Brendon
Skilled
Ok, this is not a completely valid comparison as I did not have more than 1 hour listening time with any of the headphones except the HD650 and there was also no volume matching done.
So don't read too much into my impressions as someone will probably have a different view on each headphone.
Plus my music choice is a bit old fashioned and off the mainstream electronica/trance that most people enjoy today.
Testing Methodology
Ok so I did not use any real testing methodology. Just ran all headphones directly out of my Music Streamer II DAC and did not bother with volume matching.
Also the Music Streamer II doesn't really have a headphone out so I connected the headphones via a RCA - > 3.5mm jack. All the headphones other than the HD650 come with a native 3.5mm jack and so a 6.25" - 3.5mm converter was used for the HD650.
UPDATE : I have now ran the HD650 amped with my new EHHA into the comparison. Keeping the unamped HD650 also in the mix.
UPDATE #2 : Faheem has been most generous enough to give me, err I mean Loan me his modded Denon D5000 aka Lawton audio D5000 (Lawton Audio is the maker of these Denon mods). The Lawton D5000 was driven out of the EHHA amp.
Ran a few tracks from different genres (mostly rock, pop and a little classical)
I will rank the headphones in order of preference. Also I will be weighing each headphone with a comparative rating where 1 is the lowest.
For e.g. If I like the M50 the least in SQ, then I would rate it as 1. If the HD650 was maybe 10% better then it would get 1.1 and if the D5000 was noticeably much better then I would give it 1.3 or 1.4 (40% better than the M50). All entirely subjective and IMO. So I say again take what I say with lots of salt ! Do run to the grocery store now if you are all out ! tongue_smile.gif
A. Comfort
1. Denon D5000 (1.3)
2. Sennheiser HD650 (1.15)
3. Audio Technica M50 (1.1)
4. Lawton D5000 (1.05)
5. Grado SR225 (1)
The Denon D5000 is the hands-down winner in this comparison. Its very light and has very little clamping force. The Sennheiser I have used for many years and I have gotten used to its fit but it is heavier than the Denon and the clamping force is also higher. The M50 is also comfortable and slots in a very close fourth.The headband is a little uncomfortable for me which drops it from 2nd place. The Grado slots in fourth but honestly I felt them uncomfortable only after prolonged listening of maybe > 30 minutes.
Lawton Update The Lawton D5000 is much heavier than the Denon D5000 as the extra damping material adds to the weight. They are comfortable w.r.t to claming force and ear comfort but the added weight does strain the neck muscles after an hour or so.
As you can see the difference from best to worst (for me) is not very significant.
B. Isolation
1. Audio Technica M50 (1.5)
2. Lawton D5000 (1.4)
3. Denon D5000 (1.35)
4. Sennheiser HD650 (1.3)
5. Grado SR225 (1)
The Audio Technica has a very snug fit and offers the best isolation. The Denon being closed gets second place but due to the low clamping force it doesnt offer as much isolation as the Audio Technica. The Sennheiser has a stronger clamping force but is an open can and so slots in third, but its not far from the Denon. The worst is the SR225 which is very open and sits on your ears and hence offers little isolation. In this comparison to the competition, the SR225 is noticeably the worst performer.
Lawton Update- The Lawton D5000 gets newer pads and a slightly higher clamping force. It edges out the Denon D5000 in isolation but its still behind the M50s with their higher clamping force.
C. Cable
1. Sennheiser HD650 (1.4)
2. Lawton D5000 (1.35)
3. Audio Technica M50 (1.3)
4. Grado SR225 (1.15)
5. Denon D5000 (1)
This test is purely a matter of preference since I have had no cable failures from either phone. I am awarding the HD650 as the winner purely because its a user replaceable cable and its light and tangle free. The Audio Technica has a light cable and is coiled to offer a bit of mobility. The SR225 has a thick and heavy cable but its tangle free. (The loaner Grado SR225 had a shortened cable). Slotting in last in the D5000 as its cable is very long, gets tangled rather easily, has a lot of memory and worse, it is not user replaceable even though the D5000 is the most expensive can in this test.
Lawton Update - The Lawton D5000 has a better cable than the Denon D5000 which is very tangle free. Its right up there with the HD650 but do note again that this is a highly subjective test.
SQ Tests
A. Bass (Quantity)
1. Denon D5000 (1.5)
2. Lawton D5000 (1.4)
3. Audio Technica M50 (1.35)
4. Sennheiser HD650 Amped (1.3)
5. Sennheiser HD650 (1.25)
6. Grado SR 225 (1)
The Denon is the clear winner in the bass quantity. It hits very low and has good body and impact. Bass heads will be most pleased with the D5000 even though the mids and treble are also fantastic. The M50 is a not so close second with less sub bass compared to the Denons. The HD650 has even less sub bass than the top 2 cans but has decent impact to make most people happy. If you run the HD650 unamped the bass sounds muddy and bloated. Even though the Music Streamer is not the best the HD650 still manages to give a good amount of bass to make sure they are not too far from the second placed M50. The Grados slot in last with practically no sub bass.
