Add to Chrome
Add to Edge
Add to Firefox
Add to Opera
Add to Brave
Add to SafariWhen comparing Sennheiser HD 650 vs HiFiMan HE1000 V2, the Slant community recommends Sennheiser HD 650 for most people. In the question“What are the best high end headphones for mixing? ” Sennheiser HD 650 is ranked 1st while HiFiMan HE1000 V2 is ranked 3rd. The most important reason people chose Sennheiser HD 650 is:
The sound signature is near neutral but with a little emphasis on the lower frequencies. The bass is slightly forward with good punch and tightness. Explosions will have good rumble, without overpowering the other frequencies. The mids are warm and clear, adding extra body to the sound. Game dialogue will be easy to hear. Highs have good clarity, but are not forward in any way, so harshness is minimized.
Specs
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro Tight and punchy bass, clear with natural mids and highs
The sound signature is near neutral but with a little emphasis on the lower frequencies. The bass is slightly forward with good punch and tightness. Explosions will have good rumble, without overpowering the other frequencies.
The mids are warm and clear, adding extra body to the sound. Game dialogue will be easy to hear.
Highs have good clarity, but are not forward in any way, so harshness is minimized.
Pro Lightweight and comfortable with a near neutral sound signature
The H650 is popular for its near neutral sound, which makes it quite versatile. The headphones can give a great casual listening, gaming, and movie watching experience yet are accurate enough for pro audio mixing. They are also lightweight and comfortable so you won't have any issues wearing them for hours.
Pro Comfortable even when used for hours straight
Clamping force is not too tight. The ear pads and headband feature memory foam which are covered by velour material. The pads feel really soft on the head and allow airflow for minimized heat build-up/sweat.
The headband also features similar cushioning materials and minimizes pressure spots on the head.
Pro Decent soundstage
The open ear cup design allows the sound to blend with your surroundings, giving it a natural width. It will also be easier to identify the direction of sounds, which can really help immersion.
Pro Lightweight for full-sized headphones
The HD-650s do not feel heavy at all. They are usable for long music listening, movie or gaming sessions without feeling pain or strain on their head and neck.
Pro Headphone cable can easily be replaced
While the cable connectors are proprietary, they can easily be removed from the ear cups with a firm pull. The popularity of these headphones means that there are a lot of aftermarket cables that can be bought.
Pro Highly detailed sound with full mids and controlled bass
Highs are really clear and crisp and are able to present even the slightest details in the music that other high quality headphones are not able to give. These frequencies have a lot of sparkle and airiness to them, yet do not sound too harsh or too forward, preventing these from sounding fatiguing.
The mids are mixed really well with the rest of the frequencies. Slightly forward, the mids can easily be heard and appreciated, so sounds like vocals, guitars and keys are really defined.
The bass of these headphones have good power, but not as much as bass-heavy "bass head" cans. Instead, the bass is natural with good sub-bass presence. Bass thump is definitely there but without the bloat that can muddy up the sound.
Pro Removable cable
Each ear cup has a 2.5mm female connector to connect the headphone cable to, making the cable quite easy to remove and replace as necessary. Storage should also be much easier as you do not need to contend with a long and fixed cable.
Pro Impressive build quality with top-notch materials
These headphones are primarily made of metal, wood and leather, along with some high quality plastic parts. The headband's frame itself is made from brushed metal which is fairly lightweight yet very durable. The headband features genuine perforated leather which feels soft and allows for some airflow.
The earcups on the other hand feature a combination of metal, plastic and wood veneer on the ear cups' surface. The headphones' grills on the side are also made out of metal.
Pro Very comfortable to wear
Memory foam is used inside the ear pads, along with a leather/polyester combo on to the surface. Combined, the pads feel ultra soft and smooth on the skin. This also contributes to the headphones' overall premium look and feel.
Pro Soundstage has natural width
The sides of these headphones are covered by metal grills which makes the earcups really open. This gives the sound a wide feel, which can be very immersive.
Pro Three cables are included
It comes with 3 different headphone cables, with each one terminating in a different connector. This gives you a lot of versatility in terms of the audio sources that you can connect to. They also work well as spare cables should one get damaged.
It comes with a balanced XLR cable, a 6.5mm TRS cable which are best suited for desktop use and a 3.5mm cable for portable devices.
Cons
Con Sound leak can be a distraction for others
The open design means that a lot of sound can leak out the ear cups. Other people in your immediate vicinity will be able to hear your music, movie or game, which can be annoying for them.
Con Requires a headphone amp for optimal sound
Plugging these directly to your computer or phone will most likely result in audio that is lacking in volume or may sound too thin. To get the best listening experience, you will need to run these with a capable headphone amp.
Con Bulky
The earcups are very big, which can result in fitting issues as the ear cups may extend beyond your jaw if you have a smaller head. The headband sticks out a lot, further adding to the bulky look.
Con Requires a significant burn-in time for optimal sound
The HE1000 V2 requires a pretty long burn-in time of around 200 hours in order to get the best sound out of it. Initially, the highs can be harsh and the bass a bit lean. After burn-in, these issues should not be present anymore.
Con Quite heavy
Despite weighing less than the V1 version, these V2s still come in at around 420 g. This is quite a weight to put on to your head and neck for extended periods so you may need to take the headphones off periodically.
Con Open design leaks out a lot of sound
The sides of these earcups are almost totally open so when you play music through these headphones, they also function like mini speakers as they leak out a lot of sound. These are not the best headphones for you if you share your room with other people as the sound can be distracting.
Con Picky with the amp/DAC you use these with
These require a bit of power to run so you will most likely need to invest in a great amp. Also, you may want to consider going through different DAC options as these headphones are so revealing that you can easily distinguish artifacts or distortion from a lesser performing DAC.
