Sennheiser HD 650 - Audiophile Hi-Res Open Back Dynamic Headphone
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Availability:
In Stock.
Arrives
Tuesday, Oct 6
Style: HD 650
Features
- Specially designed acoustic silk ensures precision damping over the entire frequency range and helps to reduce THD to an incredible 0.05 percent
- Improved frequency response is 10 39,500 Hertz ( 10 dB)
- Hand selected matched driver elements; Highly optimized magnet systems for minimum harmonic and inter modulation distortion
- High power neodymium magnets deliver maximum efficiency; 3.5 millimetre jack plug. Frequency response (Headphones):10 41000 Hz
Description
In the HD 650, audiophiles will experience truly unique natural sound. With sound this good, long concerts in the comfort of your home are a certainty, so the HD 650 also sets standards in comfort and convenience. The HD 650 is a genuine masterpiece, which will satisfy even the most demanding listener. Putting on the headphones and using them- Put on your headphones and then pull the ear cups down until they rest comfortably over the ears. Make sure you have them the right way round by observing the “R” (right) and “L” (left) markings on the ear cups. For optimum sound quality, ensure that the ear cups are not covered.
Brand: Sennheiser Pro Audio
Color: Gray
Ear Placement: In Ear
Form Factor: Over Ear
Noise Control: Passive Noise Cancellation
Brand Name: Sennheiser Pro Audio
Model Number: 508825
Model Name: HD 650
Built-In Media: 3.5 MM Jack and 1/4" connector
Age Range Description: Adult
Warranty Description: 2 years
Customer Package Type: Standard Packaging
Number of Items: 1
Series Number: 508825
UPC: 700615305605 658700901129 615104099692 615104340497
Global Trade Identification Number: 92, 97, 60
Manufacturer: Sennheiser
Item Type Name: headphones
Headphones Ear Placement: In Ear
Headphone Folding Features: Over Ear
Earpiece Shape: Rounded
Control Type: Noise Control
Control Method: Touch
Controller Type: Wired
Noise Control: Passive Noise Cancellation
Frequency Response: 41000 hertz
Sensitivity: 103 db
Audio Driver Type: Dynamic Driver
Audio Driver Size: 42 millimeters
Frequency Range: 10 Hz - 41,000 Hz
Enclosure Material: Aluminum, Plastic
Specific Uses For Product: Home
Antenna Location: Music
Compatible Devices: Laptops, Desktops, Tablets, Cellphones, Music Production Equipment, Car Audio Systems
Cable Features: Jack plug, 3.5mm
Water Resistance Level: Not Water Resistant
EU Spare Part Availability Duration: 2 years
Additional Features: Lightweight
Headphone Jack: 3.5 mm Jack
Connectivity Technology: Wired
Wireless Technology: Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version: 2
Color: Gray
Style Name: HD 650
Item Weight: 9.12 ounces
Unit Count: 1 Count
Frequently asked questions
If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is:
Tuesday, Oct 6
Yes, absolutely! You may return this product for a full refund within 30 days of receiving it.
To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.
View our full returns policy here.
To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.
View our full returns policy here.
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Top Amazon Reviews
Color: Gray
All my life I hate headphones, because I couldn't listen to them longer period of times in ear canal ones were piercing my brain over on ear ones were uncomfortable with side effects my ears were sweating itching. Experience made me refuse buy any headphones over the decade because I've always felt they not worth it. Other hands I have quite old vintage Pioneer Hi-Fi Speakers which is my uncle bought in 80's. They still sounds great but only goes to frequency response 28 KHZ max. I have approximately 105 SACD ripped them to DSD ( Sony DSF) format with my old PS3, sacd ripper, Also Around 203 Hi-Res albums ( 24 BIT) which my friends & I bought shared through different online stores like ( Hdtracks, Qobuz, Hiresaudio.com etc). Rest of my collection just Redbook 16 bit 44.1 khz lossless format ), I haven't decent DSD native decoding DAC I'm using Macbook Pro 15. ( 2016) this device Audio capabilities garbage it has Cirrus Logic DAC muddy which only goes 96 khz, line out from this device only limited 48 khz max feeding this device through line out to amp to speakers were awful experience everything sounds muddy instruments sound separation, soundstage nothing is presents Hi-Res Audio sounded worth than CD etc. I have before Sony SACD player it laser head malfunctioned after 8 years of Use & went bad 8 years ago. After this thing broken from different laptops even expensive Apple Macbook Pro audio experience was worst I've experienced so far. I knew I need some sort of USB Audio Advanced DAC something to convert my DSD files Natively & Hi-Res Audio max out of resolution doesn't make sense have 24 bit 192 khz lossless file when your device DAC only can reproduce 96 khz can only output 48 khz max so you got my point. I have proper DAC now which Capable Play DSD ( 64,128) natively PCM up to 384 khz & line out headphone out not limited to 48 khz anymore it is alo headphone amp which have specs 285 mv ( 32 Ohm) 2.9 volt. 1. Sennheiser HD 650 Comfort ----------- I would give 10/10 never used anything like this before, you can listen for longer periods without getting any fatigue or discomfort they also very well breathable, I'm using this about 5-6 hours without break I've never got tired this is so big advantage this headphones have over others & what make them so special best in their class ( Note they have little clamping force in beginning when they are new but this thing easily resolved after 4 days of Use I left them on position Clamping