Hey Everyone,
Thank you all for making the HD6XX a huge success! It’s been great to see comments and reviews of the headphones start to come in as people receive them.
The remainder of outstanding 6XX orders are on track to ship ahead of the mid-december estimated ship date. For the latest status on shipments for the 6xx, check the thread below:
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-sennheiser-hd6xx/talk/1894058
With that understood, we have another exciting update for anyone who missed out on the previous round. We’re pleased to announce the 6XX will be dropping again tomorrow morning. These units are from a different production batch, so they’ll have a later ship date. The good news is, after working closely with Sennheiser over the last few months, we were able to secure a 3 month delivery timeline instead of the 6 months we’ve had to wait historically.
Tomorrow morning at 6am PT, we will relaunch the 6XX drop with 10,000 units available and an estimated ship date of March 28, 2018.
This will not impact the shipping time for previous orders.
Thank you all for being a part of this drop. We’re excited to be able to have even more members get their hands on a HD6XX.
UPDATE 11/30: The 3.5k units from the drop in November are being processed. 6.5k will still be available in this batch through the end of December. Both are expected to ship around the same time, but members from the November drop will be first in line if we have to ship in multiple batches.
WillCan it be shipped internationally? Saw on the thread that we can topped up an additional $15 for international shipping. I can't find the option to ship it to Singapore.
tHePilGriMNo, not asian countries. But since you're in Singapore too I recommend you use ezbuy's ship for me service. just go to your account and look for the ship for me button on the left.
tHePilGriMI am from SG too. I joined the previous drop from Oct. No choice, have to use forwarder such as Ezbuy, comgateway, boderlinx, vpost, this was after looking thorugh hardwarezone forum post for solution. Most people said that Ezbuy is the cheaest. Just create account and they will provide you with details that you would have to use to fill in the form on Massdrop
FallMasterHi all, I'm from SG too. Need to ask, how do I place my booking here without having a US address? I'm doing the Ezbuy forwarding method. Advice will be much appreciated. Thanks!
WolfdaleSorry Wolfdale, this is the updated option (haven't wake up yet, damn):
1. Go to this website : https://ezbuy.sg/ShipForMe/IWantToForward
2. Click activate forwarding service
3. Enter in your handphone number and click"send verification code"
4. Then you will see the US forwarding address
5. Copy that into Massdrop's payment page
6. Pay the amount.
john40540Hey John, no worries man. Yes I have completed the payment transaction on Massdrop side. But I'm facing the issue with the parcel tracking number on Ezbuy side. Is the address below same as what you are saying?
Ezbuy's US forwarding address:
Merlion UXOUK
8080 SW Cirrus Drive
UXOUK
Beaverton
OR
97008
310-382-4836
Thank you!
xd1936He just said this won't affect the estimated time of the previous orders. Your headphones are coming just as quick as if this new drop never happened. How about you read info before you start whining in the comments like an idiot.
TeslafrontThe price of shipping should be 15 dollars unless otherwise stated, and you might have import fees, from what I've seen they're typically around 25-30, us dollars. If the price of shipping is more than 15 and is not stated, you should contact Massdrop support
If you need any clarification, contact Massdrop support
WillHi Will, for these popular Sennheiser drops at least, would Massdrop consider adding an explanation on the drop page in honking great font explaining why Asia is excluded and to get around it with a reshipper?
A huge percentage of comments in the discussion pages are exactly the same "Why won't you ship to country X?", i.e. repetitive noise.
NotABotSomething to do with vendor contracts restricting sale of certain items/pricing.
If your country is exempt, it's your country's distributor that has a licensing agreements that restrict the sale of the item.
YakovYes, I know the reasons. I'm in Asia, and I'm using a reshipper. That doesn't stop two hundred other clueless people from not bothering to read the discussion posts on the whys and hows, and asking the same question over and over and over again.
It turns the discussion page into a wall of noise. Then again, so do the hundred or so "why hasn't my order shipped yet?!?" posts. I guess I should just stop visiting the discussion page.
WillGot mine. Ordered on June 29th, shipping label created on November 17th, got them today on November 26th. Had several delivery dates including November 28th, 27th, and 25th. got to love that hand-off to the US Post Office for delivery.
Mine are blue (had to shine an LED flashlight on them to see any blue, else in normal light, black), and they sound awesome!! Now, do I need a second pair? :)
Tripoutt "I think its weird how massdrop decides to "ship" these headphones. You think they would ship in order they where purchased but you could be in the first 5000 to order but not get your headphones till after 10,000 are shipped. Kind of bull shit if you ask me and it turned me off of ever purchasing something on this shitty site again."
If this reduces the whine count on the MD discussion pages, excellent!
