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Author Topic: The Amazing Super Duper Underrated HD650. A Headphone That Kicks Serious Ass.  (Read 51297 times)

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Luckbad

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Re: The Amazing Super Duper Underrated HD650. A Headphone That Kicks Serious Ass.
« Reply #490 on: September 09, 2015, 04:52:58 PM »
Quote from: ultrabike on September 09, 2015, 03:20:05 PM
Nope. HD650 is not a super duper overrated headphone. And no, the HD800 does not shame the HD650. In fact, I can't stand an HD800 w/o Anax's mods.

I need to hear an HD800 with Anax mods. I've heard them twice. One stock, one with some dude's personal mods.

I abhorred it. I'm sensitive to treble to begin with. Combining that with my knowledge of their price, I immediately gained a deep hatred toward the HD800. It was also a huge disappointment because I've always loved Sennheiser. I think I currently own about 5 of their headphones and use 2 of them regularly.

What's kinda cool to me about the HD650 and HD800 is that you guys who are addicted to clarity as the other side of my coin--the Basshead coin. We're willing to go to great lengths to find the potential of a headphone for our purposes and are willing to forgive stock as long as the possibility for greatness is there.

Most bassheads are super happy to use equalizers and largely use portable daps/dacs/amps. I'm a desktop guy and prefer hardware solutions when possible, so it's always interesting to me to read what you folks do to make the HD800 shine.

My Fostex TH600 have become my Basshead can that I'm working to fix. I have the same rug damping material as the HD800 in front of the drivers (helps drop the 5-6kHz heat by ~1dB) and I'm going to bug Solderdude in a month or two about a design for an in-line extension cable to essentially peakfilter that frequency down. I'm also planning on investigating filter boards for sub-bass boost (primarily 75Hz and below) without the need for EQ or a switch on an amp--I'm still an audiophile and prefer really good amps, but none of them have bass boosts integrated.

Holy crap I'm rambling super far off-topic.

I've done no mods to my HD650 apart from getting a balanced termination. I'd like to try the Kennerton wood cups at some point, but that'll have to wait until I'm done buying too many dacs/amps and selling the ones that I don't love.
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ultrabike

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Re: The Amazing Super Duper Underrated HD650. A Headphone That Kicks Serious Ass.
« Reply #491 on: September 09, 2015, 05:35:54 PM »
LOL! I've kept my HD600 stock, and I like it that way. Perhaps it could be improved, but not too worried about it currently.

The 800 IMO does need help. Not as much as a DT990, but it does.

I heard a stock 800 with a GS-X and it definitively did not work for me. Heard the Anax moded one from Mike's Super-7 (+ other god like amp) and felt it was pretty good. Maybe the Anax moded 800 works with the GS-X, but I didn't try that.
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thegunner100

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Re: The Amazing Super Duper Underrated HD650. A Headphone That Kicks Serious Ass.
« Reply #492 on: September 09, 2015, 07:48:19 PM »
Quote from: Hands on September 09, 2015, 04:50:48 PM
Bring down the bass hump? I'm pretty sure I got a measurable (and subjective) increase in the mid-bass hump after the mods.

Hmm... now you've got me second guessing myself. I don't really remember since I modded mine so quickly after I got them. But at the very least, the bass does sound cleaner while still being very impactful.
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FlySweep

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Re: The Amazing Super Duper Underrated HD650. A Headphone That Kicks Serious Ass.
« Reply #493 on: September 09, 2015, 08:27:25 PM »
Quote from: Hands on September 09, 2015, 04:50:48 PM
Bring down the bass hump? I'm pretty sure I got a measurable (and subjective) increase in the mid-bass hump after the mods.

How do the mods affect the 650's speed, Hans?  Particularly in the bass?  I know it's not the fastest hp to begin with.. even when fed ample, hq voltage.. but if the modded 650's bass is noticeably slower vs a stock 650's bass, it might deter me from doing the mod(s).
« Last Edit: September 10, 2015, 03:03:33 PM by FlySweep »
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Riotvan

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Re: The Amazing Super Duper Underrated HD650. A Headphone That Kicks Serious Ass.
« Reply #494 on: September 09, 2015, 09:02:17 PM »
Modded sounds faster to me tbh.
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Hands

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Re: The Amazing Super Duper Underrated HD650. A Headphone That Kicks Serious Ass.
« Reply #495 on: September 09, 2015, 09:18:33 PM »
Quote from: thegunner100 on September 09, 2015, 07:48:19 PM
Hmm... now you've got me second guessing myself. I don't really remember since I modded mine so quickly after I got them. But at the very least, the bass does sound cleaner while still being very impactful.