Box 10 cm distance from each drives 4 days all day & this clamping pressure has gone) 2. Sennheiser HD 650 Sound Quality & Resolution ----------- Second batch of this product which is currently Amazon.com selling have frequency response up to 10 - 41.000 hz ( Hi - Res Audio Certified By Japan Audio Society) it has sticker on box, Sound quality resolution everything crystal clear bass in there ( Mids Vocals I've never heard anything like this they are magical & very straight forward & intimidate this headphones only woth buying just for listening female vocals they sounds so precious nothing come close this kind of quality this cans providing in this regard), Highs many others would say veiled actually I'm not agree with that they very well represented they just not piercing this is one of the magic formula which makes listen to this headphones long listen sessions without getting tired. 3. Sennheiser HD 650 -Power Requirement DAC, Amplification, Source ------------- This headphones rated 300 ohm, Power requirement for this I'm not 100 % sure but checked online headfi.org other online 3 volt 500 mv - 32 ohm, everyone says they incredible scales with powerful amp. I'm currently using them with my 2.9 volt 285 mv on 30 ohm source they driving this in required level so they sounds incredible, I've not t feeding them all 500 mv by now I don't own so powerful headphone amp yet. I bet with powerful amp they even getting better. Of Course Source material DAC also matters it will help get better results in the end. Currently my source 1200 ( 16 bit 44.1 khz albums lossless format), 105 DSD SACDS, 203 Hi-Res 24 Bit ( 44.1 khz up to 192 khz files) 150 albums I have in ITunes format 256 kb/s ACC, In my listening best sounding is DSD, 2nd place 192 khz PCM, 3 rd place Redbook CD 16/44.1, worst sounding AAC 256 kb/s . During listening sessions I'm more often trying avoid this ACC albums. So source matters as well to get full more detailed refined experience. 4. Sennheiser HD 650 - value build quality --------------- This headphones lightweight for it own class so you couldn't expect this thing being build from any metal it have metal where durability matter Driver Grills made from metal headband clamping sides made from metal, rest of the Unit it is high quality plastic. If you take a good care about your equipment I didn't think it will be broken anytime soon some people using HD 600 now over 15 years & nothing got broken during this time except pads & cable this is normal. This thing Made In Europe Ireland how many items do you own last 2 decades made in Europe ? Trust me build quality it is top notch. For 374.99 $ this headphones is steal. This is 500 $ valued headphones for the resolution comfort this thing provide I don't think they overpriced, nowadays any sub par Sony or Other HI-RES headphones costing 250 $ forget about bluetooth other futures every other headphone have sound quality through wireless option worst indeed, still best option connection for optimal sound quality is wire. Audio Software Used for testing Audio Nirvana Plus full version only available by this moment only ON MAC OS costing 74.99 $, It is bitperfect software have Lots of Audio futures & excellent sound quality 10 times better what average ITUNES sounds like, Native DSD playback, advanced metadata editing etc. I'm usually not to keen write reviews about products but I then saw some people giving this item sub par scoring one star rating so I decide wrote one. Please don't listen to this people they don't using this headphone as intended. They generally bought it plugged into smartphone jack or laptop, in my experience this headphone I'm not tried my smartphone but from Macbook Pro 15 ( 2016) headphone jack they sound like some cheap 15 $ no name headphone. So Please note ( Source, DAC, proper amp, all this matters to get full out of this headphones)
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Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2018 by Amazon Customer
Color: Gray
HD 650 Heavenly sonic bliss. My favorite headphone. Full rich, lush sounding voices and instruments. Widest sound stage of my headsets with excellent clarity. Very easy to separate and follow various voices and instruments in the music I listen to. Very balanced across the entire range of frequencies without one range over powering another. Everything is very clear. No muddiness of sound. Cybals and chimes crisp and clear. Snare drums nice crisp sound. Bass pleasant with excellent sound decay and appropriate reverberation lasting longer than my other headsets. I can really feel the music around my ears with this headset. The sound envelopes my head instead of feeling like its between my ears. Now I can experience the music rather than just listen to it. Makes music much more enjoyable and realistic sounding. This can be driven by my iPod, iPad, MacBook Pro, Laptops and Desktop PCs without an amplifier. I have no doubt an amplifier will improve the sound, but the sound is already rich and clear without amplification and still better than my other headphones. I'm hearing/experiencing things that I never heard before with my other headsets ... the faint pops that occur from an old LP that has been digitally recorded ... just amazing (from an iPod without amplifier). This is my experience. Your mileage may vary depending upon what you want out of your headsets. Finding the “best headphone" is a very expensive and very subjective journey. Reading reviews can only take one so far. Opinions range far and wide depending upon the reviewers individual tastes, experience with music and what one primarily listens to. Descriptions of the sound in reviews don't