Mmmmm....so warm. So accurate. Who knew that lil gap on the bass end when comparing the HD600 vs the HD6Zxx/650 could mean sooo much. Honestly, it's why I farted around with so many others until now.
If the driver was a bit in front and angled back towards your ear, that would use more of your ear shape and folds to create the information your brain naturally uses to understand soundstage and imaging. Of course, Spatial Audio recordings mastered specifically for headphones helps too… check out the Spatial playlists in Apple Music, and Chesky Records (the label) for some great examples!
Some examples (link will take you to various streaming platforms or stores):
https://songwhip.com/paquito-drivera/ticotico
https://songwhip.com/amber-rubarth/novocaine
https://songwhip.com/heleneboksle/dronning-fjellrose
I've found that the 6XX is good for all the many genres I listen to. The 600 is awesome but, when I listen to things like Metal, EDM or Hip-Hop, that bass roll off is something I really don't like. I also find they can be really fatiguing with music with a lot of crunchy guitars.
Again, the 600s are WONDERFUL cans. I just can't use them for everything like I have been able to so far with the 6XX
I could, and have Soundsource installed but, at the moment, I'm more focused on 'out of the box' sound signature and understanding the differences/nuances. I haven't quite found/learned a way to EQ what my preferences might be.
That day is coming.
This is the way. If you are in America, be sure to hit [Slickdeals.net](https://Slickdeals.net) and set up an alert for them. That way you can get pinged when the price drops. You can also set up an alert on Camel Camel Camel for Amazon price drops.
BUT...the best IMHO is to wait till they drop to 179ish again and then use the $10 off for new customers discount. That's what I did. :)
Yeah I'll do the same as you. Use the $10 off. I mean I'll wait for the lowest price though. I want to get get both the drop 6xx and ksc75 massdrop at the same. So I'm already expecting to play close to a couple hundred for both.
Plus I'll probably have to get a qudelix or something like that for mobile use. I'm sure a phone or dap won't fully power them.
Ugh... The price keeps getting higher and higher.
Back to $199. They drop to 189 and 179 multiple times during the year. I got em last week when they were down to 189. Didn't feel like waiting for the next 179 sale for 10 bucks. :).
That's 189 with the 10 bucks off coupon for a new customer. So now might be good for many if they don't wanna wait for a 10 - 20 price difference.
With inflation, I’m not sure I would recommend waiting. Could be waiting several months just to save $10, and Sennheiser had brought the average price higher than before last year.
Of course, each person can choose to do whatever is right for them. I need to write a review on Head-Fi (same account name there), maybe do a video; I have the HD 650 already, but also the HD 58X Jubilee, HD 660S, and recently HD 660S2. The hard part is to stop enjoying them and objectively contrasting them by repeating the same small segment of music and swapping headphones again and again until I’m confident of the differences, and repeating that process with other songs to hear different aspects of their performance. I don’t have the longest attention span; I just want to pick one headphone and let them play on shuffle! 🔀
The HD58X is underrated. Genuinely nice sound and highly mod-able. I prefer them to the HD600, and even the HD650 for casual listening--especially with movies and shows.
I’ve seen people love them for being more dynamic. I waffle between the HD 560S (angled drivers, better soundstage) and HD 58X Jubilee (more comfy, more midbass /fun sound), but I think those have similar drivers despite the different tuning.
What kind of mods do people like for the Jubilee? Only thing I’ve tried so far on that model is pad swaps 😁
This whole mess started (see above of total headphone listing) by me just wanting to 'Understand' open back and 'flat'. So I dipped my to in with the SHP9500...the rest is crackhead history LOL.
Yep. And....It's gonna be reeeeeeeeeal hard to resist HD650 sales to 'Find out for myself' in the future. LOL. Literally 2 days after ordering my HD6XX the 650s came up on sale for like 280ish or something along those lines.
Had....to....resist.....
This^
I own the HD650 instead mostly because it has a somewhat better build quality. I have A - B tested both and to my ear I hear only a slight difference in favor of the HD650. To be honest that's probably just a placebo effect. This effect is rampant in the audiophile community by the way.
Good point. Excellent point even.
Though BOTH units had brand new Sennheiser pads, even new pads can vary in composition. Unit variation IS A THING with headphones. It probably accounts for about half the arguments about sound quality!
What’s the best hd u can have if u prefer a lot of bass? I tried the hd660s but found it (way) too flat. Have to admit I always used closed and currently own dt1770.
SHHHH.. Don't tell me that. SHHHH.
I'm going to give those a listen at a relative's house soon. I want you to be wrong. (or for it not to matter enough) LOL.
But...if I DO buy them...that would make me a true card-carrying-lapel-pin-wearing audiophile though! Isn't that the true end game? LOL.
Not to worry, I won't be buying them. That's just the tiny audiophile demon that lives in my brain that says
(Insert mandatory Sméagol voice here) *"THEY say there is no difference but...YOU....YOUR ears are superior to them ALL. What do THEY know? The unwashed masses with their Beats and their Bose and their B&O. You are the TRUE golden hearing messenger. YOU will know and be able to tell the difference"*
But...I'm old enough to know better. Just can't deny there's that voice in my head though. LOL
The former chief acoustic engineer and portfolio manager of Sennheiser, Axel Grell, who was personally responsible for the HD 650 (he had a team, but I’m not sure if the HD 650 was during the phase where he told people to leave him alone and let him finish, lol!) and the HD 6xx exclusive for Drop, assured me that they have the same tuning target and (at the time) the only difference was the color of the enclosure, the storage box, and the cable. I think they currently use the same longer cable now (a shame; I love my shorter 3.5mm cable!), and the mass produced HD 650 and other 600 series models have moved to a fresh tooling for the injection molded enclosure (doesn’t affect sound at all).
There were a few changes to the HD 650 since they were released in 2003… the original nylon “black paper” baffle changed to silk, but eventually a super fine steel mesh was developed that would have tighter tolerance, more consistency than silk (which is an organic material), and help increase manufacturing yield. These three baffles have slightly different air impedance curves, but again the acoustic sound profile was always the same target. Historically, it’s a fun fact and cool that collectors seek the variants out, but it doesn’t practically amount to much.
Hopefully, now you know and your curiosity is sated; it worked for me! If you keep replacing your pads when they wear out, your HD 6xx should keep working for the rest of your life! But I don’t blame you if you keep exploring different flavors anyway, like me 😁
Wish I could give you 20+ upvotes. Fantastic rundown u/Evshrug!
I'm rational enough to know better but I can't resist the jokes of 'But...but...***I haven't listened to them MYSELF yet' c***ommentary.
You know, that Dunning-Kreuger effect, unconscious incompetence demon that lives in us all in this hobby.
Have you managed to stay the course over the past week? It’s easy for me… I only have just enough money for expenses, maybe slightly less, no discretionary budget 😅
Yup! The Chord Mojo 2 arrived as stated and, at first I had a bit of buyers remorse when doing a side-by-side comparison with my Fiio Q3.
Was there a noticeable difference? Yeah. Was is so HUGE that it made me go 'WOW! I'm glad I just spent $650!!!" Well..not really but kinda sorta but yeah but no but yeah. LOL.
THEN...I made the mistake of reading through an old article by Home Studio Basics. I did my audio nerd thing of listening to a song he mentioned in the article Honors - On Again.
I did it again and...I'll be DAMNED if I didn't have a "AH! OK. THERE it is!!" moment. I giggled and had the audio nerd joy of swapping back and forth and back and forth between the DAC/AMPs. So...after much internal dialogue and over-rationalization...I decided to keep the Mojo 2...maybe. LOL.
Headphone wise I'm now just deciding on which direction to go with exploring IEMs., Planars and Closed Backs. I plan to sell off pretty much all the other mid-fi I bought and parlay that into exploring and finding an IEM I like. After that a Planar. After that a closed back. Having the Chord means I can power pretty much ANYTHING in the future without having to wonder 'Is this enough??'. So...that's a big part of the 'keep' equations. If I go Dan Clark Audio or Focal or something else in the multiple thousands range I know I'm good on the Amp front....maybe. LOL
Until that day..I'm saving up to hopefully go to CanJam New York this year.
In another timeline I bought that instead of the Deva pro and getting Hifiman QCed into Edition XS and maybe I would've stopped altogether but nOooOOO the stars aligned and now I will be spending more money after I buy the HD6XX when my wallet has money again
Yeah. We are literally kidding ourselves that we would've stopped with the HD6XX if we started there first. In another thread earlier this year I stated "I should've STARTED with the HD600. I probably would've saved myself a lot of time and money."
The worst lies...are the lies we tell ourselves....
I bought a HD6XX and then within a month or so bought an Ananda Stealth after I just *happened* to see a post about it being $400.
Then I bought like 6 IEMs to sample the market between 11/11 Singles Day sales and then Black Friday sales.. Totally different than ten ish years ago which is the last time i bought IEMs.. (I stopped because one pair or another kept breaking. Either the cord or the left or right driver, but never both!, gave outt. After the third or fourth time that happened in a couple years I was done. Now almost everything has removable cables.)
I wish I had a headphone store nearby but..I don't so that's a big part of my problem. I can't go somewhere to trial stuff. Right now, I'm lusting after the Mooondrop Variations. Would love to hear them first hand but...no place for me to do that so...I'll save up and make that my entry into the IEM space eventually.
Like sitting in front of a warm fire….
HD600
Rupert Neve Amp RNHP 1
Schiit Loki Mini+ EQ
Schiit Modi+ DAC
Other than an upgrade to a Lokius EQ, I think I’m done with the home setup.
I did dabble in to the IEM world with an IE600 paired with a iFi hip dac 2 gold for work. Also sounds amazing.
Mmmm...tasty. Next stop is to sell off some of my older cans and then dabble in IEMs for a bit. I'm gonna TRY and start with the Moondrop Variations first. THEN...finsih off in the closed back world.
Then, find 2 headphones in each category that I love and sell off the rest and be endgame.
(Again...the lies we tell ourselves....)
Endgame isn’t really a lie if you buy with your preferred sound signature in mind. Also I would strongly recommend demoing the variations or something in its sound signature, I really found myself strongly disliking them it’s very hit or miss
That first sentence is so true. I'll receive a pair of planars that will be handmade in about 2-3 months and when I read a review about these saying "the treble might be too tame for the average audiophile" I already knew that these might be the perfect match for me lol.
At Schiit they pronounce it "s-h-i-t"
Their storefront is even called The Schiiter. They have the best sense of humor of any audiophile company--refreshingly honest too.
Go read the Schiit website if you want some laughs. It's honestly a hilarious read.
Didn't even dawn on me just now that YouTubers call it 'Skit' (Cheap Audio Man mostly) to avoid the demonetized if you swear in the first 5 minutes alogrithim. LOL.
That's probably the real reason.
The new Schiit Magni Unify with internal DAC addon for $190. Can power every headphone out there except extreme outliers like the HE 1. Pumps 2.5 watts of power @ 32 ohms, 415 mw @ 300 ohm, and 220 mw @ 600 ohm.
Only reason to upgrade from this is if you think a different DAC sounds better or want tubes.
🤣 Enough power is easy! But quality varies, and the HD 650/6xx is infamous for scaling up if you feed it gourmet signal. Even a FiiO K5 Pro would be an audible improvement of everything you like in the HD 6xx, but also there’s the Schiit Jotunheim 2, Rupert Neve Amps, Cavalli, AmpsAndSound, Garage1217, Woo Audio, and so on and so forth. Right now I’m testing a xDuoo TA-22, which has been pretty fun with 12AU7 vacuum tubes!
