HD 650 Audiophile Open-Back Dynamic Headphones-Grey

I have been using these for a few days now and I have to say they exceeded my expectations. I have been using the HD 598s almost daily for three years now. The reason I got these is because I was dissatisfied with the low end on the 598s. Just some background; I have owned the 280 pro, HD 518, HD 598, and now made the jump to the HD 650. I will be comparing these mostly with the 598s and the 518s. As far as comfort goes they compress the head a bit more than the 598s and the 518s, but they are not uncomfortable. The only noticeable discomfort would be below the ear where the bottom of the can presses against my jawbone. After a few hours this starts to annoy me, but simply moving them around provides relief so this is nothing. I would definitely say the 598s are more comfortable for extended periods, but the 650s feel more solid on the head. I haven't experienced any major warm spots even after long periods of use. The cans do keep my ears warmer than the 598s, but nowhere near as bad as the 518s used to. My main complaint about the 518s was how hot they would make my head due to the lower quality material and padding used. The 650s are nowhere near the 518s in this regard. Also, the headband on the 650s is narrower than both the 598 and 518. I found this to be a very noticeable difference since the compression is higher and have had to adjust it often. It just feels weird, but this is something I'll get used to with time since I've been using the 598s for so long. The build quality is extremely solid, but the plastic feels cheaper than I would like. It doesn't make me feel uneasy about breaking though. This is mostly the outside of the cans and top of the headband. The outside grills are metal and the cushions are high quality. The included cord is nicer than what comes with both the 598 and 518, but is special since the 650 uses one input per can. The included 1/4 to 3.5 adapter is way better in my opinion since it has cord length. The included adopters with the 528s and 598s were a single adapter piece which looked like a freakishly long Frankenstein plug when used with a portable device. This adapter keeps the cable end at the typical 3.5 size so it looks normal and doesn't cause unneeded stress on the contact or the output jacks. The old adapter actually caused me to break a couple laptop outputs while being careless. I wish this adapter was included with all the other models. I'm no experienced audiophile so I'm probably going to sound like a child explaining the sound. These have been described in other reviews as being "dark" sounding. I'm not sure what that means, but after using them I think I kind of get it. My 598s were very bright and almost airy sounding. The treble was very distinct, the soundstage was amazing, but the bass was very low key and had little impact which is good in some cases. The 650s definitely have more bass impact and I can concur that it is "punchy". I can enjoy electronic and hard rock on these much better. While the bass is heavier on these it is still crisp and accurate, not boomy or overpowering. The treble is still very present, but does seem a bit rolled off to me. The sound is not what I would call bright at all, and the soundstage is definitely smaller than the 598s. The overall sound seems more focused and impactful in comparison. I am amazed at how much more detail I was able to pick out in some of my favourite songs which I thought was impossible at this point. These really surprised me at how clear the entire range was. Now for web videos or Skype calls these were not as enjoyable to me. These made me well aware that I was not listening to high quality sources and since the sound is more focused and narrow when compared to the 598s voice calls can actually annoy me. This was something the 598s do extremely well, but this wasn't the reason I purchased these. I guess it should be mentioned that the sound leakage on these is much higher even when compared with the 598s and 518s. These headphones are hard to drive. It's been said everywhere and should be expected given these are 300ohm cans. I haven't had much experience with high resistance headphones so this is venturing into new territory for me. I had a small fiio amp with my 598s which increased the quality, but wasn't really needed for my main application so I got rid of it. I can DEFINITELY see where I would want that back now. Forget about using these with something like an iPhone. At max volume these were so quiet I couldn't enjoy them at all. On my 15" MacBook running boot camp I was only able to achieve a moderate volume with a few software tweaks that I would never use daily and hindered the overall sound. Now, my MacBook running OSX was actually able to push these fairly well. This is the only way I have to actually enjoy them right now. The sound is great and depending on the track, the volume could go above my comfort level with OSX. I will be purchasing a dac/amp combo for my system very soon and I feel like this will really open these up and sound even better. I should have factored this into my price, but luckily I have my Mac that can push these decently until I save up more. The price on these is very reasonable. I'm a little mad because I payed the same for these as I did for my 598s at the time. Also, I think this is the only time ive seen UK Amazon have a better price than the US on these. I was able to save about 100 usd on these even with the VAT and shipping. Overview: I really like my decision to "upgrade" to these. I quoted upgrade because it really can't be said that these are better than my 598s. Each has a noticeably different personality and I'd say it all depends on the application. The 598s excel in acoustic listening, voice calls, and movies due to its wide soundstage and crystal clear upper range. I wanted to move from the 598s because my heavier bass heavy music was lacklustre and the highs would get fatiguing to me when listening to the majority of my music (rock). The 650s definitely excel in the music department with a more focused sound and deep, quick, bass with some punch without sacrificing quality of the rest. They do not do well with lower quality sources or voices using Skype. I am very satisfied with these though since I bought them to relieve the bass situation I was having with some of my favourite music.

