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Massdrop x Sennheiser HD 6XX Open Back Headphone US$218.90 Delivered (~A$323.42 Delivered) @ Drop

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Massdrop x Sennheiser HD 6XX Open Back Headphone US$218.90 Delivered (~A$323.42 Delivered) @ Drop
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jasswolf on 12/06/2023 - 18:47 drop.com (2030 clicks)
Last edited 12/06/2023 - 18:51
AUSHIPPING

The legendary headphone for vocal timbre, lots of info and reviews in previous deal posts, still holds its own if you want to try mid-fi and aren't concerned with super tight imaging. Don't get sucked into buying extra pads, they are not the stock (HD 650) pads, and not worth your money.

The code is for free delivery on any order over $50 USD (5 item max, expires end of 12th June US Pacific Time), but this is the only thing worth getting unless you're going to grab a bunch of Koss on-ears.

Based on the last free shipping code don't expect this to work with the $10 welcome credit, but see how you go. Enjoy!

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      • rosebank on 12/06/2023 - 20:27

        I have the OG 580s and prefer them over these

        • jasswolf on 12/06/2023 - 20:42

          The OG 580s have a lot more in common with the 600 and 650 than the 58X.

          • rosebank on 12/06/2023 - 20:46

            @jasswolf: Cool, didn't know that, just thought the 58X would be similar to 580s. I pretty much stopped buying anything from Drop after the rebrand and their focus on keycaps

    • krammis76 on 12/06/2023 - 22:52

      I can't talk about the 6xx but i had a pair of HD58x's and was using a dragonfly red amp to power them and absolutely did not like them at all. I found them super boring to listen to. I'm definitely no audio expert. But i did end up buying a set of HD560s's and love them so much. Audio is so personal and what someone loves there's people that hate the same thing.

  • Tight Tim on 12/06/2023 - 20:23
    +1

    Audiophiles - is it worth getting these at such a great discount instead of paying RRP for HD 600/650s?

    • jasswolf on 12/06/2023 - 20:25
      +4

      It's the 650 in a resin shell, with a slight increase in distortion measurements (sub-audible). 600 is less mellow, arguably too harsh in the pinna gain area around 3kHz.

    • rosebank on 12/06/2023 - 20:26
      +2

      Not an audiophile, but if you insist on gettiing 600 or 650s, get these.

    • TrulyUnicorn on 12/06/2023 - 20:28
      +2

      Sound-quality wise these are nearly identical to the HD 650s. I don't believe the 600's are worth the extra money for the marginally better sound quality.

    • Pacify on 12/06/2023 - 20:48

      600s are nicer, but the price difference is pretty nuts

    • Tight Tim on 12/06/2023 - 20:57
      +1

      Thanks all - got a pair. Seems like a fantastic price.

    • mudvin on 13/06/2023 - 07:45
      +1

      Definitely

      For a lot of people your headphone journey ends here (I know mine did)

      6xx and 650 sound the same, the 650 looks a lot better (case is prepped and painted black, vs raw mold in blue on the 6xx), I like the sound so much I have no desire to chase better sound, this is good enough for life.

      I also got the 600, and it does sound better in certain songs, but also costs more and I still tend to use the 6xx more, also factor in the cost of buying a 650 headband the 600 one is horrible), thus questionable value if you have 650's, but I still wanted a set).

      So in that way, great value … (But now I spend a fortune on hifi amps and speakers … .)

  • Misaki on 12/06/2023 - 20:58

    Decent pair of headphones, also got the 58X. Different flavours, one is for fun (58X slightly more bass and is noticeable) and the 6xx is the more detailed overall.

    Off Topic, Hey Jasswolf.

    I'm not sure if you saw the Sennheiser HD800's at $1784, been there for the last month or so. Would it be worth in your opinion to buy for that price?

    Currently running a Schiit Modi 3e and Magni, plan on upgrading the amp to the magnius in future.

