Reddit reviews Sennheiser HD 650 Open Back Professional Headphone

The HD6XX is an HD650 with a custom "Massdrop" branding and color scheme.

The awesome part is that the HD6XX was available for only $200 + shipping and the 5000 units were sold out in less than 45 minutes when the drop went live and Massdrop ran into huge server issues.

Headphones in this Episode

Dodger: HyperX Cloud II Gaming Headset for PC & PS4 - Pink (KHX-HSCP-PK) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Y09G6H8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_YX0rxb5MTJ2AM

Octopimp: Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Professional Studio Monitor Headphones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fZ0rxbCG8SH5D

Pluto: Sennheiser HD 650 Open Back Professional Headphone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_NZ0rxb7AXQ378

Jesse: Some headset idk

Yep. Just bought myself a pair of Sennheiser HD 650's, and it was well worth it. Got a Schiit DAC and AMP to go with them.

HD 650's: https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1537505538&sr=8-2&keywords=sennheiser+hd650

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Schiit DAC: http://www.schiit.com/products/modi-2

Schiit AMP: http://www.schiit.com/products/magni-3

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Now, back to the VTSAX!

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Edit: Hah, looks like they released the Modi 3 in the past couple of days. The web site has been redone a bit as well, so the above links no longer go to the products. Try these links instead:

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Schiit DAC: http://www.schiit.com/products/modi-1

Schiit AMP: http://www.schiit.com/products/magni-1

You can get 650s new for under $350.. http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Headphones/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425841954&sr=8-1&keywords=hd650

And I personally prefer them a lot more than the HD600 but they're definitely comparable, some people like the HD600 more.

I use Sennheiser HD 650s with a Schiit Modi Multibit DAC and Schiit Magni Headphone Amp!

EDIT: formatting

EDIT 2: For a little bit better value than the HD 650s (and basically the same exact headphones), check these out!

FWIW, they're also $315 on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI

Delivery time is significantly shorter than Best Buy's if you have Amazon Prime. Dunno how the return policies compare.

For most audiophiles?

All of them... except the SE215 and maybe the B&W P7.
With the rest it's down to preference, they're all top-tier.

Like, I'm very happy with my HD 650s and a couple hundred dollars worth of amp/DAC. He's got these (and all the other ones) and thousands of dollars worth of amp/DAC. Basically when he listens to music with headphones or earbuds, he's putting $500 in each ear, then using thousands of dollars to send music to them.

This promotion doesn't have a direct link, so I linked an item with a promotion link.

I noticed this earlier today and wanted to make sure that everyone was informed. Amazon hasn't made any public releases for this, it only shows up on specific items, and the promotion text is badly placed.

Amazon Harmony is a recent promotion for musical instruments. Certain high value items that are sold by Amazon have this promotion text:

>Speak with an Amazon Harmony associate for discount codes and to learn more. Call me

If you click the link, you can receive a call from Amazon. If you ask them for the Amazon Harmony discount, they'll ask you for some information and then read you a code to enter at checkout. They can also e-mail the code to you.

Here are the details:

• The link only shows up on certain higher value items. However, the code works on almost every musical instrument. It doesn't have to be used on a specific item.
  
• The item has to be directly from Amazon. It doesn't work for items that are fulfilled by Amazon.
  
• The promotion value changes weekly. The highest value is 20%. The lowest value is 5%. The current value is 15%.
  
• The code is unique and saved when used. The expiry date is longer than seven days.
  
• The code has no limit for qualifying items. It works on this piano.
  
• The code stacks with other coupons or promotions. It stacks with earlier codes.
  
• The code works for all qualifying items at checkout. However, you can request more codes from Amazon rather than placing one large order.
  
• The code works for most microphones. Microphones are often categorized as musical instruments.
  
• The code doesn't work for most headphones, headsets, monitors or amplifiers. It does work on some headphones like the Sennheiser HD 650. It's unlikely to work for any item that doesn't show up for a "Musical Instrument" search.

At this price point (if you compare them to the current ATs) you are bumping against Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pros $499 territory and if you're going to spend this much you might as well as bite the bullet and invest the extra hundy.

That $100 difference is literally night and day if you properly amp it with a clean source to almost everything: sound stage, sound separation, noise ratio, freq response.

The ATs aren't terrible but compared to the BD 1990s it's like comparing a suped up camaro vs a porsche turbo. Both have raw power but the latter is MUCH more refined in almost every way and a better day to day experience.

• Portable amp recommendations would be fiio A5
  
  
• relatively cheap high quality home amp would be the Beyerdynamic A20
  
  I still think personally if you are going to get very similar priced cans, then the Sennheiser HD650s will blow the ATs away

This was interesting to me at first glance, but is it really much of a deal? Senn HD 650s are $320 on Amazon right now and might go lower during black friday sales, and Sonarworks Studio Edition is $250. Add in the $25 flat shipping fee for the bundle and it doesn't seem great?

edit: also, sonarworks itself went on sale for like $80 off a few months ago according to this sub's history

edit 2: also, if you just want headphones and a tool for mixing/mastering on headphones, it might be cheaper to use the headphone edition of sonarworks rather than the studio edition.

One does not enter the matrix with cheap ass headphones lol. Check them out here (Retail price is $499)

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-9969-HD-650-Headphones/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406806634&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=senheizer+hd+650

Isn't this a better deal?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00018MSNI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

233 Pounds to US is $310 US, shipped, all in. No import/custom fees. I can buy it here in Canada for $400 CAD shipped.

Is $320 with shipping good enough for you ?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00018MSNI/ref=s9_simh_gw_p267_d2_i1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=9T1C9TRFZSX3FH6Y6WV8&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=867551827&pf_rd_i=desktop

Amazon has the HD650 for $337 new.

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI

Wondering whether the HD650/600 will have a Black Friday deal.

I’m a big fan of the Sennheiser HD650s they price around $310-320 usd

Edit: they have a pretty solid sound, and they are extremely comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

The Story

In under two weeks of discovering this sub, a massive amount of research, and looking deep inside myself, I took the plunge. Being a huge listener of vinyl and high quality masters, in addition to the amount of music I consume mixed with the environment I'm usually in (working at home), getting cans of this scale made a lot of sense. I'm coming from M50x's which are great, but I've been ready for the next step in ultimate aural enjoyment.

Originally, I thought that step would be HD650's, especially after they're so raved about here and were only ~$315 at the time. I had a pair of HD250's before my AT's and loved em'. But I'm not exactly brand-loyal and willing to experience what others have to offer. Frankly, the first time I looked at Audeze, I kind of brushed them off as a Beats model using hype and certain "keywords" to make everything sound better than it actually was. Luckily, this doesn't seem to be the case!

The Score

Here they are. For me, this is a huge win. Scored these LCD-2.2f's for ~$500 from an awesome dude at /r/avexchange at the tail end of 2016. Got them one year in, so warranty still in effect. These things are in fantastic condition; literally look brand new and hardly used.
Grabbed the Schiit stack (Modi/Magni) directly from the source. Amazon seemed to be more expensive for the Uber models (which both are). Using Mogami cables (was going to get PYST) based on great recommendation from a producer friend. For now, I just got the cheap Omega stand which suffices well, although a little off in color (walnut stand with bamboo headphones).

The Aftermath

I listen to a decent variety of (sub)genres from Rock to Death Metal to EDM to Pop Punk etc.. They all sound absolutely amazing with these cans. I'm a bassist so I enjoy the lower frequencies hence the lack of neutrality is appreciated here, and really, it does give everything that warm, enjoyable tone everyone mentions (I frankly don't really "notice" it). I think the defining moment was turning on one of my favorites, Sussudio, and literally being unable to not headbang+drum. Between hearing things I've never heard before and the amazing clarity, I think one of the biggest differences is the definition of beats, vocals, and other elements that don't exactly pop, but sound "complete". I seriously feel like I'm in the studio with the artist.

Overall, the experience is amazing. This result is exactly what I was hoping/going for. Music should make you feel something by being dynamic and captivating your senses, not being a progressive background noise. For anyone wondering if they should take the next step, think about how much you value the experience of the media consume, not just the idea of "listening" but truly "witnessing". Ok, I'm out of inspirational wordage ;)

I don't know where you are looking, but they are available on Amazon as of now (27.09.2017, 19:21 UTC+1)
https://www.amazon.de/Sennheiser-HD-650-analog-Kopfh%C3%B6rer-Silber/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506532845&sr=8-1&keywords=sennheiser+hd+650

It would be a really stupid business decision to remove the HD650 from the lineup...

I think I can help you out here. I used the X11's from the last days of H2 all the way through H3 then broke them one day when I stepped on them while playing Reach. I made a spontaneous buy based off another friends recommendation and bought the X41's. This was one of the worst purchases in my life. Not only was it damn near 200$ but that quality is horrible and I own a condo and have a very sophisticated setup in my house (media server streams wireless to all my rooms, lights and fans are controlled through iphone/harmony 1100) so needless to say I have a ton of interference in my headsphones.

With that being said I have been on the lookout for some good headphone and I ended up purchasing the A40's. They will not be here until Thursday but I did try before I could buy. What REALLY makes the difference is the mixamp. The headphones are very nice as well, but as KayemX said there are better. The Sen HD650's do get a lot of great reviews but 500$ just for headphones is pretty pricey. I went ahead and spent the 300 for the Astro's but it does come with the mix amp as well. From what I've read the mixamp is really the difference maker and other headphones will work with it quite well. If you'd like I can come back to this next week after having some time over the weekend with the A40's to let you know how I feel about them, but at the very least I would say get the mix amp then maybe look around for another pair of headphones if you'd like.

Edit: If you are interested in my old X41's keep a lookout for a tournament in the near future that will give these away to the winner. They still retail for over 100$.

If you're going to downvote at least give a reason why. OP is looking for advice and there a few of you out there that make this community look horrible by constantly downvoting and never giving any reason as to why.

