Jupiter Audio Research HD650 Impressions/Measurements (Finalized Mod)

Discussion in 'Headphone Measurements' started by Hands, Oct 19, 2018.

  1. Pharmaboy

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    I did in-depth listening & comparisons of the JAR 650 vs a stock HD650 last year & realized 2 things:
    1. I'd never heard an HD650 before--but when I did, became a fanboy. Other headphones are better in this or that sonic attribute, but I can't think of another this good overall at this price point
    2. I could live with either, but preferred the JAR 650 for its incremental improvements over stock. IMO the JAR 650 mod extends almost everything good in the stock HP, w/no sonic penalty
    I don't hear the hardness in the bass that you describe; perhaps it's there, but I don't hear it. As for brightness, I hear the mod as more detailed & resolving than stock, but tonally quite similar.

    Both stock & mod sounded quite good on every SS amp I tried, and predictably scaled up in the usual subtle ways on an OTL, my favorite amp for these headphones.
     
  2. msommers

    msommers High on Epipens

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    Has anyone tried the JAR HD650 vs. stock 650 EQ'd w/ Sonarworks profile? I still haven't modded my stock pair since EQ seems 'good enough' but I do wonder how they'd compare...
     
  3. purr1n

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    Here are my measurements of the finalized mod. Sorry for taking so long. I like this finalized version very much. It's less bassy and somehow @ext1 was able to get a bit more bass extension. The lows feel more solid than stock HD650.

    JAR 650 Frequency Response
    upload_2019-10-1_10-17-32.png


    Harmonic Distortion - Traditional
    upload_2019-10-1_10-28-45.png
    upload_2019-10-1_10-29-0.png

    Harmonic Distortion - Alternate
    upload_2019-10-1_10-29-36.png
    upload_2019-10-1_10-29-52.png
     
  4. purr1n

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    CSDs - Very clean
    FPC JAR650 L.jpg
    FPC JAR650 R.jpg
     
  5. Cakecake

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    I bought these from k4rstar and I like them
     
  6. zonto

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    Is the finalized JAR HD650 mod different from the version that was circulated on the loaner tour?
     
  7. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    @purr1n Thanks for the measurements! Do you happen to have results for a stock or KISS modded HD650 in that same style for comparison? HD600 too? I was trying to dig through a bunch of threads, but didn't have luck finding those...

    I do want everyone to be clear that this JAR HD650 I sent Marv uses different foam in the rear than what it will come with by default. Normally, it comes with 1 disc of the stock Sennheiser foam in back, i.e. the stuff that usually sits on the magnet.

    When I sent this to Marv, I instead used 1/8" thick discs of this material: https://www.foambymail.com/CR/solid-charcoal-regular-foam.html

    This is a denser foam than default, resulting in a less bassy and overall tighter sound. Honestly, I've used this foam for a ton of headphone projects. It has value for rear and front damping. It seems to have good acoustic properties. So, yeah, kind of overkill to buy a sheet just for a couple small cutouts, but it's worth having on hand for other projects.

    Thanks to the removable piece in the rear, any owner can try whatever material they like back there. Only downside is the adhesive eventually needs to be replaced after so many times being removed and applied. It's just readily available 3M VHB adhesive.

    @ext1 hasn't yet heard the headphone with this foam but is checking to see if Foam By Mail will ship internationally for him to include as an option.

    Admittedly, I only listened to the JAR HD650 with this foam for maybe 2-3 minutes before I packed it up. I was shipping out the JAR HD600 for Marv and wanted him to hear a real-final JAR HD650. Tried this foam with it on a whim. I'm glad it worked out well!
     
  8. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    Yeah, the one that went on tour had a piece of foam sandwiched in between the big damping piece and the magnet. This instead puts the foam in a little adhesive attachment piece that you stick onto the back side of the damping piece.

    My gut feeling is you get better damping performance with the silicone making full contact with the magnet, rather than having compressed foam in between. And it opens up the option to try your own foam, or run without foam.

    Again, note that what I sent Marv uses different foam in rear. I was looking to tighten the sound up after having listened to the JAR HD600 for a while and appreciating its sense of speed and focus over the HD650.

    @purr1n Does this JAR HD650 have the usual hole cutout in the front foam, i.e. large enough to cover the entire driver size (exposed portion and portion under silver mesh too)? I can't recall if I tweaked that either. Was dealing with a newborn...
     
  9. purr1n

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    The version of the JAR 650 does have the cutout that exposes the driver and a portion of the silver mesh around the driver.

