I’ve had my 600’s for a decade and can get an accurate mix without ear fatigue. I’ve never used the 650’s but from what I’ve read, they have a veil as explained in this video. Great review and descriptions
@@teeaymusik9811 I’ve used them without Sonarworks but now I do use them with and it does level the frequencies needed to produce a mix that translates.
I agree that the HD600 and HD650's are great headphones. I personally like the HD650's because of the slight bass difference, and trimmed high's. I use these for serious music listening through a Lehmann Black cube headphone preamp and they sound amazing. I also use them for mixing in my recording studio for pre mixes before the studio monitor mix. I know the HD600 are more flat/neutral but I tend to mix a little heavy on the bass EQ. That's why I like them. They keep me right where I should be on my mix. I did demo both before I bought them. I also upgraded the cables on these with the Charleston Cables that have the top of the line connectors and Starquad cable. I only paid $349.00 for them NIB.Great review!
I think I'm gonna go for the 650. The street price here in Australia is only $59AU ($43US) more than the 600, and I prefer it's looks, cable and headband padding over the 600's. I also think I find the idea of having a tad extra warmth/bass and slightly better resolving sound as more appealing, even if it's at the cost of a little bit of treble presence and possibly a slight bit of speed.
Have to say your site ( also the link where you disassembled an HD600/650 ) is one of the reason I bought my HD600's, and am loving it. The comfort and audio experience I get from this can is just so pleasing. Do wish Sennheiser kept the carbon fiber look of the Jubilee with the HD600. The granite table top look and the small connector are my only gripe with this headphone ( am going to get HD650 cables to replace them ). Also bought Audio Technica R70X which is as good and neutral sounding as the HD600's., absolutely comfortable as well.
Nice comparison. Thanks Tyll, I value your opinion probably more than any other enthusiast or professional out there. Your work is extremely comprehensive and you do a fabulous job educating us. Long live Inner Fidelity!
I own the HD600's and the Schiit Magni/Schiit Modi do a wonderful job of powering them with finesse and detail. That's a $200 combo and it's hard to beat for the price. Highly recommended! :)
Well... I live in Europe so it is worth it for me to buy Schiit products. I'll go for the O2/Odac desktop version. Since both o2odac & schiit dac/amp sounds the same, i guess the sound quality is going to be nice eitherway :)
theodoro89 Yes, that would definitely be a factor but you're right on with the O2/ODac as being right on par with the Schiit Stack. I have heard both and they both sound lovely. You won't be disappointed.
Well, i ordered the O2 couple days ago and the asgard is out of my budget anyway. Maybe someday in the future i will buy the Bottlehead Crack amp, that i will build by myself. It can be a really fun project but i can use the O2 with my other headphones too (urbanite, hifiman HE-400 IEMS, DT990 pros) PS: this is my first headphone amp and I am not sure if i will like it. Is there any possibility that i will not hear any difference at the sound? Should i expect to be dissapointed for the money i spent?
I have the HD650 for over a half year now, and they are great! I had a HD555 before. My first impression was that they are pretty bright and a bit bass shy headphones, compared to my old HD555, but after a short time my ears adjusted to it and they sound very neutral. The sound is really realistic. You can very easy hear every instrument apart, something I never was able to hear on cheaper phones. Also bass isn't just bass, you can hear "layers" of bass and different tones in the bass, Voices are also so real. The HD650 is a very great all-round headphone, it sounds great with every gerne, due it's neutral sound. Also checked the HD600, but the HD650 is more natural in my ears, more allround. HD600 is al little better for monitoring because it's a but more analytical sound.
All I have had till the end of 2023 were gaming headsets. I made the bright choice of buying hd 600s. Also got a good amp to go along. At first I had mixed feelings. The built quality was great, sound too but they sounded so different that it seemed off, they were accurate though 100%. After 4 months of using them I can with certainty say I can never go back to any other headset or pair. I have tried 650s and they are warmer but 600s are to my liking. Great for everything and comfortable af.
Ty is so good when he says that HD600 came out in the :68-69 that is a very old earphones,but i know what he ment 98-99,but it is 97,to much numbers ;)
HD650 KISS is an amazeballs mod. Makes the HD650 less thick in the bass, more akin to the HD600, but keeping that smooth and better resolving sound. It also becomes zippier with better transients. TOTL for me. Just wonderful sound.
I would like to see you review the Brainwavz HM5 or the NVX NVX Audio XPT100 headphones. They are a budget priced headphone with excellent sound for studio tracking or listening. Can be purchased for $99.00/$129.00. Both are basically the same made from the Fischer Audio FA-003 design that cost $200.00. They are said to sound better than the Sennheiser HD380's.
HD580 are amazing! When re grilled and re cabled sound better to my ears than a stock HD600 and i paid just 50 pounds for mine. I think we can call that a bargain!
It’s so rare to find one who really understand what the proper tonal balance and essential musicality are. Of course hd580 are amazing. They are truly legendry headphones despite their cost and little notability. Hd 600 and hd 650 are the sons of media century so they were more well known by ad and they were very commercially successful therefore both they forced out from manufacture more pleasant but “older” and less premium hd580. Cause hd580 are sons of another era when there was not so much internet and media promotion of audio products so they couldn’t “be hyped” widespreadly as fresher models. And when several years they finally became able nobody has an interest to a cheaper model from previous century moreover “Sennheiser” had changed the intention of making more qualitative to the intention of selling more profitable and this company had no other way cause the market had changed its own rules. Sad story of how the legends goes away during the silence.
Tyll, it would be cool to see a review of the HD518 cans. I definitely see them to be one of the absolute best values for full size cans. They are quite inexpensive at $120 I believe and probably sound quite similar to the HD600!!
Quick comparison of 650 vs 600 for you's that are torn HD600-More forward, quicker, edgier , leaner, coarser, more neutral, slightly harsher slightly better treble energy, slightly 2-D comparatively speaking, more grounded HD650- Slightly more laid back, images better, better resolution, bass weight, more saturated, smoother, could be "veiled" for some and boring, natural, instrument separation, width and distance, more layered ( more of a 3-D experience) better mid range presence, "floats" more
Thank you. The HD600 did not exhibit the veil that was complained about previously. Also, they have good, but not great bass. People exaggerate the purported lack of bass.
