7Hz Timeless AE vs Sennheiser HD6XX

[sn0w]

I recently bought the Truthear Hexa to dive into the world of audiophile. I am considering purchasing another device to compare and contrast the two.
My options are:

• Massdrop X Sennheiser HD 6XX Headphones - $229
• 7HZ Timeless AE - $259

I want to learn more about my preferences in music listening, but I am not sure if getting a headphone or sticking with 2 IEMs is the better option for my exploration.

Please share your recommendations or opinions below.

 

[jae]

Definitely the 6XX over a 2nd IEM, especially so soon. The 7hz timeless and your hexa already have quite similar FR and I would say both need EQ anyway, so experiment with EQ with your current pair (perhaps EQ the Hexa to Timeless response or some other target curve) and use the money for something else. Headphones (especially open) are a much more comfortable experience for listening for most people, especially for longer sessions. I would say the 6XX sounds best with EQ at least to fix <300 hz. HD560s is also a good alternative that is a bit cheaper that might sound better out of the box. You can still use the IEMs on the go or when you need isolation/privacy and enjoy both. You could also save more and put the money towards some speakers.

 

[sn0w]

Definitely the 6XX over a 2nd IEM, especially so soon. The 7hz timeless and your hexa already have quite similar FR and I would say both need EQ anyway, so experiment with EQ with your current pair (perhaps EQ the Hexa to Timeless response or some other target curve) and use the money for something else. Headphones (especially open) are a much more comfortable experience for listening for most people, especially for longer sessions. I would say the 6XX sounds best with EQ at least to fix <300 hz. HD560s is also a good alternative that is a bit cheaper that might sound better out of the box. You can still use the IEMs on the go or when you need isolation/privacy and enjoy both. You could also save more and put the money towards some speakers.

Thanks so much for the helpful advice. I'll definetly go with the HD6XX and try experimenting with the EQ.

I'm also looking at the Ifi HipDac 2 as a portable DAC for both devices. I plan on using it wired so I can listen to Hi-Res Lossless on Apple Music. Are there any other portable DACs in this price range that would be a better fit?

I'm interested in getting IEMs and headphones because I have no clue about sound signature, drivers, treble differences, or impedance and I want to learn about what works best for my ears. I usually just use my AirPods and only use speakers when I have friends over. I recently upgraded to the new HomePod, so I'm wondering if getting desktop speakers would give me a different listening experience that is worth exploring?

 

[jae]

Unfortunately I don't really follow the portable products that much so maybe someone else can chime in. I see the Topping G5 mentioned a lot here. The Qudelix-5K is also popular here and is mentioned a lot because it has built in PEQ filters which as I mentioned is an invaluable tool especially with headphone listening. There is no good way to apply a universal EQ with iPhone and on Android it can be temperamental, so having a separate device that handles PEQ like the Qudelix can be valuable if you're planning to play off a phone in a portable situation and want to use EQ.

If you are playing from a laptop and have a 2021 or newer macbook you can just use that port directly without any other device, it has a very good dac/amp built in so you don't need another device if you are fine with wired. Most operating systems have good solutions for EQ.

Also I would say don't be afraid of these cheaper "dongle/adapter" looking products that are those USB to 3.5mm short cables with a built in DAC like the apple dongle, many of them have more than adequate power for a lot of headphones and often times you don't need to have a whole separate expensive device to get the most out of your sound. The apple (and other) dongles can be as cheap as $10 and are measured transparent here, so as long as it has enough power for your headphone (which you can calculate with a headphone power calculator and confirming with measurements on here), don't feel like you have to buy more products unless you want to. The only disadvantage to this type is obviously it does not have its own power source so it will drain your phone or laptop a little bit faster. A chinese review/measurement site similar to ASR is https://www.l7audiolab.com/ and they have a lot of measurements of portable products on top of what we have here at ASR.

The new homepod seems pretty decent for what it is and measures decently from what I've seen. If you are not a serious speaker person or aren't prepared to spend at least $1200-2000+ to get started I would say not to worry about speakers for now, just enjoy your new homepod with friends.

 

[sn0w]

Unfortunately I don't really follow the portable products that much so maybe someone else can chime in. I see the Topping G5 mentioned a lot here. The Qudelix-5K is also popular here and is mentioned a lot because it has built in PEQ filters which as I mentioned is an invaluable tool especially with headphone listening. There is no good way to apply a universal EQ with iPhone and on Android it can be temperamental, so having a separate device that handles PEQ like the Qudelix can be valuable if you're planning to play off a phone in a portable situation and want to use EQ.

If you are playing from a laptop and have a 2021 or newer macbook you can just use that port directly without any other device, it has a very good dac/amp built in so you don't need another device if you are fine with wired. Most operating systems have good solutions for EQ.

Also I would say don't be afraid of these cheaper "dongle/adapter" looking products that are those USB to 3.5mm short cables with a built in DAC like the apple dongle, many of them have more than adequate power for a lot of headphones and often times you don't need to have a whole separate expensive device to get the most out of your sound. The apple (and other) dongles can be as cheap as $10 and are measured transparent here, so as long as it has enough power for your headphone (which you can calculate with a headphone power calculator and confirming with measurements on here), don't feel like you have to buy more products unless you want to. The only disadvantage to this type is obviously it does not have its own power source so it will drain your phone or laptop a little bit faster. A chinese review/measurement site similar to ASR is https://www.l7audiolab.com/ and they have a lot of measurements of portable products on top of what we have here at ASR.

The new homepod seems pretty decent for what it is and measures decently from what I've seen. If you are not a serious speaker person or aren't prepared to spend at least $1200-2000+ to get started I would say not to worry about speakers for now, just enjoy your new homepod with friends.

I ended up purchasing the Ifi Hip Dac 2 an hour ago. I was originally interested in the Topping G5, but it was too expensive for me. My main goal was to listen to Hi-Res Lossless audio, so bluetooth was out of option. I decided not to get the Qudelix-5k as I wouldn't be using Bluetooth and it would limit its functionality. After researching, I found that the HipDac 2 had a fantastic S-Balanced 3.5mm port that works well with high sensitivity IEMs, and I think I will use it for a few years before upgrading. I wasn't aware of the l7audiolab, but I will check it out.

I have heard that the original Homepod can compete with setups worth over $1000 in terms of audio quality. I am excited to try the new one tomorrow, as I've heard it has improved on some of its previous problems while maintaining the same great sound.

Thank you once more for providing valuable recommendations and in-depth explanations.