    I prefer that foam that you used here for the tighter less bassy sound. Even then, I'd say that the sound is all so slightly dark.

    upload_2019-10-1_13-56-28.png
     
  10. Pharmaboy

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    I listened to my fully finalized JAR650 the other night. It is an extremely satisfying, well-voiced headphone. IMO the contrast between the sound & the humble/inexpensive frame design as almost comical.

    I have (& had) headphones more costly and attention-getting than this one--but the JAR650 holds its own against all comers.
     
  11. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    OK, thanks for confirming! In my tired haze, I could not recall if I changed that or not. I just vaguely recall having to cut a fresh set of front foam...

    So that keeps it simple for everyone else. Only thing I changed was that rear foam in the removable piece. Easy for anyone to do!
     
  12. ext1

    ext1 MOT: Jupiter Audio Research

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    Thank you @purr1n and @Hands for the measurements and feedback! Still waiting a response from the foam guys if they'll sell cut-out versions of it to me in large quantities.

    On the VHB tape that was the only viable solution because the housing is made of nylon plastic, which meant that basically almost no type of household tape or adhesive worked on it.
    The link to the tape is here. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007Y7H5GO/
    Choose the option Item Thickness String: 0.045 Inches | Item Width String: 0.75 Inches | Item Length String: 5 Yard
    I use two layers of the thing in each side. When someone needs to replace it, I'll put a quick guide!

    @purr1n and @Hands do you think this foam also should be the default for the 600 version too?
     
  13. purr1n

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    Frequency response overlay or JAR 650 with HD58X and HD650. Comparatively, JAR has a slight lower-mid depression, is smoother from 4kHz - 10kHz, and has slightly better bass extension. The bass peak frequency is lowered a bit too.

    GRN: JAR 650
    MAG: HD58X
    BLU: HD650
    upload_2019-10-1_17-33-45.png

    The JAR 600 sounded a bit too bright for me. @Hands thought I might like it, but JAR 650 is my choice. I'll get preliminary JAR 600 results later. Again, sorry for holding on to these so long.
     
  14. Hands

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    @purr1n Before you measure the JAR HD600, could you pop off the pads and front foam to see if there’s any silicone stuffed into some crevices on the front baffle, under the pads?

    It is a little brighter than the other pair I have, based on my measurements, and @ext1 said he might have left out the silicone there. Possible cause. Or maybe headband is loose. I dunno. He told me he can swap out the pair no problem.

    Could also try it without rear foam. I found it a little unfocused that way, though.

    @ext1 I would leave the Sennheiser foam in the 600. The charcoal stuff I put in the 650 would be too dense for it, make it too bright for sure.
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2019
  15. ext1

    ext1 MOT: Jupiter Audio Research

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    @Hands Thank you for the advice! I'll leave it in then. It makes sense that the Senn foam makes the cans darker.

    @purr1n Thank you so much for the measurements, I'm so happy to see everyone's work finally be presented. I'm 99% sure I forgot that under-pad silicon step though - can I send you another one if possible?
     
  16. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    Well, denser foam in the rear will tend to decrease bass/increase mids and treble. Hence why no foam is bassier and looser sounding, less focused. JAR HD600 shouldn't be made brighter. :)

    Someone could probably use the charcoal foam on the front side of the JAR HD600 if they wanted to further tame treble, either by replacing the whole stock piece or adding a small piece somewhere underneath. More dense foam on front side has the opposite effect, i.e. more bass/less treble.
     
  17. fierce_freak

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    @purr1n, any impressions on how jar hd650 and hd600 compare to hd 650k? Did you measure the jar hd 600 as well?
     
  18. purr1n

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    I'll let @Hands and @ext1 get back to the drawing board on JAR600. The potential is there, but I don't want to keep posting measurements on stuff still in process because it causes confusion. When it's ready, for sure. Sending the stuff back to @Hands.
     
  19. Hands

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    I don't think there's anything else that will be changed on them? At least, I wouldn't recommend anything myself. I think @ext1 is just worried he forget some front silicone on that pair. Might have made it brighter if left out, dunno.

    I'll at least verify and make sure something else isn't messed up. JAR 600 is still my daily, even from OS DACs and SS amps, so it's a bit of a head scratcher!
     
  20. tommytakis

    tommytakis MOT: E.T.A Headphones

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    @purr1n @Hands The JAR600 that I received today doesn't sound bright to me at all. Personally I find the tuning quite enjoyable and wouldn't change a thing. It sounds more focused and dynamic on the macro level. Definitely more tolerable upper mids than stock 600. I couldn't stop listening to it once I put it on my head (still on my head actually as I write my impressions haha)
     

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