• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Sennheiser HD600 Review (Headphone)

solderdude

Grand Contributor
Joined
Jul 21, 2018
Messages
15,891
Likes
35,912
Location
The Neitherlands
btw, if I'm not mistaken. The same or a very similar driver is also used in the HD58x Jubilee, which is similar again to the HD660s. All 150ohm based originally off the HD700 driver I think.

Between all the mentioned headphones there are 2 different design magnet systems/frames. The drivers, however, differ in membrane and damping. The business-end as it were, as well as the baffle and rear damping.
So the drivers may look the same but they are really different drivers.

The HD58X driver is definitely different from the HD560S so it is not the enclosure/baffle. HD560S has angled drivers, HD58X does not.
 
Last edited:

Robbo99999

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 23, 2020
Messages
6,875
Likes
6,673
Location
UK
I actually compared the HD560s, HD600, HD650 and AKG K371 at the same time.
DAC and amp I use is the Anedio D2.
In the end I rated the headphones like this:
HD650 > HD600 > HD560s > K371
This is based on all headphones EQ-ed to the Harman curve with the Oratory1990 measurements and EQ presets (tried several others but these worked best for me).

I found the HD560s to have a less good soundstage than the HD600 and HD650. It was smaller for me especially vertically.
I found with the HD560s that I also had less good instrument separation because all sounds came from the same point while with the HD600 and HD650 I could 'imagine' the bass sitting lower than the treble etc and can separate the instruments that are panned center and playing at the same time.
The HD560s sounded technically good to me but less 'involving' for a lack of a better word. Perhaps also because of this limited soundstage vertically. They did not invite me to hear 'into' the music.
Additionally I found the HD560s less comfortable than the HD600 and HD650.
And there was a left-right balance problem that was immediately apparent with the HD560s (also with the AKG K371 and every headphone with a single chord on one side I've ever tried)

edit: btw, if I'm not mistaken. The same or a very similar driver is also used in the HD58x Jubilee, which is similar again to the HD660s. All 150ohm based originally off the HD700 driver I think.
So if you're looking for an HD560s in a more comfortable headphone with the chord going to both sides then perhaps the HD58x is worth checking out? About the same price as a HD560s too.
I'd be curious myself to check out the HD58x and suspect the better housing would solve my personal soundstage problem with the HD560s but I live in Europe and didn't want the long wait and no return of order from Drop in the US.
That was good that you compared them in the way you did, good process. Strange you thought the soundstage of the HD560s was smaller than that of the HD600/HD650, as it's the opposite for me, but you gotta choose the headphones that work best for you.
 

Yorkshire Mouth

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 22, 2020
Messages
1,254
Likes
1,154
Location
God's County - Yorkshire
I actually compared the HD560s, HD600, HD650 and AKG K371 at the same time.
DAC and amp I use is the Anedio D2.
In the end I rated the headphones like this:
HD650 > HD600 > HD560s > K371
This is based on all headphones EQ-ed to the Harman curve with the Oratory1990 measurements and EQ presets (tried several others but these worked best for me).

I found the HD560s to have a less good soundstage than the HD600 and HD650. It was smaller for me especially vertically.
I found with the HD560s that I also had less good instrument separation because all sounds came from the same point while with the HD600 and HD650 I could 'imagine' the bass sitting lower than the treble etc and can separate the instruments that are panned center and playing at the same time.
The HD560s sounded technically good to me but less 'involving' for a lack of a better word. Perhaps also because of this limited soundstage vertically. They did not invite me to hear 'into' the music.
Additionally I found the HD560s less comfortable than the HD600 and HD650.
And there was a left-right balance problem that was immediately apparent with the HD560s (also with the AKG K371 and every headphone with a single chord on one side I've ever tried)

edit: btw, if I'm not mistaken. The same or a very similar driver is also used in the HD58x Jubilee, which is similar again to the HD660s. All 150ohm based originally off the HD700 driver I think.
So if you're looking for an HD560s in a more comfortable headphone with the chord going to both sides then perhaps the HD58x is worth checking out? About the same price as a HD560s too.
I'd be curious myself to check out the HD58x and suspect the better housing would solve my personal soundstage problem with the HD560s but I live in Europe and didn't want the long wait and no return of order from Drop in the US.

