• 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 HD660S Review (Headphone)

Rate this headphone:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 18 7.0%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 73 28.5%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 126 49.2%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 39 15.2%

  • Total voters
    256

Fregly

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2018
Messages
336
Likes
264
Tonality bad, distortion bad, price bad.
Well the sound will be same--ish to the other Senns, which are really good. Amir eq jacking the bass would increase distortion even more, yet he did not perceive a problem. If you can't hear it, no problem.

The price is too much for sure though. This is a market where cheapy iems perform better by most metrics.
 

raif71

Major Contributor
Joined
Sep 7, 2019
Messages
2,333
Likes
2,535
Looking at the first graph, and seeing the lounging panther made my head explode. Being forced to use EQ to make a product work means the product is flawed. It's like having to use salt on a gourmet meal. No Bueno.
I hear you loud and clear and won't even eq that. When I bought the powerdac v2 dongle, I was quite happy with the eq that it came with and played with the various headphone settings but after awhile when listening without eq, it actually sounds better ie with eq sometimes there wasn't enough headroom but without eq, there was more headroom. Maybe it's just me.
 

LaL

Active Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2020
Messages
140
Likes
94
They have HD600/HD650/HD6XX/HD580/HD58X pads.
For pad dimensions you can always visit my site b.t.w.



hd560s-vs-hd599.png


HD599, HD560S



Not the same tonal balance though (at least not without modifications) HD58X, HD660S

hd660s-vs-prod-hd58x1.png


Below modified HD58X vs HD660S

hd660s-vs-hd58x-modified.png
 

Propheticus

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2020
Messages
431
Likes
644
Location
Vleuten, Netherlands
I'm using the HD660S (bought as B-stock for €270 inc. tax) with a slightly tweaked Oratory1990 EQ. I dialed down the 100Hz low-shelf bass boost and the 8Khz peak by 1dB. High-shelf 10kHz down another 0.5dB
1654786683842.png


Most important are the bass boost, the 2-5kHz area and 5.5kHz dip. However, there's also a 7-10kHz boost (due to high shelf from 1.6kHz tilting up) and a 8kHz peak.
This 'deficient' area is also visible in your measurements @amirm. What was the reason not to address this in EQ? The messy group delay around 9kHz perhaps?
 
Last edited:

LaL

Active Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2020
Messages
140
Likes
94
Many people say the 660s driver is the same as the 58x but it's actually the hd700 driver.

This is the marketing speak from 2012 for the HD700

"A new patent-pending feature is the special shape of the gauze, which continues the curved lines of the diaphragm. The resulting curvature reduces the volume of air beneath the diaphragm, thus guaranteeing even more precise control of the diaphragm motion and significantly lowering total harmonic distortion"
 

Attachments

  • 3.jpg
    3.jpg
    121.8 KB · Views: 133
  • 2.jpg
    2.jpg
    249.5 KB · Views: 132
  • 1.jpg
    1.jpg
    258.4 KB · Views: 140
  • 4.jpg
    4.jpg
    348 KB · Views: 132
Last edited:

threni

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 18, 2019
Messages
1,277
Likes
1,519
Location
/dev/null
It's based on the HD700 driver, but not the same.
There are only a couple of drivers left that I've not seen claimed as being the same driver that's used in the HD660S!
 

Ambient384

Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2022
Messages
64
Likes
26
Tonality bad, distortion bad, price bad.
Senn headphones are the best proof that they should be using dual DD's at 30mm since the worst planar & Balanced armature headphones still sound outperform the HD600 & HD800.

I saw that @amirm is using 12db boost at 20hz. My question is how high you can boost to be considered safe for the driver (not breaking, blown, etc.). I guess for the distortion you can use ear as a guide, but how about the safety of the driver it self (pushing harder than what it was designed for).

Can the THD graph tell us at what level it is safe to boost? I have ER4S that I would love to boost in the bass region, but want to play it safe. Thanks!

The ER4S & ER4SR can do 10db bass boost with no issues since the bass THD is <0.39% on ER3/ER4.
.

