Sennheiser Consumer Audio HD 650 - Audiophile Hi-Res Open Back Dynamic Headphone, Titan

Name: Sennheiser Consumer Audio HD 650 - Audiophile Hi-Res Open Back Dynamic Headphone, Titan
Brand: Sennheiser Pro Audio
Price: 10.29 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.6 (6165 reviews)

Based on 6,165 reviews

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Top Amazon Reviews

Come Down the Rabbit Hole (So Worth It)

Style: HD 650

These are the first step. Like anyone looking to make this kind of investment for headphones I did a lot of reading before buying. That is only going to get you so far. You need to hear these. Ten years ago I listened to a pair of HD600 straight off a disc-man with NO amp. I was completely blown away, I set out to find the perfect headphones for one hundred dollars, that was a mistake. I kept buying headphones in that range over the years and nothing came close. I was torn between these and the 600's, but decided that I loved the look of these and a few reviews pushed me to get the 650's. I highly suggest going to Guitar Center or some place that you can compare them, I believe the 600's maybe the superior sounding ones (it's always the ugly ones). It's been said that a good set up is the Lehmann Audio Black Cube Linear amp/HD600 using a 650 headphone cable. But there is no way I'm paying that kind of money for an amp... I'm not an expert and I don't plan to collect anymore headphones (unless I end up with a pile of extra money). If you are just getting into quality sound, these will destroy what you thought was possible for home listening. Even without burn-in, and an expensive amp and listening to a 128kbps file in itunes, you will want to throw out your old headphones, you will look at them with disgust and you will start ripping everything you own at lossless. These only get better with everything you bring to them, they are hungry for better. More than likely I'll be getting a Schiit amp as my first amp. Currently running these from an Apogee One for digtial or a Technics SA-5170 for vinyl and happy with this setup. I'd love to understand why people think these should have a dedicated amp. Things that you will notice when you listen. The sound stage will be expanded, the clarity and richness will be improved, the separation: you will hear things you never noticed (one voice will clearly become 3 layered voices, one piano will become 4, fingers will slide on strings) everything will become a personal concert. If you are on the fence about these don't hesitate, it's like going from and old TV to a HUGE HD one with bluray. If you are an audio pro, you probably already own these. If you didn't like something about these and you think they need to be amped, you have more money than brains (or very good hearing). If you want to significantly improve your daily enjoyment of music, buy these now. Like everyone else says there are cons: The band is tight, they are open so you can hear everything in the room (ie keyboard clicks and talking) and people can hear the headphones. These are most likely for home use only. Good thing they look more comfortable than most of the furniture in my house. You should know by now what you are getting into with these. These come in a huge foam lined box, there was nothing to cut, no way to tell if it had ever been opened or not. The cord is kevlar (think bulletproof vests) and replaceable, one time I sucked them into the vacuum roller (not this pair), seemed bad but survived (HD 495). They are light and comfortable to wear for me (not as comfy as my HD 428). They look amazing, much better than the HD600's. I think there is a lot that could be improved about how they are built (comfort and usability), but I'm insane when it comes to small details. You will want a multi-disc player or good quality digital music (big hard drive). What I listened to so far: NIN, Tool, The Cinematic Orchestra, Sam Prekop, Zoe Keating, Underworld, Aphex Twin, Miles Davis, Amadeus Soundtrack, Kodo, Led Zeppelin, Billy McLaughlin, Doomtree, Yo-Yo Ma, Alice in Chains (unplugged), Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Nirvana and Jimi. And I'll go to bed after I listen to everything that exists... These shine with live and acoustic tracks. Don't wait 10 years like I did. Get them now and start hearing your music for the first time. So worth it. On a side note, I'd consider getting a second pair of these rather than spending the money for a nice surround sound system. I figure the audio is as good but much cheaper. If Schiit is reading consider making an amp for movie buffs and their girlfriends to share. Update: I'd suggest the wireless HDR 120 for TV and Movies. Update: I recently found the Monolith Liquid Platinum amp for a great price as an open box almost half price from their own site. I also found XLR cables to swap for the headphones and for my CD player to the amp. I am extremely happy with this upgrade and was skeptical that it would make any difference but I am glad I invested. No regrets. A friend had recommended the Monolith Liquid Spark (probably a good option if you aren’t changing out the cables or have a lower budget), but once I found the deal on the Platinum I was determined to get that as my end game amp. I admit I should have made the investment sooner but it took me a few years too save up the money. Don’t waste these headphones maximize their potential with an amp. ... show more

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Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2012 by L. Olson

All my life I hate headphones, because I couldn't listen to them longer ... All my life I hate headphones, because I couldn't listen to them longer ...

