Sennheiser HD 650 Open‑Back Hi-Res Audiophile Headphones, Reference Grade Sound, Airy Design, Plush Ear Pads, Rich Bass, Detachable Cables, Lighweight, Comfort-Fit for Gaming,...

I have been using these for a few days now and I have to say they exceeded my expectations. I have been using the HD 598s almost daily for three years now. The reason I got these is because I was dissatisfied with the low end on the 598s. Just some background; I have owned the 280 pro, HD 518, HD 598, and now made the jump to the HD 650. I will be comparing these mostly with the 598s and the 518s. As far as comfort goes they compress the head a bit more than the 598s and the 518s, but they are not uncomfortable. The only noticeable discomfort would be below the ear where the bottom of the can presses against my jawbone. After a few hours this starts to annoy me, but simply moving them around provides relief so this is nothing. I would definitely say the 598s are more comfortable for extended periods, but the 650s feel more solid on the head. I haven't experienced any major warm spots even after long periods of use. The cans do keep my ears warmer than the 598s, but nowhere near as bad as the 518s used to. My main complaint about the 518s was how hot they would make my head due to the lower quality material and padding used. The 650s are nowhere near the 518s in this regard. Also, the headband on the 650s is narrower than both the 598 and 518. I found this to be a very noticeable difference since the compression is higher and have had to adjust it often. It just feels weird, but this is something I'll get used to with time since I've been using the 598s for so long. The build quality is extremely solid, but the plastic feels cheaper than I would like. It doesn't make me feel uneasy about breaking though. This is mostly the outside of the cans and top of the headband. The outside grills are metal and the cushions are high quality. The included cord is nicer than what comes with both the 598 and 518, but is special since the 650 uses one input per can. The included 1/4 to 3.5 adapter is way better in my opinion since it has cord length. The included adopters with the 528s and 598s were a single adapter piece which looked like a freakishly long Frankenstein plug when used with a portable device. This adapter keeps the cable end at the typical 3.5 size so it looks normal and doesn't cause unneeded stress on the contact or the output jacks. The old adapter actually caused me to break a couple laptop outputs while being careless. I wish this adapter was included with all the other models. I'm no experienced audiophile so I'm probably going to sound like a child explaining the sound. These have been described in other reviews as being "dark" sounding. I'm not sure what that means, but after using them I think I kind of get it. My 598s were very bright and almost airy sounding. The treble was very distinct, the soundstage was amazing, but the bass was very low key and had little impact which is good in some cases. The 650s definitely have more bass impact and I can concur that it is "punchy". I can enjoy electronic and hard rock on these much better. While the bass is heavier on these it is still crisp and accurate, not boomy or overpowering. The treble is still very present, but does seem a bit rolled off to me. The sound is not what I would call bright at all, and the soundstage is definitely smaller than the 598s. The overall sound seems more focused and impactful in comparison. I am amazed at how much more detail I was able to pick out in some of my favourite songs which I thought was impossible at this point. These really surprised me at how clear the entire range was. Now for web videos or Skype calls these were not as enjoyable to me. These made me well aware that I was not listening to high quality sources and since the sound is more focused and narrow when compared to the 598s voice calls can actually annoy me. This was something the 598s do extremely well, but this wasn't the reason I purchased these. I guess it should be mentioned that the sound leakage on these is much higher even when compared with the 598s and 518s. These headphones are hard to drive. It's been said everywhere and should be expected given these are 300ohm cans. I haven't had much experience with high resistance headphones so this is venturing into new territory for me. I had a small fiio amp with my 598s which increased the quality, but wasn't really needed for my main application so I got rid of it. I can DEFINITELY see where I would want that back now. Forget about using these with something like an iPhone. At max volume these were so quiet I couldn't enjoy them at all. On my 15" MacBook running boot camp I was only able to achieve a moderate volume with a few software tweaks that I would never use daily and hindered the overall sound. Now, my MacBook running OSX was actually able to push these fairly well. This is the only way I have to actually enjoy them right now. The sound is great and depending on the track, the volume could go above my comfort level with OSX. I will be purchasing a dac/amp combo for my system very soon and I feel like this will really open these up and sound even better. I should have factored this into my price, but luckily I have my Mac that can push these decently until I save up more. The price on these is very reasonable. I'm a little mad because I payed the same for these as I did for my 598s at the time. Also, I think this is the only time ive seen UK Amazon have a better price than the US on these. I was able to save about 100 usd on these even with the VAT and shipping. Overview: I really like my decision to "upgrade" to these. I quoted upgrade because it really can't be said that these are better than my 598s. Each has a noticeably different personality and I'd say it all depends on the application. The 598s excel in acoustic listening, voice calls, and movies due to its wide soundstage and crystal clear upper range. I wanted to move from the 598s because my heavier bass heavy music was lacklustre and the highs would get fatiguing to me when listening to the majority of my music (rock). The 650s definitely excel in the music department with a more focused sound and deep, quick, bass with some punch without sacrificing quality of the rest. They do not do well with lower quality sources or voices using Skype. I am very satisfied with these though since I bought them to relieve the bass situation I was having with some of my favourite music.

