HD 600 - HD580

[ronnielee54]

I have been trying to score a pair of HD580's recently and have noticed that for the prices I have been receiving I can almost get a pair of HD600's. I found one pair for 210 with a Audigon rating of 8/10 and another pair for 250 with same rating plus a Red Clou cable upgrade. the plan is to occasionaly use them with Headamp AE2 and mainly at home with Onkyo reciever for movies late night. I have an older Sony DVD player. When I bought this player, I researced it pretty heavily and bought it because it was pretty highly regarde for it's SACD\dc playback. The future plan is to upgrade to Bluray and then take Sony player and run it through a home amp (for example Gilmore Lite or eqivalent). I have heard 580's before but have never heard 600's. My question is would it be better to spend another 35 to 50 (based on offers I have received for 580's - 175 to 240) and just get the 600's?

[postjack]

The HD600 is basically an HD580 with metal grills and supposedly slightly better matched drivers (both phones use the same drivers). I owned both and can't claim to have heard much of a difference between the two.

[grawk]

The HD600 is basically an HD580 with metal grills and supposedly slightly better matched drivers (both phones use the same drivers). I owned both and can't claim to have heard much of a difference between the two.

And a hideous paint job

[thrice]

Yes, just go for. Most people who buy the 580s, end up getting the HD600 grills and the HD650 cable...at that point you might as well spring for the 600, especially at current prices. If you're patient you can get a pair for $200-$250. If you're really vigilent you can score a stock pair in good shape for less than $200, but you have to keep your eyes peeled and jump when it pops up.

[ronnielee54]

Would I be better off going 210 for the stock or 250 for the Red Clou cable upgrade. Have done much research yet on the Red Clou. Found some threads on HF and so far it sounds like it might be a pretty good cable upgrade. Right now I have emails out to the sellers trying to find out exactly how old the cans are.

[zippy2001]

Would I be better off going 210 for the stock or 250 for the Red Clou cable upgrade. Have done much research yet on the Red Clou. Found some threads on HF and so far it sounds like it might be a pretty good cable upgrade. Right now I have emails out to the sellers trying to find out exactly how old the cans are.

I would buy the pair with the Red Clou cable. It is probably going to sound better than the stock pair. And if you decide that you do not like the cable, you can unload it for more than the $40 difference in price.

[ojnihs]

get the cable upgrade, the stock cable on the hd580 is crapalicious

[en480c4]

The 600 also has an FRP frame, where the 580 is plastic. I don't know if it's an audible difference, but it is worth noting as it was a selling point pushed by Sennheiser.

[Dusty Chalk]

Keep shopping. $200 is extortionate for 580's. And I agree with postjack, not much of an audible difference.

[mulveling]

Even better would be to spend an another $20-30 and get a used HD650. The 650 with stock cable whips the 600 with any cable, IMO. My complaints on the 600 are grain, recessed mids, the low-end, and the high-end. The differences between 580 and 600 are very small, by comparison.

I'm one of the few who liked the sound of the Clou Red, though I was switching from 600 to 650 at that time. I've usually found the cables I like with the HD650 aren't so for the 600, and vice-versa. The stiffness and weight of the Clou is likely to drive you nuts. It's the most annoying headphone cable I've ever used...beyond the tolerance threshold of most.

It must be the vocal minority that prefers 600 over 650, that keeps the used 600 prices up over $200. For those of us that prefer the 650, it's worth the meager price difference many times over.

[bhd812]

i bought my 600's for $160-170 used, messed up part is its the one headphone i use everyday!

so i guess i have to say i dont regret buying them at all...

[PFKMan23]

Put me in the camp that says the 580/600 is better than the 650. There's simply too much bass/lower midrange intrusion in the 650.

[bhd812]

Even better would be to spend an extra $20-30 and get a used HD650. The 650 with stock cable whips the 600 with any cable, IMO. My complaints on the 600 are grain, recessed mids, the low-end, and the high-end.

I'm one of the few who liked the sound of the Clou Red, though I was switching from 600 to 650 at that time. I've usually found the cables I like with the HD650 aren't so for the 600, and vice-versa. The stiffness and weight of the Clou is likely to drive you nuts. It's the most annoying headphone cable I've ever used...beyond the tolerance threshold of most.

i would say the 600 to the 650 is just a different animal, some setups either will sound better then the other. i went thru setups where the 650's rocked the 600's balls but then i had my fair share of setups where the 600's made the 650's looked over bassy and shit. on my current setup with the current tubes the 600 is miles ahead of the 650 in terms of balanced great sound, the 650's are slow, bass humpy, mid happy. all depends on the person and the setup when comparing these two.

