-
We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.
$289.95 - Sennheiser HD-650 headphones
Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Kaido
Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Not huge. An amp basically does two things: gives the headphones more volume and filters the sound somewhat. My HD-570 headphones can be driven by pretty much anything with a headphone jack, but there is a limit to how loud they can go without an amp. An amp makes it so they an go louder. The two big things I noticed with my cmoy amp was (1) the "strength" of the sound increased and (2) it cleaned up some static from the source (laptop). I don't have any flowerly words to use like in the various audio equipment reviews (snicker), but the amp definately made the headphones sound more solid. Just remember, the basic purpose of the amp is simply to amplify the source's signal.
btw, I do have an Altoids amp from that seller - not only does it look and sound good, but it's also cheap (inexpensive) and has excellent build quality. The guy definately knows what he's doing! I'll update this post when I get my HD-650s and if it works well with the cmoy. People ask me all the time what my crazy little Altoids can connected to my computer is, then laugh when I tell them it's a headphone amp, then go "whoooaaa" when I let them listen to it with my HD-570s 😀
Thump553
Lifer
I've used Senn 600s with a nice tube headphone amp as my main stereo system for four years or so. They are comfortable enough to wear for hours if you are sitting. Frankly, for well under a grand the sound quality I have rivals or exceeds what most people spend many thousands of dollars for.
If its just one person listening most of the time, and you get a headphone amp, spring for it-you'll be pleasantly surprised.
BTW, I was initially using a $70 CMOY amp (homebuilt) which gave very acceptable results.
JackBurton
Lifer
Good information in this thread. I was looking at getting the HD650s.
Kaido
Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
My HD-650s arrived today. First impressions:
Packaging: Nice box, foam interior. Makes me feel special. Even has a hinge on the box. Comes with a 1/4" to 1/8" adapter.
Headphones: Wow, a lot smaller than I had imagined. Makes my HD-570s look like monsters! Nice, solid metal construction.
Comfort: Wow, these things are really gripping my skull! Comfortable aside from the pressure difference from my HD-570s. Then again, I'm picking, I don't even like wearing hats.
Sound: Hmm. Mixed feelings. I'll start out with the good stuff: bass is much better than the HD-570s. Also, the sounds are definately "sharper"; there's more clarity with these cans. My Altoids cmoy easily drives them. Heck, my laptop drives them easily. I also tried them out with an iPod Nano; it has plenty of volume. More of a limit than my laptop or cmoy amp though; it starts hurting my ears only at the very top of the volume on the iPod. I think they're more efficient than my 570s - I have to turn the volume up more on the 570s than I do on the 650s to get the same volume. They also bring out more flaws in MP3 files. I've been listening to 128kbps MP3/AAC files in iTunes and CDs in foobar. There is a definately quality difference. MP3s have more of an FM radio-like feel. The background isn't "black" with lossy files (there's a faint static or fuzz).
Overall, as an upgrade I'm somewhat disappointed. I guess sound can only get "so good" before it becomes a moot point, at least to my ears. That's not to say the 650s are bad...quite the contrary, they'll blow most other headphones and speakers you'll hear away. It's just that they didn't offer a significant sound improvement over my 570s. The bass is better, which is mainly what I was looking for. I'll need a few more days to decide whether to keep these or not. The 570s offer 99% of the sound at a third of the price with more comfort. The bottom line is that the 650s make music sound the way it's supposed to. I'll post another review in a few days after I've had a chance to go through my music collection with them.
Packaging: Nice box, foam interior. Makes me feel special. Even has a hinge on the box. Comes with a 1/4" to 1/8" adapter.
Headphones: Wow, a lot smaller than I had imagined. Makes my HD-570s look like monsters! Nice, solid metal construction.
Comfort: Wow, these things are really gripping my skull! Comfortable aside from the pressure difference from my HD-570s. Then again, I'm picking, I don't even like wearing hats.
Sound: Hmm. Mixed feelings. I'll start out with the good stuff: bass is much better than the HD-570s. Also, the sounds are definately "sharper"; there's more clarity with these cans. My Altoids cmoy easily drives them. Heck, my laptop drives them easily. I also tried them out with an iPod Nano; it has plenty of volume. More of a limit than my laptop or cmoy amp though; it starts hurting my ears only at the very top of the volume on the iPod. I think they're more efficient than my 570s - I have to turn the volume up more on the 570s than I do on the 650s to get the same volume. They also bring out more flaws in MP3 files. I've been listening to 128kbps MP3/AAC files in iTunes and CDs in foobar. There is a definately quality difference. MP3s have more of an FM radio-like feel. The background isn't "black" with lossy files (there's a faint static or fuzz).
Overall, as an upgrade I'm somewhat disappointed. I guess sound can only get "so good" before it becomes a moot point, at least to my ears. That's not to say the 650s are bad...quite the contrary, they'll blow most other headphones and speakers you'll hear away. It's just that they didn't offer a significant sound improvement over my 570s. The bass is better, which is mainly what I was looking for. I'll need a few more days to decide whether to keep these or not. The 570s offer 99% of the sound at a third of the price with more comfort. The bottom line is that the 650s make music sound the way it's supposed to. I'll post another review in a few days after I've had a chance to go through my music collection with them.
