Hello David. I have the 650s with AUNE X7S balanced and RME ADI 2 DAC. I have auditioned 600s and 660s and they were not my taste. I didn't like the AUNE with 1/4 connection with stock cable. As soon as I put an aftermarket balanced cable the sound transformed completely with the 650s. The thing is that I wanted to say that I have never watched a better review of these headphones as far as sound description. Keep up the good work :)
Funny thing : I’ve had both the 600 and the 650 for over a year (the 600 for almost 2 years) and yet I’ve never had the two in the same place and never compared them directly. 😂. (My 600 is at home and my 650 at work). But, I definitely can tell that the 650 is warmer and “fuller” sounding. It’s hard for me to pick between the two but I can say I definitely will never get rid of my 600. But I also do like the 650 quite a bit!
Too funny. You should swap the headphones with the office and home setup and see if you hear a difference, unless you have same setup at each location. The HD600 is crazy good but if I had only the HD650 and never heard HD600 I would be very content. They both are very good with the HD600 just a little better on clarity and tonality but the HD650 has that warmth and soundstage, tough choice.
It's true. I've got several headphones, some are close to 2 grand. I ended up listening to the HD600 80% of the time. Despite real or perceived limits, the HD600 communicate music better than most brands and technologies I have tried.
thanks for this awesome review! I have very mid/treble-heavy monitor speakers (Yamaha HS7 and NS10s) I need headphones to check and work properly on the bass. Would you suggest the 600's or 650?
I haven't heard the Yamaha HS7 or NS10s but the HD600 is my preference between the two but that isn't to say the HD650 isn't good. I prefere the little extra sparkle and energy of the HD600.
Audiophiles are tough. I got some of the 650's and I am going to like them. I need to. I used to be a bit crazy, even had some of those great/terrible Acoustat 8 ft tall speakers (very beamy). I spent way too much. Now, 35 years later, I am starting with a tube preamp/amp andHD650 combo.
Hi Dave, it’s 2022…and it’s been interesting😵💫 Yes, I went back to this video 😋 I’ve been into good IEM’s for some time now and rarely listen to my 650’s these days. Your description at THIS time was/ is SPOT ON!!👍 Since I heard the Meze Emps’ ..I’m broken for anything less than that .. Once again thank you and have you ever considered going back and re review some “favorites” … Take care and if you get this ..have a laugh 😂
I had both for a while and a/bed a lot. I like both, I felt the 650 was more exciting, especially with zen dac with a bass boost, kinda like a car with subs. The 600 would seem lacking in a direct comparison but it’s tone felt more natural . I ended up keeping the 600 because I felt it was a headphone for referencing a balanced translation to other systems . The 650 has better imaging though. It was really noticeable on guitars with delays and reverb or vocals with reverb. I could hear the ping pong delay way easier on the 650. The 600 kinda hides it . This was my issue , I felt the 600 with the width of the 650 would be perfect. I think the tone might translate better on a 650 to many sound systems . Guitars have a bit more body and also they sound more panned and immense . The issue with the 650 was i felt it maybe a bit too bright at times on the high end. The vocals were also pushed farther away, whereas the vocal placement on the 600 was perfect . I’m considering buying650s or 660s for spatial awareness . The 600 kinda masks the imaging a bit. I’m afraid the 660 might be too bright . I actually don’t find 600’s bright .
Have you heard the HD660s? I’d be curious to hear your thoughts on them compared to these if you have. Also, just want to see I really like your channel. I follow pretty all of the major audiophile UA-camrs and I appreciate the different style you bring. It feels much more laid back and like a discussion as opposed to just going through bullet points. It’s good to hear from another perspective and style.
Thanks for this. Great and informative video. I'm leaning towards the 600 myself. Did you get a chance to try the 6xx? Some say that it splits the difference between the 650 and 600. Also what is your preferred Dac/Amp combination for the 600 or 2 in 1? I can't go too crazy on the money.