The older 580's and also the older 600's have black mesh inside the ear cups, and were later changed to a silver mesh. If you have a pair of 580's with black mesh and 600's with silver mesh, that could be the reason for them sounding differently to you. The grills on the 580 also reflect more bass and mids back into the cups that drown out the highs a bit more than the 600 grills do, but it gives them a darker sound with better bass. I still wouldn't call it a plasticy sound though.
Tyll have you heard of 1Time's (on head-fi) method for stretching the headband on the 600s? It involves extending the bands all the way out and then bending only the metal bands and not the plastic. It works very well and doesn't stress the plastic.
You seem to really like the HD600 ... I guess (just stumbled upon some of your videos). I recommend you test out the ATH-R70X, as they should be really close to the HD600s. You'll probably like them. Would be interested to see a comparison and/or review about those cans from you.
Well I got both, HD600 and HD650. I use the Denon DA-300 with from InnerFidelity recommended WOO Audio WA3 and I must say, wow! They both sound really amazing! To be honest I prefer the sound of HD600, it is some how more clear and punchy. It gives u little bit more clarity and sharpness in the high, so I like to hear vocals with the HD600 rather than the HD650. The base: I don't notice big improvement with the HD650. I found the HD600 a little bit more comfortable. A friend of mine didn't notice any difference. The HD650 is somehow more comfortable for new music like rap and hiphop with in my opinion poor music qualities -> made on pc. My Summary: if you like music like in a concert and real live good recordings u will be really happy with the HD600. HD650 is also almost the same. If I must keep one of the both I will keep the HD600. Rock and vocals sound really good with the HD600. Big thumps up for Tyll Hertsens review, he was really honest!
+ David Castillejos I finally bit the bullet and bought the 40x's. Definitely agree there're a better choice than 50's. But woudn't have bothered had one of the wires one my Sennheiser 580's not broken again. So that'll always be a problem, one that costs. I'm collecting way too many headphones now, all sennheiser mostly wireless. Can't compare until I get the wire fixed. But surely at $150 can., there has to be better headphones if willing to spend more. What's hot now, especially for the $? Any ideas? The 40x's are so revealing, but also pretty cold. I tried the beyerdynamic custom ones. Quite big. My idea is make all my old music sound new and exciting again, seeing that it's so time consuming, and often disappointing to audition new music.
So the BEST deal here is buying a HD580 (gently used, they are discontinued), ordering the HD600 grills ($7/each from Sennheiser) and the HD650 cable ($12.xx from Sennheiser).
Wow I will have to disagree with you on the HD650 Kyle. I think they deserve your wall of fame recommendation more than the HD600 do. I've owned both for so long now and I constantly go back use the HD650 as my standard or "neutral" level whenever I listen to new music. I think the HD600's are fantastic and still brilliant for what they are but I think they miss out on some of the "discovery" the HD650 bring along for the ride. But I guess we all hear things differently so , just an opinion :)
Just got the 600s there is a veil its like theres a gray tint over the music and theres roll off up top BUT other than that its an excellent headphone its ultra realistic soundstage, midrange, neutral response in terms of bass it really lets you listen to the music as it was intentionally recorded IF you ignore, get used to, and/or factor in the infamous Veil. I love these headphones despite of. They are a great buy!
Focal Spirit Pro, Beyerdynamic DT880/770 AKG 701 I've literally gone through so many headphones mostly midrange. But I have to say the 600s are probably one of the best headphones ever made, I should of got a pair a long time ago! These are my favorites by far.
+Joel Ortiz That's probably why you think they are veiled the dt880 and k701 are much brighter and more detailed so it sounds as though you are used to these. Imo the 600s aren't they are just right. But my ears are really sensitive to treble.
I like neutral/analytical sounding headphones well thats the taste I developed after going thru a lot of headphones but I'm aware of the Sennheiser sound (280,380) I didn't like those so Sennheiser really impressed me with 600 & 650s (my engineer friend has the 650s) I've gotten over the highs on the 600s the pure focus on the center image on the midrange makes up for it. These are the best headphone I've ever own in terms of overall performance. The Focals are also a great headphone BUT the build quality is crap and the comfort is the worst!
Thanks yes I think the 90's saw the birth of that term "The Sennheiser Veil", do you think you'll ever review the HD 518, 558, 598's? would love to hear your thoughts on those.
Wow Tyll, you had the 650 on your Wall of Fame for a long while and retired that a few days ago to place the 600 up. I ended up buying the 650 due mainly to your recommendation. Now I wish I got the 600 instead cause I cant stand the 650's veil. It's an awesome headphone in every way but that veil is a big minus.
I have the 6xx and I totally agree with you. The darkness and dull sound is not my preference. Sounds great though. I'm using the 560s and it's an amazing budget option. However, I'm thinking of getting the 600 so that I experience the timbre of the 600 series and also get the clean sound of a 560s.
Question! Just recently bought a pair of the hd650s but the right channel is drastically louder than the left. So far I've gone through a few troubleshooting steps. First, I tested another pair of headphones and everything sounds fine on those, so I know it's not an issue with my laptop's output jack or any pan settings within the computer itself... Next, I swapped the left and right cables on the hd650s and BAM, now the left channel is the significantly louder side rather than the right. So that tells me that everything within the headphones is working and that their input jacks are working too. I'm thinking there must be some signal loss/attenuation happening on one of the designated left stereo channel of the cable itself for whatever reason... What could be the issue here?
+Matt Mullin I've also tried to good ol fashioned "unplug and re-plug" technique a couple of times and noticed that I'm occasionally getting less attenuation in the left channel afterwards. I know that it isn't a psychoacoustic issue either, but just to be sure, I tested it out in Logic Pro 9, using a pan knob (considering the fact that Logic's panning algorithm only adjusts volume between the left and right channels rather than actually panning the stereo image) and sure enough, I am finding phantom center at different pan positions after unplugging that left side. Thus, the amplitude change I was noticing is actually happening. I'm stuck here. Not really sure what the issue could be or if it's something I can fix at home. The fact that I'm getting varying amplitude levels out of that left side is confusing me even more now. Hoping I can just fix it rather than buy a new cable.