Un-EQ’d, how do you find the HD600 vs the K371?

Does the ultra-low sub-bass make that much difference?
 

Robin L

Master Contributor
Joined
Sep 2, 2019
Messages
5,211
Likes
7,590
Location
1 mile east of Sleater Kinney Rd
Un-EQ’d, how do you find the HD600 vs the K371?

Does the ultra-low sub-bass make that much difference?
I've got the Drop 6XX and the K371. The bass quality of the HD600 should be similar to the 6XX/HD650 save that the HD650 has a bulge in the mid-bass around 170hz. So, there will be a big drop off in the lower bass without EQ and extra "juice" for both headphones. Plug the AKG K371 into anything, there's more deep bass, doesn't need eq down there unless you might want less bass.

However, unless you're a devoted bass-head, the Sennheiser phones are overall better sounding, more open on top, great with vocals and acoustic musics [save Mahler/Strauss/Bruckner/Wagner and organ music] without eq or additional power [but still needs more than the K371s].
 

Khronikos

Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2021
Messages
5
Likes
6
Think about getting the HD560s instead:
I own the HD600 too, as well as some other headphones, and HD560s is for me way better than HD600 whilst also being cheaper. It has the same dependablity & reliability in terms of on head placement not affecting the sound as the HD600, but has better soundstage & better bass, whilst retaining the same clarity levels. But I will say if you're not fussed about soundstage (and bass) then the HD600 is probably just a tiny smidge better.
Yeah I need to replace my 600s I guess. Left channel is starting to get flimsy with connection, and I definitely prefer the aesthetics. I know I will probably like the treble on the 650, but I don't really want a midbass hump in my present tunings. So it's another 600 for me, but I would prefer if Senn could get a definitive product out in the 500-700 range of headphones. Their present offerings seem meh, and I don't understand why. You would think it would be pretty easy to get a solid offering out for say 600 that people are like yep it's a lot better than the 600 series. But apparently they can't.
 

LaL

Active Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2020
Messages
140
Likes
94
Yeah I need to replace my 600s I guess. Left channel is starting to get flimsy with connection, and I definitely prefer the aesthetics. I know I will probably like the treble on the 650, but I don't really want a midbass hump in my present tunings. So it's another 600 for me, but I would prefer if Senn could get a definitive product out in the 500-700 range of headphones. Their present offerings seem meh, and I don't understand why. You would think it would be pretty easy to get a solid offering out for say 600 that people are like yep it's a lot better than the 600 series. But apparently they can't.
£50 Maybe just replace the left side of your hd600.
Might be cheaper where you're located.
https://Audiosanctuary.co.uk/sennheiser-replacement-capsules-hd600-hd580p-hd580j-hd580-1-each.html
 

solderdude

Grand Contributor
Joined
Jul 21, 2018
Messages
15,891
Likes
35,912
Location
The Neitherlands
Yeah I need to replace my 600s I guess. Left channel is starting to get flimsy with connection, and I definitely prefer the aesthetics. I know I will probably like the treble on the 650, but I don't really want a midbass hump in my present tunings. So it's another 600 for me, but I would prefer if Senn could get a definitive product out in the 500-700 range of headphones. Their present offerings seem meh, and I don't understand why. You would think it would be pretty easy to get a solid offering out for say 600 that people are like yep it's a lot better than the 600 series. But apparently they can't.

The spring contacts in the HD600 can be fixed.
 

solderdude

Grand Contributor
Joined
Jul 21, 2018
Messages
15,891
Likes
35,912
Location
The Neitherlands
The video shows how to replace the springs and what NOT to do.