I've not heard the Drop 6xx variant. As for DAC and amp, iFi Zen Signature, Fiio K7, Aune X1s GT are good options that aren't overly pricey. The ones I use are the Mytek Liberty DAC ii, Mytek Liberty THX AAA HPA, Headamp GS-X Mini and Tor Audio Roger. There are others as well, I am just not thinking of them at the moment. Here is a link to my ranking list (make sure to read ranking grade first): docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nRHnsP_4vLg9DlD9kwJ6gQuEQFqhTR0lnrkxXo3AMG8/edit?usp=sharing
Thank you Dave! A top review. I see your preference on the HD 600 is also mine. Had the 600 over 2 years, sold it and got the 660s. Bad mistake. After not using the 660s the last 2 years, I sold it now and ordered the 6xx and paired it today with the balanced cable with the ifi xDSD and it was not best in pairing. A bit to thick and I am used to the Focal Elegia and the DT 1990 Pro with the analytical pads. Won't use the 6xx mobile anyways. So no big deal. Tomorrow I will use my RME ADI 2 DAC fs ( 4493) > THX AAA 789 and hope it gets a bit opened up. Never should have given away my 600s.
@@TheHonestAudiophile I loved my 600s as well. I hope the 6xx is going to grow on me with the other DAC/AMP stack at home. Will find it out this evening after work.
Great review! I want to find the best headphone for vocals, mids. Liquid, warm, a little dark tonality. What do you think? Which is the best? Hd650, Lcd2/3 fazor, prefazor, Monolith 1060c open mod, Argon mk3? Do you have any suggestion? Please?🙂
I recently bought the 650 for mixing and you said it ia not for critical listening. I study sound engineering and my teacher has 600. I asked him about buying 600 or 650 he listened to both before(his main is hd 600). He told me to buy 650. Now I'm lil scared.
Everyone hears things differently, great thing about the audiophile community. I recommend doing a listening/comparison between the two and see what you think. I am curious to hear your thoughts.
@@TheHonestAudiophile i have my hd600 but with them my mix has always too much mids and i can have a good bass in my track. I just commanded hd650 for try and see the difference .......
Great review! I want to find the best headphone for vocals, mids. What do you think? Which is the best? Hd650, Lcd2/3 fazor, prefazor, Monolith 1060c open mod, Argon mk3? Do you have any suggestion? Please?🙂
I haven't tried the 650s, but I was listening to a Jazz recording (Mark Waldrep's recording of the Latin Jazz Trio) on my speakers, and my daughter (10) was playing with the HD-600s, and noticed significant differences and extra "sparkles" in the triangles with the headphones than she heard over the speakers (JBL 305p Mkii monitors). I heard little difference in the treble, which is high praise for the HD-600s. (Equipment is Geshelli Stack, with the RCA going to the Archer Pro, and the balanced going to the monitor controller).
Hey Dave...so what do you find more detailed, the k7xx or hd650? On my gear they are very similar, but maybe my amp dac combo is quite detailed. Cheers
Snake Roberts I haven't had a chance to to hear the AKG K7xx. I do know that the DAC/amp makes difference with HD650 so that is possiblity. What combo do you have?
@@TheHonestAudiophile I have a few amps and dac's. Burson Soloist amp with Hegel HD25 dac, Burson HA160D amp/dac and a Perreaux SXH2 amp and Myriad dac. I have the HD6XX though, which may be tuned slightly differently to HD650...though we are told they are supposedly the same. I don't find the tuning to be all that different between the detailed k7xx and the rolled off hd6xx. Cheers.
@@massivemikeh I like your selection of dacs/amps even though I haven't heard any of them. I imagine they give you a good variety in sound signatures. Which one do you prefer?
@@TheHonestAudiophile Thanks Dave. Well the Hegel HD25 sounds fantastic! The Perreaux sxh2 amp is made in New Zealand (as am I) and is warm and tubey but with excellent treble detail without being bright. It's a very neutral amp with a tad more deep bass than the Burson Soloist. This is my favorite combo and I use the K7xx almost exclusively. I own hd6xx, he4xx and Fidelio x2 also. I look forward to your review of the k7xx one day. I suspect most people test this headphone on weaker amps and get a poor result. Love your channel mate! Cheers.
I am sorry I have no experience at all with the Yamaha Natural Sound 900 series. Looks like a nice system 👍 As for the 600 or 650, depends on your preference of sound. I am not sure if the Yamaha can power them or not. Sorry not of much help. Thank you for the question. Thank you for watching.
