what headphones do you own thread - i own dt150's :)

[Raymond Lin]

You should first try to establish what your preference target is, a good start is whether you have a preference towards the 'typical' Harman target curve, the Fosi FR just looks mental! but that being said I know from experience that when you see on the FR doesn't always correlate well to what you actually hear.

This chart will give you a basic idea of what the different frequencies are doing in music/instruments,

Also what do you prefer in terms of sound presentation, bass, soundstage, imaging, timbre etc? of the headphones you currently have what if you could only choose one of them?, that will tell you a lot, the Bokeh is a musically seductive sounding headphone, warm 'fun' sounding headphone with emphasis on the bass, this will sound very different to any of your other headphones, that could be a good or a bad thing, the good thing is it will allow you to experience a different sound signature and gives you a larger palette, the negative outside of SQ is they are quite heavy.

Right now, the pair that I grab is the i5, overall I find this the best, partly because it is the most comfortable and not fatiguing to listen to. Some headphones after about an hour I get a headache, not because i had too loud but something about it that gives me a headache. The Chu 2 does that and I don't like the sound of that. I know that's a V shape and when I swapped to the Wan'er 2 this week I find that a lot more pleasant.

 

[Things change I've changed]

Right now, the pair that I grab is the i5, overall I find this the best, partly because it is the most comfortable and not fatiguing to listen to. Some headphones after about an hour I get a headache, not because i had too loud but something about it that gives me a headache. The Chu 2 does that and I don't like the sound of that. I know that's a V shape and when I swapped to the Wan'er 2 this week I find that a lot more pleasant.

Then I think the Bokeh will work for you if you don't mind the weight of it, it's a very non-fatiguing easy listen headphone.

 

[Timber]

Refurbished my HD600s - was a touch nerve-racking:

New headband, pads and foam insert. Pads didn't really need replacing but thought I might as well as I had to get the inserts from Sennheiser (now Sonova for consumer audio) so as to not affect the sound quality. (EDIT: These are the re-re-revised 2021 pads - there is still a little change to the sub bass with them though - apparently with a bit of compression from wearing it pretty much goes back to what it was).

Lovely.

Been looking on the usual places for a marble 600. A few have come up, but finding one in the right condition and price is hard. Virtually all of them need refurb of some kind which obviously increases the cost. But beyond that so many have scratched paint work on the headband which is £90 (doesn't include the bottom clips).

 

[Rroff]

Lovely.

Been looking on the usual places for a marble 600. A few have come up, but finding one in the right condition and price is hard. Virtually all of them need refurb of some kind which obviously increases the cost. But beyond that so many have scratched paint work on the headband which is £90 (doesn't include the bottom clips).

I dunno how so many people damage the headband - mine is pristine despite being over 10 years old now. I've not managed to get my hands on the new version - which seems to largely use 650 parts - to see how they compare.

Was surprised how easy, aside from having to be a bit careful to pry off the clip, taking them apart to change bits was - I'd been putting it off and not touched my older pair because I thought it would be far more complicated.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Then I think the Bokeh will work for you if you don't mind the weight of it, it's a very non-fatiguing easy listen headphone.

Sounds like my christmas present to myself sorted!

 

[Timber]

I dunno how so many people damage the headband - mine is pristine despite being over 10 years old now. I've not managed to get my hands on the new version - which seems to largely use 650 parts - to see how they compare.

Was surprised how easy, aside from having to be a bit careful to pry off the clip, taking them apart to change bits was - I'd been putting it off and not touched my older pair because I thought it would be far more complicated.

I've only dropped a pair of headphones once; wire got caught up on an office chair arm. But unfortunately as you say some people aren't as careful. Problem is if the headband needs replacing then that part is harder to obtain as well as being expensive. And although replacement drivers are readily available it half defeats buying the old models if you have to replace those. That said I think even resting the headphone on a hard surface will wear the paint down on the arms and along the headband. Unfortunately the paint coming off on any HD 6x0 seems to be relatively common. Even DMS noted in one of his videos about some paint-wear on his 650.

The new 600 share the newer post-2019 molds with chamfered edges, but have a different colour scheme from the 650. But they've always been using the same parts as far as I can tell just with colour scheme differences. Even the 2023 HD 660S2 uses the same new molds, just the different driver and grills. The early-black silk 600/650's seem to be the most sought after as there is potentially some changes in sound noted. This conversation has cropped up on here before but it seems new and old measure the same. So I think for me the reason to get the older one, is less difference in sound, or unit variation but more the look.

If I can't find a reasonable secondhand one I'm just going to go new for now. Two headphones on my potential wish-list though so we shall see.

