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Hi all.I did full examination of my Crack and everything is good.
Not gonna go there... Not gonna go there... More seriously, I'm not sure what you mean by "shaved off harmonics"... My HD650s (through my O2) have very good high frequency extension when the source material also has good high frequency extension. But it's not inconceivable that a "brighter" headphone may suit you better, especially considering what you have mentioned before that your ears have been subjected to. With the very high output impedance of the Bottlehead ( =120 ohms), you'll need to stick with high impedance headphones like the 600 ohm Beyers if you want anything resembling a flat frequency response (I'm wondering if that has anything to do with what you're describing?)
Wow, our listening experiences are very different.Have a friend who has AKG K701's. I have listened to them at length and while they do almost everything "right".... I just don't like them. I "respect" them, but I just don't "like" them. And I really tried. (I think his opinion is the exact reverse of this.) The K702 "Anniversary" edition, on the other hand (supposedly the same as the K712), I did like. You say "Toh-MAY-toh, I say "Toh-MAH-toh"... Guess it's a good thing there are so many options out there. Hope you find something that hits the spot for you.
Well the Sennheiser HD650 is, in my experience, the most veiled-sounding headphone to have achieved such a high status. Ten years ago it was called "one of the best" in the world by some respected reviewers. Going from my Etymotics to the Sennheisers was like covering the sound not just with a blanket, but a thick blanket.This experience was very puzzling for me and quite a surprise at the time–so different sounding from others which were also highly respected, like the high end Grados, AKGs (701s, for example) and the Etymotic Research ER4S which were my references at the time.I thought to myself "So, is this what 'high end' has come to mean–no highs!?"
To each his own I suppose. The HD650 has survived in the fickle "wonderful today, trash tomorrow" audio marketplace for over ten years, a phenomenally long production life for any audio or tech product, so they must be doing something right. That said, there are times- with certain recordings- I could use a little more highs. A friend who has AKG K701's (a MUCH "brighter" signature) borrowed mine recently and commented that he liked them a lot on studio stuff but preferred his 701's for live recordings. I can see that. So at some point I will round out the collection with something a little more "up front" so as to have some variety. One thing that pertains to headphones specifically: Air is a natural high filter (which is why all you hear from that boom car a block way is thump, thump, thump). So if a recording was engineered on the mythical Superbo S-1 monitors (with their perfectly flat frequency response) six feet away from the listener, that recording will sound bright on a hypothetical headphone whose driver also has a perfectly flat response but is half an inch from the ear. So headphone designers are faced with the dilemma that "measures flat" and "sounds flat" are not the same thing, and they have to make educated guesses about voicing. Increasingly, one of the things that "turns me off" to an audio system is exaggerated highs, which I find more and more common in all kinds of playback systems. Perhaps this is aimed at middle aged men, who might have $1K to drop on a pair of cans but whose high frequency hearing ain't what it used to be? I can't say for sure, but the so called "veil" actually works for me. Russell, I also own Etys and like them but on some source material find them... a bit bright. Fullrangeman, don't rely on anybody's opinion (including mine) to make your audio choices. "Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one and they all stink."Think I'll go listen to some music.
Fullrangeman, don't rely on anybody's opinion (including mine) to make your audio choices. "Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one and they all stink."Think I'll go listen to some music.
Why so many people like them?
One item for thought for your Crack... the Speedball upgrade.Many report that it uncovers another layer of sound.
Sennheiser is famous for veiled, from the introduction of the HD580 (rave Stereophile review) through the HD600 series. The Beyerdynamic DT1350 has better detail with the Tesla drivers, but has a very odd signature compared to the HD650. I EQ it for better results. The higher Tesla series of Beyerdynamic such as the T70 or T90 should be better yet, although they seem to have an excessive upper treble peak. I noted a treble peak with the DT770 88th anniversary edition, but the T70/90 peak would be greater.One thing to be aware of: All of the 580 through 600 series cables eventually get micro-corrosion in the earcup connectors, even in dry environments. Distortion gradually creeps in. That applies to me as well as several friends I helped fix. All you do is unplug them, wipe and replace.
I don't think your choice was really bad - the HD650 is probably the safest purchase in hi-fi - the least likely to be returned to the dealer for refund.But with Hi-FiMan I suggest you check the physical headphones very carefully. If you see the recent HE-560 review at headfonia, they had all kinds of problems and had to get a new sample. I think there were many that way, and were basically recalled if I'm correct.Another big problem for hi-fi enthusiasts is the actual listening when buying. You're almost always in a place with much higher ambient noise levels than at home at night, and even though many people will say they can hear perfectly in the store, that noise floor will mask much detail. Another thing that isn't very easy (or impossible actually) to test is the user in that listening situation at the dealer. You're in a different environment than your own, probably not nearly as relaxed as at home at night, blood pressure is up because you're in that place, but also because you're concerned about making a purchase mistake etc. etc. That adds to the noise floor, making the evaluation very difficult. But if you can take other headphones (and maybe amps too) along with you and spend a couple of hours switching back and forth comparing, that might help.