always help due to differences in meaning. For example what is described as the veiled Sennheiser sound may be what I call a mellow laid back sound (not sure). My advise is listen to your music with a lot of different headphones and do your own comparisons to determine what you like. What you hear coming from each headphone is going to vary with the design of the headphone, but also modulated by a. the type of music you listen to b. how the recording was originally made (microphones converting analog to electrical then stored on magnetic tape or digitized) b. the quality of the recording you are listening to (especially if digitized, what was truncated if anything) c. the format in which it is recorded and sampling rate d. the equipment you play it on and how it translates the recording back to an electrical impulse to be sent to the headphone e. the headphones themselves (open, closed, type of diaphragm material, how many speakers (i.e. the Shure 500 series has 2 woofers and a tweeter in each ear piece to achieve its balanced sound presentation across its spectrum, I have a gaming headset with multiple speakers) Having said that, the music I listen to is classical to 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, pop, country, jazz, big bands, vocals, instrumentals. I don’t have a dedicated amplifier and play all my headphones on iPods, iPads, iPhones, Mac Book Pros, PCs, Pioneer Tuners. All my headphones sound just fine without an amplifier, but I have no doubt that an amplifier will improve the sound. My music is recorded in MP3 at 320 kbps, but I prefer M4A apple lossless or WAV at 1400 kbps for the best possible digital sound quality. I can hear the difference between 1400 kbps, 320 kbps, and the more compressed music at 192 and 128 which can be found on MP3 sites like the apple store. I convert my CD collection to both 1400 kbps and 320 kbps 44.1 MHz so it can be played at the best quality on whatever system I am using. All my headphones have been broken in with at least a 72 hour continuous play run. My headphones from most favorite to least favorite are Sennheiser HD 650 Shure 500PTH Sennheiser HD 598 AKG K550 Sennheiser HD 555 modified to 595 Sony DLP777 — bright Jaybird Spirit — midtones muffled due covering that prevents sweat getting into ear pieces Sennheiser HD 280 Noise cancellers: Bose QC2 — bass heavy, muddy midtones Bose QC3 — even more bass have, muddy midtones Dr. Dre Beats — too bass heavy, stick to rap and non-critical listening (rap) For me, the HD 650 is a 5 star headphone and by far my favorite of all my headphones. Allows me to truly feel and experience the music I like listening to using the devices I have. My iPods, iPhone, iPads and MacBook Pro can drive this 300 ohm just fine (of course the volume level has to be turned up compared to the lower ohm headphones), but the lush rich realistic sound still comes through better than the other headphones. By feel, I mean that the HD650 diaphragms move so much air around my ears I can feel and experience the music as opposed to just hearing it. The Shure PTH500 can do this in my ear canal. My HD598 does this much better than the HD 555 and has a more pleasant sound to me than the HD555. But none of these come close to the experience I get with my new HD650. It’s like standing in front of a speaker at a concert or DJ’d party except its around me ears instead of having my body feel the sound wave. The timbre, tone, character of the instruments from the HD650 is slightly better than my original reference PTH500. PTH500 and HD650 are better than my other headsets. With these two, I discovered things that I couldn’t hear with the other headsets. Sound stage of the HD650 is wider than the PTH500 which is wider than the other headphones. Both have much better separation of the instruments and vocals and much better clarity which gives the music a more 3 dimensional enjoyable sound. Much easier to pick out individual instruments and so I can more easily play along on piano, guitar etc. With other headsets I have to struggle to hear the individual parts. The Shure 500 has been my favorite reference headphone since 2008. With its sound isolation qualities, I use it when traveling and when I don't want to disturb others around me. The problem with it is that it can eventually be painful on the ear canals and sound quality (bass) is lost when the ear canal seal is lost when moving around or exercising. Additionally, hearing the crunch of food while eating and listening with the 500s is a consequence of in ear monitors. Both the HD650 and PTH500 have the best balance across all sound frequencies with the widest sound stage. The Bose QC2, QC3, and Beats have more emphasis on bass followed by treble at the expense of midtones, so if I want really loud bass, I’ll go with the Beats followed by QC3, then QC2 for lesser degrees of bass punch. The HD 598 was my favorite after the PTH500 because its open design moves a lot of air allowing me to kind of feel the music, but not the extent of the HD650. It has what I consider a more laid back and mellow sound than the HD 555 and PTH500. Kinda relaxing and pleasant. HD555 DLP777 place more emphasis on treble. If I want high energy treble, the HD555 and AKG K550 are my go to headsets. I prefer the open design over the closed headsets because they just move air better with a generally richer sound then my closed headphone Shure 500PTH — best overall balance and 3D clarity while physically blocking outside noise HD 598 -- open, good overall balance, mellow sound AKG 550 — closed, good overall balance. doesn't move air as well as HD598, but good second choice to the 598 HD 280 — closed thin; waste of my