My Aim I have what could be described as a very entry-level computer-based audiophile set up. A dedicated Mac-Mini with Audirvana installed as the music library manager & playback program. This plays music directly to a USB Headphone DAC/Amplifier (I bought an AUNE X1s, made in China by a specialist manufacturer. Incidentally, high quality indeed at the price). This in turn has been driving a pair of Sennheiser HD558 headphones up till now. I was looking to upgrade the HD558's for headphones that would suit this set up better and my genres of music that I tend to listen to (mostly Acoustic, Rock, Popular & Jazz). They would need to be comfortable and capable of rendering music at high-resolution...so, detailed & accurate as possible for my budget. I wanted to avoid anything overly bright that in my experience can lead to listener fatigue. The AUNE amplifier is also reputed to make bright headphones sound slightly harsher. I decided on the HD650 based on the many positive reviews both on Amazon and other websites. The AUNE is optimised for the likes of the HD650, as well as the AKG701 and BeyerDynamic 770. However, I felt that the AKG & BeyerDynamic would be too bright. Anything else would be beyond my budget or taste. Delivery & Presentation The item arrived on time and as advertised...full marks to Amazon. Verification The first thing I did was verify that these were the genuine article, using Sennheiser's Verification VR code process. A useful authenticity check. Package It came in a larger box than I was expecting but then these are large headphones. The outer sleeve removed, revealing a good quality wooden presentation box covered in textured black vinyl, with metal hinges and foam inlay inside. I think over time this has improved over the previous presentation. This looks and feels a quality item although some may say it's austere looking. I'm perfectly happy with the quality & appearance...sound is more important to me. The lead is also of high quality...thickish but pliable and terminated in a 6.3mm jack at one end and Sennheiser individual connectors for each cup at the other. There is a 3.5mm adapter included and this is also a quality item, although I would question whether this would fit phones and tablets that have covers fitted... the adapter would probably be too big in many cases. It doesn't fit my phone with a Spigen case. That said, these are probably overkill for a phone or tablet and are designed more for home system listening. Comfort I agree with other commentators...they are on the tight-side. I have got used to that. I suspect that if the headband was looser, the cups may slip down onto the ears and that would be more uncomfortable. I have used them for many hours at a time and have no complaints. Sound - what to expect Straight out of the box these headphones do not impress. They sound like they are playing behind a thick curtain...rather dull and lifeless. As others have observed, these headphones need a 'running-in' period. I just played music rather than using pink-noise as others have suggested. The potential sound quality only starts after about 10 hours playing and improves greatly after that. After 40-50 hours, they open up as if that curtain has lifted. Give them time and they will realise their full potential. After running-in, the listening experience is fairly laid back, but full of detail and instruments sound like they should, thus fulfilling my original aim. The sound is not in the least harsh and I have been happy to listen for many hours at a stretch without suffering any fatigue. Bass is plentiful for my genres of music, deep and tight with plenty of 'punch'. They possibly may not suit other music genres that require yet more bass. Mids are nigh-on perfect. Treble possibly not 'zingy' enough for some tastes but in turn that can lead to harshness which is something I was trying to avoid....it's not evident with the HD650 and therefore perfect for me personally. The 'stage' and 'imaging' of players is excellent with plenty of depth...this is one of the HD650 top strengths. These headphones are detailed, meaning they sound excellent with good source recordings converted to FLAC or ALAC lossless digital formats. However, poorer quality recordings or lossy conversions (low MP3 or AAC) will be revealed for what they are. I personally feel that anything converted to below 320kbps on MP3 or below 256kbps on AAC bitrates would not be good enough to do justice to the HD650. I would also suggest that they do sound much better through a dedicated DAC/Headphone amplifier via USB. Doing the comparison, there is more detail, ambience and instrument accuracy. Quality DAC/Headphone amplifiers are plentiful at reasonable prices (e.g. SHIIT Modi2/Magni2 combination for $200 or AUNE X1s for $289). Conclusion I paid £232 for these headphones and at that price they are remarkable value for money. They have come down in price significantly over the years and still represent a first-class buy subject to the points made above. A worthwhile step up from the HD558's for me personally. I can see many years of listening with these headphones.