Style: HD 650

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) ... show more

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Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2018 Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2018 by Amazon Customer

Heavenly sonic bliss. Achievable even on an iPod without amplifier.

Style: HD 650

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. ... show more

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Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2015 by Mark Estrada

Excellent Representation of Your Audio Media

Style: HD 650

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. ... show more

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Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2021 by Don M.

Warm, rich, and elegant.

Style: HD 650

Oh, one of the most beloved and well known headphones in the audiophile community. These were my 'dream' headphone since the beginning of my audiophile journey. One I never thought I'd ever buy back then. It's also one of the few headphones that after I learned what sonic quality I wanted in a headphone, didn't think I would personally like. If I had bought them months or years ago, I'm not sure I would've liked them. I tend to prefer a bright, aggressive, bass and treble-centric headphone. The HD650 is known to be the opposite. Dark/warm, relaxed, and smooth, with dulled treble response. You can see why I was very adamant about not ever giving these a chance. It wasn't until recently that I wanted to venture out and look for something a little different from my normal preferences. An alternative that I'd use whenever I wanted to sit back, and enjoy a soothing sound, with forward mids/vocals that I could watch my TV shows, movies, anime with. Ironically, my secondary can is considerably more expensive than my main can (DT990s) at the time. Lol, Head-fi logic. Well, I went and took the plunge, hoping for the best, but expecting the worst. I thought I would hate them. Really. It was an experiment that would cost me, but one I needed to do at some point, as the HD650 was always that ONE headphone I was always curious about (more than any other). So what happened? Did I like them? Hate them? To my surprise... I loved them for music, movies, TV, and anime, and liked but wasn't thrilled by them for gaming. Let's get into the sound. Bass: The lows. Well, this is surprising. They are actually pretty bassy. Not DT990 bassy, but they have a nice, full, bassy sound. I'd say it's between the DT880 and 990 in presence. It's a warm bass, with medium speed. Pretty much ideal for all-rounder headphones with good bass that would please those that like balance and a fun signature. The bass quantity is enjoyable for all crowds, unless you're a pure neutral-head or pure bass-head. I didn't find myself wanting more bass, though they do roll off in the sub-bass, which is typical of most dynamic headphones, something the HE-400 has no problems with. If I could score the bass, it'd be; Quantity: 7.5, Quality: 8. Just really pleasing bass all around. Mids: This is the star of the show. And when I say star... I mean, it is absolutely one of the best interpretation of mids/vocals I have EVER heard on any headphone...EVER. I'm usually fine with mid recession as I tend to prefer bass and treble emphasis, but MAN... once I heard the HD650... it made me see mids in a whole new light. The vocals are so sweet, so upfront, so rich, so haunting! Based on mids alone, I recommend this headphone to ANYONE looking for a headphone that does vocals some amazing justice. The only other headphone that provides really sweet mids that I've heard is the Audio Technica ESW9, but the ESW9 is a closed on ear, with a considerably smaller soundstage, and overly smooth treble, and stuffy sound signature in comparison. The ESW9 is good, but not HD650 good. The HD598 also has very forward mids, but I felt the lean bass, and thinner sound, made the mids sound unnaturally forward and shouty. The warmth and fullness of the HD650 basically destroyed any chance the HD598 had in a direct comparison. There was no competition. The HD650's mids demolish the HD598's in tone, realism, and richness. The HE400 is often compared to the HD650, and despite my preference for the HE400, the HD650 is clearly the king of mids here. The HE400 has great, INTEGRATED mids, that don't sound pushed back or forward with a realistic tone. That being said, the HD650's forward mids are special. The HD650 clearly wins here. As far as Q701 and HD650's mids, the HD650 wins again. The Q701 has forward mids, but they aren't nearly as full sounding, or as rich. Long story shot, the mids are godly. If I had to score them: Quantity: 10, Quality: 10. That is perfection, because that's how I feel about the HD650's mids. Treble: Oh the treble. This is single-handedly the ONLY reason I have put off getting the HD650 for so long. If you read about the HD650, the treble will always be discussed and debated on. Are they too smooth, rolled off, undetailed... veiled? This is a debate that will never end on Head-fi. As a fan of treble sparkle and some emphasis, I was absolutely mortified about hearing what people said of the HD650's smooth, laid back, dull, treble. So how did they sound to me? Surprisingly, I REALLY liked the treble! I didn't LOVE it. I still do prefer some more sparkle, but as the relaxing alternative to my typical treble emphasized headphones, I didn't find the treble overly smooth or dull on the HD650. Trust me, when your main can is the DT990 which is known for it's SUPER treble emphasis, and compare it directly to the much more reserved and rolled off treble of the HD650, you would tend to notice a huge difference. In all honestly, I really thought the treble on the HD650s was right where it should be for the type of headphone that the HD650 is. Without that treble, I think the HD650 wouldn't sound as rich and 'creamy' as they do. Would