money. was never happy with it. Sony MDP 777 — closed, emphasis on treble Bose QC2 — closed moderate bass. muddy midtones Bose QC3 — closed heaviest on bass. muddy midtone So my choices for headsets boil down to Best overall sonic experience: HD650 Best outside noise reduction/isolation and overall sonic experience: Shure 500 series Best to minimize noise spill into the surrounding environment when I can’t use the Shure 500: AKG 550 Best for heavy bass emphasis: In order from least bass to intense bass: Bose QC2, QC3, Dr. Dre Beats Ultimately the “best” headset is a subjective opinion depending upon what you want to hear and/or experience out of your music. There is a huge sliding scale of perceived quality. I wouldn’t recommend spending much on an expensive headset if your music is 128 kbps compressed. But then again, it is cheaper to just buy 1 headset and grow into it rather than spend lots of money working ones way up to the holy grail of headsets. If I knew then what I know now, I would have just bought the HD650 and stopped there.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2015 by Mark Estrada
Color: Gray
What can I say about these headphones? These are the best cans for their price and honestly well above it. When you first put them on you're greeted by a heavy clamp. To fix this, I extended the metal piece to adjust the headband and bent them outwards. The metal is what can withstand this so don't bend the plastic headband, it'll snap! The thick velour still gives a bit on a grip as your ears will certainly be making contacting with it but because the cans are oval shaped it shouldn't be too bad. After you get over the clamp, you realize how smooth and forward the mids are. It was fun and great and all but it sounded so muffled. I was disappointed to begin with. From there, I ran some pink noise for only about 20 hours or so to burn them in. Did it change the sound significantly? No. But what it did help with is to bring out some detail and helped me get used to the sound faster. The biggest change you'll have to get used to coming from bright headphones is the clarity is not forward and sharp, but rather it's present but not the star of the show. You'll hear pretty much all the detail you'd care for but it's much quieter and subdued in the background. This leaves you with just the vocals, and boy do they sound silky smooth. You'll be able to easily hear every word and jarring treble or poorly mastered tracks will be greeted with forgiveness on these. Basically, all your music will sound good. Jazz sounds particularly good with these as do slow songs as they fit it's personality great. Pair these with a good amplifier, I recommend the Valhalla 2 for an entry level or a Ragnarok if you can afford it for solid state. Honestly, these could be your end game if you prefer the sound signature. For me, I still wasn't convinced as I knew the comfort could be improved and I wanted more detail. I ruined a good thing by doing so. The rings that hold the pads onto these cans are glued so I took some scissors and ripped them off. I replaced these cans with the HD700 pads just to try. The comfort instantly increased but the bass quantity went way down (while the quality of the bass picked up, it was much more speedy and less bloomy than with the stock pads), the detail and treble went way back up and to my surprise the mids recessed a tiny bit but not by much. This could probably be fixed with tubes. Doing this pad swap though took away everything that made the 650s magical to begin with. They really do change the sound so I recommend sticking with the stock velours or equivalent if you like the bassy/warm mid forward sound signature of the stock 650s. I certainly do so I will be buying them again (they are overpriced though, they basically are velour stitched over memory foam that you could take off some old packaging, $50 is a bit too much for pads but I guess they had to add up the costs to equal the total sum they're charging for this can). So who is the 650 for? If you can't afford $1,000 cans but want sweet vocals and impactful bass (not crazy deep but rich and heavy when necessary) then the 650s are definitely up your alley. It's super forgiving so lossy files will not be a problem here nor will poorly recorded music (which is a good thing in my books as it gives you time to build up your higher quality collection). I would not recommend these headphones if you want airyness, lots of detail or clarity. Those are best reserved for the 600s, 700s or 800s. Where's the upgrade from here? Pre-fazor LCD2 or LCD2-C or the Atticus. You'll need some beefy hybrid/SS amps for those but they are indeed a better upgrade as their soundstage, mids, and overall bass are better with a bit better clarity (not night and day). To wrap things up, the warm sound is not for analyzing your music. It's for relaxing as you go about your day, it's for enjoying lyrics, it's for sipping some coffee while writing up a paper. Details are fun but I finally have found my preferred sound signature. Bright sound signatures will fatigue your ears after a while with all the detail and glaring sharpness and as a result, I think a warm sound will fit most everyone's preferences unless you're in the camp that wants to hear every last detail in your music. I'm just glad I heard truly warm cans and not just cans outfitted with some warmth to truly get an idea of the experience you get and that is one of just fun, relaxing, shivers down your spine with well recorded music. These things will love tubes! Get some Mullards, Telefunken, Philips Milliwatts, or Gold Pin 6NPC's for some additional warmth and less of a dry sound. Pour that syrup!