 

[Raymond Lin]

I've only dropped a pair of headphones once; wire got caught up on an office chair arm. But unfortunately as you say some people aren't as careful. Problem is if the headband needs replacing then that part is harder to obtain as well as being expensive. And although replacement drivers are readily available it half defeats buying the old models if you have to replace those. That said I think even resting the headphone on a hard surface will wear the paint down on the arms and along the headband. Unfortunately the paint coming off on any HD 6x0 seems to be relatively common. Even DMS noted in one of his videos about some paint-wear on his 650.

The new 600 share the newer post-2019 molds with chamfered edges, but have a different colour scheme from the 650. But they've always been using the same parts as far as I can tell just with colour scheme differences. Even the 2023 HD 660S2 uses the same new molds, just the different driver and grills. The early-black silk 600/650's seem to be the most sought after as there is potentially some changes in sound noted. This conversation has cropped up on here before but it seems new and old measure the same. So I think for me the reason to get the older one, is less difference in sound, or unit variation but more the look.

If I can't find a reasonable secondhand one I'm just going to go new for now. Two headphones on my potential wish-list though so we shall see.

You'll love mine, original box from 2001 (it has a metal hinge!), it stayed in there for basically all this time until 2 months ago when i got it out after I got the XS to compare. Even then, I keep it in a soft bag and place down and never been "hung" from any stands. I am going to put it back in its box probably this week.

Head band and ear cups are still like new, but the inner foam part was replaced last week as they just started to break down.

(not for sale though lol)

I did replace the head band and ear cup for the HD580 about 10 years ago, with genuine ones. I looked again last month and it seems they are harder to get and more expensive. I recall I was able to get them direct from Sennheiser before, not sure if you can still.

 

[Timber]

You'll love mine, original box from 2001 (it has a metal hinge!), it stayed in there for basically all this time until 2 months ago when i got it out after I got the XS to compare. Even then, I keep it in a soft bag and place down and never been "hung" from any stands. I am going to put it back in its box probably this week.

Head band and ear cups are still like new, but the inner foam part was replaced last week as they just started to break down.

(not for sale though lol)

I did replace the head band and ear cup for the HD580 about 10 years ago, with genuine ones. I looked again last month and it seems they are harder to get and more expensive. I recall I was able to get them direct from Sennheiser before, not sure if you can still.

Nice. And you're right for never selling. Although you're a meany for not using it more!

To be honest I don't desperately seek the older ones. Or to put it another way I don't believe there to be a significant difference in sound and therefore attach that high a price to it. And that's my problem I think. Like I've looked at marble tops, but I get hesitant when it starts exceeding the the price of a new HD 600. I'm also still not sure that the 600 is going to be my preference. I may have already heard the best HD 6x0.

And then there's the other bit I've got concerns with. The HD 600/650/6XX are all very dependant on that small foam piece in the spider cage to 'set' their sound. And based on some reading that does start to wear out which means an unknown number of these old 600/650's have already lost some of their original tuning. It certainly is doable to replace it, but based on my fun and games with the Custom Cans mod this week I can tell it's tricky to re-fit. Also I don't think Sennheiser sell the small foam piece on it's own, which means all new drivers to obtain that one piece. Again that's another reason not to attach a collector's price to them imho.

I did get close to buying a HD 580 as well. A few months ago there was a spate of them on the auction site, but I think that might be an HD 6x0 too far. I don't think I need the 660S, or the 580 although part of me thinks it would be nice to own them all. But it's gotten too silly already.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Nice. And you're right for never selling. Although you're a meany for not using it more!

To be honest I don't desperately seek the older ones. Or to put it another way I don't believe there to be a significant difference in sound and therefore attach that high a price to it. And that's my problem I think. Like I've looked at marble tops, but I get hesitant when it starts exceeding the the price of a new HD 600. I'm also still not sure that the 600 is going to be my preference. I may have already heard the best HD 6x0.

And then there's the other bit I've got concerns with. The HD 600/650/6XX are all very dependant on that small foam piece in the spider cage to 'set' their sound. And based on some reading that does start to wear out which means an unknown number of these old 600/650's have already lost some of their original tuning. It certainly is doable to replace it, but based on my fun and games with the Custom Cans mod this week I can tell it's tricky to re-fit. Also I don't think Sennheiser sell the small foam piece on it's own, which means all new drivers to obtain that one piece. Again that's another reason not to attach a collector's price to them imho.

