Is Sennheiser Audiophile HD650 Headphones worthfull

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Richard G Merrill, Jan 15, 2016.

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  1. Bill

    Bill Senior Member

    Location:
    Eastern Shore
    I had the opposite reaction comparing the 598s with the 650s. It's very subjective, which is why you've got to listen for yourself.
     
  2. Ham Sandwich

    Ham Sandwich Senior Member

    Location:
    Sherwood, OR, USA
    I haven't listened to a Vali 2 amp yet. I don't know how it gets the HD650 or HD600 to sound, how much punch it gives them and how big the soundstage is with the Vali 2 and Senns.

    I'd stick with what you've got for now. Especially for metal and the more aggressive flavors of rock. The HD650 will still be around for if/when you want to give it a try. The HD650 could also get you into amp upgrades moreso than the Fostex and Grado. There's also some new headphones coming out on the market that could possibly be better for audiophile metal listening than the HD650. So stay in a holding pattern for now and enjoy what you've got. The Fostex is really neat. Enjoy it.
     
  3. wwaldmanfan

    wwaldmanfan Born In The 50's

    Location:
    NJ
    Lots of debate about which is better, the Sennheiser HD 600 or the HD 650. The 600 has flatter reproduction, the 650 gooses up the bass a bit and attenuates the highs.
    I paid $275 new for my HD 600's on eBay. They pair well with my Parasound zDac desktop solid-state DAC/preamp/headphone amp. Refer to this graph to compare the frequency response curves:
    [​IMG]
     
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  4. YtseJammer

    YtseJammer Forum Resident

    Thanks again for the recommendations ;)

    Honestly I'm very happy with the TH-X00, so happy that I have sold my pair of HIFIMAN HE-400i yesterday.

    I don't think that I will ever buy a pair of HIFIMAN in the future. I didn't like the HE-560 and the HE-400i because of the sibilance issues.
     
  5. johnt23

    johnt23 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oregon
    The Senn 600s with practically any tube-based OTL headphone amp is one of the most worthfull combinations out there.
     
  6. Ham Sandwich

    Ham Sandwich Senior Member

    Location:
    Sherwood, OR, USA
    If you found the HD-400i and HE-560 too sibilant you're going to need to be careful with any future headphone hunting. You seem to be sensitive to sibilance or treble peaks. And that's going to make headphone hunting tricky. A lot of headphones suffer from treble peaks, uneven treble, or sibilance-like treble issues. I consider my HE-560 a little pronounced in the treble and to have a bit of a treble peak, but not necessarily sibilant. You may be more sibilant sensitive than even I am.

    Headphones that are similar in sound style and treble style to the HD600 and HD650 are going to be what you want to focus on. The HD600 and HD650 do not emphasize sibilance-like treble artifacts. It's one reason the Senns are so easy to listen to and so enjoyed.

    One of the things that makes the Fostex TH-X00 better than the older Denon D2000/D5000/D7000 headphones is that the TH-X00 fixed the tizzy treble that the Denon headphones had. That tizzy treble eventually drove me away from the Denons. Tizzy treble isn't quite the same as sibilance, but is similarly annoying. The Denon D7000 retailed for $999. It had less of the tizzyness than the D2000 or D5000, but still had it. The Fostex TH-X00 doesn't have that tizzy treble. They fixed it. By that measure the TH-X00 is better than the $999 Denon D7000. I actually do consider the TH-X00 to be better than the D7000. And $600 less. Think of the TH-X00 as an improved version of a thousand buck headphone.

    I've been listening to Dream Theater "Images and Words" with both the Fostex and HD650. The Fostex has much more bass and drive in the bass. The kick drums are also properly in proportion. The HD650 has better soundstage and coherence and a cleaner sound. The soundstage is wider and deeper. The HD650 is an audiophile way of listening to this Dream Theater. For rocking out the Fostex wins. For audiophile nerd listening the HD650 brings out more than the Fostex. Rocking out is more fun. I like the Fostex better with this. Headphone amp is the Cavalli Liquid Carbon, DAC is the Geek Pulse Xfi.
     
  7. YtseJammer

    YtseJammer Forum Resident

    Thanks again for your help, much appreciated.

    I'm still VERY happy with the TH-X00 ;)
     
  8. murphythecat

    murphythecat https://www.last.fm/user/murphythecat

    Location:
    Canada
    For the price, the HD-650 are amazing.
    to upgrade you have to spent considerably more. I prefer ortho or hd-800, but Ill nevel sell my hd-650
     
  9. FJC1966

    FJC1966 The Prestonian

    Location:
    Lancashire, U.K.
    I love the HD600 Headphones.....loved them more retrofitting Cardas cable - then I heard GRADO's 325i and was blown away!
     
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  10. Deadwing

    Deadwing Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    HD:600's first hifi headphone I ever bought I really like them! In fact I need to replace the pads and I am thinking about going balanced because I like how balanced sounds on my 800's and HE:6's.
     
  11. Merrick

    Merrick The return of the Thin White Duke

    Location:
    Portland
    I've got Dyanamat modded HD600s with Surf Cables balanced cables, and they are my reference headphones. I find the Oppo PM-3 more euphonic, but when it comes to accurate, neutral reproduction, the HD6xx can't be beat.