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Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2017 by Grandor
Color: Gray
Yes, there may be technical reasons to go with a studio monitoring set of headphones if you're going to be editing sound, but for listening and pleasure of wear, comfort, and all around improvement over previous Sennheiser HD's I love this set. I have had it on for about 24 hours and have to force myself to take them off to greet people and talk at breakfast--YES ALL NIGHT LISTENING and hearing my digital music anew. My HD600 and other HD's before were fine, but this has quality I don't mind paying the hefty price for. The bass is profound. I am not going to argue that technicians might find it colored...at some frequencies, but I am not a technician, but a person who listens to music for pleasure, and my health. HEALTH!! YES!! Music therapy!!! And these are better than analysis or shock therapy any day! I also have tinnitus and it takes special quality to pierce the constant internal noise in my head and this set seems to allow the hiss of my tinnitus to come from outside my head while the music gets inside my head (and a big head HD650 makes too!) I also was on a rifle team in the old days when we didn't even wear earplugs and for three years I shot a rifle 300 times a day. I find the HD650 pitches the sound into my right ear in a more excellent manner than any other device for listening I have used. I have bunches of ear pods, and iPod plug in phones, and other earphone and headphones, but I will not soon put these down. HD650's to me are exactly what I was looking for. HOnestly, I thought I'd have to pay closer to $500 to get this quality. For technical reasons, I suggest you listen in a headset before you purchase them if you are wanting to engineer sound...the bass can be too revealing at lower end...but why not? Of course most vendors let you return them in under 30 days. I think Amazon does. What's to loose, try your ears in these headsets is my advice. I love them. I don't want to take them off. They are so comfortable I forget they are on. What else would I like on them? Expresso machine and maybe some low fat cheescake balls from Sonic dipped in straberry sauce! Oh, Tibetan chants, Gregorian Chant, in Cathedran music, and voice are fabulous. I can hear the individual hairs in my ears responding to individual waves! This is specific and sort of magnified listening. 5 stars. Maybe one quick story about the HD650's: I have been listening to a recording entitled CALLING THE LAMA FROM AFAR, and it is Buddhist chant, and fabulous keyboard work mixed and really is inspirational for those of us who like that sort of thing, but I listened to the album last night for the 140th time at least, but the FIRST time on these headphones, and when some of the Tibetan percussion was played, I took the headphones off to see what the new sound in the house was (you can hear your environment some in these open earpieces which is great--ears like noses like to breath too--and anyway, I realized it was the same recording I'd listened to 150 times but now in a new and much more realistic way. The percussion ring was three feet behind my left ear off to the back--that's amazing!
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Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2006 by Glenn Guillory, SFO
Color: Gray
How is this so veiled and so detailed at the same time!?!?! The dark vocals are so smooth and nice, but at the same time I'm playing some jazzy slightly punch cello music and it's just *sexy*. I am new to open headphones, but I expected this to have slightly more soundstage. My regular headphone is my Audio Technica ATH-A700 which was very detailed and bright, with a bit of punch if you amp & eq it. However, the ATH-A700 seems to have a wider soundstage than the HD650. It's not bad, just a bit more closed than expected. Everything is smooth, and the piercing highs that I used to have to EQ out of everything else are no longer an issue. The only thing you might not like at first is this veiled sound to everything. The detail is there, just extremely smooth on everything. Almost like being in a club with high end speakers, and then sitting in the center with a curtain around you... Like listening to high end speakers through a curtain. Anyway, I really like it and I'm adjusting my amp for different music. The slow roll off is giving it a really sweet tone. I took 1 star off because the box had some industrial grease smeared all over it and leaked through a bit. The headphones are fine. The box is also a really basic presentation, and for the price I would have liked a bit more cable options.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2026 by Just Another Customer
Color: Gray
(If you're wondering how these compare to the Sennheiser HD 600 Open Back Professional Headphone, please see the bonus section that follows this review.) These are, bar none, the most wonderful headphones I've ever heard. For perspective, I have or have had: Audio-Technica ATH-M50 (of course) and M40x, Fostex T50RP MK3, Oppo PM-3, Philips Fidelio M1MKII and L2, and both the Sennheiser HD598SE and HD600. None of these but the HD600 come close. If you're considering the HD598 as a lower-priced alternative, it's a great headphone in its own right (especially if you don't want to go down the rabbit hole of choosing a suitable amp), but there isn't as much family resemblance in the sound as you might think. Still, it was through buying the 598 that I decided to take the plunge on the 650—Sennheiser's 5xx series is clearly a gateway drug to the 6xx series, which fortunately is so good there's little reason to step up to the 700 and 800 besides bragging rights. There's a lot of warped machismo in the world of audiophilia, and to the greatest extent possible I'd like to avoid that in this review. Simply put, the 650 is about the best all-around headphone you can buy for its current Amazon price of $315.99. If you already have an amp and/or a dedicated listening setup and you've never heard these, you owe it to yourself to try them. Worst-case scenario, you don't like them and you're out $6-7 for a return label. Best-case scenario, you find out just how good (and yes, also how bad) recorded music can sound. These are very much the BMW 5-series of the headphone world: there are bigger, faster, and more expensive options, but these remain the perennial gold standard. Maybe they're not your style, but there's no denying their refinement and artistry. I think they sound absolutely perfect. Some complain they're too "laid back," even "veiled." I suspect those people just don't hear very well, because if you have