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Sale Price: $499.95
Today's Bonus:
- Specially designed acoustic silk ensures precision damping over the entire frequency range and helps to reduce THD to an incredible 0.05%
- Improved frequency response is 10 - 39,500 Hz (-10 dB)
- Hand-selected matched driver elements
- High power neodymium magnets deliver maximum efficiency
- Lightweight aluminum voice coils for very fast transient response
- Specially designed acoustic silk ensures precision damping over the entire frequency range and helps to reduce THD to an incredible 0.05%
- Improved frequency response of 10 - 39,500 Hz (-10 dB) for rich sound
- Hand-selected matched driver elements
- High-power neodymium magnets deliver maximum efficiency
- Lightweight aluminum voice coils for very fast transient response
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As a lover of classical music I am a confirmed headphone listener. No set of speakers will offer the same amount of detail, most living rooms will add acoustic distortions, and many of us are not lucky enough to be able to play Mahler or Shostakovich at full power on a daily basis without getting into trouble with the neighbours.
For years I have been very happy with the Sony CD1700, an excellent headphone which is my point of reference for evaluating the HD650. The rest of my hifi set-up consists of a Marantz cd7300 CD player, PM7200 amplifier, and Musical Fidelity X-Can v3 headphone amplifier (a mandatory commodity if you intend to spend serious money on a headphone like this one). Also, I invested in the Cardas replacement cable for the HD650.
It is often said phones like this one need a 'break in' period. I used to regard this merely as snobbish audiophile technobabble but found it to be actually true. Initially, I was less than pleased with the sound of the HD650, to put it mildly. Mid-range, mezzoforte strings (which make up a VERY large part of orchestral music!) sounded grey and weirdly disembodied. Stereo separation was exaggerated while the middle part of the soundstage seemed empty. Compared to the breezy, open sound of the Sony, the Sennheiser seemed compressed and less immediately involving.
Things were not helped by the fact that the wearing comfort of these cans is markedly inferior to that of the Sony. The HD650 has fairly small shells that are not ideal if your ears aren't quite that small. Also, they are clamped against the head rather tightly, which is not entirely pleasant. The Sony, by contrast, simply lets you forget you are wearing it.
But then, after about 50 hours of listening, things had changed rather much. Not with regard to the wearing comfort, obviously, though you do get used to the way the HD650 feels; but soundwise. The sound had opened up completely; not only is it now as fresh and involving as that of the Sony, it is clearly superior. Everything is incredibly focused, tightly in place, resulting in a very clean sound picture. The bass is far superior to the Sony, and is noticeably warmer. Bass drum strokes or double bass pizzicati sound nothing short of sensational. Instrumental colours are marvellously defined throughout the orchestral ranges. The level of detail is quite simply stunning. I am not exagerrating when I say that I've heard new things in nearly every disc I played until now (in an old-time favourite, Bernstein's DG recording of Stravinsky's Les Noces, I was bowled over by the precision with which the four piano's, which had always sounded as a single instrument to me, were individually separated). Interestingly, a sense of underlying energy is retained even in the softest passages; I notice that with this headphone large scale symphonic works may sound completely satisfying even when played at fairly low volume.
All in all, I am now extremely pleased with this acquisition. It is hard to imagine that headphone sound can be much better. Listening to a well-recorded disc (and beware! these cans will mercilessly reveal which discs aren't so well recorded) you can easily imagine yourself to be sitting in the concert hall.
As a postscript: I am less sure about the cable issue. Many HD650 owners advise the replacement of Sennheiser's stock cable with a Cardas cable. Now, I always have the feeling that in these more esoteric regions of audiophilia, there is somewhere a point where actual sound improvements become extremely minimal, and myth or even madness set in. Yet, as I was splurging anyway, for once I went the whole hog and bought myself the Cardas cable, too. Frankly; you don't really need it. I will not go so far as to say it doesn't make a difference; it does. There is, at times, an extra sparkle to the sound. But it certainly is not a prerequisite to fully enjoy the wonders of the HD650 (quite apart from the fact that the Cardas cable is a hideously ugly thing to behold, makes the phones far more cumbersome to wear, and unlike the thinner, more supple stock cable causes contact noise).
Buy Sennheiser HD 650 Headphones Now
So headphone.com calls them "simply the world's best headphone." I can't speak for the Grado or AKG contenders. I can say that they're better than my Sennheiser 590's, and that is shocking.
