Welcome to the IHoP v.2

[nem 2,019]

Such a warm glow.

[mikel7829 90]

 

 

Sign a waiver.

Do you still you luv me? And miss the knowledge that I used to contribute 

 

 

Did you stop taking Lithium?

 

They only gave me a 30 day supply when I left the ward,not my fault 

[nem 2,019]

Fun trip around the lake. It was quite busy at the Glen, but that is to be expected with the race going on.

 

http://www.theglen.com/Tickets-Events/Events/2015/Sahlens-Six-Hours-of-The-Glen.aspx

[mikel7829 90]

Such a warm glow.

What i said when I changed the GFI out in the kitchen with wet hands while the breaker was still on 

[mikel7829 90]

 

 

Sign a waiver.

Do you still you luv me? And miss the knowledge that I used to contribute 

 

 

Did you stop taking Lithium?

 

I prefer Thorazine..

[nem 2,019]

 

Such a warm glow.

What i said when I changed the GFI out in the kitchen with wet hands while the breaker was still on 

 

 

How did that make you feel...

[sandt38 448]

The Sennheiser HD600s don't come in any carry case, unfortunately, but I guess that is because they are not really intended to be used in public places. I have read tale of how they are really efficient and even though they are 300 ohm units they can be driven by many mobile devices. I'd dare say that is not really true. While I did not plug them into an iPod or my HTC One M8, I did plug them into my headphone amp with the same low gain switch and volume knob setting I use for my Sennheiser Momentum On Ears (30 ohm unit). The switch went immediately to high gain and the dial got turned up. I will mess with these a bit more in the coming days with various sources, but for the first impressions I wanted known source and amplification so I can gather more of an understanding of what a really nice, highly regarded circumaural headphone can deliver, relative to a solid on ear headphone.

 

Sources include all digital music from a high end laptop with a decent sound card. This sound card will be my weak point as my DAC is still in transit, but I am familiar with this source. I used spotify premium and high quality streaming through equify, and WinAmp with full bitrate flac conversions. A PA1502A tube amp drives the phones, which is fed off the spdif feed from the PC.

 

A black corrugated box protects the box that is to be used to house the HD600s when not in use. I felt the presentation was cheap for a $450 set of headphones, but I honestly don't care about that.

 

 

Inside the storage box is the HD600s, the Y cable, instructions for use (a quick reference guide, really, with tech specs), warranty information, and a user manual. The cables have a nice 1/4 jack that appears to be the cable itself, but it is an adapter over a 3.5mm jack.

 

 

I'm not sure how I feel about the build quality on these. There is nothing physically attractive about these cans. IMO they are flat out ugly. They use a decently sturdy seeming headband that is made out of plastic, with a cheap granite finish. The way they overlayed the band with the logo does look decent though. The articulation point where the ear cup forks meet the band is very fluid. It conforms to your head easily, so easily in fact I have concerns about the durability. But as far as function, it is sweet.

 

 

The ear cups are large. They easily wrap around my ears and rest comfortably on my head. Clamping force seems a little tight to me, but I don't find these uncomfortable at all.

 

 

Being open backed they are very loud on the outside listening in. Everyone will know what you are listening to. The grill that protects the back of the driver unit is solid as hell, and not particularly attractive. Of course, I am not sure how to make it look really good. I think the 598s to a fair job of making it look better though.

 

 

Now to the meat and potatoes of them. They should be a long way from broken in, but the initial listening is what we are getting at here. These may be really ugly from a physical standpoint, but after spending a few minutes with them singing in your ears, you don't really give a fuck about how ugly they are. They are so detailed that I am picking up a lot of information I have never heard before. From Sarah McLaughlin's feet moving on piano pedals, so lips separating and sticking a little (should have worn less lipstick that day), to tiny nuances in music that I have not heard resolved before, they are extremely impressive. FR seems really good to me. There is a slight bump in the 10K region, but it really isn't an ugly bump. There is some rolloff in the bottom octave or 2, but after a few hours it seems to be settling back. I have read about midrange softness that made some vocals seem veiled, but I am not getting that at all. If anything, I feel vocal presentation may be a little forward at this point. Interestingly I am using the 6p6p tubes, which I found too laid back in the mid range with the Momentums. I will play with the Tung Sols tomorrow and see how they sound through these monsters.

 

Image presentation is really surprising. I expected a closed off stage like I have experienced with all other headphones I have listened to, but I find the image to be very accurate, and the soundstage broad. Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb seems to come at you from outside the ear cups, just building into the main image from nowhere. Attack is precise, decay is lovely. They are very articulate, and extremely quick. I have messed with several genre thus far and have not really found one these dislike. Bass impact it solid and precise, with kick drums from Death's Scavenger of Human Sorrow providing articulate and bold impact, although perhaps a little weak in the bottom couple octave rolloff I mentioned before.

 

So far I am very pleased and surprised. These showed me several characteristics I did not expect from a set of cans. I have listened to a few sets, but never really found them much worth writing home about. My introduction to headphones on a somewhat serious level began with the Momentums. I was impressed enough to buy an amp and research a better set. I had no idea that higher end sets could do what these HD600s do. This might wind up becoming yet another expensive hobby for me.