Rock and metal music fan. I've been in love with these since I got them in 2017. Every other headphone I own (HD800s, LCD - XC Bubinga, Grado GS1000e, Meze99 Classics) just doesn't do it for me for these types of music. Only exception are the Kaiser10s which also rock big time. Do you think I will like the LCD 2 Classics? I've been eyeing them for some time now but the reviews are mixed. Some people rave about them, others including you don't like the treble (or lack thereof). What do you think? I just want something better than the HD650's but with a similar 'warm' signature to wear for most of the day.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Have you tried the LDC XC (2015 Fazor Model)? And if you have, did you enjoy it? (I'm trying to get a sense of what you enjoyed, so I can draw conclusions)
Could you recommend a pair of earbuds/IEMs for $150 or under? I listen to mostly rap and rock. And I listen to everything from my phone, I like bass but not overpowering? I would value your opinion because you know what you're talking about in your reviews. I prefer wired over Bluetooth
Thank you for the kind words. Take a look at the Ibasso IT01. I will have a review coming in the near future for them. iBasso IT01 Dynamic Driver Audiophile MMCX Detachable IEMs In-Ear Headphones with (Blue/Red) www.amazon.com/dp/B078HKGMBG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_omDkmFJWx78jF
Cheaper budget: AKG K612 Pro Similar budget: HD660s with a tube amp Audio-Technica R70x Higher Budget: Focal Clear Pro with a tube amp Meze 109 Pro DROP Sennheiser HD8xx
@@TheHonestAudiophile heck; if they managed to improve the super minor flaws in the "revised" editions with regards to frequency response.... then it's END GAME! 😁😁
@@JohnWell4131 Ok thanks for the information. I will keep that in mind for the future, if the Beyerdynamic comes up for purchase or someone offers to loan one.
650/6xx is way too warm and laid back for my taste. Nice If you want your music to hang out in the background. A good headphone for working because it won’t draw your attention. But, is this what you want for your primary listening? Probably not. Surprised it gets so much praise these days.
I don't like the low mids/upper hump and slow bass. I think 58X have much better bass. HD600 is more natural sounding in my opinion. Also new pads supplied since 2021 are a bit less laid back.
Thank you! One of the best HD600 / HD650 comparison reviews out there.
Thanks for the kind words.
Hello David. I have the 650s with AUNE X7S balanced and RME ADI 2 DAC. I have auditioned 600s and 660s and they were not my taste. I didn't like the AUNE with 1/4 connection with stock cable. As soon as I put an aftermarket balanced cable the sound transformed completely with the 650s. The thing is that I wanted to say that I have never watched a better review of these headphones as far as sound description. Keep up the good work :)
Thank you for the kind words and watching.
Funny thing : I’ve had both the 600 and the 650 for over a year (the 600 for almost 2 years) and yet I’ve never had the two in the same place and never compared them directly. 😂. (My 600 is at home and my 650 at work).
But, I definitely can tell that the 650 is warmer and “fuller” sounding. It’s hard for me to pick between the two but I can say I definitely will never get rid of my 600. But I also do like the 650 quite a bit!
Too funny. You should swap the headphones with the office and home setup and see if you hear a difference, unless you have same setup at each location.
The HD600 is crazy good but if I had only the HD650 and never heard HD600 I would be very content. They both are very good with the HD600 just a little better on clarity and tonality but the HD650 has that warmth and soundstage, tough choice.
It's true. I've got several headphones, some are close to 2 grand. I ended up listening to the HD600 80% of the time. Despite real or perceived limits, the HD600 communicate music better than most brands and technologies I have tried.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the HD650!
My pleasure, you're welcome.
thanks for this awesome review! I have very mid/treble-heavy monitor speakers (Yamaha HS7 and NS10s) I need headphones to check and work properly on the bass.
Would you suggest the 600's or 650?
I haven't heard the Yamaha HS7 or NS10s but the HD600 is my preference between the two but that isn't to say the HD650 isn't good. I prefere the little extra sparkle and energy of the HD600.
Audiophiles are tough. I got some of the 650's and I am going to like them. I need to.
I used to be a bit crazy, even had some of those great/terrible Acoustat 8 ft tall speakers (very beamy). I spent way too much.
Now, 35 years later, I am starting with a tube preamp/amp andHD650 combo.