sensitive hearing, "exciting" headphones are a euphemism for "death by treble." I have dog-like hearing, and most of the time it's more curse than blessing. Even with the 650, the treble can be brain-piercing with the wrong amp. As for amp recommendations, this is a contentious and fiercely debated topic. As a general rule, you should spend the most on the final device in your playback chain (speakers/headphones), and progressively less on the "upstream" components: amp, DAC, media player. Given a budget of no more than $300 for an amp, you could buy the excellent Aune B1 Class A Portable Phone/Headphone Amplifier and still have enough left over to pay for a year of streaming music. Of course, if you want to pair the 650 with "endgame" gear, by all means do! The 650 has a reputation for "scalability," meaning its sound will (allegedly) continue to improve with better amps, DACs, recordings, etc. My own gear is fairly modest, so I can't speak to how this sounds plugged into a $5,000 amp or rewired with $700 cables. I will say that it REALLY comes to life with a tube amp (I have a Darkvoice 336SE), but I completely understand if that's a can of worms you'd rather not open. All I know is that the 650 sounds good enough to be the end of the headphone rainbow for me. The audio hobby is usually a desperate, futile struggle against diminishing returns, and as far as I'm concerned, the 650 IS that threshold in the headphone world. In other words, you can spend ten times more, but it won't sound ten times better. Given that, you might be wondering whether you even need an amp with these. "Need" is a strong word, and in the context of expensive headphones it's pretty hard to maintain a sense of perspective. I've done the unthinkable and plugged these directly into my iPhone's headphone jack, and you know what? They STILL sound phenomenal, but only for easy music. What's easy music? Pop, rock, basically anything recorded to be uniformly loud. Without an amp, the 650 can fall apart on classical and jazz recordings with a wide range between loud and quiet sections—there simply isn't enough power on tap to move the diaphragm as nimbly as this sort of music demands. If you never listen to instrumental music, you might be able to get away with not using an amp, but I can't recommend it. Buying such marvelous headphones and not amping them properly would be like buying a beautiful painting and not framing it. You can do it, but for a little more money you might as well get the full effect. Let me end with some totally subjective words that describe the sound of the 650: rich, natural, musical, effortless, clean. Now some words that could just as well be applied to a fine wine (the combination of status anxiety, groupthink, and reckless cognitive bias unites both hobbies): broad-shouldered, velvety, well-mannered, savory, harmonious. In either case, a smooth finish. :) Bonus section: HD650 vs HD600 Obviously if you've read this far, you're deep enough into the audio hobby to have realized an important psychological truth about yourself: you can't leave well enough alone. Neither can I. That's why, even after falling head over heels in love with the sound of the HD650, I ordered the HD600. I just had to know. The verdict? It's almost too close to call, but for my preferences the 650 is the better headphone. The two have been compared to death online, but if you have the capacity to think for yourself, audio review sites and forums are usually an unsavory if fascinating combination of shilling, self-justification, and "follow the leader" parroting of received opinions. Many self-proclaimed "audiophiles" have strong opinions about equipment they've never actually heard, which I can't accept. Given that, I decided the only way to compare the two headphones honestly was to listen to both myself for hours, going back and forth on a wide variety of recordings. The difference between a good recording and a bad recording dwarfs the difference between lossy and lossless, and the HD600 (more so than the HD650) may end up changing your taste in music because it makes good recordings sound SO GOOD and bad recordings sound SO BAD. In other words, it reveals the "truth" of the recording, and sometimes the truth hurts—it's really hard to enjoy The Killers now. The fact is that the 600 and 650 are ultimately more alike than different, and the popular insistence that they sound completely different has more to do with what Freud called "the narcissism of small differences" than the headphones themselves. If you Google some variation on "HD650 vs HD600," you'll hear over and over that the 650 is "bassier" or "darker." Not really. There's actually very little difference across this parameter. Piano music presents an exception, but this is rarely what people think of as a bassy genre. There are two significant differences. The first is soundstage. The HD650's soundstage is wider, but that doesn't mean it can make a cramped recording sound airy. The HD600's soundstage is more intimate; there's less space between left and right channels, but it's not a huge difference, and I could see people preferring (or at least not minding) the HD600's tighter spacing. The most striking difference between the two headphones is in what I'd call "smoothness." The best analogy I can think of comes from digital photography. As an image sensor increases its sensitivity, it also increases its noise because you can't amplify a signal without also amplifying noise. There are two rival philosophies for dealing with noise: leave it as "grain" or smooth it out. Grain has its devotees, and the advantage of grain is that it preserves fine detail. The disadvantage is that past a certain point it becomes a distraction. The advantage of smoothness, meanwhile, is that it looks superficially nicer. The disadvantage is that when you look closely you won't see all the fine details. Like all things, it's a continuum of compromise. The 600 is the headphone to get if you value detail at the cost of an occasionally unpleasant grainy and even metallic quality to the sound. The 650 is the one to get if you care more about music than sound and don't care if your headphones sand down the sharp edges of your music a bit. Going back and forth between the two, it quickly becomes clear that the 650 is the stronger all-around performer: it sounds nicer on more recordings and across more genres. The 600, meanwhile, is the champion of a particular niche: good recordings with lots of micro detail. Want to be able to count how many times the skin of a drum reverberates after it's struck? Want to hear such fine vocal gradations you'll know how a singer felt during recording? The 600 is for you. Make