 

Angel II

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2021
Messages
29
Likes
5
The 58X for me, has a clearly better and more extended bass response. I compared the two (660S and 58X) a while back, the 660S bass was too rolled off and honestly a bit slow sounding. Even the HD 600 and 650 have it beat in the bass. The 58X bass is much tighter and responds better to EQ. I understand people saying the 660S is clearer or whatever, but that clarity difference is so insignificant compared to the drastic difference in bass quality of the 58X.
I had the HD660 and with all honesty they tired me out, I have always defined them as too sterile, insensitive to the tone of the amplification. The HD58X are something incredible with double bass and strings in general.
The HD58X pairs well with super neutral, neutral/warm solid state amplifiers and OTL amps.

Test Track 0:35 to 0:51:
 

AudioSceptic

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 31, 2019
Messages
2,691
Likes
2,534
Location
Northampton, UK
I had the HD660 and with all honesty they tired me out, I have always defined them as too sterile, insensitive to the tone of the amplification. The HD58X are something incredible with double bass and strings in general.
The HD58X pairs well with super neutral, neutral/warm solid state amplifiers and OTL amps.

Test Track 0:35 to 0:51:
The 58X is on special offer ($149 + delivery) at the moment. <https://drop.com/buy/massdrop-x-sennheiser-hd-58x-jubilee-headphones> I'm tempted, even though I already have the 6XX.
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,368
Likes
234,386
Location
Seattle Area
However, there's also a 7-10kHz boost (due to high shelf from 1.6kHz tilting up) and a 8kHz peak.
This 'deficient' area is also visible in your measurements @amirm. What was the reason not to address this in EQ?
I forgot about it. :) It already sounded good so I moved on to listening to them instead of messing with more filters.
 

Tks

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 1, 2019
Messages
3,221
Likes
5,494
I had both and they are not the same headphones. The HD58X sound warmer, the HD660s sound "cleaner". Sure, you can change the sound using EQ, but out of the box the HD660s sound "better" more "audiophile" IMHO.

Besides, if you live in the EU the HD58X are rather expensive. Not the best deal.

So did I. After listening for one for a few days, and the other for a few days. My ears acclimated to both, and sound was basically equal at that point. This also goes for the HD650. The difference is nowhere near worth the asking price on sound quality difference alone. I'd do it for the build (since the HD58X has awful plasticity where the headphone clamp force ramps quickly, thus never being where you want it to). But for sound differences? Couldn't care less for the slight difference when quickly swapping each.
 

Chyżwar

Active Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2021
Messages
152
Likes
177
So did I. After listening for one for a few days, and the other for a few days. My ears acclimated to both, and sound was basically equal at that point. This also goes for the HD650. The difference is nowhere near worth the asking price on sound quality difference alone. I'd do it for the build (since the HD58X has awful plasticity where the headphone clamp force ramps quickly, thus never being where you want it to). But for sound differences? Couldn't care less for the slight difference when quickly swapping each.

But they don't sound exactly the same, and that's a fact. I didn't say that the sound differences are worth the money. I agree with you they're not :)

Most of the time prices don't make any sense when it comes to headphones. You pay a lot of money for small differences. Right now I have the Moondrop Chu ($20) and the Hifiman Sundara ($350 in my country) and it's really hard to talk about the difference in sound quality, the Sundara aren't better headphones, they just sound a little different :)

As for Sennheiser, my favorites are the HD650. And without EQ, I prefer the HD650 over the HD660s or HD58x. But if you have any of these headphones, it probably doesn't make sense to buy the next one.
 

AudioSceptic

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 31, 2019
Messages
2,691
Likes
2,534
Location
Northampton, UK
I had both and they are not the same headphones. The HD58X sound warmer, the HD660s sound "cleaner". Sure, you can change the sound using EQ, but out of the box the HD660s sound "better" more "audiophile" IMHO.

Besides, if you live in the EU the HD58X are rather expensive. Not the best deal.
They're currently on special offer at $149, plus $15 shipping to the UK. That seems like a bargain to me.
 

Chyżwar

Active Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2021
Messages
152
Likes
177
They're currently on special offer at $149, plus $15 shipping to the UK. That seems like a bargain to me.

But the UK is not in the EU :) Including VAT, it will be around $200 in my country. The build quality of the HD58x is rather poor and the warranty is only for one year.
For comparison, in my country the HD650s are $300, but you can find them for $250. And I like the HD650 more.
The only thing I like about the HD58x more is the cable as it's shorter and has a mini jack.
 

