Sennheiser HD650 Love (Appreciation Thread)

Discussion in 'Headphone Measurements' started by purr1n, Sep 27, 2015.

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  1. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

    Pyrate Slaytanic Cliff Clavin
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    Yeah you probably have less actual subbass extension than stock due to less clamp.
     
  2. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    Could be that, could be product variance, and/or could be just measurements systems being mysterious (for example, I think he has a 2nd HD800 measured now, and it shows less bass than his original measurements). I show no lack of bass extension on my own measurements, but then again, the fake head Tyll uses is quite small compared to my own. It's an average sized head for both men and women. I have a bit, fat, strongly, manly man head, so the clamp is just right for me once I adjusted the HD650.

    As a counterpoint, Tyll used a rubber band to make sure the HD650 clamped enough when measuring it. Still might not have been as much as a stock pair, though.

    Still nothing I'm too concerned about. I think it sounds great regardless.
     
  3. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

    Pyrate Slaytanic Cliff Clavin
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    Who knows. The bass extension of almost every of the 580/600/650 unit I've tried sounds very similar. The HD650 tend to have a tiny bit more as the headband clamps harder. Also the clamp (thus bass extension) decreases the further you extend the baffles. So if you're a Klingon or part Irish like me, you physiologically get less bass from the headphones.
     
  4. logscool

    logscool Friend

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    So I have been auditioning the HD600 and HD650 to try and decide which one I prefer. So far it seems that in most cases I prefer the HD600 by just a bit. My question is will these two headphones respond to the mods in a different enough way or will the mods change their sound enough that would make me want to pick the 650 over the 600? Maybe these mods bring the 650s sound more inline with the stock 600 but with better technicalities and on the 600 it would push their sound sig too far the wrong direction?
     
  5. thegunner100

    thegunner100 Hentai Master Chief

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    hd650s modded beats hd600s unmodded for sure. You can't remove the back foam and do the quarter mod on the hd600s because they will probably make them too bright. What is it about the hd600 that you prefer? I still keep mine around, although they are modded as well.
     
  6. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

    Pyrate Slaytanic Cliff Clavin
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    More clamp, no raised presence region, hand-matched drivers, and a much better cable puts the HD 650 slightly over the 600 for me. The 650 could use a bit more upper treble air but otherwise I like it better. If you prefer the sound of the 600, get the 600. That said going from the 580 -> 600 -> current 650 aren't huge leaps in sound quality worth the cost of purchase of a new headphone to me unless you're coming from a black driver 650, a broken headphone in the line, or have a 580/600 and absolutely need a damped version of it for whatever reason.
     
  7. logscool

    logscool Friend

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    I'm currently auditioning new versions of both the 600 and 650, I don't notice any difference in clamping pressure and doing some quick measurements on both headphones shows very good driver matching on both. Also I will be swapping out the stock cable in either case. I do however like the aesthetics of the 650 just a bit better. Mostly I think the 650s are just a bit too soft sounding maybe just a bit overly laid back. The 600s sound much more realistic to me, not a huge difference but a noticeable one and one that makes the 650s just sound a bit overly smoothed in comparison. It looks like @Bill-P has had good success with similar mods to his HD600 I would be interested in his thoughts as well on modded 650 vs modded 600 compared to stock.
     
  8. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

    Pyrate Slaytanic Cliff Clavin
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    The 600s were slightly tizzy with black metal tv static guitars and sparkly 80s cymbal to me. For clamp, I've heard the older 650s clamped harder than the older 600s on release but I've found that the more the extend any of them the less they clamp but that still doesn't really matter that much as Hands pointed out above. You answered your own question and now it's all about if you can stand that paint job. You could always pop the 600 drivers in a 580 or 650 headband. You're already replacing the cable so you might as well make you're own ultimate FrankenSenn 600.
     
  9. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    My Kennerton Amaranth cups arrived today! Link

    Quick first impressions:
    • They're super pretty
    • They're pretty heavy
    • The sound doesn't change that much
    • You get a little bit of isolation
    • They need more damping
    • Sound is a little more closed in (go figure)
    • You can definitely hear the wood. Certain instruments sound more real with them.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  10. The Alchemist

    The Alchemist MOT: Schiit - Here to help!

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    Interesting...
     
  11. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    I took the cups off after one night. I need to solve the ringing with some damping material. Or just sell 'em to someone for my cost if they're uber curious.

    I'll probably bring the cups when we meet up. It's simple to hear them if you hold them on there (you have to screw them on to keep them on permanently).
     
  12. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    Good luck. IME, the less stuff behind the HD650 driver, the better.
     
  13. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    Yeah. That appears to bear itself out. If I want a signature similar to a closed HD650, my JVC DX1000s are already cousins.

    Mostly, I was curious what it would sound like.
     
  14. hifi01170

    hifi01170 Acquaintance

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    I'm looking for a closed heapdhone with a sound signature very close to a modded hd650... so am really interested in a comparison... .can you please share more details? thx
     
  15. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    The 650 with the cups sounds pretty much the same but more closed and it rings. Needs damping for sure. If you really want it to be closed you'd want cups plus pleather Brainwavz HM5 pads, which would add isolation and bass at the expense of sounding more closed still.

    The JVC has good mids, but they're less smooth. The 650 is faster than the DX1000. The JVC has much more bass and sub-bass extension. Treble is similar on both. Soundstage is similar. JVC is overall a little less smooth, a little slower, and more fun and bass heavy. Both are non-fatiguing.
     
  16. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    The Slant from Enigmatic Audio (LFF) is close-ish to the HD650. Not an exact match, but it's tough finding closed headphones that really capture the magic of the HD600/650. If you're feeling it, modding your own T50RP could yield good results as well.
     
  17. hifi01170

    hifi01170 Acquaintance

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    Speaking of which you have to post ur comparo of ur modded t50rp vs hd650 :)

    Thanks to hands and luckbad for your suggestions!
     
  18. sorrodje

    sorrodje Carla Bruni's other lover - Friend

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    @hifi01170 : ZMF headphones could do the trick as well ;)
     
  19. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    ZMF Vibro I heard was the closest tonally to the HD600/650 out of his lineup. They're worth checking out, though the Slant still might be closer.

    I'll have my modded TH500RP thoughts up soon-ish...within a few days. But it's still more open than not, so doesn't answer his question. ;) The T50RP Mk3 will be easier to mod anyway due to it not having an overly complex pad attachment mechanism that causes all sorts of air leakage, haha.
     
  20. spoony

    spoony Spooky

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    This cannot be overstated, the damned driver can be made to sound almost like anything given a proper choice of pads and a bit of elbow grease (a measurement rig helps).
    Here's where I am right now:
    T50RP.png

    Save for the missing last octave, these sound pretty good to me, more 'open' than the K7XX, heh...
     

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