no mistake: at its best, the 600 produces the most astonishingly detailed sound I've ever heard. Unfortunately, at its worst it sounds grainy, jumbled, and not particularly musical. I'm sorry to report that piano music sounds particularly off on the 600: low frequencies disappear and take the fullness of the keys with them. Vocals can sound oddly recessed, even far away. In general, the 600 seems to fare better with female vocals than male ones, and with strings over pianos. It's absolutely glorious for acoustic guitar, but then, so is the 650. The 650's great advantage lies in its ability to bring out vocals like a spotlight. They stand out so clearly and powerfully from the instrumentation that you'll feel like you're hearing your favorite songs for the first time. The effect is really quite incredible: it's like there's a special sonic column reserved for vocals and unpolluted by other sounds. Based on Sennheiser's own specs, the 650 has lower distortion than the 600 and it's clearly a more refined driver unit. Whatever the technical reason, the 650's background is pitch black: sounds rise from and fall back into a sea of silence. Be forewarned: a well-recorded vocal track through the 650 may bring tears to your eyes, and that's why I kept the 650 and returned the 600.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2017 by Tony
Color: Gray
I’ve been using Audio Technica AT50’s since 2004 and MSR7’s for about 3 years. The 50’s are great for bass heavy music and the MSR7’s are (I thought) great for detailed acoustic, vocal, percussion and other 1khz and higher audio. I don’t know what my expectations were with the Sennheiser HD650’s. All I knew for sure is that I have read countless reviews and articles where they are used as reference headphones. Whether as the focus of the written material, or in passing as the gear reviewers use when auditing or reviewing other equipment and music/media. The HD650’s are universally accepted as a reference headphone. So over the last several years they have sparked my curiosity. I ordered them and received them within 2 days. I am a classic rock aficionado, and have my own set of reference tracks that I use when trying out new equipment in my home studio. I’ve played guitar and drums for 35 years (not expertly, but passable?). I have a nice Roland Kit, a couple of nice Fender and Mesa Boogie Tube Amps, Fractal Axe FX III guitar processor and run it all through various digital I/O and microphones into an RME UFX+ Audio Interface. The RME interface has an excellent ADC/DAC configuration, with a very clean sound at the headphone jack that matches the outputs on the other analog outputs on the interface, but is also amplified. They didn’t cut corners. All of this is to say that I have great reference hardware, knowledge of good source media, and the headphone amplifier and DAC section from my audio interface surpasses most high end audio AVR’s. Now generally, like most folks these days, I listen to rather low end compressed MP3 audio. It’s readily available and doesn’t take up storage space. As storage space has become less expensive, I’ve started to record and save my audio in the highest quality format my interface will allow. Generally that is a minimum of 16bit 320kbps compressed, or as high as 24bit 96khz, with maximum playback capability of 24 bit/192kHz. All the detail. The things that you didn't even know were buried in the mix. The 3 second harmonies, the double tracks that are barely distinguishable, the finite exquisite breath of the vocalist as they prepare for the next line of the verse. All laid out in stunning depth and form. Strange things that you didn’t even know were in the mix, that add depth and character to the music, that are underneath the main harmony and melody of the music. Things that only an explorative and creative genius of a producer would include in the mix and final mastering. Dark Side of the Moon takes on a new landscape. Steely Dan Aja highlights perfection of studio recording at it's finest. You can get lost for hours in old recordings and hear the things that you didn't even know made the music that you enjoy so enjoyable. Edit: As an aside, I need to include something extra ordinary. Something that I would presume that maybe 1/10th of 1% of folks who actually purchased these headphones would pursue. An opportunity to audit the HD650’s via an RME ADI-2 PRO FS BE AD/DA. The RME unit is in the Top 3, or arguably is the best, mastering quality DAC and by far the best headphone amp that money can buy. Period. No exceptions. Numbers don’t lie and RME’s audio engineering team is among the finest on the planet and can back them up. The UFX+, as I mentioned, is no slouch at all. They perform tremendously in the studio, and the quality of the gear DOES shine through during headphone testing. Blissful. But…. When you listen to anything through the ADI-2, it’s clichéd to say, but it really is not just “next level”. It’s the very “top level”. That said. You have now reached a level of clarity that some people might actually find slightly uncomfortable believe it or not. The lack of distortion is unfamiliar and with poorly recorded or or media compressed with a bad encoder, the flaws shine. Too much so occasionally. On the other hand. With good to exceptional media, and phones like the HD650 that can convey expertly produced media, you will be sitting at the control desk, where the mastering engineer was sitting. Hearing everything (and maybe more) than they were hearing as they put the final touches on the song or album. I have yet to audition what are considered to be be “better” headphones. Maybe someday I’ll get a chance to A/B the HD650’s against another premium set. Until then I remain blown away by the Sennheisers. If you’re here trying to decide if you should pull the trigger on these. It is simply a resounding YES! Keep in mind that these are 300 Ohm headphones. They will require more power than your iPhone, or Android phone to fully appreciate their capabilities. You do not need a $1000 headphone amp to enjoy them. Their are several headphone amps/Pro level DAC’s from $200 to several thousand dollars that will all do the job. I highly recommend that you are able to drive them with an output of greater than 100mW minimum. Just my opinion. Do what you will. But you will not be able drive any kind of realistic bass below that threshold. Yes, people around you will hear them. But you are buying open back headphones for a reason. Your listening enjoyment. Find a place to disappear and enjoy them and turn it up. I highly recommend these headphones. They are simply incredible.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2021 by Don M.
