[SpeakerBox]

Do you suffer from Tinnitus? I get terrible ringing in my ears. Exacerbated by certain frequencies. It is a huge irony that at the point in my life where I can afford nice gear, my hearing is shot!!!

 
Same issue here.  I am 60 now and have constant ringing in my right ear.  Very disappointing when, as you say, I can afford good stuff now.

 

[krismusic]

Same issue here.  I am 60 now and have constant ringing in my right ear.  Very disappointing when, as you say, I can afford good stuff now.

I still love my audio gear and it gives me a lot of pleasure to be connected to the emotion of the music even if I miss out on the finer points of reproduction. I hope you find the same solace.

 

[Pahani]

Do you suffer from Tinnitus? I get terrible ringing in my ears. Exacerbated by certain frequencies. It is a huge irony that at the point in my life where I can afford nice gear, my hearing is shot!!!

The good news is, you can somewhat get used to Tinnitus over several years, so you don't even notice it anymore unless you pay attention.
 
I've had it for probably 20 years now (thanks, Navy and Army!), and because I've had it for so long, it doesn't get in the way of my enjoyment of quality gear I DO know I'm not getting the full experience, but I still get enough enjoyment that it's worth it to me.
 
A side benefit is that I figure if *I* can hear an audible difference between headphones, it should be a piece of cake for most other people

 

[SpeakerBox]

Yes, agree.  I have gotten somewhat accustomed to the issue and can still appreciate good gear.  Just ticks me off sometimes that I have to deal with it - but that is what you get when you spend your younger years listening to Led Zep at ear splitting levels.

 

[Pedro Oliveira]

Do you suffer from Tinnitus? I get terrible ringing in my ears. Exacerbated by certain frequencies. It is a huge irony that at the point in my life where I can afford nice gear, my hearing is shot!!!

I don't think so. Had about 20 pairs of different headphones over the last 3 years and i have other 4 right now (dt770, hd25, momentum 1 and 2) and the hd600's are the only pair that ever did this to my ears....
 
Seems like i am not the only one.... other have suffered from the same. DavidA also had the same problem if i am not mistaken. It really only happens on certain tracks but its really disturbing, i really have to take them off and rest my ears a bit...

 

[DavidA]

 
I don't think so. Had about 20 pairs of different headphones over the last 3 years and i have other 4 right now (dt770, hd25, momentum 1 and 2) and the hd600's are the only pair that ever did this to my ears....
 
Seems like i am not the only one.... other have suffered from the same. DavidA also had the same problem if i am not mistaken. It really only happens on certain tracks but its really disturbing, i really have to take them off and rest my ears a bit...

Yeah, I'm the other that the 4-5khz peak bothers.  I've sold my HD-600 and while I do miss it at times my ears are happy.  Funny that even brighter headphones like the HD-700, HD-800 and T1 don't bother me but I think it all on the individuals hearing.

 

[Pedro Oliveira]

  Yeah, I'm the other that the 4-5khz peak bothers.  I've sold my HD-600 and while I do miss it at times my ears are happy.  Funny that even brighter headphones like the HD-700, HD-800 and T1 don't bother me but I think it all on the individuals hearing.

I dont fully like the dt770 and i hated the akg k550 because i thought they were pretty treble happy.... but none of them (or any other headphone) ever rapped my ears like the hd600's do at times. As i said its really a first for me....
 
Despite having the same issue.... when this peak was not present, you liked the hd600's David? More than the hd650s?

 

[DavidA]

 
I dont fully like the dt770 and i hated the akg k550 because i thought they were pretty treble happy.... but none of them (or any other headphone) ever rapped my ears like the hd600's do at times. As i said its really a first for me....
 
Despite having the same issue.... when this peak was not present, you liked the hd600's David? More than the hd650s?

I got the HD-650 way before I got the HD-600 so my brain was "wired" to the HD-650 which probably made listening to the HD-600 harder for me to like.  It was only after a few months did I notice that every time I listened to the HD-600 that my ears would hurt and after posting in this thread another member (sorry I can't remember who) suggested that it might be the spike at 4-5khz that my hearing was sensitive to.
 
Only got the HD-600 because I wanted to have and listen to what many consider (and it was really cheap at the time) the standard of nautral/neutral so that when I listen to other headphones I would have a much better idea of the persons impressions since many compare other headphones to either the HD-600 or HD-650.
 
I like the HD-650 better even if the HD-600 didn't have the peak since I normally use the HD-650 to relax, the HD-600 sound is just a touch too analytical for relaxing IMO, its the better tool for the job.

 

[Pedro Oliveira]

  I got the HD-650 way before I got the HD-600 so my brain was "wired" to the HD-650 which probably made listening to the HD-600 harder for me to like.  It was only after a few months did I notice that every time I listened to the HD-600 that my ears would hurt and after posting in this thread another member (sorry I can't remember who) suggested that it might be the spike at 4-5khz that my hearing was sensitive to.
 
