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Massdrop x Sennheiser HD6XX US$195 + US$15 Shipping (~A$285.24 total) @ Drop

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The legendary headphone for vocal timbre that still holds its own against $1000+ headphones in that regard while offering great detail and resolving ability, especially in its price point. Slightly warm sound that trades some of that warmth for a more relaxed treble as the pads break in.

You will need an amp to get the most out of it, and the better the amp, the better this sounds because of how low distortion this is overall for a dynamic driver headphone, with only old school AKG open backs besting it's distortion characteristics around this price point, but they trade a lot of timbre and tonality for imaging and soundstage width.

If you're trying to keep things to a reasonable budget, this is the headphone to start with for at-home listening, unless you're very serious about competitive gaming, and it's probably a headphone you'll use for 10-15 years until headphone technology takes a serious leap.

Cheapest it's been since January 2020, with the all-time low being $269 delivered. US$10 off for new accounts.

Don't get sucked into buying extra pads, they are not the stock (HD 650) pads.

Enjoy!

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  • +2

    Recommendations for Amps please?

    • Portable or desktop?

    • Bottlehead Crack

      • +2

        $600+ later

      • +3

        actually had a bottle head crack with speedball upgrade and assembled it myself
        It was good but to be honest quite underwhelming for how much it costs

    • +7

      Assuming you already have a DAC to go with that, the Schiit Magni 3+ is a solid option at $180ish direct from Schiit in the USA, or about $220 locally.

      Another option is Drop + THX AAA One for US$215 delivered, which would be a notable step up in quality. If you go that route, buy them together because the Drop bonus points from the first purchase won't offset the additional delivery cost.

      From there, you're either experimenting with tubes, or playing in price ranges where you'd want more high-end headphones to justify the performance delta. There are a lot of amps out there that have been designed for, or are famous for pairing with the HD 650/6XX.

      • +1

        +1 for Schiit

        I just got the Magni Modi stack, they're great.

        • +2

          Been wanting a Schiit stack for a while now. Next purchase!

          • @Munki: They've been having some production and supply issues recently, but mine arrived within a couple of weeks.

            Just check the delivery estimates because it's very product specific. Some had lead times of about 18 weeks.

      • Thanks for the recommendation. Would you say the FiiO E10K, which I already have from another deal, is not good enough for the HD6XX?

        • +1

          I use my 6xxs with an E10k and there's definitely enough power in it to drive the headphones! Haven't been able to complain about the audio quality, but I'm probably not the most experienced audiophile out there.

        • Could always spring for the k3 and get the balanced 2.5mm cable with the 6xx when you place your order alternatively. Using the balanced port should help you get some extra power to the cans

    • +10

      If you plan on using these with a laptop or your mobile phone, I've been pleasantly surprised with how well these USB-C DAC/Amp dongles drive headphones. From what I've tried, the Meizu Hifi Dongle has been the best balance between portability and performance. If you want something wireless, check out the Fiio BTR5, the Shanling Up series or the Qudelix 5k.

      For budget DAC/AMPs, consider the O2 series, JDS Labs and Schiit.

      For a full desktop DAC/AMP that can also drive passive speakers, consider the Loxjie A30 or the Topping MX-3.

      • +1

        would dragonfly black be OK?

        • +6

          Dragonflies actually offer very poor value in the current market - but if you have one already, it should be able to drive these just fine :)

          • @poppingtags: I agree about the poor value.

            I have a DragonFly Cobalt, which I am listening to now as I type this response, and they don’t drive the 6XX well.

            Not loud enough.

          • @poppingtags: got the dragon fly few years ago. But even then in retrospect may not have been the best value.

    • +1

      You need tube amps. More tubes more nice

    • +1

      Schiit Vali 2+

      • Got one - loving it!

    • +2

      ifi Hip Dac is a solid choice if you want something portable.

      You don't need to spend a fortune on amps any more to get great performance out of the HD6xx

      • The Hip Dac is great.

        I have a AudioQuest Dragon Fly that I used to use with a Topping head phone amp which also sounds great but is 2 devices you need to cart around .
        The Hip Dac has a good dac with an amp in the same package and it will drive these cans great I have the same pair.

        Also that is a great price for some really good head phones paid much more for my ones a year or so ago.