    • jasswolf on 12/06/2023 - 21:53
      +2

      You'd want a bit more happening with the rest of your stack, but the 800s is only a deal for me below $1500, and even then you definitely want to demo them to make sure it's for your use case.

      You've got a lot of emerging options right now, such as the HIFIMAN Edition XS, the Ananda Nano, Mr Anan's Nan-7, and there's an upcoming Drop collaboration with Axel Grell - the guy who made all the headphone designs you're nominating - where they're trying to make an affordable headphone with speaker-like imaging. Prototype demos suggested they nailed the imaging experience and staging, but detail suffered in that early build and tuning.

      That'll apparently be called the OAE/1, and there'll be more info later - and if it's a viable product, a release - this year.

    • cille745 on 13/06/2023 - 08:45

      Not with the Arya Stealths currently at the sun $1500 price

    • rumblytangara on 13/06/2023 - 10:45
      +1

      Not sure if you are talking about the 800 (which I thought was out of production) or the 800 S I had a pair of 800 S. Sold it again, it was good, but to me not worth the increment over my other headphones (including the two you already mention).

      Extremely detailed, but I didn't really like the treble response on the 800 S. I tried a mix of upstream hardware on it, some was noticeably better than others, but ultimately not really worth the cost as I don't spend hours every day focusing purely on music at the exclusion of anything else.

      • Misaki on 13/06/2023 - 20:01

        Yes the HD800S, totally missed that. Am running the Ananda Stealth currently, just wanted an opinion on the price.

        Demoing the HD800S was an experience of "I don't think headphones could get any better for the price point". Until I listened through it.

        Edit: added stealth edition

  • Kjookk on 12/06/2023 - 21:00
    +1

    How does this compare to HE-500?

    • jasswolf on 12/06/2023 - 21:54
      +1

      You're good with what you have, more trade-offs than gains.

    • jalwa on 13/06/2023 - 09:14
      +1

      I have both. Would consider these more comfortable since they are lighter. Nothing to choose in terms of audio quality. Slightly different sound signature.

  • AusDaniel on 12/06/2023 - 21:30

    Ive heard these aren't quite the greatest for metal. I have a pair of Close Backed DT 700 Pro X's. Apart from being open-backed, how would these compare?

    • jasswolf on 12/06/2023 - 21:55
      +1

      More mellow treble, much more detail, less bass extension. You'd probably be right for metal, but it's a really good standard to keep in a collection.

  • Shas Okar on 12/06/2023 - 22:17

    Currently have some DT1990 Pros with A pads.
    These worth considering?

    • jasswolf on 12/06/2023 - 22:22
      +1

      As a technical upgrade? No. Tonally they are much better and potentially worth adding to a headphone collection.

      Some good value buys that might be an upgrade for you are the HIFIMAN Ananda Nano, and Mr Anan's Nan-7.

      • Shas Okar on 12/06/2023 - 23:13

        Cheers, my guess was that it would be similar technically but it’s be much more neutral compared to the Beyer’s mids.

        Was considering these since they’re a decent deal, but might just wait for a worthwhile deal for something else. Eg. Edition XS, Ananda Nano, Sundara (if there’s a good enough deal)

        • jasswolf on 12/06/2023 - 23:34
          +1

          I'd skip the Sundara, and definitely test the Ananda Nano to see if you like the tonality of it, as there's a lot happening from the mid-treble onwards.

          • Shas Okar on 12/06/2023 - 23:55

            @jasswolf: Thanks again, appreciate the suggestions.

            Any thoughts on the XS?

            • jasswolf on 13/06/2023 - 00:00

              @Shas Okar: I own it, it's affordable out of China via AliE on sale, and I think it's great despite some spikes around 12kHz (result of the current Stealth magnet implementation).

              Images excellently for a planar headphone in this price range, has excellent timbre for a planar, and has some tasteful changes from neutral to give things a mostly natural tone. Notable dip in the upper mids as per HIFIMAN sound, but doesn't usually stand out in most music.