Only got the HD-600 because I wanted to have and listen to what many consider (and it was really cheap at the time) the standard of nautral/neutral so that when I listen to other headphones I would have a much better idea of the persons impressions since many compare other headphones to either the HD-600 or HD-650.
 
I like the HD-650 better even if the HD-600 didn't have the peak since I normally use the HD-650 to relax, the HD-600 sound is just a touch too analytical for relaxing IMO, its the better tool for the job.

You 650's had the new silver drivers or were a older version? The bass (punch and rumble) on the hd650 was much more pronounced? i am almost 99% sure the hd650 would fare better with Prog, Trance and House but with metal, or even stuff like artic monkeys, rage against the machine or more agressive Muse tracks, wich would make electric guitars sound more powerfull, full and a bit more agressive (agressive in an engaging and powerfull way.... adicting....)?

 

[DavidA]

 
You 650's had the new silver drivers or were a older version? The bass (punch and rumble) on the hd650 was much more pronounced? i am almost 99% sure the hd650 would fare better with edm but with metal, wich would make guitars sound more powerfull and a bit more agressive?

HD-650 has silver drivers, purchased in mid 2013, HD-600 purchased in Nov 2015.  Since I rarely listen to metal and usually listen to EDM with HE-400i or EL8 I'm not sure which would be better for either genre.  For guitars I like my RS2e or the Ypsilon and at times the SR-009, HD-800 and T1 can do wonders depending on the track quality.

 

[Pedro Oliveira]

  HD-650 has silver drivers, purchased in mid 2013, HD-600 purchased in Nov 2015.  Since I rarely listen to metal and usually listen to EDM with HE-400i or EL8 I'm not sure which would be better for either genre.  For guitars I like my RS2e or the Ypsilon and at times the SR-009, HD-800 and T1 can do wonders depending on the track quality.

hum.... lets try a different approach....
Wich was more fun to listen to? Wich made you toe tap a little bit more on beats centric stuff?
 
I am a bit affraid of terms like "laidback"... many people have different perceptions of sound and because of that i already had my share of disapointments due to the use of certain words.... many call the momentum and mdr 1r laidback..... to me the mdr 1r was laidback yeah but supper muddy and boring, but the momentums i think they are pretty energetic and fun when its needed.... also i already saw some people calling "laidback" to stuff like the v6 or the k550 wich are not laidback at all..... to my ears at least....
 
Usually i tend to think laidback means boring to be honest (warmish but very slow and very boring like the mdr 1r).... many called the hd598 laidback..... yeah it is, but its also boring as hell.... many called the aurvana live laidback.... yeah those are warm sounding but still they are pretty fun when needed....
 
The hd600 is kind in the middle for me right now.... not very laidback and many times they can do their share of agressive and beat centric music but they fall short of the fun category for just a tiny bit due to the bass extension.... if i want to have fun i think of stuff like the over ear momentums, hd25 and m50x....

 

[DavidA]

 
hum.... lets try a different approach....
Wich was more fun to listen to? Wich made you toe tap a little bit more?
 
I am a bit affraid of terms like "laidback"... many people have different perceptions of sound and i already had my share of disapointments due to the use of certain words.... many call the momentum and mdr 1r laidback..... to me the mdr 1r was laidback yeah but supper muddy, but the momentums i think they are pretty energetic and fun when its needed.... also i already saw some people calling "laidback" to stuff like the v6 or the k550 wich are not laidback at all..... to my ears at least....

I would call the HD-650 close to "laidback" but it seems to depend on the amp.  As an example a few days ago I tried the HD-650 on a Feliks Elise, that was muddy and quite bad sounding (really laidback) but with the MicroZOTL the HD-650 was superb, had the toe tapping head bob thing going very easily with a clean crisp sound and anything but laidback.  I know this doesn't quite answer your question yet but I think it also depends a lot on the genre of music.  If the genres you like most require some bass line then the HD-650 would be the better choice, if like you said that metal with all the electric guitars I agree the HD-600 would work better.
 
For me the HD-650 is the more fun to listen to since the genres that I use it for need a little of the bass line to make the music come to life.
 
I have a MDR-1A which I've been told is close to the 1R and I agree that its not laidback, its almost a bass head can in stock form, after putting some dynamat in the cups its bass is now controlled and slightly better detailed but its still a U/V shaped fun sound and far from being laidback IMO.
 