    • I use this with my HD-6XXs:

      https://drop.com/buy/dark-voice-366se/details

      Sounds unreal.

      • But the one from Drop is 110V right, so will not work here in Oz?

        • It says Power supply: 110 V or 220~240 V on the website, I think they just send the right voltage for our region, or maybe it's actually 110-240V. There's nothing on my actual amp to indicate either way.

          • +1

            @AusGeno: In the Overview it says "Note: All units come with a 110 V power supply."

    • +1

      Topping A50

    • 5.3KG class A/B Emotiva BasX A-100.

    • Audient ID14 MKII or ID4 MKII if you also want a great sounding audio interface comparable to units in the $1k price range, they have a great headphone amp. Just make sure you have a USB 3.1 (C Type) port on your motherboard as it requires the extra power to drive them properly.

    • I use the Schiit Jotunheim with balanced AK4490 DAC (purchased used).
      HD 6xx with a balanced XLR cable.
      Been running it since 2018, still runs perfect till this day.
      If you can find a second, or even first gen used for a killer deal I would highly recommend.

      If not, I heard great things about the magni/modi stack.

    • I desperately want the JDS Labs Element 2 but it's too pricey to buy locally, shipping is expensive from the US and the AUD is shit. Just waiting for a decent deal on it

    • I got the new topping EX5. $460 delivered from amazon. An absolutely awesome little unit. AMP/DAC combo with preouts for powered speakers, remote, bluetooth and plenty of power. Listening to my HD6XXs now via them. The sound is fantastic. Upgraded from a BTR5 (and then a fiio K5 pro).

      https://www.amazon.com.au/Topping-ES9038Q2M-Bluetooth-Headph…

    • +1

      Chord Mojo :)

    • TOPPING E50 DAC + L50 Headphone Amplifier + Audio Cable Combo $683.10 - $736.60 (depending on cable option)
      https://shenzhenaudio.com/collections/all/products/topping-e…

      Reviews:

      Topping E50 DAC
      https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/t…

      Topping L50 Headphone Amplifier:
      https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/t…

    • +2

      iFi Audio Zen DAC v2 dac amp combo - haven't tried this myself but BadseedTech made a video gushing about it recently for entry level (around AUD $220)

  • +2

    Not a recommendation. But if you bundle the drop O2 amp there is another $10 off. So $195 (6XX) + $85 (O2 amp) + $20 postage = $300 US ~$408 AU

  • +3

    Don't forget to register a new account for extra $10 off!

    • +2

      Update: Paid via Commonwealth about $273 with the extra $10 off

    • Do we need to enter a code or something? Just signed up, but didnot see $10off applied at checkout.

      • sign up in incognito mode if you already have an account, check your email and press on the link. The headset should be displayed as $185 if you add it to cart.

    • +1

      Better yet, use the referral codes on here under the post to give $10 a fellow shopper too!

  • +1

    Would this be classed as "budget audiophile" headphones? Would this compare with nc700 or airpods max or are they only supposed to be used for high fidelity sound files?

    • +14

      Airpods Max is not something that can be brought out on the audiophile table. This is as good as it gets for a $200 dollar audiophile headphone.

      • +7

        There are a few starting to punch around in this price bracket now, but this definitely stands out for a relaxed listen that most will enjoy. It's the vocal timbre that really sets it apart.

        The others are the Sennheiser HD 560S, the HIFIMAN HE400SE Stealth Magnet Edition, and the Audio Technica ATH-R70X.

        • +1

          Didn't realize you were OP haha, much appreciated the post. Been sitting on the HD6XX for a while. Sadly, Addicted to Audio no longer sell them

          • +1

            @RobBoss: Given you made use of the new user discount, this is extremely close to the all-time low, but obviously you're not getting that local warranty support.

            These are very well built though, so if you're not getting any issues out of the box (where Drop should pay for the return), you're not going to see issues for 15-20 years. Just remember to grab official HD 650 pads every 3-4 years to freshen the sound up.

            • @jasswolf: Yeah it's hard to fault sennheisers quality control. Purchased many of their headphones over the years and never had any issues.

              Hope it stays the same with their new Korean owners.

