Sennheiser HD650 - The classic beauty in a grey dress Appreciation thread!

BananaDunka · 13 Oct 2017 at 18:38

Yup, hence posting the link here

Rroff · 13 Oct 2017 at 18:47

mrk said:
The only obvious difference is the 650 is 300ohm, the 660S is 150ohm. The 660s would therefore be easier to drive louder with lower powered sources, so maybe this is where the claims of better sub-bass comes from?

Its possible. Bass and treble especially are sensitive to the amp on the 600/650s.

rids57 · 13 Oct 2017 at 19:17

rids57 said:
The 6XX is just Massdrop's custom coloured HD650, no other difference

I was replying to the post above me from Nicknack - he asked what 6XX meant

nicknack35 · 13 Oct 2017 at 20:21

rids57 said:
I was replying to the post above me from Nicknack - he asked what 6XX meant

So these are not no Chinese rubbish then lol

rids57 · 13 Oct 2017 at 23:22

No idea where the 6XX are made but the HD650 and HD660 are made in Ireland - so it's more than likely the 6XX are too

BananaDunka · 13 Oct 2017 at 23:23

It's not more than likely, they are made in Ireland

rids57 · 13 Oct 2017 at 23:24

Well there you go then

nicknack35 · 14 Oct 2017 at 00:04

Any difference to these then the HD650's??? I know the Cans look the same but these are 6XX

BananaDunka · 14 Oct 2017 at 00:08

They are the same.

rids57 · 14 Oct 2017 at 00:12

nicknack35 said:
Any difference to these then the HD650's??? I know the Cans look the same but these are 6XX

as I said further up the page, the only difference is the colour of the plastic they use, other than that they are identical

nicknack35 · 14 Oct 2017 at 06:38

Not gone for the 6xx. Don't think they will be getting shipped out until Christmas by looking at few of the comments. But ive decided to go for the HD650's and not the Shures or the PM-3's. I thought the HD650's would give me better Vocals and seeing many reviews saying there pretty much all good rounders. Bass is important but its not a deal breaker we like 80's Soul to and thought the Mrs could use them. Was thinking of using them myself while the Mrs was sleeping so even though closed back would have suited for that and better Bass it may of lacked in other Area's and owning the RS165's i like the Sound of the Sennheiser's even though the RS165's are not much of an just an Audio can. You can't go wrong with Sennheiser's

BananaDunka · 14 Oct 2017 at 07:54

The 650s are not basshead cans, but when they do deliver bass, they deliver it honestly without adding any extra bass emphasis. I'd liken it to actually being live in front of the music.

The other benefit is, as you update your amp and source gear over the years, the 650s will just continue to sound better and better

nicknack35 · 14 Oct 2017 at 09:16

Im not after ground shaking Bass. i do like bit of Deep house and oldskool from the 90's but like vocal to with liking 80's soul to much Bass is over the Top like it deep and controlled but i think the 650's will be perfect for me needs

rids57 · 14 Oct 2017 at 20:44

The HD650 has a mid bass "hump", so there is bass emphasis and is why it sounds bassier than the HD600. What it doesn't have is any sub-bass as it rolls off sharply from 50~60Hz, which is one of the differences between it and the HE400i, which carries on down to 20Hz or so, something that planars excel at.

The Hd650 has some of the best mids you'll find outside of TOTL offerings from the £1k+ sector. The HE400i isn't far behind though, it too has excellent mids, they are just not as lush and rich as the Sennheisers.

The high frequencies pose something of a split in opinions, there is plenty of detail there, it's just that they are rolled off compared with the mids, which is where the (erroneous) veil description comes from. If you are used to listening to headphones that have hot highs, like the AKG K702 or Beyerdynamic DT 770, 880 or 990 (or Teslas) then yes, the HD650 will sound somewhat dull and muffled to start with BUT after listening for an hour or two, this "veil" will lift and you'll discover all that detail was there all the time. The HE400i on the other hand has much airier and more detailed highs which provide very accurate imaging, which is somewhere the the HD650s fall down, they tend to have focal "blobs" and instruments / voices will be central, left or right while the HE400i (and specially the HE560i) have imaging that lets you visualise the exact positions of the instruments.

