Ok its a headphone kinda morning. The Mojo is fired up and ready. Round one of elimination:
First up is the Sennheiser HD 600
First 10 seconds impression - These are nice. I like these more than any other headphones I have tested besides the Grados. Detailed and open. Spacious. Immediately has me wonder how the 700s are. I gotta move fast this morning. I have another 30 minutes to declare a winner's circle and then hone down. These pass. Head clamp a little tight.
OK the HD 650s are next.
These sound a bit throatier. The bottom end is much heavier. I like it. If the HD 600s are the kinda wirey, fit, fireman these are one step burlier. Sennheiser is gonna make this difficult I think. Enough has been written about these that I don't have to say too much. If I am honest the highs seem to have been sacrificed a bit for the lows on this model. I don't get the reach and extension on the guitars that I had just a second ago. I don't think I would keep these. Totally acceptable but not exciting in any way to me. Also a bit of a tight fit.
Now the 660s
Pronounced, broader range immediately apparent from the start. Seems like the high end is back and the bass is there this time. These sound really good. I think I am a bit used to the high highs on the Grados so I have some bias. These sound great and are def the best Sennheisers Ive tried. There's just enough fun in here. Alicia Keys sounds great on these too, wow. I can't quite trace the walk of the bass line on Beyonce's All Night. I really like that part. Its there but its not quite as distinctive. I can really hear it on the Grados. Ok, either way these sound great.
HIFIMAN Sundara
Build quality less than the Sennheisers but comfy and light. A worthy applicant but the sound is a little hollow and feels just like the plastic - a little light and a little frail. They sound good but Id take the Grados or Sennheisers. No drama on Midnight From the Inside Out which is too bad because the song is dramatic. Not a bad headphone just not a particularly exciting one for me.
Grado PS500e
OK save me. Pressing play and... Maybe its because they'r brand new or maybe the Grado bubble has been pierced but these sound a bit glimmery with the contrast to the Sennheisers. Ill need to compare to the 325e. I am gonna hold on these for now and go to...
Sennheiser HD 700
They are less geeky looking in person than online. Ok upon 10 seconds of listening honestly my least favorite of all the Sennheisers. They feel kind distant and shallow. I am a bit shocked. Not at all what I was expecting. How could anybody think these sounded better than the others... I am confused. Trying it with the DACport HD. Similar. No chance I will own these. The presence and immediacy I heard in the 600 series is completely gone. Not sure what the deal is but these are losers. I need some reality so a quick google search for "HD 700 suck" comes up with
https://headfonics.com/2012/09/sennheiser-hd700-its-a-tough-market/
" Let go straight to the nitty gritty of my split personality when it comes to the HD700. If you scan the net right now you are going to come across a few camps of thought. Those that possess the frequency charts will tell you that the HD700 is a basket case of a frequency curve with a smooth bass, sucked out mids and a jack rabbit of a treble line that doesn’t know the meaning of peace and quiet. Most are not complimentary and to be honest when you look at it you have to agree. It is an ugly line no doubt about it."
I don't know what all the curves and stuff mean exactly but "sucked out mids" is exactly what I just heard. It seems Grado is not the only company with sycophantic fanboys.
Just threw the
Grado 325e's back on.
I am not insane. These sound fantastic. Knee slapping ho down fantastic. I go another round with the Sennheisers and the PS500e's it seems. The other Beyerdynamics come today but I am guessing they'll turn around pretty fast.
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OK direct head to head between the 325e and the PS500e -
They both sound freaking awesome and the PS500e definitely has the increased bass extension reported by most reviews. I find it to be a distinctive step up from the 325e. Beyonce's All Night bass line walk is back and its more filled in on the PS500e. On the 325e it now sounds a bit too high register. I almost said to myself that it didnt sound quite.. bright enough and was almost muddy on the PS500e but thats not it, it just sounds like how bass is supposed to sound. I think I will need to buy it if I end up going the Grado route. I gotta go back to the Sennheisers and see what we got cooking.