    I do have the TH-X00 on the way, but they'll be a complement to my 600s, not a replacement.

    As for the HD800/S, it's a totally different tuning and design of headphone. Heck, a completely different driver design. The HD800 is for when you absolutely positively have to place everyone in the orchestra to the correct chair.
     
  12. husafreak

    husafreak Great F'n music that's difficult to listen to!

    Location:
    NorCal, Bay Area
    I have been listening to HD600's for 20 years. But my latest purchases have me not liking them that much anymore. To me they lack warmth, sub bass, drum slam. But very nice for acoustic stuff without the drum and bass. I have a Garage1217 Ember II now. Garage1217 may be selling a "filter" for the HD600/650 in the near future called the Kameleon. First impressions are on the Diyah Board forum. I may try this before I give up on the Senns.
     
  13. Bill

    Bill Senior Member

    Location:
    Eastern Shore
    After a lot of comparing amps, I bought a Schiit Valhalla 2 for my 650s. I continue to marvel at the sound. One of my favorite features is that, because of the limited tube alternatives, I am excused from obsessive tube rolling.
    A man needs to know his limitations!
     
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  14. Dino

    Dino Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kansas City - USA
    I bought Sennheiser HD650 last November. Listening to these balanced on the PonoMusic Player is the first time I really got into headphone listening - and it has continued to be highly pleasurable.

    I kept reading people saying that the HD600 is more neutral than the HD650. (I'm not sure I agree with that now, but they are different.) I thought I'd order those from Amazon and return the pair that I liked least. Turned out that I liked them both and found them different enough sounding to keep both. I also bought a Bottlehead Crack with Speedball amp to listen to these from my laptop.

    I listen to the HD600 from time to time now and enjoy it. I listened to the HD650 a lot more often. I find the smoother sound signature of the HD650 more to my taste. But for a change, I do like the option of listening to the HD600 when I am in that mood. (I may part with the HD600 someday or maybe not.)

    I recently bought Fostex TH-X00 and am loving those. All that I have been using for a DAC/amp on these are an original Dragonfly. It will do me until I decide on a DAC (and an amp for non-high impedance headphones).

    If I had to pare down my "collection" to two headphones, I would keep the HD650 and TH-X00.

    At the moment, amazon.co.uk has a good deal on the HD650 for people in the USA. About $300 with shipping and minus VAT. (Or £233.00 & free delivery in the UK.)
    Sennheiser HD650 Reference Over-Ear Headphone: Sennheiser: Amazon.co.uk: Musical Instruments »
     
  15. Dino

    Dino Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kansas City - USA
  16. gudnoyez

    gudnoyez Forum Resident

    Location:
    Iowa
    I also run a pair of 598s with a JD Labs C5 Amp and agree depending on what type of music your listening to they do distinguish themselves with more aggressive type music than say the 600s so I prefer my 598s over the 600s. I have listened to the 600s and the 650s, but the 650s are definitely in a different league than my 598s and if the funds would of been available at the time I would of settled on the 650s.
     
  17. Dino

    Dino Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kansas City - USA
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  18. Dr Faustus

    Dr Faustus A younger man now getting old

    Just ordered a new pair of 650s for £200. Looking forward to hearing them tomorrow!
     
    Dino likes this.
  19. Extraterrestrial Mushroom

    Extraterrestrial Mushroom Active Member

    Location:
    Greece
    May i ask what amps you used for the comparisons?
     
  20. jpelg

    jpelg Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Elm City
    The recent 300-ohm Sennheiser family (HD580/600/650) is a relative bargain to gain entry. But they demand a good source & quality amplification to truly sound their best, which ups the overall system cost.

    I have always preferred them plugged into high-output, ultra low-impedance (at or near zero) amplifier connections. That usually means a quality solid-state balanced setup. Something that grabs the drivers by the cajones will wake them up & give them the slam more easily obtained with other cans.

    I am not a fan them mated with high-impedance, tube amps.
     
  21. Jvalvano

    Jvalvano Senior Member

    Location:
    NH
    I enjoy my 650s with a Woo Audio 6 amp. Great combo and gives me much listening enjoyment when the rest of the house is sleeping and I can't play the big rig.
     
  22. YtseJammer

    YtseJammer Forum Resident

    The 650s are very good with the new Schiit Jotunheim.
     
  23. Ham Sandwich

    Ham Sandwich Senior Member

    Location:
    Sherwood, OR, USA
    Do you have the Jotunheim amp?
     
  24. murphythecat

    murphythecat https://www.last.fm/user/murphythecat

    Location:
    Canada
    anyone who has hd650. I really recommend the mods: quarter mod and remove the spider and foam behind the driver.

    I now prefer the hd650 over a stock hd800. I sitll prefer hd800 with EQ, but Id take a hd650 modded over a hd800 stock. the modification on the hd650 really blows my mind. I will do the dynamat mod soon.


    Sennheiser HD650 Love (Appreciation Thread) | Super Best Audio Friends »
     
  25. YtseJammer

    YtseJammer Forum Resident

    Yes sir, match made in heaven with the HD650 ;)
     
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