Also 650's are $449.

https://www.amazon.ca/Sennheiser-HD-650-Headphones/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482731498&sr=8-1&keywords=hd650

Lowest amazon sold them for was $326.00.

Just so you know if you Link an amazon item a bot will come and do a price check for you.

Get the camelcamelcamel browser extension and you can set up alerts for when items hit all time lows, or whatever % you want of it

Massdrop is a site that features group buys. Basically they gauge interest in a particular product, approach the manufacturer with that data and get a sweet deal for anyone who wants to buy it. Usually there is only about a week window to buy any item and shipping takes forever.

This instance was a few months ago when they sold a special version (made of plastic instead of metal, but same audio components) of the Sennheiser HD650 headphones (normally $350-$400) for $200.

Edit: wording

Sennheiser Momentums
-Less than half the price of beats.
-Sounds better than anything beats can crap out.
-Good for the average user, no amp needed.

If you're willing to spend Beats money but want to get your money's worth you can go with Sennheiser HD650 or B&W P7. But remember with these, you're going onto audiophile territory and some need headphone amps. The higher you go, you hit diminishing returns. In the end, for the average person you just don't need to go spending that much on headphones for decent quality.

http://camelcamelcamel.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/product/B00018MSNI is pretty good for tracking Amazon pricing history (don't know if there is a better website).

Here's the link to the album as well as a long list of things!

ALBUM - 25 IMAGES

Monitor 1 - Dell U2711

Monitor 2 - Dell U2312

Desk 1 - IKEA Galant

Desk 2 - IKEA Micke (Looks like they don't have it in black color anymore)

Footstool - IKEA POANG

Chair - IKEA MARKUS

LED Lights - IKEA Dioder

LED Clamp on Light - IKEA Jansjo

Headphone 1 - Sennheiser HD800

Headphone 2 - Sennheiser HD650

Headphone Stand

Headphone Amplifier

DAC 1

DAC 2

DAC 3

Earphones - Sennheiser IE80

Keyboard 1 - Filco (Red Switch)

Keyboard 2 - Filco (Brown Switch)

Keyboard 3 - REALFORCE 87U (Uniform 55g)

Speaker Stands

Monitor Stand - Ergotron MX

Mouse - Steelseries Sensei

Mousepad

iPod Classic 160GB

Laptop - Samsung Ultrabook 9

These are pretty great though.

Still there for anyone in the US. Only $315 new too.

Link here

Here is the 650 version of the sale

Looks like they are on sale on Amazon as well.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_02yJub14M37XP

Sennheiser HD 650

[V-MODA Crossfade M-100](http://www.amazon.ca/V-MODA-
Crossfade-Over-Ear-Noise-Isolating-Headphone/dp/B00A39PPCG/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1419606615&sr=1-1&keywords=vmoda)

I'll update when I find more.

The HD 650s are the best headphones I've ever used. I have the 6XX which is literally the same cans but with different outer aesthetics and a different cable connector and they sound the exact same.

Sennheiser has historically offered replacement parts for their headphones. From cables to ear pads. They also do repair stuff though I don't know the pricing for that. Might be more cost effective in some cases to just get a new pair of headphones.

The term "closed-back" refers to the housing of the driver being sealed off from the air. Imagine this. Open back refers to an non-enclosed back. Like this. This creates a more natural listening experience, at the expense of leaking sound. Generally, open-back is meant for home listening.

It seems that the MDR-V6 is perfect for your needs. You could always tie the cord up, or replace it with a coiled cord.

How about these: Sennheiser HD 650

Is your budget just for headphones or cans + amp/dac?

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD 650's and a FiiO E17K Aspen 2 portable DAC.

Those two combined with the proper EQ settings for the headphones = fucking Nirvana.

That setup plus the FLACs from HDtracks is going to be my experience for the new album.

Great deal. I paid a lot more for mine and have no regrets, I still think it was worth every penny.

If you are on the fence, IMO don't hesitate. It doesn't matter what genre of music you like, if you want a darker sound profile, these headphones will not disappoint.

Link for the google challenged

Stuff:

• Computer - Mac Pro 2009 @ 2010 firmware upgrade. Hex Core 3.46 W3690 Westmere upgrade | 24gb Ram, Total 1TB SSD via PCIe Velocity xSolo2 cards. Total 4TB HDD storage | Windows 8 Bootcamp drive via 120gb SSD (For gaming, remoting into work). | GTX680 Mac Edition GPU. | GeekBench 3.0 Score of 17000
  
  
• Keyboard - Korg M3 Workstation
  
  
• Sound Interface (Not visible) - Roland FA-66
  
  
• Speakers - Yamaha Hs80m Speaker Monitors | Yamaha HS10W Subwoofer | Creative Gigaworks T40 Series II
  
  
• Monitor - Dell Ultrawide 29" Monitor
  
  
• Power Supply - Tripp Lite 900W
  
  
• Keyboard and Mouse Logitech Solar powered wireless Mac Keyboard | Logitech Anywhere Mouse
  
  
• Tablet - iPad 4 w/ Retina via Joyfactory iPad Mount Arm
  
  
• Headphones - Sennheiser Hd650 | Beats Pro
  
  
• Tables - Ikea
  
  
• Acoustic Treatment Made them myself w/ OC703 Fiberglass Boards
  
  
• Wallpaper - Created by /u/retrifix

Three headphones which are recommended for first time buyers looking to invest in a higher quality pair of headphones are Audia-Technica's ATH-M50x, Grado's SR80e and Beyerdynamic's DT-770 Pro 80ohm.

Sennheiser's HD650 would be better for Devin's type of music, but it's also a big step up in price and they should only be used inside as you need a good DAC to drive them.

Personally I'm using several different headphones depending on if I'm in front of my computer, in the living room or outside. My two main headphones are Philips Phidelio X2 and the Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro 32ohm limited edition.

Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic, AKG, ATH and Grado are usually safe brands to go for when looking for higher quality headphones.

If you're in the US, the cheapest a new pair of HD650 have ever been from Amazon is $287 and that was over 2 years ago. The $315 they are at now is well below their historical average. The HD6XX at $199 is a very good deal.

Edit: If you buy used, you can get them cheaper on many of the forums.

https://camelcamelcamel.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/product/B00018MSNI?context=search

I have a large, though not huge head, and the HD650s are comfortable on me. They did clamp a bit tight at first, but feel great if i just extend the headphones out a bit further than i would normally do with my DT770s. Also, many people on the net have pointed out you can put your headphones on a shoebox like you would on your head when you aren't using them (or a couple of text books, or even a manequin head if you have one lying around....). This will loosen them up a bit without harming them.

Personally i have not had to do this, but i am tempted to buy a manequin head just because it would be creepy and also to keep the headphones safe when not in use :)

I can't really speak to if the HD650 is worth the extra cash to you. Some people on Headfi prefer the HD600 as they find them more neutral. Personally i love the HD650s, i also dislike shrill mids like you described and those are definitely not a problem on the HD650s, these are so soothing i can easily wear/listen to any type of music.

I bought my HD650s on amazon one day when they went on sale for $420 (plus they came with a $50 amazon gift card on top of that). So once you counted the sale price plus that good as cash gift card they cost me $370.

http://camelcamelcamel.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Headphones/product/B00018MSNI?context=browse

They aren't on sale now, and don't look like they have been for almost 4 months. But anyway you could find a good deal if you are patient and keep checking online for them.

*edit: well hopefully they go on sale again, i have heard Sennheiser started cracking down on places like amazon for selling them below what Sennheiser demands......

Brand new 650's were on sale for ~$300 USD from Amazon.co.uk, including priority international shipping and import fee deposit.

Edit: Yup, the deal is still up.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00018MSNI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

http://puu.sh/roXPp/c385345baf.png

http://puu.sh/roXS7/e11299ce2d.png

Only thing you'd probably be on the hook for is any sales taxes that your import office decides to ding you with. Note that this is with priority shipping, you can save an extra $20 or so if you're willing to wait a few extra weeks for them.

For your friend:

I recommend that she picks up a pair of Beyerdynamic Custom One Pros. You can get them here: http://www.amazon.com/Beyerdynamic-Custom-One-Pro-Black/dp/B008XEYT48/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369159044&sr=8-1&keywords=beyerdynamic+custom+one+pro

They are great headphones and only have a 16Ω impedance so powering them is not going to be a problem.

Another headphone I would recommend would be the Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 32Ω edition. Similar to the Custom One Pros but with a little better bass response. You can get them here: http://www.amazon.com/Beyerdynamic-DT-770-Pro-Studio-Headphones-Limited/dp/B008POFOHM/ref=sr_1_5?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1369159022&sr=1-5

For you:

Coming in right at $400 is the HiFiMAN HE-400. I haven't listened to these myself but I hear that they are the best headphones you can buy for $400. You can get them here: http://www.amazon.com/HiFiMAN-HE-400-Planar-Efficiency-Headphones/dp/B007ZG32I4/ref=sr_1_3?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1369159720&sr=1-3

However, if you really want to step up I suggest you stretch your budget to the $500 mark and pick up the Sennheiser HD650. These are some of the best headphones out there and would be a considerable upgrade from what you currently have. Check them out here: http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Headphones/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=sr_1_1?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1369159720&sr=1-1

I honestly think that if you have the money for it then that is the way to go. I think the HD650s are more suited to the kind of music you like than the HE-400s anyway.

I saw the post on /r/buildapcsales and got them off newegg, but it seems amazon has price-matched them. Not sure if these regularly go down this much but I saw it and had the extra cash so I when for it.

Just FYI guys, Amazon also has the 650's for $290 right now.