Interesting. Look forward to hearing your impressions.
Hi Dave, it’s 2022…and it’s been interesting😵💫
Yes, I went back to this video 😋
I’ve been into good IEM’s for some time now and rarely listen to my 650’s these days.
Your description at THIS time was/ is SPOT ON!!👍
Since I heard the Meze Emps’ ..I’m broken for anything less than that ..
Once again thank you and have you ever considered going back and re review some “favorites” …
Take care and if you get this ..have a laugh 😂
I have considered doing some re-reviews if/when time allows. Thanks for the suggestion.
Empyrean has that effect for sure :)
@@TheHonestAudiophile I’m freak’n ruined for anything ells 😂
I had both for a while and a/bed a lot. I like both, I felt the 650 was more exciting, especially with zen dac with a bass boost, kinda like a car with subs.
The 600 would seem lacking in a direct comparison but it’s tone felt more natural . I ended up keeping the 600 because I felt it was a headphone for referencing a balanced translation to other systems .
The 650 has better imaging though. It was really noticeable on guitars with delays and reverb or vocals with reverb. I could hear the ping pong delay way easier on the 650. The 600 kinda hides it . This was my issue , I felt the 600 with the width of the 650 would be perfect. I think the tone might translate better on a 650 to many sound systems .
Guitars have a bit more body and also they sound more panned and immense . The issue with the 650 was i felt it maybe a bit too bright at times on the high end. The vocals were also pushed farther away, whereas the vocal placement on the 600 was perfect .
I’m considering buying650s or 660s for spatial awareness . The 600 kinda masks the imaging a bit. I’m afraid the 660 might be too bright . I actually don’t find 600’s bright .
Have you heard the HD660s? I’d be curious to hear your thoughts on them compared to these if you have.
Also, just want to see I really like your channel. I follow pretty all of the major audiophile UA-camrs and I appreciate the different style you bring. It feels much more laid back and like a discussion as opposed to just going through bullet points. It’s good to hear from another perspective and style.
Thank you for the kind words.
I haven't heard the HD660 but I would love to get some in to compare.
Thanks for the insight
My pleasure, you're welcome.
Thanks for this. Great and informative video. I'm leaning towards the 600 myself. Did you get a chance to try the 6xx? Some say that it splits the difference between the 650 and 600. Also what is your preferred Dac/Amp combination for the 600 or 2 in 1? I can't go too crazy on the money.
I've not heard the Drop 6xx variant. As for DAC and amp, iFi Zen Signature, Fiio K7, Aune X1s GT are good options that aren't overly pricey. The ones I use are the Mytek Liberty DAC ii, Mytek Liberty THX AAA HPA, Headamp GS-X Mini and Tor Audio Roger. There are others as well, I am just not thinking of them at the moment. Here is a link to my ranking list (make sure to read ranking grade first):
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nRHnsP_4vLg9DlD9kwJ6gQuEQFqhTR0lnrkxXo3AMG8/edit?usp=sharing
Thank you Dave! A top review. I see your preference on the HD 600 is also mine.
Had the 600 over 2 years, sold it and got the 660s. Bad mistake. After not using the 660s the last 2 years, I sold it now and ordered the 6xx and paired it today with the balanced cable with the ifi xDSD and it was not best in pairing. A bit to thick and I am used to the Focal Elegia and the DT 1990 Pro with the analytical pads. Won't use the 6xx mobile anyways. So no big deal.
Tomorrow I will use my RME ADI 2 DAC fs ( 4493) > THX AAA 789 and hope it gets a bit opened up.
Never should have given away my 600s.
Sorry to hear that you are disappointed with the HD650. I love my HD600 🥰
@@TheHonestAudiophile I loved my 600s as well. I hope the 6xx is going to grow on me with the other DAC/AMP stack at home. Will find it out this evening after work.
Maybe a cooler sounding dac/amp combo will help you find a happiness with the 6xx.
Excellent review - really enjoyed your descriptions. Wanted to ask, would recommend the 600's over the 650's for audio mixing
@Mark Thomas Yes, I'd recommend the 600 for mixing over the 650.
