Choosing headphones under 500-600$ in 2023

[Hammeredklavier]

The lack of bass is at least very noticeable and cannot be completely fixed with EQ. Does it actually bother me? Honestly, not that much.

But when you take the sound quality and the comfort for long listening sessions with modest price, the HD600/650 is perfect for somebody who just wants good headphone experience with music. I think I could be convinced to buy yet another headphone if it would be basically HD600 with DCA Stealth level bass.

I think the 600/650s are a very clever design - I suppose you could argue they're a little bit warm and 'velvety' rather than absolutely neutral. But they make listening so easy and comfortable! In the context of a headphone, it's an excellent compromise - for me, anyway. I listen to classical and don't much go in for pounding bass.

 

[bodhi]

Can it be pad wear?

Headphone Pad Thickness Effect

There has been some discussions about pad thickness. Mostly about the DT990. I took some headphones I have lying around (all with lots of hours on it already) and put these on my flatplate. Measured the pad thickness on the outside and then pressed them onto the rig using velcroband around the...

www.audiosciencereview.com

No, I bought a new pair earlier this year. What is missing is the subbass rumble. Electronic music, big drums, organ music etc. If you don't know it is in the source you wouldn't probably miss it: this is why I said that it really doesn't bother me that much.

 

[Phidel]

If you can, go for Ananda Nano, they are really impressive for its price!

 

[Spatch]

If you can, go for Ananda Nano, they are really impressive for its price!

Can you share your EQ settings for the Ananda Nanos?

 

[paudio]

I still can't believe how much I like my Koss KPH40X hahaha. That's really crazy good value. I got the chance to try a bunch of large Sennheiser cans and only the 820 and 800s seemed comfortable. Not sure if I could wear any others for any period of time. I quite like the PX100-II but wish it had even less clamp though.

 

[Phidel]

Can you share your EQ settings for the Ananda Nanos?

This my EQ at this moment, I'm in love with it.

 

[Jimbob54]

This my EQ at this moment, I'm in love with it.

View attachment 332736

What's going on with the q value of filter 1? 24? Didn't think it could go that high, and not sure why you would want to. Contrast that with your gentle high shelf at the other end.

 

[King3567]

Anyone with experience with both these and the hd600/hd650 able to comment on soundstage differences?

Edit - don’t know exactly why my reply got moved, but I was asking for a soundstage comparison between hd600/hd650 and the aeon rt-2 closed. Apparently this is the thread for that question, anybody have an opinion to share? Thanks

 

[Robbo99999]

What's going on with the q value of filter 1? 24? Didn't think it could go that high, and not sure why you would want to. Contrast that with your gentle high shelf at the other end.

I think he's gotta be trolling, Q24 would do horrendous things both before & after that frequency point that would be completely irrational as well as totally extreme.

 

[IAtaman]

I think he's gotta be trolling, Q24 would do horrendous things both before & after that frequency point that would be completely irrational as well as totally extreme.

Does EAPO process the Q factor of low shelf filters as Q?

 

[Jimbob54]

Does EAPO process the Q factor of low shelf filters as Q?

It's an option. Certainly if you use Peace front end

 

[IAtaman]

It's an option. Certainly if you use Peace front end

When you chose filter type as Low Shelf, Q is is ignored I believe. You can test this. Dial in a filter, change Q to 0.7 and change type to Low Shelf. Look at the graph. Make it peak again (Q is grayed out when you choose low shelf) change Q to 24, and change type back the type to Low Shelf. You will see the graph does not change. So it is not an issue that he made Q 24 on the original post, the filter type is set to low shelf, Q does not matter.

 

[Jimbob54]

When you chose filter type as Low Shelf, Q is is ignored I believe. You can test this. Dial in a filter, change Q to 0.7 and change type to Low Shelf. Look at the graph. Make it peak again (Q is grayed out when you choose low shelf) change Q to 24, and change type back the type to Low Shelf. You will see the graph does not change. So it is not an issue that he made Q 24 on the original post, the filter type is set to low shelf, Q does not matter.

There are 2 low shelf options. Low shelf and low shelf with Q. I'll fire up the pc and test as you say but pretty sure with LS (q as filter) it changes the slope.

Edit, poster we are talking about hasn't set it to LS (Q) so you are right for that one. Had he used LS (Q) it would be a v odd shelf.

 

[IAtaman]

There are 2 low shelf options. Low shelf and low shelf with Q. I'll fire up the pc and test as you say but pretty sure with LS (q as filter) it changes the slope.