Super clear sound for music production and mixing. Would like them to be louder and no soft bag or case included is a bit cheap of Sennheiser at this price point, but they were 16% off offer so can’t complain at all. Again, these are super clear and a great product at a great price. Been using HD25s so noticeably quieter but much wider clearer sound. Immediate and noticeable upgrade for my mixing sessions.

Great sounding headphones!. As we know HP are subjective to ones listening taste. Wanted a pair that were not too clinical and flat, last thing i wanted was to come home after a hard day and start an analytical listening session. Went through a lot of pairs before these ranging from Senny RS165 blutooth, a pair of Sony MDR1 and another Sony blutooth , Audio Technica MSR 7 which were good but occasionaly peaked the higher frequencies too much for me at my age 40+, set of grados (couldn't justify the price). All these fell short apart from the Sennheiser HD650's which gave the best return on cost comfort and my listening signature. I did end up comparing these to a set of Audio Technica M50x's and you may laugh but for me there were many similarities with the sound signature even though right off hand i will state these are in another league compared to the M50x's depending on your music and listening signature. You will find the review for the AT M50x's here aswell as ive posted this review for the M50x's also. Let me start by saying for me the M50x are an excellent set of cans that hold the frequencies with integrity. Tops never peaked and sounded harsh, mids were separated and slightly pronounced and never sounded muffled once, and the lows are tight and controlled but ever so slightly pronounced for a more warm sounding experience exactly what i was wanting. A run of Yanni Rainmaker and Estas Tonne The Song of the Golden Dragon shone on these with a good soundstage but not as expansive as the HD650's, one was able to distinguish the instruments and the vocals more on the HD650's especially from the senorita in the Rainmaker which was nothing short of sublime and more of an epic journey to the heavens and back on the 650's. A few further tracks of Coldplay, George Benson, Randy Crawford, Qawalli Folk Music. Clannad Irish Folk, and finally some classic hip hop from the likes of Cool Herk, Afrika Bambata, Melle Mel, Grandmaster Flash etc and modern hip hop likes of Mobb Deep, CNN, Fat Joe, Big Pun etc let me say the M50's brought a smile to the face and made me listen more attentively to the HD650's. Please note i was running both headphones through a headphone amp/32 bit dac with 2 HP ports capable of running both pairs at the same time. Both sets of cans did an excellent job at lots of different genres. Very rarely do you come across a pair that can handle the above genres with authority, never once sounding uncontrolled or overwhelmed. Where the M50x's were like satin the HD650's were like silk, both handled speed with finesse but at times the M50x could get lost especially with a bit of rock whereas the HD650's had a vice like grip with excellent separation. Please do bear in mind the cost of the M50x's. "I also tried the headphones with my Nexus 6P through a quality HP amp and 32 bit DAC the M50x sound was further enhanced and now the smile had turned to a grin with a few audible affirming compliments, totally sublime and these were testing the waters of my HD650's which were more than twice the price of these." However let me state for the record these M50x are very good for the person who wants to disappear into the audio and doesn't want a totally flat response as monitors can provide but they are not as good as the HD650's which has hand picked drivers on the assembly line for uniformity. However after much consideration on the point of diminishing returns and the power hungry 'open back' HD650's i went with the M50x as they were also easier to drive and did not need a lengthy set up when you wanted a quick portable listen, but these are 'NOT' as good as the reference standard HD650's which are definitely a couple of notches above the M50x's. The reason the HD650's were better for me were 1) The comfort level of the velour pads. 2)The open back design also let your ears breath. The tops mids and bottoms never lost integrity once 'no matter how hard they were pushed' 3) You could hear the breath intake of vocalists and individual strike of the music instruments on the HD650's especially when listening to Estes Tonne the legendary guitarist. That's not to say these expressions were not noticeable on the M50x but their was a great soundstage on the HD650 which the M50x could not compete with, bear in mind the HD650s cost over twice the price of the M50x. Now youll be wondering why did i sell the HD650's, the choice was one of diminishing returns of how much one has to pay for the little improvement in sound in the world of hi-fi audio and the fact that i have kids that constantly disturb me and the HD650's being OB design became unsuitable. I may have possible kept them had it not have also been the set up procedure of the DAC and headphone amp being anchored to the listening room. This was one of the more difficult decisions i have ever made on a set of cans so ill finish by saying where the Audio Technica's were like Satin the Sennheiser HD650's were like silk. The choice is yours!

