[Kevin Pearson]

I was wondering if anyone has had experience listening for any length of time to these two headphones and which they prefer for classical music listening? I currently own the HD-590s and have for probably close to ten years now. I do like them a lot but I'm wondering if the HD-650s would give me a better experience. I've ordered a Schiit Audio Magni Headphone Amplifier to see if I can get better performance out of the HD-590s. I've not used a headphone amp before. Only the headphone output of my Yamaha receiver so I don't know if there will be any improvement but reviews on the Magni Amp are really good and say that it's the best $100 you will spend on headphones.


I have a bonus check coming in March and my wife has said I could get a pair of HD-650s for my birthday if that's what I want. Amazon has them for $369.95. I'm also looking at the HD-700s but they sell for $620.00. Granted that is almost $400 off their retail price and certainly not as expensive as the HD-800s at $1499.00! I think she would let me get whatever set I want as she knows I spend a LOT of hours listening with my headphones so as not to disturb her sleep.

So, does anyone have any advice?

Kevin

 

[GioCar]

I never tried the HD-590, but I did the HD-650.
The HD-650 are very popular because they are one of the most euphonic sounding headphone on the market. They are very warm and involving and, if you also listen to other genres (rock, jazz, etc) they are perfect all-round headphones.
Said that, for CM I prefer a more neutral sounding headphone. You may also consider the HD-600.
Although very similar to the HD-650, they have a more neutral tone and are a bit cheaper, so I'd go for them.

Alternatively I'd make the big leap and go for the HD-700 (for a really big leap the HD-800)
The Schiit headphone amplifier is perfect for both of them, as well as for the HD-600/650

 

[Kevin Pearson]

Thanks for your advice GioCar! Do you really think the HD-700s would be a "big" leap? I'm kind of curious because I know I could not convince my wife into letting me buy the HD-800s but the HD-700s are at a price point, although steep, is not far out of reach for what she would usually allow for birthday. Hmmmm...

Anyone else have an opinion?

Kevin

 

[GioCar]

Hi Kevin, yes, the HD-700 are definitively "better" than the 650. They are accurate and transparent, with a much wider soundstage. And $620 is a great price for them. If you persuade your wife that +$250 is worth the buy (it is, imo), I'd go for them.
Please bear in mind that all these headphones are open-back, so some sound leakage is there, and you may disturb your wife's sleep the same...

 

[Headphone Hermit]

Thanks for your advice GioCar! Do you really think the HD-700s would be a "big" leap? I'm kind of curious because I know I could not convince my wife into letting me buy the HD-800s but the HD-700s are at a price point, although steep, is not far out of reach for what she would usually allow for birthday. Hmmmm...

Anyone else have an opinion?

Kevin

I had a similar issue when I bought my Denon headphones a few years ago. Ultimately, only you can tell if the difference in price is worth it for your ears. For that reason, I'd very strongly advise anyone buying equipment to go to a shop with some CDs that they like listening to and spend some time comparing the products they are considering buying. If that ism't possible, then I'd offer the following advice:

1. a set of headphones (or other hi-fi equipment) could last for years - so buy the best you can
2. increases in price do (often) lead to better performance .... but the difference can be subtle - so, can your ears tell the difference? (eg Mrs H can't tell the difference between a £500 and a £50 pair of headphones)
3. do you want to sit listening for years (decades?) to come and think: "I could have had the better pair of headphones?"
4. finally, ask "how much do i use them?" .... you have already said you listen a lot, so do the maths (eg my expensive pair have cost me a few coins for every time I have used them because I use them so much)

 

[Kevin Pearson]

Hi Kevin, yes, the HD-700 are definitively "better" than the 650. They are accurate and transparent, with a much wider soundstage. And $620 is a great price for them. If you persuade your wife that +$250 is worth the buy (it is, imo), I'd go for them.
Please bear in mind that all these headphones are open-back, so some sound leakage is there, and you may disturb your wife's sleep the same...

The HD-590s that I currently own are also open back so no problem there. Our bedroom is on the opposite side of the house from my listening room. Wider soundstage is what I'm looking for I'd also like to have a headphone that has a little more punch on the bottom end and midrange than what I have. The HD-590s have been very good to me over the years. I have used them for at least ten years. They are comfortable and do not fatigue the ear and one of the reasons I am looking only at Sennheiser as an option for new cans.