Maybe you fixed it already. But sometimes the drivers might loose. Just "click" it back in. Had the same problem once and the channel disbalance was around 10dB under 1kHz. After putting the driver back in, everything was ok.
Can you Pretty Please do a review of the 'current' 500 Series headphones from Sennheiser, e.g 518, 558, 598. please and thankyou.. If not thankyou either way lol
My best ones were HD595s, but I have now ordered HD600s. $50 off special from an Australian website, so jumped. 595s were good to me, but one of the grills has a small amount of rust and the plastic has the hairline cracks which plagues that family of headphones. The rust was real odd, always stored the 595s away from all elements.
I'm looking for a different headphone for my collection, can you help me choose which one would complement from my list of headphone. Kose porta pro, ATH-M50 and Alessandro MS-Pro. My option would be HD600 and DT990 600ohm version. Great vid as always.
It's amazing how two different people describe theses headphones hifiguy528 said the 650 was brighter than the 600 and tyle says the 650 highs are more rolled off than the 600
Daniel Nicholson I noticed that the 600's were more rolled-off up top. There seemed to be less presence as well, 600 is more upfront in the vocal range. I too have heard people say that 650's are brighter too....its crazy. Maybe it has to due with burn-in times or head-shape. That opinion seems to be the minority though.
+JLiRD808 My HD650 is 4 years old now, and I think it sounds brighther than my HD600. Overall HD600 seems smoother and sort of soft, but HD650's have more crisp highs that are more in your face. I don't know why this happens because according to graphs the HD650's should be slightly darker, but they don't sound that way. I assume it's because the HD600's are more uneven, the have more of a mid-bass peak than HD650's relative to the rest of the sound, and they have boosted mids as well around 2-3khz, unlike the HD650's which are flat, so I guess you listen to HD650's at a higher volume to make them feel equally loud as the HD600's, and that's what makes the highs around 8 to 10k sound a bit more in your face.
I have the Sennheiser HD 595 and I was thinking of switching up to phones with a better bass to use when in front of the computer. What phones would you recommend that offers more bass than Sennheiser 595 but still not ruin the audio quality the HD 595 offers?
You didn't say much about the difference between the 580's (which I have) and the 600. Thinking of buying the ah-m50's. The old ones, used. Have a Fiio E18 Dac/amp, which so far I like.
+David Castillejos I have the HD580's since the 90's. I've tried the M50x's and thought they blew them away. I tried the M50s recently and found them not as good. Is this possible? Did I get it wrong? Definitely wouldn't take the s model over the ones I have. What about people's individual hearing, or not a factor. thanks!
+David Castillejos No, I didn't buy anything, I just put new pads & wires on the 580's, where I think both were better than before, but it's a real problem when you mistakenly yank those wires as I'm sure you know. For the little bit you said, that's exactly what I thought too, so thanks ... I found the x's to have unmistakable lower bass and there was a problem in the s's treble. Got any idea where I can buy either the 40's or the 50x's cheap? The price went up eh -- major!! (Canadian dollar?)
You like the ath m50x over the hd 580?? Wow that's interesting, considering that most audiophiles highly prefer the 580 over any headphone within the m50x price point, especially closed back ones
I haven't compared them side by side, but I know when I tried them I liked the X's (or whatever the newer one is called) over the Senn's and it was an easy pick. The Senn's might have had a sweeter sound (might), but the sound wasn't there. The old M50's however, quite disappointing -- good aspects, but overall the 580's were definitely the winner. Surprised the heck out of me. But I must do all this testing again to make sure.
I actually bought a pair of hd 650's and wasn't to big a fan of the sound everything was great except I felt the treble was a bit too rolled off. I haven't tried the hd 600's because I heard they had the same problem.
Hi there. Do you think the HD600 would pair up well with a Sansui AU-6600? I have a pair of Sennheiser HD-560 Ovation II but I find them to lack bass and are harsh in the highs. I was wondering if you thought the 600's would be a better match. I listen to a lot of music genres but mostly classic rock and jazz. Thank you.
What reasonably priced DAC & AMP setup will bring out the best in the HD 650 in your opinion? I am currently running my pair with an ASUS Essence STX II PC soundcard and I feel like they aren't really running at their best this way.
I have the Schiit Magni/Modi combi they run the HD600 great. other options are Mayflower o2 odac, or maybe Audio engine D1 but the amp is pretty weak on that one. there's also the option of Fiio e17 portable amp/dac.
Ukko Clap I am currently using an ASUS Essence STX II with my HD 650s. www.asus.com/Sound-Cards/Essence_STX_II/specifications/ Would the external options you mentioned offer a significant upgrade or is it already a decent setup for this headphones?
+TurboPummel it's already a fairly good audio card. What I will tell you is that the Schiit dac will give you a different experience. The Schiit Modi 2 uses a Japanese chip there's usually few major dac chips which are Wolfson and Sabre. The Modi uses the Japanese Asahi Kasei chip which produces a little warm sound I would say. I'm not familiar with the BurrBrown chip which is what your soundcard uses. Unless you feel something is missing I wondee if you really need the upgrade or not.
+TurboPummel No, your STX is pretty much far superior to anything you can get for the same money as far as external DAC's go. Don't even consider the O2, not only is it a very overrated amp (it's cold and sharp sounding, decent for cheap headphones, but it performs as it's price suggests) it's inferior to the STX amp and the DAC in the O2 is not as good either. Schiit stack is not as good either, again, it's a cheap setup designed for cheap headphones. I have the old STX, and it sounds pretty much identical to a Schiit Asgard 2 plugged into a Musical Fidelity M1DAC ($900). Asus soundcards punch far above their price point. If you don't like the way your HD650's sound now, the good way to improve for not a lot of money would be to add a tube amp to your setup. Something like a Schiit Valhalla or Lyr, or a Bottlehead Crack. That will make them sound better than a solid state amp at that price range would.
derbigpr500 Thanks for the information, really appreciate it. I am currently pretty happy with the soundsignature the STX & HD650 provide. I just wasn't sure before if the setup already did the HD650 justice or if the mentioned sub $500 external DAC/AMP options would have increased the sound resolution even further.