Thank you for the kind words. Thank you for watching and commenting.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Cheers David, all the best :)
Great review! I want to find the best headphone for vocals, mids. Liquid, warm, a little dark tonality. What do you think? Which is the best? Hd650, Lcd2/3 fazor, prefazor, Monolith 1060c open mod, Argon mk3? Do you have any suggestion? Please?🙂
I recently bought the 650 for mixing and you said it ia not for critical listening. I study sound engineering and my teacher has 600. I asked him about buying 600 or 650 he listened to both before(his main is hd 600). He told me to buy 650. Now I'm lil scared.
Everyone hears things differently, great thing about the audiophile community. I recommend doing a listening/comparison between the two and see what you think. I am curious to hear your thoughts.
Which one did you end up getting? Did you A/B between the HD600 and HD650?
I purchased the HD600.
ua-cam.com/video/33Cs2fyWmZ0/v-deo.html
@@TheHonestAudiophile i have my hd600 but with them my mix has always too much mids and i can have a good bass in my track. I just commanded hd650 for try and see the difference .......
That is understandable as the mids are elevated and forward on the 600. The 650 is similar but not as much.
Great review! I want to find the best headphone for vocals, mids. What do you think? Which is the best? Hd650, Lcd2/3 fazor, prefazor, Monolith 1060c open mod, Argon mk3? Do you have any suggestion? Please?🙂
I recommend the HD600 for vocals and mids, tone and timbre.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Thank you!🤗
@@combojohn7953 my pleasure, you're welcome.
I haven't tried the 650s, but I was listening to a Jazz recording (Mark Waldrep's recording of the Latin Jazz Trio) on my speakers, and my daughter (10) was playing with the HD-600s, and noticed significant differences and extra "sparkles" in the triangles with the headphones than she heard over the speakers (JBL 305p Mkii monitors). I heard little difference in the treble, which is high praise for the HD-600s. (Equipment is Geshelli Stack, with the RCA going to the Archer Pro, and the balanced going to the monitor controller).
Very nice, the HD600 are incredible. I should get some speakers in to review and compare.
Hey Dave...so what do you find more detailed, the k7xx or hd650? On my gear they are very similar, but maybe my amp dac combo is quite detailed. Cheers
Snake Roberts I haven't had a chance to to hear the AKG K7xx. I do know that the DAC/amp makes difference with HD650 so that is possiblity. What combo do you have?
@@TheHonestAudiophile I have a few amps and dac's. Burson Soloist amp with Hegel HD25 dac, Burson HA160D amp/dac and a Perreaux SXH2 amp and Myriad dac.
I have the HD6XX though, which may be tuned slightly differently to HD650...though we are told they are supposedly the same.
I don't find the tuning to be all that different between the detailed k7xx and the rolled off hd6xx. Cheers.
@@massivemikeh Interesting. I will have to check into them.
@@massivemikeh I like your selection of dacs/amps even though I haven't heard any of them. I imagine they give you a good variety in sound signatures. Which one do you prefer?
@@TheHonestAudiophile Thanks Dave. Well the Hegel HD25 sounds fantastic! The Perreaux sxh2 amp is made in New Zealand (as am I) and is warm and tubey but with excellent treble detail without being bright. It's a very neutral amp with a tad more deep bass than the Burson Soloist. This is my favorite combo and I use the K7xx almost exclusively. I own hd6xx, he4xx and Fidelio x2 also.
I look forward to your review of the k7xx one day. I suspect most people test this headphone on weaker amps and get a poor result. Love your channel mate! Cheers.
Hey Dave
What's your opinion on running the hd600 with a fiio btr5 dac amp, been told it will run the 600 well.
Cheers Dave
Sorry haven't used the BTR5 and I find the HD600 responds best to desktop setups, especially tube amps.
Hey, David. I have a Yamaha Natural Sound 900 series integrated amp 150 watts - Pure Direct. Same as the CD player. 600 or 650? Advise, please.
I am sorry I have no experience at all with the Yamaha Natural Sound 900 series. Looks like a nice system 👍
As for the 600 or 650, depends on your preference of sound. I am not sure if the Yamaha can power them or not.
Sorry not of much help. Thank you for the question. Thank you for watching.