 

[Kevin Pearson]

I had a similar issue when I bought my Denon headphones a few years ago. Ultimately, only you can tell if the difference in price is worth it for your ears. For that reason, I'd very strongly advise anyone buying equipment to go to a shop with some CDs that they like listening to and spend some time comparing the products they are considering buying. If that ism't possible, then I'd offer the following advice:

1. a set of headphones (or other hi-fi equipment) could last for years - so buy the best you can
2. increases in price do (often) lead to better performance .... but the difference can be subtle - so, can your ears tell the difference? (eg Mrs H can't tell the difference between a £500 and a £50 pair of headphones)
3. do you want to sit listening for years (decades?) to come and think: "I could have had the better pair of headphones?"
4. finally, ask "how much do i use them?" .... you have already said you listen a lot, so do the maths (eg my expensive pair have cost me a few coins for every time I have used them because I use them so much)

Thanks Headphone Hermit for your reply! Unfortunately I don't know of anyplace near me that sells high end audio anymore. The place where I bought my HD-590s is long out of business. I wish I could compare them in person but I'm just going to have to make a judgment call based on reviews and the advice of others who have actually heard them. This set might be the last pair of headphones I ever buy as I am getting close to 60 years old now. I do want something that I know will last. Mostly I want a pair that I can listen to without ear fatigue and I want comfort since the majority of my music listening has to be done with headphones. Kind of a pity that as I have a really fine pair of B&W DM-640 speakers and they are awesome for classical music. My wife likes classical music but her tastes stick pretty close to only Baroque, Classical and early Romantic era. She hates any of the modern stuff I play and she doesn't enjoy a lot of the jazz I listen to, and thus the headphones. Thanks for your advice!

Kevin

 

[michaels]

I was wondering if anyone has had experience listening for any length of time to these two headphones and which they prefer for classical music listening? I currently own the HD-590s and have for probably close to ten years now. I do like them a lot but I'm wondering if the HD-650s would give me a better experience. I've ordered a Schiit Audio Magni Headphone Amplifier to see if I can get better performance out of the HD-590s. I've not used a headphone amp before. Only the headphone output of my Yamaha receiver so I don't know if there will be any improvement but reviews on the Magni Amp are really good and say that it's the best $100 you will spend on headphones.

I have a bonus check coming in March and my wife has said I could get a pair of HD-650s for my birthday if that's what I want. Amazon has them for $369.95. I'm also looking at the HD-700s but they sell for $620.00. Granted that is almost $400 off their retail price and certainly not as expensive as the HD-800s at $1499.00! I think she would let me get whatever set I want as she knows I spend a LOT of hours listening with my headphones so as not to disturb her sleep.

So, does anyone have any advice?

Kevin

I recently went to a Head-fi convention and tried out pretty much any can you would be interested in and many more.

My preferences:
1. Comfort -- If I'm going to listen to music for 3 hours straight, no matter how good it sounds I'm going to need them to be free of distraction as much as possible
2. Able to sound... well... like you're not wearing headphones. To me this is what others might call a big soundstage and a pretty neutral sound, not shoving bass, mids or trebs to give it a character that separates it from others.
3. Over ear (open or closed)

With that said, here's what I would suggest given your price range in order of suggested price:

1. Oppo PM-3 -- just the best all around winner for me, incredible sound and ability to show resolution of individual instruments effectively. (and it will be a closed headphone)
2. HiFiMan HD 560 (possibly a bit out of your range, if so, go for the 400i, NOT the 500) -- like the Oppo in terms of sound, but really requires a decent amp to drive, not portable IMHO

If you need to spend that money on DAC+AMP too, then, without question, go for the HD-598. The 700s and the 800s are NOT worth it! Even at the Sennheiser booth they were highlighting a demo of the HD 650 with balanced vs unbalanced cables.. not the 700 or 800 (but I was able to demo them in other booths), but I now have the HD 650 and I wish I'd been patient and gone with the 400i (can be had refurbished for $390, used even less). Another note on the 700 or 800 series - they need serious amp to power.

PM me if you'd like to talk offline and I can tell you as much as you'd like to know.

 

[bigshot]

I have a set of 590s. They are kind of unique in the Sennheiser line. They are very very neutral, as opposed to sorta neutral. They do tend to hold back the upper midrange a bit though. SUPER comfortable. I'm told the 600s are brighter sounding and clamp a bit harder and are heavier. The other thing is that the 590s don't need amping at all, but the 600s are more likely to need it. To be honest, I wouldn't be happy with spending a lot of money on 600s myself. The difference wouldn't be in the direction I'd prefer.

I replaced my 590s with the Oppo PM-1. Totally different price range, but a huge leap forward in sound quality to justify it. The Oppos also don't require amping.

 

[Headphone Hermit]

Unfortunately I don't know of anyplace near me that sells high end audio anymore.
Kevin

Go on holiday, go for a weekend!

I'm similar to you - at our age, we might not be buying many pairs in the future if they last as long as my BeyerDynamics did (c25 years) - so go and try them out even if it means a holiday

You know it will be worth it!

 

[Kevin Pearson]

Go on holiday, go for a weekend!

I'm similar to you - at our age, we might not be buying many pairs in the future if they last as long as my BeyerDynamics did (c25 years) - so go and try them out even if it means a holiday

You know it will be worth it!

