Sennheiser HD 600 Review - The Classic Reference
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- čas přidán 6. 09. 2024
- Current EQ Profile (Updated 9/16/2017):
Preamp: -7.5 dB
10 Hz: Q 1.41, -0.5 dB
20 Hz: Q 1.0, -5.5 dB
30 Hz: Q 0.8, +10 dB
100 Hz: Q 1.0: -1 dB
3500 Hz: Q 2.0, -1.5 dB
Follow me on Twitter to know when I'm uploading, what's coming next, and to just generally get in touch. / metal571
I never comment on CZcams videos, but I've never felt so compelled to do so on one, other than this one. I bought the HD600 - 6 months after it was released in the 90's, for what back then, for me, was about a weeks wages. My god it hurt me. Best weeks wages I've ever spent!
Today, my HD600, with it's rock solid engineering, still sees it now, in the same condition I bought it. Despite the flimsy wires that I've stood up on and ripped out of the headphones a million times... but they've always slotted straight back in without any anxiety... business as usual. I've never had to buy a replacement part for the HD600, after nearly 20 years of owning it! Totally bullet proof! You simply can't break the HD600!
Within a month of owning the HD600, it felt like it was made to fit my head. It's so incredibly comfortable and didn't clamp hard at all. My wife has woken me regularly, in the early hours of the morning, with it still clamped to my head, after I drifted off.
But, but, but, the sound, that's all we're really bothered about, and oh my god, the sound, it's astonishing! I mean legendary quality. Like the host, you can nitpick about them, you can say "I've heard better in this" and ”the bass could be a little tighter" the trebles "waft" a bit,", "it could be a bit tighter" "the soundstage is a bit narrow", but, bear in mind your buying a pair of headphones that were state of the art when I was a late teenager, and I'm now in my forties! When I put these on in my 20's I fell in love....and I'm still in love...not many marriages last that long these days! They're not perfect, but for the money these days, they're the biggest bargain I'm aware of!
In summary, I've heard many more, and found better, but, I remain as blown away at the overall neutrality and sublime honesty that these headphones produce now, as I did when I bought mine in my 20's. They're my all day driver and probably always will be.
If you love music and don't own HD600's, then you don't love music enough. Really. You have to own them, and Sennheiser should never, EVER, change the design or try to improve it. It's as important to audio history as Concorde is to aviation.
As the host said, they're as close to reference as you'll ever find. They're the benchmark.
This is awesome to read. I wasn't even remotely aware of these at the point they came out but it's still crazy to imagine that they've held this must-have status for so long. And they've held it amazingly well.
metal571 Mate, for what they cost now, just but them. They're amazing. They're not the best in world, but for a long time they were untouchable and there's a reason Senn are still selling them, unchanged from 20 years ago. They're just wonderful. They really are.
Mitch Lambert that's exactly why I still have my pair. They are the standard to which I hold basically any open back at the 300-400 dollar price point. So far overall they're still my favorite in that range. Pretty amazing
metal571 They're awesome aren't they mate, I lent mine to my brother and I'm already pestering him for them back. I have a set of Sennheiser 380 pro's that I bought for flying in business and they're bloody shocking. I can't live without my 600's.
That was beautiful haha
My HD 600's were the first headphones I ever invested hard money in. I remember researching shy of two months and making the push to purchase them. Of all reviews for them, a phrase crept up in a few that sums them up as the perfect stereo headphone. It's sound is natural yet captivating without fatigue, much like a pair of speakers placed correctly creating a balanced, slightly forward, stereophonic image. The ear cups have molded to my head and the clamp has long since been an issue. This is a headphone that can put in a lot of mileage as well. Replacement pads, cables, headband pads, whole drivers, this headphone is covered for parts. A part of me would freak out if Sennheiser ever released a closed back version.
+JioFreedOfOphan yeah I hope they do make a good closed back version. Sennheiser seems to be behind on their closed offerings.
Great review! I love this thing so much. One other thing that stands out for me is the sense of 'depth' to the soundstage that these provide; where, say, the AKG K550 has a very wide soundstage, but a lack of real imaging 'depth' in my opinion, moving to the HD 600 is like going from a 2D to a 3D experience.
Agreed
I really miss this guy, i wish he'd continued
Hi there, metal571. I just wanted to say a big thanks for your headphone reviews.
I've been doing a lot of research into replacing my current old Sennheisers which have served me well. I'm getting a lot more work these days doing anything from film and TV composing, to band production and general sound design / audio editing etc so I wanted something decent. I was looking at some AKGs and Beyerdynamics but my research and your reviews convinced me to go all out and purchase the Sennheiser 600s. What can I say. Possibly the best money I've ever spent. If anyone reading this is serious about their sound then I would very highly recommend forking out the extra dollars for these. Just do it. You won't be disappointed. I'm in audio heaven now.
Great review, and one of the reasons I bought the HD600s recently; I love the sound of these headphones.
Made 20 years ago & it’s still dominating in sound & comfort for that price point, that’s insane cause beats & Bose are still lacking but are some of the most popular headphones
Beats and Bose are not reference headphones. They are meant to sound good when you listen to music. These are meant for studio use. To mix music.