Yeah, one of the first things I noticed was it brought out the mid-bass. Can't remember if it affected the low-end slam or not, though, but I think more albums then not sound more powerful with that extra mid-bass hump. Whatever the changes were, I liked them. I suppose if you cut a bigger hole in the front foam than I did, that might reduce bass relative to stock.

Quote from: FlySweep on September 09, 2015, 08:27:25 PM
How do the mods affect the 650's speed, Hans?  Particularly in the bass?  I know it's not the fastest hp to begin with.. even when fed ample, hq voltage.. but if the modded 650's the bass is noticeably slower vs a stock 650, it might deter me from doing the mod(s).

I actually think it made them sound cleaner and perhaps faster overall. They are slightly overdamped stock, very slight, which to me made some things sound a bit strained in a weird, glaring way and some things more dead than they should. Almost, almost splitting hairs here, but in a way that it still might be a noticeable gain for some like myself. They do open up after mods, though, which IMO helps some aspects come through a bit easier than stock.

Now, bass speed, I think we all know the HD600/650 don't have the absolute best bass out of every headphone. Quite good, yes, but there can be better (often with other, worse trade offs). While there is more bloom from the mid-bass hump after the mods, which may or may not be to your tastes, I haven't found the overall speed or clarity to change much down there. Think extra bloom, not looser or slower, if that makes sense. Paired with the right amp, it can shine just as much as possible down there as stock.

YMMV and your findings might not match mine. I think everyone at the recent Boulder CS meet agreed the mods really helped the HD650. Convinced one guy to mod his pair after, at least. :)
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Boner Stabone

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Re: The Amazing Super Duper Underrated HD650. A Headphone That Kicks Serious Ass.
« Reply #496 on: September 09, 2015, 09:32:29 PM »
Quote from: Hands on September 09, 2015, 04:50:48 PM
Bring down the bass hump? I'm pretty sure I got a measurable (and subjective) increase in the mid-bass hump after the mods.

Seems to go both ways. I got snappier and slightly less bass. Measurements showed no significant differences, maybe 1db more here and there in the upper mids.
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Psalmanazar

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Re: The Amazing Super Duper Underrated HD650. A Headphone That Kicks Serious Ass.
« Reply #497 on: September 09, 2015, 11:33:50 PM »
Quote from: maibuN on September 09, 2015, 01:17:10 PM
I think due to this thread the HD650 is by now a super duper overrated headphone.  p:/

It's a good headphone regarding its price but if you switch from HD800 to HD650  ...  poo :)p8
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Quote from: ultrabike on September 09, 2015, 05:35:54 PM
LOL! I've kept my HD600 stock, and I like it that way. Perhaps it could be improved, but not too worried about it currently.

The 800 IMO does need help. Not as much as a DT990, but it does.

I heard a stock 800 with a GS-X and it definitively did not work for me. Heard the Anax moded one from Mike's Super-7 (+ other god like amp) and felt it was pretty good. Maybe the Anax moded 800 works with the GS-X, but I didn't try that.
All Beyers need help with QC or the treble. The DT 990, 250 ohm version made the HD 800 look like the UE6000.
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Arnotts

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Re: The Amazing Super Duper Underrated HD650. A Headphone That Kicks Serious Ass.
« Reply #498 on: September 11, 2015, 09:17:29 AM »
So I just cut up my HD650's.

Coin mod and foam removal from the back of the driver.

Shiiiiiiiit. No negatives, imo. More air and precision. Still got that great, smooth, HD650 sound. Bass might be a little punchier. Let's the GMB and Valhalla 2 show off even more.

If you know you like the HD650 sound, imo it's pretty likely you'll prefer the sound with the mods.
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AustinValentine

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Re: The Amazing Super Duper Underrated HD650. A Headphone That Kicks Serious Ass.
« Reply #499 on: September 11, 2015, 01:50:53 PM »
Quote from: Arnotts on September 11, 2015, 09:17:29 AM
So I just cut up my HD650's.

Coin mod and foam removal from the back of the driver.

Shiiiiiiiit. No negatives, imo. More air and precision. Still got that great, smooth, HD650 sound. Bass might be a little punchier. Let's the GMB and Valhalla 2 show off even more.

If you know you like the HD650 sound, imo it's pretty likely you'll prefer the sound with the mods.

Yeah it's a pretty huge change. I went back and forth between the HD600 and 650 until I modded the 650. Eliminates the slightly overdamped character of the 650 altogether.

HD600 was sold the next day.
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