        • @jasswolf The Hifiman HE400SE are currently $219 on Amazon. Interested in your opinion in comparing these to the HD6XX.

    • Yeah, it's arguably the most economical "audiophile" headphone.
      Airpods max, NC700 are at least twice the price of this headphone

    • +8

      ANC headphones are closed back for a start, which reduces soundstage (perceived 3D audio space), hurt timbre, and can hurt imaging.

      In addition to this, the bluetooth and ANC nature of these products also diminishes sound quality and tonality quite substantially, as they have an emphasis on being able to cancel a lot of the outside noise in the 20-1000Hz range.

      If you want portable headphones alongside these that have ANC, then my only recommendation at the moment is get the AKG N700NC M2 for $100-$120. Towards the end of the year we should start seeing Bluetooth products with LC3Plus to improve their audio quality, but it's been very slow going and I don't see it closing the gap enough to avoid getting a 6XX for home listening.

      Another portable option is IEMs, where you can get fantastic sound quality at $100-$120 and passive noice cancellation equal to ANC headphones when fitted. Check out the Etymotic ER2XR on Amazon for flange tip design that should work for most ears, or the Moondrop Aria or Moondrop Starfield on AliE for a warmer, more pleasant tonality at the expense of some fitment issues. IEM tips can be a tricky game because of unique ear anatomy, but there tends to be a solution for the vast majority of people if you can demo (or contact an audiologist).

    • These are THE budget audiophile headphones.

    • I have both these and the nc700 and the bose blows them out of the water

  • +2

    https://jdslabs.com/product/atom-amp/

    simple (cheap), but great amp for the money.

    • +1

      I find mine has too sharp an edge to it that shows up as sibilance on a lot of my gear, which is a common problem with that kind of op-amp implementation.

      Measures clean in simple terms, but measurements aren't everything with today's techniques, particularly from reviewers. I recommend the Schiit Magni 3+ at the same price point for a cleaner presentation with slightly more of a dynamic kick in the bass.

  • +2

    I've tried a lot of headphones - if I don't care about sound leakage due to the open back design, they're by far my favourite.

  • Any amp that I can purchase locally?
    Also, what would be considered as an upgrade from the HD6xx?
    Cheers

    • +1

      and upgrade would be somewhere around the $500 range such as the Sundara

      • Sundara with the new pads is a great - if drier - tonality with a more forward (but largely neutral) treble, but you do lose out with vocal timbre, and there can be a little grainyness in the mids as a result on some tracks.

        What you do get is more detail and more resolution, absolutely, but you have to be a fan of that drop in timbre quality. The speed of the driver has its positives and negatives, and they have to be weighed up.

        What's starting to hit the market at the high-end is ribbon headphones, but they are starting out at prices that suggest we'll soon see mid-fi options. The only downside with the tech is that they suck a decent amount of power, and basically use speaker amps.

        Angled ribbon drivers will probably be headphone end game until we start getting really fancy stuff like MEMS, or MEMS-drive metamaterials.

    • +1

      Schiit Magni 3+ is $220 locally, but again, you need a DAC to go with it.

      • My suggestion if you like to tinker is the kahad tone board from digikeys, runs you about $140, and then add an acrylic case from aliexpress for $17 or so. Runs an ess sabre 9038 dac which is very clean. And punches well above it's $157 price

        • +1

          My two issues with that are that during AliE sales you can probably get the Tone Board (now technically the Tone:1) for $100 after coupons and cashbacks, and the ESS hump that may be adding a little etch/sharpness to your chain, though the 6XX would be a good candidate for masking that.

          I have a Tone Board + Atom combo, and while they are overall very neutral, they do seem to add a little too much analytical sharpness, particularly on female vocals. Something's up in the 2-4kHz range with the combo.

          Tone Board + Magni 3+ should be fantastic value, but yeah buyer beware if you're especially sensitive there.

          • @jasswolf: Tone board + mangi 3+ is exactly what i run, until my mt-602 arrives

  • +1

    Sound pleb question: Would this be an improvement if I really only listen on Spotify through Sennheiser momentums?

    • +3

      What kind of music and what Momentum model? That branding covers on-ear, over-ear and in-ear options.