@@jimmyhansen5842 No, these were Sennheisers flagship headphones back in the days. Not made for studio use, even tho many people do.
Beats are made for the big masses that thinks alot of bass = good sound quality.
Thanks for the review. Just ordered it! Used the Sennhesier HD 558 for years.
Hopefully they have been enjoyable. It is crazy surprising to me still that someone with that many subs has run across my tiny channel
Agreed I have most senns apart from the HD700 or HD800 and I always come back to the HD600 and leave the HD650 on the shelf. I also compare everything to the HD600 just found your channel and your reviews so far are spot on.
+Rays RCs Thanks much appreciated. The HD 800 is a better headphone, but needs some combination of the Anaxilus mod, a warm source, and EQ to remove the 6k peak, which is essentially a design flaw.
My HD 600's are arriving tomorrow night and I can't wait! Going to be a huge upgrade from my 280 pros.
Thank you for this video! I am brand new to this hobby and still searching for my first pair. This video literally answered so many questions I had about his pair.
I totally understand that headphone listening is subjective.
I own Sennheiser 580, 600, 650, 700 and (previously owned) Baby Orpheus.
The 600's are the best sounding for me.
Without EQ, yes, 600s are still my pick. But I would be willing to bet I'd like the 800s more if EQ and/or modding was brought into the picture to remove their spike
Thanks for the review. I've been listening to more jazz lately and closed back headphones don't do the music justice. Wanted a natural soundstage.
metal571 I just bought these. I felt like I absolutely had to. They are THE MOST important headphone to have for my purposes. I went way over my budget but I figured a sennheiser hd600 is like a life investment especially for the price I got them for. $230 ain't so bad to have the best mixing headphone known to mankind lol
I paid 270 and they'fe the most expensive headphones I ever bought. Zero regrets. I can see why Tyll and many others called them an excellent value for the money even at 399, which is what they used to cost. You're paying for the sound quality, and you get it in spades.
metal571 That's true. I actually saw the Sennheiser HD650 on ebay and I probably could have grabbed it for $160 or so but I refused to settle for less than the best simply because of a $70 price difference. I can't wait until my HD600 get here! I'm so excited! =D ...but I'm also broke. =/ lol
Amir Grant welcome to this hobby. LOL. The 650 is much worse at pointing out details. Glad you didn't go for it. I hated it.
metal571 That's a shame. I love the design of them. I'll have to try those out for myself before I buy them. By the way, have you ever listened to a Beyerdynamic DT770 250 ohm? I heard a lot of good things about it sound wise. From what I read, the only differences between the 250 ohm and 80 ohm version is the 80 ohm is smoother sounding and has more bass while the 250 ohm has more of an aggressive approach but is more balanced and the treble is not as laid back sounding.
Amir Grant I've heard the 32 ohm which is supposed to be similar to the 250. You're correct, the 250 is quite V shaped to the point of being aggressive but probably not quite as much as a 990. The 80 ohm has probably the most relaxed treble I've heard from a Beyer and huge bass.
HD600 is the reference for me too.
I came here to watch a review on the Hifiman HE400s, as I had pretty much decided that it would be my first purchase as I start this hobby. Thanks for confusing me all over again, after watching so many reviews where reviewers actually started using the HE400's instead of the HD600 😆 I'm just going to buy the HD600 before I change my mind. For some reason I believe you more, and also because I prefer a neutral sound, or at least to hear exactly what was recorded. 🖒
+Sigurd Endemann you will still miss a bunch of the sub bass on either headphone but the HD 600 is a more detailed and more natural sounding set. A little bit of corrective EQ makes them even better
In what ways would you "correct" the EQ? Also, what headphones have better sub bass?
Ethan Gaines It's in the description. My go-to for awesome sub bass (but sometimes overbearing) is the DT770 80 ohm which I've also reviewed
Phenomenal cans; ,movies are like you are in a giant movie theatre/ classical music simply heavenly and jazz/ pop well it's just a pleasure to listen to! Some people say the soundstage is narrow; no, the soundstage is very good with a 3D like effect and imaging is just right! Probably a little bass light without the right amp but with the right amp the bass is right where it should be; the mids are incredible! For the price these sound like cans costing three times as much and everything is replaceable including the cable! Just about to replace the head cushion on mine after five years of use; still around after 20 yrs well that says something about them! World class
Based on your review I conclude that this model would be better for mixing than the 650. The 650 was recommended to me but hearing reviews between these two, the 600 seems to always come on top.
Thank you for the review.
Made the order for mine. So excited to get it! Was going to get something cheaper, but realised I'll probably just end up buying this in the future.
I would definitely let you borrow my 8.35 D if we lived near each other or something. I'm really hesitant to send via mail especially to another country. If you feel adventurous in a future headphone purchase I urge you to consider them. BTW I really like all the little details you mention in your vids. The little things good and bad one might notice after a good period of use. It's generally things that other reviewers don't speak on but definitely give a more real and well rounded review. Definitely appreciate the time and insight you put into your vids!
Thanks a lot, and yeah that's exactly why my review style because I've watched reviews of just about everything tech related and used that along with the question of "what would I want from a review" to come up with this style.
