Senneheiser HD660S Impressions

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by Ray, Oct 25, 2017.

  1. MrTurtle

    MrTurtle Facebook Friend

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    I suspect those who favour the 600 over the 650 already love it for what it is, so that's why mods for it are less talked about. Got mine as a gift (thank you wifey), and while I do love it to bits, it could get a bit fatiguing at times. I should also clarify that the upper mid hotness isn't flattened out with the mod per se - it's just that the increased bass helps the overall balance to my ears.

    I'll get around to posting before and after measurements sometime - already have a pre-mod run saved in REW. Distortion measurements are hopeless where I live though, with all the traffic outside.
     
  2. starence

    starence Facebook Friend

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    My early 660S impressions were quite positive, but ultimately I decided they were a downgrade from my stock 650. It's not that the 660S is a bad headphone, but the 650 is more resolving, cohesive, and natural sounding. The 660S is faster, which suits some music well, but that isn't enough to justify its higher price. I really wanted to like this headphone, but in the end, it was a bit of a letdown.
     
  3. Resolve

    Resolve MOT: Headphones.com

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    I got a chance to try the 660s out yesterday at a store. They sounded pretty good, better than I expected since I wasn't a huge fan of the other two in the lineup (too thin on the low end for me). I was very impressed with the overall sound as well as the amount of width and headstage. If you compare the 660s with the Aeon open, it's clear that the former has a wider presentation, albeit also a bit brighter (I'm still unsure which I prefer). But with all of that said, I DO NOT understand how this line of headphones gets the amount of praise that it does. When you put them on, they clamp your head so aggressively. Never has it felt so good to take a headphone off before, and that is a bit of a dealbreaker for me. And my head isn't even that large, maybe slightly bigger than average. I guess the clamping force is needed to create a good seal but there has to be a better way of doing this.


    So that leaves me with the question: Are there any mods that have worked for improving the comfort of the other two in the lineup that might work for the 660s?
     
  4. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    @Resolve
    Um, gently pry the cups apart using steady force, taking care not to be abrupt at risk of cracking something, or clamp onto something slightly wider than your head for a couple days to loosen the grip? This is something that's easily looked up, and is rather common-sensical in a way (i.e. it's something that works with most headphones).

    If comfort is your only issue with the 6-series Senns, specifically clamp strength, then I'd still say that's a win in Sennheiser's book.
     
  5. Ice-man

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    Just extend the cups all the way out and gently bend the metal sleeves flat until it's comfortable.
     
  6. Resolve

    Resolve MOT: Headphones.com

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    Well I'd say the headband design also leaves something to be desired, but yes, the clamp force is the predominant reason I'm apprehensive. I was doing some testing with the clamping force as well. It seems like as soon as you loosen the headphones (as in put them on your head but pry apart the clamp slightly at the top), the seal goes away. So I'm hesitant to buy them and try what you've suggested on the off chance that I screw it up and break them, or even that the clamp might be necessary to keep them flush against your head. And sitting them on a wide stand or a box for a week just so I can hope they are wearable seems like maybe not the best. I mean, it very well could work out, and I'm sure I'd be happy with the sound if it did. For the asking price of the 660s, I don't think there's a better sounding headphone, or at least not that I've found.


    I would also consider it a win for sennheiser, for those who don't feel the clamp force as aggressively as I do. But to me it becomes painful even after a few minutes.
     
  7. Boops

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    This is what I did with my 650s, but only overnight. If you are apprehensive, just start with a smaller box and work your way up if you don't get the results you want. Clamp was headache-inducing out of the box for me, but after the box trick, very comfortable.
     
  8. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Are you sure about this? The HD600 should be brighter, the HD650 is bassier, even then the differences are not huge. Did the pads have the same wear? Were the same pieces of upstream gear used? Same recordings down to specific master to determine this?