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.

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Very happy with these, excellent detail and smooth bass well suited for writing progressive/techno. The bass could be a touch deeper right on the lower frequencies, it can be corrected using sonar works, or you can just get used to them and adjust accordingly as the bass is still detailed. I used sonarworks for a while but in the end chose to go without and my mixes are still translating really well.

Excellent pair of headphones. Just that you would need an amp to use with phone. With a laptop, driveability is not an issue.

En primer lugar aclaro que soy entusiasta de la música y trato de disfrutarla con la mayor calidad posible pero no me considero audiófilo, por lo que mi comentario es muy simple. He estado utilizando los sennheiser hd 599 SE y es la referencia que tengo. La diferencia es bastante notable al actualizar a los HD 650, desde que me los puse y escuche algunos de los disco de referencia que utilizo se nota la mejora del sonido en general, agudos y medios bien definidos y graves controlados. hice pruebas conectados a un DAC CAMBRIDGE AUDIO modelo DAC MAGICPLUS, 24 bits 192 kHz, con trasmisión de TIDAL y archivos propios en HI-RES. Próximamente haré pruebas con un DAC- amplificador dedicado de mayor resolución.

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Its unlikely that I can add anything to this that hasn't already been said by earlier reviewers. Its as good as they say it is! I have an Audio Technica ATHm50X. I thought that was good and then i got HD650. I feared it would not be much of an upgrade! But it turned out to be a stellar upgrade. I also thought my phone with my mobile DAC (ibasso DC03 Pro) would be able to easily drive it. It can, but i have to amp up the volume to 85 ! The headphone is not for portable use. Its meant for listening at home. I use it for my nightly dose of music at my bedside. I've hooked it to an old Onkyo AV receiver. Yes, i had an old Onkyo AV receiver lying unused and made it my headphone AMP . Its too much and I know it. Better than spending another 20k on a good headphone amp i guess. The only downside is too many wires. USB-C to mobile DAC to Aux to AV receiver and the headphones. I manage because i'm on the bed and not going anywhere or doing anything but closing my eyes and enjoying pure sound. How does it sound? Well, i'm relistening all the music i have ever listened to. They all sound as if they've been remastered and new instruments added .. makes you go 'eh', what is that sound? i never noticed it before!. Is it worth this much over a noise canceling headphone etc.,? well, if you can spend on a device just for listening at home, this is worth investing. Go for a BT ANC headset if you need an all in one device.

Its unlikely that I can add anything to this that hasn't already been said by earlier reviewers. Its as good as they say it is! I have an Audio Technica ATHm50X. I thought that was good and then i got HD650. I feared it would not be much of an upgrade! But it turned out to be a stellar upgrade. I also thought my phone with my mobile DAC (ibasso DC03 Pro) would be able to easily drive it. It can, but i have to amp up the volume to 85 ! The headphone is not for portable use. Its meant for listening at home. I use it for my nightly dose of music at my bedside. I've hooked it to an old Onkyo AV receiver. Yes, i had an old Onkyo AV receiver lying unused and made it my headphone AMP . Its too much and I know it. Better than spending another 20k on a good headphone amp i guess. The only downside is too many wires. USB-C to mobile DAC to Aux to AV receiver and the headphones. I manage because i'm on the bed and not going anywhere or doing anything but closing my eyes and enjoying pure sound. How does it sound? Well, i'm relistening all the music i have ever listened to. They all sound as if they've been remastered and new instruments added .. makes you go 'eh', what is that sound? i never noticed it before!. Is it worth this much over a noise canceling headphone etc.,? well, if you can spend on a device just for listening at home, this is worth investing. Go for a BT ANC headset if you need an all in one device.