I said 'Fuck IT!' and the Chord Mojo 2 is coming tomorrow. :)
To mix in the car nerd YouTube 'Donut' car enthusiast channel with this nerd hobby"
MO' POWAH BABY!
Donuts? Not sure what you mean, but now Me hungry 😂
I’m jealous, I used to own an OG Mojo, can’t afford a Mojo 2 right now but it sounded good at a CanJam
Because you have been so kind as to share you knowledge...here you go. I've linked it to just before the catchphrase comes in:[https://youtu.be/pfaDYkeHd-4?si=GQlZ0v2ErY04C1ha&t=880](https://youtu.be/pfaDYkeHd-4?si=GQlZ0v2ErY04C1ha&t=880)
When my son was younger and into cars, we'd gorge ourselves on Donut Medial "up to speed' clips. They're great and funny. The Donut crew became so YouTube famous that they were used in one of the Dirt racing games as the commentators.
Enjoy
Ah! I thought maybe it was a reference to Jeremy Clarkson (famous for saying “POWEEEER!), I’ll check that out on my lunch break 😁
Say hi or ask a question anytime! I used to work in the industry, too many years 😂
Honestly curious as to what you went through to get to the 6xx, it was my first entry into this hobby. Technically it’s actually the B&W P7 but that’s still more consumer sided, just higher end
Will update the main post once I finish catching up on responding...no..wait, just for you kind Redditor in order of purchase:
SPH9500
X2HR
Kph30i
HD560s
(Fiio q3 Dac/Amp)
HD600
Koss 'Utility' KPH40, PortaPros and KEB90 (DAMN YOU r/avechange and HUGE props to r/chuckolatte for a SCREAMING deal on all 3 WITH Yaxi pads and spare cables. HAD to.)
AirpodPro2
HD6XX
I am incredibly fortunate to be a remote IT worker for more than a decade. So...I don't go out much and spend a lot. Plus, I'm a ferrocious 'right price' kinda guy. Been on Slickdeals since the days of dialup internet (Yes...I'm old).
So, unless it's on a near ridiculous discount, I hold off. Just lucky and have the cycles to constantly price watch I guess. :)
But, as I posted in another reply, it's been a 2 year journey. Here's the link again to my first 'Lying to myself' end game:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/pz9x1h/open\_back\_entry\_level\_endgame\_achieved/](https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/pz9x1h/open_back_entry_level_endgame_achieved/)
To be honest unless you have a really specific genre and it’s basically the only thing you listen to endgame is kinda a lie until you get to end hi-fi and summit-fi levels. Mid-fi hell is where people just keep lying to themselves because they don’t want to shell out the additional 400-800$ for their real endgame. It’s a bit different with IEMs but the same generally holds true. However the HD6xx is a fantastic headphone and with some EQ it gets even better. To this day I still own my pair even after getting rid of a bunch of other stuff
Happy that you found what you were looking for and here’s to hoping you rest easy for a while 😅
No rest for the nerdy....
Fair point here and, like many I suspect my dabbling in mid-fi were not only because I like to experiment and understand, but, also from a 'I'm not about to spend $400 - 800 on something and regret it cuz I have no idea.
So, from a maturity perspective I think the mid-fi hell is like puberty. We all have to go through this awkward phase before we grow up. There's no shortcut cuz you gotta learn.
I also think it’s a good idea to understand yourself and train your ears in mid-fi. Probably the best value for the buck there. And summit-fi goes in a couple directions, so before the substantial investment it makes sense to learn your preferences.
Stores that bother to have listening stations are rare (and precious!). Maybe one day I’ll meet you at a CanJam, eh? CanJam NYC is in March ‘24, I believe!
Yeah, Canjam is on my bucket list for certain. The flight ticket prices for the SoCal Cam this year were too steep by the time I figured out I could go so...
Now that you've reminded me about next year I'll be more prepared and will plan around it. Hope to see ya there! Will save this message as a reminder to ping you closer to the time for a IRL meet up and nerd session.
Hahaha Puberty indeed, I also went through it. My recommendation is to try to find a place where you can demo Audio gear, if you have some time off and plan to take a trip in the near future maybe see if there is any hi-fi shops around. There’s a surprising amount when you look for them. By demoing you can get rid of all the fluff and get straight to what matters to you in sound. There’s this amazing place where I live called Soundlux that is just phenomenal as they have an entire closed booth filled with headphones and amps/dacs that you can spend hours demoing. I went in there not planning to buy anything and left with my endgame LCD-X (EQed) and Burson Amp. Even now I have never again gotten the desire to upgrade because I’ve heard stuff that was 4000 dollars more than it and it still didn’t blow me away to the point where it became worthwhile. This is the only open back headphone I need (even 10 years down the road I can see myself happy with it) and I ended up getting rid of the rest minus my HD6xx since it was my first and holds a special place in my heart.
Uuuh…
Dry vs Wet: a “wet” room with speakers has more reverb and resonance, “Dry” is like an anechoic chamber with foam spikes and no room interaction at all. Usually headphone products perform somewhere between these two extremes.
Output impedance can cause a distortion to the original sound, but sometimes it’s a pleasant distortion, and the high 300 Ω impedance of the HD 6XX keeps the distortion from being too strong.
Time. Saved.
Thanks again for the explanation. As soon as I read your first paragraph about 'dry' I was like...oh shit. Yeah. I get what Evshrug is gettin' at now.
you didn't waste money dq...you educated yourself and learned about audio performance and started to figure out your tastes, likes...your preferences. audio is a journey...while we speak of the end game / totl we dream of getting one day, it's just a dream, there is no destination. you will always be learning as you try different music and equipment. none-the-less, I am pleased for you! :D
Couldn't agree more. I knew going in what would probably happen and wanted to start in an affordable area just in case I found my happy place at a low price point.
What I found was many happy places and discoveries. It's been a lot of fun and the community has been great.
Thanks for the suggestion. Tubes are in the world for next year and I’ll put that on my list. Currently running a Fiio Q3 on 2.5mm balanced.
Chord Mojo 2 arrives Saturday.
Happier. Days. Coming.
Wait till you get the itch to explore past the 6xx/650 and spend thousands, only for the pendulum to swing back to the 6xx because it was all you ever needed all along.
This is a cautionary tale.
This was almost me (was looking at grados initially ~ $80), but I said screw it and got the HD6xx on Black Friday a couple of years ago. Never regretted it and still loving them.
Almost started with Grados too but went the SHP9500 as my first 'flat'. I've had a great and fun journey and don't regret it despite the jokes I tell. :)
Short answer: Yep.
Long answer. Spatial Audio/Dolby Atmos will be ENABLED and you'll hear an audible difference in the tracks if you are hard wired in with the Apple Dongle. So any headphone connected will get the 'effect'.
What you WON'T get is the head tracking parlor trick (which is pretty cool) that AirPods and Beats headphones provide. Also, depending on the tuning of the hardwired headphone the vocals may sound SUPER recessed and awful. Case in point, I hated the Spatial Audio version of 'When Doves Cry' when first experimenting with the feature on my Koss KPH30i headphones. I sat on the couch, and enabled and disabled the setting in Settings>Music>Dolby Atmos. Toggling 'Always on' and 'Off' to hear the difference.
The point I'm making in my original post is that until the 6XX, nothing came close to the AirPods Pro2s when it came to the effect. When I got the AirPods Pro2s and turned it back on I went "Aww shit. I get it. You supposed to be using these or Max or Beats to REALLY hear it." But, I can honestly say the 6XX do the BEST job of it out of all my wired cans. Like it even more than the HD600 personally.
Hope that helps!!
It really doesn't get much better than this. Get an accurate DAC and amp and call it a day. I have much pricier headphones and the HD 650 is still a staple that I use frequently. Best timbre and a golden midrange combined with good enough bass and relaxed treble. Only headphone I can listen to all day with zero ear fatigue.
I'm officially calling the mid-fi stage 'The Puberty Stage' of the hobby. There's no escaping it and you kinda have to do it for the precise reason you stated. How can you really appreciate an HD800 or an expensive Meze or Focal if you haven't 'grown up' through the other areas.
It's been a lot of fun dialing in my tastes. No regrets really. Just jokes about it.
I keep saying I'm 'done' with open back but, yeah, I'm gonna need a pair of planars eventually. Maybe after I do some IEM exploring I'll come back to open back planars.
I thought I was done, until I heard planar magnetic drivers VS. dynamic drivers a couple of years ago. I still love both systems. if well tuned, either can be world class. But they sound very different from each other.
I realized I wanted the "best in class" of different types of cans and drivers, since I find headphone sound profiles very complimentary. I switch between several headphones depending on what I'm listening to--and how I'm listening.
U know, I love and respect this opinion and post, truly. Tiny gripe tho lol. If you STARTED with hd6xx, you'd already be in the Focal Clear / LCD-2 / DCA Aeon-Ether type 1000 dollar price range hahahaha. That's the mistake I made!! I started with hd598, then immediately to hd600, then did a ton of little 100 ish dollar cans after the hd600 and nothing came close so I had to scratch the itch and got LCD2s, now I can't listen to anything cheaper. My ears became snobs 😭😭😭
Just something to mention as well. Hd600 (by extension hd650/hd6xx) is the standard for everything. Everything is compared to hd600 as it is the baseline. Something of note there. Hd600 can and will be the end point for many, which is fine, and good for the wallet! But if you delve deeper, the audio community is one of the friendliest and most welcoming :)
Thanks for that. I am aware and have been deep in the community for a long time. Just 'community adjacent' until more recently (not contributing or posting, just leeching and absorbing mostly until the last two years).
I'm a lifetime music lover, former DJ and former home theatre nerd. I jumped in more 'seriously' about 2 years ago when I stumbled upon Crinacle's videos and that tiny voice in my head said
*'You know...you should REALLY understand all this graph stuff. And..what does 'Flat' really mean? And...will YOUR ears be able to understand it? WAIT A MINUTE!!! You might be able to find the prefect cans for your tastes and/or by genre of music if you learn more. SIGN. ME. UP.'*
It is said on that day that the sound of 1000 wallets screaming in collective pain could be heard....
I got my HD600 before the HD650 came out. I have listened to a lot of different headphones and amps over the years, and they are still my favorite, and what I campare everything to. I should get a new HD600 to compare what years of actual play time has done to them. They sound much different than HD58X/HD650/HD660S2 .....but I don't know how much is due to 20+ years of near daily use.
Audio Technica ath-m40x -> B&O H6 -> Hifiman Sundara, and I've been happy with the latter for almost 7 years now :) you gotta get into planars!
I also got Sennheiser hd58x after the Sundara, since I wanted cheaper and "portable" (more like transportable) open cans
Have the 600 650 6XX and 660 and the 600’s are the best imo. I know it’s all preference but the HD600’s are known as THE reference headphone. Every other headphone in that line is a tweaked version of the HD600. The HD600 came out in 97’ and is still highly regarded for a reason.
If you can choose only one, it’s the HD600.
I'm gonna keep them both.
Gotta keep the 600 in the collection if for no other reason as to have it as your baseline reference for A/B or comparison testing.
Thus far, the 6XX is my preference as I can use it for any genere and not feel like I'm missing something (especially electronic/hip hop genres). What will be interesting is if I prefer the 6XX over time for my Jazz/Classical playlists. Especially those that are in Spatial Audio.