+Samplerjazz Agree and was just about to comment. I appreciate his reviews out of all I've heard because of the fact that he's not overly happy and presents the facts as is. Can't wait to get my hands on the 600 though..
Picked up a pair of these new for $220 today. Can't wait to start my journey into open-back headphones.
Andy Richards where did you get them? if I may ask
I live in Australia so I got them from a Melbourne store.
headphonesmelbourne.com.au/products/sennheiser-hd600-headphones
There's a 10% discount code also
headphonesmelbourne.com.au/blogs/news
So with the discount they're $295AUD = $225 USD
Free delivery on orders over $150.
Andy Richards thx a lot!!
Andy Richards got them. they should arrive early next week :)
I totally agree with you. The sub bass is not great, but it is enough.Also i want +2dB at the treble just for more sparkle, but not more.
When i bought them i was worried it would be no bass, but their treble and midgrange just made me fall in love with them. Vocals, guitars, bass guitars, violins,drums etc are incredible. Actually any real instrument sounds soooo good.
(i'm using the O2 and ODac with DIY salas PSU)
Yeah very realistic sounding headphone.
Bought a used pair of these for 50 quids, just had to change the pads and cable for another 15 pounds, and I was set.
hey metal, great review and im subscribing coz i think u respond to a tonnes of question that ur subscriber posted here. not like some other reviewer. Nice
I just purchased a pair, and I have a Schiit audio magni 3 on the way. My Outlaw 975 pre-amp is on tippy-toes trying to drive them (as most pre-amps aren't intended for much over 64 ohms)
Whent Tyll Hertsens retired in 2018, the HD600 was still part of his Inner Fidelity Wall of Fame.
Indeed and it continues to live on
excellent review. I found your impressions to be right on. I've been on the search for the right can for me. Own the X2, L2, HE400i, T50RPmk3, HP50, Spirit Classic and heard so many others including the very expensive ZMF eikon and atticus, focal elear, hd800 and 650.
Here's the short of it - I found something wrong with all of them, which continued to fuel my neutrality quest. I was loathe to get the 600 because it's just so old already, how good could it be?
Well...it bests everything I've heard to date. Don't get me wrong - I still need to use some EQ because everyone's ear canal has unique resonances that must be tamed. But I use the least EQ of any can and the FR is buttery smooth from the lows to the highs during sine wave sweeps. I kept asking myself, where is this "senn veil" that people talk about? It's plenty airy and sweet crisp treble is abundant.
+Vince Buonassi the veil is more attributed to the 650 nowadays but even that headphone is wonderfully syrupy smooth.
A very good and honest review, thank you Mr Metal
Wearing these right now. I don't understand why people complain about them being too tight, they feel really comfortable to me
Recently upgraded to these from the hd 558. Definitely better sounding but the headband cushion isnt as thick so these actually arent as comfortable. With long listening sessions I start really feeling it on top of my head. Otherwise great headphones though.
Sennheiser did a good job on the build of the HD25-1 and the HD800, and even the latter are more plastic than metal. Everything else seems like a case of the beancounters sharpening their pencils a little too often - my PX200-II literally fell apart and my CX5.00g has issues with the cheap cable : Beyerdynamic and Audio-Technica have much better build quality overall IMO.
I've been using HD600 for 11 years, and I think the originally included cable was much more comfortable than cable that HD650 HD6XX come with nowadays.
2023 comment.
Coming from Audio Technica M50’s using a 2i2 3rd gen interface, any advice in terms of needing a headphone amp or dac to ensure the 600’s are as true as possible when mixing? Thank you!
Outstanding honest review! Thank you.
This is definitely the next headphone I need. And you know what? It doesn't look all that bad like I thought and even though it clamps a little hard, at least it has big enough ear cups unlike the focal spirit professional. It is ashame that focal ruined their headphones in the comfort area so bad.
I hear that sub bass is tough to hear in these headphones. Is that true or false? I really feel like I have to get both the hd600 and the hd650 at the same time though. Hd600 is a must while the hd650 is more of a curiousity thing for me. I'm curious to hear what a warm dark sound signature sounds like in an open back.
Hi Metal571, always like your reviews. A HD600 has come my way recently, are the EQ profile in your video comments, still updated and what you'd reccomended to run, based on us having similar sound preferences? Thnx.
Probably not. You might want to start with my HD 650 profile on my github with the same name as this channel and tweak the midrange filters to taste from there
Awesome review. I am definitely looking for some flat neutral sounding headphones for mixing, are the HD 600's still the best in your opinion? You review is exactly one year old so I figure I might as well ask before pulling the trigger ;)
+WOTUFAKA! I use EQ on them now to fix the recessed sub bass and hyped upper mids but the fact that I still own and use these everyday should speak to how much I really like them. So the short answer is yes
Wooooow thank you. I.am happy to be an owner of these.
Alright, now I'm finally convinced I didn't frick up by ordering a pair of these with an already tightened budget.
Great review . Thanks. Is it really necessary to use special headphone amplifiers or I can enjoy them just using my regular integrated amplifier (not very sophisticated high end but simple cheap Denon PMA 520 AE)?
i think the cable is actually kevlar reinforced so it shouldn't be too weak.