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Headphones/dp/B00018MSNI/

At this price point I think you could create a great setup for ~$500 by choosing one each from the following options, perhaps omitting the DAC:

1. Headphones

Sennheiser HD 600

Sennheiser HD 650 (more expensive)

Mr Speakers Mad Dog

HiFiMan HE-400 (with reservations)

Beyerdynamic DT880 (less expensive)

2. Amplifier

Schiit Magni

Objective2

3. DAC

Schiit Modi

ODAC

(or you can get the Objective2 with ODAC in same chassis)

I definitely wouldn't recommend spending huge amounts on amplification and DACs at this price point; the noticeable difference is going to be in getting the best headphones you can.

"Gaming headset" doesn't mean anything, especially if you don't care about RGB. If you don't have a budget, get something nice like sennheiser's HD 650 (which is open-back) or beyerdynamic's DT 770 Pro. There are microphone attachments you can get if it's that important. I've tried both of these and prefer the 770 Pro with its more isolated sound and slight V-curve but it's totally up to you. Both headphones are very very comfortable--I forget I'm wearing them after a while.

Edit: Audio-Technica is also a good brand to look at but I don't know of anything particular from them.

https://www.amazon.com/beyerdynamic-770-PRO-Studio-Headphone/dp/B0006NL5SM

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI/

Headphones are Sennheiser HD 650s, speakers are JBL LSR305s, and right now I'm using the Micca OriGen+ for my DAC/Amp. For earbuds I just use some random pair I got off massdrop.com for like 30 bucks.

Pretty satisfied for now, but I'm hoping to upgrade to the Crack 1.1 OTL for an amp and the HRT Music Streamer II + for the DAC so that I can get the full quality out of my HD 650s.

Satisfied with the JBLs and the Micca for a speaker setup for now, at least as far as digital stuff goes. A good few years down the road I might want to get around to building an analog setup from scratch since my old one is completely defunct and scrapped. For which I'd probably grab some passive speakers, but I also need to get an all new turntable and possibly a new CD player, so I don't even want to start thinking about it.

My suggestion would be the Aune T1 Headphone Tube DAC and Amp which is currently on sale on Massdrop for $120 (around £113 including shipping, import duty and VAT). It's got RCA line out too so you can connect speakers to it in the future too if that's you're kind of thing.

I'd then look at spending the rest of your budget on a quality pair of headphones, perhaps the Sennheiser HD 650?

Some of it I bought used (the HD650's and Bifrost) but to buy everything brand new you'd be looking at around $1,100 total.

The Bifrost DAC and Bottlehead Crack aren't available on Amazon but here's all the links:

HD650
https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1496087682&sr=1-1&keywords=hd650

Schiit Bifrost
http://schiit.com/products/bifrost

Bottlehead Crack w/ speedball
http://bottlehead.com/?product=crack-otl-headphone-amplifier-kit

Sennheiser HD 650 on sale today on amazon for $315.99 usually goes for $500.

Amazon is currently price matching it for those who don't want to get it from Adorama.

the Sennheiser HD650s, one of the most highly regarded headphones under $1000

This is probably as overkill as it gets before starting to lose performance.

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel - Core i9-9940X 3.3 GHz 14-Core Processor | $1815.75 @ shopRBC
Motherboard | Asus - ROG RAMPAGE VI EXTREME OMEGA EATX LGA2066 Motherboard | $1027.44 @ Amazon Canada
Memory | Corsair - Vengeance RGB Pro 128 GB (8 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory | $1179.87 @ Amazon Canada
Storage | Samsung - 970 Evo 2 TB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive | $659.99 @ Amazon Canada
Storage | Samsung - 970 Evo 2 TB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive | $659.99 @ Amazon Canada
Video Card | Asus - GeForce RTX 2080 Ti 11 GB Dual OC Video Card (2-Way SLI) | $1569.99 @ Amazon Canada
Video Card | Asus - GeForce RTX 2080 Ti 11 GB Dual OC Video Card | $1569.99 @ Amazon Canada
Case | Corsair - 1000D ATX Full Tower Case | $412.33 @ Amazon Canada
Power Supply | EVGA - SuperNOVA T2 1600 W 80+ Titanium Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply | $465.18 @ Amazon Canada
Case Fan | Noctua - NF-A12x25 PWM 60.1 CFM 120 mm Fan | $37.90 @ Amazon Canada
Case Fan | Noctua - NF-A12x25 PWM 60.1 CFM 120 mm Fan | $37.90 @ Amazon Canada
Case Fan | Noctua - NF-A12x25 PWM 60.1 CFM 120 mm Fan | $37.90 @ Amazon Canada
Case Fan | Noctua - NF-A12x25 PWM 60.1 CFM 120 mm Fan | $37.90 @ Amazon Canada
Monitor | Asus - PG279Q ROG Swift 27.0" 2560x1440 165 Hz Monitor | $799.99 @ Amazon Canada
Monitor | Asus - PG279Q ROG Swift 27.0" 2560x1440 165 Hz Monitor | $799.99 @ Amazon Canada
Main Monitor | Asus - ROG SWIFT PG27UQ 27.0" 3840x2160 144 Hz Monitor | $2398.99 @ Powertop
Keyboard | Corsair - K95 RGB PLATINUM Wired Gaming Keyboard | $269.99 @ Amazon Canada
Mouse | Logitech - G502 LIGHTSPEED Wireless Optical Mouse | $199.99 @ Amazon Canada
Headphones | Sennheiser - HD 650 Headphones | $492.29 @ Amazon Canada
Microphone | Rode NT-USB USB Condenser Microphone | $225.00 @ Amazon Canada
Headphone Amp | Audioengine D1 24-bit Digital-to-Analog Converter | $229.99 @ Amazon Canada
Custom Loop | EK Water Blocks EK-CoolStream SE 480 (Slim Quad) Radiator | $132.28 @ Amazon Canada
Custom Loop | EKWB EK-Cable Splitter 4-Fan PWM Extended, 2-pack | $32.99 @ Amazon Canada
Custom Loop | EKWB EK-ACF Compression Fitting for Soft Tubing, 10/16mm (3/8" ID, 5/8" OD), Black, 4-pack | $53.11 @ Amazon Canada
Custom Loop | EKWB EK-ACF Compression Fitting for Soft Tubing, 10/16mm (3/8" ID, 5/8" OD), Black, 4-pack | $53.11 @ Amazon Canada
Custom Loop | EKWB EK-ACF Compression Fitting for Soft Tubing, 10/16mm (3/8" ID, 5/8" OD), Black, 4-pack | $53.11 @ Amazon Canada
Custom Loop | EKWB EK-ACF Compression Fitting for Soft Tubing, 10/16mm (3/8" ID, 5/8" OD), Black, 4-pack | $53.11 @ Amazon Canada
Custom Loop | EKWB EK-Furious Vardar EVO 140 PWM 140mm Fan, 2500 RPM, 2-pack | $88.00 @ Amazon Canada
Custom Loop | EKWB EK-Furious Vardar EVO 140 PWM 140mm Fan, 2500 RPM, 2-pack | $88.00 @ Amazon Canada
Custom Loop | EKWB EK-Velocity CPU Waterblock, Intel CPU, Copper/Plexi | $138.42 @ Amazon Canada
Mousepad| Logitech Powerplay Wireless Charging Mat| $203.00
Custom Loop| EK-CoolStream CE 420 | $135.00
Custom Loop| EK-XRES 140 Revo D5 RGB PWM| $255.00
Custom Loop| EK Vector RTX RE Ti RGB| $230.00
Custom Loop| EK Vector RTX RE Ti RGB| $230.00
Custom Loop| EK-Vector RTX Backplate – Nickel| $72.00
Custom Loop| EK-Vector RTX Backplate – Nickel| $72.00
Custom Loop| EK-FC Terminal X2 3-slot – Plexi| $50.00
Custom Loop| EK-DuraClear 9,5/15,9mm 3M RETAIL| $27.00
Custom Loop| EK-CryoFuel Solid Cloud White (250mL) BUY 5| $20.00
| Total | $16914.49

This uses a custom cooling loop, it is not very hard to make since I used soft tubing, but if you don't want to use that, you can get 2 of THIS or THIS GPU and THIS CPU Cooler and just remove all the Custom Loop parts.

For the main monitor, I chose a 4K 144Hz monitor and 2 secondary 1440p 165Hz monitors which can also be used for gaming or can be used when you stream.

For the CPU I chose a 14 core i9 CPU, which has the best balance of cores and clock speed of the i9 CPUs, you could get more cores but the clock speed will drop a lot and so will your gaming performance.

None of these actually "max out" your budget, but they are all very solid picks.

1. Oppo PM-3 - Oppo's 3rd iteration of planar mangetic headphones are damn nice. They have incredible sound, bass that extends way down, crisp highs, and are very comfortable. They can be driven by the S8, but would definitely benefit from a nice amp/dac.
   
   
2. Sennheiser HD 650 Widely regarded as an extremely neutral headphone, they will reproduce anything you listen to with them with fantastic accuracy, clarity, and detail.
   
   
3. Bang & Olufsen H6 V2 or H7 These are my personal favorite of the pack, becuase of their incredbly balanced sound, replaceable cable, and neutral signature. They're also lightweight and comfortable. They do not sound as good as the sennheisers or Oppos, but since they are one of my 3 listening options, I don't mind. These are great for what I use them for. :)
   
   
4. Bowers and Wilkins P7 These come in wired and wireless variants, and are not only comfortable, but look quite good. If you have large ears, they may not fit very well, due to the square earpads, but they sound great, and are tuned to have a little more bass than some of the other selections.
   
   
   Edit: picks are in order of best >> worst choice. Also, the top 2 will definitely benefit a lot more from a dedicated amp.
   

I've listed a few options, feel free to ask more questions.

Closed:

Alpha dog by MrSpeakers is a closed headphone that rivals some of the big boys out there, even the flagship open cans. The TH900 by fostex and LCD-XC by Audeze are their closest competitors, and those headphones cost almost 3 times as much.