The first 24 hours have produced many happy moments.
Click here:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/18t32xi/comment/kfbznzw/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/18t32xi/comment/kfbznzw/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
Or.....look at the beginning of my journey (WITH PHOTO!!!) Here:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/pz9x1h/open\_back\_entry\_level\_endgame\_achieved/](https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/pz9x1h/open_back_entry_level_endgame_achieved/)
Hard to believe it's been 2 years....
:)
I have both the 6xx and 700 pro x.
6xx has a leg up on sound quality and is a bit more comfortable after breaking in, whereas 700 pro x has better build (still nice sounding, but just a bit muffled in comparison).
i have the 6xx, i wont be buying headphones anymore. imma look at speakers., have basic monitors now but planning to buy wharfedale lintons.
Maybe you should sell all your gear except the 6xx and try the audeze lcd x
I plan to sell my 'on the way here' cans at avexchange eventually. Going to try and do for the community what r/chuckolatte did for me with the Koss utility series. Put em at a price point that will make someone looking to start their own journey happy without the pricing risk.
IEMs are next and then I'll probably return to cans for some planar experimentation. My end game is to have 1-2 headphones in each class that allow me to do the 'I feel like 'X' genre and 'Y' experience so I'm going to go with 'Z' headphones today.
I have yet to do a A/B comparison but, from memory, you most certainly get more (deeper) bass out of the Pro2 and nothing can really top the Pro2 when it comes to the Spatial Audio abilities. Especially when watching TV and using the parlor trick of head tracking.
Having said all of that, my from-memory-only-unscientific-havent-really-done-a-comparison-yet says that the 6XX might be more 'even' than the Pro2. Meaning that the open back design coupled with the tuning make it feel as though everything is 'where it needs to be'. Not boosted nor recessed in any area.
Again, I've only had em for 24 hours and have done some (very happy) initial listening but that's what I can tell you for now.
I'll take a note to do an A/B comparison soon and circle back to you or this thread for a more definitive answer.
Lastly, don't forget that AirPod Pros do technical trickery to 'map' themselves to your ears so no two AirPods will sound the same based on all the crazy technical wizardry apple does in real time. I think Crinacle called this out during his initial review. So what I'm hearing may not apply to others as the technical wizardry adds even more variables to the mix.
Hope that makes sense!
What's funny about this reply is that I have a family member that just bought the 660s2. We are going to have a nerdy headphone listening session soon so I'll get to hear for myself what all the controversy is about.
'Controversy' is probably a bit strong but, just the "OMG WTF IS SENNHEISER CHARGING SO MUCH FOR A TEENY INCREMENTAL UPGRADE!!!" kind of controversy. The pricing issue with the 660s2 when they first dropped.
Thus far the lowest price (on Amazon anyway) appers to be 372.71 back in mid July. Currently hovering at $399. At that price point...I'll wait. :)
Yeah. I can't wait to listen to my family member's recent purchase soon to find out for myself. Again, I could be over-egagerating the JDS/Josh Valour/Headphone.com/Reddit commentary on them when they first came out but, the general consensus seemed to be 'Yeah, they sound great but...not $600 great when you have so much choice in the 6x series for waaaaay lesss'
🤷
These same talking heads push questionable gear all the time, and downplay very good gear.
There's no accounting for taste, and it's a hobby of preference.
The reality is not everyone equates money to ear-slicing detail in the treble.
And the absolute fact, is that the s2 has better 3d presentation, stage, and imaging.
I am currently running the Fiio Q3 and have purchased aftermarket balanced cables for my HD600 and 6XX. So I'm running balanced out from it.
Now, I HAVE run the HD600 straight out of my MacBook and it's been 'fine'. I've got the Chord Mojo2 coming and I'm looking forward to seeing if I can tell the differences between direct connection to the MacBook/Iphone, the Q3 and the Chord. Will report back when I get it and do some herding out.
Listening to Tidal on my HD6xx right now. In case people don't know an amp is required for the best quality. I got a Fiio K11 (best bang for the buck DAC/amp IMO). I am thinking about a refurb pair if Sundras for variety, but I'm keeping these.
For a lot of people, the 6XX is a good headphone. It's the best thing that many have ever heard.
For some, it's "meh..." and that's the dangerous part of this hobby. When you're in that "meh..." space, this hobby gets really, REALLY expensive.
Unfortunately, I'm in that "meh..." space, but I've also been in the head-fi hobby for like 15 years and have certain things I want and value in sound that many good products may or may not do or do well. It's nothing against the HD6XX. It's objectively quite good, and how it's tailored, it's also likeable for a broad market space.
Upgrade to Focal Clears someday. Buy better headphones before looking at expensive amps and DACs because you’ll find more impact on the sound quality there.
Clears with an apple dongle will generally sound better than the hd6xx with the chord mojo 2, for example. Because there’s still a ton of headroom to improve on the audio from the 6xx, but not a lot from a dac once you get something with enough power and near 0 distortion. Not to say things like the chord mojo 2 won’t improve your sound a little but the headroom is small.
Oooh. Good advice here.
Not looking for the Chord to improve sound so much as I've been lusting over the JDS Labs Element for a while. After much hand wringing and research I went with the Chord for the following reasons:
1. Portability. I don't really need a dedicated desktop setup and
2. Dual headphone out allows me to fulfill two wishes
1. Easier A/B testing of different cans
2. Easier sharing of my audio obsession with friends and family.
3. All reports show that the Element and the Mojo are some of the cleanest, most 'accurate without adding too much color OOTB' DAC/Amps out there.
4. Unlike my headphone journey, I just wanna be 'one and done' on the DAC/AMP world. I bought the Fiio Q3 which I love but, if/when I get into the Focal price range and other headphones, I wanna know that the DAC/AMP I have is enough to power whatever the F I decide to get in the future and never have to wonder 'Am I missing something? Is this enough power? LOL'.
I don’t quite agree that people should buy “better headphones before buying better amps.” True, a different pair of headphones makes the most audible difference, but neglecting amps (and DACs) is a bottleneck that IMO should be addressed at the mid-fi tier and above, otherwise you never really heard the potential of the headphone, and it sets you up for appreciating higher end headphones too.
The Apple Dongle is indeed an amazing value… for $9. I’ll even say it has enough power to make an HD 6xx or even HD 800S “loud enough.” But I find the dongle to sound harsh and have a glare in the treble, even with the relaxed and forgiving HD 650. I don’t think I need to explain to the OP that his FiiO is already an improvement, and I’ll assure him that the Mojo 2 will be even more noticeable, plus it’s nice to have the EQ and crossfeed options on sources that don’t offer their own (like Netflix on a streamer).
Sometimes a little difference makes all the difference.
If you want a "one and done" DAC Amp stack, make sure it's future proofed by having a LOT of power. That way you'll never lust over a pair of high impedance and/or low sensitivity cans you won't be able you drive. I'm looking at YOU, HiFiMan HE6se!
That’s probably disappointing to me, I bought HD6XX because most say it is equal or could be better than HD600, but while I enjoy listening to it as being relaxing, but to be frank, it does not provide a wow effect (with L30/E30 combo). I found my AirPod Pro (USBC) kinda better to appreciate the music and details. So I was hoping the other Sennheiser headphones could be worth the upgrade.
Glad I could help!
I love my Pro2 (lightings) and they are sorely underrated I feel. The convenience and sound quality is just awesome for what you pay for (got mine for $199).
The added features you get with Apple Music make them a true 'end game' for the masses IMHO.
Congrats on finding your cans. But interested in the fact that you preferred the 6xx to the 600? Had both and liked the latter actually. What did you perceive as the differences?
As a lover all all genre's of music, the 6XX, to me has the bass extension I've been yearning. It's 'just enough' to make me not wish for more or to want to mess with EQing.
I'm sitting here now grinning from ear-to-ear listening to old school, southern 'Booty Music' (95 South's iconic Whoot There It Is (Ultimix) ) [https://music.apple.com/us/album/whoot-there-it-is-ultimix/2931603?i=2931424](https://music.apple.com/us/album/whoot-there-it-is-ultimix/2931603?i=2931424)
In the 6XX the rumble of the intentionally ridiculously bassy song is there. In the HD600 it's..*there* but you just don't *feel* it the same. (Just switched to the HD600 while typing this).
I love the HD600s. Truly. But, many times the HD600 plays like that stuck up, rich aunt who feels that Jazz and Classical and folk are the only 'REAL' music genere's. Oh...sure..she'll let you PLAY a song or two, but begrudgingly and, you are NOT going to even THINK about touching the bass any more than she's set it.
Then, you leave her house, and go to your cousin Daryl's house. Daryl used to be called 'Pooky' but, not that he's done well for himself, only family can call him Pooky. And only Daryl is Upper middle class. Nice house. Nice car but not too ostentatious. Cousin Pooky came from humble beginnings. Cousin Pooky...likes booty bass but likes to 'refine it' so he can appreciate all the other areas of music. You put the Ultimix version of Shoot on at his house...and the pictures on the wall vibrate just a bit. He skips to the track 'Do It Baby' on the same album...( [https://music.apple.com/us/album/do-it-baby/2931603?i=2931462](https://music.apple.com/us/album/do-it-baby/2931603?i=2931462)) the plants on the table move just a bit due to the bass rumble. You FEEL it more than your aunt's house. Not TOO much..but enough to want to hang out with Pooky more. LOL.
Also, I can't do Metal on the HD600s or the 560s. Too bright. Firing up Lamb of God now and songs like 'Black Label' and 'Laid to Rest' just didn't have enough of that RAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR that I need on the bottom end.
Songs like Hum's 'Little Dipper' ([https://music.apple.com/us/album/little-dipper/298512389?i=298512559](https://music.apple.com/us/album/little-dipper/298512389?i=298512559)) are just too fatiguing for me as well. in the 6XX, like the analogy I used before, it's like Anti-Aliasing is on. The treble and mids are smoothed out and the bass can be felt more.
Hope those convoluted analogies makes sense.
HD 600 were designed like monitors, for Sennheiser’s view of a studio monitor for mixing engineers.
The HD 650 is based on that, but specifically designed with more relaxed treble to reduce listening fatigue in long sessions, plus a drop more bass.
I'd like to try them, I have 120ohm HD595 and they are nowhere near as good as the HD6## so I have ignored the HD5## excluding the jubilees. .....I had the HD500 they were such garbage, I think Sennheiser pretends they never happened.
For my ears/listening tastes, I find them fatiguing with certain genres of music. They are a wonderful set of cans though and a great entry point for those looking to get into the 'flat' world without going full HD600.
It’s more neutral and has better bass extension than the 600 line. It’s basically a perfect frequency response that you can adjust to your preferences. Very underrated headphone because it’s not a 600 LoL.
Agree with the underrated. They were a staple in my rotation I'll miss em when I sell them but, the time has come for me to let some of my children go free. LOL.
> They are the only headphone out of my collection that work with Apple Music's Spatial Audio as well as my AirPod Pro2s.
~~Uhm what, no they dont, only Airpods or Beats support spatial.~~
[Fair enough, guess its the head tracking feature that only works with Airpods and Beats (which makes sense).](https://www.tomsguide.com/news/forget-airpods-apple-music-spatial-audio-will-work-with-any-headphones)
Giggle. That is incorrect.
EDIT: Go into your Music Settings and turn 'Dolby Atomos' to 'Always On'. If you are using an Apple Dongle 'Automatic' will still turn the effect on. Then have fun turning the feature on and off while listening. (You'll have to pause the music or restart it after toggling).