Which leads me to my first (and probably most important) point about this headphone. They cost a lot. A whole lot. Sennheiser has many units, including the 580, 590, 595, 600, and 650 (among many others), which could be construed as 'reference' quality. You'll spend about half as much on one of the 5xx models as you will on the 650. So if you were to ask me whether the 650 is *twice as good* (that is to say, it costs more in proportion to its increased capability), I'll tell you no, probably not. I might just not buy them, given the decision again. Perhaps if the price came down a bit.
At any rate, they are really a superb headphone. The sound is really incredible. You never really realize what you're missing in a recording until you've heard it through a set like this. You can hear the saliva in the back of a vocalist's throat. I'm not kidding. Everything is reproduced clearly, accurately, crisply, and I've yet to find any recording (Vocal, Classical, Electronic, etc) that can tax them. I suppose I'll stop trying to some day, but it's just wonderful to hear the headphones doing their job.
The construction is far more solid than the 590's are. Where there is plastic on the 590, you see metal and (no kidding) Kevlar. They are more attractive. They are also quite a bit heavier. They have a 1/4" connector instead of the more customary 1/8" mini connector -this doesn't particularly bother me, I'll get to it in a minute.
Like the 590, they are an open headphone. That is, they are not "sealed" or "isolated". Sound from around you will seep in, and it is possible for others to hear what you are listening to (somewhat).
They are less comfortable. My guess is because of the metal band, the "spring" mechanism that keeps them round is tighter than the 590's, and it pinches. It really feels as though somebody is compressing your head. The ear cups are fine. They are almost identical to the 590's, but a little larger.
So, you probably wouldn't be here if you didn't know you needed an amplifier for these headphones (this is where the 1/4" plug comes in). However, it bears mentioning that you should not even consider buying these cans without first buying a capable amplifier. The PPA/PIMETA amps are cheapish, and Headphone.com has some that will work fine. To demonstrate this, you'll need another headphone and the 650. Connect the other headphone to your amplifier. Listen at a comfortable level. Then, relax a second, and attach the 650. The first thing you should notice is that the white noise is gone. The second thing -other than the sound quality, of course -is that it is much quieter. These cans need a lot of power to drive them effectively. Look at their specifications and you will understand (300 ohms of impedance!).
Buy em if you want the best and aren't afraid to spend the $$. Buy the 590's or 595's if what you need is a stellar headphone and you don't want to spend too much. Use the extra money to buy yourself an amp. You'll need it.
Read Best Reviews of Sennheiser HD 650 Headphones Here
COMFORT: (Grade, B). The earcups are relatively deep, but not deep enough for ultimate comfort. Even after years of use, they don't let me forget that I have headphones on. On the other hand, the 650 feels much better than headphones with shallow cups that squash your ears (and make them sweat). The velour earpads can be replaced, which is good because they do wear down and attract dust. The ultra-soft, velvetlike velour is much better than pleather.
BUILD QUALITY: (Grade A-). The interior of the padded bridge is made of a hard, flexible metal that won't be cracking or breaking any time soon. The plastic bridge will break if you stretch it too much, so if you want to make the 650 less tight adjust the flexible metal NOT the plastic. The phones are sturdy without being heavy. After dropping them hard three or four times, they finally did require repairing, though. (One of the drivers got dislodged.) Still, these are very sturdy phones and don't feel cheap.
SOUND: (Grade, A-) Does the 650 have a "dark veil," as is often claimed? The 650 user's guide says: "In spite of all purism and the highest demands on precise sound reproduction . . . [t]oday many music-lovers want to feel the sound more instead of plainly analyzing it. The HD now captivates your senses where you used to be a mere observer. It allows total submersion into an ocean of music." I take this to mean that the main difference between the 650 and its HD predecessor is that it favors balance over precision. Some music tends to sound too bright (i.e., bass-impoverished) on headphones, so maybe Sennheiser tried to balance things by reinforcing the low end. Some people claim there is no dark veil, but then why does Sennheiser say "in spite of all purism"? It seems to me that Sennheiser is admitting that the 650 isn't neutral. The sound signature is warm, slightly dark, silky-smooth, and very easy on the ears. (I can listen to them for hours with no hearing fatigue.) However, when I upgraded my headphone amplifier to the Lehmannaudio Black Cube Linear, the 650 did become less dark. On the best recordings I own (in terms of sonics, not performance), Lookin' for Love and Live in Tokyo, there is a clarity that verges on the miraculous. Maybe the "there is no dark veil" crowd is right after all? And yet it sounds like the treble is rolled off, which is one of the reasons why the 650 is not ideal for classical in my opinion. It is almost always with classical music that I perceive the dark veil. In extreme cases, the dark warm sound turns into congested sound. As for the low frequencies: I find the bass satisfying, but it's not the deepest bass I've heard on headphones.
