Headphone lovers, what do you love, what do you have, Head-Fi fans 2016 edition.

I've been using the amazing Sennheiser HD600 since last year. Very neutral and non-fatiguing.

 

I use velour pads on my V6s for years and never had a problem. I think they are the Beyerdynamic ones. Not arguing that they don't change the sound in some way but I haven't had any isolation problems and the sound was not affected in an overly negative way. The upgrade in comfort was worth it for me also.

 

...and FWIW, I recently swapped out the stock ear pads with a set of the Shure SRH1540 alcantara pads. I like what I'm hearing - significantly improved bass (taut and tectured, but more pronounced than before), and the somewhat piercing trebles have been slightly tamed. The rest seems mostly unchanged. The net effect is that the one gripe I had with the SRH1840 cans (not enough bass, and the trebles could be a bit exhausting and clinical at times) has now been addressed, and all of the things I liked about them remain.

 

HD600, SHP9500, Audio Technica CLR100BK (12 bucks at Staples-a real steal), and my babies, Koss PortaPro. Just got my replacements back in the mail (2 weeks, $9 for return shipping and $5 to ship) after the wire started making noise. They've bolstered the connection at the plug and made it a 45 degree angle. Plus I don't remember them sounding so bassy when new-I guess they have to settle down (yes I know they're bassy to begin with).

 

Beats Solo 3 wireless. They sound fantastic

 

For Sennheiser aficionados, does anyone make 3rd party replacement ear pads for the HD600/650 phones? I had to replace mine recently, and was a bit taken aback by the $50 price direct from Sennheiser.

 

There are alternative third-party earpads for the Senns on Amazon and eBay. Cost much less, but I wouldn't even bother trying them. The chance that any of them work as well as the official Sennheiser pads is zero. Earpads affect the sound of the HD600/HD650. For example, when the pads get old and smushed the headphones will sound different than with brand new pads. The sound of the HD600/HD650 with new official pads is how the headphones are supposed to sound. No way will a third-party pad made in China be able to properly replicate the proper sound.

 

Today I went to Sweetwater and tried some of the headphones they have on display.

If you didn't know about Sennheiser's HD-600 or 650 you wouldn't be impressed. They have all of the headphones hooked up to one channel and the sound is just distorted, flat, etc.

They would find that they are extremely comfortable, though.

 

Might I ask which headphone amp you use?

 

Three months plus later, last Tuesday I got the Decware Taboo Mk IV headphone/speaker amplifier I ordered. I ordered mine with the copper foil Jupiter beeswax caps (and the silver interconnect jacks and ebony knobs).

Wow. As wonderful as the Taboo Mk III is as a headphone amp, this amp is a step up. Clarity and openness without being harsh or clinical. And with the adjustable Lucid Mode/Extraction Mode I actually am using those modes, where when they were non-adjustable on the Mk III I didn't use them.

A great headphone amp for both my Audeze LCD-2 and Oppo PM-1 headphones.

DECWARE Planar Tube Headphone Amplifier model TABOO MK4

 

hd650 are very neutral. it takes a couple of minutes to habituate. imo, most headphone sounds overly hyped, and hd650 are more neutral so may seem less exciting in a fast A-B test but they are actually more revealing and real sounding. im in love with my hd650 even though I have hd800, Utopia, ect

 

A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to listen to a pair of Oppo PM-1, powered by the Oppo HA-1. The source was my iPhone connected via the firewire port. I have to say that for such an expensive setup, I was distinctly underwhelmed by the experience. I much prefer my pair of DT-800/600 powered by my Little Dot Mk iii.

 

Interesting. I've only heard the Oppo PM-1 driven by my Decware CSP2+ preamp, my Decware Taboo Mki III and Mk IV amps, and fed by by PS Audio DirectStream and my Cambridge Audio CXU. And I really enjoy their sound, I think they're very good sounding headphones when fully broken in, that especially get the midrange right. Not the most comfortable however, a couple of hours and I wan out!

 

None.

 

I recently did a multi-day comparison here at home between the Senn HD650 and the Shure SRH1840. I REALLY wanted to like the Senns more - I like the way they fit just a tad more than the Shures. But when it was all said and done, I felt like the Senns altered the sound a bit too much, and I was smitten by the clarity and dimensionality and "realness" of the Shures. Once I replaced the pads on the Shures to the ones made for the SRH1540, the deal was sealed. What I really want to do is to demo the HD800S cans - but I don't want to like them and then spend the money now.

 

I guess what I was trying to get at is the sample board was lacking. I think you would get a better feel for the headphone if it was plugged in to its own source.

At Sweetwater you can sample anything you want I believe, so that's probably the better way to go.

 

Senns (600 and 650) do feel very comfortable to me.

The Beyer Dynamic 770 also felt like my head had two pillows surrounding it.

 

Did had chance compare the HifimanHe400 with HD650?

 

not directly, but did hear the he400
I much prefer hd650

 

Be interesting if someone could contrast the Massdrop offerings of the Sennheiser HD6xx with the AKG K7xx since they are both priced at $199. I've always loved the Sennheiser HD600/650 sound and fit, but I did break one headband on a pair of 600s, not doing anything to stress it other than wearing them on my not huge head, and judging by the number of similar incidents reported online, it isn't a rare occurrence. I bought a new complete headband set from Sennheiser UK, think it was about $40.

Anyway, some of the other brands won't suffer from this problem, and most people have no problems with the Sennheiser plastic headband either, but the issue is still there.

 

I just received (an hour ago) my new (ever-so-slightly used) Oppo PM-2 phones, and they are now breaking in with a CD. With the Schiit Asgard 2 class-A amp, the little I have heard so far is gorgeous.
What a pity Oppo decided to stop selling them; I scrambled to get the set I got.
C.

 

I used to own the akg K701, now own the Utopia, hd800 and hd650. I really liked the AKG, but the hd650 are better to me and since they are the same price, go with the sens imo. or buy both really as they are very different and complimentary.

 

Oh, I hadn't seen this comparison before, it's actually HD650 vs K7xx, but we've seen already that the last run of HD6xx was very close to the HD650, so the comparison should hold up, and it's an interesting discussion, but just one man's opinion ...

 

I was just about to point you to that video. I'm on the HD6xx drop, and I was contemplating getting the K7xx as well, but decided against it after seeing this.

 

the hd6xx is basically exactly the hd650. same drivers, same pads, ect. just the colour differ iirc