These headphones are absolutely astonishing! I've had the HD650s since just before mid March 2011, they've been used for at least an hour every night (I have sat listening to a variety of music for 3 hours, maybe more) since I got them, so will have had plenty of time to burn in (if you believe in the effect like I do). I'll get the least important things out of the way first. Packaging is top notch, coming in a gorgeous box, with a perfectly cut insert to place the phones in. I tend to leave these on top of my cd receiver (a Denon DM31), build quality is rock solid, the plastic is solidly made, cables are too and these haven't suffered any ill effects being left out as I do all of the time, which you should expect to be able to do for the money, but it's worth noting in my opinion. These are incredibly comfortable and can be worn for very long periods of time without any discomfort, the pads that cover your ears are the right level of softness and firmness, so you know the phones are there, but not in a bad way, same goes for the bit that sits on top of your head. Now onto the sound quality, I've been happy with them since day one. I listen to these mainly through my Laptop (a HP Pavilion dv6), which IMO has a fairly decent soundcard, so I am happy some of the time listening directly through the headphone out, but most of the time use my Fiio E9, connecting the HD650s into that unit and DAC conversion is done through a Fiio E7 (which for those who don't know plugs directly into the top of the E9), the usb line out cable provided with the E9/E7 combo connects everything and this is the best audio set-up I possess for headphone listening. Through the E9/E7/Laptop combo the HD650s sound very good, bass is well defined, mids sound perfect and treble is truly lovely, with nothing mixing together or sounding distorted in any way. Every piece of music I've thrown at these has come off sounding brilliant. I listen to most things, have a taste for Pendulum, Tinie Tempah, Paramore (the hard and soft stuff), have listened to the odd bit of classical and I haven't found a single missing link in the HD650's abillities. I have no other over ear, open or closed back cans of equal value or quality to compare, but I do have a pair of Sennheiser IE8s (owned for more than 2 years) and recently purchased the Klipsch Image X10i's, for me the HD650s come out top of the bunch, X10s are next which an excellent overall presentation, with the IE8s lagging somewhere behind due to having a bit more corse sounding tone (not sure what it is) the overall experience of the IE8s isn't as convincing as when I just had them and nothing else to compare with. For me the Klipsch would be best on the move (despite their less solid build quality), their sound is truly a wonderful thing for such a small unit and even without taking their size into consideration I think they clearly beat the IE8s in every regard when it comes to sound quality (I'll do a review soon, but want to wait to see if any issues crop up with their build quality, I've had them for just over two weeks and nothing's happened so far with their cables). Sorry to turn this review into a comparison of IEM VS OEM, hopefully it will help. Overall the HD650s are a wonderful Jack of all trades, master of all, if you want club sound then they easily put you there, if you want to be in a stadium or a studio (at least what I imagine a studio sounds like, I'm not an audiophile, producer or musician) then they really do sound like the artist is there, in front of you. Basslines are real, perfectly defined to my ears. Treble shows no sibilance, just sparkly in a good way. Mids are just where I believe they should be. Voices sound perfect. Instruments sound solid, placed perfectly in the soundstage. The soundstage is vast to my ears, but not artificially made larger than it should be. I may not be an audiophile, I'm sure there must be phones out there that are better at certain things and people who've tried many of them, but for an amature into the headphone hobby game, who wants a great sounding pair of headphones, who's happy to remain ignorant of things that cost more than they can afford these will make you happy. These would be a far better purchase for someone wanting to listen at home than say the Beats (I've reviewed a set, please feel free to check out my write up). I love the HD650s and will be happy with them for many years to come.