@Tripoutt Oh come on, that wasn't a neutral, public service warning. That was full on whine + foot stamping "I'll never use Massdrop agaaaiin!" fit.
If yours ship after the original Dec estimate, then maybe you've got something to complain about. Anything else is just a bonus.
Tripoutt "Before you go sucking massdrops Cock cause clearly your a dick riding fan boy. You ever get a massdrop mini Mic. Massdrop claimed they are better then a mod Mic but that piece of shit Mic doesn't even last 2 weeks. And I'm sure that's not the only product with problems. I'm guessing your like one of those apple fanboys that just has to get anything with a apple logo on it . Keep buying what ever shit they feed you "
Did you know that a wheel of cheese can weigh up to 86 pounds?
'Cause you're gonna need a whole wheel of cheese to go with that whine- it was spectacular. Whining that you're probably going to get your headphones only 2 weeks early instead of 3 weeks.
Why are you even talking about a clone microphone in the Sennheiser thread?
Editing to add:
You're = you are.
Your = the possessive form of you.
netmorinHI netmorin,
We have the same shipping dates, until now haven't received mine, I lived in Oahu Hawaii though, tried to track my shipment it says it will be delivered on or before 12/11/2017, you in the mainland? Just curious
WillSo I am not understanding one thing, if I miss this drop will there be another one in december? I’m reallllly trying to get these headphones, but am currently a bit too broke. From what you said about November and December I got hopeful for another chance, lmk plz
Albers89I'm in Oahu as well, ordered 6/29, shipping label created 11/17, estimated delivery date 12/7, changed to 12/9, but I didn't hold much hope to actually receiving it on 12/9, FedEx Smartpost/USPS shipping usually changing the delivery date 3 to 4 times.
Dear Massdrop, please stop using FedEx Smartpost shipping!
HNL8Yeah the smart post thing is the least smart thing about posting anything. Ugh. So was that the regular shipping option, or one of the expedited options?
WillSo if I order now, there is a chance to get them from the earlier drop?
Hoping to replace my beloved hd650s that were stolen from my house during a break in. :(
jolness1No it appears the ship date will still be in march. Im sorry to hear that they got stolen, thats a terrible thing to do to break into someones home. But hey the previous people had to wait 6 months for their drop, at least it will only be 3 or maybe 4!
HawaiiRordered it on the 29th of June, mine was standard free shipping, ship date was 11/17, until now horribly waiting, aaaagh, was there an expedited one?
Albers89I think perhaps the expedited option might be for the US only; 4 business days for $10, 2 business days for $20 ... but none of that matters if they don't ship it for weeks/months.
WillI was part of the june 25-30th drop and my status says that the order is just placed with vendor. I already sent a support ticket and have not gotten a reply.
WillIf I join now, what are my chances to get them earlyer then march next year? Really happy to see the drop again, missed it last time... Nice work Massdrop!
Albers89UPDATE on the update. Disregard this post. Wrong thread; it was my HE4xx that shipped. Sorry.
Ok, so just an update. Mine just shipped, and I ordered them 3 days ago. That leads me to believe that if they have them “in stock”, meaning that the production wait period is over, you’ll get them much quicker, obviously ... and if I had selected the expedited option (since I live in the US), I probably would have gotten them in the 4 business day turnaround time. I’ll keep that in mind for next time.
HawaiiRIf you truly joined the drop 3 days ago and they shipped then mass drop screwed up. All units from the previous drop were sold. The July drop isn't complete and the October drop hasn't begun to ship. The guy up the thread that had his stolen couldn't even get a replacement because there are none not spoken for. If today is your lucky day I suggest purchasing a lottery ticket lol!
Gsh2000yap in Hawaii, Oahu specifically, i went to the USPS local post and they tracked the order, the only thing they received was an electronic notice that the item has been shipped, they explained to me that its the worst shipping method Fed Ex Smartpost since its by boat from mainland to hawaii, so 4 weeks max estomated shipping days. Got Damn, whatever whats there to complain when its free
WillDoes that mean that we'll get them this year if we are among the first 6500. Here it says 4600 and i just joined the drop. Can I assume that I am among the 6500 and will recieve my pair this year ?
YouriTubeUnfortunately no. the current drop going on right now wont be shipped until March 28. The batches shipping right now are going to the people who joined the drop in July. Sorry Dude. I'm in the same boat as you.
I actually don't mind the wait since I also just ordered the HE 4XX ...
I mean if you really want a new set of headphones off MassDrop by the end of the year, and you live in the US, you could order the 4XX and expedite the shipping to get them in 2-4 days.
D.AnthonyNice! I wasn't sure if the 4XX's would actually arrive on time before my trip, so I opted for the regular postage. Can't wait to listen to them when I get back.