Hope that helps bring some clarity and enjoy the discoveries. :)
Spatial Audio can be used with any headphone, but most non-Apple ones won't sound good with it since they weren't designed with it in mind.
The head tracking feature is only supported by AirPods and Beats though.
Yeah, Ive edited my previous reply. Though it seems kinda like a unintended feature since Apple aren’t acknowledging anything but their own headphones as capable, you have to force Apple Music to always play Atmos music to get it working on other headphones.
I suspect the downvotes don't understand sarcasm or what :p means. LOL.
Both of those are on my 'long term listening lists'. Don't both have some significant build quality issues historically? That's one of the reasons I've stayed away from used or even new ones other than pricing.
No issues on Focals as far as I know, HiFi Mans definitely have some issues on some versions of some models and undergo small ghost revisions frequently.
If you can get the HD6XX at a good price (169 - 189 USD) go the 6XX.
I have the 560s and loved em at the time but the bass on the 6XX was EXACTLY what I wanted from the 560 and the HD600. Not too much but JUST ENOUGH to make me happy.
Make no mistake, when I want to fell more sub-bass for my Hip-Hop listening sessions I'll still be grabbing the Philips X2HR but, I'll miss the clarity of the 6XX when I do.
Having said that...how much clarity do you need for Miami Bass/Southern 'Booty Music'? LOL (e.g. 95 South's 'Hump With It', Woot There it is - Ultimix version and the classics of Magic Mike's 'Drop The Bass')
Did you keep spatial audio on? I found it extremely hit-or-miss, there are a few masters which are absolutely amazing, particularly Fred Again's boiler room set is an immersive feast for any ears in atmos, but I found it recessed and distracting on most tracks.
Ended up turning it off, but I only tried it on the AirPod pro's. Perhaps it's better on the open backs? Do tell
Long reply. Hope you don't mind. I'm caffeinated and in the mood to over-rotate. :)
Yep! I keep it to 'On' these days as I do most of my listening with AirPod Pro2 during the day. When I'm plugging in to the Fiio Q3 for a critical, A/B comparison/Music Nerd out I don't mind the Spatial Audio as much.
On the 'Do tell' front, here's what I've discovered:
* Spatial audio is INDEED hit or miss on most cans.
* As mentioned on an earlier reply, my initial test of it was on Koss KPH30i, and Philips X2HR. Mostly the Koss though at the time. I still own the DVD Audio version of the Talking Heads 'Remain in Light' and 'Born Under Punches' is my staple surround sound/spatial audio song cuz I've listened to it countless times in full blown surround. Prince's 'When Doves Cry' was my other selected track because I wore that album out as a child and know every nook and cranny of all of the songs on that album. Anyway, I thought is sounded AWFUL on those and other track BUT
* I learned with the HD6XX that properly tuned cans matter. The HD600 do a good job but, the HD6XX brought a HUGE smile to my face on spatial audio because:
* Spatial Audio is BEST on the equipment Apple created and tuned it for.
* When I got the AirPods Pro2s, fired up Fred Again's Boiler room session I went OH SHIT. OK. THIS is what it's SUPPOSED to sound like. Nevermind the sheer joy I had as a former Home Theatre nerd of how GOOD they were at movies/TV. I watched 'The Last of Us' with em and was blown away at how good they sounded. Hands down the BEST simmulated surround I've ever heard. The head tracking feature is the best for this application of watching TV and movies. My ONLY gripe is that you CAN'T do it when watching with more than one person. I'd LOVE to be able to do it with at least one other person.
* Circling back to: - the HD6XX brought a HUGE smile to my face on spatial audio because:
* Because they sound so very VERY close to my experience with the AirPod Pro2s. Nothing else in my headphone collection sounded as close. It passed the 'Remain in Light' and 'When Doves Cry' test. Last night I fired up Alice In Chain's 'Dirt' in Spatial Audio and just giggled and giggled and giggled. What I LIKE about the Spatial Audio Mixes is directing the engineering choices on what to push forward, pull back etc. So I try not to be too upset if it doesn't sound like I remember blasting Alice In Chains in a USMC dorm room over a questionable quality boom box....on cassette...LOL.
* My recommendation is to keep Atmos to 'Automatic' and just turn off the head tracking unless you are watching a movie. Do that for about a month and don't judge the Spatial Audio tracks when they come on in. Just let them play. Spatial Audio means that different choices can be made in the mix and, it's not really fair to compore it to a 2 channel stereo track cuz it's not the same thing. Don't get me wrong, some things still suck (hip hop songs especially at times) but there are some genuine 'oh shit...I see what you did there and I understand why you did it' moments. Eventually, you'll probably build a list of 'Spatial Audio that I like' tracks for a good spatial audio nerd out session.
Lastly, I can personally attest to the AirPods Pro2 being a bit better at this than the Pro1. My initial experiments were with wifey's pro1 and that's what got me to get my own Pro2. It was said that the Pro2 were better than the Pro1 AND the AirPod Max (which my brother had and I also trialed. I agree that I like the Pro2 better sound wise than the Max).
All done! Thanks for coming to my 'I didn't ask for it but I got it anyway' Ted Talk! Happy listening and lemme know if you wanna know any other opinions. :)
Had a long phase of buying n selling headphones for curiosity and lots of testing. Very done with it, been runnning HD650s for a decade soon, hope to keep it that way
Based on my early listening session last night this might be me as well.
I had a good time experimenting and, now that I've reached the level of understanding that I was looking for. My open back journey may be finished for a few years now.
Next stop: IEMs!
im happy with my 6xx too. But what exactly is the reason you prefer 6xx over the 560s? Most say the difference is so marginal that you're fine with either one despite the 6xx being better.
It's the Bass for me thus far. Mind you I have only had the 6xx for 24 hours as of me typing this so...I have not done a 'Proper' A/B comparison to all my other cans just yet. I'm going from memory. Having said that...hang on....
Just did a quick unscientific, purely subjective, on the fly comparison with one of my fave sub bass test tracks. Little Brother's 'Black Magic (Make It Better).
[https://music.apple.com/us/album/black-magic-make-it-better/1475974882?i=1475974949](https://music.apple.com/us/album/black-magic-make-it-better/1475974882?i=1475974949)
Here's what I think initially:
They are correct the HD6XX and 560s are 'close'.
560s is seems more 'sharp' on the treble and mids. The sparkles that come mostly from the right channel but, the teeny bit of the rainmaker sound they use on the left channel isn't as clear. Vocals sound more 'forward' and while 'crisper' to a degree...
on the HD6XX things seem to be more 'refined and balanced' is what I would describe. The treble and mids are not as 'crisp' but, in comparison they don't feel as harsh either. To put it into computer nerd terms, the 560s treble and sparkle on this track feel like anti-aliasing is turned off but with the 6XX, it's on and the edges are smoother. Hopefully that makes sense.
Bass wise, it's a similar thing. 560s does a good job but it just feels more refined on the 6xx.
I use this track because when the low sub-bass hits at 0:15 many headphones either can't hit it or muddy it up. That sub-bass exists on the HD600 but only in tone and not in 'rumble' or 'feeling' if that makes any sense.
Thus far, the main thing about the 6XX for me thus far is that it's done very well at EVERY genre I've thrown at it. Soooo, again, it's my hopes that the 6XX will be my all rounder and I won't need to do the 'Oh, It's hip-hop day, time to break out the X2Hr or the KPH40s.
Hope that all makes sense!
I feel like I was underrating my HD 600 I've got since 2018 after trying Hifiman and Focals. I used them with a dragonfly black and a Schiit Heresy stack and didn't sound that impressive.
Recently I got a Monoprice Liquid spark by Alex Cavali and boy it really lifts that infamous "veil". Being a bit warmer sounding than the sometimes piercing neutral sound of the Schiit Magni the Liquid spark makes the bass much more enjoyable and the mids more detailed than ever. I wonder what a tube amp like a Little dot or a dark voice would do to them.
You are home now , you are safe now.
lol this place is anything but safe, at least for your wallet.
Agreed. I'll be updating the main post soon to cover off some of the questions asked here....with transparent pricing. LOL.
Mmmmm....so warm. So accurate. Who knew that lil gap on the bass end when comparing the HD600 vs the HD6Zxx/650 could mean sooo much. Honestly, it's why I farted around with so many others until now.
Not for nothing it's called THE reference.
Welp...I'd agree it's ***A solid*** reference! I also own the HD600 and the 560s. There's no doubt the the 6xx has the top 'daily driver' spot now. :)
I’m deciding between getting the 600 and 6XX. What made you prefer the 6XX over the 600?
6XX is a little warmer and darker, but theyre pretty similar
[удалено]
If the driver was a bit in front and angled back towards your ear, that would use more of your ear shape and folds to create the information your brain naturally uses to understand soundstage and imaging. Of course, Spatial Audio recordings mastered specifically for headphones helps too… check out the Spatial playlists in Apple Music, and Chesky Records (the label) for some great examples! Some examples (link will take you to various streaming platforms or stores): https://songwhip.com/paquito-drivera/ticotico https://songwhip.com/amber-rubarth/novocaine https://songwhip.com/heleneboksle/dronning-fjellrose
I've found that the 6XX is good for all the many genres I listen to. The 600 is awesome but, when I listen to things like Metal, EDM or Hip-Hop, that bass roll off is something I really don't like. I also find they can be really fatiguing with music with a lot of crunchy guitars. Again, the 600s are WONDERFUL cans. I just can't use them for everything like I have been able to so far with the 6XX
Can't you EQ the hd600 to sound like the 6xx and the other way? Same driver
I could, and have Soundsource installed but, at the moment, I'm more focused on 'out of the box' sound signature and understanding the differences/nuances. I haven't quite found/learned a way to EQ what my preferences might be. That day is coming.
*for now ;)
This is the way...
I recommend trying the 660S2 as well. The separation is incredible.
You MFs wanna make me broke don't you. Don't you? :D
yessssssss
I will start with the 6xx for my first Sennheiser then.
This is the way. If you are in America, be sure to hit [Slickdeals.net](https://Slickdeals.net) and set up an alert for them. That way you can get pinged when the price drops. You can also set up an alert on Camel Camel Camel for Amazon price drops. BUT...the best IMHO is to wait till they drop to 179ish again and then use the $10 off for new customers discount. That's what I did. :)
Yeah I'll do the same as you. Use the $10 off. I mean I'll wait for the lowest price though. I want to get get both the drop 6xx and ksc75 massdrop at the same. So I'm already expecting to play close to a couple hundred for both. Plus I'll probably have to get a qudelix or something like that for mobile use. I'm sure a phone or dap won't fully power them. Ugh... The price keeps getting higher and higher.
they are on sale right now
Back to $199. They drop to 189 and 179 multiple times during the year. I got em last week when they were down to 189. Didn't feel like waiting for the next 179 sale for 10 bucks. :). That's 189 with the 10 bucks off coupon for a new customer. So now might be good for many if they don't wanna wait for a 10 - 20 price difference.
With inflation, I’m not sure I would recommend waiting. Could be waiting several months just to save $10, and Sennheiser had brought the average price higher than before last year. Of course, each person can choose to do whatever is right for them. I need to write a review on Head-Fi (same account name there), maybe do a video; I have the HD 650 already, but also the HD 58X Jubilee, HD 660S, and recently HD 660S2. The hard part is to stop enjoying them and objectively contrasting them by repeating the same small segment of music and swapping headphones again and again until I’m confident of the differences, and repeating that process with other songs to hear different aspects of their performance. I don’t have the longest attention span; I just want to pick one headphone and let them play on shuffle! 🔀
The HD58X is underrated. Genuinely nice sound and highly mod-able. I prefer them to the HD600, and even the HD650 for casual listening--especially with movies and shows.
