Sennheiser HD600 questions
Posted by: bigtrak on 19 October 2003
Hi
I am thinking of buying a headline amp and a pair of Sennheiser HD600 headphones. The problem is that I would like to do my listening about 8 or 9 meter's away from the amp. My questions are (A) Is it possible to fit a longer cable onto the headphones? (B) Would such a length deteriate the sound? (C) What cable would be best to use?
Finally I am a bit unsure how the Headline works, I have a NAC72 NAP250 and HICAP would I need another HICAP or could I use the one I already got?
Thanks for your time!
Posted on: 19 October 2003 by CraigP
Bigtrak,
Dont know what connections your amps have, but i am able to power my headline via the 112 pre-amp. Not ideal i am sure, but a working stop gap whilst i save my pennies for an additional power supply (and its sounds good as well).
Posted on: 19 October 2003 by Chris Metcalfe
'Not sure if he does custom-made lengths. Might be worth asking though.'
I'm sure he would if you paid him! This may seem an expensive route but it should reap dividends.
Posted on: 19 October 2003 by kuma
Posted on: 20 October 2003 by domfjbrown
I don't mean to sound rude - but why the hell do you need 9 metres of lead!? That's going to become very uncomfortable due to the drag and weight surely?
__________________________
Make your choice, adventurous Stranger;
Strike the bell and bide the danger
Or wonder, till it drives you mad,
What would have followed if you had.
Posted on: 20 October 2003 by Geoff P
Sympathy on needing a long cable for the headphones.
Followed by a question.
What about "wireless" headphones so you can listen while you are washing the dishes.?
I know the immediate reaction is probably shock horror, followed by comments to the effect that there are no "wireless" headphones that come close to the performance of a quality wired pair.
Is that true?
Does anybody know of a "wireless" pair that can be considered in the same class as for example the HD600's?
regards
GEOFFP
Posted on: 20 October 2003 by Mr_Sukebe
If you're looking at buying a pair of cans and a headphone amp, go check out a pair of Stax electrostatics. These usually come with their own amp, meaning that you simply connect it to the tape out socket on your amp.
I heard a pair a few years ago, and they completely blitzed the high end Sennheisers I was using at the time.
Posted on: 20 October 2003 by domfjbrown
quote:
Originally posted by PR:
domfjbrown
"but why the hell do you need 9 metres of lead"
Just in case you play Alice In Chains 
He he he - fair do's
As for a wireless pair approaching Senn 600s - forget it - none of them will come close from what I've heard. The RF ones might be better than infrared but they'll still have problems, since you're limited to the quality of the amps inside the headphones...
__________________________
Make your choice, adventurous Stranger;
Strike the bell and bide the danger
Or wonder, till it drives you mad,
What would have followed if you had.
Posted on: 20 October 2003 by kuma
quote:
Originally posted by PR:
alexgerrard
I'm not sure if the 62 line-in circuits are as good as the 82, but I might give it ago tomorrow and report with my Grado SR80's. My current understanding is that the NAPSC is all you need, and that better quality heaphones (SR1/2's etc.) will give you a lot more than a HiCap.
which source are you running with it?
Posted on: 20 October 2003 by Jaybar
I have had great success with Cardas headphone cable.
Jay
Posted on: 20 October 2003 by Steve Toy
I have yet to try the Cardas cable over the standard lead. How much of a difference does the CARDAS really make for the money?
Could you possibly qualify as well as quantify those improvements - to me the Senns are a little to laid-back and still retain that Senn-like metallic coloration in the midband.
Regards,
Steve.
Posted on: 20 October 2003 by kuma
quote:
Originally posted by PR:
Kuma
CD/Vinyl
PT
What?! No 8 tracks and El Cassette???
Posted on: 20 October 2003 by kuma
quote:
Originally posted by Steven Toy:
I have yet to try the Cardas cable over the standard lead. How much of a difference does the CARDAS really make for the money?
Could you possibly qualify as well as quantify those improvements - to me the Senns are a little to laid-back and still retain that Senn-like metallic coloration in the midband.
I am pretty vague about 'which' Cardas wire they are running for those Senn. replacment cables.
No way you can 'quantify' the effect of cables as they are too system dependant and phychoacoustic effect kicks in big time. Not to mention individual system needs and taste.
This is just my experience with Cardas, but maaaaybeee, exception of Neutral Reference, I doubt they can change Senns' general characteristics. ( if Naim gear can't wake 'em up, nothing will )
Regards,
Steve.
Posted on: 21 October 2003 by domfjbrown
quote:
Originally posted by kuma:
PT
What?! No 8 tracks and El Cassette???