I've owned or borrowed most of the famous high end headphones over the past 10-15 years, but oddly enough, never the HD600 or 650s. So, now that prices are a bit more reasonable, I decided it was time to experience the legend for myself. I own AKG 701s and Focal Spirit Pros as well, and have them to hand for comparison. As to sound, they're nowhere near as dark or veiled as people have made out, although I gather Sennheiser have modified the design over the years so that might be why. For sure, they're warmer than the 701s and the treble seems a little recessed when you A/B them. That being said, the sound is absolutely beautiful, very easy to enjoy and listen to, with no significant blemishes or colourations. Headphone designers have to contend with the fact that the sound is funneled right down the listener's lugs and make some compromises accordingly. I like the compromises Sennheiser have come up with. For sure, there is perhaps a velvety, 'moleskin' quality to the presentation, but every detail is there, they're very even handed, and you can listen for hours without fatigue. They're 300 ohms and therefore require some voltage to achieve high listening volumes without distortion. That said, the popular notion that they're hard to drive is a myth. My USB DACs (Cambridge XS and Arcam rPAC) both drive them uncomfortably loud; I think they both have a max RMS voltage of about 1.8v. You won't need more power unless you like pain-level sound pressure. Finally, comfort and build quality. They're very light and comfortable, but perhaps a bit 'clampy' at first. No real grumbles there. As to build quality, hmm, they're ok but certainly nothing more. Obviously made of very cheap plastic and quite poorly finished, they seem tatty next to the Focal and AKG cans also on my desk. For what was not all that long ago a reference, range-topping headphone, this is a poor showing from Sennheiser. Next to the 701s in particular, they're clearly made of flimsy, cheap materials and not particularly well put together. The build and materials suffice, but that's all, and for what they cost...! They do sound nice though, and now that the price is reasonable, why not? A justly famous headphone with lovely sound and great compatibility.

I've owned a pair of the Sennheiser HD-650's for almost a year now, and decided after 1000's of listening hours to finally write a review and praise how astonishingly good they are. Some reviewers concluded these headphones were not as good as others that cost much less, I suspect this comes down to personal taste but could be for several reasons. These are HiFi quality headphones, meaning Hi-Fidelity, and are designed to reproduce music as accurately as possible without for example, dramatically increasing bass to a false extent. Some 'bassy' headphones may sound great for dance music, but sound muffled and destroy the detailed instruments of an orchestra; detail is one area where the HD-650's wonderfully excel. Also be aware that these headphones require 'burn-in' time, some time to loosen the diaphragms. At first I'll admit I was disappointed with the sound, they first appear slightly flat and dull sounding, so be aware that these headphones need around 100 hours of music before brightening up and sounding their best. I left the music playing on repeat for around a week at an acceptable listening level and only listened in every so often, after around 24 hours their sound had quite noticeably improved, then after 48 hours I began to smile. Before spending you hard earned cash, be aware that the overall quality of music produced by your HiFi system will be limited by the lowest quality bit of kit. These are debatably the highest quality pair of headphones available and as such require an exceptionally high quality headphone amp, source, and cabling to fully benefit from the superb sound their capable of producing. After much reading many reviews, and making several hardware changes I finally paired these with a Graham Slee Solo Amp, an EMU 1212M sound card, a Stefan Audio Art Equinox headphone cable, and a Van Den Hull First Ultimate phono cable. All together my set-up exceeded around £1.2k, I could have spent a lot more, like another 2k on a DAC but I'm very happy with the sound produced, to the degree that I find it hard to turn off which was something I never expected of any HiFi equipment. I've listened to some wonderful HiFi equipment in the past, including some 7-way speakers costing around 20k each, with a separate power amp to drive each cone... that adds up to a lot of money! Sorry to disappoint but this set-up doesn't complete with that level, but believe me when I say you'll never get near the quality of sound this set-up produces if you spend that same money on a speaker set-up, you'll need a lot more money to do that. This was the main reason for my purchase... being able to listen to high quality music without the high expense. Unlike a lot of HD-650 users I'm not a big classical music listener, I certainly enjoy the likes of Holst, and absolutely love Ludovico Einaudi, but I'm more accustomed to the soft rock and smooth jazz genre's including artists like Dire Straits, Phil