TO AMP OR NOT TO AMP: As long as you have a high-end home system with a good headphone jack (and a good recording), these phones sound pretty good. According to popular observation, however, the 650 should be "juiced up." So I got a headphone amp. Did it make a difference? Sure did. Amping enlivens, brightens, and tightens the sound. Originally, I used a Headroom Micro Amp, which was pretty good. However, eventually I upgraded to the Lehmann and it made a noticeable difference.
WHAT SOUNDS GOOD ON THESE PHONES AND WHAT DOESN'T: These headphones can be finicky, but they are not altogether unforgiving. In general, however, the 650 sounds good OR bad depending on the quality of the recording, They are best judged on the basis of state-of-the-art recordings. You might listen to a favorite piece of music and be disappointed with it on the 650 (I know I was). You will be tempted to blame the headphones, but the fault will likely be in the recording. Pop and rock that has been well recorded sounds mindbogglingly good on the 650. Classical music lovers might want to take a look at the Sennheiser HD800. The latter's angled drivers create a better orchestral soundstage. Speaking of soundstage . . .
SOUNDSTAGE: For symphonic music, the 650's soundstage is just too narrow in my opinion. It sounds like the orchestra is being pushed in from the sides. Upgrading my amp added a greater sense of depth (given the right recording you WILL get a 3-D soundstage), but not much was added in terms of horizontal space. Classical music doesn't envelope you on the 650 as it does with other headphones. A nice thing about the soundstage, though, is that somtimes instruments and voices sound like they are behind me, a nice effect when it happens. There is also no lack of vertical space.
Another criticism of these phones is that they put you at a distance from the music, "a few rows back," but I find that it largely depends on the recording. For example, listening to Lookin' for Love, Marlena Shaw's voice could hardly be closer. Very often, these headphones puts things right in the center of my head. But they are also good at placing instruments some distance away. It all depends on how the music was recorded.
BREAK-IN TIME: What is this stuff about "burning the phones in"? Is there any truth to it? I asked somebody at the HeadRoom company, which deals specifically with headphones and headphone gear. He said yes, the diaphragm has to loosen up a little to sound its best. Lesson: don't judge the 650s overnight. Give them a little time.
LEAKY: Thanks to the wide open grills, these are the leaky phones. They are not to be worn if you need to keep noise in or out.
CARDAS CABLE: You can replace the factory cable that comes with the 650 (just pull out the old and plug in the new). I chose to upgrade to the Cardas. Is the difference between the stock and Cardas cables that huge? The Cardas brightens the sound and adds clarity, but it is more unwieldy than the factory cable, which is lighter and more supple, so if you move around a lot while listening to your headphones save yourself some money and stick with the stock cable. The Cardas always seems to be in my way when I move around. I keep stepping on it, and it has caused the phones to drop to the floor several times. I find contact noise not to be a problem, although another reviewer complained abou that. The Cardas is thick and gray. Its color-coded (black/red) wires make it lootk like something from workshop: unpretentious and functional. But if you don't mind the unwieldiness or barebonesness of the Cardas and don't expect to move around a lot, I do suggest ugrading because it brightens up the sound. (I have been told that it's just the placebo effect, but I find that hard to believe.)
BOTTOM LINE: (Final Grade, A-). The 650 doesn't make me hate my speakers, but it's still an excellent choice for people who are serious about their music. To really hear what the 650 is capable of, be prepared to spend more on the amp than on the actual headphones. Depending on what I'm listening to, I find that sometimes these phones can be somewhat uninvolving and analytical. This is especially true when they are unamped (or improperly amped). Properly amped, however, they take on a speed and energy that makes them quite involving. Particularly considering their excellent price (compared to other high quality headphones), these are a great buy.