I did get close to buying a HD 580 as well. A few months ago there was a spate of them on the auction site, but I think that might be an HD 6x0 too far. I don't think I need the 660S, or the 580 although part of me thinks it would be nice to own them all. But it's gotten too silly already.

Got some pics. Amazingly the foam in the box is still perfect.

 

[Timber]

Got some pics. Amazingly the foam in the box is still perfect.

Beautiful condition.

I only got into headphone audio c.2010. There are a few headphones I wished I'd picked up earlier, including the 600 and 650.

 

[mrk]

I remember that box, I used it to store my HD650s for the 10+ years I had it and wore it out and bought a new box direct from Thomann who stocked the official boxes, £70 or so it cost

I'm selling my Fosi i5 as it has served the purpose I bought it for, to see what it sounds like and how it compares against the Arya Stealth, I think my thoughts on it from earlier still hold up. Great value for money, but if the final price once it goes live is over £500, then Arya Stealth is the more comfortable, better resolving, better soundstage pair when both are left in their factory tuning without EQ. I have the HE1000se now anyway so there's no need to keep around the i5, and the LCD-5 serves the role of an intimate headphone when desired,

On the LCD-5, I have been spending more time tuning it outside of the PEQ, I wanted to see the capability of the X9's other features without touching PEQ, and found that this set of changes gives brilliant results on the LCD-5 and brings its detail to a higher level still, but it's pretty clear that the mid range is still slightly left in the background vs the HE1000se which resolves better mid details in vocals and a clearer upper mids to higher frequency range. It's not because the Hifimans are brighter, they are, it's audibly obvious that the HE1000 just resolves better, at least on the X9, regardless of PEQ/tonal controls etc used, and the HE1000se is in bypass mode the entire time.

I've sent a reminder to Ferrum for the WANDLA HP as it's around the time they said to do so, will be interesting to see if the character of the LCD-5 changes with that amp.

Here is what I adjusted on the X9 with these new LCD-5 settings:

I mentioned this on headfi too, the X9's ability to tune-by-ear in such a granular way has been a big benefit at getting the most out of headphones that don't sound their best out of the box, you don't see this combination of options on other amps around this price range.


Also, the Fosi upgrade cable, it's a small detail, but its light weight and how "invisible" it feels in use is excellent. I hope they do put it up for sale as an extra so others can appreciate it, it genuinely is superb quality and IMO beats any custom cable like Arctic cables, Custom Cans and so on that cost £70+, even if Fosi charge £50+ for it.

 

[Angst]

HE600

<p><img src="https://hifiman.com/attachments/image/20250815/20250815053904_26605.jpg" alt="" /></p>

store.hifiman.com

Anyone going to take the plunge?

 

[Raymond Lin]

I'll pass, partly because I have decided my next pair (Bokeh) and partly because that doesn't swivel and that is a dealbreaker. I was turning the i5 last night for comfort despite it having the biggest ear cups on the planet.

 

[mrk]

No thanks, all of these new ones use the terrible headband design from the Ananda era.

 

[Angst]

The headband seemed alright to me when I tried them out, I didn't notice any issues with it, although Im sure long term use may be different.

 

[mrk]

Yeah they don't rotate at the cups which leads to pressure on either the front or back end of the pads, and since hifiman do terrible pads that use stiff foam, you can imagine what happens over long term, though this will come down to head shape too. Rotating cups makes that entirely go away, aka the headband found on Arya and up basically.

 

[Angst]

Yeah they don't rotate at the cups which leads to pressure on either the front or back end of the pads, and since hifiman do terrible pads that use stiff foam, you can imagine what happens over long term, though this will come down to head shape too. Rotating cups makes that entirely go away, aka the headband found on Arya and up basically.

They did seem to twist/swivel a bit to fit my head but yea they don't rotate on a hinge. I've just accidentally bought a pair of he6se v2 from cex after window shopping out of curiosity, at least the 5 year warranty will likely be useful since its hifiman .

 

[Timber]

One thing that HE600 does have going for it is the weight; 389g. These four new Hifiman headphones seem to make a point of this new headband being 20g lighter on their store pages, although the other three are still chonky.

 

[Ayahuasca]

HE600

<p><img src="https://hifiman.com/attachments/image/20250815/20250815053904_26605.jpg" alt="" /></p>

store.hifiman.com

Anyone going to take the plunge?

Will definitely try the HE600s at some point, probably when Amazon is selling them due to their hassle-free returns.

 

[Rroff]

Was going to say the 2021 pads on my HD600 were gash with articulation issues but then I found my AE-5 had somehow put the SBX profile into Gaming mode itself despite me having SBX profiles disabled, second time that has happened.