Rock and metal music fan. I've been in love with these since I got them in 2017. Every other headphone I own (HD800s, LCD - XC Bubinga, Grado GS1000e, Meze99 Classics) just doesn't do it for me for these types of music. Only exception are the Kaiser10s which also rock big time. Do you think I will like the LCD 2 Classics? I've been eyeing them for some time now but the reviews are mixed. Some people rave about them, others including you don't like the treble (or lack thereof). What do you think? I just want something better than the HD650's but with a similar 'warm' signature to wear for most of the day.
I didn't care for the LCD 2 Classic with metal and rock, lacked the treble energy that genre portrays.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Damn. Thank you for the quick reply!
@@TheHonestAudiophile Have you tried the LDC XC (2015 Fazor Model)? And if you have, did you enjoy it? (I'm trying to get a sense of what you enjoyed, so I can draw conclusions)
Sorry haven't heard the LCD XC 2015 in 3 years and that was for a brief listen at Axpona.
Could you recommend a pair of earbuds/IEMs for $150 or under? I listen to mostly rap and rock. And I listen to everything from my phone, I like bass but not overpowering? I would value your opinion because you know what you're talking about in your reviews. I prefer wired over Bluetooth
Thank you for the kind words. Take a look at the Ibasso IT01. I will have a review coming in the near future for them.
iBasso IT01 Dynamic Driver Audiophile MMCX Detachable IEMs In-Ear Headphones with (Blue/Red) www.amazon.com/dp/B078HKGMBG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_omDkmFJWx78jF
Moondroop Kanas pro or TFZ no3. Both are getting very positive feedback
@@LuboAck I haven't heard either of those. Interesting, may need to get a set in for review.
Hey Dave, will the dekoni choice leather earpads change the sound of my hd 650 in a bad way? 🤔
I've heard that Dekoni pads do alter sound for Sennheiser but I haven't experienced myself. I always use genuine Sennheiser pads.
@@TheHonestAudiophile hope it doesn't alter it in a bad way. Thanks for responding, Dave! Love your channel
@@kjg_95 My pleasure, you're welcome. Look forward to hearing your impressions.
You should try the 6XX maybe, those are not same sounding as the 650, i would be curious to see a review from you about the 6XX.
Thanks for the suggestion, if one gets sent or the funds become available I'll gladly give a review.
What would be great for orchestral classical music? Thanks
Cheaper budget:
AKG K612 Pro
Similar budget:
HD660s with a tube amp
Audio-Technica R70x
Higher Budget:
Focal Clear Pro with a tube amp
Meze 109 Pro
DROP Sennheiser HD8xx
@@TheHonestAudiophile thank you!
My pleasure, you're welcome.
These are the OLD HD600 and 650, the new ones have Different plastic and different Logo on the headband .
As long as the sound hasn't been touched, these are great headphones.
@@TheHonestAudiophile I dont think that they changed the sound … hoping you would say that to us :)
@@TheHonestAudiophile heck; if they managed to improve the super minor flaws in the "revised" editions with regards to frequency response.... then it's END GAME! 😁😁
HD650 is very good, but I prefer HD600.
By the way, don't expect of HD660s.
Try DT990 Pro !!
I should try Beyerdynamic again but that treble and v-shape signature.... Maybe I should just give Beyerdynamic another listen.
@@TheHonestAudiophile just don't go T70, T90, DT 1770 and 80ohm DT 770 880 990.
250ohm and 600ohm DT880 990 are very great.
@@JohnWell4131 Ok thanks for the information. I will keep that in mind for the future, if the Beyerdynamic comes up for purchase or someone offers to loan one.
I have the DT880-600 and they suck - upper mids/low highs dip, 6kHz peak. DT900X might be finally something decent from Beyer.
650/6xx is way too warm and laid back for my taste. Nice If you want your music to hang out in the background. A good headphone for working because it won’t draw your attention. But, is this what you want for your primary listening? Probably not. Surprised it gets so much praise these days.
I agree 100%, I prefer the HD600.
I own both and love both.
@@philosophiaentis5612 Totally understand and I am glad that you love both of them.
I don't like the low mids/upper hump and slow bass. I think 58X have much better bass. HD600 is more natural sounding in my opinion.
Also new pads supplied since 2021 are a bit less laid back.
Interesting. Thank you for the impressions. I agree the HD600 is more natural.