HD650 amping update The amp adds a bit more oomph in the sub bass and sounds a lot closer to the M50s nut still having less impact.
Lawton Update - The damping scheme has tightened the bass which reduces the overall quantity. However its still more than the M50s.
B. Bass (Quality)
1. Sennheiser HD650 amped/Lawton Audio(1.35)
2. Audio Technica M50 (1.3)
3. Sennheiser HD650 (1.15)
4. Grado SR225 (1.1)
5. Denon D5000 (1)
Ok this is highly debatable as everyone has a different idea of how much bass is enough, but I loved the M50s bass even though its not strictly neutral. The bass is not as boomy as the D5000 and it is quite tight with a good amount of sub bass thrown in. The HD650 has a nice punch bass as well and is never overpowering. However the lesser quantity of sub bass docks it a few points. The SR225 have barely any sub bass to speak off but it does present a reasonable amount of bass punch to make most non bass heads feel happy and its fast paced to boot. The D5000 is last IMO in bass quality as bass is present even in songs that do not have much bass in the first place. Its also a touch slow and it can get disjointed from the rest of the spectrum in some very fast paced music. Its like the the Big Show on WWE. Huge and hard hitting but slow. The SR225 in comparison is like The Rock. Agile and fast footed but having having noticeably less power. However while I have given the D5000 the least rating I still like the bass, just less than the others.
HD650 amping update - With amping the bass quality of the HD650 has received a significant boost. Its quite faced paced and its very tight. The mid bass hump is still there but the bass has got very good texture and its very tight.
Lawton Update - The damping tightens the bass and now its among the best in its class. I still find it a bit heavy and slow but the bass is now in more control and makes it presence felt only in songs that call for bass. The bass still has good body and impact and the boom that I heard in the Denons is missing. Decay times are however still on the slower side and it can sound slow in a few quick paced songs. While having similar impact as the M50s I find the texture and control to be better with the Lawtons. I have placed it on top along with the HD650 since I can see how many would find the quality of bass better than the HD650 even though I prefer the faster decay times on the HD650.
C. Mids
1. Sennheiser HD650 amped (1.55)
2. Sennheiser HD650 (1.5)
3. Lawton D5000 (1.45)
4. Grado SR225 (1.35)
5. Denon D5000 (1.3)
6. Audio Technica M50 (1)
Ok I may be biased but I simply LOVE the HD650 mids. Its the main focus of the HD650 and there is something indescribable about them. The SR225 with its forward midrange is a close second but a little harshness here and there push them down a bit. The D5000 has recessed mids but they are very clear with a good amount of detail. It is a close fight for second and third places and its a matter of preference more than anything. I believe the MarkL mod for the D5000 brings the mids a bit more in line with the rest of the audio spectrum. The Audio Technica is last with noticeably less detailing and is the least transparent.
HD650 amping update - With the EHHA the mids are a bit cleaner and transparent but otherwise not very different when running unamped.
Lawton Update - Mids are still slightly recessed. However if I add a bit of EQ the mids really shine ! Its very smooth and slightly lush (possible due to the wooden housing). Wish I had tried EQ with the D5000 to compare but thats no longer possible.
There are still a few annoying peaks from time to time but frankly I really like the mids and I have no qualms of slotting them ahead of the Grados for the bit of lush wood sound.
D. Treble
1. Grado SR225 (1.4)
2. D5000/Lawton D5000 (1.35)
3. Sennheiser HD650 amped (1.3)
4. Sennheiser HD650 (1.1)
5. Audio Technica M50 (1)
Its a close fight with the SR225 and the D5000. The SR225 has a slightly exaggerated treble which gives them a very engaging sound. The D5000 has a smoother treble but with little more detailing but they still have a lot of energy to satisfy most people. The SR225 kinda jumps you with lots of in your face treble while the D5000 kinda lets you sit back and hear the micro detailing. The HD650 has a noticeably softer and smoother treble but lacks any sparkle or excitement and so takes second last place. The detailing is up there with both the SR225 and the D5000 but it sounds laid back and un engaging. Cymbals crashes sound muted on the HD650. The M50 comes in last as the treble is a bit grainy and loses a lot of details compared to the other three. Its not terrible, just that its outclassed by the higher end cans. Thankfully none of the 4 cans exhibited a lot of sibilance. If your recording has sibilance then the SR225 and D5000 will show that while the M50 will reduce it a bit and the HD650 will simply gloss over it.
HD650 amping update - The HD650 still has a rolled off treble but its much more cleaner and clear now. I wouldn't call them dark cans anymore. Treble energy/sparkle is still missing but detailing and extension seem to have improved a lot compared to running them unamped.