Momentum is closer to laidback IMO, agree MDR-7506 (v6 twin) and K553 (K550 twin) are not laidback

 

[Pedro Oliveira]

I would call the HD-650 close to "laidback" but it seems to depend on the amp.  As an example a few days ago I tried the HD-650 on a Feliks Elise, that was muddy and quite bad sounding (really laidback) but with the MicroZOTL the HD-650 was superb, had the toe tapping head bob thing going very easily with a clean crisp sound and anything but laidback.  I know this doesn't quite answer your question yet but I think it also depends a lot on the genre of music.  If the genres you like most require some bass line then the HD-650 would be the better choice, if like you said that metal with all the electric guitars I agree the HD-600 would work better.

For me the HD-650 is the more fun to listen to since the genres that I use it for need a little of the bass line to make the music come to life.

I have a MDR-1A which I've been told is close to the 1R and I agree that its not laidback, its almost a bass head can in stock form, after putting some dynamat in the cups its bass is now controlled and slightly better detailed but its still a U/V shaped fun sound and far from being laidback IMO.

Momentum is closer to laidback IMO, agree MDR-7506 (v6 twin) and K553 (K550 twin) are not laidback

Exactly. But if you take a trip to their respective threads (v6 or k550) there is always someone that likes really bright or analytical stuff and dares to use the term laidback wich can be conpletely misleading.

The 1a from what ive read its the 1r with the punch it was needed. The 1r missed bass extensions and it did not had much punch. But to be honest i really didnt like them because i thought they sounded muffled and boring.

Yeah the momentums may be called laidback due to the refined and controlled highd ( a la sennheiser) but still they have great punch, clarity and they can also make stuff like metal sound pretty powerfull and engaging.

I would love to try thr 650s and compare with the 600s but unfortunatelly stores here in in portuhal dont have a very good selection of headphones. I could always buy them on amazon and return if i dont like but i dont feel like stalling 350 euros wich at the moment is a massivel amount of money for me....

 

[DavidA]

@Pedro Oliveira, too bad you are not in the US where it might be easier to attend any of the many meets that get organized.  I'm somewhat like you living in Hawaii where there are no stores where I could audition anything better than beats or bose.
 
I've been quite fortunate to be able to trade headphones with others for just the price of shipping and over the past few years have found a few others locally who have a passion for this hobby and have gotten to audition some great gear.  Then there is my old middle school in friend in japan who happens to be very wealthy and able to afford gear that I can only dream of.  Gave me a SR-009/SRM-007 setup and let me use his Liquid Glass and some rare holy grail tubes for a week.
 
One thing you might want to do is take notice of those that have the same or similar impressions as you with headphones that you have heard and ask them if they tried headphones that you are interested in.  Another point might be to ask what amps or DACs they used when doing any auditioning.
 
Going back to the HD-600/650 the choice of amp will affect how some will view the difference in them.  If you use a warmish amp like the BH Crack or Elise then the HD-600 would be the better sounding headphone even to me, but use a amp that is slightly on the brighter side like a Lyr2 then the HD-650 would be the better sounding one to me.

 

[Pahani]

Exactly. But if you take a trip to their respective threads (v6 or k550) there is always someone that likes really bright or analytical stuff and dares to use the term laidback wich can be conpletely misleading.

The 1a from what ive read its the 1r with the punch it was needed. The 1r missed bass extensions and it did not had much punch. But to be honest i really didnt like them because i thought they sounded muffled and boring.

Yeah the momentums may be called laidback due to the refined and controlled highd ( a la sennheiser) but still they have great punch, clarity and they can also make stuff like metal sound pretty powerfull and engaging.

I would love to try thr 650s and compare with the 600s but unfortunatelly stores here in in portuhal dont have a very good selection of headphones. I could always buy them on amazon and return if i dont like but i dont feel like stalling 350 euros wich at the moment is a massivel amount of money for me....

I have had the HD6XX for a couple weeks now, it is an HD650 in pretty much every detail...except with a shorter cable, I think? And of course the color (which, I'm sorry, in the light of my computer room sure looks black to me).
 
The 6XX does have noticeable bass extension and volume over HD600, to my ears. It doesn't quite get the deep rumble of X2 or TH-X00, but it's a big step there.
 
The 6XX is definitely more resolving than X2, and for basically the same price. Unless you absolutely NEED ultra-wide soundstage, such as for gaming, I'd personally choose the 6XX over X2 100% of the time That's a big deal, as I was a big proponent of X2 for a good while.
 
I'd still call 6XX laid-back....though a better word may be "unperturbed". It NEVER loses its' composure. I'd say the same for HD600. 
 
However, much the same way as I find my Stax more exciting than my HD600, I find my X00 Purplehearts more exciting than HD6XX. The bass hits even deeper, harder, and faster to my ears...though at a substantial price premium over 6XX.
 
I'm not sorry I purchased HD6XX, they're a spectacular value for the money. I'm proud to own my Sennheisers and do love them even though they don't get much playtime! But my long-term pairing hasn't changed from Stax + X00.