Mad Dog by MrSpeakers is my other recommendation for a closed headphone, this one being almost half the price and not that much worse in most regards. Less refined than its older brother, but it's very often the go to choice for someone who wants a comfortable, premium closed headphone at a reasonable price.

Open:

The Hifiman HE-500 is an astonishing headphone for its price range, competing with flagship headphones, and it is a direct competitor with the LCD-2 by Audeze, which costs 1000$. Your biggest problem with these are the weight and their comfort issues, might not be your top choice, but it's still an excellent headphone

The Hifiman HE-400i might be a successor to the HE-400, but its sound signature is much more similar to the HE-500. Not as refined, but much lighter, this might hit your sweet spot for comfort and sound.

The AKG K712 is a really comfortable and relatively light headphone, and it's really well balanced. Some people experience issues with the treble peak that the K7XX series by AKG have, but this might the best price performer that I've listed.

The HD 650 by Sennheiser is a headphone that I personally own am very pleased with, and so are many, many others on this sub and on Head-fi. If someone wants to spend big on their first headphone, these are usually their first choice. Slight clamping, but generally really comfortable, I don't have any issues with them. The sound is beautifully warm and luscious, it's really nice for a relaxed and long listening.

Hey Black_Halcyon

Normally I avoid the trap of telling someone to just spend more money, but you left the door wide open

• Your $100 budget is flexible
  
• You're considering buying an amp (easily another $100)
  
• You've used the "A" word ;-)
  
  The golden rule in audio is that you should spend the majority of your budget on the best possible transducer you can afford and worry about the rest later. With this in mind, my advice is to pool your money and splurge on the most affordable headphones to be universally recognised as "audiophile-grade", i.e. the Sennheiser HD 600 series.
  
  For example:
  
  
• HD 600 (from $300 on Amazon)
  
• HD 650 (from $320 on Amazon)
  
• HD 6XX ($200 from Massdrop).
  
  Going by your criteria any of the above might be a good fit.
  
  

1. The Godfather(s) of all modern open-backed headphones
   
2. New from $200, but 2003 introduction (HD 600) means that buying secondhand is an option
   
3. Works OK from PC (debatable) but scales very well with dedicated amp
   
4. Smooth and natural-sounding (i.e. less bassy than PortaPro)
   
5. Makes any good recording sound good, reasonably tolerant of poor quality tracks
   
6. Detachable cables
   
   Some notes
   
   

• HD 600 is the most neutral of the trio
  
• HD 650 and HD 6XX are more bass orientated. This is relatively speaking. Coming from a PortaPro: prepare to have your mind blown (after the initial acclimatization period) with audiophile goodness.
  
  Good luck with the decision!
  
  PS - If you are too fiscally responsive to be tempted into spending the big bucks, you could always consider the HD 58X ($150 from Massdrop). While it is more bass-heavy than the 600s, it is perhaps the biggest bargain in audiophile headphones today. And it gives its best without any need for an additional amp.
  
  ​

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Album with more pictures

Computer Specs

• Case - Silverstone RV01
  
  
• Motherboard - EVGA SLI3
  
  
• CPU - i7 950
  
  
• CPU Cooler - Corsair H60
  
  
• GPU - EVGA GTX570
  
  
• Ram - G.Skill 6gb Kit
  
  
• Soundcard - Asus Xonar Essence STX
  
  
• PSU - Corsair 850w
  
  
• Mouse - Logitech MX Revolution
  
  
• Keyboard - Logitech G15 & Logitech Dinovo Edge
  
  Other Stuff
  
  
• Logitech Z-5500 Speakers
  
  
• Sennheiser RS170 Wireless Headphones
  
  
• Sennheiser HD650 Headphones
  
  
• Banana Stand
  
  
• Playstation 3
  
  
• Madcatz Fightstick Tournment Edition S
  
  
• Harddrive Dock
  
  
• Bluelounge Cablebox

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-HD650-Reference-Over-Ear-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473983768&sr=8-1&keywords=hd650

Comes out to $286 including shipping.

My opinion is that if you want to get a little more serious about audio for your PC, you would also need to get an external DAC/AMP with SPDIF interface. There are such units out there that would connect via USB.

From here, get yourself a decent set of open back headphones... don't go cheap. Here are two models to consider.

Beyerdynamic DT990:
http://www.amazon.com/Beyerdynamic-DT-990-Pro-250-Professional-Acoustically-Applications/dp/B0011UB9CQ

Sennheiser HT650: http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-9969-HD-650-Headphones/dp/B00018MSNI/

I recently got the HT650s and I love them!


Here is where the amp comes in; these headphones have higher impedance, so they need the amp to drive them, then the DAC to convert the digital audio to analog for you. For instance, the DT990 comes in a 250 ohm and 600 ohm variety, so you would look for an amp that can drive that amount accordingly.

Me personally, I went with the Fiio E17 / E09 combination, which works fine for my setup. The E17 is also portable, so I would have the option to use it on the go if needed.

Sennheiser HD650- music heaven but expensive. At this point though, it's only going to sound as good as the quality of the music files you have. Amp semi-required

Sennheiser HD598- step below the HD650s. Equal treble and mids, not much bass but these are the headphones that makes you appreciate the clear sound without it.

Klipsch X10- very treble-y, it sometimes hurts, but if these weren't the clearest sounding in-ear headphones I've ever had I don't know what. Fairly wide soundstage. I've washed them twice and they still work.

MEE M-Duos- These are the cheapest of the bunch. I was pleasantly surprised at the sound of them. As clean and clear sound as the HD598 but with much more bass. My favorite tbh

Also shoutout to /r/headphones check out their wiki

I went from a turtle beach gaming headset to Sennheiser HD650 headphones. I then needed to buy a webcam with a mic to replace my turtle beach headset.. cause the HD650 is just headphones, no mic.

Back then, they were $600 new, but I found a set for $350 refurbished. I haven't had a problem with them even though they weren't new. Refurbished items come from the factory after they were returned, so I figured they tested them enough to justify the savings.

They are a bit cheaper these days but its still pretty expensive brand new. Amazon has them new for $440.

AKG 701/702 and Denon AH D2000 are also really popular choices. Your best bet would be to go down to a store that sells these types of headphones and listen to them to pick what you like best. Just make sure you are using an audio source like a CD or better if possible.

Personally, I just read reviews/audiophile forum posts online and ended up buying the sennheiser hd650s off amazon without even testing them.

Or just buy any modern motherboard (something that supports a 6700k or 7700k) and you'll have perfectly fine audio. The only reason to buy a sound card is if your onboard audio codec is bad.

I have the MSI Gaming z270 M3 motherboard and it has the Realtek ALC1220 codec on it. It's almost impossible to distinguish the sound between a motherboard with a newgen audio codec like that and a high end soundcard. You'll only be able to notice if you have high end audio equipment like this that can take advantage of $300 soundcards. Your "Hyper X Cloud 2" or "Razer Kraken V2" headphones wont be able to tell a difference.

Track the price with your eamil in here
https://ca.camelcamelcamel.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Headphones/product/B00018MSNI?active=amazon&context=search

The 650 have been as low as 236 EUR in Europe Amazons maybe even less looking around carefully.
Doesn't seem like such a great deal, especially having to wait until next year (almost).

http://camelcamelcamel.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/product/B00018MSNI

Camelcamelcamel shows amazon had it at 287 in February 17, otherwise this price is the lowest its been in a while.

You have to go to a product page from one of the Amazon websites like this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00018MSNI/

A blue bar will show up on top of the page and list you the offer for that same item in other Amazon sites (and other websites we support)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004SY4H/ref=gb1h_img_c-2_7042_07ed8bc9?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=09SB8WFZ7B68V8R1PH75&pf_rd_i=5550342011&pf_rd_p=1990147042
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00018MSNI/ref=gb1h_img_c-2_7042_55a0ade0?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=09SB8WFZ7B68V8R1PH75&pf_rd_i=5550342011&pf_rd_p=1990147042

the deal starts at 1 AM!

You've got a second shot at $315 on an amazon lightning deal right now if you've missed these.. Though not for much longer.

Edit: And it's gone lol.

Quality post man. I did somewhat similar research (but definitely half assed compared to yours) and, I think, had similar conclusions, which was a couple years ago. How well did I do choosing the following when I primarily play Battlefield 4 all the time?

Sennheiser HD 650 Open Back Professional Headphone

FiiO E10K USB DAC and Headphone Amplifier

If I wanted to upgrade from this setup what would I improve on?

eBay and Head-Fi sales forums are your best bet. Sennheiser looks to have gotten strict with their retail prices again so it's kind of hard to find any good deals on re-seller sites.

On eBay they average around $350 USD for a pair in good condition. Haven't check the Head-Fi forums in a while so not sure what the pricing is like there (probably very similar).

Head-Fi Forums: LINK NOTE: You need to be a member and have a certain amount of posts to be able to post in the trade section.

eBay Listings: LINK

Amazon Used Listings: LINK

EDIT: As for differences between the HD 650 and 600, I'm not 100%. I have never tried the HD 600 so I can't give you first hand experience but they are said to be a bit more neutral I believe. For a better comparison between them you might try reading this article: LINK

The Sennheiser HD650's are currently 307€ at amazon.de. Is there any better bang for the buck I could get right now?
I think it would be a huge improvement to my M50x's.

So, on to audio! Or, as I'm going to call it, "the second internal conflict your comment has caused me", after the 2x295x2 vs. 970 tri-SLI one.

The source of this conflict is your budget. It's just high enough to give you myriad options, but just low enough that nothing is definitively superior to all others - at least not enough so to really make my life easy. This is because you have enough for one of two options: a pair of high-mid-fi headphones and a very solid DAC and amp, or a budget DAC and amp and a pair of hi-fi headphones. I can't even say with certainty which of these two options is better for you, much less which specific permutation of it is best.

Now I, personally, am in the latter group. I have an O2+ODAC and a pair of AKG K7XXs (and a pair of ATH-AD2700s, but those are a modded headphone I made myself, so I'm a bit skeptical of counting them), but this is only because I am absolutely, unshakably certain that I will be inevitably getting a top-of-the-line headphone (or three, or five, or...), so I wanted to future-proof my audio chain rather than incrementally upgrading my amp and DAC.

What's best for you, well, that, as said, is the question. I suppose it'll have to be a judgement call on your part. Onward, then, to the options:

When I saw your budget, the first thing that came to my mind was a [Sennheiser] (http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/very-important-sennheiser-hd-580-hd-600-and-hd-650) [HD] (http://www.head-fi.org/products/sennheiser-hd-600/reviews/5925)[600] (http://www.head-fi.org/t/634201/battle-of-the-flagships-58-headphones-compared-update-audeze-lcd-2-revision-2-6-4-13#user_HD600) ([$292 from Amazon] (http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Dynamic-Professional-Stereo-Headphones/dp/B00004SY4H)) and an [Objective2] (http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/08/o2-summary.html)+[ODAC] (http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2012/04/odac-released.html) ([279-329 depending on configuration from JDS Labs] (http://www.jdslabs.com/products/48/o2-odac-combo/)). This was partially because the two together fit the price almost perfectly, but more because it is essentially the defining, objectively good neutral pairing. The HD600 has over a decade of being one of the most acclaimed headphones in the world, particularly among the neutral headphones, and is rightly a legend, even though the much more expensive HD800 has replaced it as a flagship. It has been characterized as a headphone which does no genre wrong, with a neutral signature and very, very impressive presentation. The O2+ODAC, on the other hand, are a bit of a newcomer, but one with quite a head of steam. Designed by the great (and possibly late) NwAvGuy, they are one of the few audio chains designed purely around objective criteria and measurements, as detailed in his blog. While he was a very controversial figure himself, you won't find a scientifically-minded person who claims that his Objective stack didn't deliver on his promises. NwAvGuy argued that his amplifier and DAC would be the last most users would ever need, and, having looked over his numbers and listened to them myself, I believe him.

The next option, very closely related to the former, would be [Sennheiser's] (http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/very-important-sennheiser-hd-580-hd-600-and-hd-650) [HD] (http://www.head-fi.org/products/sennheiser-hd-650-headphones/reviews/11436)[650] (http://www.head-fi.org/t/634201/battle-of-the-flagships-58-headphones-compared-update-audeze-lcd-2-revision-2-6-4-13#user_HD650) ([$334 at Amazon] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00018MSNI/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687702&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00004SY4H&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1C3S8VPE3EWK5ZVHWY2E)) and the aforementioned Objective stack. The HD650 is technically the successor to the HD600, based on the same drivers but with some audible tweaks, which show up on their [frequency] (http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SennheiserHD600.pdf) [response] (http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SennheiserHD650.pdf) charts. The HD650 is a darker (more bass-prominent) version of the HD600, often characterized as having a "smoother" or more "relaxed" sound. This is no basshead headphone, to be certain, but it's a bit more bass than the HD600, which some people consider to be a significant advantage.

Now, the next option I would normally throw out would be the [AKG] (http://www.head-fi.org/products/akg-k712-pro/reviews/10344) [K712 Pro] (http://www.head-fi.org/products/akg-k712-pro/reviews/9734), AKG's competitor to the HD6x0 series, and the Objective stack. Only one problem: in the last month, its price has exploded from it's normal resting point between $340 and $360 to stand at over $400! The cheapest one on Amazon is [$423] (http://www.amazon.com/AKG-Over-Ear-Mastering-Reference-Headphones/dp/B00E4WXWBE), and most other sites which have it in stock are selling it for $500, seemingly. Nearest I can tell, it's going out of stock at various retailers, and only the expensive ones still have it. This is a true shame, because the K712 is a great headphone: a very neutral sound, much like that of the HD600/650 (though with a bit more bass than neutral, so perhaps closer to the latter), a truly massive soundstage (I consider the K702 Anniversary/K712 Pro/K7XX the defining headphone for classical) and [very capable gaming performance, too] (http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-2-17-2015-x2-partial-evshrugs-x7-review-added). Sadly, at their current price, I can't really recommend them, and the drop for the K7XX just ended on Massdrop, so I'm afraid you're out of luck on that angle.

The next on the "and an O2+ODAC" list would be [MrSpeakers] (http://www.head-fi.org/t/693071/review-mr-speakers-mad-dogs-a-hard-to-beat-closed-option) [Mad] (http://www.head-fi.org/products/mrspeakers-mad-dog-t50rp-mod/reviews/9602) [Dog] (http://www.head-fi.org/products/mrspeakers-mad-dog-t50rp-mod/reviews/9701), the only closed headphone I'd recommend pairing with it (with the amount you have to spend, that is). The Mad Dogs are a modified variant of the Fostex T50RP, but they're widely considered to far, far exceed the stock model. The Mad Dogs are considered a bass-leaning neutral-ish headphone, with very good isolation, and supposedly a fairly solid soundstage for a closed headphone. Though I tend not to recommend closed headphones when open is an option, the Mad Dogs are worth a look for pretty much anyone buying in their budget space, as they're broadly considered to do nothing wrong (much like the HD600).

Onward to the land of more budget amplification:

We can't stop here, we're in planar magnetic country. [Hifiman's] (http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/comparing-world-class-headphones-hifiman-he-500) [HE] (http://www.head-fi.org/products/hifiman-he-500/reviews/5307)[-500] (http://www.head-fi.org/t/634201/battle-of-the-flagships-58-headphones-compared-update-audeze-lcd-2-revision-2-6-4-13#user_HE500) ([$500] (http://www.amazon.com/HiFiMAN-HE500-HiFiMan-HE-500-Headphones/dp/B007ZSYHYU)) is an absolute value legend. One of the cheaper high-end planars (its competitors from brands like Audeze run closer to $1,000-2000), the HE-500 provides absolutely stellar sound for its price at the expense of pretty much everything else. The build, comfort, and power efficiency of the headphones have all been criticized, and its price would stick you with a pretty cheap amp (either a [Schiit Magni 2] (http://schiit.com/products/magni-2) running out of your motherboard's integrated DAC, or a lower-powered DAC-amp unit like a [FiiO E10k] (https://www.buysonic.com/products/fiio-e10k/)), which might not be ideal. On the other hand, as said, many have argued you won't find better sound for your dollar, and there are options for improving the comfort and the like (though those all cost you more, just over time).

Okay, so what if you liked the sound of the HE-500, but the complaints about the comfort (validly) scared you off? Well, Hifiman's got another option on tap for you: the [HE-400i] (http://www.head-fi.org/t/698974/hifiman-he-400i-impressions-and-discussion) ([$425] (http://www.razordogaudio.com/collections/hifiman/products/hifiman-he-400i-full-size-planar-magnetic-headphone-open-box)-[$500] (http://www.razordogaudio.com/collections/hifiman/products/hifiman-he-400i-full-size-planar-driver-headphone), depending on your comfort with open-box items). Though technically a successor to the HE-400 (a rather coloured/non-neutral planar), the HE-400i is generally considered much more neutral, like the HE-500, and the revamped pads and suspension system of the 400i supposedly puts it well ahead of the HE-500 (and the rest of the older series) where comfort is concerned. It's also cheaper, if you're willing to consider open-box items, which would allow you to (just about) fit a full Schiitstack: the [Magni 2] (http://schiit.com/products/magni-2) and [Modi 2] (http://schiit.com/products/modi-2). Considered by many to be just about identical in sound and performance to the Objective stack for less money, the M+M stack is a very, very popular budget DAC and amp, and some people consider them good enough for top-of-the-line cans.

Wow. That ended up longer than I expected. I can throw out some more options, but those would probably be the core of it. There are others I really adore in this range (the AD-2000, for example), but those 5/6 (depending on how you look at it) are some of the strongest options I can think of, particularly for your espoused taste in music. Or, honestly, all music; there's not a specialist on that list.

OP.

If you are very quick buying, get these:

http://epiphany-acoustics.co.uk/products-page/dacs/ehp-o2d-miniature-desktop-headphone-amplifier-with-usb-dac/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-HD650-Reference-Over-Ear-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1426935802&sr=8-4&keywords=hd598

Edit:http://www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-Technica-ATH-AD700X-backed-Hi-Fi-headphones-Black/dp/B009S332TQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426936086&sr=8-1&keywords=ad+700x

I recently picked up a pair of Sennheiser HD-650's

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-HD650-Reference-Over-Ear-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478788799&sr=8-1&keywords=hd+650

If you're worried about noise then get headphones. They'll give you a much more detailed picture of your sound, you just need to be aware that reverb and panning info will be much more pronounced than via monitors. I use Sennheiser HD650s and find them incredibly flat and haven't had an issue yet with testing my mixes made using them on other systems.

It's worth having a pair of hifi speakers, even rubbish ones as well as a nice set of flat headphones. Then you'll at least be able to test your mixes out on a representative system as well as on your neutral headphone setup.

Before you spend a ton on expensive headphones please be listening to cd quality audio, otherwise don't bother with anything more than 50 bucks.

For good headphone it depends what you want and what music you like.

If you want a flat audiophile headphone, that lets you hear music as it was intended than these are the gold standard.

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI

If you want something a little more colored
https://www.audioadvice.com/bowers-wilkins-p9-over-ear-headphones.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwz_TMBRD0ARIsADfk7hSoHr-dvJ5rDi57WT3fhrExWRPa1y17DXdOcZ-C_J4-v9BVgVAAAewaAmPhEALw_wcB


If you want true master race headphones and money is no concern get these
https://www.audioadvice.com/bowers-wilkins-p9-over-ear-headphones.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwz_TMBRD0ARIsADfk7hSoHr-dvJ5rDi57WT3fhrExWRPa1y17DXdOcZ-C_J4-v9BVgVAAAewaAmPhEALw_wcB

I would say not to get the M50X's. They're nice but don't have an accurate frequency response. My vote would be for some Sennheiser HD650's. Comfortable as hell and frequency response is nice. Keep in mind though that these are open back so they'll be plenty loud for people around you to listen to exactly what you're doing. Also, you might need an amp/interface if you don't have one already.

On sale right now for $398 - http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI

Here's their response - http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=0&graphID[]=853&scale=30

And here's their response next to some Audeze LCDX's - http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=0&graphID[]=853&graphID[]=4243&scale=30

I have a top of the line sound card Xonar ST. Buying a sound card is not going to improve your performance in hearing footsteps. The footsteps are just going to sound better.

Along with the sound card I have a HD650 which are the best headphones I've ever owned.

I've had a creative X-FI sound card with CMSS, but it's not as good as the Xonar ST/STX.

First time I shot an AWP on the sound card and headphones, I jumped because that shit was just so loud and so clear.

Google and a bunch of random headphone suggestion threads have led me to reccomend the Sennheiser HD 650's for you. You can find them used on Amazon for $350.

Warning:

Never pay someone using PayPal friends/family.

Do not trade with NNNerdy or jasonjXgl.

Always have a seller comment on your thread prior to making the transaction. This shows that the user hasn't been banned. You can check the ban list for a full list of banned users.

Title: [SG] [H] Sennheiser HD650's w/ Fiio AMP [W] PayPal
Username: /u/Jzshua
Original Post:
Item Name: Sennheiser HD650's w/ Fiio AMP

Condition: 5 Months Use. Comes with 1 month old genuine replacement Sennheiser cable, can link you a place to get new earpads genuine from sennheiser

Timestamps: https://imgur.com/a/r8ciL

Pics with good lighting but 1week old timestamp: https://imgur.com/a/IFE4V Sorry for the dust - box was kept under the stairs but is in perfect condition. - Time stamp from my previous listing because my phone just died - need to fix it with headphone money ;(

Price: £155 headphones alone - £175 with amp (£320 on amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-HD-650-Audiophile-Headphones-Grey-Grey/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520726077&sr=8-1&keywords=hd650)

Postage and Payment: Royal Mail First Class - Will cover up to £10 postage myself.

Any additional information:* Headphones are in great condition, my first pair of audiophile headphones and the sound compared to gaming headsets or earphones are in a completely different league. Only signs of wear are the earmuffs/pads which are replaceable. If that isn't an option they are more than fine to use now.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.*

They're cheaper on Amazon UK right now.

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1451196312&sr=1-1&keywords=hd650


"$200 Gift Card Bundle"

Context: currently own Sony MDR-7506 and V-Moda Crossfade LP.

I listen to all genres, so I'm not quite certain what I should be looking for specifically (warm, cold, bass, etc.)

I'd like an open-back since I don't have one of those, and wondering if it's worth picking these up: link

Is that a good sale or is the $500 list price not accurate?

Also, would these require an amp and if so, which ones would be recommended? Thanks!

Damn all these deals on Headphones today I'm loving them! I've been looking into getting headphones and I'm narrowing it down to Monoprice Monolith M1060's or the Sennheiser HD 650 but honestly these deals are still tempting to grab for me...

The stwuggle is weal.

I think you're right. I looked just now and it says "Sold by Quality Photo and Fulfilled by Amazon."

edit: not that it was necessarily the same vendor when OP bought his, but...

What I am looking for: Suggestion for a Headphone + Amp + DAC

Budget: I don't have a fixed budget, but I'd like to keep it under 1,200 dollars.

Source: Desktop.

Requirements for Isolation: None required.


Preferred Type of Headphone: Full-sized.


Preferred tonal balance: I like a rich and warm sound with an emphasis on bass.

Past headphones: Beyer DT 770 80 (sold) and Sennheiser HD 598.

Preferred Music: I like to listen to rock and jazz. And sometimes classical music.

First of all, let me say that it's been always my dream to buy a HD 650, but I could never afford it. Is it still a good headphone or has Sennheiser (or other brand) launched a better version of it? Amazon has it at 379.00, which seems like a good price.

Back to the topic, I'd like a "combo" (cans+amp+dac) that would allow me to listen to a "warm" sound, with emphasis on bass. I don't know which amp or dac, you guys would suggest, but as for the cans, I was thinking about the HD 650, but I am open to suggestions.

Thanks!

DAMN SON, I dropped 1250 on my gaming PC and just threw around 80$ on a pair of 7506's That's Insane how much you spent, Would you say the difference between the 598's and the 650's is big enough to where you can justify the price you paid? On top of that What do you use this amazing set up for?

Also could I ask one last question? ^was ^^it ^^^worth ^^^^it?

Hi there. I’m looking for some headphones that would be great for gaming and music. My budget is anything under £280, although I can stretch the budget. I’m located in the UK.

I currently use an Astro A40 headset, however after general wear and tear the cable has started coming loose at the ends which causes the audio to cut out at irregular intervals. I have these paired with an Asus Xonar DX soundcard for PC and I also have an Astro Mixamp for gaming on consoles.

I’d like some headphones with natural sound and good balance as I’m not too keen on the current trend of Bass heavy products. Over-Ear design is an absolute must for me and I’m not too worried on how it looks, so long as it’s comfortable and not too bulky. I have no preference on isolation.

I’ve been through various crappy Turtle Beach sets, Tritton 5.1 Pro and now my current headset which does the job well but I kind of want to take a step up into audiophile grade hardware. I’ve been looking mainly at Sennheiser and Audio-Technika and some products that look interesting are the HD 650, the HD 598 and the ATH-AG1.

If it’s of any help my preferred music is Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock, Synthpop and I also have a big soft spot for Symphonic Metal. As for gaming, I’m really not too worried about surround sound capabilities because I can use the mixamp to simulate 5.1/7.1 surround sound on consoles, and on the PC, I enable Dolby Headphone.

Any suggestions will be very helpful and I thank you for your help in advance.

I gotchu.

Good: Beyerdynamic DT-990

Better: Sennheiser HD 650

EDIT: And for the desperate, Samson SR850.

Are we talking about the same headphone? There is no clamp pressure at all really.

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI

I really like woo audio amps for the HD650 http://www.wooaudio.com/products/wa6.html

I got this http://www.yuking09.com/product/la-figaro-339/ it's been a solid amp and was designed for the HD650

For more research check out /r/headphones /r/audiophile

I'll go from cheapest to most expensive here:

Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7GM - $199

AKG K702 - $232 (I have the older version of these, the K701s, and they've been going strong for ~8 years. Can't recommend them enough.)

HIFIMAN HE-400I - $249

Sony MDR1A - $298

Monoprice Monolith M1060 - $299

Sennheiser HD 650 - $315.99

AKG K712 - $379

Most of these headphones will really shine with a little headphone amp to give them a bit more power than your computer or phone's audio output can deliver. Something like a FiiO E10k works amazing. Or the FiiO A3 for a portable solution. Or if you want something that looks a bit sexier and is more of a stay on your desk kind of thing, you can go for something like this or this. Either way, any of these headphones will blow your Bose cans away no question - like not even in the same league of sound quality.

As someone that has been collecting headphones for over 10 years, I can tell you that there is diminishing returns once you get into the $500 + territory. You are pretty much trying to find the sound signature that you love.

Point being, some of the best headphones in the hobby are easily $200-300 range. I would actually highly recommend the HD-600 or HD-650. They are fantastic headphones, and a lot of audiophiles even use them as end game (since they scale incredibly well with Amps/DACS) - and are overall a good balance.

HD-600

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Open-Back-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00004SY4H/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501292664&sr=8-1&keywords=Hd600

(They are on sale now too. $285 compared to $400)

HD-650

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1501292664&sr=8-2&keywords=Hd600

(Also on sale. $315 normally $500)

They are both very similar. The 650 has a little more bass/veil, the 600 are slightly more neutral (without a colored bass). But both are very close (I personally find the 600 are more comfortable to wear. But the 650 looks more aesthetically pleasing and audiophiles seem to prefer it over the 600 but they are damn close in sound).

The 600/650 have really nice soundstage, clear separation of instruments - and decent bass (won't be boom). They are just great all around cans. The 650 rank really high on Head-Fi (the largest audiophile forum) and are actually rated the second best headphones on there.

https://www.head-fi.org/f/showcase/category/over-ear.263/?order=popular


If you don't mind me asking Tim, what sound sig do you like? Are you a treble man? Do you like that crunch/speed? Or are you a bass man? Do you like a thicker sound?

Fair enough. At $179, the HE400i is a great deal. At $319 (or $259 refurbished) the HD650 is less competitive. Of course there are deals to be had in r/AVexchange as buyer and seller for those interested in auditioning.

​

I don't have an opinion on the venerable E10K or the shiny new K3 having tried neither, but FiiO makes comparison easy. As a long-time happy FiiO customer, the only thing which would give me pause before buying the $110 K3 is the $100 Q1 Mark II.