If you compare the HD650/HD600 to the HD555. Which of the two comes the closest to the sound signature of the HD555 ? I like to upgrade and I like the signature of the HD555, if the HD650 is warmer I think to get the 600 or otherwise the 650.
@ Inner Fidelity what affordable amps would you recommend for powering the HD 650? Is a low end DAC AMP like the audio engine D1 good with the 650 ? Last how much better is the treble on the HD650 compared to the HD598 ? Am looking to upgrade my 598 cans and was wondering if the HD650 overall was significant improvement.
I have an Audio-GD NFB 15.32 dac/amp witht he 35 watt upgrade. Would that be good enough to drive the HD 600? I am planning on getting one as my first audiophile grade headphone, hopefully in the near future.
Hello! Thank you for the detail review. Could I ask one question? I have a sound card asus xonar essence STU and headphones audio-technica ATH-A900X. And I am listening mainly symphonic metal. I found that there is to much emphasize on high frequencies and not enough in low diapason. So my question is, will HD650 + xonar essence STU sound more balanced or it is bad combination? Thank you in advance)
+Vsevolod Nedora The A900x are low impedance headphones (40-50 Ohms), and the Asus STU's headphone amp has ~10 Ohm output impedance, so they're not a good match. With the STU, you really need headphones that are 80+ Ohms rated in order for them to sound like they're supposed to, otherwise they can sound bass light, or simply not as smooth or balanced as they should. I have the STU as well (nice little soundcard!) and I have had the 650 with it and I now use the 600 with it, and they both sound good on it, but personally I prefer the 600 and I also think the 600s match the amp a little better. I don't know much about the genre you listen to though, so I couldn't say if they are good for that kind of music.
***** Thank you for a detailed answer. I listen mainly symphonic metal or power metal or doom metal. So bass is important. And now I understand why my A900x gives me so little of it. Thanks again. Your comment is important for me.
Yeah as a general rule the output-impedance of the headphone amp should be only 1/8 (or less) of the headphone's impedance itself. If you want bass, the HD650 is probably the better one out of the two, it has a bit more bass and the bass is a little punchier too. And no problem, glad my answer wasn't too late!
what are your thoughts on the foam mods on the hd 500 series in which they remove the foam inside the headphones? I have the hd 558, does it really improve the sound if I try it on my headphones?
hey tyll, can you tell me of the newest hd600 that is being sold sounds identical to the older hd600 models? I've heard there are physical differences?
I have a really early model of the HD 650, but no matter how hard I pull I can't get the connectors out. Is this the spring problem, and does anyone have any tips?
Anyone know if the part that connects the earcup to the headband is the same on all models ? I have 580's and need to replace that part just wondering if a 600 part would fit a 580 ?
I agree. HD650's are the better headphones IMHO. They sound more like speakers and closer to reality than HD600's. HD600's might be more flat on the measurements, but they don't sound quite as organic, smooth and real.
It really depends what you mean by detail. If you're talking about which has more treble extension, HD600. Better bass extension, HD650, but at the cost of more mid bass bloat. The 600 is just the more neutral and balanced headphone to my ears. I personally hear more mids detail with the 600, and I think many agree with me on that. I have both the 600 and 6XX, and I prefer the 600. As for soundstage, the 650 sound ever so slightly bigger to me. But, it really isn't that big of a difference.
I miss Tyll, his clarity and integrity. Hope he is doing well.
I’ve had my 600’s for a decade and can get an accurate mix without ear fatigue. I’ve never used the 650’s but from what I’ve read, they have a veil as explained in this video. Great review and descriptions
Nice! I get them soon. Do you use Sonarworks or is the 600 flat enough for u?
@@teeaymusik9811 I’ve used them without Sonarworks but now I do use them with and it does level the frequencies needed to produce a mix that translates.
I agree that the HD600 and HD650's are great headphones. I personally like the HD650's because of the slight bass difference, and trimmed high's. I use these for serious music listening through a Lehmann Black cube headphone preamp and they sound amazing. I also use them for mixing in my recording studio for pre mixes before the studio monitor mix. I know the HD600 are more flat/neutral but I tend to mix a little heavy on the bass EQ. That's why I like them. They keep me right where I should be on my mix. I did demo both before I bought them. I also upgraded the cables on these with the Charleston Cables that have the top of the line connectors and Starquad cable. I only paid $349.00 for them NIB.Great review!
I think I'm gonna go for the 650. The street price here in Australia is only $59AU ($43US) more than the 600, and I prefer it's looks, cable and headband padding over the 600's. I also think I find the idea of having a tad extra warmth/bass and slightly better resolving sound as more appealing, even if it's at the cost of a little bit of treble presence and possibly a slight bit of speed.
Have to say your site ( also the link where you disassembled an HD600/650 ) is one of the reason I bought my HD600's, and am loving it. The comfort and audio experience I get from this can is just so pleasing. Do wish Sennheiser kept the carbon fiber look of the Jubilee with the HD600. The granite table top look and the small connector are my only gripe with this headphone ( am going to get HD650 cables to replace them ). Also bought Audio Technica R70X which is as good and neutral sounding as the HD600's., absolutely comfortable as well.
Thx for the upload! I've been waiting for an HD 650 video review from you for a while.
Eventhogh the HD 650's are 10 years old now. I still want to buy a set over the HD 700's. Great video as always.
Nice comparison. Thanks Tyll, I value your opinion probably more than any other enthusiast or professional out there. Your work is extremely comprehensive and you do a fabulous job educating us. Long live Inner Fidelity!
I have the 600! I think it's absolutely awesome!
SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH was the only thing i heard
audiophiles everywhere
Guilherme C. ofc when he is review(ing) headphones..
***** I'll have the HD-600's
+JanNew Keep that heavy, bulky, mid-bass boosted monster to yourself. :P
Bacon
I own the HD 650s myself. Comfortable and sounds nice with anything - movies, music of any genre, video games. Nice review Tyll!