I use the HD650s as my ONLY headphone? To be frank, no. They performed well in absolutely everything except genres that desired an aggressive signature. Stuff like metal, and EDM just didn't have the energy on the HD650s. So no, they aren't the perfect all rounders. However, through some vocal dependent tracks, and stuff like movies, TV, and most non-music needs (even gaming), the HD650s are indeed in a very good place. Unfortunately, I tend to listen to EDM and metal more than anything, so the HD650 lost a few points. To score the treble; Quality: 7, Quantity: 7. If the treble is boosted by a bit, these could be what I'd consider very natural to neutral with a slight emphasis towards bass. I think they'd be less rich overall though, so I personally wouldn't want to touch what makes the HD650 what they are. Amping: I have the HD650 paired up with the Audio-GD SA-31 which is much more powerful than pretty much any amp most of you use, or would use, so I'm not exactly sure how they'd sound with less power, but I personally felt that they aren't as hard to drive as people make them out to be. They need considerably less power than the DT990/600, and possibly even the DT990/250. I'd say they'd need about as much as the DT990/32 for at LEAST volume level. We know power =/= volume, but it helps. To be clear: they do not need a lot to be driven LOUDLY. I tested them with the Mixamp only, and they can be driven off it loud enough. I didn't test it enough to see how well they're actually driven, but they sounded good. They may be a little thinner sounding, which could actually be a good thing for gaming, as it makes pinpointing sounds a bit easier than the very rich, thick signature the HD650s have with the SA-31. Okay, so how did they perform for gaming? ---START GAMER SECTION--- Soundstage: I haven't gotten to the specifics of gaming with the HD650s yet, but I'll mention the soundstage first. With and without extra amping the Mixamp, I felt the HD650's soundstage to be medium sized. Not big, and not little. However, I didn't find them to be stellar in terms of depth, so the sense of space for gaming, wasn't as good as I would have hoped. I was always expecting the HD650 to not be the greatest pairing for Dolby Headphone, and my fears were slightly warranted. The front/back depth isn't great. Let's get that out of the way. The width is good, but not close to being the best. The DT990 destroys the HD650 in both depth and width. So how's the air within the soundstage? Well, the problem with the HD650, is that it's a very full sounding headphone. Thick, warm tone tends to make the soundstage seems less airy and smaller. This is one of those times where a thinner/leaner sounding headphone has the advantage, like the AD700/HD598/K701. The HD650 isn't STUFFY like say the ESW9, but that rich tonality doesn't help gamers. Positioning: Positioning and soundstage tend to go hand in hand, so if the soundstage isn't great, the positional cues will suffer. How did the HD650 fare positional-wise? Well, they were good. Not great, and could obviously be better, but they do their job. I could play something like Black Ops without any problems, though having used headphones much better for soundstage/positioning, I could tell they lacked a bit. I'd put the HD650 just ever so slightly above the DT880 positional wise, but they aren't that much better. Clarity: You need clarity for soundwhoring in competitive gaming. Despite the laid back treble, I found the natural tone of the HD650 to be very detailed. The forward mids came off very clean and clear, and I felt I didn't miss any sounds. I've heard better overall (even the 990's are better for soundwhoring). The problem is that the HD650 is a very thick sounding headphone. Basically, the issues I explained in the soundstage section is what hurts clarity for gaming purposes. ---END GAMER SECTION--- Comfort: I mentioned that Sennheiser likes their clamp. The HD201, HD280 Pro (!), PC360, and HD598 all have some form of clamp. The HD650 is no different. They do clamp a bit more than I'd personally like, but it's a minor gripe overall. I find the HD650 to be very comfortable overall, and over extending the arms a little, to wear the HD650 slightly loose alleviates the clamp a bit. I've felt better, but not much better. The velours are great. Not too firm, and not too soft. The cups are huge and will fit ears very comfortably. I like the oval shape, which makes them easier to use while laying down compared to circular cups. Value: The Sennheiser HD650 is a considerably expensive headphone. If your main purpose for getting a headphone is gaming, there are considerably better options for less. If pure audio fidelity, and non-gaming purposes is your main purpose, the HD650 is incredibly hard to beat. Their sound signature is just stellar for most things, save for a few genres, and they're competent for gaming, just not stellar. I personally can't justify owning both the HD650 and HE-400, so I stuck with the HE-400 which is a more energetic, and better equipped for gaming use. Final Impressions: The HD650 has a very special place in my heart. It took years to finally take the plunge, but I'm VERY glad I did. They have quickly become one of my very favorite headphones. Though their gaming performance isn't as stellar as I would have hoped, it's better than I expected. I absolutely love the HD650 overall, and they have made me see the importance of mids, if even for just non-gaming, non-music use. Movies and TV shows are made for the HD650. Their incredible tonality, rich/full sound, perfect mids are an absolute blessing. Treble is definitely it's weakest aspect of sound, but they aren't veiled, just...reserved. For gamers looking for all-rounders, these do put up a fight. They're better than the vast majority of headphones I mentioned on this guide in terms of audio fidelity, but in raw performance for gaming, they're outclassed by others costing considerably less. ... show more