The 6xx are modelled after the HD650. They are more expensive.


https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549051697&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=hd650&dpPl=1&dpID=41Q7K7mGdCL&ref=plSrch

You can get a pair of 6xx from massdrop for $200

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-sennheiser-hd6xx

AKG Q701

I got them recently. My first audiophile-grade headphones. The soundstage is to die for. They almost give the HD800 a run for their money when it comes to soundstage. They are really neutral, with a detailed bass (but in low quantity), decent midrange and great treble extension (both in quantity and quality). They are comfortable (at least for me) and built well. They can run off of computers or phones (you'll have to max out the volumes though) but they really shine when amped.

https://www.amazon.com/AKG-Signature-Reference-Class-Premium-Headphones/dp/B004444O3W/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3GC14BIS90AA9&keywords=akg+q701&qid=1558760370&s=gateway&sprefix=akg+q7%2Caps%2C341&sr=8-3

​

An alternative you could consider:

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Open-Back-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00004SY4H/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3GC14BIS90AA9&keywords=akg+q701&qid=1558760370&s=gateway&sprefix=akg+q7%2Caps%2C341&sr=8-4

Some upgrades you could consider:

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3GC14BIS90AA9&keywords=akg+q701&qid=1558760370&s=gateway&sprefix=akg+q7%2Caps%2C341&sr=8-5

https://www.amazon.com/AKG-Pro-Audio-Reference-Headphones/dp/B00DCXWXEI/ref=sr_1_16?crid=3GC14BIS90AA9&keywords=akg+q701&qid=1558760370&s=gateway&sprefix=akg+q7%2Caps%2C341&sr=8-16

​

Phillips SHP9500

I've had them for quite some time now. While the AKG is great for critical and Hi-Fi listening, it is not that great for using for long periods of time like 3+ hours at a stretch. That's where these come in. These are the most comfortable pair of headphones I have ever put on my head (and I have put quite a few pairs on). They feel basically weightless on my head, and I can keep these on my head for hours (I think 14 hours is my record). Really cheap for what they offer, really great for Lo-Fi, but not great for Hi-Fi (not bad though). They have a good soundstage. They also have a mid-focused sound, which means that the vocals will be separated from the rest of the track and will take center stage, which is essential for movies. I would really recommend these. They went out of the market for a while but are back now.

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=phillips+shp9500&N=-1&isNodeId=1&Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH

Good luck with your purchase!

Twitch Steaming audio help!

​

I was wondering what people would recommend for a semi-professional audio setup. I don't really have a budget other than under around $800-$900. By no means am I and "audiophile" but I do know the basics and then some. All I want is crisp sounding microphone, a mixer with a good DAC and compressor, and a good pair of headphones. Here is the hardware I am currently looking at, any advice will help a lot! Also the mixer I found is kinda ugly IMO, is there any mixer with good functionality that isn't as ugly? Thanks :D

Microphone: https://www.amazon.com/Shure-SM7B-Dynamic-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B0002E4Z8M/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1542937982&sr=1-3&keywords=Shure+Dynamic+Microphone%2C+XLR+%28SM7B%29

Mixer: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JRGHEZ2/ref=psdc_11974871_t1_B00IBIVL42

Headphones: https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=sr_1_4?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1542938032&sr=1-4&keywords=sennheiser+headphone

Again thank you for the help!

Thanks for the advice, as well as the info about DAC :). I decided to buy these. Thank you for the help! Also, think I need to buy anything along side it, or will I be well off with just the headset itself?

For $5,000 you could have a secondary editing/capture PC (like most pro streamers.) Are you looking to include the editing software as part of your budget? Take a look at the builds list, the 144Hz Ultra build would be a good starting point, maybe upgrade the GPU to a 2080 or a 2080ti. As far as a monitor, I would highly suggest this 1440p, 144Hz, IPS, Acer Predator

Even with those add ons you're looking at less than $2500 for the PC and monitor. Throw in a nice USB microphone, a $300 pair of Sennheiser HD 650s, a headphone amp, a USB DAC, and you've got a great setup for audio.

I've been doing some research on which headphones might be the best ones for my listening and I have had trouble finding the perfect pair.

 
 

I've been looking into buying a pair of open back headphones recently, as I have started getting more into the music and audiophile lifestyle. However I don't know where to start. Currently I'm using the BOSE OE Soundlink, as my everything headphones... and while they're perfect for me traveling and going to classes, they don't have the open sound stage or the power that Id want with something for home listening.

I've looked into it and I narrowed my search down to these three headphones; the
BayerDynamic Dt990's, the Sennheizer HD650's, and the AKG 701's; however, while they're all good quality headphones... I'm not certain that any one of these is exactly what I'm looking for.
 
 



This is where i need help, if anyone knows of any headphones that would match my preferences or has any suggestions about the ones I already have on my list, I'd greatly appreciate any tips that can be thrown my way.
 
 
My Preferences:

• under $500
  
• something that needs an amp (these will be home use only)
  ----OHM preferably above 175?
  
• Doesn't look terribly ugly (I really like how the dt990's look)
  
• Has a solid base that i can feel
  
• not too sharp in the trebles and high tones.
  
• removable wire (not necessary but preferable)
  
  

Budget - From 250€ to 350€

Source - MacBook Pro and iPhone 6s mostly

Requirements for Isolation - Would be a plus, not a requirement though

Will you be using these Headphones in Public? - Some times, yes.

Preferred Type of Headphone - Full-sized

Preferred tonal balance - A Balanced pair of headphones.

Past headphones - I have the Sennheiser PC363d for gaming at home, and I am replacing my Beats Studio 2.0

Preferred Music - Electronic, Rock and some Hip Hop

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - Overall, better quality headphones, without the need to purchase an AMP.

Location - I live in Portugal and plan on purchasing from www.amazon.es or www.amazon.co.uk

Was currently considering between the Sennheiser HD 650 and the Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 but I am open to other suggestions.

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI

I'm kind of new to the world of quality headphones, but I have always appreciated the art. The most I have had are a random pair of cheap headphones from my local store, and the crappy apple earpods. So its time for a change. I've spent quite a few weeks learning and researching about headphones in general, I have visited the /r/headphones' Purchase Assistant which was not only very helpful but also helped me understand what I want. After it all, I have narrowed down the selection to a handful of potential headphones which I think are suitable for my specific needs. I have included my list below, after some useful information for you guys to understand me better..about my headphone needs:

• Budget - £100 - £400. I can push it up couple of quids if needed. But ideally, something that is best value for money. Currency: Pound Sterling.
  
  
• Source - Going to be plugging the headphones into my PC. As far as I know, there's nothing special about my motherboard (MSI Gaming 5) so I wouldn't be too fussed if the headphones require a DAC and AMP, as long as headphones + dac/amp doesn't go too much above my budget.
  
  
• Requirements for Isolation - As much as I like the idea of complete isolation, I cannot afford to do so. Since I will only be using these at home, there are times when I will need to respond to phone calls, door bells, conversations, people chatting shit about me, etc. so I can't completely isolate myself. Sound leak is fine - I have my own room. Long story short: Open back headphones are be ideal.
  
  
• Will I use these Headphones in Public? Nope. Home set up only.
  
  
• Preferred Type of Headphone - Over-ear/Full sized (that's what she said)
  
  
• Preferred Use of Headphone - The main aim for these headphones will be gaming > movies > music in that order. Games: Single players as well as competitive multiplayers. Solely based on what I have read, when it comes to gaming, headphones with a large soundstage would be ideal as long as there is localization/imaging present to accurately portray where the sound is coming from. This is best achieved by open back headphones. However, one particular thread on tomshardware made me doubt what I understood. TL;DR of that post: open back headphones with big soundstage create too much echo, effectively making the localization much worse because you don't know where the sound is coming from - especially in an already echoey environment of a game. They recommended closed-back. This is probably where I will need input the most, from guys who have tested both types of headphones for this specific use. When it comes to music, yes I will definitely be using them for music but not as much? Music type is usually theme songs of games and movies, classical, vocal, and random stuff people suggest on internet.
  
  
• Preferred tonal balance - As mentioned above, since its mostly games with not as much music, and even in music, its pretty random I think it would be best if the signature is balanced, neutral, flat? The word flat makes it sound boring..
  
  
• Past headphones - Crappy cheap earphones not worth mentioning.
  
  
  
  So that's basically what I have deduced for myself, at least what I think I want. Based on the above, below is a list of headphones I think fits my needs. However, a few are included in the list simply because of their songs of praise all over the internet.
  
  
• AKG K702 Reference Open-Back Over-Ear Studio Headphones
  
  
• Audio-Technica Professional Open-Back Reference Headphone - Black
  
  
• Beyerdynamic DT 990 Premium Edition HiFi Headphone - Fully Open Backed Construction
  
  
• Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro Headphones - Black Limited Edition
  
  
• HIFIMAN HE-400i Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone
  
  
• HIFIMAN HE400S Over Ear Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone
  
  
• Sennheiser HD 650 Audiophile Open-Back Dynamic Headphones

HD650s released in Oct 2, 2001 (Amazon) or Dec 5, 2003 (Cnet). Did Sennheiser change anything since that time?

I've been looking at quite a few things while I was away from my computer.

I'm leaning towards a Modi 2 Uber (toslink for my PS4 audio) combined with a Magni 2.

My main concern is shitty drivers - I want to bypass any Creative/Asus drivers where possible. The Schiit drivers are relatively simple and well-maintained hopefully.

Secondly it appears that I may start using headphones more, however I will still want speakers as an option as well.

So I'm turned on by the Schiit stack idea, however I have some questions.

1. The Magni 2 Uber comes with 'pre-amp outputs' whatever they are. Does this allow me to link the Magni to speakers? I would almost certainly be buying pretty decent self-powered ones. I saw the JBL LSR305s being recommended in another thread. Do I need another unit to link the Magni to powered speakers? Or can I just hook them up? If so, does the Magni possess some kind of switching to allow me to switch between headphones and speakers?
   
   
2. Gaming on the Modi/Magni stack doesn't have any surround sound that would be created by a comparable sound card (Sound Blaster ZX for example), so does this make it a lot worse for gaming? I'm not a Counter-Strike professional or anything so I'm not terribly concerned about lack of surround audio, but I do want a good aural experience in FPS games like the recent Prey for example. I just don't particularly want a 'gaming-only' setup, and as I've explained before I detest the driver issues that come with Creative/Asus sound cards.
   
   
3. What headphones? I was looking at the AKG K702 and the AKG K712 Pro they look pretty good and Mad Lust Envy rated them quite well but I wonder if it's not worth spending a bit more cash to get Sennheisers... he rates them better than Sennheisers if anything though? The HD 650 is about 150 dollars more than the K12 Pro sooo....