One word of caution, you mention that you want to use them in bed, while your wife is sleeping - wouldn't closed back headphones be better? The HD650 isolates poorly, being open backed and the HE400i is more like a pair of speakers strapped to your head and can be heard easily from 15 plus feet away.

nicknack35 · 15 Oct 2017 at 10:40

rids57 said:
The HD650 has a mid bass "hump", so there is bass emphasis and is why it sounds bassier than the HD600. What it doesn't have is any sub-bass as it rolls off sharply from 50~60Hz, which is one of the differences between it and the HE400i, which carries on down to 20Hz or so, something that planars excel at.

The Hd650 has some of the best mids you'll find outside of TOTL offerings from the £1k+ sector. The HE400i isn't far behind though, it too has excellent mids, they are just not as lush and rich as the Sennheisers.

The high frequencies pose something of a split in opinions, there is plenty of detail there, it's just that they are rolled off compared with the mids, which is where the (erroneous) veil description comes from. If you are used to listening to headphones that have hot highs, like the AKG K702 or Beyerdynamic DT 770, 880 or 990 (or Teslas) then yes, the HD650 will sound somewhat dull and muffled to start with BUT after listening for an hour or two, this "veil" will lift and you'll discover all that detail was there all the time. The HE400i on the other hand has much airier and more detailed highs which provide very accurate imaging, which is somewhere the the HD650s fall down, they tend to have focal "blobs" and instruments / voices will be central, left or right while the HE400i (and specially the HE560i) have imaging that lets you visualise the exact positions of the instruments.

One word of caution, you mention that you want to use them in bed, while your wife is sleeping - wouldn't closed back headphones be better? The HD650 isolates poorly, being open backed and the HE400i is more like a pair of speakers strapped to your head and can be heard easily from 15 plus feet away.

No it doesn't matter so much about listening while the wife is sleeping now. The 400i do get great reviews but i think they would be uncomfy i like the design of the HD650 I think they would be a better all rounder

rids57 · 15 Oct 2017 at 15:48

Seriously, the HE400i are ridiculously comfortable, I wore them for 8 hours straight yesterday (with bathroom breaks obviously

)

It may be worth you looking at the new HD660S, same frame as the HD650 but with new drivers that are supposed to improve the sub-bass and sound-stage

neil_g · 15 Oct 2017 at 19:44

rids57 said:
No idea where the 6XX are made but the HD650 and HD660 are made in Ireland - so it's more than likely the 6XX are too

mrk said:
It's not more than likely, they are made in Ireland

I heard they stopped production in Ireland and move to the far east, which is why EU made sets got a better value second hand?

rids57 · 15 Oct 2017 at 20:46

Manufacturing plants

Germany (microphones, headphones, wireless microphone and monitoring systems, conference and information systems)

Ireland (headphones, audiology products, monitor loudspeakers, integrated systems products)

USA (wireless microphone and monitoring systems)

According to that (from their website), headphones are only manufactured in Germany and Ireland and nothing gets made in the far east

neil_g · 15 Oct 2017 at 21:04

rids57 said:
According to that (from their website), headphones are only manufactured in Germany and Ireland and nothing gets made in the far east

Trying to find where I read it but failing. Definitely was something about 2 county of origin. Unless I dreamed it...

rids57 · 15 Oct 2017 at 21:22

Someone in the Massdrop discussion page said the HD6XX will also be made in Ireland like the HD650. I can't find that description anywhere. Can anyone verify?

[Jude] Yes, it is being manufactured in the same factory in Tullamore, Ireland.

This was posted in November 2016 and if anyone would know it would be Jude Mansilla and if the HD6XX is being made there you can bet the HD650 is too.