 5 ghz but running at 4.6 24/7and it hasnt crashed a single time. Trick is to not be scared of the voltage. Intels max voltage means you can go even higher with possible crashes or stay at max forever stable. Cheers!
The hd650 is a great heafphone.
The hd6xx for $200 is a great option.
I used to own the auteurs that i thought were (a little loosly speaking) an uber hd650.
I love my susvaras (most transparent hps that i have heard and suit my preferences perfectly) but they need to be driven well.
If budget does not matter ($4500) look into the lcd 5 - as a desktop hp (not portable re driving it properly). These may be quite similar to hd650 but heaps more detail.
My vote (based on your desire for a better HD6__ series headphone) - is the 800S. I consider it better than my 600s in all aspects, especially when you have the ability to EQ. It is the only headphone that I own that wows me each time, after spending some time on another pair of headphones.
Add a tube in the mix? Then you get an even smoother, and in my opinion more pleasant treble...
My vote (based on your desire for a better HD6__ series headphone) - is the 800S. I consider it better than my 600s in all aspects, especially when you have the ability to EQ. It is the only headphone that I own that wows me each time, after spending some time on another pair of headphones.
Add a tube in the mix? Then you get an even smoother, and in my opinion more pleasant treble...
Thank you. You convinced me to try them. I recently got the LCD-X but after a day of listening im returning them. Honestly even with good eq wizardry they sound identical to my hd6xx but with a lot less bass.
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