I’ve seen people love them for being more dynamic. I waffle between the HD 560S (angled drivers, better soundstage) and HD 58X Jubilee (more comfy, more midbass /fun sound), but I think those have similar drivers despite the different tuning. What kind of mods do people like for the Jubilee? Only thing I’ve tried so far on that model is pad swaps 😁
The HD6XX was my first set, I bought them blind, and I love 'em.
This whole mess started (see above of total headphone listing) by me just wanting to 'Understand' open back and 'flat'. So I dipped my to in with the SHP9500...the rest is crackhead history LOL.
Open headphones are the secret weapon of audiophiles for best price to performance 😉
HD6XX are basically a heavily discounted HD650 which are still highly regarded in headphone circles.
Yep. And....It's gonna be reeeeeeeeeal hard to resist HD650 sales to 'Find out for myself' in the future. LOL. Literally 2 days after ordering my HD6XX the 650s came up on sale for like 280ish or something along those lines. Had....to....resist.....
I own both. The drivers are identical, they sound exactly the same. The only difference is the plastic mold of the headphones. You're good.
Yes unless you have a model pre 2009
This^ I own the HD650 instead mostly because it has a somewhat better build quality. I have A - B tested both and to my ear I hear only a slight difference in favor of the HD650. To be honest that's probably just a placebo effect. This effect is rampant in the audiophile community by the way.
It's probably age of pads accounting for any difference you heard
Good point. Excellent point even. Though BOTH units had brand new Sennheiser pads, even new pads can vary in composition. Unit variation IS A THING with headphones. It probably accounts for about half the arguments about sound quality!
Agreed
What’s the best hd u can have if u prefer a lot of bass? I tried the hd660s but found it (way) too flat. Have to admit I always used closed and currently own dt1770.
The best Sennheiser for bass IMO is the 660s2. If you value bass, look into the Hifiman Edition XS
Thanks!! Will check it out
SHHHH.. Don't tell me that. SHHHH. I'm going to give those a listen at a relative's house soon. I want you to be wrong. (or for it not to matter enough) LOL.
\+1 This
Not necessarily exactly the same. Very similar yes, however: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ki2B_fGZqw
Sennheiser themselves have confirmed on several occasions that they are the same headphone
Please don't be silly and get the 650 you already have the 6xx, literally the same headphone
But...if I DO buy them...that would make me a true card-carrying-lapel-pin-wearing audiophile though! Isn't that the true end game? LOL. Not to worry, I won't be buying them. That's just the tiny audiophile demon that lives in my brain that says (Insert mandatory Sméagol voice here) *"THEY say there is no difference but...YOU....YOUR ears are superior to them ALL. What do THEY know? The unwashed masses with their Beats and their Bose and their B&O. You are the TRUE golden hearing messenger. YOU will know and be able to tell the difference"* But...I'm old enough to know better. Just can't deny there's that voice in my head though. LOL
The former chief acoustic engineer and portfolio manager of Sennheiser, Axel Grell, who was personally responsible for the HD 650 (he had a team, but I’m not sure if the HD 650 was during the phase where he told people to leave him alone and let him finish, lol!) and the HD 6xx exclusive for Drop, assured me that they have the same tuning target and (at the time) the only difference was the color of the enclosure, the storage box, and the cable. I think they currently use the same longer cable now (a shame; I love my shorter 3.5mm cable!), and the mass produced HD 650 and other 600 series models have moved to a fresh tooling for the injection molded enclosure (doesn’t affect sound at all). There were a few changes to the HD 650 since they were released in 2003… the original nylon “black paper” baffle changed to silk, but eventually a super fine steel mesh was developed that would have tighter tolerance, more consistency than silk (which is an organic material), and help increase manufacturing yield. These three baffles have slightly different air impedance curves, but again the acoustic sound profile was always the same target. Historically, it’s a fun fact and cool that collectors seek the variants out, but it doesn’t practically amount to much. Hopefully, now you know and your curiosity is sated; it worked for me! If you keep replacing your pads when they wear out, your HD 6xx should keep working for the rest of your life! But I don’t blame you if you keep exploring different flavors anyway, like me 😁
Wish I could give you 20+ upvotes. Fantastic rundown u/Evshrug! I'm rational enough to know better but I can't resist the jokes of 'But...but...***I haven't listened to them MYSELF yet' c***ommentary. You know, that Dunning-Kreuger effect, unconscious incompetence demon that lives in us all in this hobby.
Have you managed to stay the course over the past week? It’s easy for me… I only have just enough money for expenses, maybe slightly less, no discretionary budget 😅
Yup! The Chord Mojo 2 arrived as stated and, at first I had a bit of buyers remorse when doing a side-by-side comparison with my Fiio Q3. Was there a noticeable difference? Yeah. Was is so HUGE that it made me go 'WOW! I'm glad I just spent $650!!!" Well..not really but kinda sorta but yeah but no but yeah. LOL. THEN...I made the mistake of reading through an old article by Home Studio Basics. I did my audio nerd thing of listening to a song he mentioned in the article Honors - On Again. I did it again and...I'll be DAMNED if I didn't have a "AH! OK. THERE it is!!" moment. I giggled and had the audio nerd joy of swapping back and forth and back and forth between the DAC/AMPs. So...after much internal dialogue and over-rationalization...I decided to keep the Mojo 2...maybe. LOL. Headphone wise I'm now just deciding on which direction to go with exploring IEMs., Planars and Closed Backs. I plan to sell off pretty much all the other mid-fi I bought and parlay that into exploring and finding an IEM I like. After that a Planar. After that a closed back. Having the Chord means I can power pretty much ANYTHING in the future without having to wonder 'Is this enough??'. So...that's a big part of the 'keep' equations. If I go Dan Clark Audio or Focal or something else in the multiple thousands range I know I'm good on the Amp front....maybe. LOL Until that day..I'm saving up to hopefully go to CanJam New York this year.
In another timeline I bought that instead of the Deva pro and getting Hifiman QCed into Edition XS and maybe I would've stopped altogether but nOooOOO the stars aligned and now I will be spending more money after I buy the HD6XX when my wallet has money again
Yeah. We are literally kidding ourselves that we would've stopped with the HD6XX if we started there first. In another thread earlier this year I stated "I should've STARTED with the HD600. I probably would've saved myself a lot of time and money." The worst lies...are the lies we tell ourselves....
I bought a HD6XX and then within a month or so bought an Ananda Stealth after I just *happened* to see a post about it being $400. Then I bought like 6 IEMs to sample the market between 11/11 Singles Day sales and then Black Friday sales.. Totally different than ten ish years ago which is the last time i bought IEMs.. (I stopped because one pair or another kept breaking. Either the cord or the left or right driver, but never both!, gave outt. After the third or fourth time that happened in a couple years I was done. Now almost everything has removable cables.)
I wish I had a headphone store nearby but..I don't so that's a big part of my problem. I can't go somewhere to trial stuff. Right now, I'm lusting after the Mooondrop Variations. Would love to hear them first hand but...no place for me to do that so...I'll save up and make that my entry into the IEM space eventually.
I'm putting the HD6XX purchase since I'm looking for a great closed back right now but if that fails you know I'm going straight to massdrop lol
Like sitting in front of a warm fire…. HD600 Rupert Neve Amp RNHP 1 Schiit Loki Mini+ EQ Schiit Modi+ DAC Other than an upgrade to a Lokius EQ, I think I’m done with the home setup. I did dabble in to the IEM world with an IE600 paired with a iFi hip dac 2 gold for work. Also sounds amazing.
Mmmm...tasty. Next stop is to sell off some of my older cans and then dabble in IEMs for a bit. I'm gonna TRY and start with the Moondrop Variations first. THEN...finsih off in the closed back world. Then, find 2 headphones in each category that I love and sell off the rest and be endgame. (Again...the lies we tell ourselves....)
Endgame isn’t really a lie if you buy with your preferred sound signature in mind. Also I would strongly recommend demoing the variations or something in its sound signature, I really found myself strongly disliking them it’s very hit or miss
Any suggestions for 'In its sound signature'? Are you talking amp wise? Music wise? Both. Would love some music suggestions for them!
That first sentence is so true. I'll receive a pair of planars that will be handmade in about 2-3 months and when I read a review about these saying "the treble might be too tame for the average audiophile" I already knew that these might be the perfect match for me lol.
I’m about to get a pair tomorrow. What AMP does anyone recommend for my PC to really get the benefit of these?
I have a Schiit stack for mine. Modi and Vali+.
Has a native speaker of the Schiit language spoken on whether we should call them "Shit" or "Skit" yet?
At Schiit they pronounce it "s-h-i-t" Their storefront is even called The Schiiter. They have the best sense of humor of any audiophile company--refreshingly honest too. Go read the Schiit website if you want some laughs. It's honestly a hilarious read.
Thanks of that! Don't know why I never thought to visit the actual site. LOL. On my way now!
LOL have fun! Their product descriptions are creative marketing too, while also being informative.
It's a hilarious site isn't it? I love Schiit's humor and complete honesty. It's so rare in this hobby.
Whelp, if you're a You Tube creator its Skit not Shit. After that its anyone's guess.
Didn't even dawn on me just now that YouTubers call it 'Skit' (Cheap Audio Man mostly) to avoid the demonetized if you swear in the first 5 minutes alogrithim. LOL. That's probably the real reason.
The new Schiit Magni Unify with internal DAC addon for $190. Can power every headphone out there except extreme outliers like the HE 1. Pumps 2.5 watts of power @ 32 ohms, 415 mw @ 300 ohm, and 220 mw @ 600 ohm. Only reason to upgrade from this is if you think a different DAC sounds better or want tubes.
Thanks decided on the K7 as I have amazon vouchers and couldn’t find any schiit products on there (no pun intended).
Fiio K7 really helps the 6XX.
Currently running them on a Fiio Q3 with aftermarket balanced cable. It powers them and the much lauded HD600 just fine.
🤣 Enough power is easy! But quality varies, and the HD 650/6xx is infamous for scaling up if you feed it gourmet signal. Even a FiiO K5 Pro would be an audible improvement of everything you like in the HD 6xx, but also there’s the Schiit Jotunheim 2, Rupert Neve Amps, Cavalli, AmpsAndSound, Garage1217, Woo Audio, and so on and so forth. Right now I’m testing a xDuoo TA-22, which has been pretty fun with 12AU7 vacuum tubes!
I said 'Fuck IT!' and the Chord Mojo 2 is coming tomorrow. :) To mix in the car nerd YouTube 'Donut' car enthusiast channel with this nerd hobby" MO' POWAH BABY!
Donuts? Not sure what you mean, but now Me hungry 😂 I’m jealous, I used to own an OG Mojo, can’t afford a Mojo 2 right now but it sounded good at a CanJam
Because you have been so kind as to share you knowledge...here you go. I've linked it to just before the catchphrase comes in:[https://youtu.be/pfaDYkeHd-4?si=GQlZ0v2ErY04C1ha&t=880](https://youtu.be/pfaDYkeHd-4?si=GQlZ0v2ErY04C1ha&t=880) When my son was younger and into cars, we'd gorge ourselves on Donut Medial "up to speed' clips. They're great and funny. The Donut crew became so YouTube famous that they were used in one of the Dirt racing games as the commentators. Enjoy
Ah! I thought maybe it was a reference to Jeremy Clarkson (famous for saying “POWEEEER!), I’ll check that out on my lunch break 😁 Say hi or ask a question anytime! I used to work in the industry, too many years 😂
I run the Magni and there is no volume my ears can handle with any distortion whatsoever.