Collins, Katie Melua, Eva Cassidy, and Dave Koz. This is where I noticed the first problem with the HD-650, the headphone cable that comes with them is great for about 10% of my music, it reproduces the vocal range wonderfully and provides a reasonably large sound stage, but unfortunately it lacks in almost every other area, bass is especially poor and high's sound a little to harsh and fatiguing. The Stephan Audio Art cable resolved all these problems, it brought back the bass, toned down the highs, kept the vocals clear and precise but unfortunately shrunk the soundstage a little, a small price to pay for such a vast improvement though, and now 95% of my music sound stunning. Your probably wondering about the remaining 5%, and I'll put that down to recording quality! With high quality hardware it's amazing how much the recording quality of different albums is noticeable, most sound good and some sound exceptional with every detail evident, but the odd few sound muffled, exhibit clipping and distortion, to the extent that I now also notice these problems when listening through my speakers! It's quite astonishing how much more 'sound' appears present within song's I've been listening to for years. Every strum of Mark's guitar in "Private Investigations" is crystal clear yet the details provided by each background instrument still shines wonderfully through. The bass drums in Phil's "That's just the way it is" made me double check I hadn't left the speaker and main amp switched on, as did the bass within Damien Rice's "Blower's Daughter". Katie's albums have all been recorded well, her amazing voice producing that music nirvana that I could listen to all day long without fatigue, unfortunately there's a few disappointing recording glitches in her latest album but nothing damaging enough to destroy the pure listening enjoyment. I could, and probably do listen to the smooth sound of a well played saxophone for hours on end, Dave Koz's album "The Dance" plays great on the HD-650's, exhibiting a smooth and yet detailed performance. Another of my favourite artists is Lene Marlin, the live recording of her "The way we are" allows the HD-650's to excel, as they do with most live recordings, such as Eva Cassidy's fantastic "Live at Blues Alley" album. As you've probably figured out I'm very happy with my HD-650's and pared HiFi equipment. Finding it hard to put the headphones down must be a good indication that I made the right choice, at least for my personal preference. If you like similar styles of music to myself, enjoy the clarity of great vocal performances and the detail of highly skilled musicians, and have the equipment to match I'm sure you'll have many years of enjoyment using the Sennheiser HD-650's.

Let me just start off by saying that I couldn't imagine spending almost £300 on some headphones, but these headphones have received so much praise across the audiophile community, and for good reason. In the end I decided to buy them and I am so glad I did. These headphones represent so much value, they used to be Sennheiser's flagship model before the arrival of the HD700 and HD800. The fact that they are still some of the best headphones you can buy for under £400-500 years later demonstrates how good these headphones really are. The comfort of these headphones is very, very good. In fact I couldn't imagine having anything more comfortable. Yes when you first put them on, the clamp is a little tight but these will loosen up the more you use them. Eventually you will forget they are even on your head. Moving onto the sound. These really do need to be used with a headphone amplifier and a relatively good DAC. Using these straight out of an iPod/Laptop is a waste of money as there are many headphones cheaper that will do a better job. When you do plug these into an amp and DAC these headphones will blow you away. I'm using a very modest setup. Fiio E7 + E09k. Will soon be upgrading to a tube amp, probably the Crack OTL when funds permit. Lows: The bass is actually perfect for me, I like to have some bass presence and punch when I'm listening to music. Too little and it will not sound engaging, too much and you start affecting the detail and produce a "muddy" sound. The bass is very clear and controlled. Mids: This is where these headphones truly shine. The mids are absolutely gorgeous, female vocals will send shivers down your spine. A very lush/warm sound. Highs: Now this is where the opinions change for most people, some people will refer to the 650s as having a veil, and I can understand maybe why people would perceive that. I myself can't detect this veil but the highs do lack a bit of sparkle and the highs roll of slightly. This is what I actually prefer, it gives it a very non fatiguing and laid back sound signature but with plenty of detail. I could listen to these headphones for hours and hours. Soundstage: Appears to be very good, a nice open and airy feeling but not as good as the HD598 in this department although you do get excellent imaging that surpasses most headphones at this price point. All in all, fantastic headphones couldn't be happier with my choice, well done Sennheiser!

