Just Discovered - Sennheiser HD650

[Helmut80]

A great picture quad! The Schiit amp and DAC look so small next to the Sennheisers.

 

[Jason36]

A great picture quad! The Schiit amp and DAC look so small next to the Sennheisers.

The Schiit Magni and Modi have an extremely small footprint (ideal for office desks or where space is at a premium, it also means if using the Modi DAC in a bigger system it can, if required, be hidden away very easily).

There is another photo on my thread "Some New Schitt" and my HD650 dwarf the Magni and Modi.

Having said that, and I am sure Quad will back me up, for its size, the Magni doesnt half kick out some volume. I have the volume knob set at just past 9 O'clock and with my HD650 even this is too loud sometimes.

I'm sure Quad will post a more in depth review of the Schitt Combo in due course, but I must say that personally this is one of the best combo's I have heard for a while, especially with the HD650's which seem to shine with the Schitt combo. Solid Bass and excellent mid range with a treble that I dont find to fatiguing. Since I bought the Schitt combo I am also hearing a slightly wider soundstage and a more open soundstage.

Currently listening to Alice in Chains Unplugged album and I am blown away :dance:

 

[quadpatch]

A great picture quad! The Schiit amp and DAC look so small next to the Sennheisers.

The Schiit Magni and Modi have an extremely small footprint (ideal for office desks or where space is at a premium, it also means if using the Modi DAC in a bigger system it can, if required, be hidden away very easily).

There is another photo on my thread "Some New Schitt" and my HD650 dwarf the Magni and Modi.

Having said that, and I am sure Quad will back me up, for its size, the Magni doesnt half kick out some volume. I have the volume knob set at just past 9 O'clock and with my HD650 even this is too loud sometimes.

I'm sure Quad will post a more in depth review of the Schitt Combo in due course, but I must say that personally this is one of the best combo's I have heard for a while, especially with the HD650's which seem to shine with the Schitt combo. Solid Bass and excellent mid range with a treble that I dont find to fatiguing. Since I bought the Schitt combo I am also hearing a slightly wider soundstage and a more open soundstage.

Currently listening to Alice in Chains Unplugged album and I am blown away :dance:

Thanks Helmut80! I was inspired by Jason's pictures it must be said, but they are kind of difficult to take images of together, especially while showing the drivers. Is it just me or is there something about the HD600 / 650 that looks even cooler than the HD700 / 800? I am certainly enjoying the sound even more than the HD800, but most of that is the bass being so much more full sounding, the HD800 was weak in that area when I heard it last. I've heard people suggesting the new HD800 has more bass, but that's entirely unofficial I must add.

Anyway, yes the Modi & Magni kick out a huge amount of power! They are a pretty great combo for either the HD600 or HD650 too, so far it has been a nicer experience than the M-DAC, but I haven't done a lot of comparison testing yet. The M-DAC is a weird, weird beast! It makes some things sound fantasic and other things overly harsh and emphasised in the wrong places. So far the M-DAC has done wonderful things with the Denon D7000, Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro LE and oddly enough the £17 RHA CA200, but so many other things have been less favourable - like the Sennheiser. Funnily enough the only time that I have heard the HD800s was through the M-DAC and I'm beginning to wonder if it's the M-DAC's fault that they didn't sound way better. Actually one time I did hear the HD800 through a Resonessence Invicta and that sounded absolutely dreamy!! Now I'm wondering how the HD600 / 650 would sound through that machine. Then again, if you're spending £3500 on a DAC, the chances are you can afford the HD800 and the HD600 anyway .

Right now I am listening to the HD650, with the HD600's cable (just for the hell of it). This is then connected to the Arcam rPAC and using the iFi iCAN headphone amplifier (which I got today). The bass and soundstage control on the iCAN is really cool I must say!! I'm listening to the Crysis soundtrack - the imaging and sepration are stunning! - me likey!!

OK Babble mode off for now, have a good weekend everyone and happy listening!

 

[dalethorn]

Is it just me or is there something about the HD600 / 650 that looks even cooler than the HD700 / 800?

You noticed that too?

 

[Inter_Voice]

Don't know why the same post appeared many times ?