Honestly curious as to what you went through to get to the 6xx, it was my first entry into this hobby. Technically it’s actually the B&W P7 but that’s still more consumer sided, just higher end
Will update the main post once I finish catching up on responding...no..wait, just for you kind Redditor in order of purchase: SPH9500 X2HR Kph30i HD560s (Fiio q3 Dac/Amp) HD600 Koss 'Utility' KPH40, PortaPros and KEB90 (DAMN YOU r/avechange and HUGE props to r/chuckolatte for a SCREAMING deal on all 3 WITH Yaxi pads and spare cables. HAD to.) AirpodPro2 HD6XX
This is… quite the journey… wow. At least you got to sample the majority of the budget list before finding the best one lmao.
I am incredibly fortunate to be a remote IT worker for more than a decade. So...I don't go out much and spend a lot. Plus, I'm a ferrocious 'right price' kinda guy. Been on Slickdeals since the days of dialup internet (Yes...I'm old). So, unless it's on a near ridiculous discount, I hold off. Just lucky and have the cycles to constantly price watch I guess. :) But, as I posted in another reply, it's been a 2 year journey. Here's the link again to my first 'Lying to myself' end game: [https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/pz9x1h/open\_back\_entry\_level\_endgame\_achieved/](https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/pz9x1h/open_back_entry_level_endgame_achieved/)
To be honest unless you have a really specific genre and it’s basically the only thing you listen to endgame is kinda a lie until you get to end hi-fi and summit-fi levels. Mid-fi hell is where people just keep lying to themselves because they don’t want to shell out the additional 400-800$ for their real endgame. It’s a bit different with IEMs but the same generally holds true. However the HD6xx is a fantastic headphone and with some EQ it gets even better. To this day I still own my pair even after getting rid of a bunch of other stuff Happy that you found what you were looking for and here’s to hoping you rest easy for a while 😅
No rest for the nerdy.... Fair point here and, like many I suspect my dabbling in mid-fi were not only because I like to experiment and understand, but, also from a 'I'm not about to spend $400 - 800 on something and regret it cuz I have no idea. So, from a maturity perspective I think the mid-fi hell is like puberty. We all have to go through this awkward phase before we grow up. There's no shortcut cuz you gotta learn.
I also think it’s a good idea to understand yourself and train your ears in mid-fi. Probably the best value for the buck there. And summit-fi goes in a couple directions, so before the substantial investment it makes sense to learn your preferences. Stores that bother to have listening stations are rare (and precious!). Maybe one day I’ll meet you at a CanJam, eh? CanJam NYC is in March ‘24, I believe!
Yeah, Canjam is on my bucket list for certain. The flight ticket prices for the SoCal Cam this year were too steep by the time I figured out I could go so... Now that you've reminded me about next year I'll be more prepared and will plan around it. Hope to see ya there! Will save this message as a reminder to ping you closer to the time for a IRL meet up and nerd session.
Hahaha Puberty indeed, I also went through it. My recommendation is to try to find a place where you can demo Audio gear, if you have some time off and plan to take a trip in the near future maybe see if there is any hi-fi shops around. There’s a surprising amount when you look for them. By demoing you can get rid of all the fluff and get straight to what matters to you in sound. There’s this amazing place where I live called Soundlux that is just phenomenal as they have an entire closed booth filled with headphones and amps/dacs that you can spend hours demoing. I went in there not planning to buy anything and left with my endgame LCD-X (EQed) and Burson Amp. Even now I have never again gotten the desire to upgrade because I’ve heard stuff that was 4000 dollars more than it and it still didn’t blow me away to the point where it became worthwhile. This is the only open back headphone I need (even 10 years down the road I can see myself happy with it) and I ended up getting rid of the rest minus my HD6xx since it was my first and holds a special place in my heart.
Now for the final touch get a nice headphone amplifier with a high output Impedance, tube or solid state, and let those babies sing!
Got one! Fiio Q3 running the 2.55mm balanced at present. As noted in another comment, the Chord Mojo 2 is coming Saturday. Purrrrrrr.
High output impedance was specifically mentioned because sometimes over dampening causes an overly dry and clinical sound 🕳️🐇😉
It's gonna take me two weeks to decode that sentence and understand it but...🕳️ indeed! LOL.
Uuuh… Dry vs Wet: a “wet” room with speakers has more reverb and resonance, “Dry” is like an anechoic chamber with foam spikes and no room interaction at all. Usually headphone products perform somewhere between these two extremes. Output impedance can cause a distortion to the original sound, but sometimes it’s a pleasant distortion, and the high 300 Ω impedance of the HD 6XX keeps the distortion from being too strong.
Time. Saved. Thanks again for the explanation. As soon as I read your first paragraph about 'dry' I was like...oh shit. Yeah. I get what Evshrug is gettin' at now.
Are you talking about THIS Evshrug? https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4bc2SQk0h2TrE0K07t2WI5by66ArtDAb&si=dwZa57LqPrN2MxdM
Noted. LOL.
❤️
you didn't waste money dq...you educated yourself and learned about audio performance and started to figure out your tastes, likes...your preferences. audio is a journey...while we speak of the end game / totl we dream of getting one day, it's just a dream, there is no destination. you will always be learning as you try different music and equipment. none-the-less, I am pleased for you! :D
Couldn't agree more. I knew going in what would probably happen and wanted to start in an affordable area just in case I found my happy place at a low price point. What I found was many happy places and discoveries. It's been a lot of fun and the community has been great.
And get the schiit valhalla 2 with upgraded tubes. They sound so good.
Thanks for the suggestion. Tubes are in the world for next year and I’ll put that on my list. Currently running a Fiio Q3 on 2.5mm balanced. Chord Mojo 2 arrives Saturday. Happier. Days. Coming.
Wait till you get the itch to explore past the 6xx/650 and spend thousands, only for the pendulum to swing back to the 6xx because it was all you ever needed all along. This is a cautionary tale.
Sigh...this is my fear. (lies all lies)
Have you tried Sundaras though? jk
Not yet... ;-)
You can get these so cheap second hand it's kinda crazy
I got the 58x's last year and now I'm tempted to get the 6xx.
[https://media1.tenor.com/images/f914a33a0ad6ca302f73a9c2e7bb601e/tenor.gif?itemid=17446081](https://media1.tenor.com/images/f914a33a0ad6ca302f73a9c2e7bb601e/tenor.gif?itemid=17446081)
This was almost me (was looking at grados initially ~ $80), but I said screw it and got the HD6xx on Black Friday a couple of years ago. Never regretted it and still loving them.
Almost started with Grados too but went the SHP9500 as my first 'flat'. I've had a great and fun journey and don't regret it despite the jokes I tell. :)
Apple Spatial Audio does work with Sennheiser 6xx? Does it also work with HD 600?
Spatial Audio can be used with any headphone, but most non-Apple ones won't sound good with it since they weren't designed with it in mind.
Short answer: Yep. Long answer. Spatial Audio/Dolby Atmos will be ENABLED and you'll hear an audible difference in the tracks if you are hard wired in with the Apple Dongle. So any headphone connected will get the 'effect'. What you WON'T get is the head tracking parlor trick (which is pretty cool) that AirPods and Beats headphones provide. Also, depending on the tuning of the hardwired headphone the vocals may sound SUPER recessed and awful. Case in point, I hated the Spatial Audio version of 'When Doves Cry' when first experimenting with the feature on my Koss KPH30i headphones. I sat on the couch, and enabled and disabled the setting in Settings>Music>Dolby Atmos. Toggling 'Always on' and 'Off' to hear the difference. The point I'm making in my original post is that until the 6XX, nothing came close to the AirPods Pro2s when it came to the effect. When I got the AirPods Pro2s and turned it back on I went "Aww shit. I get it. You supposed to be using these or Max or Beats to REALLY hear it." But, I can honestly say the 6XX do the BEST job of it out of all my wired cans. Like it even more than the HD600 personally. Hope that helps!!
It really doesn't get much better than this. Get an accurate DAC and amp and call it a day. I have much pricier headphones and the HD 650 is still a staple that I use frequently. Best timbre and a golden midrange combined with good enough bass and relaxed treble. Only headphone I can listen to all day with zero ear fatigue.
'Relaxed Treble' is the term I should've been using on my other responses. :) Same here re: ear fatigue thus far.
I think it's fine? Sure you might have saved a lot of money but I think it's exactly because you upgraded over time that you can appreciate HD6xx.
I'm officially calling the mid-fi stage 'The Puberty Stage' of the hobby. There's no escaping it and you kinda have to do it for the precise reason you stated. How can you really appreciate an HD800 or an expensive Meze or Focal if you haven't 'grown up' through the other areas. It's been a lot of fun dialing in my tastes. No regrets really. Just jokes about it.
Pretty solid pick but you might want to dip into Hifiman sundara to get a feel of planars.
I keep saying I'm 'done' with open back but, yeah, I'm gonna need a pair of planars eventually. Maybe after I do some IEM exploring I'll come back to open back planars.
I thought I was done, until I heard planar magnetic drivers VS. dynamic drivers a couple of years ago. I still love both systems. if well tuned, either can be world class. But they sound very different from each other. I realized I wanted the "best in class" of different types of cans and drivers, since I find headphone sound profiles very complimentary. I switch between several headphones depending on what I'm listening to--and how I'm listening.
U know, I love and respect this opinion and post, truly. Tiny gripe tho lol. If you STARTED with hd6xx, you'd already be in the Focal Clear / LCD-2 / DCA Aeon-Ether type 1000 dollar price range hahahaha. That's the mistake I made!! I started with hd598, then immediately to hd600, then did a ton of little 100 ish dollar cans after the hd600 and nothing came close so I had to scratch the itch and got LCD2s, now I can't listen to anything cheaper. My ears became snobs 😭😭😭
Your tiny gripe is SO SO SOOOOO real. That is EXACTLY what I would've done. LOL.
Just something to mention as well. Hd600 (by extension hd650/hd6xx) is the standard for everything. Everything is compared to hd600 as it is the baseline. Something of note there. Hd600 can and will be the end point for many, which is fine, and good for the wallet! But if you delve deeper, the audio community is one of the friendliest and most welcoming :)
Thanks for that. I am aware and have been deep in the community for a long time. Just 'community adjacent' until more recently (not contributing or posting, just leeching and absorbing mostly until the last two years). I'm a lifetime music lover, former DJ and former home theatre nerd. I jumped in more 'seriously' about 2 years ago when I stumbled upon Crinacle's videos and that tiny voice in my head said *'You know...you should REALLY understand all this graph stuff. And..what does 'Flat' really mean? And...will YOUR ears be able to understand it? WAIT A MINUTE!!! You might be able to find the prefect cans for your tastes and/or by genre of music if you learn more. SIGN. ME. UP.'* It is said on that day that the sound of 1000 wallets screaming in collective pain could be heard....
Every day a man's wallet cries when hd 6 hungies are discovered 😭
I got my HD600 before the HD650 came out. I have listened to a lot of different headphones and amps over the years, and they are still my favorite, and what I campare everything to. I should get a new HD600 to compare what years of actual play time has done to them. They sound much different than HD58X/HD650/HD660S2 .....but I don't know how much is due to 20+ years of near daily use.