I've used my 580s on my Akai CR81D 8track
It sounded bloody excellent considering - Doors' L.A.Woman, dIRE sTRAITS' first, and, err, the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack were grooving well once you got around the hiss and slight wow...
By the way - it's Elcaset
__________________________
Make your choice, adventurous Stranger;
Strike the bell and bide the danger
Or wonder, till it drives you mad,
What would have followed if you had.
Posted on: 21 October 2003 by kuma
Posted on: 21 October 2003 by kuma
quote:
Surely it's cheaper/better to flog my HD600's and get the Grado's?
Only if you like the Grado *sound*.
Posted on: 22 October 2003 by bigtrak
Thanks for all your replies!
I emailed Sennheiser and they told me that they offer the HZR 62 extension cable for about £20. Its 6 metres long and includes a volume control -
http://www.hifistore.co.uk/product.php?qsProd=HZR62 Looks just the job.
Ive managed to buy a second hand Headline and Snaps and hope to listen to the HD600 tomorrow.
Cheers
Posted on: 04 November 2003 by greeny
bigtrak
Did you try the HD600's with Headline, if so what was your conclusion. I'm weighing up a similar path, so interested in your comments.
Posted on: 04 November 2003 by kuma
quote:
Originally posted by PR:
alexgerrard
I'm not sure if the 62 line-in circuits are as good as the 82, but I might give it ago tomorrow and report with my Grado SR80's. My current understanding is that the NAPSC is all you need, and that better quality heaphones (SR1/2's etc.) will give you a lot more than a HiCap.
PR,
So, how are you liking the Grado with Headline?
Posted on: 04 November 2003 by TomK
If possible audition some Stax electrostatics. I use a pair of old Lambda Pros downstairs and the newer 3010 system upstairs. Once you've heard Stax it's hard to listen anything else.
Posted on: 04 November 2003 by prowla
How do you run the 62 with no Hi-Cap?
Paul Rowlands
Posted on: 06 November 2003 by Chris Metcalfe
"Surely it's cheaper/better to flog my HD600's and get the Grado's?"
Grado's - more lively, but more coloured
HD600s - more neutral and detailed, somewhat 'cooler'.
Posted on: 06 November 2003 by Top Cat
You can get Cardas cable from
www.audiofreaks.co.uk - which is exactly what I did.
John
PS. Steven, HD600s aren't 'laid-back' as such - just balanced. I suspect that what you're hearing might be a result of whatever head amp you're using. Sure, the HD600s are never 'ear-searing' but then I don't recall ever thinking of them as 'laid back' either. They are somewhere inbetween, kind of the headphone equivalents of Neat MF9s as opposed to screechy Kans...
TC '..'"
Sun went down in honey. Moon came up in wine. Stars were spinnin' dizzy, Lord, the band kept us so busy we forgot about the time."
Posted on: 06 November 2003 by kuma
TC,
Did you try HD650?
Posted on: 06 November 2003 by Top Cat
Alex wrote:
quote:
Sir, you are a gent. The order is placed with Audiofreaks, who are most helpful.
Thanks, you're welcome. Audiofreaks seem to be very efficient - I ordered my cable around 3pm on a Monday and it arrived at 7.30am the next morning. Not bad at all!
Kuma wrote
quote:
Did you try HD650?
No, it's a recent model and I bought both my 600's before it was released. I never intended to buy two pairs, but Richers were basically giving them away - I paid less than £100 for the second pair if I remember rightly, though buying a second pair was a bit of a mistake as I only ever use one pair...
I guess the 650s will possibly be a bit better, but all that I've read suggests that the Cardas cable (or similar) tips the balance in the 600's favour. Of course, I guess one could add that same cable to the 650s and perhaps it would then be even better, but at a cost (as the 650s are still expensive).
I'm running a MF X-Cans v2, about to breathe upon it heavily (with the help of a local headphone amp guru) by replacnig the valves for NOS Mullard E88CCs, uprating the caps and adding a custom-made PSU. I might report back on how this goes if anyone is interested...
John
TC '..'"
Sun went down in honey. Moon came up in wine. Stars were spinnin' dizzy, Lord, the band kept us so busy we forgot about the time."
Posted on: 07 November 2003 by kuma
quote:
Originally posted by Top Cat:
I'm running a MF X-Cans v2, about to breathe upon it heavily (with the help of a local headphone amp guru) by replacnig the valves for NOS Mullard E88CCs, uprating the caps and adding a custom-made PSU. I might report back on how this goes if anyone is interested... "
TC,
Many moons ago, I had the Xcan/HD600. Adding on PS ought to do a whole lot of good.
Have you tried any other NOS valves other than Mullard?
You can change amp's disposition drasticaly by using different valves. ( this is what I love/hate about valve gear )