[mulveling]

You guys that prefer the 600 are nuts

[luvdunhill]

Just to throw something out there. Has anyone heard the 580/600/650 on a solid state amplifier that sounds half-way decent? I am about at the point where I'd almost say uncategorically that these 'phones need tubes.

[ojnihs]

Just to throw something out there. Has anyone heard the 580/600/650 on a solid state amplifier that sounds half-way decent? I am about at the point where I'd almost say uncategorically that these 'phones need tubes.

i used to use a hd650 with a GLite and I thought it sounded great

[n_maher]

Just to throw something out there. Has anyone heard the 580/600/650 on a solid state amplifier that sounds half-way decent? I am about at the point where I'd almost say uncategorically that these 'phones need tubes.

Yes, both the 580 and 650 sound great driven by a beta22 and I also thought that the 650 and 600 sounded pretty damn good from my PPA. More than tubes vs. SS I think that driving the Senns with a lush, warm or syrupy amp is a recipe for disappointment.

[thrice]

I love the HD600 with my balanced Beta22 (which is for sale, hint hint ). I also like them with the M3 as well. The CKKIII does a pretty decent job as does the pico (although the pico isn't as good as a full sized home amp, it does a surprisingly good job with the HD600...it's what I use all day in my office.

[Dusty Chalk]

Yeah, it sounded alright on hirsch's M^3, and on my Creek OBH-11SE. Although I did prefer it with tubes (Singlepower & AudioValve RKV).

[bhd812]

Just to throw something out there. Has anyone heard the 580/600/650 on a solid state amplifier that sounds half-way decent? I am about at the point where I'd almost say uncategorically that these 'phones need tubes.

i always loved my rsa solid state amps or my old gsx with 600/650's. i think the reason these cans get labeled for needing tubes is cause they get along so good with them (compared to low imped cans). with the 600/650 you don't need to worry about the amp as much as your source, esp if you heard the headphones with really good sources before. i could live with my lunch box powering them but not my old NAD542 as a source...

[luvdunhill]

dunno, I listened to the beta22 and my PPAv2 with the HD-650 and really think that it doesn't do them justice. Especially the highs, they're painfully bright and piercing, even for me. I've heard them on the Headamp amps as well and was equally unimpressed. Now, the 600s I think do better on solid state than the 650s, but I have to say I may be in the minority here then

[jinp6301]

I love the HD600 with my balanced Beta22 (which is for sale, hint hint ). I also like them with the M3 as well. The CKKIII does a pretty decent job as does the pico (although the pico isn't as good as a full sized home amp, it does a surprisingly good job with the HD600...it's what I use all day in my office.

I liked the 580s with the CKKIII and the M^3. But after hearing the 650s off of the supra, I know I'm not doing my Senns justice with SS amps

[laxx]

I have a question then about the 650's. At the NY meet this past weekend, I was listening to the 650's on 2 setups.

1. Meridian G08 -> RSA Apache (balanced)

2. Audio Research Transport -> DAC1 -> SP Supra XLR (balanced)

On setup #1, it was overly bassy and extremely lush. I don't want to use the word "veiled," but that's probably the best word I can think of.

On setup #2, the bass was impactful, but not overpowering, the highs were great and there was a sense of clarity over setup #1 that felt like I just took earplugs out at a concert.

Would you say it was the source (DAC1 has a reputation of being bright while the G08 has a reputation of being warm and smooth), or would you say it's the amp?

[Dusty Chalk]

Just based on your description, that's mostly the amp.

[n_maher]

dunno, I listened to the beta22 and my PPAv2 with the HD-650 and really think that it doesn't do them justice. Especially the highs, they're painfully bright and piercing, even for me.

I think that it would be safe to say that you and I hear things differently. No wrong implied on either side, just that I've rarely heard the 650s sound shrill, it took a Cardas cable and a very thin source to make them sound that way. This all may be a moot point though, considering that the tube amp that I'm building is inspired by a desire to knock the crap out of the 650s.