Watching this review let's me know that these have to be my next purchase. I love my HD598's but this has to be my next move.
+Thomas Wachter they are a direct upgrade with the same sound signature. With EQ they are still to this day my primary reference
Have you tried them with the foam pads removed from inside the earcups? I mean the foam that sits in front of the driver, between it and your ear. The low end gets tighter, a little bit faster,cleaner. Also the treble get a little more lively, and the midrangr gets a little sparkle too. The point is they still benefit from eq-ing, but what you get is a cleaner, clearer sound and maybe a littls a wider, deeper soundstange. They sound a little bit more like HD800 with the pads removed. Also, some remove the foam behind the driver, that gives a gain in the low end output, from 500hz down, without downsides to the sound, it adds most gain to the area under 200hz. I found some interesting article about HD650 modding and comparison with HD600, HD800 with a lot of measurements, graphs and details. I was hoping to get HD800 in the future, but with a these mods i may as well keep my HD600 and be as happy.
Sennheiser wanted you to buy a $50 fancier cable at the time, the cables also broke a lot.
These are on sale for $300 on Amazon right now, from Sennheiser. Bought em -- on the spot.
EDIT: I actually just cancelled the order and got the Sennheiser 650 for ~$320 which seemed like a better deal.
It's the best headphone!
Have you ever heard a pair of Audeze headphones?
My Lcd-2 is more fun for sure, bass is better too. A bit of hype from me there 🙂
+Reverend Eslam reviewed the LCD3 already
metal571 I'll search for that.
What do you feel would be a worthwhile upgrade for HD600/HD650/HD6XX, without losing the unique tonal qualities of the series? Is there anything out there that matches the quality of the mids and heights of the series, but with better performance in other aspects?
I don't know about upgrades, but Elex and Borealis are frequently mentioned in Discord as sidegrades with their own trade-offs to the HD 600.
I've been watching your reviews on headphones for a few months now. I really like how in depth you go with your reviews. I was wondering if you heard of the German Maestro 8.35 D or 8.000? It's a really unique headphone made for professional use. There is no detailed review on youtube for them and very little info. available on them except places like head fi. There is no reviews that compare the two models either. If you would be interested in getting your hands on them I'd really like to know your impressions and see a detailed review.
Sampler Jazz Send 'em down and I'll review a pair. I've heard of that brand but never actually tried 'em.
Hey man. Great review thank you. So even though the treble is relaxed, is there still a lot of detail? Would the 800 have more detail or would it just seem that way because there's more high end there? Cheers.
The HD 800 actually does have even faster treble but the larger dual 6 and 10k peaks get in the way, which is why I have my pair equalized to sound like the tonality of the HD 600's treble. The 600 doesn't require any changes in the highs for my taste generally - it's basically my true "reference" for treble, tonally.
Sweet as. So what are the eq settings in the description for?
Sorry, updated. My profiles change over time. No more treble adjustements. The profile in the description though has a bass boost because that region is quite recessed, and there's just a bit too much upper midrange also. Remember I said it is my reference for treble, but that's about it
Hmmm, I find it very interesting that you mentioned the different measurements cause I also noticed that they came out differently. The only thing I can pin it to would be manufacturing changes over time which changed the frequency response. My guess is that Tyll measured one of the early versions which came out sounding darker in comparison to the pair Goldenears tested. I could be 100% wrong though, but that's just my guess. Very good review man. Actually the first time i've heard someone say that about the 600's soundstage. I've always read and heard it's either just narrow or a 3 blob. Very interesting hearing a completely different verdict. Magni/modi 2 huh? What about o2/odac?
M Forrette Haven't heard the O2, but IMO amps don't sound that different from each other, especially comparing other solid state amps to each other. And thanks for the kind words. Yes this is a brand new 600 so maybe they did improve the bass extension over time.
metal571 I was actually refering to the treble region for the graphs. That was the largest difference I could see. The treble is a lot lower in level compared to the goldenears fr graph. Yeah I know most ss amps sound the same, as long as they measure well, I was just curious to hear from you if there was a specific reason why you have the schiit stack over the Objective or if you had even heard the O2 before. Thanks for the quick reply.
M Forrette oh, nah. Just bought the stack cause it wasn't expensive and had a good rep. Can't live without it now. Yeah the different compensation curves can make reading the mids and treble confusing on different sites' measurements.
I think this might be your best review. It's my favorite one at least. Maybe I could send you my K712s for review sometime ;)
RewindTheGamer I'd love that. keanex from Reddit lives right near me and would be able to receive and give em a shot, and I could push out a review.
Should I buy K702 or HD600 for mixing in my home studio. I already have K240, Custom One Pro and DT770?
Sundara
Just ordered a Schiit magni heresy, modi 3+ and a set of hd600s. I want to see how they do with high end flight sims. To make the aircraft sounds in those sims they record the actual aircraft.
Hi. which would better for music production, mixing, mastering etc: HD 600, DT 770/880 250ohm, AKG K701s or? Music style; Dark orchestral, Dark ambient, neo-classical, some heavier styles with elements of electonica. Thanks in advance
Your reviews are great. I do have a question though (not about these cans), but what type of on ear, not too bulky headphones would you recommend? I just want some to use outside of the house. Thanks for any information.
spenca97 that's a good question. I haven't really experimented with on-ear stuff except for Grados. Some (like Lachlan) say the beyerdynamic DT1350 is the best there is.
This show is the best :)
fyi the hd600 has high impedence, 300ohm and requires >20mW. also, hd600 sensitivity is low, 97 dB/mW. so to keep bass distortion and frequency response changes inaudible, your amps h'phone jack output impedance has to low at least 1/8 of the hd600 impedence of 96 -112 ohm.
You're correct but 1/8th of the impedance would be 37.5 ohms or lower I'd calculate
I've heard that its the HD600 (or was it the 650... I don't know, feel free to correct me) is like one of the defacto headphones for tuning electric guitars. I guess thats how neutral the sound is that its pinpoint accurate it is.
It was designed for mixing and mastering classical music, so it better be dead on accurate.
Sir, is HD600 the best budget/Quality option for mixing purpose? I also checked out the review of K240 and DT880,990 Pro ~ But i still have no idea which i should get one, i just known the K550 MKII can be used for closed back reference but i would like to find a semi/open headphone~ thank you !
Hey Metal571, first of all I love your content. I'm currently powering my DT770 80ohm headphones using the E10K, do you reckon the E10K will be sufficient for running the HD600 (considering buying an open can for genres responding better to a neutral sound signature)? Thanks!
+Gordon Wu it'll work but it won't leave you much volume headroom or headroom for applying EQ
just got into audiophile listening about 2 weeks ago, so no need to play around with EQ at the moment. i'll try them out on the e10k and let you know how they go! thanks again man
Debating with myself on whether I should wait to get these on black Friday or picking up the 6xx right now
Hi there,
need some help in regards to the Sennheiser HD600
I wear glasses, have large ears and looking to get headphones.
I read online that these are some of the most comfortable.
I'll be using them at home/work (office work environment.. not too loud).
Do I need an amp to use these headphones? (I didn't even know there were headphone amps until i researched some)
I would like something comfortable and something that sounds great, however I don't want to waste the money if I can't hear the best quality from the headphones.
Please help. Thank you
my first pair of audiophile headphones. haven't bought anymore since.
This headphone and a decent amp setup is all you need. Now stay far away from other audiophiles and headphones and save your money!
metal571 should I have gotten the K712 pro over these? I love my HD600s!
Not imo
Which amplifier to go with for music production with these badboys? I subbed btw great review!
Rupert Neve RNHP is what I use in the studio...
Listening to rock music I hear slightly lack of air on the treble, I don't know if it is the amp, headphone or just the music is mastered that way.
I love my HD 600's, but have been tempted to perform the the 2 foam mods. removing the inner form over the driver and below the grill removing the foam over the dust cap. has anybody had experimented with this you can convince yourself of anything, just looking for opinions
Ok, I got the hd 600 because of YOU.haha. Now I need help. I have been using my sony v 600 (discontinued). cd's on a 8 yr old Pioneer blue ray player connected to an 8 yr old Pioneer receiver. Both were the top of the line back then (Elite) model they called it.Real good volume & sounds pretty good.To me that is. The hd 600's I just got sound like (Somewhat) of an improvement but I was expecting MUCH more.I am not using an amp! Is this what I need??? If so how much of an improvement am I going to see??? Also what amp??? The 02/0dac, Shiit, tube like dark voice, ect,ect??? Thanks in advance.
Nice video. I've been looking at your videos a decent bit and enjoyed your content.
Anyone know if gaming would do any well on these? I heard not so much.
Build quality may not be the most premium but come on would you rather have a very light headphone or have it built with metals & other materials jus to make it more heavier
hi thanks for the review. I've got a grasp rs1i but am contemplating whether to get the hd600 for classics. Would you say it's still worth the purchase considering that I've got the rs1i already? I was told that my maple tree amp would pair well with hd600 as well
+Dan S supposedly these two cans are way different so I'd give them a shot.
Hello, I have buy the Aune X1S DAC/AMP. I have see in the impedance graph on the HD600 can go up to 550ohms. My DAC/AMP Aune X1S goes until 300ohms. Do you think that I can loose any kind off feature (sound quality) using only the Aune X1S with the HD600? Thanks
Those impedances that amps say they support don't mean anything. That's not a measure of actual output power. But chances are the HD 600 will work fine.
Hello. Informative and enjoyable review, good job!
I've been using a Logitech G930 up to this point, so I'll most likely be satisfied, regardless of what headphone I'm going to purchase. Do you think that the Sennheiser HD 600/650 is fine in combination with the FiiO E10K for general home use (music, movies etc., gaming, not FPS)? When I listen to music, it's at least 75% of the time via CZcams and I would be doing the same with the Sennheiser's, is that going to be an issue for a guy who used a Logitech G930 and was still kinda satisfied (enough)? An answer would be greatly appreciated!
+Yatsui the 600 is pretty awesome but you'll want a beefier amping setup for it
Are you sure? My standards are not that high since I'm used to a "gaming headset", as you can probably tell. I've also read through many forums and 75% + of the people said that the FiiO E10K is just "fine" and definitely powerful enough for the Sennheiser HD 600. And am I going to have an issue if I listen to music on CZcams 75% of the time with the Sennheiser HD 600?
+2010cyberguy yep, disappointed
+Yatsui the problem occurs if you want to apply EQ to them and then you need even more volume headroom. By all means if you don't think you're going to listen very loudly then go with the E10K
Thanks, your answer is much appreciated! I will definitely not use any EQ since I'm way too lazy for that. My windows volume is on 25% most of the time (rarely something in between 25% and 50%) since my ears are pretty sensitive. I'm going to purchase the FiiO E10K, and if I feel like there is much room for improvement, then I can still upgrade in one or two years. By the way, do you recommend buying an HD 650 cable or should I wait untill the HD 600 cable is broken?
Hey metal me again :); been looking at your vids still about 70 percent commited to the AKG 553 pro you recommended. But RE the same situation about referencing for BASS heavy music..... How do the AKG 553 pro's compare to this the HD 600?
Far better. As I should have said in this review, the bass drops off a lot due to the aging Sennheiser open back design which naturally causes a lot of low end rolloff
Thank you so much for this. You have introduced me to the world of EQ which has been revelatory. I wonder if you could share your EQ settings for this headphone. Thanks again, love the reviews.
I use the 650 mainly now and have a github of EQ profiles the same as my username now
@@metal571 thank you so much!
@@metal571 This is interesting... you stated in earlier replies that you preferred the HD 600 over the HD 650. What happened? i mean what has changed? Have you retired the HD 600 now?
I'm curious. 😁
@@godinhumanform1594 This channel is extremely old and now also completely retried so some of my older replies aren't really applicable. At the end, I still have the same 660S you see reviewed on the channel, bought my own 650, and sold the 600. I mostly just use either the LCD-2F with 2021 pads and a carbon headband or a Dunu SA6 now.
@@metal571 I see. But if may ask; Why though? What made you prefer the coloured sound of the HD650 over the HD600?
Is the HD650 actually better than the HD600?
I'm just curious over why the change. Hoping you can explain why. 🙂
hey man, great video, very helpful. i'm a musician and i'm about to pull the trigger on the hd600 for some home mixing and mastering work. however, i'm wondering if i need an amp since i own an m-audio m-track interface. the m-track's specs sheet doesn't say how much impedance its headphone output offers. if i do need an amp, is it possible to use it with my audio interface? i imagine i could hook up a headphone amp through the m-track's 1/4 inch headphone output, and then simply connect the hd600 to the amp. would that work? sorry for the bad english, and cheers from brazil.
+Lirou321 I wouldn't do that. If it doesn't have a line level output then I would get a DAC.
I'm looking for a different headphone for my collection, can you help me choose which one would complement from my list of headphones. Kose porta pro, ATH-M50 and Alessandro MS-Pro. My option would be HD600 and DT990 600ohm version. Great vid as always.
+alexbarquin9 if you want something more interesting try the K712, I reviewed that on my channel also
I have looked into your recommendation & liked your review on it. However, having never tried akg style headphones, i don't know how the fit will be in the long term as there are many moving parts. One issue i could foresee are the elastic band losing it's tension & needing repairs. Does impedance factor really worth the extra price for sound quality(250/600ohm)? From price to performance ratio as below, which one is the most worth for the collection? thanks in advance for the quick reply.
DT990 PRO $140USD
DT990 $200
K712 $218
HD600 $250
thank younice video.Do you know which year the HD 660S came out?
What DAC/AMP Combo would you recommend for these? I am looking for the JDS Labs The Element and the Schiit stack uber.
KIKI RI between those, get the stack. The element is good, but you're paying more for the form factor than you are actual quality internals. For the same price as the element, you could get an Audio GD NFB-11 that would be significantly better.
What genres of music do you typically use these to listen to? Is this ok for rock/metal?
What is ur opinion between the HD 600 and Philips X2 in sound quality?
What amplifier are you using?
I couldent help but watch ur HD800 review and think about the amp you use.
HD800 is very picky on amps. I own Audeze LCD-3F myself tho, cause the HD800 doesnt have #datbass
HD 800 has plenty of bass it just doesn't extend quite as far as the planars. Schiit Modi 1 and Magni 2 to answer your question. HD 800 isn't really picky, that's not the word I'd use. It just changes a lot with certain amps and people don't like the way it sounds on solid state or otherwise neutral sources. Since I don't like the natural sound of the headphone without mods and without a tube amp, it just wasn't worth it to me.
Do you play these headphones with an amp or an audio interface? i have an motu ultralite and the output impd is 30 ohms and thos are 300ohms...do you think i can use these headphones with good results? i worry because i saw that they have a huge impendance peak round 100 hz like 600-700 ohms and i worry about the bass and the dumping factor? what do you think?
+Konan Panagiotopoulos it'll probably make the bass more bloaty than it needs to be but I'm sure it'll still work. I always recommend the lowest output impedance possible regardless of headphone in most cases.