You can remove the original springs. Then stretch the springs a bit so the spacing of the windings is even again (it will be wider in the middle).
Then, after widening the spring simply reinsert the springs.
Not easy to do. be very careful around the very thin copper wiring.
Doable when you are very careful.
 

Robbo99999

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 23, 2020
Messages
6,875
Likes
6,673
Location
UK
Yeah I need to replace my 600s I guess. Left channel is starting to get flimsy with connection, and I definitely prefer the aesthetics. I know I will probably like the treble on the 650, but I don't really want a midbass hump in my present tunings. So it's another 600 for me, but I would prefer if Senn could get a definitive product out in the 500-700 range of headphones. Their present offerings seem meh, and I don't understand why. You would think it would be pretty easy to get a solid offering out for say 600 that people are like yep it's a lot better than the 600 series. But apparently they can't.
(Well, like I said, for me the HD560s is a lot better than the HD600, but not everyone will think that.)
 

Khronikos

Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2021
Messages
5
Likes
6
Got my new pair of HD600s. Wow, these are beautiful. I like all the changes they made to these. The HD600 now looks like a legit set. I will echo some of the packaging criticism. Holy hell did they cheap out on it lol! Mine were not damaged at all luckily. Still have my old box too. My old pair have now been relegated to night time duty from bed and vacations. They are not the greatest anymore for balance I guess.

Did some sweeps and the bass in these is far more balanced. Old ones could have been blown a bit or just too much use over 6 years IDK. But the frequency range in these seems better. Maybe ever so slightly less sensitivity, but damn these are as good as it gets in the price range. I absolutely adore the 600s and will probably never switch.

Especially without EQ I could not stand the midbass and treble in the 650s, but I do still tend to cut the treble a bit on the top end. A little less with these ones, as I said they seem more balanced. My bass was pretty biased on the right speaker with the old pair after so much use.
 

Matias

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Messages
5,031
Likes
10,802
Location
São Paulo, Brazil

LaL

Active Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2020
Messages
140
Likes
94

Attachments

  • 6xx.jpg
    6xx.jpg
    136.6 KB · Views: 72

Geert

Major Contributor
Joined
Mar 20, 2020
Messages
1,938
Likes
3,526
Got my new pair of HD600s. Wow, these are beautiful
I just received my HD600, purchase based on the review and feedback on this forum. Really happy with how neutral they sound out of the box (excluding the low end, which I'll eq when it's needed). And they look and feel better than what I expected because of lots of negative comments regarding build quality ("all cheap plastic").
 
Last edited:

Robbo99999

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 23, 2020
Messages
6,875
Likes
6,673
Location
UK
I just received my HD600, purchase based on the review and feedback based on this forum. Really happy with how neutral they sound out of the box (excluding the low end, which I'll eq when it's needed). And they look and feel better than what I expected because of lots of negative comments regarding build quality ("all cheap plastic").
The most astounding thing about the HD600 is how good they are without EQ, very few headphones have that quality....the only thing I don't like about them is the small soundstage, which for me is quite important, but some people don't hear it like that or it's not important to them. I was & am amazed by how good they are out of the box though, and they definitely deliver on the broad sense of offering "high resolution" evident in how well the nuances of voices are reproduced, I think the super smooth & accurate measured frequency response in this area is a large part of it.
 

the_brunx

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2020
Messages
341
Likes
859
I just received my HD600, purchase based on the review and feedback on this forum. Really happy with how neutral they sound out of the box (excluding the low end, which I'll eq when it's needed). And they look and feel better than what I expected because of lots of negative comments regarding build quality ("all cheap plastic").
The HD600 series is a genius design imo. Close to the parameters of what a perfect headphone should be, not only in terms of time tested sound, user practicality, light-weight/comfort, fashionable looks and durable but also the marveling bonus that no screw was used and was made to be fully modular to the last part by using no tools but your hands. And to top it off, a reasonable price. a master piece.
 
Top Bottom