 

[Inter_Voice]

Same post deleted.

 

[Inter_Voice]

double post deleted.

 

[Inter_Voice]

double post deleted.

 

[Inter_Voice]

For me unfortunately HD650 is not my cup of tea. I owned it for just a few months and sold it in the eBay. I found the sound from HD650 is veiled and HF is rolled off by too much. I also tried AKG Q701 but it was also not to my taste. Also sold it in the eBay afterwards. Now I own HD800 which I really love them. IMHO the SQ from HD800 blows HD650 and Q701 by miles away but of course the price is also a few times more expensive. The soundstaging of HD800 is exceptional and I can also hear a lot of fine details that I have not heard before using HD650 or Q701.

The HD800 is connected to my Yulong D18 DAC and A18 headphone amplifier. They are perfect matches Headphone cable is presently using Cardas. I am consodering to try pure silver headphone cables from Toxic Cables.

 

[dalethorn]

For me unfortunately HD650 is not my cup of tea. I owned it for just a few months and sold it in the eBay. I found the sound from HD650 is veiled and HF is rolled off by too much. I also tried AKG Q701 but it was also not to my taste. Also sold it in the eBay afterwards. Now I own HD800 which I really love them. IMHO the SQ from HD800 blows HD650 and Q701 by miles away but of course the price is also a few times more expensive. The soundstaging of HD800 is exceptional and I can also hear a lot of fine details that I have not heard before using HD650 or Q701. The HD800 is connected to my Yulong D18 DAC and A18 headphone amplifier. They are perfect matches Headphone cable is presently using Cardas. I am consodering to try pure silver headphone cables from Toxic Cables.

If you're ever inclined to try the Sennheiser IE800 IEM, you might get a big surprise. It's very different in frequency balance from the HD800. Stronger treble and much stronger bass. The bass is unique in my experience, since it's not bloated or boomy or any of that, yet the lower bass is so strong that some tracks I have with deep bass resonances (From Chesky/HDTracks: Bach Jesu Joy of ...., Choir of the Church of Blessed Sacrament) will probably overload most small music players.

 

[dalethorn]

Don't know why the same post appeared many times ?

The forum software has some problems. With me, often times when I click save nothing happens, and if I leave the page nothing gets posted. But if I click save again, then I get a double or triple post.

 

[Inter_Voice]

For me unfortunately HD650 is not my cup of tea. I owned it for just a few months and sold it in the eBay. I found the sound from HD650 is veiled and HF is rolled off by too much. I also tried AKG Q701 but it was also not to my taste. Also sold it in the eBay afterwards. Now I own HD800 which I really love them. IMHO the SQ from HD800 blows HD650 and Q701 by miles away but of course the price is also a few times more expensive. The soundstaging of HD800 is exceptional and I can also hear a lot of fine details that I have not heard before using HD650 or Q701. The HD800 is connected to my Yulong D18 DAC and A18 headphone amplifier. They are perfect matches Headphone cable is presently using Cardas. I am consodering to try pure silver headphone cables from Toxic Cables.

If you're ever inclined to try the Sennheiser IE800 IEM, you might get a big surprise. It's very different in frequency balance from the HD800. Stronger treble and much stronger bass. The bass is unique in my experience, since it's not bloated or boomy or any of that, yet the lower bass is so strong that some tracks I have with deep bass resonances (From Chesky/HDTracks: Bach Jesu Joy of ...., Choir of the Church of Blessed Sacrament) will probably overload most small music players.

I have never tried inear headphones as I don't think they can produce a true sound staging as that of the over the ear phones. What I like is a neutral headphone which can reproduce exactly what has been recorded, i.e. without any coloration or boost in the LF and HF. So far I can only find HD800 to be able to do this. I may try Sennheiser IE800 IEM and see if I like the SQ.

 

[dalethorn]

I have never tried inear headphones as I don't think they can produce a true sound staging as that of the over the ear phones. What I like is a neutral headphone which can reproduce exactly what has been recorded, i.e. without any coloration or boost in the LF and HF. So far I can only find HD800 to be able to do this. I may try Sennheiser IE800 IEM and see if I like the SQ.