En primer lugar aclaro que soy entusiasta de la música y trato de disfrutarla con la mayor calidad posible pero no me considero audiófilo, por lo que mi comentario es muy simple. He estado utilizando los sennheiser hd 599 SE y es la referencia que tengo. La diferencia es bastante notable al actualizar a los HD 650, desde que me los puse y escuche algunos de los disco de referencia que utilizo se nota la mejora del sonido en general, agudos y medios bien definidos y graves controlados. hice pruebas conectados a un DAC CAMBRIDGE AUDIO modelo DAC MAGICPLUS, 24 bits 192 kHz, con trasmisión de TIDAL y archivos propios en HI-RES. Próximamente haré pruebas con un DAC- amplificador dedicado de mayor resolución.

These are the first step. Like anyone looking to make this kind of investment for headphones I did a lot of reading before buying. That is only going to get you so far. You need to hear these. Ten years ago I listened to a pair of HD600 straight off a disc-man with NO amp. I was completely blown away, I set out to find the perfect headphones for one hundred dollars, that was a mistake. I kept buying headphones in that range over the years and nothing came close. I was torn between these and the 600's, but decided that I loved the look of these and a few reviews pushed me to get the 650's. I highly suggest going to Guitar Center or some place that you can compare them, I believe the 600's maybe the superior sounding ones (it's always the ugly ones). It's been said that a good set up is the Lehmann Audio Black Cube Linear amp/HD600 using a 650 headphone cable. But there is no way I'm paying that kind of money for an amp... I'm not an expert and I don't plan to collect anymore headphones (unless I end up with a pile of extra money). If you are just getting into quality sound, these will destroy what you thought was possible for home listening. Even without burn-in, and an expensive amp and listening to a 128kbps file in itunes, you will want to throw out your old headphones, you will look at them with disgust and you will start ripping everything you own at lossless. These only get better with everything you bring to them, they are hungry for better. More than likely I'll be getting a Schiit amp as my first amp. Currently running these from an Apogee One for digtial or a Technics SA-5170 for vinyl and happy with this setup. I'd love to understand why people think these should have a dedicated amp. Things that you will notice when you listen. The sound stage will be expanded, the clarity and richness will be improved, the separation: you will hear things you never noticed (one voice will clearly become 3 layered voices, one piano will become 4, fingers will slide on strings) everything will become a personal concert. If you are on the fence about these don't hesitate, it's like going from and old TV to a HUGE HD one with bluray. If you are an audio pro, you probably already own these. If you didn't like something about these and you think they need to be amped, you have more money than brains (or very good hearing). If you want to significantly improve your daily enjoyment of music, buy these now. Like everyone else says there are cons: The band is tight, they are open so you can hear everything in the room (ie keyboard clicks and talking) and people can hear the headphones. These are most likely for home use only. Good thing they look more comfortable than most of the furniture in my house. You should know by now what you are getting into with these. These come in a huge foam lined box, there was nothing to cut, no way to tell if it had ever been opened or not. The cord is kevlar (think bulletproof vests) and replaceable, one time I sucked them into the vacuum roller (not this pair), seemed bad but survived (HD 495). They are light and comfortable to wear for me (not as comfy as my HD 428). They look amazing, much better than the HD600's. I think there is a lot that could be improved about how they are built (comfort and usability), but I'm insane when it comes to small details. You will want a multi-disc player or good quality digital music (big hard drive). What I listened to so far: NIN, Tool, The Cinematic Orchestra, Sam Prekop, Zoe Keating, Underworld, Aphex Twin, Miles Davis, Amadeus Soundtrack, Kodo, Led Zeppelin, Billy McLaughlin, Doomtree, Yo-Yo Ma, Alice in Chains (unplugged), Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Nirvana and Jimi. And I'll go to bed after I listen to everything that exists... These shine with live and acoustic tracks. Don't wait 10 years like I did. Get them now and start hearing your music for the first time. So worth it. On a side note, I'd consider getting a second pair of these rather than spending the money for a nice surround sound system. I figure the audio is as good but much cheaper. If Schiit is reading consider making an amp for movie buffs and their girlfriends to share. Update: I'd suggest the wireless HDR 120 for TV and Movies. Update: I recently found the Monolith Liquid Platinum amp for a great price as an open box almost half price from their own site. I also found XLR cables to swap for the headphones and for my CD player to the amp. I am extremely happy with this upgrade and was skeptical that it would make any difference but I am glad I invested. No regrets. A friend had recommended the Monolith Liquid Spark (probably a good option if you aren’t changing out the cables or have a lower budget), but once I found the deal on the Platinum I was determined to get that as my end game amp. I admit I should have made the investment sooner but it took me a few years too save up the money. Don’t waste these headphones maximize their potential with an amp.

Despite the numerous negative reviews for this seller, I still went ahead and ordered a pair of HD650 headphones for 200 euros. I have some issues with UPS for not providing the mailbox code upon the package’s arrival, so I had to request it from customer support. Just in case, I filmed myself unboxing the headphones, but in the end, it wasn’t necessary since the headphones arrived in perfect condition and with new ear pads. The box said “refurbished,” which is what I expected given the price. I’ve been using them for almost a month, and there are no issues with how they perform. There are some nuances about the model itself that are worth considering when buying. I work in mixing and production, and overall I liked these headphones, but I still think the HD600 would have suited me better because of their clearer high frequencies. That said, the HD650 is also a good option for music production. I tried adjusting the EQ on these headphones, and they started to sound a bit more accurate, but the difference isn't very significant. The clamping force on these headphones is quite strong, and at first it’s hard to wear them for more than two hours, but over time the fit becomes more comfortable. Overall, the HD650s have a “warm” sound and soft yet clear high frequencies. If you enjoy listening to music, you’ll surely like them - it’s no wonder they’re called audiophile headphones.

Struttura solida, leggera molto comoda da indossare per svariate ore, materiali plastici che non vogliono essere di particolare pregio ma comunque molto affidabili e che hanno dimostrato di poter resistere a svarati anni di utilizzo intenso. La riproduzione resta concentrata sulla perfetta riproduzione delle frequenze medie ed alte, i bassi risultano tuttavia adeguati e soprattutto articolati ma senza occultare la scena sonora. _______________ » COSTRUZIONE Nessuna parte metallica se non l'anima dell'archetto che permette la regolazione, il resto dei materiali è costituito da plastica di ottima fattura trattata e verniciata in maniera gradevole. Probabilmente il trattamento superficiale rischia di essere delicato ma una minima cura nell'uso dovrebbe garantire durabilità negli anni. I padiglioni morbidi e vellutati risultano molto comodi e solidamente applicati. Molto semplice la rimozione e l' installazione, operazione che ci si troverà a considerare almeno una volta l'anno data la facilità con la quale i padiglioni si consumano andando a variare leggermente la magnifica firma sonora. Buona la regolazione dell'archetto che si adatta perfettamente, risulta inizialmente molto serrato ma sono sufficienti poche ore perchè si lasci andare andando quasi a "scomparire". » PRESTAZIONI L'impedenza, come per le HD600 e HD660S2, è di 300 ohm, di conseguenza per godere appieno delle prestazioni della cuffia è bene utilizzare un buon amplificatore cuffie, possibilmente dotato di uscite bilanciate. Le frequenze medie ed alte sono riprodotte in maniera perfetta e non risultano mai affaticanti neppure dopo svariate ore di ascolto. Frequenze basse sono precisione, presenti ma non eccessive per garantire un ascolto piacevole ma fedele e non colorato diversamente da come previsto dall'autore. La scena sonora è discretamente ampia e dettagliata, l'ascolto resta tuttavia intimo come per le HD660S2 cosa che non è necessariamente un difetto, garantisce infatti una buona rappresentazione dell'immagine sonora, ogni strumento e voce sono perfettamente individuabili nello spazio dall'ascoltatore. » CONCLUSIONI Ottimo dispositivo, solido concreto e resistente. Concentrato sulla riproduzione sonora della fascia medio alta delle frequenze con assoluta fedeltà, ma che allo stesso tempo non priva l'ascoltatore del divertimento derivante da una gestione colorata delle frequenze basse riprodotte in maniera articolata ma non enfatizzata. Sono garantite ore di ascolto soddisfacenti ed appaganti senza alcun tipo di affaticamento.

Very happy with these, excellent detail and smooth bass well suited for writing progressive/techno. The bass could be a touch deeper right on the lower frequencies, it can be corrected using sonar works, or you can just get used to them and adjust accordingly as the bass is still detailed. I used sonarworks for a while but in the end chose to go without and my mixes are still translating really well.