    • +3

      Massive improvement. But you need a DAC/AMP to drive these and get good sound. Check the suggestions above. I am driving these with Schiit Magni3+/Modi combo and love it.
      Spotify high quality is good enough for 95% of people out there in terms of quality and half the people claiming they can hear the difference between FLAC and HQ Spotify are deluding themselves.

      • +2

        The most notable problem with Spotify compression is that it can completely compress dynamic range compared to the original master, which you do start to notice more and more with better headphones and with outside experience of the music you're listening to. Here's hoping Spotify HIFI fixes this.

        Outside of that, there are subtle detail losses and fractures that can occur at various bitrates and bit-depth choices. Ideally you want 24-bit audio that's otherwise at least at CD quality, but the impact of falling short of this mark varies from track to track, and of course gear is a factor in hearing the difference.

        • -2

          Very true and also depends heavily on the genre of music you listen to. If it's pop music than Spotify is all you need as the saying goes garbage in garbage out.

          But if your into real music created by real musicians than Spotify is not what you will use.

    • two totally different headphones and market segments they are designed for
      momentums are closed back casual and v tuned sound signature for you to use everywhere and works as intended from your phone.
      hd6xx are flat sounding open back headphones which are only suitable for home use in a quiet environment and your need a decent amp to get it sounding as intended by the manufacturer.

      you really should go for a test listen before buying these. one of those sound signatures, you either love it or hate it. People who are bass heads or thinks bass is what makes a good pair of headphones/speakers sound good should stay clear of most audiophile gear as bass is never emphasised.

      minidisc.com.au and addicted to audio both has the hd650 available for testing and that is almost identical to the hd6xx. something you can test out once we are out of lockdowns.

    • Don't do it. I have owned both and have sold the 6XX (the good thing is that they hold their resale value well). I have run the 6XX via an LG V-series head phone, as well as an audiophile DAC / pre-amp combo.

      This will be heresy to some on here, but I much prefer the insanely fun signature of the Momentum 3 personally (listening to Tidal Hi-Fi using Aptx / AptxHD) - they're actually my fafourite BT headphone ever, having spent thusands on wireless cans over the years, including Bang & Olufsen, Bowers & Wilkins, Sony et al.

      Surprisingly, the closed-back Momentums actually sound much closer to my Focal Elear (not a neutural headphone by any means), that I have plugged into the XLR input of the very exotic Auralic Gemini 2000 DAC / pre-amp. So much so, that I haven't been listening to my Elears since getting the Momentums, as you can't beat the utility of not having to be chained to your desk as well as taking calls and listening to podcasts with the same device etc.

  • +3

    Thanks for the post, just purchased!

    This may be a good option for an amp/dac combo for some:
    https://addictedtoaudio.com.au/products/ifi-audio-zen-dac-v2…

    Seems they are out of stock till mid September though.

    • +2

      zen dac v2 is great value however really require a balanced cable ($$) to get the most out of them

      Other bang for buck option is the schitt stack (magni heresy + modi) for around $250 delivered
      https://www.schiit.com/products/magni-1

      • Assuming $250 USD? was this via the Schiit site?

        The schiit site seem to only have the modi3+ available with a US power plug at the moment. Looks like it's just microUSB powered going off the pictures and specs, would you happen to know what spec USB wallwart would be required to power these?

        While I'd love to support local stores at $440AUD delivered total from a2a versus the $250USD equates to about $340/350AUD I'll probably order from the schiit site.

        • @Peetah Don't worry about the US power plug the Modi ships with. It will work powered just from your USB source (PC) or if you want to use Optical/Coax input, any 5v USB power adapter will do. If you order the Multibit version, it does ship with a PSU so choose the AU plug. Don't forget the Modi is just a DAC so you will need an Amp as well eg: Magni 3+. Rgds.

          • @Fullbrewz: Thanks for confirming I'll be all good on the power front. Yeah ordered the Schiit Stack - Magni Heresy + modi3 though not sure if maybe I should have gone for the Magni3+ instead? Don't really know the difference between the two… Probably should have done more research before jumping in.

            • @peetah: No probs :). I wouldn't overthink it, as far as bang for buck goes its win win with either of the 2. In saying that, if it's playing on your mind I'm sure if you were to email Schiit requesting an amendment to your order they'd do their best to help you out. Cheers

            • @peetah: AFAIK, the two amps (Heresy/Magni) should sound the same, just different underlying tech. Apparently the Heresy runs somewhat cooler than the Magni.