              Very solid all-rounder with outstanding technical performance for the price, though the technical leap on the Ananda Nano is apparently substantial despite the uptick from the mid-treble upwards, and may turn out to be only a slight higher outlay if purchased from Taobao.

              The Nano & Stealth tech perfected with a more neutral tuning in that price range may completely break the headphone market.

              • Shas Okar on 13/06/2023 - 00:32
                +1

                @jasswolf: Aight, thanks once again.
                Will definitely consider the Nano.

  • treborg on 12/06/2023 - 22:48
    +2

    Anyone know the dimensions of the pads (inner) and depth? I've been "blessed" with huge ears, and a ton of headphones are literally painful to wear.

    • skittlebrau on 12/06/2023 - 23:26
      +2

      I know what you mean. I have large ears and HD6XX are fine. I also have a set of Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X and 900 Pro X - both I purchased partly due to how roomy they are.

      • treborg on 12/06/2023 - 23:38

        Haha, I got a pair of Beyerdynamic Tygr 300r's for the same reason :). Ok, well that gives me some confidence these can work. Thanks Skittlebrau!

        • skittlebrau on 14/06/2023 - 09:51

          I have a deceptively large head, so I have to put headphones on the maximum size adjustment, even my DT needs it. It also makes sharing headphones with my wife annoying since her head is tiny by comparison. I bought her Philips Fidelio L2 so I wouldn't have to share mine :)

    • jasswolf on 12/06/2023 - 23:38
      +1

      Here's a post covering exactly what you need, but the sensitivity of your skin to some slight touching from the pad or the material over the driver will diminish through pad wear.

      So long as you're not getting your ears physically sandwiched hard against your head or on an angle, you should be fine.

      • treborg on 12/06/2023 - 23:41
        +2

        This is fantastic, thank you so much Jasswolf!

    • treborg on 12/06/2023 - 23:39

      Also, who the heck marked me down for asking details that would affect my comfort using this product? It's a completely valid question.

      • jasswolf on 12/06/2023 - 23:42
        +4

        Eh, either ignorant, misreading, or misclick/tap. Don't lose sleep over it.

        • treborg on 12/06/2023 - 23:43
          +1

          Yeah you're absolutely right. I should sleep lol.

      • skittlebrau on 14/06/2023 - 09:47
        +1

        People downvote things for bizaare reasons. I wouldn't bother giving it any thought.

  • Thaal Sinestro on 13/06/2023 - 04:05
    +1

    Great headphones, I picked some up the last time there was a MassDrop OzBargain post. However, the headband was initially a bit uncomfortable since it doesn't cover the entirety of one's skull and is instead in 2 sections. Tilting it at a backward angle makes it less uncomfortable.

  • ShadowStealer7 on 13/06/2023 - 07:50
    +1

    I currently have a Philips SHP9500, would this be a noticeable upgrade or just purely a sidegrade?
    Any suggestions for amps as well?

    • jasswolf on 13/06/2023 - 15:06
      +2

      Massive upgrade.

      Can start with a dongle if you want, good suggestion would be the Truthear Shio from AliE or Amazon. Work your way up from there.

  • DigitalAnalog on 13/06/2023 - 10:54

    Love this headphone, but I love it more paired to an iFi ZEN DAC V2 with the analogue bass boost function.

  • caitsith01 on 13/06/2023 - 11:35

    Everything I've read about these suggests they are not great with low bass. What would the best open back headphones at roughly this price point be if I actually want to head low frequencies? Hifiman HE400SE looks like maybe a bit better down low?

    • jasswolf on 13/06/2023 - 15:34

      The roll-off only becomes audible below 45-50Hz, and that's typical of most open back headphones anywhere near this price range that aren't massively bass boosted beyond the point is audible distortion.

      To step away from this you're probably looking at the HIFIMAN Edition XS or Ananda at the minimum, maybe the Sennheiser HD 560S in a pinch, but demo this stuff to get an idea, or consider a closed back headphone if you want heft in the sub-bass.