Kaido
Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Yeah. I'm not sure how much "better" I want to go, however. I've been selling off my systems and will be running primarily from a MacBook starting in a few weeks, so I won't be able to put a great sound card in (only USB audio devices or DACs for the optical output). The 570's aren't as good as the 650's, but they also don't bring out as many flaws in my MP3s as the 650s do. I already have 2,000+ ripped MP3 files in addition to my iTunes library, and I'd really rather not have to go through again and re-rip them to FLAC. I've had some good discussions over at Head-Fi and I think the 570s are probably the best I'm going to get with my 128kbps music files.
Kaido, I saw your post on Head-Fi 😛
Pick up a Headroom total bithead and the 650's will shine. Another killer combo would be a Zhaolu D2 w/ Discrete amp upgrade for $228 shipped. Keep in mind that 128k MP3's are terrible so it's junk in & junk out.
Pick up a Headroom total bithead and the 650's will shine. Another killer combo would be a Zhaolu D2 w/ Discrete amp upgrade for $228 shipped. Keep in mind that 128k MP3's are terrible so it's junk in & junk out.
Kaido
Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Well, I was originally planning on getting a DAC and a tube amp, but the clamp thing is really bugging me. The Total Bithead is actually on my list. I just don't want to spend a lot without getting a lot in return, you know? So far it's only been an incremental upgrade. Luckily both the Bithead and HD-650s have good resale value, so I won't lose too much by going with them.
darkswordsman17
Lifer
I wish I had more money to try out several sets of headphones. I love my HD-555s, but I keep wanting to try out the 595s, 600s, 650s, and other brands, but the cost keeps getting in the way.
How good is using a reciever as an amplifier? I know it depends on how good the reciever is, but most should offer pretty decent headphone amplification shouldn't they? I'm guessing not as good as a discrete amp, but I really don't know.
How good is using a reciever as an amplifier? I know it depends on how good the reciever is, but most should offer pretty decent headphone amplification shouldn't they? I'm guessing not as good as a discrete amp, but I really don't know.
Kaido
Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Okay, after spending a couple hours with the 650s, I've decided that they clamp on my head too much; I'm putting them up for sale for $280 shipped Priority with tracking to conUS only (non-CC Paypal as payment). I don't even like wearing hats, if that tells you anything. I'm taking a price hit, but I can't return them since they're opened and there are a few pieces of home theater equipment I'd like to get instead. I'll have to go to a headphone meet sometime and try out different headphones; I really like the light weight of my 570s a lot. Shoot me a PM if you're interested.
to help you with your clamping actoin. take some books, put some bood ends so they stay together, and stretch headphone over the books and leave it there for say a week. And you will be suprised at how much looser HD650 gets, and over time they are so comfy to wear, like earmuffs. 😀
konakona
Diamond Member
Maybe that was the trick. I have always felt my old pair of HD-580s were loads comfier than the HD-650, but assumed that was mainly due to the structural differences of the headband. Funny how HD-580s were the comfiest of them all (including HP890, CD3000, K701, sr60 and few others), while its bigger brother was least comfy of all, save for the notorious grados.
For quite some time, I have only used the HD-650 as one of the drivers on the 580 bit the bullet. Now that I got the replacement from senn, I had a chance to have a 3way comparison between K701. To put it short, I am reluctant to let any one of them go. I wont get into the K701s, but I will just say I still prefer the senn sound.
One thing I wanted to mention is that HD-650 does sound somewhat distinct from HD600/580s. It has much stronger bass which takes time getting used to for some people. Personally, I dont consider it quite as neutral, but it does add more to already quite lush "senn house sound". More emotinonally involving with most stuff, though it does introduce some fatigue from thumping bass (not bloated IMO, some EQing helps too).
Yet another thing I must note is that that old HD580 set got a HD600 driver for for replacement, and the new driver sounds somewhat different from the old one. The difference is, of course, much more subtle but definitely there; the HD600 driver has a more refined touch to it. Even then I highly doubt that much difference justifies price difference for most people.
In a closing remark for this rather disorganized blurb, I would like to repeat : HD650s arent necessarily un upgrade from HD600/HD580, more of a sidegrade IMO. They still share more similarities than differences compared to the phones from other manufactuers, but the difference between the two lineups is definitely huge.
Right now I have a Rega Apollo(1000$) cd player, Bada headphone tube amp, and the AKG701 headphones(400$). Honestly I liked the Sony MDR-SA5000 better even though they are very revealing. I am thinking about going back to the Sony's. There is just something about them with the right music they were incredible. 300$ is not a lot to spend on headphones, my cables were that much used.
BTW no relation to the Juice on ebay.
BTW no relation to the Juice on ebay.
TRENDING THREADS
-
Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)- Started by DisEnchantment
- Replies: 25K
-
Discussion Intel Meteor, Arrow, Lunar & Panther Lakes + WCL Discussion Threads
- Started by Tigerick
- Replies: 25K
-
Discussion Intel current and future Lakes & Rapids thread- Started by TheF34RChannel
- Replies: 24K
-
-
