Where Next - Sennheiser HD650/Topping DX7pro?

[Jimshoe]

Hello,

I currently have a Topping DX7pro/Sennheiser HD650 setup as a Roon endpoint in the bedroom.

I rarely use this setup (except when the other half is driving me nuts)!

But, listening to it now, I am struck by how good it is. . . .

. . . but where could/should I go next in terms of an upgrade?

I'm thinking the DX7pro is fine, but . . . the headphones?

Budget flexible, but I don't think. I'd go over £2k max.

Goal, better more convincing bass and a more spacious and open sound.

Thoughts appreciated . . .

 

[bodhi]

That setup is very good already, far into diminishing returns. The DAC/amp is as good as it gets, no need to worry about that. What you could do next is to add EQ and try different things. For example, the Sennheisers lack lower bass by default (compared to Harman).

Even if you don't want to use EQ, no upgrade is going to bring you night and day differences. You can check out the usual suspects in that price range, test them out and see if they are worth the upgrade to you.

 

[Dunring]

The HD650 is so good already, my favorite is the Hifiman Arya Stealth and your DX7Pro can power them fine. Open box or refurbished direct from Hifiman will save a lot, and if you like them on Facebook they extend the warranty to 18 months on anything. You can equalize more bass easily on them 3db and the sound stage is bigger, you'll notice that. I have an HD800 S currently and if you use Amirm's equalizer setting from his review, those things really are an upgrade over the HD650. I have a few pairs of the HD700 and they're more of a sidegrade with different tuning, but much more comfortable than any other headphone on the market.

 

[Jimshoe]

Thanks both. Yes, I am already EQing the 650s with Amir's suggested settings (to great effect).

I've tried the HD800s and liked them a great deal and this may be where I go. I suppose I was curious about alternatives and what's out there really.

I'll check out the Arya Stealth - thanks

Doug

 

[kemmler3D]

Audeze stuff is worth a try in this price range. Maybe arguably overpriced for what they are, but there is a lot to like about e.g. the LCD-XC and others.

 

[bodhi]

As for needing to upgrade at all: I have again been using the HD600 for a week or so. I have some irrational dislike of how good it sounds (even without EQ btw) and how comfortable it is. In the last couple of years I have owned at a few of the headphones that should be the "next step", including Edition XS, Arya, LCD-X, Clear, Aeon 2 Noire, sidegrades like Sundara, Ollo S5X, usual Beyers etc. as well as some of these near perfect Harman earbuds. Still, every time I fetch the HD600 I'm like "but isn't this actually it, why have something else".

Maybe it's just the comfort, but it's hard to argue with the fact that it's always a delight to get the old senns out. With all the fancier ones I get the initial "yeah, that's what I've been missing" but after a while that kind of fades. I think I might one day just do the final push and get Dan Clark E3 or even the Stealth before just letting it go and sticking with the Sennheisers.

 

[rcstevensonaz]

Where next? Maybe St. Lucia, Lisbon, Amsterdam, Oslo, Vienna, Goa, etc.?