 

 

[sandt38 448]

Such a warm glow.

 

 

The Tung Sol 6V6gt tubes are so much prettier than the 6p6ps in that pic. I'll get them back in there later this week end and take a few dusk time shots for ya.

[sandt38 448]

So my 17 year old son is all into music (from playing various instruments from violin, viola, fiddle, guitar, and keyboards) and has had a real hard on for headphones over the past year or so. Last Christmas I got him the Beats on ears he wanted. 2 months later for his birthday he wanted the Beats Studios (circumaural) which my mother got him. I kept telling him about Sennheiser and he scoffed at them. When I got the Momentums he listened to them and admitted they were impressive. He said they sounded more realistic then both his sets of Beats, but that he liked the bass drops of his Beats better. When I got the amp he started messing with it, using his Beats and My Momentums... slowly but surely he was using my Momentums more than his Beats.

 

Today he came in my room and said he could hear my music all the way into his room. When he saw the HD600s on my head his jaw dropped "Where did you get those, how much did they cost, can I try them?". He put them on, and I was midway through Seether's live acoustic version of Pearl Jam's Immortality (great song by both bands, but being in the middle of my Acoustic set listening Seether's version was playing). He asked if he could mess with them for a bit. He played several songs, from rap shit, to some bluegrass, to rock, to a piano version of Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd).

 

He told me that while his Beats definitely got lower he didn't care. He said the Senns sounded so real that he HAS to get a pair. He said he had never heard music so pure before. That was his word, "pure".

 

So now he wants to sell both his Beats in the hopes that he can get some Senns. I may surprise him with some 598s, since they are 50 ohm they will be easier for him to drive with his devices. This will give me another opportunity to sample Sennheisers lines a bit further as well.

[ssh 924]

http://bloc.pw/02 Kettering.mp3

 

Might enjoy that.

[ssh 924]

No flac, sorry. The Antlers - Kettering

[lithium 358]

If he doesnt dig the aesthetic of the 598 i've read the 558 is very close to the same performance. i have a pair. 

 

great first impressions of the hd600 btw. 

[Godsmack 360]

Great review.

I love the glow of a nice set of tubes. Makes me reflect back on Christmas at my God Parents house in Buffalo as a kid. Good memories.

J

[mikel7829 90]

Such a warm glow.

What i said when I changed the GFI out in the kitchen with wet hands while the breaker was still on 

 

How did that make you feel...

A little tingly and a bit jittry..

[nem 2,019]

Damn you Seth, I have no use for head phones, but now want a pair just to have after reading all your information!

[sandt38 448]

If he doesnt dig the aesthetic of the 598 i've read the 558 is very close to the same performance. i have a pair. 

 

great first impressions of the hd600 btw. 

 

Duly noted. I'll let him look at them and see what his impressions are. I may grab him a little op amp setup for them as well if I can find a decent one on the cheap.

[sandt38 448]

Damn you Seth, I have no use for head phones, but now want a pair just to have after reading all your information!

 

I didn't have any desire to get this deep. Now I can't stop. I just wanted a way to chill with tunes while the boy was asleep.

[sandt38 448]

http://bloc.pw/02 Kettering.mp3

 

Might enjoy that.

 

 

No flac, sorry. The Antlers - Kettering

 

Interesting tune, thanks!

 

I looked up the album, "Hospice", and it's contents and backstory are interesting. I'll look for it.

[MKader17 332]

Damn you Seth, I have no use for head phones, but now want a pair just to have after reading all your information!

I didn't have any desire to get this deep. Now I can't stop. I just wanted a way to chill with tunes while the boy was asleep.

And now he can hear them from his room! Lol

[ssh 924]

 

http://bloc.pw/02 Kettering.mp3

 

Might enjoy that.

 

 

No flac, sorry. The Antlers - Kettering

 

Interesting tune, thanks!

 

I looked up the album, "Hospice", and it's contents and backstory are interesting. I'll look for it.

 

 

I've never really been emotional to music until their album. Makes me feel sorta introspective.

[nem 2,019]

New pair of birks!

[///M5 2,833]

 

\

Sexy.  I don't listen to mine now....but you are making me want to.

[///M5 2,833]

New pair of birks!

Ouch.  I like mine as they are.  Finally got their summer skin on though.  Took a week at the lake.

[///M5 2,833]

Best family vacation I've ever had.  Seriously GREAT boys time.

[///M5 2,833]

At your disposal anytime: pool, golf course, croquet, shuffleboard, volleyball, basketball, canoes, hydro bikes, kayaks, paddle board, diving board, water ski lessons 1/day, sailboats, row boats, powerboat rental: pontoon, ski boat, bass boat, fishing boats, all meals cooked and executed well albeit MN home family norms, beach, and live music everywhere.  Staff put on a Hootenanny, Sang at dinner, talent show, sang at a fire, sang during a free happy hour.  Also had two blocks of preplanned kids activities a day.  Horseback riding, sandcastles, boat ride dinner on a huge pontoon with a pirate attack and throwing chicken nuggets at them, and tons more.