WillWhat is everyone's current set up on DAC and Amp? I currently just got the Schiit Jotunheim DAC/AMP combo and just need my 6XX to go with it. I have customed balanced cable on the way and gonna purchase the new LCD2 classic from Audeze next week.
Tomestowas a sarcastic comment seeing all the other people actually get worked up over the headphones, I just recently saw my tracking number get updated so we Gucci
😩💸👍👍💯💯💯😯➿🤔➿🤔🐻🐻🐻🐍🤔💕💕♥️🙀😆🙀😆🙀😆🙀♥️🙀🐍🐍😥👀🆗😀🔥😀🔥📔💹🔥💹🙀♥️🙀
WillHi Will,
Why was it shipped DHL to Canada and not USPS?
I don't mind paying taxes at the border but DHLs brokerage fees are horrendous.
Please explain, as this topic as it relates to Canadians has been brought up in other drops.
-Rick.
blazingaznyvrAlthough it was shipped by DHL it will be delivered by Canada Post. You will only pay $10 in Canada Post brokerage fees. Relax. That's how I got mine. Others report the same.
jah_offisah808Bought the darkvoice336SE when it was on drop 2 weeks ago for 199$ perfect price for me to spend the same on an amp as for the headphones. I will buy the modi multibit in due time also and then keep that setup until massdrop sells the HD800S.
FarkoI also decided on the dv336se a few months back and recieved it before my 6xx's came; so glad I made that decision. Amazing listening sessions ever since. My next quest on this journey is upgrading the tubes for the DV. I've been so happy with this combo that I haven't looked into it yet.
focamagicI'm glad to hear that the stock sound sounds good, I've seen on some forums that it isn't to good and it has been stressing me out a bit. But one can only trust their own ears and since this will be my first ever real audiophile headphones I bet it will sound great. I'm using the logitech g633 now and those have currently been the best sounding headphones I've ever tried except the HD800S that I had the chance to try for half an hour, they were godlike.
fatguywithnolifeIt arrived before the scheduled date, twas to be delivered on 12/11 and it arrived 12/9, i went to makiki station to pick it up, did u track it?
NumberoneqAccording to USPS my Seiko Grooming Set is still awaiting package even though it got delivered. I'll wait till the scheduled shipping date before I contact Massdrop but I was hoping I would get headset sooner than later.
fatguywithnolifeI wouldn't wait. Mine were scheduled for delivery today. FedEx had it for 5 days and handed it off to USPS. I was concerned USPS wouldn't deliver it the next day, and I would have had to wait until Monday. To my surprise it was already at my door when I went outside at 8:30 am!
WillUgh, I so wish I hadn’t purchased these headphones. If I could return them, I’d do it immediately. You absolutely need to have an amplifier to enjoy these headphones. They sound great with an amp, and they sound anemic without an amp. Yes, i knew this going in, and I imagined myself setting in one spot and listening to wonderful music, so this is my mistake. The reality is that I don’t like carrying a wired rig with me and being, in a sense, chained to a spot for extended periods. I discovered the Sennheiser PCX 550 wireless headphones, and they’re wonderful for me. So, I spent $300 for the PCX 550, which I love, and $340 for the HXX 650 and an amp that I’ll rarely use. I won’t take a “no returns” risk again regardless of the savings. I hope I can sell them for what I paid (doubtful).
For people who listen this way, this was a great deal, and I know you’ll love these headphones. It’s just not for me.
PipperThere is something like portable headphone amp/dacs if you haven't known small phone sized one wich will undoubtedly give you better sound than your pcx550 while also being portable.
PipperIt's REALLY disappointing how many people (including massdrop!) promote these headphones as being "great" without an amp. They sound average to downright poor and anemic at best un-amplified. When these were designed and released in 2003 as sennheiser's flagship headphone they were absolutely made to be paired with an appropriate amplifier. Advertising these as being "usable" without an amp, is disingenuous as it's a seriously sub-par experience and absolutely not how these were intended to be used. Thanks so much for providing your honesty, I couldn't agree more. I think a lot of the negative experiences of these headphones deal directly with the disinformation around this issue. Will these make sound without a decent amp? Yes. Is that how these were designed to be listened to? Absolutely not.
MrNefariousThey're good for me unamped with my Ipod Classic, and PC with a common mid tier on-board sound with boost for headphones etc etc bla bla
Better than other headphones around the $150-350 price range from the few I've tried. They are perfectly acceptable and loud enough and clear at loud volumes, no clipping no farting bass.(Ipod classic is about 55% volume where it's a little too loud for my ears comfort, and PC is 47% with Foobar at 100%)
But with my WooAudio WA6 they sound a lot better of course, a lot better than cans I've tried that cost 2-3x more.
Many will be and are happy using them without an amp but of course an amp will make them shine.