WARNING: After mailing my headphones to Sennheiser for repair, I was called and told there was a problem because they were not purchased from an authorized dealer. I purchased them brand new here at Amazon from ELECTRONICA DIRECT, a seller often featured right on the product page. Sennheiser told me that I probably purchased stolen phones. Shoppers who want the warranty honored SHOULD NOT BUY FROM ELECTRONICA DIRECT or any unauthorized dealer. Verify that the seller you are buying from is recognized by Sennheiser. Sennheiser was finally kind enough to repair (actually they replaced) the phones after I complained up the chain, but it was a hassle.
Want Sennheiser HD 650 Headphones Discount?
For some strange reason, I waited a long time to buy these headphones. Silly me. We review one of Sennheiser's top headphone options.
Originally released in 2003, the HD650 is certainly aging. In fact, the headphone market has exploded since its debut and it's no secret that there are better headphones out there. Heck, even Sennheiser has their flagship HD800 and the soon-to-be-released HD700, $1,500 and $1,000 respectively. But just because there are more expensive options doesn't mean those are the better options.
If you start reading into a site like Head-fi (which I love, don't get me wrong), you'll start to feel like the HD650 is a thing of the past. Why buy the inferior HD650 when the HD800 exists?? Well, a couple reasons actually:
(1) 99.9% of people would never, ever consider spending $1,500 on headphones. Most people couldn't afford it. Most that could wouldn't find the point in buying them. The HD800 is a unique headphone for unique people.
(2) The HD800 is probably the pickiest dynamic headphone ever made when it comes to powering them. Typically the rule of thumb is to spend as much on an amp as you do on the headphones. That's upping the ante; 99.999999% of people wouldn't spend $3,000 on a headphone setup.
The HD650 is a relative bargain in today's headphone market. So let's forget about all the more expensive, technically more superior options, if only just for the rest of this review.
::::: BUILD & AESTHETICS :::::
Though all plastic, they feel very sturdy and look quite sexy. I much prefer the graphite look to the HD600's mid-90's green marbling. Yuck. The velour pads are squishy enough, though the actual surface is a little scratchy. Doesn't bother me. Many people find these to clamp on your head pretty tight. Also doesn't bother me. Some people recommend stretching these out over a basketball or a stack of books and while that works nicely for most headphones, DO NOT attempt to stretch these out. There are plenty of horror stories of the headband's hard plastic simply snapping in half. Bear the slight pressure for a while and the HD650s will slowly and safely loosen up to fit your melon better.
Detachable cable? Heck yeah! While this seems like a simple, unimportant thing, I value this feature so much. What if you snag the cable on something? What if your stupid cat chews through it? What if? In that case, you simply remove the old cable and stick in a new one. Plus, this often-overlooked feature allows you to quickly and easily upgrade the stock cable to something more worthy of these headphones. Me? I upgraded to the $300 15' Cardas cable. Sound nuts? I am... don't judge me. To my ears, it made a substantial difference. The nicer connections and larger gauge made the notorious "rolled-off" property disappear and I swear I can hear a more precise low-end. Definitely consider this worthwhile upgrade.
::::: THE SOUND :::::
What do they sound like, you ask? To be quite honest, I didn't like them at first. I came from mostly listening to the Denon AH-D2000 which offer more of a WOW! experience since they have super punchy lows, scooped mids, and diamond-like highs. The HD650s simply didn't impress me. There was no WOW! :-(
Then I kept listening... and listening... and then I realized something. The low-end doesn't thump my head around. I'm hearing the warm, present midrange of Norah's sweet, sweet vocals. I also don't get lost in a sea of bright cymbal splashes. What in the world does all this mean?! It means they are pretty darn neutral.
The HD650 is an open-backed headphone. This generally allows for a more accurate sound. When headphones have closed backs, sound gets trapped inside, bounces off your ears and muds up the sound (oh no!). Open backs allow longer frequency waves (lower notes) to escape as they should and produce a clearer sound. Open backs also means that the HD650 has terrific imaging. This is how it "places" instruments and people "around" your head. Ever notice how in-ear headphones trap the sound into this narrow beam in the center of your skull? That isn't the case with the HD650. Yay! The only negative is that your music is very loud to those around you. These headphones are generally best suited for private listening in a secluded space.
