Headphones
Sennheiser HD 600
While the HD650 or HD800 may have superseded it for some listeners, the Sennheiser HD600 remains one of our favorite open-back reference headphones. This full-size can indeed shares many traits with the upscale HD650 and delivers a wonderful silky smooth sound with a 'laid-back' delivery; truly gorgeous for well-produced jazz, classical and acoustic music of all kinds and a great contender for "best balanced bass" in the open category. Connectorized detachable cable makes it easy to upgrade to superb Cardas standard and/or balanced headphone cords!
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Product Features:
- Unbeatable performance at this price. A classic!
- Connectors on each earpiece make cable upgrades a snap.
- Extremely comfortable with replaceable velour ear pads.
- Lightweight aluminum voice coils ensure excellent transient response.
- 2 Year Warranty
What's In The Box:
- 1/4" adaptor
- Storage Box
Applications:
From the day we first heard this headphone, we considered it amongst the world's very best reference cans. Obviously, the new 'flagship' Sennheiser HD800 is the king of the hill, and the Sennheiser HD650, AKG K702, the Denon AH-D7000, and maybe even the beyerdynamic DT880 for some, could be considered stronger headphones for certain tastes. But at a significantly lower price than the HD650 (or HD800!), for truly world-class audio performance it remains a very awesome ''value-loaded'' reference headphone. This is probably a bit more headphone than warranted if only using it with MP3 players, iPhones / iPods, or as a general-use headphone for TV or radio. For those applications you may want to perhaps check out the nicely efficient, lower impedance HD595 model. And for listeners who are die-hard audiophiles and want a headphone for a superior 'reference-grade' high-end system, the HD650 model provides some improvements in subtle ways that can be important for ultra high-performance stereo equipment [read: my CD player costs >$2500].
However, if you've got healthy audio sources or a quality budding audiophile rig, these superb headphones will deliver extremely satisfying musical reproduction featuring a truly expansive dynamic range extension, smooth timbral/tonal detail resolution, and a deeply layered soundstage image, along with huge 'bang-for-the-buck' value in spades. The HD600 sonic signature is an authoritatively full bass response balanced by focused mids and well-rendered but slightly 'laid-back' upper highs; It's perhaps not quite as buttery-sounding as the HD650 BUT with a bit more sonic punch compared to its upscale sophisticated big brother, this may be a marvelous headphone for energetic modern jazz and well-produced rock music. Naturally, at a very stiff 300-ohm impedance rating, a high-quality dedicated headphone amp is demanded for fully maximized audio performance and cleanly transparent musical clarity from the HD600.
Following closely in the same ergonomic design as the now-discontinued HD580 model, the HD600 features the same comfortable velour ear cups and headband pad but also incorporates a carbon fiber headband and bails with sturdier metal mesh grilles. The result is less spurious mechanical vibration in the headphone giving a clearer and slightly more articulate sound. Drivers in these headphones are very finely matched at the Sennheiser factory to ensure reliably well-balanced audio imaging. A nice plus, the HD600 has a handy user-detachable HD600 headphone cable which is an approx 9.5ft long “Y-cord” configuration. It can be quite easily replaced by the owner with a highly-upgraded Cardas Audio aftermarket headphone cord with excellent audio improvement results, especially on reference audiophile sources. A 2-yr manufacturer's product warranty remains standard with all Sennheiser headphones.
Specifications:
- Sensitivity: 102 dB/V
- Cord Type: Straight Y
- Coupler Size: Large
- Warranty: 2 Years
- Microphone: No
- Detachable Cable: Yes
- Cord Length: 10 ft. (3 m)
- Weight: 9.2
- Driver Type: Dynamic
- Connector Type: 1/8" with 1/4" adaptor
- Manufacturer Warranty: 2 Years
- Isolation: 0
- Impedance @ 1kHz: 300
- Ear Coupler Type: Full-Size
- Wireless: No
- Headphone Type: Full Size
- Noise Cancelling: No
- Acoustic Seal: Open
Additional Resources:
- Manufacturer's Website
- http://www.sennheiserusa.com/
- Product Manuals
- HD 600 Manual
- Product Reviews
- Soundstage! John Potis January 2003
- On Hifi Wes Phillips October 2001
- Hardware Pacers Oct. 2004
- Customer Comments
- HardWareGeeks HD600 and micro amp review
- Audioholics Gene DellaSala, Mar 07
Average Rating
Posted by milleman from burlington,vt on 2010-07-18
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: true neutral freq balance, no weak points
Cons: supplied cable terrible, needs a great amp
I spent many hours several times trying to discern if the HD650s are any better, the answer is no. The 650s have an intentionally different frequency balance that gives more low bass at the expense of a boomy mid-bass and a recessed midrange that loses all the snap crackle and pop of real music in the presence region. This may work well with inexpensive amps and bass-head, but with a good front end the HD600s are the more accurate without giving up any other qualities to the 650s.
I've had mine for a decade now and feel they give overall more balanced performance than Grado 325i, AKG K701, Beyer-Dynamic DT880, HD650, Stax SR4, and any others I can't remember right now. I haven't directly compared the latest crop of $1000+ headphones, but the HD800s sounded like a notable step up, even discounting the wide soundstage tricks.
As has been said about the 650s, other headphones may excel in a couple areas, but the HD600 remains nearly perfectly balanced and seamless in all elements of sonics and make for a relaxed listen for the long-term (10 hours or 10 years). And with a good cord and amp, present a more neutral frequency balance than the 650s.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Posted by pocketchange from Texas on 2010-05-29
Recommend Product: No
Pros: Eveything anyone with a head needs in headphones
Cons: NONE
I listen to my HD 600's through a Sonic Frontiers Line3 or a Sunfire PreAmp (in summer). Both do an excellent job getting whatever source I've decided to
listen to up to speed (SFCD1, TD124, Tascam 42B or 44B or Mc MR 77).
Other sources are available in my collection but I stick to the two because they simply do the best job of allowing the HD 600's to do their thing.
To date; I have yet to listen to a better sounding, more comfortable set of cans.
Also consider: replacement parts availability or better cables (if you care to try them).
1 out of 1 people found this review unhelpful. Did you?
Posted by Homeros8000 from San Jose, CA on 2010-05-02
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Great Value, Good Bass, Comfortable
Cons: Non
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you?