I don't think any mid-fi or hi-fi headphone mentions you need an amp in the description, especially ones that require a lot more power.
E111Fair enough, we've had different experiences and that's fine! Personally I find that the difference between running my HD650's out of my Pixel XL or my custom built PC vs an amp to really be night and day. Even on my high end EVGA custom waterblocked motherboard the sound is really sad compared to a proper dac/amp. I actually like my HD650's a lot LESS than my ath-m50's when un-amped. A headphone that's $300 cheaper. It sounds thinner and weaker in the mid-range than the significantly V-shaped M50's when un-amp'd. Perhaps this is due to the fact I played brass in a symphonic orchestra for years and I'm very attuned to listening to the mid-range, but for me personally I was very unsatisfied in the HD650's without an amp. Good to hear that's not true for everyone though!
PipperDepending on where you sell(not selling online would hurt you most) I can't imagine not being able to sell them for full price or close. Even considering that massdrop is still selling them right now, at least with buying them through you they won't have to wait more than average shipping times.
MrNefariousI think lots of people who joined this drop were not buying HD6XX to listen with their cellphones or computers. It's an open headphone and it's not logical to use it on the go or you can not listen it when you are working with other people around.
Most people who joined this drop already had or now having some kind of DAC / AMP to use with HD6XX. I joined O2 AMP drop just because I had joined HD6XX drop.
May be you are getting almost full capacity from M50 through a cell phone but that will never be a case for HD6XX.
Gsh2000And I am sure many of people did :) And did I regret? Not a single moment. HD6XX is an excellent headphone and O2 is a very good companion surely. I am now looking for a cheap but good desktop DAC for this magical team. Currently I am using Meridian Explorer 2 USB DAC which also makes great job for it's price and size.
Albers89Same as you!! These MassDrop people deliver faster to NZ or Australia for orders placed in October than to Hawaii with orders placed in July... Not exactly what I would say a fair service to Hawaii customers.
I think I will not buy anything here after this really painful experience. All this long wait just to save $106 with respect to the price for the original HD650 in Amazon.
As soon as I get my items I will cancel my MassDrop account. I Don't want to know about these people anymore.
TeslafrontHola! Tu compraste estos audífonos? Si es así, ya te llegaron? yo los compré en Julio, me los enviaron el 30 de Noviembre y aún no me llegan (están "atascados" en Alemania desde el 8 de Diciembre. Saludos!
astrohawiIf you ordered in July and are still waiting then I can understand the frustration. The original expectation was for you to be receiving it about now. Truly free shipping will always be the slowest available. Mine took 9 days from shipping notification to delivery in North Carolina. If you receive yours very soon massdrop will have delivered on their promise. Cutting out the noise of other's experiences is a difficult lesson I had to learn Years ago. Whatever you do don't let the journey hamper the joy you will have listening to these headphones. I hope they put a smile on your face like thousands of others, including myself.
NumberoneqThanks for your kind and encouraging message. If delivered timely, before I move overseas, then I'm pretty sure the amazing experience will make me forget about the excessive delay.
WillHi Will. I think I'm confused about the dates here. I hope you can clarify it. I see that almost 7500 units are sold. If I order one now, will I receive the headphones by late March/early April or will it be later than that?
Thanks :)
WillMy headphones finally reached India though it took a lot of time and money, these are worth every penny. The product is absolutely in pristine condtion, massdrop handling and quality is remarkable !!! Will buy from u guys again. Check my unboxing video below...and i'll also make a comparison between my amiron home home, dt 1990 pro and t1 which is yet to arrive at my place. Thanks
Nick123456Very good video bro! Nice review, contained great information! Btw, may I know how much was the volumetric weight that courier service charged you? 2.5kg?
nsonnsonThe actual weight of the package is 4lbs but due to the overall dimension being much bigger than usual(due to the huge cardboard case) the total weight baded based on dimension comes to 9lbs
HakuyaLooks like it will take exactly one month. Shipped on 07.12, still not received. Its gone from ridiculous and sad to absurd and boring. If it takes longer than 07.01 i feel i will be forced to write some angry emails because of these BS shipping speeds.
Yakovnot yet. Not sure what im gonna ask, why are they so lazy? I dont think theres much that can be done, sure it will be delivered this week, or next week, or the week after lol. One thing is for sure i will avoid DHL in future. If massdrop uses just DHL services, well, i wont buy anything here anymore.
I would understand if the shipment had arrived a week or 2 ago to Europe, but it has been transferred from USA to DE in just one day. And knowing how fast normally shipping is across european countries - more than two weeks from germany is way too long.