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Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2013 by Christian G. Rivera

A legendary headphone that's worth the hype

Style: HD 650

If you are even a little bit interested in the world of headphones, you would have heard of Sennheiser HD600 and its evolved sister HD650. They are legendary headphones that even the most hardcore audiophiles won't knock. Situated at a price range of $300-400, they are expensive at first glance, but are actually middle of the road in terms of price. Sennheiser HD800, for example, retails for over $1600. However, as with anything to do with technology, there are diminishing returns in terms of how much more improvements in audio you would get out of the price you pay. For me and for a lot of others, at least right now, HD650 is that sweetspot. I graduated from a combo of FiiO E10K plus ATH-M50. Trust me when I say that my first time listening to the M50s, which are what I would call "actually decent" compared to what I've been listening before, my mind was blown away. Music was no longer a blur of sound, and I could hear individual instruments and nuances in vocals that I've never heard before. For $200, that combo was potent, and I feel like a lot of people who are reading this right now are coming from something similar: a beginner audiophile's kit. Why upgrade, you would ask? The thing is, if money is an issue, something like the M50s are plenty good enough. Nevertheless, would I say the $350+ upgrade is worth it? Absolutely. Keep in mind that these headphones are around $350, but they are also actually not. If you want to get the most out of them, you would need something like a $200 set of DAC/AMP at least. If you plug it in directly into your computer or iPhone, I doubt you would hear much. The 300 Ohms impedance on the HD650s means that you need a LOT of voltage to run them well. At first, I used the HD650s with the FiiO E10K, and even using that I was immediately struck by how much clearer and smoother everything was. You could heard the twang of the baselines, the smacking of lips before the vocals start, and the stick on membrane impact of the bass drums. I loved it, but was also a bit disappointed. People say that the HD600 had weak bass, while the HD650 improved on that. I didn't hear much bass at all; all the nuances were there, but there was no punch, no kick to it. The frequency range also felt off; some sounds would be ear piercingly loud while others dull. I then wondered if the E10K wasn't good enough, and decided to upgrade to a set of Schiit Magni/Modi. That upgrade made a world of difference. The bass punch was back, and the clarity was still there, but what's amazing was that the soundstage opened up. Almost every old track I listened to sounded entirely different. "Was that guitar always on the right side? Did that fade sound so far away? Was that bass so close to my ear before?" I was listening to music being performed, not being recorded. So, to break it down. The HD650s require a decent set of DAC/AMPs to sound good. That is good and bad. Bad that you have to spend more money, but good in that there's so much more room to improve. They are open back, which means that noise gets in and gets out. They are not good for listening in the public. However, the clarity is amazing, the soundstage is mind-bending, and unless you have $2000 to spend, it's hard to improve upon this further. At this price point and beyond, people are generally looking for "sound signatures" that they like instead of objective improvements. Talking about sound signatures, Sennheiser is famous for having flat frequency response curves and sound that are "analytical." What this means is that the HD650s do not generally emphasize any frequency on the sound spectrum. The bass won't rattle your head, and the trebles won't pierce your eardrums (although I think the HD600 and HD650s do cut off a bit on the treble side). What this also means is that they are great at presenting exactly what was recorded to you, which results in some not-so-well recorded/mastered songs sounding disappointing after you've had these. I personally don't find this problematic. However, one thing is for sure, and that is after listening to the improvements made possible by the HD650s, you would be hooked. Perhaps you find the sound signature too "cold," and want to add some variety with expensive tube amps. Perhaps you want to sample other manufacturers' cans within the same price range for differences. Or perhaps you would go crazy and eye those $1600 HD800s. That is the real tragedy of getting the HD650s. ... show more

