Sennheiser HD650 - Worth the £££ ?

[mont1uk]

I have owned a pair of HD 555's for about 2 years now and whilst i still love them ive been looking at upgrading after santa delivered some funds

The vast majority of usage is music, mostly Soul but to be honest anything i like will be going through them. I do watch Films and a bit of TV but the main concern is music. Basically im wondering if the difference between two is warranted by the pricetag, i remember the first time i put my HD555s on and was totally blown away, ive found the 650s on amazon for 180 which is a fair step up from my current set but...

From reading the sticky thread at the top i see the emphasis some have put on headphone amps, i will be purchasing a Sony DA2400 shortly and although i know the headphone jack in some Amps leaves a lot to be desired this should provide ample power i assume, or should i really be looking at a dedicated Amp to go with it? I will be going to audition a pair if Richer or Sevenoaks have a pair but its always helpful to hear those with experience view's as well, cheers.

I should add that i wont be using these with an iPod they will solely be for home use so portability etc isn't an issue. If there are any other makes / models that people would recommend feel free, ive only really looked at Senns as i was so happy with the set i currently have.

[LFC_SL]

You will have your iPod on high volume to drive them. My Nano does though performs admirably when I have my HD600's connected

You will see a greater increase in SQ upgrading headphones compared to adding in an amp

Whether the HD650 is what you should be leaning towards depends on what you are looking for. What aspects would you like your HD555 to improve in? I presume that is why you have started the thread

You might get pushed away from the Sennheiser house sound
You might get pushed towards specific cans for specific genres of music

[pbirkett]

IMO the 600s sound better than the 650s and are cheaper too. The 650 is smoother and has more bass but the 600 seems more detailed, faster and more exciting. Just a thought...

[pandemic]

Originally Posted by pbirkett

IMO the 600s sound better than the 650s and are cheaper too. The 650 is smoother and has more bass but the 600 seems more detailed, faster and more exciting. Just a thought...

Where can you get the HD 600s cheaper than the HD 650? play.com do the HD650 at only £180, but I can't find the HD600s less than £220.

I think the HD650 are great but you need an amp to run them with an mp3 player or just to get the best out of them

[HiFi Headphones]

I agree with all comments above about the Sennhieser HD650 needing amping, although that's also true with the HD600.

Both these headphones can sound a bit relaxed and distant, unless they are being driven by a headphone amplifier with some authority (or a very good quality headphone output - like on a pro DJ mixing desk).

I can highly recommend one of the Graham Slee headphone amp range. Both the Solo and Novo really make the most of energising the HD650.

[mont1uk]

Thanks for the input, ive ordered the 650's from Amazon for 180, ill see what they sound like with my existing equipment then make a decision on an amp, at the end of the day i suppose its a matter of personal taste in music as to how they peform. Im not really looking to spend anything above 100 so if i do end up buying a headphone amp i may try one of the project headbox's rather than the Slee's which are a bit pricy for me.

[Matt The Giant]

A bit off topic I know, but is it possible to get some kind of 5.1 surround support with these? Left and right? For use with an Xbox 360. It ain't working from where I'm sittin'...

[sam_cat]

I know this is a bit late, but down the line someone else may be searching so thought I would put my opinion up.
Personally I did it the other way around, bought an amp (headbox mk2) for my 555's before thinking about upgrading the headphones themselves... What a difference it made!
And it (when) I upgrade to better headphones I already have an amp to get me started.

Sam

[Arcam_boy]

I personally think the 650's are superb and worth every penny. I'm using mine with the system in my signature and absolutely love them listening to all types of music and for films. They really shine when being driven from a dedicated amp and the newer 650's DO sound better than the 600's or Sennheiser wouldn't have them as there flagship cans!!

[LFC_SL]

Want to trade for a bit?

[Arcam_boy]

i love them more than my parents....Shhhhh

[LFC_SL]

I can imagine myself buying the 650's as well in a few years just to satisfy curiosity

But Sennheiser will also be adding new 'phones to their range soon...

[Vega_04]

I've just got the 650's and all I can say is that they are truely superb, I can't compare them with any other high end headphones though as they're the first i've owned. I also got the Graham Slee voyager to use with my MP3 player, wow what a difference it makes. I can only imagine how good the higher spec Graham Slees would sound.

In total, for me its been costly but well worth the money if you want to listen to your music and drift off into a different world while you do it.

[Boink!]

Originally Posted by LFC_SL

But Sennheiser will also be adding new 'phones to their range soon...

Indeed they have.

[benmbe]

Originally Posted by LFC_SL

I can imagine myself buying the 650's as well in a few years just to satisfy curiosity

But Sennheiser will also be adding new 'phones to their range soon...

Sennheiser HD 800's (new reference cans,) premium price yes!....but for those who are serious about music / films after hours and do not want to disturb others....then they are worth the struggle to own....depending on each personal circumstances of course.

Graham Slee (himself is a humble gentleman) who seriously listens to his customers and improves / refines his product's where needed.

It's no surprise to me that his product's (for me' in particular) Grahams Headphone Amp SOLO with separate power supply, is on the cards for me.

The HD 650 Headphones I own are truly worth owning.....but this is coming from a loyal Sennheiser customer.

I paid £270 for my 650's but these can now be had for £200 to 220.

I have had them for about 4 / 5 years, and recently the cable close to the cans broke inside, so I shall be purchasing Kimber cable replacments from Russ Andrews.

I have this cable for my HD 600's and love the quality.

I Genuinely hope that you are able to purchase the HD 650 at some stage as you I believe will love them.

Kindest regards

Mark