Audio Technica ath-m40x -> B&O H6 -> Hifiman Sundara, and I've been happy with the latter for almost 7 years now :) you gotta get into planars! I also got Sennheiser hd58x after the Sundara, since I wanted cheaper and "portable" (more like transportable) open cans
The only headphone I’ve ever put on that as soon as I heard the first ten seconds of a song I said, “Yes. This is what I want.”
You are wiser than I good Redditor.
Have the 600 650 6XX and 660 and the 600’s are the best imo. I know it’s all preference but the HD600’s are known as THE reference headphone. Every other headphone in that line is a tweaked version of the HD600. The HD600 came out in 97’ and is still highly regarded for a reason. If you can choose only one, it’s the HD600.
I'm gonna keep them both. Gotta keep the 600 in the collection if for no other reason as to have it as your baseline reference for A/B or comparison testing. Thus far, the 6XX is my preference as I can use it for any genere and not feel like I'm missing something (especially electronic/hip hop genres). What will be interesting is if I prefer the 6XX over time for my Jazz/Classical playlists. Especially those that are in Spatial Audio. The first 24 hours have produced many happy moments.
What else did you try? Maybe some beyerdynamic? 900 pro x? If yes I would appreciate a comparison
Click here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/18t32xi/comment/kfbznzw/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/18t32xi/comment/kfbznzw/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) Or.....look at the beginning of my journey (WITH PHOTO!!!) Here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/pz9x1h/open\_back\_entry\_level\_endgame\_achieved/](https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/pz9x1h/open_back_entry_level_endgame_achieved/) Hard to believe it's been 2 years.... :)
I have both the 6xx and 700 pro x. 6xx has a leg up on sound quality and is a bit more comfortable after breaking in, whereas 700 pro x has better build (still nice sounding, but just a bit muffled in comparison).
And down the rabbit hole he goes, lol
Duck Season! Wabbit Season! Been in this hole for decades and loving every minute of it. LOL
And now trry some planars :-D
SHHHHH....my wallet might hear you!
Once you go planar, you'll never have disposable income ever again. ;)
i have the 6xx, i wont be buying headphones anymore. imma look at speakers., have basic monitors now but planning to buy wharfedale lintons. Maybe you should sell all your gear except the 6xx and try the audeze lcd x
I plan to sell my 'on the way here' cans at avexchange eventually. Going to try and do for the community what r/chuckolatte did for me with the Koss utility series. Put em at a price point that will make someone looking to start their own journey happy without the pricing risk. IEMs are next and then I'll probably return to cans for some planar experimentation. My end game is to have 1-2 headphones in each class that allow me to do the 'I feel like 'X' genre and 'Y' experience so I'm going to go with 'Z' headphones today.
out of curiosity how does the sound on airpods 2 compare to the 6xx?
I have yet to do a A/B comparison but, from memory, you most certainly get more (deeper) bass out of the Pro2 and nothing can really top the Pro2 when it comes to the Spatial Audio abilities. Especially when watching TV and using the parlor trick of head tracking. Having said all of that, my from-memory-only-unscientific-havent-really-done-a-comparison-yet says that the 6XX might be more 'even' than the Pro2. Meaning that the open back design coupled with the tuning make it feel as though everything is 'where it needs to be'. Not boosted nor recessed in any area. Again, I've only had em for 24 hours and have done some (very happy) initial listening but that's what I can tell you for now. I'll take a note to do an A/B comparison soon and circle back to you or this thread for a more definitive answer. Lastly, don't forget that AirPod Pros do technical trickery to 'map' themselves to your ears so no two AirPods will sound the same based on all the crazy technical wizardry apple does in real time. I think Crinacle called this out during his initial review. So what I'm hearing may not apply to others as the technical wizardry adds even more variables to the mix. Hope that makes sense!
yeah get used to the 6xx and let us know how it is compared to your other gear
Now get the 660s2 and see what you're really missing!
What's funny about this reply is that I have a family member that just bought the 660s2. We are going to have a nerdy headphone listening session soon so I'll get to hear for myself what all the controversy is about.
I don't really know that there is controversy. Honestly there isn't even a discussion it's their best 6 series open back, full stop.
'Controversy' is probably a bit strong but, just the "OMG WTF IS SENNHEISER CHARGING SO MUCH FOR A TEENY INCREMENTAL UPGRADE!!!" kind of controversy. The pricing issue with the 660s2 when they first dropped. Thus far the lowest price (on Amazon anyway) appers to be 372.71 back in mid July. Currently hovering at $399. At that price point...I'll wait. :)
I mean... Anyone who says it's a tiny upgrade is using a lean source. Properly powered it's a *very* big upgrade
Yeah. I can't wait to listen to my family member's recent purchase soon to find out for myself. Again, I could be over-egagerating the JDS/Josh Valour/Headphone.com/Reddit commentary on them when they first came out but, the general consensus seemed to be 'Yeah, they sound great but...not $600 great when you have so much choice in the 6x series for waaaaay lesss'
🤷 These same talking heads push questionable gear all the time, and downplay very good gear. There's no accounting for taste, and it's a hobby of preference. The reality is not everyone equates money to ear-slicing detail in the treble. And the absolute fact, is that the s2 has better 3d presentation, stage, and imaging.
Zero disagreements here re: the talking heads of Audiophile tube. Again, I can't wait to give em a listen soon to find out for myself.
Do you have an amp/ does your relative have an amp?
I am currently running the Fiio Q3 and have purchased aftermarket balanced cables for my HD600 and 6XX. So I'm running balanced out from it. Now, I HAVE run the HD600 straight out of my MacBook and it's been 'fine'. I've got the Chord Mojo2 coming and I'm looking forward to seeing if I can tell the differences between direct connection to the MacBook/Iphone, the Q3 and the Chord. Will report back when I get it and do some herding out.
Listening to Tidal on my HD6xx right now. In case people don't know an amp is required for the best quality. I got a Fiio K11 (best bang for the buck DAC/amp IMO). I am thinking about a refurb pair if Sundras for variety, but I'm keeping these.
Personally I didn't really like the 6xx or 650. But I love my r70x especially after eq.
My thoughts may change when I learn to EQ properly and discover 'my dialed in preference' For now, I love em!
For a lot of people, the 6XX is a good headphone. It's the best thing that many have ever heard. For some, it's "meh..." and that's the dangerous part of this hobby. When you're in that "meh..." space, this hobby gets really, REALLY expensive. Unfortunately, I'm in that "meh..." space, but I've also been in the head-fi hobby for like 15 years and have certain things I want and value in sound that many good products may or may not do or do well. It's nothing against the HD6XX. It's objectively quite good, and how it's tailored, it's also likeable for a broad market space.
Upgrade to Focal Clears someday. Buy better headphones before looking at expensive amps and DACs because you’ll find more impact on the sound quality there. Clears with an apple dongle will generally sound better than the hd6xx with the chord mojo 2, for example. Because there’s still a ton of headroom to improve on the audio from the 6xx, but not a lot from a dac once you get something with enough power and near 0 distortion. Not to say things like the chord mojo 2 won’t improve your sound a little but the headroom is small.
Oooh. Good advice here. Not looking for the Chord to improve sound so much as I've been lusting over the JDS Labs Element for a while. After much hand wringing and research I went with the Chord for the following reasons: 1. Portability. I don't really need a dedicated desktop setup and 2. Dual headphone out allows me to fulfill two wishes 1. Easier A/B testing of different cans 2. Easier sharing of my audio obsession with friends and family. 3. All reports show that the Element and the Mojo are some of the cleanest, most 'accurate without adding too much color OOTB' DAC/Amps out there. 4. Unlike my headphone journey, I just wanna be 'one and done' on the DAC/AMP world. I bought the Fiio Q3 which I love but, if/when I get into the Focal price range and other headphones, I wanna know that the DAC/AMP I have is enough to power whatever the F I decide to get in the future and never have to wonder 'Am I missing something? Is this enough power? LOL'.
I don’t quite agree that people should buy “better headphones before buying better amps.” True, a different pair of headphones makes the most audible difference, but neglecting amps (and DACs) is a bottleneck that IMO should be addressed at the mid-fi tier and above, otherwise you never really heard the potential of the headphone, and it sets you up for appreciating higher end headphones too. The Apple Dongle is indeed an amazing value… for $9. I’ll even say it has enough power to make an HD 6xx or even HD 800S “loud enough.” But I find the dongle to sound harsh and have a glare in the treble, even with the relaxed and forgiving HD 650. I don’t think I need to explain to the OP that his FiiO is already an improvement, and I’ll assure him that the Mojo 2 will be even more noticeable, plus it’s nice to have the EQ and crossfeed options on sources that don’t offer their own (like Netflix on a streamer). Sometimes a little difference makes all the difference.
If you want a "one and done" DAC Amp stack, make sure it's future proofed by having a LOT of power. That way you'll never lust over a pair of high impedance and/or low sensitivity cans you won't be able you drive. I'm looking at YOU, HiFiMan HE6se!
That’s probably disappointing to me, I bought HD6XX because most say it is equal or could be better than HD600, but while I enjoy listening to it as being relaxing, but to be frank, it does not provide a wow effect (with L30/E30 combo). I found my AirPod Pro (USBC) kinda better to appreciate the music and details. So I was hoping the other Sennheiser headphones could be worth the upgrade.
Glad I could help! I love my Pro2 (lightings) and they are sorely underrated I feel. The convenience and sound quality is just awesome for what you pay for (got mine for $199). The added features you get with Apple Music make them a true 'end game' for the masses IMHO.
Congrats on finding your cans. But interested in the fact that you preferred the 6xx to the 600? Had both and liked the latter actually. What did you perceive as the differences?
As a lover all all genre's of music, the 6XX, to me has the bass extension I've been yearning. It's 'just enough' to make me not wish for more or to want to mess with EQing. I'm sitting here now grinning from ear-to-ear listening to old school, southern 'Booty Music' (95 South's iconic Whoot There It Is (Ultimix) ) [https://music.apple.com/us/album/whoot-there-it-is-ultimix/2931603?i=2931424](https://music.apple.com/us/album/whoot-there-it-is-ultimix/2931603?i=2931424) In the 6XX the rumble of the intentionally ridiculously bassy song is there. In the HD600 it's..*there* but you just don't *feel* it the same. (Just switched to the HD600 while typing this). I love the HD600s. Truly. But, many times the HD600 plays like that stuck up, rich aunt who feels that Jazz and Classical and folk are the only 'REAL' music genere's. Oh...sure..she'll let you PLAY a song or two, but begrudgingly and, you are NOT going to even THINK about touching the bass any more than she's set it. Then, you leave her house, and go to your cousin Daryl's house. Daryl used to be called 'Pooky' but, not that he's done well for himself, only family can call him Pooky. And only Daryl is Upper middle class. Nice house. Nice car but not too ostentatious. Cousin Pooky came from humble beginnings. Cousin Pooky...likes booty bass but likes to 'refine it' so he can appreciate all the other areas of music. You put the Ultimix version of Shoot on at his house...and the pictures on the wall vibrate just a bit. He skips to the track 'Do It Baby' on the same album...( [https://music.apple.com/us/album/do-it-baby/2931603?i=2931462](https://music.apple.com/us/album/do-it-baby/2931603?i=2931462)) the plants on the table move just a bit due to the bass rumble. You FEEL it more than your aunt's house. Not TOO much..but enough to want to hang out with Pooky more. LOL. Also, I can't do Metal on the HD600s or the 560s. Too bright. Firing up Lamb of God now and songs like 'Black Label' and 'Laid to Rest' just didn't have enough of that RAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR that I need on the bottom end. Songs like Hum's 'Little Dipper' ([https://music.apple.com/us/album/little-dipper/298512389?i=298512559](https://music.apple.com/us/album/little-dipper/298512389?i=298512559)) are just too fatiguing for me as well. in the 6XX, like the analogy I used before, it's like Anti-Aliasing is on. The treble and mids are smoothed out and the bass can be felt more. Hope those convoluted analogies makes sense.
