March 9, 2020

Sennheiser HD600 & HD6xx Sound Quality Comparison

The Sennheiser HD600 is an old product, you probably couldn't find the new one these days. As per information going around, this headphones is first release on 1997 and I am not sure why it is gone in the market right now. This HD600 is fortunately still can be obtain but in the second hand condition. The HD600 sound quality is the best said many reviewer. But is it? I have been using for a while the Massdrop Sennheiser HD6xx and I am really like it. You can find my review about the Sennheiser HD6xx in this post. Then how about the improvement this HD600 over the HD6xx? So I guess comparing the together will get the clear picture which one is the best.

Physical check, this HD600 is exactly the same as the HD6xx. The size, pad diameter, cable plugs, and the band is all the same. I also didn't find any different between the mesh grill on each headphones. They look the same. Some minor different is in the finished color on the HD600 has granite looks color while the HD6xx just a plain black. They are all plastic build with only the band made by a piece of metal covered by plastic as well.

You could also notice the head band support which made from the foam is slightly different between the HD600 and the HD6xx. The difference only by how much the groove between HD600 and HD6xx. When wearing them, they are still comfortable and I don't find any comfort issue at all. All headphones weight is identical and I got the same feeling wearing both of them.

The headphones pad can be swivel a little bit. Maybe about 20 degree. But I find the HD600 swivel more than the HD6xx. Maybe 10 degree more. I don't think this condition is because of the wear from this used HD600 usage. Or maybe this is actually comes from the factory for comfort issue? I don't know yet.

You can see the driver once opening the foam pad. This is big diameter driver with about one inch voice coil in the center.

And they are identical between HD600 and HD6xx. Same size, same driver, same surrounding plastic and same vent holes numbers and position.

You probably know that both of them has same specification. Especially the impedance is 300 ohm for both headphones. They need sufficient power output from amplifier to drive it correctly. SMSL SP200 is one of the best amplifier and I am using it on this review.

So I plug in to the same audio set up as before, they are consist of an Android phone with the USB Audio Player Pro Apps as media player connect via USB-C to micro USB to the Chord Hugo DAC and the analog output via RCA jack goes to SMSL SP200 headphones amplifier. The songs played is in DSD files and one of the the music album I played is Chantal Chamberland from the latest albums, Temptation.

And here we are, the sound quality from HD600 is completely different with HD6xx. The HD600 give more ambiance feeling when listening to it. It is feels larger sound stage with every sound more precise and transparent. You can hear the micro detail on HD600 more reveal. Especially on the high frequency, it is more extended, but you won't get ear fatigue for listening those high notes in a long listening session. The bass on HD600 doesn't weak at all. It is more precise on every kick. More fast and tight in the bass response. This make you stomp you feet when listening to the music you loved with this HD600.

Not stopping from there, the vocal is the king on HD600. Listening the singer voice using HD6xx is more likely you put a thick cloth wall in front of the singer and you remove those thick cloth wall when listening using HD600. Or maybe you can feels the different when listening to home audio speakers by put the cloth grill on it and compares when you put them off. I think that parable is the best sound different, especially on the vocal sound quality that I can describe in the simple words.

HD600 is the winner. HD6xx should go. I am quite surprise with the sound quality difference between them although all specification and the looks are all the same. If you already happy with the result of HD6xx like I did before, then moving to the HD600 will sure give an improvement to your listening experience.

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