Man, first time commenter, I love your reviews, there so in depth and just really good, :)
Got mine HD600 3 weeks ago and i looooove them. Time to buy an amp :D
I own the HD600's and the Schiit Magni/Schiit Modi do a wonderful job of powering them with finesse and detail. That's a $200 combo and it's hard to beat for the price. Highly recommended! :)
Well... I live in Europe so it is worth it for me to buy Schiit products. I'll go for the O2/Odac desktop version. Since both o2odac & schiit dac/amp sounds the same, i guess the sound quality is going to be nice eitherway :)
theodoro89 Yes, that would definitely be a factor but you're right on with the O2/ODac as being right on par with the Schiit Stack. I have heard both and they both sound lovely. You won't be disappointed.
Schiit asgard 2 and Modi should work like a charm.
Well, i ordered the O2 couple days ago and the asgard is out of my budget anyway. Maybe someday in the future i will buy the Bottlehead Crack amp, that i will build by myself. It can be a really fun project but i can use the O2 with my other headphones too (urbanite, hifiman HE-400 IEMS, DT990 pros)
PS: this is my first headphone amp and I am not sure if i will like it. Is there any possibility that i will not hear any difference at the sound? Should i expect to be dissapointed for the money i spent?
background noise is pretty annoying
wshhhhhhhhhhhh.
astroblaster56 I like the white noise
I have the HD650 for over a half year now, and they are great!
I had a HD555 before. My first impression was that they are pretty bright and a bit bass shy headphones, compared to my old HD555, but after a short time my ears adjusted to it and they sound very neutral.
The sound is really realistic. You can very easy hear every instrument apart, something I never was able to hear on cheaper phones. Also bass isn't just bass, you can hear "layers" of bass and different tones in the bass, Voices are also so real. The HD650 is a very great all-round headphone, it sounds great with every gerne, due it's neutral sound.
Also checked the HD600, but the HD650 is more natural in my ears, more allround. HD600 is al little better for monitoring because it's a but more analytical sound.
still love the HD580j, hp1000 and akg k1000. They are the legends.
Glad you compared the HD580's... no other video does this.... a superb headphone.
Man you're the best. I can tell you really care about music and sound.
All I have had till the end of 2023 were gaming headsets. I made the bright choice of buying hd 600s. Also got a good amp to go along. At first I had mixed feelings. The built quality was great, sound too but they sounded so different that it seemed off, they were accurate though 100%. After 4 months of using them I can with certainty say I can never go back to any other headset or pair. I have tried 650s and they are warmer but 600s are to my liking. Great for everything and comfortable af.
Great review, thank you for the comparisons!
Listening to this on the 650's!
This guy seems pretty cool
I demand an explanation. I bet you weren't expecting this.
Ty is so good when he says that HD600 came out in the :68-69 that is a very old earphones,but i know what he ment 98-99,but it is 97,to much numbers ;)
HD650 KISS is an amazeballs mod. Makes the HD650 less thick in the bass, more akin to the HD600, but keeping that smooth and better resolving sound. It also becomes zippier with better transients. TOTL for me. Just wonderful sound.
I would like to see you review the Brainwavz HM5 or the NVX NVX Audio XPT100 headphones. They are a budget priced headphone with excellent sound for studio tracking or listening. Can be purchased for $99.00/$129.00. Both are basically the same made from the Fischer Audio FA-003 design that cost $200.00. They are said to sound better than the Sennheiser HD380's.
HD580 are amazing! When re grilled and re cabled sound better to my ears than a stock HD600 and i paid just 50 pounds for mine. I think we can call that a bargain!
It’s so rare to find one who really understand what the proper tonal balance and essential musicality are. Of course hd580 are amazing. They are truly legendry headphones despite their cost and little notability. Hd 600 and hd 650 are the sons of media century so they were more well known by ad and they were very commercially successful therefore both they forced out from manufacture more pleasant but “older” and less premium hd580. Cause hd580 are sons of another era when there was not so much internet and media promotion of audio products so they couldn’t “be hyped” widespreadly as fresher models. And when several years they finally became able nobody has an interest to a cheaper model from previous century moreover “Sennheiser” had changed the intention of making more qualitative to the intention of selling more profitable and this company had no other way cause the market had changed its own rules.
Sad story of how the legends goes away during the silence.
Tyll, it would be cool to see a review of the HD518 cans. I definitely see them to be one of the absolute best values for full size cans. They are quite inexpensive at $120 I believe and probably sound quite similar to the HD600!!
Quick comparison of 650 vs 600 for you's that are torn
HD600-More forward, quicker, edgier , leaner, coarser, more neutral, slightly harsher slightly better treble energy, slightly 2-D comparatively speaking, more grounded
HD650- Slightly more laid back, images better, better resolution, bass weight, more saturated, smoother, could be "veiled" for some and boring, natural, instrument separation, width and distance, more layered ( more of a 3-D experience)
better mid range presence, "floats" more
Thank you. The HD600 did not exhibit the veil that was complained about previously. Also, they have good, but not great bass. People exaggerate the purported lack of bass.
The older 580's and also the older 600's have black mesh inside the ear cups, and were later changed to a silver mesh. If you have a pair of 580's with black mesh and 600's with silver mesh, that could be the reason for them sounding differently to you. The grills on the 580 also reflect more bass and mids back into the cups that drown out the highs a bit more than the 600 grills do, but it gives them a darker sound with better bass. I still wouldn't call it a plasticy sound though.
Used 580s for years with underpowered amps but now bow down to the 600 with Blue Dragon V3, Bifrost, and Valhalla.
you should try some planars some time. They present audio more naturally and have faster more detailed bass.
I have a pair of HD 580´s, and love them!!! :)
I made mention of them in the article. They sound a bit grainy with a plasticy sound.
Where are the comments about the HD 580 sound? Great review anyway.
Not many, that's for sure. Maybe the new Philips X1...maybe, still listening.