    Nope. There are open backed dynamic headphones which aren't dependent on a tight seal. The pads are actually lossy. However, the HD6** headphones' overall frequency response is sensitive to pad wear.

    Extend cups all the way out. Hold the plastic top part of the headband (so it doesn't crack or snap), and then bend the exposed metal bands back. Go easy and flex back in small increments until you get the desired results.
     
  9. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Stop stressing out. Sennheiser headphones have a reputation of being near indestructible. Spare parts for the HD6** can also be obtained for reasonable prices. You can actually construct a new headphone from spare parts purchased from Sennheiser.
     
  10. Resolve

    Resolve MOT: Headphones.com

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    @Marvey thanks for the info. Yeah I used the cayin idac-6 and iha-6 for listening tests. But I should have specified, I found the 660s to be somewhat brighter than the 650, not the 600. I just typically find that line to be thin on the low end for my taste, however the 660s laid that fear to rest. I found it to have plenty of body and low end, more than I expected.
     
  11. Deep Funk

    Deep Funk Deep thoughts - Friend

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    Some vintage and DJ headphones are proper clamps without soft ear pads. The ear pads on the HD6x0-series are quite comfortable.
     
  12. Resolve

    Resolve MOT: Headphones.com

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    Haha I'm looking at you m50's! *Shudder
     
  13. ufospls2

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    Heard these this morning. Kinda meh. Perhaps I was expecting too much. Buy a HD600 or HD650 and save some money. I kinda feel like this hasn’t really improved on much/isn’t that much different. Looks great! Comfort is the same as the HD600 and HD650, good but not great.

    [​IMG]
     
  14. Tyll Hertsens

    Tyll Hertsens Grandpappy of the hobby - Special Friend

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    Does anyone have definitive information on whether or not or to what degree the drivers of the HD 660 are akin to the HD 700 drivers?
     
  15. Ice-man

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    yes. I spoke directly with the senn rep. Here is what he said

    1. Is the driver/transducer for the hd660 S based and adapted from the hd700 driver? If so, what was the reason?

    There definitely is a trickle-down benefit from the development of the HD 800, HD 700, and HD 800 S, however the HD 660 S driver has its own part number.
     
  16. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    Interesting use of marketing-speak. My translator's a bit rusty, but one wonders how the "new" driver compares to the older one; online photos seem pretty dang close, and "trickle-down" could just as easily mean a different magnet array slapped onto the exact same driver for the hell of it, like Fostex does with the 6-and-9 (HAHA, says inner child) series. Easiest way to tell for sure is to slap HD700 drivers (I'm not particularly treble averse, mind, but the HD700s were painful) into an HD660S and measure, I think. Or just take the driver units out and compare with a loupe or something, check for parts numbers etc.

    If they DO phase the HD650 out and replace it with the 660S, then boo.
     
  17. PacoTaco

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    They removed the HD650 w/ apogee cord thing from my Boeing employee discount site (but haven' added the HD660s yet.) Keep in mind, this site also has the HD700 still. I don't think they're making new ones.
     
  18. iDesign

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    Sennheiser wrote this on November 21st (click here for link to original source):
    "Commenting specifically on our driver designs and the “secret sauce” that goes into making them is not something we will go into detail. However, there are two things we would like to share:

    1.) There is definitely a trickle-down benefit of all our research and development in our higher end headphones that we have put into the HD 660 S.
    2.) We would recommend focusing exclusively on any singular component, and expect to predict what the full sonic outcome will be. As you have found for yourself, the HD 660 S has quite a different character to it in contrast to the HD 700 or HD 650, despite being designed to have the same frequency curve as the HD 650."

    Sennheiser also says in the press release and product page:
    "The HD 660 S features a new transducer design developed by Sennheiser. This results in improved control of the diaphragm movements thanks to a specially manufactured precision stainless steel fabric, which is adapted to the contour of the diaphragm."

     
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2017
  19. iDesign

    iDesign Almost "Made"

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  20. Ray

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