Excellent pair of headphones. Just that you would need an amp to use with phone. With a laptop, driveability is not an issue.

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Struttura solida, leggera molto comoda da indossare per svariate ore, materiali plastici che non vogliono essere di particolare pregio ma comunque molto affidabili e che hanno dimostrato di poter resistere a svarati anni di utilizzo intenso. La riproduzione resta concentrata sulla perfetta riproduzione delle frequenze medie ed alte, i bassi risultano tuttavia adeguati e soprattutto articolati ma senza occultare la scena sonora. _______________ » COSTRUZIONE Nessuna parte metallica se non l'anima dell'archetto che permette la regolazione, il resto dei materiali è costituito da plastica di ottima fattura trattata e verniciata in maniera gradevole. Probabilmente il trattamento superficiale rischia di essere delicato ma una minima cura nell'uso dovrebbe garantire durabilità negli anni. I padiglioni morbidi e vellutati risultano molto comodi e solidamente applicati. Molto semplice la rimozione e l' installazione, operazione che ci si troverà a considerare almeno una volta l'anno data la facilità con la quale i padiglioni si consumano andando a variare leggermente la magnifica firma sonora. Buona la regolazione dell'archetto che si adatta perfettamente, risulta inizialmente molto serrato ma sono sufficienti poche ore perchè si lasci andare andando quasi a "scomparire". » PRESTAZIONI L'impedenza, come per le HD600 e HD660S2, è di 300 ohm, di conseguenza per godere appieno delle prestazioni della cuffia è bene utilizzare un buon amplificatore cuffie, possibilmente dotato di uscite bilanciate. Le frequenze medie ed alte sono riprodotte in maniera perfetta e non risultano mai affaticanti neppure dopo svariate ore di ascolto. Frequenze basse sono precisione, presenti ma non eccessive per garantire un ascolto piacevole ma fedele e non colorato diversamente da come previsto dall'autore. La scena sonora è discretamente ampia e dettagliata, l'ascolto resta tuttavia intimo come per le HD660S2 cosa che non è necessariamente un difetto, garantisce infatti una buona rappresentazione dell'immagine sonora, ogni strumento e voce sono perfettamente individuabili nello spazio dall'ascoltatore. » CONCLUSIONI Ottimo dispositivo, solido concreto e resistente. Concentrato sulla riproduzione sonora della fascia medio alta delle frequenze con assoluta fedeltà, ma che allo stesso tempo non priva l'ascoltatore del divertimento derivante da una gestione colorata delle frequenze basse riprodotte in maniera articolata ma non enfatizzata. Sono garantite ore di ascolto soddisfacenti ed appaganti senza alcun tipo di affaticamento.

Despite the numerous negative reviews for this seller, I still went ahead and ordered a pair of HD650 headphones for 200 euros. I have some issues with UPS for not providing the mailbox code upon the package’s arrival, so I had to request it from customer support. Just in case, I filmed myself unboxing the headphones, but in the end, it wasn’t necessary since the headphones arrived in perfect condition and with new ear pads. The box said “refurbished,” which is what I expected given the price. I’ve been using them for almost a month, and there are no issues with how they perform. There are some nuances about the model itself that are worth considering when buying. I work in mixing and production, and overall I liked these headphones, but I still think the HD600 would have suited me better because of their clearer high frequencies. That said, the HD650 is also a good option for music production. I tried adjusting the EQ on these headphones, and they started to sound a bit more accurate, but the difference isn't very significant. The clamping force on these headphones is quite strong, and at first it’s hard to wear them for more than two hours, but over time the fit becomes more comfortable. Overall, the HD650s have a “warm” sound and soft yet clear high frequencies. If you enjoy listening to music, you’ll surely like them - it’s no wonder they’re called audiophile headphones.