Tyll have you heard of 1Time's (on head-fi) method for stretching the headband on the 600s? It involves extending the bands all the way out and then bending only the metal bands and not the plastic. It works very well and doesn't stress the plastic.
You seem to really like the HD600 ... I guess (just stumbled upon some of your videos). I recommend you test out the ATH-R70X, as they should be really close to the HD600s. You'll probably like them. Would be interested to see a comparison and/or review about those cans from you.
Well I got both, HD600 and HD650. I use the Denon DA-300 with from InnerFidelity recommended WOO Audio WA3 and I must say, wow! They both sound really amazing! To be honest I prefer the sound of HD600, it is some how more clear and punchy. It gives u little bit more clarity and sharpness in the high, so I like to hear vocals with the HD600 rather than the HD650. The base: I don't notice big improvement with the HD650. I found the HD600 a little bit more comfortable. A friend of mine didn't notice any difference.
The HD650 is somehow more comfortable for new music like rap and hiphop with in my opinion poor music qualities -> made on pc.
My Summary: if you like music like in a concert and real live good recordings u will be really happy with the HD600. HD650 is also almost the same. If I must keep one of the both I will keep the HD600. Rock and vocals sound really good with the HD600.
Big thumps up for Tyll Hertsens review, he was really honest!
+ David Castillejos I finally bit the bullet and bought the 40x's. Definitely agree there're a better choice than 50's. But woudn't have bothered had one of the wires one my Sennheiser 580's not broken again. So that'll always be a problem, one that costs. I'm collecting way too many headphones now, all sennheiser mostly wireless. Can't compare until I get the wire fixed. But surely at $150 can., there has to be better headphones if willing to spend more. What's hot now, especially for the $? Any ideas? The 40x's are so revealing, but also pretty cold. I tried the beyerdynamic custom ones. Quite big. My idea is make all my old music sound new and exciting again, seeing that it's so time consuming, and often disappointing to audition new music.
So the BEST deal here is buying a HD580 (gently used, they are discontinued), ordering the HD600 grills ($7/each from Sennheiser) and the HD650 cable ($12.xx from Sennheiser).
Wow I will have to disagree with you on the HD650 Kyle. I think they deserve your wall of fame recommendation more than the HD600 do. I've owned both for so long now and I constantly go back use the HD650 as my standard or "neutral" level whenever I listen to new music. I think the HD600's are fantastic and still brilliant for what they are but I think they miss out on some of the "discovery" the HD650 bring along for the ride.
But I guess we all hear things differently so , just an opinion :)
Just got the 600s there is a veil its like theres a gray tint over the music and theres roll off up top BUT other than that its an excellent headphone its ultra realistic soundstage, midrange, neutral response in terms of bass it really lets you listen to the music as it was intentionally recorded IF you ignore, get used to, and/or factor in the infamous Veil. I love these headphones despite of. They are a great buy!
what headphones did you listen to before the hd600?
Focal Spirit Pro, Beyerdynamic DT880/770 AKG 701 I've literally gone through so many headphones mostly midrange. But I have to say the 600s are probably one of the best headphones ever made, I should of got a pair a long time ago! These are my favorites by far.
+Joel Ortiz That's probably why you think they are veiled the dt880 and k701 are much brighter and more detailed so it sounds as though you are used to these. Imo the 600s aren't they are just right. But my ears are really sensitive to treble.
I like neutral/analytical sounding headphones well thats the taste I developed after going thru a lot of headphones but I'm aware of the Sennheiser sound (280,380) I didn't like those so Sennheiser really impressed me with 600 & 650s (my engineer friend has the 650s) I've gotten over the highs on the 600s the pure focus on the center image on the midrange makes up for it. These are the best headphone I've ever own in terms of overall performance. The Focals are also a great headphone BUT the build quality is crap and the comfort is the worst!
Just remove the foam under the earpads.
Thanks, will definitely take a look at the 600, along with an Objective2 amp. +1
Thumbs up for the HD600 ! Like you say, it's easy to work on these for hours, into the night!...essential mixing kit! Nice video, cheers!
when i mix with my hd600, always the bass is not perfect and i have too much mids in my mix ......
Thanks yes I think the 90's saw the birth of that term "The Sennheiser Veil", do you think you'll ever review the HD 518, 558, 598's? would love to hear your thoughts on those.
I think the L1 is a fun headphone! Is the review of the X1 coming anytime soon?
Wow Tyll, you had the 650 on your Wall of Fame for a long while and retired that a few days ago to place the 600 up. I ended up buying the 650 due mainly to your recommendation. Now I wish I got the 600 instead cause I cant stand the 650's veil. It's an awesome headphone in every way but that veil is a big minus.
I have the 6xx and I totally agree with you. The darkness and dull sound is not my preference. Sounds great though. I'm using the 560s and it's an amazing budget option. However, I'm thinking of getting the 600 so that I experience the timbre of the 600 series and also get the clean sound of a 560s.
Question! Just recently bought a pair of the hd650s but the right channel is drastically louder than the left. So far I've gone through a few troubleshooting steps.
First, I tested another pair of headphones and everything sounds fine on those, so I know it's not an issue with my laptop's output jack or any pan settings within the computer itself... Next, I swapped the left and right cables on the hd650s and BAM, now the left channel is the significantly louder side rather than the right. So that tells me that everything within the headphones is working and that their input jacks are working too. I'm thinking there must be some signal loss/attenuation happening on one of the designated left stereo channel of the cable itself for whatever reason...
What could be the issue here?
+Matt Mullin I've also tried to good ol fashioned "unplug and re-plug" technique a couple of times and noticed that I'm occasionally getting less attenuation in the left channel afterwards. I know that it isn't a psychoacoustic issue either, but just to be sure, I tested it out in Logic Pro 9, using a pan knob (considering the fact that Logic's panning algorithm only adjusts volume between the left and right channels rather than actually panning the stereo image) and sure enough, I am finding phantom center at different pan positions after unplugging that left side. Thus, the amplitude change I was noticing is actually happening.
I'm stuck here. Not really sure what the issue could be or if it's something I can fix at home. The fact that I'm getting varying amplitude levels out of that left side is confusing me even more now. Hoping I can just fix it rather than buy a new cable.
Maybe you fixed it already. But sometimes the drivers might loose. Just "click" it back in. Had the same problem once and the channel disbalance was around 10dB under 1kHz. After putting the driver back in, everything was ok.
I'd send them back... let senn figure it out.
Can you Pretty Please do a review of the 'current' 500 Series headphones from Sennheiser, e.g 518, 558, 598. please and thankyou.. If not thankyou either way lol
I was waiting for someone to agree with me, I knew there was at least 1
There is a guy who has already done it. His channel is called HiFi Heaven.
Sennheiser HD518, 558, 598, 600. HiFi Heaven. Good luck!
can you do a review of the 518, 558 and 598 please?
About time!
Hell yeah finally a new camera! Before I felt like I was watching some 90's program.
68 or 69?
James Allen glad I’m not the only one who caught that 😂
My best ones were HD595s, but I have now ordered HD600s. $50 off special from an Australian website, so jumped. 595s were good to me, but one of the grills has a small amount of rust and the plastic has the hairline cracks which plagues that family of headphones. The rust was real odd, always stored the 595s away from all elements.
which website was that?
Best headphone reviewer
Thank god I stumbled upon this channel
Wonder how the 600/650 compare once the foam has been removed from behind their drivers.
I bought the HD 600 months back after a youtube comment you made tilted the choice in its favor.
They're a tad brighter. You may want to give them a listen.
So why did you put the hd 650's back on the wall of fame?
Hi! Sir,I love your videos so much!
Can you make a review of T1 headphone?
Great Thanks!
Can you make reviews of the Ultrasone line up?
I'm looking for a different headphone for my collection, can you help me choose which one would complement from my list of headphone. Kose porta pro, ATH-M50 and Alessandro MS-Pro. My option would be HD600 and DT990 600ohm version. Great vid as always.
It's amazing how two different people describe theses headphones hifiguy528 said the 650 was brighter than the 600 and tyle says the 650 highs are more rolled off than the 600
Daniel Nicholson I noticed that the 600's were more rolled-off up top. There seemed to be less presence as well, 600 is more upfront in the vocal range.
I too have heard people say that 650's are brighter too....its crazy. Maybe it has to due with burn-in times or head-shape. That opinion seems to be the minority though.
+JLiRD808 My HD650 is 4 years old now, and I think it sounds brighther than my HD600. Overall HD600 seems smoother and sort of soft, but HD650's have more crisp highs that are more in your face. I don't know why this happens because according to graphs the HD650's should be slightly darker, but they don't sound that way. I assume it's because the HD600's are more uneven, the have more of a mid-bass peak than HD650's relative to the rest of the sound, and they have boosted mids as well around 2-3khz, unlike the HD650's which are flat, so I guess you listen to HD650's at a higher volume to make them feel equally loud as the HD600's, and that's what makes the highs around 8 to 10k sound a bit more in your face.
Considering the HD 600s. Are they still a good buy these days or is there a superior option in the price range?
I have the Sennheiser HD 595 and I was thinking of switching up to phones with a better bass to use when in front of the computer.
What phones would you recommend that offers more bass than Sennheiser 595 but still not ruin the audio quality the HD 595 offers?
You didn't say much about the difference between the 580's (which I have) and the 600. Thinking of buying the ah-m50's. The old ones, used. Have a Fiio E18 Dac/amp, which so far I like.
+David Castillejos
I have the HD580's since the 90's. I've tried the M50x's and thought they blew them away. I tried the M50s recently and found them not as good. Is this possible? Did I get it wrong? Definitely wouldn't take the s model over the ones I have. What about people's individual hearing, or not a factor. thanks!
+David Castillejos No, I didn't buy anything, I just put new pads & wires on the 580's, where I think both were better than before, but it's a real problem when you mistakenly yank those wires as I'm sure you know. For the little bit you said, that's exactly what I thought too, so thanks ... I found the x's to have unmistakable lower bass and there was a problem in the s's treble. Got any idea where I can buy either the 40's or the 50x's cheap? The price went up eh -- major!! (Canadian dollar?)
You like the ath m50x over the hd 580?? Wow that's interesting, considering that most audiophiles highly prefer the 580 over any headphone within the m50x price point, especially closed back ones
I haven't compared them side by side, but I know when I tried them I liked the X's (or whatever the newer one is called) over the Senn's and it was an easy pick. The Senn's might have had a sweeter sound (might), but the sound wasn't there. The old M50's however, quite disappointing -- good aspects, but overall the 580's were definitely the winner. Surprised the heck out of me. But I must do all this testing again to make sure.
I meant that I haven't compared the 2 M50's side by side
I actually bought a pair of hd 650's and wasn't to big a fan of the sound everything was great except I felt the treble was a bit too rolled off. I haven't tried the hd 600's because I heard they had the same problem.
This could be a tricky question. For COLDPLAY which is best recommended, the 600 or the 650? Much appreciated.
Hi there. Do you think the HD600 would pair up well with a Sansui AU-6600? I have a pair of Sennheiser HD-560 Ovation II but I find them to lack bass and are harsh in the highs. I was wondering if you thought the 600's would be a better match. I listen to a lot of music genres but mostly classic rock and jazz. Thank you.
What reasonably priced DAC & AMP setup will bring out the best in the HD 650 in your opinion? I am currently running my pair with an ASUS Essence STX II PC soundcard and I feel like they aren't really running at their best this way.
I have the Schiit Magni/Modi combi they run the HD600 great. other options are Mayflower o2 odac, or maybe Audio engine D1 but the amp is pretty weak on that one. there's also the option of Fiio e17 portable amp/dac.
Ukko Clap I am currently using an ASUS Essence STX II with my HD 650s.
www.asus.com/Sound-Cards/Essence_STX_II/specifications/
Would the external options you mentioned offer a significant upgrade or is it already a decent setup for this headphones?
+TurboPummel it's already a fairly good audio card. What I will tell you is that the Schiit dac will give you a different experience. The Schiit Modi 2 uses a Japanese chip there's usually few major dac chips which are Wolfson and Sabre. The Modi uses the Japanese Asahi Kasei chip which produces a little warm sound I would say.
