I'd love to hear some impressions of Rabbit on the O2 and HD650
Hi Neo. Are you the one?
I kept out of this thread because of the guy who accused me of being a bully after he was annoying a few members. Being one of the mods, I stepped in and tried quite a few times to get through, but in the end, the members are doing a good job themselves and so be it!! I did try to help/warn him.
The comparison with speakers was odd to me but this character seems to want to compare everything with everything which is plain daft. Oh well....
The interesting thing about the HD650 is how they voiced it so that it was supposed to sound 'speaker like'. I think that they have succeeded in doing that since they are possibly the most speaker like headphone I've tried. The thing is - what do we mean by speaker like? In my ears, it's something that doesn't pierce through so maybe not so analytical with a bass that resembles the inevitable wall reflections that you are going to get in a room.
When the 650 came out, I was really interested in how they would do this but putting it bluntly, they raised the bass, so that you get the impression of wall reflections in a room and the treble is pretty laid back as in not analytical sounding.
However, the HD650 retains the 'clarity' and laser vision of a headphone as well, so in my eyes, it's an excellent performer in that respect, although it's not a flat sound. It's tailored for entertainment, which is a good thing in headphones imo.
The sound is quite mid focused with a strong hitting bass and a treble that doesn't 'sound' extended but it actually is. (A few db's less than many other headphones, but it does go up quite high tbh) It's a great headphone to listen loud on with superb driver matching so the stereo image doesn't wander, depending on the frequencies Heard. It stays right in focus which I guess creates a really good image. For me, image is quite difficult on a headphone. It may be my eyes telling me the speakers are right next to my ears and so I can't 'imagine' an image. I really can't .... and I'm a musician so I know where the instruments are in an orchestra for instance. You get left, right and central, fine but I'm not certain about the depth thing that many wax lyrical about on headphones and the 'wide image' that many go on about. To me, it's left, right and centre (mostly) However, some (especially cheaper) headphones, can slightly wander from the centre at different frequencies if you play specific sounds through them in order to check driver matching. The HD 650 is really good in this respect.
In spite of many saying that it's a 'sluggish' headphone, I actually find it a fast headphone. By sluggish, I think some people mean that it doesn't have a toppy sound so they think that it's sluggish. I think that one of its strengths is the way that the bass hits really hard and then very quickly diminishes to let other stuff through.
I tend to use them quite loud so the treble isn't really such an issue for me and I think that they are at their best louder so that the sound really fills out and you become engulfed. Other headphones, I find focus at lower volumes The Senn has a creamy, rich sound which is definitely 'speaker like' in tone, but doesn't produce a speaker image. (That real definite hologram that you get with good speakers)
The weird thing is that I prefer the HD650 coming from an amp at lower output impedance whereas the HD600 I prefer at higher output impedance so NWavGuy would have a right go at me for saying that. He thinks that the output impedance should be as low as possible. IMO, the output impedance DOES have an effect on the headphone sound on some headphones and some positively bloom by doing so. The AKG K701/601 is really helped if it comes from 120 ohms output impedance. It tones the steely edge down a tad.
The HD650 works beautifully when the output impedance is set as close to zero as possible. That's where the O2 helps. The output impedance is very low. That way, the treble isn't curtailed and the bass isn't raised any more than it already is. The HD650 also needs a lot of power to drive it nicely as well imo so once again, the O2 does a good job. With less power, the 650 can be a bit flabby and loses some of it's 'focus' and sharpness. It's quite lively on the O2.
I prefer the HD600 however on the Ember. With the output impedance set at 100 ohms. That gives the impression of slightly more bass weight. Not as much as the HD650 but it helps the headphone. That's one thing that i think NWavguy was wrong about. He insisted that the output impedance should be as low as possible and there was really no discussion about it. I did like what he said though and he was really talking plain language and cut all the nonsense out of headphones and amps, which I really liked. However, I would have liked him to have been just a little bit more flexible - but that's a common EE approach isn't it. (I guess)
O2 and HD650 works well and for a portable setup, where you're not running around streets but say, in a hotel, it's great. My own preference though, is for the HD600 which is a bit lighter in sound and sounds less coloured. It retains the 'speaker sound' quality without the feeling tat your speakers are in the corners of the room.
Even better is the T40 for me. Problem is, for it to sound open, it needs one of Fran's filters which isn't easy for portable. The T40/T50 modified and filtered is spot on in sound for me. It's mellow and doesn't accentuate anything in particular. I guess some might find that dull but I really like it since it's more natural and doesn't make you notice what at first might be impressive (like the HD650 bass) which after a while might get on your nerves.
For me:
HD650 with O2 (which is a lovely amp btw) sounds great.
The HD600 from the Ember at home or from the Fiio Mont Blanc and its added warmth/bass is also really nice.
Ideally, the T40/T50 from a dedicated amp would be even better.
The other thing is that i didn't pay for my headphones. However the price of the HD650 is close to £300 so it is starting to get a little bit expensive. That price level makes me not push it that much since it's no longer as cheap as it was when I got mine. The price has really risen and once you get close to £400, perhaps an ortho (even a cheaper one) is the way to go.
Because of that price, my personal feeling is the the HD600 is a better buy and is actually flatter in response than the HD650, although its treble is a little more 'grainy' than the HD650 which is more refined up there.
O2 is a really nice amp and I still like it a lot. It is pretty neutral sounding - maybe slightly on the more treble orientated side and has a lot of power so it does work well with the HD650 and helps to push the treble through a bit more.
A long reply, but I don't like to make these huge 'sweeping' claims that many seem to make about them. They are a good headphone, although definitely not that neutral. Fantastic bass slam with a refined top end and a very good mid response. Great at volume and to get the best - power is your friend. They seem to clean up a lot on the end of something powerful so although the O2 is portable, it gives something like the power I'd like but the Ember (cos it's plugged in as well) is better imo. (At low output impedance)
There is a market for powerful portable amps to drive bigger headphones if only someone could devise a way of storing enough power. I think the Ember has kind of spoilt me with its massive power output so that many amps feel a bit duff by comparison....