LastShothah, i feel ya. Why would they send it to EU anyway, this whole Massdrop shipping does not make sense. So they make the stuff in Ireland, then they send it to US for quality control? Then send back to Europe, then back to SA :d what a mess.
kirbisiI had a similar experience. It took 24 days to get package from Germany to Finland. I tried asking DHL for more information, of course without success. I order a lot of stuff and I have never seen anything like this.
My package finally arrived on Tuesday. Today I received feedback request from Massdrop and I asked them to never ever use DHL again.
RautanenChrist, its exactly as i predicted, it has arrived today at local mail, and guess what, they sent it to custom check or something :D Means im getting it no sooner than monday/tuesday and will most likely have to pay import tax. One word - BS.
kirbisiI knew it would go through customs. I haven't been "lucky" during past few years.
Luckily it was quick to deal with them (online) so that didn't add much delay to the process. But I had to pay 47 euros or something like that IIRC. That wasn't a surprise.
Xpfreakwell, finally after a months wait of shipping i got it, sure had to play vat similar amount as Rautanen.
So in the end this whole thing saved about 80-90 euros, was it worth waiting half a year? hmmmmmmmmmmm.
I dont know about HD650, but as many reviews say the build quality feels cheap, and it really does. I dont get why the old HD555 is made 10 times more comfortable, everything about 6xx except sound feels cheaper than hd555. Ill definitely will have to look for some softer ear cushions and i hope the clamp force will get easier, i can also support all the reviews which say the clamp is too strong.
kirbisi I only find the 555 fairly comfortable for long listening sessions. If the 6xx have a much worse clamping force, I may have to look for a different headphone... Would someone comment on the comfort of the 6xx after wearing for several hours.
architeuthis1842The clamping force is a 20 second fix. Search YouTube a guy did a video how to do it but the long and short of it is to extend the headband as far as it goes then grab *only* the metal part and carefully give it a few strong bends. Do the same for the other side. Don't grab it by the plastic as it can snap off.
exxrYea im doing it already, but i think attempt to do it with hands is risky. I prefer stretching them wide open and put around some box or something. This seem to improve clamp.
architeuthis1842Well for me it was just painful. After about 8 years of using HD555 i think i am qualified to say they do feel way better than 6xx. I did expect some clamp, but did not think it would be this bad.
The clamp on HD555 is also pretty strong, but its earpads are WAY softer and smoother. Feels like different material, i know it has some years of use, but still they are very different. As i read im not only one who thinks 6xx's earpads out of box are very hard and stiff. I hope they will improve in time but as of now compared to HD555 they feel very cheap.
Without any experience i already felt the sound improvement compared to HD555, but the first impression about comfort issues almost ruined the whole experience.
Also i will def. order XLR cable because im constantly hitting max volume on freaking Jotunheim amp.
Chaturangayeah i know its just a technical problem and will go away, what concerns me more are the terrible earpads. I am surprised there arent more people complaining how hard and rough they feel.
NumberoneqYes... absolutely!!!
The incredibly long wait was hard to endure... But after enjoying then a few times in do happy I bought them.
You need to realize I'm going back to Europe in 10 days from now and they only arrived here a few days ago...I was super worried by the time they would get to Hawaii I would have already left... Now I'm only half worried to see if the O2 SDAC all gets in time.
Thanks for asking.
architeuthis1842Several hours? You must be a "brave" soul or have no nerve endings in your ears, the clamping force on these is just horrible! Luckily there are you tube videos on how to lessen the clamping force without breaking the headphones. Dunno about the fidelity being better than the original HD555's 1st audiophile grade Sennies I bought.
XpfreakI also own the OG HD555's and can say that the sound signature on the HD6xx's are night and day difference. I currently own a multitude of head phones and can confidently say that these things are definitely operating on a league of their own when it comes to dynamics.
The challenge is that they require a lot of power to make them come alive.
Runding99Oh, the OG HD555's... that was the one that started me down this rabbit hole nigh on a decade ago.. the HD650 (which the 6xx is) was the first thing to make my wallet cry! 30+ pairs later it's still got tears to shed... hoping the Elex drop scratches the right itch.
KrisBaliHey KrisBali,
I use a Fiio 17k + K5 or X7 Mk ii + K5 combo for the HD6xx's. I'll be honest, the K5 does good with 150mW @ 300ohms but would have liked a little more headroom. The X7 is the heart of my audio setup and the K5 is just too convenient. I'm happy with all things considered.
ElectronicVicesHaha, I hear you loud and clear. My HD555's were also my first major headphone purchase. I remember thinking they produced the most amazing sound. I dig them out from time to time to do a self-check on what i think of their sound signature after the years and still love them. They are still kicking but very worn after many years of use.
KrisBaliHaha, i know it sounds expensive but you do get a lot of bang for the buck. There's a lot of DAPs out there that are so much more expensive. Skies the limit with audio equipment.
FiiO does a great job of making affordable quality equipment and hence why I gravitate towards many of their products.
SnakePlisskenWait for the plane it'll take some time since I think they're main warehouse is in California... Must be your first order here. They call it massdrop because they air drop stuff to the masses.
waremonThe 10000 unit limit wasn’t reached? The last time I checked they were I think 25 units left and over 3 hours left to the drop. Are you sure the last 25 units weren’t sold before the end of the drop?
MrBiggod knows what happened,,,this item cannot be shipped directly to my country,,i have to use an international credit card and a transfer company address,,, i guess that is the reason for order cancellation
waremonyeah,,,,this item cannot be shipped directly to my country,,,i have to use a transfer company address and international credit card,,, do you think that is the case ?
AsimanI'm blown away by how many foreign buyers there are on mass drop. I feel for you guys. I'm assuming it's because these deals are just amazing compared to what you have to pay normally. Or availability issues? The shipping experience seems like it's brutal between delays and customs.
AsimanI'm not sure about international credit card, but I'm using my local one. I'm similar in the way this item cannot be shipped directly to my country, so I had it shipped to the US and forward it back to my country (I guess this is similar to the transfer company address you mentioned?). At this moment, my purchase seems to be going through just fine. Let's see in a couple of days whether the transaction is being charged to my credit card statement or not.
MrBigWell, the only similar option locally to this HD6XX is HD650 which cost nearly $600 (after conversion). Besides, there's not much Sennheiser store, at least in my state. I only ever found one, and even that is pretty new around the block.
waremonSo basically my assessment is accurate. Either way, you have my support and understanding for trying to get the best deal you can facing that kind of pricing domestically.
waremonyes,,,forwarding service exactly,, i tried two different services ,,all failed and got no responses from massdrop, i think my situation is the same as you,, that annoys me a lot, i placed an order and the next day it was cancelled without emailing me about that, then i registered another account and tried another forwarding service,,all failed...what the hell,,,
MrBigseems quite reasonable,,,, no responses from massdrop, maybe i am among the chosen ones they dont wanna sell products to,,,such a great pleasure for me.
Nick123456 The HD 650, , and HD series from sennheiser define "open" headphones. 10 years ago you'd be pressed to even find an average consumer who knew who of Sennheiser - even then being class leading - never overrated ***ahem Bose. But its all good.... for 200 bucks, its a no brainer. Cheers to people who are grabbing these. Easy to drive, and great for gaming - since the sound stage is wide, directional cues are easily placed.
neksYeah, these may be "overrated" in the sense of powerful brand recognition now, but for $200 it's a phenomenal bargain. Most audiophiles agree that these are the gateway phones into sound as a hobby. Anything better than this and you're getting into really expensive territory, and the HD600/HD650/HD6XX (which is essentially a 650) kisses the ceiling of audio quality so closely that you start losing out on bang-for-buck.
Are there better headphones out there? Absolutely. Is this an insane bargain for $200? Absolutely.
I can't wait to game and listen to music with these. I event intend to invest in a Schiit AMP in a bit.
MrBigI own these myself . At or anywhere near $300 usd, these are worth every penny. But due to limited shipping options some ppl are not able to grab it, thats y asked them to check for better alternatives
dnalekawThis seems like a viciously debated topic - but I intend to get an amp anyway so the point is moot personally. Easy to drive or not, it's still 300 imp. Gotta Amp that baby.
MrBigDunno, even with Jotunheim im hitting max volume quite often on low gain. I have also ordered XLR cable because of it. No idea how other guys manage to drive these phones with them tiny amps :p
kirbisiI think a large part of it is subjective hearing and contextual experience. The fact of the matter is, the headphones, on paper, realistically deserve proper amplification. But the subjective nature of hearing - biological, empirical, and even mental really - lends people to feel that they can get away with utilizing the headphones on, say, tablets, phones, and lower-end motherboards with minimal impact.
If anything, that's a testimony to the quality of the headphones that they give that kind of hearing profile even when underpowered, and to the vast spectrum of hearing preferences within a broad sample of users that such an impression could be given on both sides of "the divide" on the issue.
Chaturangayep thats what i heard from reviews, theres way too much distortion with o2, especially on max volume and high gain. Thats why i thought the best for these phones was Jotunheim. Doesnt come cheap but it gets the job done.
kirbisiCome on, please, any amp will distort at max. volume when maximum gain is used and when the input voltage is also maximized. It is true with my O2-SDAC, it is true with my Onkyo TX-8160, it is true with my vintage Harman Kardon PM665 (with its 340w/channel of transient power stereo capability thanks to its high voltage and very high 60 amperes of current capability), it is true of any amp on this planet. Whenever you exceed the specifications of a unit you may get some distorsion. This doesn't mean the amp is bad, it's because its owner is abusing of the amp's capabilities. The O2 will accept/produce a total of a little over 7v of rms voltage, but for example it will obviously distort if you input an analog signal of 2.1 volts (which is the output of your average CD player of outboard DAC) multiplied its high gain factor of 6.5x even at normal levels of volume (on the normal gain version of the O2): 2.1X6.5=>7v= 13.65v. Your Magni3 or Jotunheim may have a little more or a lot more power to offer, but there is a point where you will produce the same kind of distorsion if you abuse of your amp's capabilities. More power does not necessarily translate to better sound after over certain level of adequate powering according to your habits and your headphone's performance/efficiency/usage. The NAD 3020 has been a famous little amp, but generated only 20w per channel (or is it 30w? not sure )of power under 8 ohms and this has not stopped it to being compared to the sound quality of higher powered amps by other well known but average quality manufacturers. Push the 3020 over its limit and you will get ample distorsion for your ears only! By the way I often compare the O2's philosophy and sound/built quality to over average budget quality amps like the NAD 3020. The O2s relative price/performance comparison versus higher priced headphone amps reminds me of some vintage amps manufactured by Bob Carver's Carver Corporation in the seventies and eighties, which succeeded the bets in two distict blind tests of equalling very high end multi-thousand $ products including the famous Mark Levinson's ML-2 amps and the Conrad Johnson's 6000$ Premier Five high end amps using a m1.0t modified Carver amp worth 400$ (and later commercialized for the same 400$ retail price) in a double blind challenge with audio columnists from the Stereophile Magazine, including the well known John Atkinson. Google it "Carver Stereophile Challenge" by yourself. These are examples that more power and more dollars doesn't always translate into higher quality sound. The humble O2 amp may be considered in the same way, all proportions kept into consideration.
PeteMtlOne thing with Carver's amp though, it was a black box which he had to tweak to sound like a $6k setup. So for $400 you get an amp that sounds like a specific $6k one, but it's still just one sound. To your point, you're probably right that expensive isn't the same as better, at least in my experience more money may get you a different sound, whether it's better will be up to the individual's subjective preferences. Everyone's preferences are different, so you'd need Bob to tweak the sound for you. I'm not sure what his hourly rates are, but sometimes it's cheaper and easier just to buy a $x amp that has the sound you want. (Btw, I'm not sure who or what you were responding to, I'm a bit worried about clicking on the "Load 204 More Comments" button).
PeteMtlComing from HD555 to HD6xx was like 2x better performance. Now that i received XLR cable its again 2x performance increase, tbh even feels more than that :D Now theres plenty power for low gain alone.
So say what yall wants, Jotunheim's balanced option simply smokes its smaller brothers without xlr. You missing out a lot of music folks :)
dnalekawWell as many have pointed out it may be subjective thing. Im simply referring to the audible difference. To my inexperienced ears when i first listened to 6xx after years of 555 i heard deeper bass and somewhat more detail. Also i began to understand what does darker or warmer headphone sounds like. Now that i tried it with XLR cable i get even deeper bass, way more detail and for the first time i heard what people mean with wide soundstage. Difference was so big that i noticed it with first soundtrack i played.
Honestly i was expecting just more power from balanced cable as i read for the most part people say it doesnt really add anything to performance, but now i have to disagree, it improves the sound in every way and is absolutely worth the investment. Although i bought 70 dollar cable im not surprised original Sennheiser cable is so expensive. If id have paid 350-400$ for headphones, 550 for the amp then considering the audible improvement 200 for the cable is totally fine.
kirbisiSubjective yes, but our brains also tend to exaggerate. Something that is 10% better, we tend to think it's twice as good. Increased power output from the balanced will help your headphones sound better, as will lower crosstalk.
kirbisi Although i bought 70 dollar cable im not surprised original Sennheiser cable is so expensive. If id have paid 350-400$ for headphones, 550 for the amp then considering the audible improvement 200 for the cable is totally fine.
Worth pointing out here that the original cable for the HD650 is only $10.99 direct from Sennheiser. It's usually out of stock online but I'm near enough to a physical location that I could walk in and get one over a counter.
ZeddyIt's literally the same headphone in a different color. In fact I think the stock HD650's paint looks a lot cheaper than the 6XX. Go to a local audio store and hold a pair, perhaps even bring your 6XX's. They're identical other than color and cable.
MrBigI don't feel like it's subjective at all if you look at the actual impedance of the HD650/HD6XX headphone. Impedance is not a static variable. There is a spike to over 500 ohms at just under 100hz and the impedance is well over 400 ohms throughout most of the low end range as well as in the upper treble region. 500+ ohm resistance in the bass region and no amp? I'm sure that sounds exactly as intended. Probably some of the reason casuals say this headphone "lacks bass".
https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SennheiserHD650.pdf
MrNefariousWell then if I paid full price for the HD650 I'd be disappointed in its build. My budget HE400s feels better built than the HD6XX. But I have to admit, on day two they feel less cheap than yesterday :D And I really love the sound, the comfort is really good, like I mentioned my head is large I was expecting to suffer but they're as comfy as my hifimans. I'm overall happy with the headphone, I will paint it a different color Saturday :)
E111I'm sorry but my bottom line is if something feels better it feels better, shouldn't a higher quality product feel better than a low one? My old beat up m50x feel sturdier than the 6xx. The fork thingies on 6xx that hold cups in place pop out a little evey time I move the cups downward, I have to snap it back in, I don't think a quality headphone should do that
ZeddyI find the 6xx much more comfortable for extended listening than the ATH-50x. Those always hurt my ears after a couple hours.
I also like the lightness of the 6xx.
There is an inner fidelity video where the guy completely takes apart the HD600 and 650. It's a very cleverly designed headphone that can be completely dissassembled. Very cool
ZeddyFeel isn't the same as build quality, far more m50x and ChiFiMan break and they 'feel' heavy/sturdy/solid etc. The 6xx cups are supposed to only bend a few degrees, unless you are trying to remove the cups, they aren't supposed to be able to bend like DJ headphones.
E111No it isn't the same but I like to feel quality and no matter what you say HD6xx/HD650 feel cheap to me(IMO). In terms of sound, ChinaMan 400S lose no question, haven't touched ChiFiMan for days now. I'm not trying to disassemble (yet), I like to touch headphone cups together and adore them, it puts me in a state of euphoria :D I didn't think touching the cups together was beyond the capability of HD6XX/50
edit: spelling
ZeddyI agree. They do feel quite flimsy compared to my M50's. Just got mine and breaking them in now, but the sound signature isn't bad. I think I prefer the 4XX's more, but I'll do a proper A/B test in a week or two.
HawaiiRThey do feel flimsy but I've disassembled my pair 4 times already, nothing broke or felt like it would during disassembly. I believe it's a solid pair
JadMaktabiIt's okay to use the headphones without an amp or a dac you just won't get that good of a sound without an amp since a phone or a laptop can't give them enough power.
Nick123456Hey I live in India too. And I'm thinking about getting a hd 6xx. Can you tell me how much you ended up paying for forwarding and customs fees and exchange fee. I have an account in shop and ship but I don't think they'll undervalue the goods if I ask, did yor forwarder do it if you don't mind me asking. 30% customs is just criminal.
swapnilparmarThrough MyUs . Its pretty good. Though the custom charges will be 45 percent without a single doubt!!! Did you check out Sennheiser HD58 X???
MohammedHarisi told u guys to use 1grandtrunk.com. in a public chat i would never advise something illegal bt since u guys are forcing me so here it is ......have u ever compared electronics stuff on amazon us and amazon.in....everything here is 60-70% more expensive...guess why the magical taxes...grandtrunk will offer u a chance TO LOWER THE INVOICE VALUE TO A REASONABLE POINT INORDER TO LOWER THE CUSTOM DUTIES WHERE U WONT GET CAUGHT( if u r caught by indian customs u have to pay double with the fine)....my overall cost was 16.5k with delivery(got it in 10 days through dtdc) and customs. Dtdc and aramex are the cheapest bt usps is fine bt slightly more expensive. There are some courier companies like dhl and ups where u may have to pay extra custom fees for using that courier only
Thank you all for making the HD6XX a huge success! It’s been great to see comments and reviews of the headphones start to come in as people receive them.
The remainder of outstanding 6XX orders are on track to ship ahead of the mid-december estimated ship date. For the latest status on shipments for the 6xx, check the thread below:
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-sennheiser-hd6xx/talk/1894058
With that understood, we have another exciting update for anyone who missed out on the previous round. We’re pleased to announce the 6XX will be dropping again tomorrow morning. These units are from a different production batch, so they’ll have a later ship date. The good news is, after working closely with Sennheiser over the last few months, we were able to secure a 3 month delivery timeline instead of the 6 months we’ve had to wait historically.
Tomorrow morning at 6am PT, we will relaunch the 6XX drop with 10,000 units available and an estimated ship date of March 28, 2018.
This will not impact the shipping time for previous orders.
Thank you all for being a part of this drop. We’re excited to be able to have even more members get their hands on a HD6XX.
UPDATE 11/30: The 3.5k units from the drop in November are being processed. 6.5k will still be available in this batch through the end of December. Both are expected to ship around the same time, but members from the November drop will be first in line if we have to ship in multiple batches.