      • caitsith01 on 13/06/2023 - 16:38

        Cheers. I personally don't really like closed back designs. I'm going to give the HE400SE a go I think, worst case I've only spent a relatively small amount on them. I have some Sony 1000-XM3s which are kinda bass pigs but not are refined in other areas as I'd like. I probably spend too much time with nice speakers that go deep, e.g. have recently been using some Acoustic Research AR-11s that are pretty flat right down to 20Hz…

        • jasswolf on 13/06/2023 - 18:09
          +1

          Totally understand the want, though to be clear the roll-off only starts to be concerning for me at say 35Hz, and only if the music is really calling for it.

          I don't think the HE400SE will really solve that for you while adding in imaging and timbre quirks, as it remains a concern on that older HE4/5/6 design beyond the high end, while the egg-shaped HIFIMANs conduct more bass with how they couple. In the end, we're talking about flat bass rather than any rumble remisicient of a ported woofer, and texture of bass is a whole other thing.

          If the HE6SE v2 was still going at $600ish AUD imported from Adorama (via a re-shipper), I'd have recommended that to you in a heartbeat given your interest in bass slam. I think what you'll find is that you're asking for something that has barely established itself properly in modern mid-fi, so you'll quickly find yourself reaching to the $500-$2500 range to find something that suits your preferences.

          • caitsith01 on 13/06/2023 - 22:02

            @jasswolf: Interesting. I hear you about the HE400SE but I'm curious about how they'll sound, they seem to be a love (90% of people) hate (10%) thing and you can't complain about the price. I mostly work on vintage hi-fi gear which isn't necessarily accurate but often has very unique and pleasing voicing, so 'quirks' aren't necessarily a deal breaker for me. My current open back headphones are ATH-AD700Xs which are fine but completely devoid of bass, so anything will be an upgrade.

            I can't imagine myself spending $2000+ on headphones TBH. That's why I love vintage speakers, if you know how to fix and/or upgrade them you can get hi-fi sound at mid-fi prices.

    • treborg on 14/06/2023 - 10:27

      If you want to go slightly cheaper I'm running with some Tygr 300r's and an Ifi Zen dac v2. After some minor eq tweaking they sound great for music and gaming. Bass is there, and the zen dac has a really good bass boost on it if you need it to have extra punch. I don't have it on all the time but I'm glad I have the option.
      Also, it's decent for people with big ears, which may or may not be a req, but it's still nice :P

  • ry34 on 13/06/2023 - 12:33

    these ok to use with the inbuilt DAC of a SoundBlaster X-AE5?

    • jasswolf on 13/06/2023 - 15:38

      Yes, but they will improve notably with better gear.

      A good dongle as a starting point would be the Truthear Shio, currently $95 on Amazon.

  • mrpossible on 13/06/2023 - 15:16

    Can anyone please tell me how this compares with Hifiman Sundara? It seems like they are in the same price range. I'm more inclined to Sundara.

    • jasswolf on 13/06/2023 - 15:37
      +2

      Sundaram has more seperation between sounds, but gets more hot in the treble and isn't really an outright gain in detail.

      Imaging would be better in less busy passages on the Sundaram, with staging being wider. Centre image is diffuse, and vocal timbre takes a massive hit.

      I've ownes the Sundara and currently own the Edition XS, would recommend the 6XX as a staple and to explore planars through demo, as it's a rapidly evolving space right now with the Edition XS, HE400SE, Ananda Nano, and on the Audeze side of things, the MM-100.

  • Skallywagzzz on 13/06/2023 - 16:04

    is this much of an upgrade from the infamous Audiotechnica m50x's ?

    • mickeyjuiceman on 13/06/2023 - 16:12

      Yes. And a lot more comfortable

  • myoda on 13/06/2023 - 16:30

    These are very nice, been using mine for a few years without complaint. Came from AKGs (green pair) and also got the lambs skin? perforated ear pads. That and my Schitt stack with Tidal makes for a great listening experience.

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