Using this with my Fiio M9 and sometimes my mobile phone. This headphone has the right amount of treble among the high end headphones that I have heard. Lots of detail in midrange. Full sounding with adequate bass. This is another area well done. In other high end headphones and bookshelf speakers the male vocals lack upper bass and sound thin. HD650 sounds most natural and male vocals sound perfect. These are the best headphones if one is looking for natural timbre and mainly using for listening to music. By my ears these are most correct sounding - neither analytical nor too warm with ok soundstage and imaging. The phones are sensitive enough even being 300 ohms. My entry level Samsung M21 mobile drives it to extremely loud levels which I never need to reach. With the Fiio M9 the sound is more articulate. One real con is there - the headband is plastic. This is the part that flexes and will break one day. And whoever designed the glossy plastic look with the large logo honestly should look for a different profession - design is not his/her strong area. Overall great buy at < 23k. Could have come with a short 3.5mm cable for 1k more. Finding it difficult to acquire that cable now.

En primer lugar aclaro que soy entusiasta de la música y trato de disfrutarla con la mayor calidad posible pero no me considero audiófilo, por lo que mi comentario es muy simple. He estado utilizando los sennheiser hd 599 SE y es la referencia que tengo. La diferencia es bastante notable al actualizar a los HD 650, desde que me los puse y escuche algunos de los disco de referencia que utilizo se nota la mejora del sonido en general, agudos y medios bien definidos y graves controlados. hice pruebas conectados a un DAC CAMBRIDGE AUDIO modelo DAC MAGICPLUS, 24 bits 192 kHz, con trasmisión de TIDAL y archivos propios en HI-RES. Próximamente haré pruebas con un DAC- amplificador dedicado de mayor resolución.

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Using this with my Fiio M9 and sometimes my mobile phone. This headphone has the right amount of treble among the high end headphones that I have heard. Lots of detail in midrange. Full sounding with adequate bass. This is another area well done. In other high end headphones and bookshelf speakers the male vocals lack upper bass and sound thin. HD650 sounds most natural and male vocals sound perfect. These are the best headphones if one is looking for natural timbre and mainly using for listening to music. By my ears these are most correct sounding - neither analytical nor too warm with ok soundstage and imaging. The phones are sensitive enough even being 300 ohms. My entry level Samsung M21 mobile drives it to extremely loud levels which I never need to reach. With the Fiio M9 the sound is more articulate. One real con is there - the headband is plastic. This is the part that flexes and will break one day. And whoever designed the glossy plastic look with the large logo honestly should look for a different profession - design is not his/her strong area. Overall great buy at < 23k. Could have come with a short 3.5mm cable for 1k more. Finding it difficult to acquire that cable now.

This is one of the best headphones, but don't buy it if you don't know what this is for. 1. This is an open-back headphone. Meaning that, this headphone doesn't have Noise cancellation (active or passive). You can hear everything that's happening around you (you can even hear the fan or AC sounds) and everyone can hear what song you are playing. You need a quite place to perfectly enjoy this headphone. But what you get is awesome soundstage, crystal clear vocals and exact reproduction of the studio recording. 2. You don't get wireless/Bluetooth (because we know that wireless tech is not yet at par with the bitrate that a simple cable can transfer, in fact, Wireless is too far behind). And you get a very long, very wide and very heavy cable with this headphone. But don't take this the wrong way, the cable is strong and quite sturdy. 3. You don't get mic to use for calls. This headphone is not meant for that. 4. You can't use this directly with your mobile/PC/laptop (3.5mm jack or even the usb-to-3.5mm adapter). You can surely attach it, but without a proper AMP/DAC, the sound volume will be so feeble, low and lifeless that you would regret buying this 'expensive' headphone. You need something like a iFi AMP/DAC stack, or a Schiit Magni/Modi stack or something similar (I am suggesting budget options, of course you can opt for more expensive setup). This headphone NEEDS an AMP, and believe me when I say this, you need some powerful AMP to drive this headphone (meaning, utilize to it's full potential). 5. This headphone is not portable (of course you can take this anywhere, but that's not what I mean). You need a setup (desktop/laptop with a AMP/DAC setup, good Hi-Resolution files or Hi-Res streaming service like Apple lossless or Tidal and a quite place to enjoy this). This is not a headphone you take on the bus/train/flight/playground/to sleep/class etc. So, final words, if you don't know what the words "Studio monitors/Reference Class" on this headphone mean then it's not for you. Studio professionals/music producers/good youtubers will appreciate this headphone. And I am none, but I am enjoying this headphone so much that I wouldn't want to go back to anything else. I use this with an AudioQuest Dragonfly Red and the sound is simply out of this world.

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