Great review and you are completely right about the unbelievable poor quality of cables and connectors ... this is difficult to accept in an expensive product and high quality. It is a design mistake.
Thanks again, gino
Luckily a lot of what you pay for goes to the sound quality though, which is fantastic.
+gino Based on a few other video reviews I have watched, the HD650 cable does seem to be a bit better; it's thicker, has slightly bigger wire/pin terminals, and comes standard with a 1/4" jack and a good 3.5 mm adapter; and it is interchangeable with the HD600.
Or you could always "upgrade" and buy an aftermarket cable, there are many different makers, I think Cardas cable is pretty popular, but there are others.
Hi and thanks for the valuable advice.
I like the interchangeability with cable.
Even if price can be an issue with the high end cable more expensive than the HPs !
But i like the possibility to swap cables.
Regards, gino
Yeah this is correct, the 650 cable is much better. You don't have to buy the crazy 800 dollar cables. 650 cable is much cheaper.
Thanks a lot again for the very helpful advice.
I will look for a pair of these HPs.
Kind regards, gino
Are they picky? Can I pairing them with E10k - tight budget reasons.
Still sounds good because the E10K has a good dac but a more powerful amp is definitely recommended. Schiit Magni 3 has plenty of power.
Do you recommend the HD650 over the HD600 considering they are newer?
I need HD595 replacements because the plastic is cracked and broken on both earcups at the slider. I would pair with
a mayflower dac/amp which i havent bought yet.
+Saki630 the 650 seemed overly dark to me, it's not necessarily better
k thx, i'll pick off price then. I'll scout ebay and if my 595's dont explode b4 blackfriday I'll wait to see what I can get on the cheap.
I've been looking at the Mayflower but not sure if I need the Amp only, or the Amp+DAC combo.
hi what do you think about the hd201 and the hd555 and hd558? are they worth it?
Hi Metal571. I always come to your reviews when searching for headsets so thanks for the great no nonsense reviews! I was wondering what headset you would recommend for gaming at a $200 budget. Im guessing one that has good imaging and spacial features and other features for gaming you might recommend . Much thanks!!
Bit delayed but I’m considering buying these I was wondering if anyone has used them for high level play on CSGO and how the directional audio worked comparative to for example a typical gaming closed back headphones like the hyperX cloud 2, I’m just looking to be able to do both
probably better than that but if stage is the primary concern the DT 880 is likely better - but too bright for music i'd say
Is was wondering why you dont eq the slight midbass hump. ive been playing around with apo and peace a lot looking for the best settings and to me it sounds more neutral when i bring it down by 1.5 db around 200hz.
+UselessHanzo doesn't bother me much even if it doesn't really fit with the diffuse field straight line standard for bass, so I bring up the missing sub bass instead and leave the hump
metal571 Where can i find your HD600 eq settings for APO? I've heard you talking about it in a review somewhere but can't remember where it was.
Hi there,
My current cans are the K240DF and I love them. They sound great and especially if I hook them to my Denon avr-1602 receiver which has a very powerful amp.
But I'm in a slight dilemma. I have this feeling that I cannot imagine how can anything sound better than what I have simply because I didn't try anything else. So I'm thinking of bying a HD 600 because I heard people talking about its neutral sound (the way I like headphones to sound). Someone even said that the midrange in my K240DF is very similar to the midrange of the HD 600. So here is my question: Is the HD 600 a worthy upgrade from the K240DF? Is the soundstage/sound detail significantly better in the HD 600 than in the K240DF?
+MaxGamer379 the 240DF kind of sounds closer to an HD 800 that is lacking a lot of bass... at least on my headphone amp, not sure about that receiver. The 600 has more upper mids and fills in the bass region very nicely unlike the DF. It is also less sibilant in the treble. However you will actually have worse imaging with the 600 than the DF, such as telling direction a sound is coming from. Interesting comparison, no one ever asked me about these two before but knowing their sounds well, that's how I'd compare them
Wow, thanks for the quick response :)
When I listened to my K240DF for the first time, the first thing I've noticed is of course the weak bass and I didn't even try them with an amp back then so I had to turn up the volume to about 90% to get at least a medium volume. But everything other than the bass sounds just perfect to my taste. Actually I didn't listen to them with my receiver that much so Now I've just listened to some well recorded music for about an hour with my receiver and I can tell you that the bass can actually sound pretty nice deep and elegant with my receiver. I believe it may still be not as powerful as in the HD 600, but significantly better than when I use them with my other sources. I also felt that the general soundstage is slightly better with the receiver too. That's probably the result of a proper amplification. Plus I only need to turn my volume to about a third to get a medium-high volume with these cans. I've also read that even low impedance headphones that don't even need amplification like the HD 598 will get a slightly deeper bass when amplified.
So basically I would just keep them for a while and I'm also kinda honored to own them. I think I'll just invest in a better amp since I can't use them only with my receiver. But anyway, thanks for the comparison with the HD 600 because now I know how are my cans compared to them :)
+MaxGamer379 what would be an upgrade however would be the HD 800. That's a lot more of a direct upgrade path for you so I'd save up for those.