::::: BASS :::::
While the bass doesn't kick hard, it does exactly what it is supposed to. It establishes a solid platform for all of the other instruments to build off of. Some headphones have so much thick bass it makes me want to throw up. These simply play the notes they are supposed to. I hear the tone of the kick drum, which isn't something I've ever noticed with another set of cans. The most important thing to remember is to listen to properly mixed stuff. Many sound engineers will actually mix in less bass nowadays to compensate for people's bass-boosting tendencies. Other engineers boost it in the studio to keep consumers happy. Take a listen to some well recorded upright bass and it's as if the bass is in the room with you. The attack is almost perfect, the warmth is there and you can hear the fingertips scrape across the resin. Overall, the bass presentation is nearly perfect, unless you want punchy-thumpiness, in which case there are better options.
::::: MIDRANGE :::::
The midrange is sweet. Some headphones sound "scooped," while others pump honky midrange down your throat. Headphones are under the ultimate midrange test with chunky electric guitars and most vocalists. There isn't much else to say... The HD650 renders the midrange very well, nestled between warm bass and clear treble. No complaints!
::::: TREBLE :::::
Many people say that the HD650s "roll off" the treble. In my opinion, the general population has a skewed standard, People tend to like things unnaturally bright (as well as unnaturally bassy). Listen to someone singing or playing a guitar and then listen to these headphones. Listen really carefully. In any case, most people have lost their upper-frequency hearing anyways, so many people will never notice this "problem." I think the treble is crystal clear and appropriate in volume and presence.
::::: REVISED HD 650 :::::
Many audiophiles insist that the HD650 is a warm headphone. Some say that they're "muffled." These comments are still floating around the interwebs. Let me be clear here: Sennheiser revised the HD650 a few years back (2007-ish?). Basically, they changed a few dampening things on either side of the drivers and magically removed the dreaded "Sennheiser Veil." It's not there. The HD650 is not "rolled off." It is not "bass heavy."
Having a strong musical and AV background, I can tell you that the (newer) HD650 is a very well balanced headphone. If anything, people generally want those "punchy" dynamics, which means hard-hitting bass and screeching treble. So yes, in comparison, a well-balanced headphone would have a "warm" sound.
::::: THEY'RE PRACTICAL :::::
Well, more practical than the HD800. At only ~$425, these are a steal in today's headphone market. I've listened to headphones that cost twice as much and sound half as good. At 300 ohms, they'll struggle out of an iPod. In fact, don't even attempt it. I used a $300 aftermarket cable and powered them with an $850 amp, however, the HD650 will sound superb through an entry-level amp and its stock cable. We're talking $600 said and done--maybe less with common price flux.
::::: OVERALL :::::
After 600+ hours of burn in, I find the Sennheiser HD650 headphones to be nearly perfect. I guess they aren't "the best" in any one, specific aspect, but overall, they are a serious contender for the world's best dynamic headphone. Many will disagree with my observations, but those are pretty much only people spending thousands upon thousands of dollars on audio equipment. These are among the most incredible headphones I've ever had the pleasure of listening to and are a relative bargain.
Don't think; just buy.
(I previously posted this review on my website, Kolulu, but thought it would be more helpful here. Hope this helps!)
Just received my HD650's. Picked them up manufacturer refurbished for some decent $$$ savings from an authorized re-seller. My headphone amp (headroom portable micro) is due in next week so my rating is without a headphone amp. I am a Senn fan and own a couple pairs on top of the 650's (HD590 and PCX250 noise reduction). Compared to my 590's these have a much bigger sound stage and as previous posters have said you hear things in high quality recordings I never heard before with the HD590. As far as coloration goes or veiled response, I think that has to be a source material issue or equipment issue. Plugging these into my Marantz 8500 receiver and listening to an SACD or DVD-A is true bliss, just a little taste of heaven. MP3s sound great too, either plugged into the receiver or piped thru my logitec PC system (their top o line with separate headphone amp). Bought the portable amp for my ipod, figured it should increase my satisfaction with both the 650 and 590 while on the go. First time I tried the 650 was on a 256k MP3. The sound difference between the 590s and the 650s literally gave me chills and this is before the recommended "burn in".
I am by no means an expert, but love all kinds of music. Unfortunately (or fortunately) due to small kids and wife can't play my music at levels on my old AR9s like I used to. These HD650s are an awesome substitute. Pull the trigger on these and you will not regret it. They live up to the hype. Just make sure you buy them from an authorized reseller (like Amazon, not a third party seller) or the warranty is no good.