AudioSceptic

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 31, 2019
Messages
2,691
Likes
2,534
Location
Northampton, UK
But the UK is not in the EU :) Including VAT, it will be around $200 in my country. The build quality of the HD58x is rather poor and the warranty is only for one year.
For comparison, in my country the HD650s are $300, but you can find them for $250. And I like the HD650 more.
The only thing I like about the HD58x more is the cable as it's shorter and has a mini jack.
Fair enough, and I take your word on build quality.
 

solderdude

Grand Contributor
Joined
Jul 21, 2018
Messages
15,891
Likes
35,912
Location
The Neitherlands
The HD560s looks quite different to any of the others discussed in this thread, as if it belongs to a different design "family".

It does belong in an entirely different family.

Different baffle, different construction, different driver, angled vs not angled driver, dual entry vs single entry, weight, clamping force and comfort differ. Different pads as well.
The HD660S is similar in build to the HD6** series and HD560S is based on HD5** chassis.
HD660S feels 'solid/serious' where the HD560S feels like a toy (comparatively).
HD660S comes with balanced cables as well, HD560S does not (6.3mm only).
 

Haskil

Senior Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Jul 29, 2019
Messages
317
Likes
534
Location
Gisors, Normandie, France
Voici quelques réflexions sur l'égaliseur.

Remarques sur la conception de l'égaliseur :
  • Le L/R moyen est utilisé pour calculer le score.
  • La résolution est de 12 points par octave interpolés à partir des données brutes (fournies par @amirm)
  • Un algorithme génétique est utilisé pour optimiser le QE.
  • Le score EQ est conçu pour MAXIMISER le score TOUT EN ajustant la courbe cible Harman (et d'autres contraintes) avec une complexité fixe.
    Cela évitera des résultats bizarres si l'on optimise uniquement pour le score.
    Cela aplanira probablement la régression d'erreur, l'équilibre tonal devrait donc être plus neutre.
  • Les égaliseurs sont le point de départ et peuvent nécessiter un réglage (certainement à LF et peut-être à HF).
  • La plage autour et au-dessus de 10 kHz n'est généralement pas égalisée à moins qu'elle soit suffisamment lisse pour le faire.
  • J'utilise PEQ (PK) car d'après mon expérience, la définition est plus cohérente entre les différentes implémentations DSP/plateforme que les étagères.
  • Avec certains combo HP/ampli, les boosts et le gain du préampli (perte de plage dynamique) doivent être soigneusement étudiés pour éviter, entre autres, des problèmes avec, entre autres, un Max SPL trop bas ou endommager votre appareil. Vous avez été prévenu.
  • Toutes les unités d'un même produit ne sont pas égales. L'EQ est basé sur les mesures d'une seule unité. YMMV en ce qui concerne l'unité même sur laquelle vous essayez cet égaliseur.
  • J'utilise parfois des variations de la courbe Harman pour certaines raisons. Voir rationnel ici : https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...pro-review-headphone.28244/page-5#post-989169 REMARQUE : le score alors calculé n'est pas comparable aux scores dérivés de la courbe cible Harman par défaut, sauf indication contraire.
Bonne correspondance G/D.

J'ai généré un EQ, le fichier de configuration APO est joint.

Note sans égaliseur : 44,0
Score Amirm : 49,7
Score avec EQ : 97,8
Code:
SENNHEISER HD 660 S Score EQ Plat @ HF 96000Hz
08juin2022-155600

Préampli : -10,9 dB

Filtre 1 : ON PK Fc 21,74 Hz Gain 10,89 dB Q 0,41
Filtre 2 : ON PK Fc 186,20 Hz Gain -3,73 dB Q 0,84
Filtre 3 : ON PK Fc 1251,83 Hz Gain -2,06 dB Q 2,42
Filtre 4 : ON PK Fc 2281,01 Hz Gain 2,91 dB Q 2,30
Filtre 5 : ON PK Fc 7028,68 Hz Gain 7,06 dB Q 1,11
Filtre 6 : ON PK Fc 5543,35 Hz Gain -10,97 dB Q 5,32
Filtre 7 : ON PK Fc 9368.73 Hz Gain 5.18 dB Q 1.57

View attachment 211598
Thank you ! The results are excellent in my Jriver !
 
Top Bottom