You are right, there is LS with Q and it does change the slope, and it has a Q on the little icon where you chose the type. In the screenshot he shared, it looks like a normal LS filter though, not the one with the Q. Anyway, no reason to put 24 there, so you are right, he probably needs to change it back to 0.7 even though it might not have any affect

 

[Jimbob54]

You are right, there is LS with Q and it does change the slope, and it has a Q on the little icon where you chose the type. In the screenshot he shared, it looks like a normal LS filter though, not the one with the Q. Anyway, no reason to put 24 there, so you are right, he probably needs to change it back to 0.7 even though it might not have any affect

Indeed. I edited my post too as I noticed they hadnt used LS Q . I actually thought that greyed out the Q box but not used EAPO for a while

 

[IAtaman]

Indeed. I edited my post too as I noticed they hadnt used LS Q . I actually thought that greyed out the Q box but not used EAPO for a while

I am also not on a PC so I can not check but maybe there is another LS filter type he is using that has something to do with the Q and has the same icon as the normal LS, because I think you are right, with the normal LS, Q is greyed out but in the image he shared it is not greyed out. Goes to show you so easy to mess things and so hard to reverse engineer a mess

 

[Robbo99999]

I am also not on a PC so I can not check but maybe there is another LS filter type he is using that has something to do with the Q and has the same icon as the normal LS, because I think you are right, with the normal LS, Q is greyed out but in the image he shared it is not greyed out. Goes to show you so easy to mess things and so hard to reverse engineer a mess

Yeah, it's weird, when I last used Peace it would grey out the Q factor if you chose the one where you couldn't enter the Q value, but either way the guy should double check what he's using as Q24 on a Low Shelf is ridiculous if it's actually being applied.

 

[Pekka Perämoottori]

The lack of bass is at least very noticeable and cannot be completely fixed with EQ.

Yes it can.
If feeding amplifier doesn´t run out of voltage, HD 600 takes low bass shelving well. Like old trusty workhorse getting steroid injection to ass.

I have had +6 dB / 25 Hz / 0.7 Q -low shelf in use for years with HD 600, and works great. EQ:ing device has been RME ADI-2 Pro, which has ample voltage swing reserve of +22 dBu.

Mobile devices or even crap level desktop devices may hit their output voltage limit, when EQ:ing relatively unsensitive 300 ohm HD 600/650. Thats probably the case if EQ-experience has not been that successful with them.

That said, of course one can end up problems with "Deaf-DJ with hearing aid" -type "corrections" (+20 dB bass lift, for example) with any device. In hands of abusing idiots, even best tools are helpless.

 

[bodhi]

Yes it can.
If feeding amplifier doesn´t run out of voltage, HD 600 takes low bass shelving well. Like old trusty workhorse getting steroid injection to ass.

I have had +6 dB / 25 Hz / 0.7 Q -low shelf in use for years with HD 600, and works great. EQ:ing device has been RME ADI-2 Pro, which has ample voltage swing reserve of +22 dBu.

Mobile devices or even crap level desktop devices may hit their output voltage limit, when EQ:ing relatively unsensitive 300 ohm HD 600/650. Thats probably the case if EQ-experience has not been that successful with them.

That said, of course one can end up problems with "Deaf-DJ with hearing aid" -type "corrections" (+20 dB bass lift, for example) with any device. In hands of abusing idiots, even best tools are helpless.

HD600 is -6dB from Harman already at 50Hz, something like -12dB at 25Hz. I'm using it with Sinxer SA-1 (unbalanced) which has enough juice but you have to turn it up considerably.

It just isn't a headphone for you if you really value deep bass. It's not easy to drive at all and with EQ, most likely needs an dedicated amp and as you said, preferably not a small mobile one. Lots of hoops to jump through if you consider other available options.

I have one and always will (like many hobbyists), but I usually have at least five other pairs to reach for at any given time, so different case than one looking for the first pair of hifi over-ears.

 

[Robbo99999]

HD600 is -6dB from Harman already at 50Hz, something like -12dB at 25Hz. I'm using it with Sinxer SA-1 (unbalanced) which has enough juice but you have to turn it up considerably.

It just isn't a headphone for you if you really value deep bass. It's not easy to drive at all and with EQ, most likely needs an dedicated amp and as you said, preferably not a small mobile one. Lots of hoops to jump through if you consider other available options.

I have one and always will (like many hobbyists), but I usually have at least five other pairs to reach for at any given time, so different case than one looking for the first pair of hifi over-ears.

And for me HD600 never did well defined bass when boosted to Harman Levels, I'm thinking it's down to distortion. All my other headphones can do bass better than the HD600.