Used on a desktop system the sound is much better than on an iPod etc., where the bass is less well controlled. But the peculiar thing with the IE800 compared to headphones I've used is the realism. The HD800 sounded big, but still like a headphone. With the IE800, I hear voices and instruments suspended in front of me that sound like they're really there. But .... the size of the image seems smaller than what it should be. I don't know if I'll ever understand what's going on - a real mixture of small stage but amazing realism. Someone else probably understands this already, but I haven't read it yet.

 

[bobbyblue]

"I was wondering if there are many people interested in the HD650 at the moment? It's been out for a while now and although lots of good things have been said about it I wonder if some assume that it's been bettered by newer and cheaper things. Part of me had assumed that could be the case."

Hi guys, anyone got any thoughts on this?

 

[pauln]

I'm currently looking at either the HD 650 or the HiFiMan HE-400. Similar price point (at least if you ignore the import costs on the HE-400's)

I would like to listen to both in the same place but that would mean a long trip so will probably buy blind in the end. The reviews I've read seem to indicate that both are exceptional - I really don't see that the Senns will have been "bettered" too much in the few years that they have been around? Surely dynamic headphone technology is quite mature and any improvements would be marginal unless some revolutionary process was discovered? Having said that, HiFiMan do seem to have managed to produce these very good planar magnetic phones at a good price point, maybe there is more scope for improvement/cost cutting in this newer technology?

The 650's seem to be heavily discounted on Amazon UK at the moment making them more than £100 cheaper than the HE-400's but that saving would be more than negated by the cost of an amp, which it seems is essential for them but not so much for the HE-400's. Assuming that the ones Amazon sell are genuine of course.

Anyone here heard both - any thoughts?

 

[quadpatch]

I should be getting the HE-400s pretty soon and will have them next to the HD650s to play with. I don't thinnk the HD650 is that bad un-amplifier, straight out of a phone isn't bad. I was under the impression that amplification was everything to the HD650 before I tried them, but they are quite friendly actually. Of course they get better with a good amp - everything does. My assumption of the HE-400s is they will be about the same. Hopefully I will tell you what I found soon. I just need to finish the review for the Modi & Magni first.

Addressing the previous point about the HD650, part of me had assumed that the HD650 could have been bettered and for less money, since it and indeed the HD600 (while I prefer) had come out. I had tried the HD650 before, but never at home and I thought they were OK - not amazing. It wasn't until I lived with them that they really wowed me. I don't think it was mostly down to lack of amplification, rather that your own music, in your own home, when you are relaxed makes a big difference.

 

[borland]

"I was wondering if there are many people interested in the HD650 at the moment? It's been out for a while now and although lots of good things have been said about it I wonder if some assume that it's been bettered by newer and cheaper things. Part of me had assumed that could be the case."

Hi guys, anyone got any thoughts on this?

It’s very subjective. Some people don't like the hd-650, some do. i don't think you can rely on somebody's else opinion when buy headphones. It’s very sensitive personal area and unless you try them yourself it's absolutely pointless to ask 3d parties opinion. For me the hd-650 are the best for my needs and personal listening preferences. My friend prefers AKGs…… he drives French car – I will never buy French car (sorry – no offence to my French friends)!

 

[bobbyblue]

Hi again, should have been a bit clearer. I was realy asking if they had been "bettered by newer and cheaper things" as quadpatch was asking.

 

[dalethorn]

Hi again, should have been a bit clearer. I was realy asking if they had been "bettered by newer and cheaper things" as quadpatch was asking.

My observation is there isn't much in the way of open-back headphones being released in the lower price tiers, since most everything below the 650's price level is geared toward portable use, or to home use in places where others would be disturbed by the leakage. I think the Soundmagic HP200 is a real anomaly, being open-back and only around £200. And it doesn't sound like a 650. But if there were a request for a particular type of sound that's not just a duplication of the 650 sound, that would be interesting.

 

[bobbyblue]

Thanks for that dale, my major concern is the 650's have been on the go for some time as already been stated and it would just be my luck that a better model is either on the horizon or there IS a headphone/s on par with the 650's at roughly the same price-range. Any body got anymore suggestions.