Isn't this about the same price as what they are going for at the UK amazon? https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00018MSNI?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&tag=AssocID&linkCode=df0&creative=22206&creativeASIN=B00018MSNI&tag=geizhals07-21

I recently bought Sennheiser HD 598 CS, but I'm not the biggest fan of the padding at the top (the pressure makes my head slightly uncomfortable).
I was wondering if there are replacement headband paddings I could get. I know that the 598 CS doesn't have replaceable padding at the top, but I was just curious if there are replacement ones similar to the 650, where the weight is more evenly distributed on both sides.

Why don't you take a look at Beyerdynamic DT-880 ? Semi-Open Studio Headphones. You won't hear much bleeding coming out of them. I own a pair of Sennheiser HD 650 (Open back), and they're nearly as flat as you can get for that price.

>I don't buy higher end Sennheisers out of principle that they require an amp to drive moderately well.

This is true of all high end headphones though, not just Sennheisers. My current pair of Sennheisers are the 558s, which I guess are a mid range model, and I can use them just fine without an amp and they sound great. To really push them hard I'd need an amp, but I rarely listen to music at that kind of volume anyway.

I've been eyeing this pair of 598s for awhile. Now that Amazon is selling them for less than $200 I might finally take the plunge.

I've also been lusting after a pair of 650s for a very long time, but I just can't justify it to myself. $400) (even at a deep discount) is too much for me, and my ears aren't good enough to be able to really tell the difference between something like the 598s and the 650s--or at least not good enough to justify the difference in cost between the two.

Of course if you really want to splurge you could get a pair of HD800s. They're only $1500 after all.

Or a pair of Sennheisers. Currently saving up for a pair of HD650s

Budget - $200 ~ 400 max (Not including DAC and amp)

Source - Windows 7 Desktop PC

Isolation - I will be using these in my own room, typically there is some white noise, computer fan, room fan, etc.

It can't be loud enough to wake other people up through a wall (Like a speaker would). Yet preferably be loud enough to drown out low level ambient noises (Birds if window is open, hum of computer fans).

I dont think it will, but I'd prefer it if does leak from the phones, doesnt get picked up by my blue yeti mic

Used in Public - No - Inside only

Type - Over the ear, Open or Closed Back (Undecided)

Preferred Tonal Balance - No preference, I just want it to be absolutely amazing for gaming, hear directionally where people are coming from in FPS games, and crap my pants amazing for scary games. Gaming immersion and streaming is my main concern here, though I do enjoy listening to classic rock, metal and some classics.

Past Headphones - Logitech G35s - I love how these fit, I know, they are closed back and are cheap, but I like them alot because they drown out low level ambient and give me directional sound for games.

Preferred music - Rock, Metal, Classic Rock, Classical

Improvements - I would like to be able to hear directionally, as I can with my g35, however I would like to hear more clearly and see what a "Good" set of headphones can offer.

Note: I DO NOT need a mic, I have a Blue Yeti on my desk.

Location - US

These maybe overkill, but I was considering the [AKG 712] (https://www.amazon.com/AKG-Over-Ear-Mastering-Reference-Headphones/dp/B00E4WXWBE/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1469467580&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=akg+712) , [Sennheiser H650] (https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8) or [AKG 701] (https://www.amazon.com/AKG-701-Studio-Reference-Headphones/dp/B000EBBJ6Y/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8) with most likely the Magni 2.. basically I want to hear amazing rifle shots, feel like I am driving tanks, helicopters, and hear the whining cries of my opponents in clear crisp directional quality.

Heavily Leaning on the AKG 712s, I keep going back and reading about them.. Definitely need suggestions here

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI

---

SENNHEISER HD650

The HD650 has the chops to compete in the mid-range arena. It is viewed as a spacious, warm, bassy "upgrade" to its sterile cousin, the HD600. The fact that it could take a lot of energy from an amp and increase in overall speed and technical precision with the added energy was probably fuel for the fire for gear-collectors and upgrade-addicts. The 650s signature is warm, rolled off yet detailed with amazing bass extension. As far as dynamics go the only headphone I enjoyed the bass on was the Tesla 1, no other headphone has the 650 bass: control is just exceptional.

---

TREBLE: There is no doubt that the treble is rolled off. I have heard the 650s on expensive and cheap systems, and the treble was right there, with all the detail and presence, not "veiled" or muddy.

MIDRANGE: If you are considering buying these, I don't need to tell you about the 600/650 mids; imagine a sound which encompasses you in it. That's what the 650s do when it comes to the mid-range. They have one of the best mids I have heard, to this date I have to find a dynamic headphone which has the musicality in the Mid-Range like the 650s do at its price (apart from the 600).

BASS: The bass... I love the bass on these, the extension, tightness and overall sense of impact is top notch. As I said earlier the only dynamic headphone which impressed in the bass was the Tesla 1. Now of course, I know a Planar Magnetic headphone will kill it when it comes to sub-bass, that metal never rolls off, goes to down 20Hz with a flat line. But, these are not a Planar so for a dynamic they are my top headphone, nothing touches the 650's extension and refinement.

---

Now, of course, there are some negative points:

• The DT880 is more refined in the treble, is much less grainy, but again, it doesn't have the other tonality edge, and the excursion factor is not even close to the 650s.
  
  
• I wish the Spares weren't so expensive, for a earpad I could buy a entire headphone like a NVX XPT100 (not cool Senn!)
  
  ---
  
  Just some random notes:
  
  
• Although these are 300Ohms I find them to be fairly easy to drive.
  
  
• The stock cable can be easily replaced with a balanced one.
  
  
• I would recommend a nice output transformerless amp. I am using a Fiio e17K which is fine. I would like to upgrade to the Schiit Valhalla in the future.
  
  ---
  
  I hope this helps you to make an informed decision!

FYI the 650s are on sale here in the UK. Not sure if it's a good price or not but - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Nsf5xbE41XAG6

the 6xx's are a Massdrop.com exclusive so you'd have to wait for the campaign to start again, but the originals (the HD 650's) are here: https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519181165&sr=8-1&keywords=hd+650. The 6xx's are $200 so if you wanna wait for the campaign to come back, its worth it. HD 6XX campaign page: https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-sennheiser-hd6xx?irgwc=1&clickid=wtc3SR2csxlVxP8UoF0SyWjpUkjxTL0BRyxrQo0&utm_term=252901&utm_content=Net%20Media%20Planet%20Limited&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=impactradius&gclid=CICkubb_tdkCFcrBswodwlMEfA

tl;dr: It's not worth it, get a good headphone, please, so you may finally ascend your ears, and look down upon all the peasants below.

 

For any of your needs, the 840 won't come close to what other $350 headphones will buy you. Let me suggest some stuff, taking in account the fact that you want bass and soundstage.

I want bass: Philips Fidelio X2, $250

I primarily want soundstage, but also a little bass: Sennheiser HD 650, $250-$500 (usually retails around $300)

Keep in mind those are open headphones, they will leak a lot of sound, but that's good, that gives you a great soundstage and strikingly good sound. FYI you might also want an amplifier with these, especially the HD 650.

I want something between the former: One of the Beyerdynamics, I'm not sure which to recommend, $120-$250~

You also need a mic, the Antlion Modmic is the best in this department

 


Simulated Q&A:
> But I want Bluetooth

Sorry, can't help there. There is probably some good Bluetooth headphone, however.
> But I need surround sound.

Most surround sound in headsets are simulated, including the one in the 840. This means you're never getting "true" surround sound, only virtual surround, which any headphone can produce with the right software, and there's no shortage of Virtual Surround software.

Do not waste your money. Do feel free to voice any concerns.

I've had these, so far I have no complaints. I would recommend the XL pads for the ears, deeper ear pockets.

https://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-Crossfade-Over-Ear-Noise-Isolating-Headphone/dp/B00A39PPDK

I've heard good things about this one, r/headphones probably has other options. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00018MSNI


Edit:these are on sale, I've never listened to this model though:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HYH7HXA

For unamped I really like my Sennheiser HD280 Pro (http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-280-Pro-Headphones/dp/B000065BPB/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420313791&sr=8-1&keywords=sennheiser+hd280+pro=

I'm a big fan of anything Sennheiser and don't think you can go wrong with them.

I have two amped setups I run (both are way out of your budget though):

Tubed:

• Sennheiser HD650 (http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Headphones/dp/B00018MSNI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420313833&sr=8-1&keywords=sennheiser+hd650)
  
• Cambridge Audio DAC Magic (http://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Audio-Azur-DacMagic-100/dp/B0078Q4FEG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1420313867&sr=8-4&keywords=dac+magic)
  
• Kimber Kable Hero Interconnects: http://www.amazon.com/Kimber-Kable-Hero-Interconnect-Ultraplate/dp/B00F6EXFD4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419908235&sr=8-1&keywords=kimber+hero
  
• Woo Audio WA-6 Amplifier (http://wooaudio.com/products/wa6.html)
  
  Woo Audio now makes the WA7 which is an amp and DAC in one, if it was available when I bought my setup I probably would have gotten that instead (http://wooaudio.com/products/wa7fireflies.html)
  
  Solid State:
  
• Sennheiser HD800 (http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Over-Ear-Circum-Aural-Dynamic-Headphone/dp/B001OTZ8DA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420313993&sr=8-1&keywords=sennheiser+hd800)
  
• Sennheiser HDVD800 (http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HDVD-800-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B00BHBWWFW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420314024&sr=8-1&keywords=sennheiser+hdvd800)
  
  Personally I prefer the warmer sound of the tubed setup.

Stereo Option - HD 650
7.1 option Razer 7.1
Or 5.1s that are cheaper but good value KAve
Depends if money is an issue and if you want stereo or surround sound

it's right now 37% off in the states, https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-650-Professional-Headphone/dp/B00018MSNI