Color: Gray
These headphones are slightly colored. Most people prefer that, but if you're using them for studio monitors, you won't find better than the HD800's. Trust me. But for everyday use, these can't be beat for dynamic open headphones. Combine them with a full tube amp and I highly doubt you'll find a better "stuck on an island the rest of your life" headphones. UPDATE: After having owned these for over a year now, let me elaborate on my thoughts on these INCREDIBLE headphones. Value: This is tough. If you like open headphones, and love lower model Sennheisers, like the HD595, HD598, HD600, etc, then you'll surely LOVE these. I owned a pair of HD595's for several years before I accidentally broken them due to the stupid long cable. These sound very similar to those, only with a slightly darker top end, and much much much better bass. And, they're just better overall, in soundstage, speed, bass depth, bass extension, resolution, etc. Some people just don't like the open headphone sound. That's perfectly fine, and if that's the case, you probably won't like these. But if you've owned open headphones and like the open airy spacious natural sound... then you'll ADORE these. Comfort: 4.5 stars. They're Sennheisers. Pretty much all Sennheisers are extremely comfortable. They're light. The pads are usually comfortable soft velour. They usually have medium light to light clamping force. They have really large oval cups that fit the largest of ears. If comfort is high on your list, these might fit your bill. Value: 5 stars. These headphones bat outside their league. Outside their price range. I've seem MANY people go from these headphones to new headphones in the 4 digit range, then go back to these. LOTS OF TIMES. It's for a good reason. These headphones are going to be a future classic. You can quote me on that. If you've never owned "audiophile" quality headphones before, this price might seem high, but trust me, to upgrade from these, you usually have to buy Planar Magnetic headphones like the Audeze LCD-2, LCD-3, LCD-X headphones or similar. Those are all $1500+. If you've never had good quality headphones, these might not be your best first choice. Not because they don't sound good. These sound incredible. It's because these headphones are 300 ohms and require a pretty decent amp. They scale well with good hardware upstream, so a good DAC helps a lot too. (and source audio, you'll want 320 KB/s mp3's and FLAC if possible) Soundstage: 5 stars. Do these have the best soundstage ever? No. HD800's have that title. Why do I give it 5 stars then? Because these headphones have a better soundstage than 98% of the headphones out there. Resolution: 4.5 stars. Great, but not to the level of Planar/Ortho headphones. If you've never heard $1500+ ortho headphones, you won't even know what I'm talking about anyways. Treble: 4.5 stars. I'd give it 5 stars, but the treble on these headphones are rolled a tiny bit. You may hear them described as "dark" or "veiled". That's relative. To me, I prefer darker headphones anyways. Bright headphones are fatiguing and give me a headache after a few minutes. These roll the highs just enough to make them easy to listen to for hours, yet leave enough treble there to leave the top end nice and sharp. No sparkle. Sparkle bad. (depends on who you ask lol) Mids: 5 stars. Sennheisers' bread and butter. These have incredible mids. Through tube amps, or hybrid tube amps, the mids are lush. Liquidy. Warm. Female vocals will give you the chills. The warmth of the mids on these cans will make you smile in aural ecstacy. Bass: 4.5 stars. These headphones are probably the only headphones from Sennheiser with really good bass. The bass isn't as tight or deep as on Ortho headphones, but for open cans, it's incredibly impressive. I give the bottom end a tiny tiny bit of EQ to boost the bass, but other than that, it's the best bass I've heard from open headphones yet. The punch is pretty solid. I'd rate punch 3.5 stars. Bass extension is really good. I'd rate it 4 stars. Overall though, I give it 4.5 stars considering these are open headphones. Scalability: 5 stars. These cans scale like crazy. Upgrade your DAC: you'll heard the difference. Upgrade your amp: you'll hear a difference. Upgrade your tubes: you'll hear a difference. These headphones just keep giving. I used to own HD595's. They blew my mind. The bass on those sucked. Worse than Bose Tri-Ports, which were aweful themselves in bass. But you know what? I loved the lush mids so much, as well as the airy soundstage, I didn't care about the lack of bass. Those headphones broke later (my fault, not theirs), and I was forced to upgrade. These headphones are an improvement in every way. (other than weight and clamping force, the HD595 was lighter in weight and clamped lighter, but not by a whole lot) What's the best amp to drive these? EASY. Bottlehead Crack with Speedball upgrade. They're hands down the best amp for these headphones. Ask around. You'll get the same answer. Any full tube amp will do. Even the hybrids sound good, but for some reason, these headphones come alive with a full tube amp like the Crack. DAC? Any external DAC will suffice. The $99 one from Schiit is fine. Bifrost Uber even better if you can afford it. O2. Lots of choices. Just don't drive these from the on-board audio on your motherboard. That's just wrong. The best part about these headphones? The headphones two to three times its price are only a marginal 10-20% better, if that. And those usually require another 4 digits worth of gear to be worth getting. These headphones are at that bang for buck price point where you really start to get diminishing returns when you try to upgrade from these. Pros: Lots. Value. Soundstage. Lush mids. Soft highs for long listening session with no fatigue. Awesome bass, in headphones that have open airy sound. Removable cable. Scalability. Cons: ONLY con: You will have one HELL of a time finding headphones to upgrade to from these headphones. Be warned! These are so awesome for their price that you'll have a really hard time finding headphones you'll like better. That's not really a con though, but since I can't think of any cons, I'll list it as one anyways! If you've heard other open headphones and like the huge soundstage and open sound, and want to upgrade: GET THESE. Don't even hesitate. You'll be blown away. Just make sure you have good source files (320 mp3's or FLAC) and a full tube amp like the Bottlehead Crack amp. Thank me later! Enjoy!
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Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2012 by Amazon Customer