Sennheiser HD650 Review (Headphone)

[Feelas]

That, however, would ONLY show how the test rig reacts. Your head and perception will definitely react differently and can be many many dB's.

Yes, of course and there is seemingly no way around that, unless you'd be able to make a difference model of curvature of HATS vs ones head & know how to model out the changes. Seems hard. That brings me to the point where I'd ask - why are we even talking about that, since there's really no way around?

Well, ASR should then make a robotic headphone movement tester & cash it out, for anyone to buy. Anyone wants to feel robotic arms around your head?

 

[pkane]

Yes, of course and there is seemingly no way around that, unless you'd be able to make a difference model of curvature of HATS vs ones head & know how to model out the changes. Seems hard. That brings me to the point where I'd ask - why are we even talking about that, since there's really no way around?

Well, ASR should then make a robotic headphone movement tester & cash it out, for anyone to buy. Anyone wants to feel robotic arms around your head?

A prototype:

 

[Feelas]

A prototype:
View attachment 104546

I think that replacing the eardrum with the in-ear mics would do wonders, who needs to listen anyways?

 

[gvl]

My HD6XXs are supposedly close to the HD650 but I find them a tad too bright, albeit not painfully so. Does it mean that I'm one of the outliers who don't like the Harman curve?

 

[Feelas]

My HD6XXs are supposedly close to the HD650 but I find them a tad too bright, albeit not painfully so. Does it mean that I'm one of the outliers who don't like the Harman curve?

It can also mean that you're listening to brightly mastered records.

 

[gvl]

It can also mean that you're listening to brightly mastered records.

They don't sound as bright ťhrough my Adam monitors though.

 

[Feelas]

They don't sound as bright ťhrough my Adam monitors though.

It might be, then. Don't worry though, it is not about being an outlier, since it's just a tad too bright. There are numerous reason to prefer less bright drivers.

 

[svenz]

My HD6XXs are supposedly close to the HD650 but I find them a tad too bright, albeit not painfully so. Does it mean that I'm one of the outliers who don't like the Harman curve?

Could also be headset variance and yours are slightly brighter than other pairs.

 

[infinitesymphony]

Could also be headset variance and yours are slightly brighter than other pairs.

As headphone measurement rigs continue down the path to standardization, my hope is that eventually we will have enough apples-to-apples tests of the same headphones to start determining variability between units in similar or different production date ranges. Part of what you should be paying for when you get headphones in the $200+ price range is consistency, IMO.

At least for the HD650 proper, Sennheiser specs +/- 1 dB tolerance with hand-picked transducer pairs. Does the same production tolerance apply for HD6XX? If so, it is not stated in the Drop marketing materials.

 

[svenz]

There is very little data on variance in headphones as far as I know. Here is an example of HD800S variance, which may be rather eye opening.

Average (10+ pairs averaged):

A single calibrated set:

 

[svenz]

At least for the HD650 proper, Sennheiser specs +/- 1 dB tolerance with hand-picked transducer pairs. Does the same production tolerance apply for HD6XX? If so, it is not stated in the Drop marketing materials.

The +/- 1 dB tolerance is talking about matching the left and right drivers on a single pair.

 

[infinitesymphony]

The +/- 1 dB tolerance is talking about matching the left and right drivers on a single pair.

I see, so we still don't know what the production tolerance is in terms of FR.

 

[L5730]

I see, so we still don't know what the production tolerance is in terms of FR.

Theoretically is should pretty bloomin' decent nowadays as they have Drop as an outlet to dump the stuff that is out of tolerance. However, I doubt they are adhering to strict tolerances. The drivers probably get binned (not trashed) after testing with some algorithm, and alike ones are put together. There most likely is some variance model to model, but at least L and R should be pretty close.

But as I say, it's an old product that has made it's money back and some, and there is an outlet to dump the lesser stuff to, rather than simply throwing them away. The consistency of an HD650 and 600 today should be really, really good at the price ... but they don't have to to sell them.

 

[jeffbook]

Theoretically is should pretty bloomin' decent nowadays as they have Drop as an outlet to dump the stuff that is out of tolerance. However, I doubt they are adhering to strict tolerances. The drivers probably get binned (not trashed) after testing with some algorithm, and alike ones are put together. There most likely is some variance model to model, but at least L and R should be pretty close.

But as I say, it's an old product that has made it's money back and some, and there is an outlet to dump the lesser stuff to, rather than simply throwing them away. The consistency of an HD650 and 600 today should be really, really good at the price ... but they don't have to to sell them.

So, do you know it is a fact that out of tolerance drivers go into production for drop, or or you just speculating?

I ask as I have ordered a Drop HD6XX headphone and this would be of some concern to me.

 

[L5730]

So, do you know it is a fact that out of tolerance drivers go into production for drop, or or you just speculating?

I ask as I have ordered a Drop HD6XX headphone and this would be of some concern to me.

Definitely, 100% speculating.
I am looking at it with a logical eye, but I am all too often proved wrong.
I've read quite a bit to say the Drop HD6XX are in no way inferior (excluding cable and now body aesthetic/old tooling) to HD650. It doesn't make the most sense to me for that to be the case, but hey, it could well be that. Bottom line I don't know. There is no absolute consensus.

 

[bobbooo]

So, do you know it is a fact that out of tolerance drivers go into production for drop, or or you just speculating?

I ask as I have ordered a Drop HD6XX headphone and this would be of some concern to me.

I haven't seen any evidence to support such a claim. In fact, Rtings' measurements below of a HD650 (left column) and a HD6XX (right column) unit show the latter actually has better channel matching (likely just due to unit variation):

 

[BDWoody]

they have Drop as an outlet to dump the stuff that is out of tolerance.

But as I say, it's an old product that has made it's money back and some, and there is an outlet to dump the lesser stuff to, rather than simply throwing them away.

Lots of people read these threads.

Let's not make it up as we go. If 'we' don't have corroboration for that kind of damning claim, 'let's' not make it in the first place.

 

[L5730]

Lots of people read these threads.

Let's not make it up as we go. If 'we' don't have corroboration for that kind of damning claim, 'let's' not make it in the first place.

Fair point.

 

[Maiky76]

Hi,

If anyone is interested.
based on the data from the first page, I did not go through the entire thread to check if the raw data was available...

Score no EQ: 72.3
Score with Amirm EQ: 79.4
Score with attached EQ: 87.8

HD650 APO EQ Score 96000Hz
January122021-123909

Preamp: -7.9 dB

Filter 1: ON PK Fc 31.8 Hz Gain 8 dB Q 0.5
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 178.3 Hz Gain -2.84 dB Q 0.94
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 9492 Hz Gain 6 dB Q 1.2
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1257 Hz Gain -1.56 dB Q 3.26
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 2207 Hz Gain 0.81 dB Q 4.25
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 3295 Hz Gain -2.32 dB Q 3.39
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 5284 Hz Gain -4.25 dB Q 5.75
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 8496 Hz Gain -2.57 dB Q 8
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 13409 Hz Gain -7.2 dB Q 6

 

[YSC]

(Have you actually measured your Genelecs at your listening position with like a UMIK & REW for instance)

Just get the permit to do that and here's my measurement
L+R total

Green= L, Red= R