 

[quadpatch]

Thanks for that dale, my major concern is the 650's have been on the go for some time as already been stated and it would just be my luck that a better model is either on the horizon or there IS a headphone/s on par with the 650's at roughly the same price-range. Any body got anymore suggestions.

The Beyerdynamic DT880 is interesting, but it's a bit bright to compare to the HD650, or even the HD600 (which I prefer), so that makes me curious about the DT990, as it's supposed to be a warmer version of the DT880. I assume the T90 might also be similar but that's getting more expensive rather than less. I like the SoundMAGIC HP200 too and it is very nice, but it's not a HD600/650 killer for me.

 

[alefzero]

Hey guys! How interesting and constructive a thread this was indeed! So... I wear headphones about 9 hours per day at work (with eyeglasses) and I use them with my Desktop PC (mainly Spotify). I decided to upgrade my Ultrasone HFI-2200ULE (their earcups are about ~10cm with inner ear space at ~5.5cm.. a real torture with eyeglasses as the earpads' top part presses the tip of my ears just onto the eyeglasses' temples... if you then contextualise that in Barcelona's hot summers, you can get an idea!).

I was already in love with the big earcups of the AKG K702 when I came across with the Sennheiser HD650. They seem a perfect combination of performance and comfort for eyeglass wearers as I gathered around the inner height of the ear pad/cup should measure around 6.8cm (if you could please confirm?) which should hopefully push the top of the earpad above my eyeglasses' temples.

Anyway, decision's made about the cans and this time I wanna complement them with one of those nice DAC/Amps as well... but I'm torn between (in ascending price order):

1) Fiio E10, 2) Arcam rPac and 3) Shiiit Modi+Magni.

QUESTION: is it really worth forking out double price for the Arcam rPac (as opposed to the Fiio) or even a couple of hundreds more for the Shiiit (as opposed to the Arcam rPac)?

Thanks a lot for your help! Cheers

 

[quadpatch]

The inner height of the ear pad/cup should measure around 6.8cm (if you could please confirm?) which should hopefully push the top of the earpad above my eyeglasses' temples.

This figure seems about right (from what I can tell in my dimly lit room). It's also worth noting that the space slopes into that figure more than it looks. This allows the bottom of the ear to sit futher down without causing any pain because it sticks out much less. I have very large, sticky-out ears and I find the HD650 very comfy. The only slight criticism I would mention is that the space is very tall and squashed, making headphones that are more round (like the Beyerdynamics and high-end Fostex / old Denons) a bit more comfortable still.

This time I wanna complement them with one of those nice DAC/Amps as well... but I'm torn between (in ascending price order):

1) Fiio E10, 2) Arcam rPac and 3) Shiiit Modi+Magni.

QUESTION: is it really worth forking out double price for the Arcam rPac (as opposed to the Fiio) or even a couple of hundreds more for the Shiiit (as opposed to the Arcam rPac)?

All of these 3 DAC/amps are good value in my opinion. Either get the best you can afford or get the cheapest one now and then upgrade to a more expensive one later. Second hand prices for these things are pretty decent on eBay so you won't lose too much money in the process. Also you will appreciate the difference more that way too.

 

[TB303]

Hello,

Sorry to revive this thread, I am considering getting the HD650 to pair with a Chord Hugo, and wonder how they compare to the B&W P7?

I know wonce is closed back and the other is open. I like all sorts of music, mainly electronic but I'm not a 'bass head' - I prefer acurate and natural bass.

Thanks!

 

[dalethorn]

Hello, Sorry to revive this thread, I am considering getting the HD650 to pair with a Chord Hugo, and wonder how they compare to the B&W P7? I know wonce is closed back and the other is open. I like all sorts of music, mainly electronic but I'm not a 'bass head' - I prefer acurate and natural bass. Thanks!

The HD600 has an accurate and natural bass - the HD650 bass is boosted some for a warmer, darker sound. The P7 is even more boosted and many critics (myself included) hear a lot of boom and looseness. But, the P7 has enough treble to balance its bass without losing the midrange, so overall it's an energetic and exciting sound, but far from neutral or natural.