I found a store in Dallas that has a pretty good selection, including the sets I'm interested in, and so my wife and I are making an excursion into the big city on Saturday to listen. I'm hoping I can come to some kind of decision and resolve. My Magni headphone amp arrived today and it really has opened up the HD-590s but also shows more of the weakness of the headphones. I want something that has a little more punch on the lower register so symphonic music will have a closer sound to the power of a live performance. The Magni has really really made a difference in what I am hearing though and even if I buy new headphones I will be using the amp for all my listening from now on. I only wish I had known about a dedicated headphone amp years ago. I always figured my Yamaha was sufficiently driving the HD-590s but obviously I was wrong.

Kevin

 

[bigshot]

Unfortunately, bass is one of the weak points of headphones. You don't get the kinesthetic effect that you do with real music or speakers.

As for amping, there is no reason the 590s need it. They are just louder with an amp, the impedance is fine with just about any output. Of course to human ears, louder sounds better, even if the sound quality is the same and a level matched volume.

 

[Headphone Hermit]

. Of course to human ears, louder sounds better, even if the sound quality is the same and a level matched volume.

yes - the salespeople in hi-fi shops know this - that's why they crank up the volume for demonstations. When you have a comparison test in the shop, its a good idea to put the volume at the level you normally listen to .... and take some of the CDs that you want to listen to when you're at home

 

[Triplets]

Thanks Headphone Hermit for your reply! Unfortunately I don't know of anyplace near me that sells high end audio anymore. The place where I bought my HD-590s is long out of business. I wish I could compare them in person but I'm just going to have to make a judgment call based on reviews and the advice of others who have actually heard them. This set might be the last pair of headphones I ever buy as I am getting close to 60 years old now. I do want something that I know will last. Mostly I want a pair that I can listen to without ear fatigue and I want comfort since the majority of my music listening has to be done with headphones. Kind of a pity that as I have a really fine pair of B&W DM-640 speakers and they are awesome for classical music. My wife likes classical music but her tastes stick pretty close to only Baroque, Classical and early Romantic era. She hates any of the modern stuff I play and she doesn't enjoy a lot of the jazz I listen to, and thus the headphones. Thanks for your advice!

Kevin

you might try a store that caters to amateur guitarists, such as Guitar Pro. They sell a lot of headphones. There is one by my office. I don't play guitar but I walked in a few months ago. They had man Sennheiser models, some quie expensive, and you could bring your own music to demo.

 

[Kevin Pearson]

Unfortunately, bass is one of the weak points of headphones. You don't get the kinesthetic effect that you do with real music or speakers.

As for amping, there is no reason the 590s need it. They are just louder with an amp, the impedance is fine with just about any output. Of course to human ears, louder sounds better, even if the sound quality is the same and a level matched volume.

I'll have to disagree with you here because I set the amp to pretty close to the same volume I always listen to music and did jack output tests with the same music and the headphone jack on the Yamaha is distinctively muddy in comparison even if I try and adjust the treble and bass settings on the receiver. The amp brings out clarity and brightness in the upper registers but like I said the bass is kind of flat.

Kevin

 

[bigshot]

Line level matched direct A/B switching wouldn't reveal any difference. The impedance specs on the 590s are well within the range of just about any headphone out. Amping makes them louder though, and louder can do exactly what you describe there.

 

[michaels]

If you want the HD 700s for the price of the HD 650s, here's your chance:

https://www.buysonic.com/products/sennheiser-hd700/

That's basically the low used price for the new product.

 

[Kevin Pearson]

If you want the HD 700s for the price of the HD 650s, here's your chance:

https://www.buysonic.com/products/sennheiser-hd700/

That's basically the low used price for the new product.

Thanks for the heads up on that website. Really good prices! I would be tempted to buy the 700s at that price but I want to hear them first. So, maybe tomorrow I'll have a better idea.

Kevin

 

[Kevin Pearson]

First of all I want thank everyone who posted their opinions about headphones in my thread. I have been going around and around trying to decide what would best suit my needs. I talked to a lot of people and listened to several really great headphones. I really thought that my choice was limited to either the HD-650s or HD-700s. However, today I was able to hear the HD-800s and at least for me there was no other choice after hearing them. I got what I thought was a good deal on them. Basically the dealer lowered the price enough to pay the taxes on the headphones. I never dreamed in a million years I would even consider paying close to $1500.00 for a pair of headphones but after my wife heard them she said ... "you gotta have these!" without blinking an eye! Talk about shocked! Even she could hear the difference and she could hear the value of good headphones. I have to say I have a great wife and and I love her but this kind of surprised me. I wanted to leave and think about it for a little bit before committing to such an expensive item. Thirty minutes later we drove home with a new pair of HD-800s! What a pair of headphones they are. I am really looking forward to listening to my entire library. I have already heard things I never did with the HD-590s. It's not that the 590s are not good headphones but the 800s are so superior to any headphone I have ever heard. The balance of sound, the soundstage, the comfort is astounding. Here are a few pics for you.

Kevin

 

[GioCar]

Kevin, you look great!!!

:clap: