The HD650 Experience

[mahavishnu]

cover the driver with a thin fabric, mesh stocking or something. you dont want dirt getting inside. something as small as bits of foam or hair follicle would cause rattle on the diaphragm

[mahavishnu]

The bass didn't explode though like we usually see when using pleather over Velour, like was the case with the DT150. I am attributing this to the HD650 being openback, but then again the Grados are open too but using the CD-R Pleathers on them really resulted in a mid-bass explosion. Not sure what's going on there, but the sound is still relatively well-balanced this way and is very nice to hear.

my theory is its because of the design. the driver+diaphragm of grados is held by a tight chamber. and that chamber is almost the same size as that of the driver. instead of the sound dispersing, it moves forward and to the back grille.  unlike the senns, the driver is held by an elliptical frame. theres a much bigger bubble the sound can swim in before getting to your ears. i would assume that if you use the senns driver on a tight chamber, it would sound more efficient but the signature might be sacrificed. thats also the reason im looking for ksc75 to rehouse. the ksc75 driver is a good base. but its too big for its puny plastic frame. i think a large, rigid nonresonant chamber would balance out the bass bloat and treble.

[Mochan]

Yeah, I covered the driver with some thin cloth, as you said rather not get some rattle there.

That's an intresting theory on the sound bro Erwin. I'm thinking something like that as well, the larger frame of the Senn probably has to do with it, and results in that laidback, airy sound it has which the Grados totally lack (more aggressive). As I noted, using the Pleathers sort of sacrificed that laidback sound as it caused the space in between your ears and the driver to shrink.

[Ix]

my theory is its because of the design. the driver+diaphragm of grados is held by a tight chamber. and that chamber is almost the same size as that of the driver. instead of the sound dispersing, it moves forward and to the back grille.  unlike the senns, the driver is held by an elliptical frame. theres a much bigger bubble the sound can swim in before getting to your ears. i would assume that if you use the senns driver on a tight chamber, it would sound more efficient but the signature might be sacrificed. thats also the reason im looking for ksc75 to rehouse. the ksc75 driver is a good base. but its too big for its puny plastic frame. i think a large, rigid nonresonant chamber would balance out the bass bloat and treble.

I think rehousing a ksc75 could produce interesting results.

One time, I was watching a youtube video while wearing my HD600. The headphones were disconnected and weren't producing any sound. I was listening to the youtube video through my crappy laptop speakers. An explosion occurred in the video (Street Fighter 4 Ultra Finish), and the sound positioning was all over the place just because I was wearing an HD600.

[maruzen]

a quick observation: using just the xonar d2 soundcard without an amp for the hd650, the sq is still very fluid

not very demanding of gear this can is

[maruzen]

but with the mk2, darn... sooo beautiful... it's like switching on the "next higher level of sound quality" on

[Mochan]

I've said this many times, the HD650 is very easy to drive and is very forgiving of any source. I'm quite happy with it out of the E7, and to be honest I sometime even listen to it unamped and still enjoy the sound. It still scales up really well with a beefy amp but even unamped it sounds unbelievably good.

[tflops]

I've said this many times, the HD650 is very easy to drive and is very forgiving of any source. I'm quite happy with it out of the E7, and to be honest I sometime even listen to it unamped and still enjoy the sound. It still scales up really well with a beefy amp but even unamped it sounds unbelievably good.

If only I could test your HD650 with e7, still I'm stuck at 448 with e5. I'll be planning to buy an amp (e7) this end of august. Since Peepsgamestop have their e7 then prolly gonna get 1 there.

[Mochan]

Come and join the Bona's minimeet tomorrow tflops! I will bring the E7 and the HD650.   You signed up in the Southern Yuujinchou right? Do you live here in the South? I can even pick you up at Festi or Town Center to get to Bona's (very close by).

[maruzen]

these cans are da bomb!

borrowed an iem and tested it against this against the hd650. very lopsided battle of course, but it made me appreciate how these cans can resolve detail, turn a track with shrill highs into something very pleasing to the ears, make quality-sounding bass stand out, and present all of these with magnificent soundstage!

sorry for the sennheiser rant... they really are good. i would think they are labelled reference cans because they are the standard to which other headphones are compared to, not exactly because they present the music with extreme neutrality and precision. very very enjoyable cans

[Mochan]

I wouldn't call them neutral or accurate either, but they are what they are: downright enjoyable! The great thing about the HD650 is its great clarity, detail and resolution while at the same time giving awesome bass and smoothening out any headaches in the sound. A truly euphonic can. With a very 3D soundstage. It's really a great can.

[maruzen]

i agree with you regarding the easy to drive part. i can use them off the soundcard directly. amping yields better results, especially the little dot mk2 with ef92 tubes, but they sound mighty good with my soundcard alone. imagine these cans as the previous senn flagship... amazing!

[maruzen]

haha listening to some coheed and cambria, and i was getting goosebumps listening to the hd650 on the audio-gd c-2c

not in-your-face music but pure fun here!

[reorx]

I'd have to agree with Mochan that the 650s are relatively easy to drive. Before, I wouldnt dream of using a portable amp to drive my 650s. But since ive downscaled a bot after marriage, and my desktop setup is currently in disarray, Im forced to listen to my 650 via ipod --> Go-Vibe Magnum, and WOW, the clarity, detail and bass impact are still there. There is slightly less impact and OOMPH compared to my MIllett Max, but given my mobility and the fact I can now listen to them in bed, the difference is really negligible. Good thing my Magnum has a High Gain switch and Bass pott.


I remember some Head-Fi posts saying that listening to 650s via porta amp is a mortal sin, and that they do the 650s a great injustice...I think they exaggerate a great deal (as with most audio claims  ) as Im really enjoying my 650s through my Magnum. It helps though that my Magnum is more powerful than my previous Mini3 (whichs is why I sold it  )

[Mochan]

Yeah, it's surprising. The HD650 had a rep on HeadFi for being a bit hard-to-drive and as such I was conditioned to thinking I needed a beefy headphone amp to drive it, but when I sat back and played with it on the E7 I found that the sound was perfectly acceptable and very good.  The E7 isn't even as powerful as the Petite, which is more or less on the same level as the Magnum I believe in terms of power.

The trademark clarity and detail which made me go wowzers over the HD650 in the first place was all still there. I just love how the HD650 scales with equipment, and it goes all the way from a lowly E7 to a more expensive setup. I hope we have a meet with Alex again soon, I'll try out the HD650 with the Benchmark DAC 1 then.

It's really one of the best cans ever IMO and one of the most suitable for my tastes. Especially these days when the price for these has gone down thanks to age and a new flagship taking the limelight, the HD650 is just such a great headphone to have for those into the dark, creamy sound sig.