I'm not familiar with the BurrBrown chip which is what your soundcard uses. Unless you feel something is missing I wondee if you really need the upgrade or not.
+TurboPummel No, your STX is pretty much far superior to anything you can get for the same money as far as external DAC's go. Don't even consider the O2, not only is it a very overrated amp (it's cold and sharp sounding, decent for cheap headphones, but it performs as it's price suggests) it's inferior to the STX amp and the DAC in the O2 is not as good either. Schiit stack is not as good either, again, it's a cheap setup designed for cheap headphones. I have the old STX, and it sounds pretty much identical to a Schiit Asgard 2 plugged into a Musical Fidelity M1DAC ($900). Asus soundcards punch far above their price point. If you don't like the way your HD650's sound now, the good way to improve for not a lot of money would be to add a tube amp to your setup. Something like a Schiit Valhalla or Lyr, or a Bottlehead Crack. That will make them sound better than a solid state amp at that price range would.
derbigpr500 Thanks for the information, really appreciate it. I am currently pretty happy with the soundsignature the STX & HD650 provide. I just wasn't sure before if the setup already did the HD650 justice or if the mentioned sub $500 external DAC/AMP options would have increased the sound resolution even further.
If you compare the HD650/HD600 to the HD555. Which of the two comes the closest to the sound signature of the HD555 ?
I like to upgrade and I like the signature of the HD555, if the HD650 is warmer I think to get the 600 or otherwise the 650.
Sennheiser HD600. LOVE IT
@ Inner Fidelity what affordable amps would you recommend for powering the HD 650? Is a low end DAC AMP like the audio engine D1 good with the 650 ? Last how much better is the treble on the HD650 compared to the HD598 ? Am looking to upgrade my 598 cans and was wondering if the HD650 overall was significant improvement.
I have an Audio-GD NFB 15.32 dac/amp witht he 35 watt upgrade. Would that be good enough to drive the HD 600? I am planning on getting one as my first audiophile grade headphone, hopefully in the near future.
Between the HD 600 and the beats by dre pro which one would you recommend to a person like me that like loud music with mild bass
Hello! Thank you for the detail review.
Could I ask one question?
I have a sound card asus xonar essence STU and headphones audio-technica ATH-A900X. And I am listening mainly symphonic metal.
I found that there is to much emphasize on high frequencies and not enough in low diapason.
So my question is, will HD650 + xonar essence STU sound more balanced or it is bad combination?
Thank you in advance)
+Vsevolod Nedora The A900x are low impedance headphones (40-50 Ohms), and the Asus STU's headphone amp has ~10 Ohm output impedance, so they're not a good match. With the STU, you really need headphones that are 80+ Ohms rated in order for them to sound like they're supposed to, otherwise they can sound bass light, or simply not as smooth or balanced as they should.
I have the STU as well (nice little soundcard!) and I have had the 650 with it and I now use the 600 with it, and they both sound good on it, but personally I prefer the 600 and I also think the 600s match the amp a little better. I don't know much about the genre you listen to though, so I couldn't say if they are good for that kind of music.
***** Thank you for a detailed answer. I listen mainly symphonic metal or power metal or doom metal. So bass is important. And now I understand why my A900x gives me so little of it. Thanks again. Your comment is important for me.
Yeah as a general rule the output-impedance of the headphone amp should be only 1/8 (or less) of the headphone's impedance itself.
If you want bass, the HD650 is probably the better one out of the two, it has a bit more bass and the bass is a little punchier too.
And no problem, glad my answer wasn't too late!
what are your thoughts on the foam mods on the hd 500 series in which they remove the foam inside the headphones? I have the hd 558, does it really improve the sound if I try it on my headphones?
Yay, you trimmed your eyebrows! I can focus now!
hey tyll, can you tell me of the newest hd600 that is being sold sounds identical to the older hd600 models? I've heard there are physical differences?
I can get the 600's for £219 or the 650's for £232, which should I choose??
hd600 -more neutral sounding
I have a really early model of the HD 650, but no matter how hard I pull I can't get the connectors out. Is this the spring problem, and does anyone have any tips?
Anyone know if the part that connects the earcup to the headband is the same on all models ? I have 580's and need to replace that part just wondering if a 600 part would fit a 580 ?
I agree. HD650's are the better headphones IMHO. They sound more like speakers and closer to reality than HD600's. HD600's might be more flat on the measurements, but they don't sound quite as organic, smooth and real.
Which one is more detailed and has a bigger soundstage?
Some say the 600 are more detailed and others the 650 ,im confused
It really depends what you mean by detail. If you're talking about which has more treble extension, HD600. Better bass extension, HD650, but at the cost of more mid bass bloat. The 600 is just the more neutral and balanced headphone to my ears. I personally hear more mids detail with the 600, and I think many agree with me on that. I have both the 600 and 6XX, and I prefer the 600. As for soundstage, the 650 sound ever so slightly bigger to me. But, it really isn't that big of a difference.
Is it really true that newer and older versions of the HD600 sound different?
What are your thoughts on the Sennheiser HD 598 ?
which will be a better choice for listening music movie and gaming, between hd 600 & hd 650? thanks.
Kamarul Effendy which one did u get? we're or are u satisfied with the pair?
Will the sennheiser hd 600 still have good sound if a fan is running in the background?
so which ones could be better open headphones for the same price?
Hi, would you say the HD 600's are as warm, as the HD555 (modded to 595's)?
Thank you sir !
hi tyll, what are you thoughts on the sony MDR series! thanks
Bottlehead crack and what was the other amp you recommended for the HD600?
How do the Oppo PM-3's fair against the HD 600's?
Hello, at 1:08 you are saying HD600 came out at 68 or 69 ??..Hmmmm that must be a very old model you got there??
So the HD 650 used to be on the wall now it's not ?
can u recommend a portable dac and amp that best drives the HD 650?
Krautch Sochara chord mojo
No word about 580 and putting in the title, XD!
just out of curiosity, what is your personal main Headphone pair? please let me know :)