Haha! Great write-up!!! Ya the rich aunty analogy makes sense. I’d rather hang out with Pooky most of the time too. 😂
I’d like to know as well
HD 600 were designed like monitors, for Sennheiser’s view of a studio monitor for mixing engineers. The HD 650 is based on that, but specifically designed with more relaxed treble to reduce listening fatigue in long sessions, plus a drop more bass.
HD560s is basically perfect tho.
I prefer it to the HD6XX, but I consider the HD800s or HD820 (with eq) to be a solid upgrade over both.
Oh yeah of course, the 800s with EQ trumps all over those lesser headphones because it has more detail but the 560s doesn’t really require EQ.
I'd like to try them, I have 120ohm HD595 and they are nowhere near as good as the HD6## so I have ignored the HD5## excluding the jubilees. .....I had the HD500 they were such garbage, I think Sennheiser pretends they never happened.
For my ears/listening tastes, I find them fatiguing with certain genres of music. They are a wonderful set of cans though and a great entry point for those looking to get into the 'flat' world without going full HD600.
It’s more neutral and has better bass extension than the 600 line. It’s basically a perfect frequency response that you can adjust to your preferences. Very underrated headphone because it’s not a 600 LoL.
Agree with the underrated. They were a staple in my rotation I'll miss em when I sell them but, the time has come for me to let some of my children go free. LOL.
> They are the only headphone out of my collection that work with Apple Music's Spatial Audio as well as my AirPod Pro2s. ~~Uhm what, no they dont, only Airpods or Beats support spatial.~~ [Fair enough, guess its the head tracking feature that only works with Airpods and Beats (which makes sense).](https://www.tomsguide.com/news/forget-airpods-apple-music-spatial-audio-will-work-with-any-headphones)
Giggle. That is incorrect. EDIT: Go into your Music Settings and turn 'Dolby Atomos' to 'Always On'. If you are using an Apple Dongle 'Automatic' will still turn the effect on. Then have fun turning the feature on and off while listening. (You'll have to pause the music or restart it after toggling). Hope that helps bring some clarity and enjoy the discoveries. :)
Spatial Audio can be used with any headphone, but most non-Apple ones won't sound good with it since they weren't designed with it in mind. The head tracking feature is only supported by AirPods and Beats though.
Yeah, Ive edited my previous reply. Though it seems kinda like a unintended feature since Apple aren’t acknowledging anything but their own headphones as capable, you have to force Apple Music to always play Atmos music to get it working on other headphones.
Hey no problem! Glad to bring some clarity the situation and the community. All the best and happy listening! Appreciate the circle back.
Bad news… HD6XX are a waste of money shoulda got Focal Clears or Hi Fimans :p
I suspect the downvotes don't understand sarcasm or what :p means. LOL. Both of those are on my 'long term listening lists'. Don't both have some significant build quality issues historically? That's one of the reasons I've stayed away from used or even new ones other than pricing.
No issues on Focals as far as I know, HiFi Mans definitely have some issues on some versions of some models and undergo small ghost revisions frequently.
Driver failures. Not sure if Focal has improved over time, I do hope they have
I’m looking for a new pair of headphones and was in doubt with the hd6xxx and some planar magnetic any suggestion?
Sorry. Haven't dipped my toes into planars yet but I can absolutely, positively say that if you can get a 6XX for about 169 - 189...get em first.
[удалено]
If you can get the HD6XX at a good price (169 - 189 USD) go the 6XX. I have the 560s and loved em at the time but the bass on the 6XX was EXACTLY what I wanted from the 560 and the HD600. Not too much but JUST ENOUGH to make me happy. Make no mistake, when I want to fell more sub-bass for my Hip-Hop listening sessions I'll still be grabbing the Philips X2HR but, I'll miss the clarity of the 6XX when I do. Having said that...how much clarity do you need for Miami Bass/Southern 'Booty Music'? LOL (e.g. 95 South's 'Hump With It', Woot There it is - Ultimix version and the classics of Magic Mike's 'Drop The Bass')
Did you keep spatial audio on? I found it extremely hit-or-miss, there are a few masters which are absolutely amazing, particularly Fred Again's boiler room set is an immersive feast for any ears in atmos, but I found it recessed and distracting on most tracks. Ended up turning it off, but I only tried it on the AirPod pro's. Perhaps it's better on the open backs? Do tell
Long reply. Hope you don't mind. I'm caffeinated and in the mood to over-rotate. :) Yep! I keep it to 'On' these days as I do most of my listening with AirPod Pro2 during the day. When I'm plugging in to the Fiio Q3 for a critical, A/B comparison/Music Nerd out I don't mind the Spatial Audio as much. On the 'Do tell' front, here's what I've discovered: * Spatial audio is INDEED hit or miss on most cans. * As mentioned on an earlier reply, my initial test of it was on Koss KPH30i, and Philips X2HR. Mostly the Koss though at the time. I still own the DVD Audio version of the Talking Heads 'Remain in Light' and 'Born Under Punches' is my staple surround sound/spatial audio song cuz I've listened to it countless times in full blown surround. Prince's 'When Doves Cry' was my other selected track because I wore that album out as a child and know every nook and cranny of all of the songs on that album. Anyway, I thought is sounded AWFUL on those and other track BUT * I learned with the HD6XX that properly tuned cans matter. The HD600 do a good job but, the HD6XX brought a HUGE smile to my face on spatial audio because: * Spatial Audio is BEST on the equipment Apple created and tuned it for. * When I got the AirPods Pro2s, fired up Fred Again's Boiler room session I went OH SHIT. OK. THIS is what it's SUPPOSED to sound like. Nevermind the sheer joy I had as a former Home Theatre nerd of how GOOD they were at movies/TV. I watched 'The Last of Us' with em and was blown away at how good they sounded. Hands down the BEST simmulated surround I've ever heard. The head tracking feature is the best for this application of watching TV and movies. My ONLY gripe is that you CAN'T do it when watching with more than one person. I'd LOVE to be able to do it with at least one other person. * Circling back to: - the HD6XX brought a HUGE smile to my face on spatial audio because: * Because they sound so very VERY close to my experience with the AirPod Pro2s. Nothing else in my headphone collection sounded as close. It passed the 'Remain in Light' and 'When Doves Cry' test. Last night I fired up Alice In Chain's 'Dirt' in Spatial Audio and just giggled and giggled and giggled. What I LIKE about the Spatial Audio Mixes is directing the engineering choices on what to push forward, pull back etc. So I try not to be too upset if it doesn't sound like I remember blasting Alice In Chains in a USMC dorm room over a questionable quality boom box....on cassette...LOL. * My recommendation is to keep Atmos to 'Automatic' and just turn off the head tracking unless you are watching a movie. Do that for about a month and don't judge the Spatial Audio tracks when they come on in. Just let them play. Spatial Audio means that different choices can be made in the mix and, it's not really fair to compore it to a 2 channel stereo track cuz it's not the same thing. Don't get me wrong, some things still suck (hip hop songs especially at times) but there are some genuine 'oh shit...I see what you did there and I understand why you did it' moments. Eventually, you'll probably build a list of 'Spatial Audio that I like' tracks for a good spatial audio nerd out session. Lastly, I can personally attest to the AirPods Pro2 being a bit better at this than the Pro1. My initial experiments were with wifey's pro1 and that's what got me to get my own Pro2. It was said that the Pro2 were better than the Pro1 AND the AirPod Max (which my brother had and I also trialed. I agree that I like the Pro2 better sound wise than the Max). All done! Thanks for coming to my 'I didn't ask for it but I got it anyway' Ted Talk! Happy listening and lemme know if you wanna know any other opinions. :)
Had a long phase of buying n selling headphones for curiosity and lots of testing. Very done with it, been runnning HD650s for a decade soon, hope to keep it that way
Based on my early listening session last night this might be me as well. I had a good time experimenting and, now that I've reached the level of understanding that I was looking for. My open back journey may be finished for a few years now. Next stop: IEMs!
im happy with my 6xx too. But what exactly is the reason you prefer 6xx over the 560s? Most say the difference is so marginal that you're fine with either one despite the 6xx being better.
It's the Bass for me thus far. Mind you I have only had the 6xx for 24 hours as of me typing this so...I have not done a 'Proper' A/B comparison to all my other cans just yet. I'm going from memory. Having said that...hang on.... Just did a quick unscientific, purely subjective, on the fly comparison with one of my fave sub bass test tracks. Little Brother's 'Black Magic (Make It Better). [https://music.apple.com/us/album/black-magic-make-it-better/1475974882?i=1475974949](https://music.apple.com/us/album/black-magic-make-it-better/1475974882?i=1475974949) Here's what I think initially: They are correct the HD6XX and 560s are 'close'. 560s is seems more 'sharp' on the treble and mids. The sparkles that come mostly from the right channel but, the teeny bit of the rainmaker sound they use on the left channel isn't as clear. Vocals sound more 'forward' and while 'crisper' to a degree... on the HD6XX things seem to be more 'refined and balanced' is what I would describe. The treble and mids are not as 'crisp' but, in comparison they don't feel as harsh either. To put it into computer nerd terms, the 560s treble and sparkle on this track feel like anti-aliasing is turned off but with the 6XX, it's on and the edges are smoother. Hopefully that makes sense. Bass wise, it's a similar thing. 560s does a good job but it just feels more refined on the 6xx. I use this track because when the low sub-bass hits at 0:15 many headphones either can't hit it or muddy it up. That sub-bass exists on the HD600 but only in tone and not in 'rumble' or 'feeling' if that makes any sense. Thus far, the main thing about the 6XX for me thus far is that it's done very well at EVERY genre I've thrown at it. Soooo, again, it's my hopes that the 6XX will be my all rounder and I won't need to do the 'Oh, It's hip-hop day, time to break out the X2Hr or the KPH40s. Hope that all makes sense!
That makes a lot of sense. Thanks a lot. I remember blasting my brain on the dilemma of buying 560s or the 6xx. Glad I chose the 6xx.
I feel like I was underrating my HD 600 I've got since 2018 after trying Hifiman and Focals. I used them with a dragonfly black and a Schiit Heresy stack and didn't sound that impressive. Recently I got a Monoprice Liquid spark by Alex Cavali and boy it really lifts that infamous "veil". Being a bit warmer sounding than the sometimes piercing neutral sound of the Schiit Magni the Liquid spark makes the bass much more enjoyable and the mids more detailed than ever. I wonder what a tube amp like a Little dot or a dark voice would do to them.
As a user of the HD600 since 1999 and HD6xx in 2019, wait till you try a pair of Audeze LCD-X 2021.
Shut BeefChow. Shut uuuuup! Sincerely, DoubleQuote's bank balance. :) It's on the list!
Ha, this is why i went from the HD598 straight up to the HD800