I don’t have 650’s, so I can’t say for certain. The 6XX are exclusive to drop.com, so you can read what they say about it there in comparison to the 650’s. I have had mine for a few years now, and back when I bought them, everything I read online was saying they were the same (except for some cosmetic differences), although since then there have been some tests that show that they might vary a little.
The Sennheiser HD 6XX are a revision of the Sennheiser HD 650 that are only available through the Drop website. There hasn’t been a change in driver structure, and both headphones sound fairly neutral. However, the HD 6XX have a more consistent audio delivery, most likely due to their higher clamping force. While both headphones lack thump and rumble due to their open-back design, the HD 6XX have better bass accuracy. They also come in a dark blue colorway instead of black.
Anyways, I am no authority on the subject, but I can say that for me, the 6XX have been great headphones.
The 6xx are actually better in my opinion. Sound wise they are identical to the 650s…. Absolutely identical. There are two differences, one is that in 2019 sennheiser updated the design and their hd650s now are sharper edged with thinner plastic while the 6xx uses the old molds so are more rounded with thicker plastic that is a very dark blue instead of black. Also the cable that comes with the 6xx is shorter and terminates in a 3.5mm connection and comes with a 1/4” adapter. The hd650 has a longer 1/4” cable and comes with an adapter for 3.5mm.
I am actually not a big fan of them, especially for bass. I don’t think for the price of a pair of new hd650s they are worth it, but for the price of the 6xx maybe. It’s been nearly 20 years since they were released and I’d like to think there has been some advancement in headphone technology in this price range since then.
I went through something like that with my DT 770 Pros making my tinnitus worse and wanted something similar but open back. I went with DT 900 Pro X and they have been perfect for what I wanted.
Sound character is close to 770 but smoother, wider, and less fatiguing. The bass is present enough for me, though might not compare to hyped Sonys. Seems good enough for open backs.
They don’t move around or make creaking noises (works well wearing glasses) and the cord doesn’t twist up or get in my way, even when using guitar straps, in my case.
Maybe 1990s can be had for a similar price and could be better but I’ve had no regrets with the modest upgrade since my ears have been happier.
I wish I could find a set of closed back that have a similar signature to the 990s, my 770s are making the transition difficult mix wise when I move stems over from my other kit into my daw for mixing on the 990s… the bass is pretty understated on the 770s imho…
Off the top of my head, Sennheiser HD 820s and Audeze LCD-XCs are about the best closed back headphones around, if you have about $1000-2000 burning a hole in your pocket. It’s a problem best solved by figuring out how stuff is going to translate and accounting for it, IMO. I have Audeze LCD-X with roomsim by Acustica Sienna on them, and I still have translation issues now and then. Not a problem that gets solved with money (minimized/reduced perhaps), trust me I tried.
Yeah that’s my train of thought, I don’t have the disposable income to throw money at the problem, I did think maybe investing in toneboosters morphit on both my desktop and iPad rig might get me closer to a solution for less outlay …
Just a little update just incase anyones interested, I bought tone boosters morphit for desktop and iOS and it’s actually very good, I A/Bd both the dt990/770 using the same track and the overall sound signature for both of them is way closer now using the presets in the app and vst, so for me that’s a win, no more shopping for cans…
They are quite sensitive for planars. My Mixer/Audio Interface can drive them easily with no issue. With old audio equipment from the 80s/90s it’s also fine. You can even drive them with Apples Lightning->3.5mm adapter. As long as you don’t expect eardrum shattering volume. So no, I don’t think a dedicated Headphone Amp is needed.
I use the DT-990 Pro first and foremost for comfort. As a glasses wearer headphones can get uncomfortable really fast and these just feel great for me.
I also take the Sennheiser IE 100 pros in my bag wherever I go so I have something small and semi decent to use when I need. Again these are incredibly comfortable so I guess that’s what does it for me
The track I used to compare was Starcrash https://youtu.be/0_JnhuPg7Oo
(I downloaded the highest quality from Spotify to compare, just sharing the YT link for convenience)
I added the Elite Hybrid Dekoni pads straight away on the DT 1990’s, and holy crap these headphones are amazing! I compared them to my Sennheiser HD 300 Pros, and it was not much of a comparison TBH. The clarity on the DT 1990’s, and depth on the low end was a gigantic difference. I still really like the HD 300’s, and I’m very used to their sound, but everything on the DT 1990’s is far more spread out, and you can hear every detail. Unlike the Neumann NDH 30’s there is no cable noise when you turn your head
Because I sent the Nuemanns back, I can’t do a direct side by side comparison, but from memory I’d say the DT 1990’s actually sound better. I know this is personal preference, but the low end on the DT 1990’s seemed richer (which could be the Dekoni pads, as I know they add some low end). Both sound lovely, and the Neumanns are the reason I decided to go up a level on headphones as there was a clear difference from what I was using.
Very comfortable, but I have not wore them for a long session yet.
Very happy with the DT 1990’s. I’ll check back if anything changes, but I can see why so many use these headphones for music production. For me, they are “end game” headphones, as I don’t want to chase getting 10% better audio for crazy money, I spent $475 total and that includes the Elite Hybrid Dekoni pads.
Thanks for your suggestions! I narrowed it down to DT 900 Pro X, HD 600 and HD 650. Which of them would you say are most like hi-fi headphones for listening to music which also work for mixing if that’s not your priority? Would you say the premium price of the HDs over the DT are justified?
It’s like you’re listening to music on a € 5000,- sound system.