When comparing Sennheiser HD 650 vs Turtle Beach Elite Pro Tournament, the Slant community recommends Sennheiser HD 650 for most people. In the question“What are the best headphones?” Sennheiser HD 650 is ranked 10th while Turtle Beach Elite Pro Tournament is ranked 55th. 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
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion 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 Great sound quality
The Elite Pro delivers full, forward, powerful and detailed sound that should work well with any game or movie. Bass is powerful yet is also fast, so it does not muddy up the overall sound signature. The mids are slightly forward so in-game dialogue is very easy to hear and understand. The highs are very detailed yet do not get harsh, so you should be able to easily pick-up minute sound effects like footsteps and the rustling of leaves, which can give you a competitive edge when gaming.
Pro Very comfortable
You won’t have any issue wearing the Elite Pro for extended periods. The headband and ear pads feature thick memory foam which feel very soft, and drastically reduce pressure on the head. Also, there are ear cup settings that help to minimize the tension under certain parts of the ear pads, allowing them to compress more to accommodate those who wear glasses when gaming.
Pro Very good build quality
The Elite Pro won’t break easily, as the headset is built quite well. The headband adjustment and joints are made of metal, while the rest of the headset is made of high quality plastic which is lightweight yet does not flex or creak.
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 Expensive
While you do get great audio quality from the Elite Pro, it is quite expensive. You’ll need to purchase Turtle Beach’s TAC mix-amp separately to get 7.1 surround sound and audio profile switching.
Con Poor microphone quality
The included microphone won’t be able to give you the best voice chat experience. While the mic audio sounds okay, it picks up ambient noise easily. You’ll need to purchase a separate, noise-cancelling amp from Turtle Beach if you want to get optimal mic performance.
