SENNHEISER HD650 Stereo Headphone

Rating:
Summary: nice, but flawed
Review: My expectation of the 650 was rather great, with it's 0.05%, 10-39500 and ratings on headphone.com ... the problem is that they are drastically colored. Sennheiser states that these cans were developed with the way music listeners listen to their music today. That's cute, but to do this they have colored all the audio ranges with a "creamy" sound that dulls all the details. All wave lengths are dropped so you get artificial bass in all spectums leaving your not-so-average-music-listener feeling like you are listening to great music but it's not the best.

I just finished an extensive review the another serious audio listener and engineer and we both agree that there needs to be more advertizement on these cans to let you know that they are pre-toned for your average listening pleasure. There's no way I would do mix-downs or proof a final track with the 650s ... they are just not accurate enough.

The best cans out there are still the HD 600s. They're numbers are slightly lower than the 650s but it's not going to cause you grief with colorization. You can get to 10 with 650s and 12 with 600s in the lows, but because of the colorization and everything begin in the lower bracket you'll wish they produced the 650s with the extra low and no colorization.

650s are a disappointment. When you train your ear to hear everything being played and recorded and want the most accurate listening that you can you'll want the 600s.

Rating:
Summary: OUTSTANDING!!!!!
Review: Right out of the box the Sennheiser HD650s reproduce a musical experience of fine detail and warmth to the listener. Owning both headphones models the Sennheiser HD600 and HD650 the HD650 is definitley a sonic improvement in every department over the HD600. The price of purchase justifies the musical experience you will recieve with the HD650s. The headphones are designed also for the home theater experience!!!. You cannot go wrong with Sennheiser HD650.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent, but what did you expect?
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Things you need to know for producing the best sound
Review: The HD650 is a superb headphone. Unfortunately,someone complain about quality of sound.
However, I guess that those people do not know about "break-in"(or "burn-in") period.
Almost all the headphones do not sound as good as a well used pair when you are listening to music with a headphone for the first time after you bought.
In a word, headphones must be "electrically" adapted by playing music for total of hours in order to sound to the intended best state.
Break-in period needed for producing the best sound depnds on a headphone.
I guess HD650 needs break-in period of over 100 hours.
What you need to do for that is to just listene to music you like.
After that period, you will be suprised by remarkable quality of sound produced by HD650! If you use a good CD player and a headphone amp, the sound quality would be more impressive!
Anyway, enjoy outstanding HD650!!

Rating:
Summary: Extraordinary sound at a reasonable price.
Review: The jury is still out on these headphones. Without a doubt, they are among the best headphones I have ever heard. However, the little wooden Grados give them a run for their money (but then they should at almost twice the price of the 650s). The only complaint I have on the 650s is their "softness"; one has a definite tendency to fall asleep when listening to music through them (and that's not altogether a bad thing). Great headphones.

Rating:
Summary: Best Headphones I Have Ever Heard
Review: These headphones produce a soft, lush and beautiful sound. I have several other headphones including Grado and Bose and these are much better. The headphones in my opinion deserve a good headphone amplifier to get the most out of them. And with a headphone amp the sound is like a sound system costing thousands.

The headphones are not light. The headband adjusts and the earpads are velour and very comfortable. I do, however, feel the weight of the headphones but nonetheless can wear them for extended periods. The quality of the sound makes me not want to take them off. I also find myself listening to music at a lower volume because the quality of the sound is so good that I don't need higher volume to find that I am immersed in the music.

This product is expensive and worth the price.

Rating:
Summary: Best Headphones I Have Ever Heard
Review: These headphones produce a soft, lush and beautiful sound. I have several other headphones including Grado and Bose and these are much better. The headphones in my opinion deserve a good headphone amplifier to get the most out of them. And with a headphone amp the sound is like a sound system costing thousands.

The headphones are not light. The headband adjusts and the earpads are velour and very comfortable. I do, however, feel the weight of the headphones but nonetheless can wear them for extended periods. The quality of the sound makes me not want to take them off. I also find myself listening to music at a lower volume because the quality of the sound is so good that I don't need higher volume to find that I am immersed in the music.

This product is expensive and worth the price.