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Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2020 by Jon

You Wont Regret Buying These (HD650)

Style: HD 650

Just amazing. I love these. They are the perfect sound profile for me as a casual listener who doesnt consider themselves an audophile or mess with EQ. I have never felt so immersed in music as when I am wearing these. They were a bit clampy at first, but now are extremely comfortable. Plus you can just bend the steel from my understanding if they clamp too much for you. I have medium to large sized ears and they sit nicely in the earmuffs without touching the inside or driver. Very comfortable for long sessions with no listening fatigue or hotspots on my head. I have a small collection of headphones now, but I always find myself coming back to these, or reaching for them when I REALLY want to enjoy some music. That to me is more telling than any frequency response graph or technical detail ever could be. ... show more

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Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2026 by Keith Derreault

Yes, get the 650! They’re the jack of all trades in the amazing HD 600 tier line of Sennheiser!

Style: HD 650

These are a part of “knights of the round table” headphones. Let me get something straight — there is no one perfect pair of headphones. It’s a curse to the wallet but yet it’s a blessing in the sense that headphones are a magical journey of taking two of your senses (hearing and touch) to whole new levels you may never experience by simply just by being in it. With so many headphones out there, there’s that many ways to explore audio and more! Exciting, right? I am an audiophile and have a room dedicated to my headphones as well as listening. Audio is an incredible passion of mine and I want to share my take on these 650s! 1: So, Sennheiser is among the crem-de-la-crem (pardon the spelling) of headphone producers. 2: Sennheiser is a great brand to get into headphones when you’re new to it. It’s also got great value for performance. You honestly can’t go wrong with them. 3: If you’re on a budget and can really only afford to just have that one or two pairs of headphones. The Sennheiser 650’s are a jack of all trades with its sound profile. They are a definite buy for sure! Paired with a Khadas Tone Board and JDS Labs Atom, you can have a pretty top tier, affordable setup. For real sides! 4: These work well with so many different types of DACS and amps. I personally pair them with THX789’s from Mass/Drop, Khadas Tone Board, or my Okto Research 8’s. The THX 788 made by Monoprice is a nice combo DAC/AMP. 5. In terms of the Sennheiser line, there’s the boss tier (not necessary at all to own) like 800 and 820s. There’s the studio recording line denoted by PRO. There’s the lower end with the 598 and below. The 600 range (where these headphones sit at) is the sweet spot of excellence. If you want a bass-y emphasized performance, go with the 58X from Drop.com. They’re the resurrected Jubilees which are an updated, updated version of the HD580s. These are super solid, great for listening for long periods. You can’t go wrong. You can plug these into a device without an amp and get great volume. If you want super duper separated sound with ridiculous detail with more revealing performance in the highs and mid/highs, the 600s are your go to headphones! They’re very objective (an audiophile term generally meaning “as-is” or “unemphasized” as possible). With the wrong setup, they can sometimes even be a little sibilant. The 650s are truly the Goldilocks of the HD600 line. These emphasize the mids much more than the others. It’s often considered a sin by some audiophiles to use EQ functionality to adjust the sound. I can say that the 650s are at that point where they can be lightly EQ-ed to offer more bass and treble response. Now, onto the last thing that I think is important to mention — these have been replaced and succeeded by the Sennheiser 660s. They’re a worthy successor to replace the 650s. They are pretty close in frequency response. However, the upgrade comes with the comfort (clamp force) and the consistency of the drivers to produce frequencies. What does that translate to? - The HD660s really do a good job of sounding good with vocals, slightly less warm, and sound good without a lot of readjustment on your ears. They’re on the brighter side than the HD650. The brightness is a personal preference kind of thing. For some, they might like this for classical music. For some, they may find themselves hitting user fatigue sooner than the 650. My opinion: The HD650 are still my go despite the update with the 660s. I think that the 660s is wonderful but I prefer to stick the HD650s because of their versatility. I can listen to them for hours! It’s a great starting spot for audiophile tier headphones that will always, always be my daily headphones for all kinds of music. They’re also a great starting spot as well as a great spot to end on. Additionally, I would check out the Sundara by Hifiman if you’re wanting to explore planars. They’re very much like the 650s of planar headphones. Enjoy and happy listening! :) ... show more

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Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2019 by Lunar Kitten

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