At the risk of sounding stupid (but I'm pretty new to this so I'll take my chances ;-) ) , do I need an amp with this headphone? I'd like to plug it directly into my audio interface (Roland UA-25 EX) and I figured there is some sort of headphone amplification in there already? Or do you always need an amp with all open back headphones regardless of the audio interface? Thanks in advance for your reply!
+De Reisgenoot these need an amp because they are 300 ohm impedance and aren't very sensitive as a result. I couldn't tell you how much power you currently have. A lot of people ask the same question but the only way to be sure is to get an amp for this
Thanks a lot for your quick reply. I'll try an contact the manufacturer of the interface to get a answer. If I don't want to buy an amp, what kind of impedance should I aim for?
+De Reisgenoot sensitivity and impedance both affect ability to drive but generally 32 ohms is pretty safe as those are usually designed for ease of driving. Higher impedance headphones tend to have better sound quality with less time domain issues however
thanks a lot!
I just got the 600s recently after watching your reviews and I was wondering if you can give me some recommendations for headphone amps / amp + dac combo? My budget is $300 but I'm willing to go a little over my budget if there's something that's worth the price.
Also I have the modi 2 + magni 2 stack currently but I honestly can't hear the difference between my built in DAC and the modi 2... I'm not sure if it's me or the DACs. That's why i'm considering just returning the combo and look for a better amp/ amp+ dac combo instead.
+Tommy Tak Magni 3 and Modi 2 Uber or NFB11
+Tommy Tak ah. Well amp and DAC differences are relatively small. If you want something a bit different then the NFB11 is worth a look
How would you compare these to the HiFiMAN HE‑400S (the new S model)?
Haven't heard them yet but that review is coming
Dude. Im really interested in buying hd600 but i have no idea what to get for my dac and amp.
I am a total beginner. Would you recommend me any amps or dacs? I like listening to classical and jazz
JDS Atom
I"m thinking buy a real good tube amp FIRST, then decide on earphones. 650"s dark? Well some say that means more resolution, more refined sound. One thing for sure, everybody considers themselves an (audiophile) so you definitely have to listen for yourself.
+grady jr well dark is just the way the frequency response leans. Doesn't really mean more or less refined. Some say the 650 actually has more resolution than the 600 but I just found it mushy and overly warm.
Have you heard of the new hd600, the non marble looking? Do you know if it’s only a cosmetic difference?
Haven't heard it but from what I'm told it is the same sound wise
Totally agree with your hearing and description of where deficiencies exist in your reviews. HD600 is a legend. Maybe the new S version HD800 I like more but the old 800 mehh
Right now since I use EQ I'd actually be more inclined to buy the original 800 and just nuke the 6k spike haha
Don't know if its just a spike or ringing because I did a head to head and the S version sounded like the same speaker in a better room so to speak. Plus It is noticeably more sensitive as well
***** it's kinda both which is why Sennheiser kind of designed their own way of physically damping that spike a bit. Still supposedly there though but the whole headphone is darker leaning now from what I read, while also increasing harmonic distortion in the bass.
I was afraid of the harmonic distortion thing being some kind of dirty clipping before listening but once I played the same music on the same dac amp with the regular 800 all my worries went away. It was then and there I thought ahhh finally a headphone with a high end sound without fatal flaws. Something that I may actually be able to live with... after a jillion times buying and selling and almost losing hope for headphones to have the possibility of combining a natural tonal balance combined with great detail. Hope restored! This is pending more listening though since I only played two tracks on it. I could definitely say though that I will never touch a regular hd800 after hearing the S.
For me though I can't justify spending another 500 dollars when I could just EQ out the spike to get most of the way there to the 800S without mods and without the additional bass distortion. The 800S is clearly designed with consumers rather than professionals in mind so it will be more pleasing. But 1500 is just steep
What do you use in terms of playback sources, players amps etc. If you have a video I have not found it yet :)
+Rays RCs Modi 1, Magni 2, Spotify Premium. At work currently I have an E10K to use with my A900X
Hi friend, how are you? I am Eduardo, from brazil and i watched many of your videos. So, in your honest opinion, whats the best sound, akg k702, q701, fidelio x2, Sennheiser HD600? Thanks and sorry for my bad english
HD 600 for sure. Still have mine.
I like classic musics and opera, a friend said that akg is better, but your opinion is the most important for me. So, the HD 600 is better to listen this type of music? And the difference between HD600 and 650 is too big?
PS' thanks a lot for your attention and dedication, take onde more like and one more subscribe. From Brazil, Eduardo Oliveira.
PS' You play guitar veeery wel!!!!!
+Eduardo Oliveira Pompeu I suppose it depends on what kind of sound you are looking for. If you want accuracy then the Sennheiser for sure. If you want unrealistic but great clarity in the treble, I'd go with a DT880 250 ohm.
I have a pair of HD 580's that I bought new in 1995. Do you have any experience with switching the 580 grills with 600 grills? If so, is it a worthwhile mod?
Apparently the grille is a large part of what makes the 600 different from the 580 so I'd say so
metal571 Thank you for the reply. I've replaced the ear pads, but still have the original cable. I bought these new from J&R Music World in 1995 for $200. I'm amazed that 23 years later they still sound great.