Sennheiser HD660S Speculation

In the picture it looks like a HD650 cable to me.

This whole thing reminds me of Blade Runner for some reason. The new model could be pretty cool though.

 

Indeed! That being said if you have to be a guinea pig, Sennheiser is probably one of the best options. The brand name and initial hype will guarantee a good resale value if the product ends up being a disappointment.

 

Very interested in these. Waiting for impressions.

Ali

 

I would like to say that I'm exercising patience here, and that I'll postpone pulling the trigger on the 660 until they are out in the wild, reviews are out and the price settles. But I just can't. I'll need to hear this for myself and on my own rig. Hopefully Amazon will be selling them right out of the gate.

 

Sent the email...should be a few weeks or so.

 

LOL

 

The positioning of the HD 660 S is conflated. Sennheiser placed too much emphasis on the ability to use the HD 660 S with hi-res mobile players while making claims that it is also, "made for the demanding listener." Large open headphones with a six foot cable are hardly ideal for mobile applications. What Sennheiser's web content writers didn't understand was how to clearly articulate the benefits of the 5-pin balanced Pentaconn cable that is included with the HD 660 S and they wrote a product page that completely misses the mark.

Sennheiser's marketing is very bizarre and this HDV 820 promotional video is a good example.

 

I'm not sure people who have the equipment for such a balanced setup need marketing material to convince them of the merits...

 

Ha, they're using the same video for multiple products (IE 800 S, IE 80 S, HDV 820), just adding a different product image at the end. They probably have a single marketing group creating promotions for multiple product lines and their material will tend towards generic marketing of the brand.

 

Can't wait to see if these end up as the better, more mobile friendly hd600/650's, or something worse, or something else entirely...

I'm not sure whether to be optimistic or cautious, but I am certainly impatient

Anyway, really, really appreciate what you're doing, Tyll. Many thanks for the info you provide to us peasants, means a whole lot.

 

Bad time to be pushing for mobile with everybody removing headphone jacks from smartphones.

 

That's where the HD680S comes in, with built in bluetooth

 

I can't wait for the HD80055HI. The first cochlear implant headphones. Truly mobile. No more worrying about cables or how they look. Of course upgrading will require a visit to the Sennheiser Hospital nearest you.

Wonder if they'll be using the same YouTube video and inserting the product name at the end. Actually that clip gives me the creeps. Makes me think if I listen to Sennheiser stuff too long I'll go insane and start pushing on walls for no apparent reason.

 

Warning: An inmate has escaped from the Asylum for the Criminally Insane. He is considered highly dangerous. Please stay inside your home and lock your doors. Do not let strangers into your home, even if you are offered Sennheiser headphones.

Last known statement prior to his escape:
"Insanity doesn’t come out of nowhere, it comes from inside ourselves. It is driven by our inner voice. A voice that cannot be silenced. Relentlessly pounding against the door of reason and rationality, it keeps us awake at night. Giving us ideas that sometimes seem crazy. It is the inner voice that inspires us to create things that are truly extraordinary. It is the same inner voice that inspires us to want to kill everyone. Buy Sennheiser headphones."

 

Perhaps I would feel otherwise hadn't I known Sennheiser began a new rebranding effort in partnership with Philipp und Keuntje, Hartmann Vonsiebenthal, and other agencies that was unveiled with the launch of the HE-1. Since then they had several product launches that were completely uncoordinated such as the HD 800 S and the HDV 820. The HD 660 S is the third high-end product they've launched with web content messaging that simply was not clear or well executed. This is why there are threads across several sites by "demanding listeners" who are having to speculate about details Sennheiser failed to explain. Furthermore Sennheiser should have done more media outreach before the launch of the HD 660 S and IE 800 S and journalists shouldn't have to email Sennheiser to request information. Fortunately Mareike Oer knows how to write a clear press release.

 

This thread is a good example that headphone companies, just like any other audiophile companies, have lost customer's confidence.

That said, Sennheiser rarely makes mistakes. Probably the biggest mistake was unfortunately HD700, but in board spectrum all of their headphones at worst semi-decent regarding price.

Sennheiser is, according to Massdrop, a very conservative company. Basically they don't do things that are sufficiently "proven". Those new outreach is not enough proven for them so they are rather weak in the area.

 

Looks like Meier Audio won't be getting these in which sucks..

 

Jude at HF seems to claim the HD660S have HD700 drivers:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sen...sor-for-the-hd650.862308/page-8#post-13786777