    • +1

      This is probably the best value for money dac/amp you can buy. It has all the features most people would need, plenty of power, with two balanced outputs and a variable/fixed switch to boot.

  • How do these compare to Phillips Fidelio X1? Ive had these headphones for ages and not sure of an upgrade is worth it (sound newb )

    Use case is mostly gaming

    • Philips open backs are designed for bass rumble, soundstage and maybe a smidge of imaging. The way they accomplish this tends to diminish audio quality and add a lot of issues in the lower treble.

      You're trading out its strengths to a degree for vocal quality, and overall detail level. For casual gaming, you'll be very happy, but you might get picky about how 3D audio gets presented. I think it's well and truly an upgrade overall, but there may be better (though more expensive) options if you want more bass authority, despite the improved bass texture you'd experience.

      From a competitive gaming perspective, a better option for you around these price points may be the Audio Technica ATH-R70X (siimilar tonality, better imaging and soundstage, less detail and worse vocal timbre than 6XX), and the Sennheiser HD 560S (more neutral tonality, more bass and treble extension, imaging and soundstage than 6XX, slight treble issues at 3-5kHz, timbre and detail take a hit).

      I would recommend maybe just demoing some gear before committing to anything. This price should come around again in a couple of months.

    • +1

      I've owned both, X1 is better for gaming, bigger sound stage. X6xx has as slightly better detail, nothing you'll really pick up in the middle of a game tho to be honest. X1 has much better bass rumble. I'd suggest just stick with what you have for gaming.

  • +9

    If you are on a budget, I would recommend the Fidelio X2 and call it a day. Don't need to spend extra on an amp aswell given the low impedance.

    Still going for a good price an Amazon.

    • If you are avoiding an amp I'd strongly recommend the Sennheiser HD 560S over the Fidelio range.

      The only place that thing gets recommended is gaming-related discussions, circa 2018.

      • Each to their own. The Sennheiser's never worked for my ears.

        Recommended mainly in gaming related discussions ? You will find the X2 gets a good wrap in many non gaming headphone/audio forums. The X3 not as much.

      • +1

        Big difference in prices currently

      • I have both, Fidelio X2 is very comfortable and great with bass, but my 560s is jack of all trades, 6xx does not do it for me, I prefer 560s to my Focal Clear as well, maybe I am weird, but 560s is such an all rounded one…

        • If you want a fairly neutral tonality with solid timbre, staging and imaging, the HD 560S is a great choice.

    • +2

      Thanks, this is the answer I was looking for. Pretty happy with my x2's. Just wanted to know if I was missing out

    • -1

      Here is the amazon link for the lazy - https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01N5VHLUG

      $167

  • +2

    These are great headphones but I wouldn't support drop. My last two group buys had way too many issues

    • +2

      Feeling that way about my recent Beyerdynamic 177X headphones. But i have to admit that the HD 6XX's are remarkable headphones

    • +1

      what sort of issues have you been experiencing? Have got a preorder group buy with them atm!

      • First was holy pandas they changed the material they were made from and didn't tell anyone
        Second was keycaps that were supposed to ship last year in October and they kept pushing the ship date with barely any communication. Finally received them last week

        • +1

          The Off-White style "Plastic" keycaps by Buger/MelGeek??
          That was a shit show…

          • +1

            @thispasito: Nah Blue samurai's was tempted to cancel so many times but worth the wait.
            What happened with them?

            • +2

              @iTzTeFish: Massdrop really started to "drop" the ball around the same time they changed their name to Drop. So disappointing.

              • -2

                @thispasito: drop =/= massdrop. That ship has sailed. It used to be a community of group buys and now it's just a hipster way to waste money.

                • @tromboc: Just another marketplace

                • @tromboc: They've had to consolidate and be a lot more conservative with their projects recently because of covid, and when you combine that with the sheer volume of people demanding things, you get some bad projects.

                  They're trying to be a bit more expansive with their R&D, but they're failing lately. The Pandas and the HD8XX look like outright failures.

                  Their fundamental stuff remains great, but stock availability is low or on pause a lot of the time.

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