Sennheiser HD600 Review (Headphone)

[solderdude]

I have a return challenge for you.

Why don't you (based on your professional review and drawing skills) draw up the optimum frequency response for different measurement rigs (say for HMS, BK5128, BK4100, 4128C, GRAS 43 and 45 in various configs, using Harman or diffuse field or other 'targets' for a bunch of different headphones. And while you are at it the E.A.R.S (with various compensation) and some DIY test fixtures under various pad and seal circumstances and product variances.

There is not a SINGLE measurement that can be trusted to be exact.

 

[markanini]

You are putting way too much trust in graphs. I saw you compare manufacture mic graphs taken on face value. Those are extremely smoothed. In fact the mic you are using has a 6kHz peak in the capsule response when measured by third parties, that's why the manufacturer uses a lowpass circuit to counter it, which is a pretty crude solution that doesn't address the peak, only brings the overall treble down. With headphones you don't seem to consider that positioning and clamp force alone can make peaks and dips appear and disappear.

 

[MayaTlab]

View attachment 131135

Not that I'm going to pretend that the HD6... series sound perfectly level on my own head past a few kHz (I've never met a single pair of HPs that do), but if what you've just pointed in the photo above concerns you, boy oh do I hope you've never laid eyes on how other headphones measure in the trebles...
Also, past a few kHz not only the magnitude but also the location of the peaks and dips may be significantly altered by positioning, or the individual's anatomy (or the test rig's design), so...
BTW, not quite as significant a peak there if you were to measure them on a 5128 :
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...easurements-using-brüel-kjær-5128-hats.15352/
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sennheiser-hd650-measurements-brüel-kjær-5128.951182/
So, which fixture is right ? Or maybe... you're over-interpreting measurements ?

 

[markanini]

For example, in the microphone world there are similar people who dont understand audio gear. On the left we have a at4040 microphone with a 6khz peak and 8khz cut. The treble is all screwed up. On the right we have a TLM 103 with a smooth clean treble. it is exactly the same with headphones.View attachment 131155

Thanks for proving my point. You don't question the graph to the right.

 

[KeithPhantom]

LOL. Just stop. Mudding the waters. The treble on sennheiser headphones specifically the 600 series have major treble deficiency and the high mids/low treble is shaped wrong. Get a proper way of understanding measurements and stop the bullshit.

For example, in the microphone world there are similar people who dont understand audio gear. On the left we have a at4040 microphone with a 6khz peak and 8khz cut. The treble is all screwed up. On the right we have a TLM 103 with a smooth clean treble. it is exactly the same with headphones.View attachment 131155

Here we have the dt990 burn in measurements. All the peaks in the high frequencies legitimately smooth out over time. Wide soundstage. Very smooth treble. Bass emphasis. Dynamics are good. Then we have HD600 series completely screwed up in the highs especially.View attachment 131156
Sennheisers hd 600View attachment 131157

You are using Diffuse Field still? Pure diffuse field has some issues to start with:

1. You are using a fully reverberant assumption of how transducer and room interactions combine, which is not even true in the speaker world. Both free and diffuse field have issues with their underlying assumptions of how real listening and professional rooms are set up, in other words, they do not account for the existence of both reverberant and anechoic aspects that rooms have. Trying to translate this into a headphone target where even more constraints exist is worthless since the basis of your target is deeply flawed in the first place.
2. Both curves heavily rely in measurement equipment that has not been standardized. No measurement fixture and microphone have an exact frequency response match with even an average human response. Measuring these targets twice will yield different values with different measurement equipments, and how do you know which one is correct?

3. It does not account for the perceptual and psychoacoustical characteristics of humans.
4. Which version of DF are you even using? What fixture was used to measure and what were the room dimensions and acoustical treatment? How many samples were taken? Many other questions just specific to your compensation curve may be asked just to make your case of the validity of your curve, let alone how the headphone was measured and the characteristics of the measuring equipment and methods.
In a personal note, I have a pure DF EQ for my headphones, and subjectively I can tell you that it does not sound even close to speakers in a room. Free field is even worse.

 

[solderdude]

People who know about audio don't sit on forums discussing it.

Why are you here then ?

 

[Robin L]

Why are you here then ?

 

[AdamG]

Overly aggressive and insulting posts removed. This type of behavior and language will not be tolerated. Member has been warned. Remain civil and respectful or don’t post. Any further comments like this will earn the poster a Vacation.

 

[edjo]

I bought my Sennheiser HD600 in a luxury case some 12-15 yrs ago. After long duty and minor problems i bought a modern Grado SR325 but in the long run missed the fine sound of the HD600. So new cabled and pads for the headband and ears, i decided to search for a portable headphone dac. After returning several dac's incapable to drive the HD600, i now have a Earman TR-Amp that serves the HR streaming music perfectly. And for a reasonable expense.

 

[Deleted member 27694]

The HD 600 is a great hp. I personally prefer the Etymotic 4XR or the 2SE (imho best bang for the buck). Etys are convenient to use and to store and you can drive them with your phone without having to worry over amplification. SQ is - again imho - even better. YMMV.

 

[Robbo99999]

I bought my Sennheiser HD600 in a luxury case some 12-15 yrs ago. After long duty and minor problems i bought a modern Grado SR325 but in the long run missed the fine sound of the HD600. So new cabled and pads for the headband and ears, i decided to search for a portable headphone dac. After returning several dac's incapable to drive the HD600, i now have a Earman TR-Amp that serves the HR streaming music perfectly. And for a reasonable expense.View attachment 131299

Nice, I think the HD600 really does deserve you replacing the pads like you did, so you resurrected it....if a wide soundstage and big bass are not your priorities then I don't think you can really do better than an HD600 in my experience. I don't know anything about your chosen headphone amp, but HD600 is a fine headphone especially when considered without EQ.

 

[lc155]

Apparently I've heard something about the earpads for the 600 series (including 650 I guess?) being a cheaper and inferior material now due to outsourcing. Stiffer and doesn't seal as well? However, the source link was a 4chan thread that 404's now, and I can't find any more info beyond that.

Anyone know anything about that?

 

[Limaaa]

I've bought new version few days ago. Earpads look identical as HD6XX I had. Although headband paddings are two part (like HD6XX, HD660s), not four part like old HD600.

 

[edjo]

Regarding original Sennheiser earpad and headpad 4 cussion type, i bought these in original version, and the do perfectly. Alse the new cable and connectors match exactly. So no sound quality problems.

 

[Limaaa]

It seems I'm the only one who has HD600 2019 with headband 2 cussion type.

 

[edjo]

Re Sennheiser 600 HD new earpads, head pads and cable, you can find the original tpe on internet (Amazon) (f.e. https://www.amazon.nl/WEWOM-kwalite...43864&pd_rd_wg=Xf7vl&pd_rd_i=B00EJCYSNK&psc=1) The headpad is with 4 cusshions, all is exactly as the original and the feeling and sound as new.

 

[Limaaa]

This is my HD600

 

[DeepFried]

It seems I'm the only one who has HD600 2019 with headband 2 cussion type.

yeah I bought a pair of HD600's last month and it came with the 4 cushion headpand pad. I guess it was older stock, I don't know.

 

[Limaaa]

yeah I bought a pair of HD600's last month and it came with the 4 cushion headpand pad. I guess it was older stock, I don't know.

I never saw HD600 with 2 cushion headband pad until I bought mine. Weird right

 

[Moonhead]

I never saw HD600 with 2 cushion headband pad until I bought mine. Weird right

You got the the new revision HD600 with a different paint scheme and cushion, enjoy mate.