Lawton Update - Ok I cannot really remember how the D5000 treble sounded but I like the Lawtons treble. Very little harshness/sibilance and that too only in tracks which have a bit of sibilance in the recording. I have been listening to these cans for hours without fatigue and treble extension and detailing is very good though its missing a bit of sparkle/crispness that I found in the Grados.
E. Soundstage
1. Sennheiser HD650 amped (1.45)
2. Lawton D5000 (1.35)
3. Grado SR225 (1.3)
4. Denon D5000 (1.25)
5. Sennheiser HD650 (1.2)
6. Audio Technica M50 (1)
Some may be surprised to see the HD650 so low in the rankings, but just to remind you they are not driven to their fullest and I know they have a bigger soundstage out of my Compass amp. But since I am doing this for fun and using a single source to do the test they will remain no 3 for now. The SR225 being open cans have the widest soundstage but the D5000 surprisingly is right up there with the SR225. The D5000 in fact has better depth while having very similar width. However I prefer the open sound of the SR225 compared to close sounding D5000. The HD650 (driven directly out of the MS 2) sounds a bit more closed in but that its an open can is still very clear. The M50 has an in your head soundstage and slots in last.
HD650 amping update - Soundstage is the biggest difference between amped and unamped versions. The HD650 really sound like open cans now. Whats best is that the soundstage is very natural as you don't notice it in many tracks but in the tracks that do require the headphone to convey a lot of space, the HD650 shows off its stuff ! Seriously impressive performance.
Lawton Update - With the damping and the added padding the soundstage is noticeably wider than that older Denons. Soundstage depth is pretty good but height is not as good as the HD650.The Lawtons manage to upstage the Grados and now come second in this test.
F. Imaging
1. Grado SR225 (1.2)
2. Sennheiser HD650 amped (1.18)
3. Denon D5000 / Lawton D5000 (1.15)
4. Sennheiser HD650 (1.1)
5. Audio Technica M50 (1)
Same story as above only this time the differences are not as prominent as before and all cans are helped by the awesome soundstage performance of the MS 2 DAC.
HD650 amping update - Amping really improves the imaging of the HD650. They still can't top the Grados though.
Lawton Update - No difference from what I can remember. Using my amped HD650 as a reference however shows that the HD650s are better so they will stay along with D5000 is third place.
G. Transparency
1. Sennheiser HD650 amped (1.525)
2. Grado SR225 (1.5)
3. Lawton D5000 (1.45)
4. Denon D5000 (1.4)
5. Sennheiser HD650 (1.35)
6. Audio Technica M50 (1)
Here the SR225 is amazingly transparent and an open window into music. Probably this is to do with its forward and fast paced sound and fast tight bass. The D5000 is close but slots into second place since the bass is a bit too flabby for my liking and it has a recessed midrange. However the D5000 has a tad more detailing than the SR225. The HD650 with its laid back treble and mid bass hump comes in third but detailing is still not too far from the D5000 and slightly better than the SR225. The Audio Technica sounds congested in comparison. Again its not bad by itself just outclassed by the competition.
HD650 amping update - With amping the HD650 lose whatever viel/laidback nature that people speak off and with the amazing soundstage they become amazingly transparent. IMO they best the Grados here only because the Grados have a heavy sub bass rolloff that can be very noticeable in some tracks. Transient response has also improved in leaps and bounds and they are now only slightly slower than the Grados.
Lawton Update - The Lawtons are better than the D5000 due to the tighter bass but the transient response is still on the slower side making the Lawtons go slightly ahead of the D5000 but remain behind the SR225 and the amped HD650.
Overall impressions.
Again these are just impressions for my fun and amusement and not to be taken too seriously since I have purposefully not done any scientific analysis as I wanted to enjoy these cans for my limited time with them rather than write a review. Plus I don't know all the audiophile lingo to express the sound I am hearing and neither have I had an appreciably long listening time with these phones.
1. Grado SR225
I quite like these cans. I think they sound seriously good for the $200 price. They are forward sounding and you will either love them or hate them. While the bass is sufficient for my tastes, bass addicts should excuse the SR225 as it does not have the punch and slam that they need. These sound amazing with fast paced music as they never sound congested at any time. Rock music fans will love the Grado house sound.
2. Denon D5000
Ok, while I prefer the SR225 to the Denons, the Denons are definitely a more capable phone. If the drivers are damped to tighten the bass and bring out the mids a bit I would have no doubt these would be killer cans and top this shootout hands down.
In its stock condition, the bass is a bit too flabby and exaggerated for my tastes but bass heads would appreciate it no doubt. The Denons have the best resolving power in this comparison and unlike the SR225 it does not jump out in your face but presents itself more gently.
The Denon's are probably best suited for music which calls for lots of bass like Trance and Electronica but I don't listen to such genres so I cannot say for sure. Again if they are modded to smoothen out the bumps these could be real killer cans since I am yet to find any deficiency in their sound.
3. Audio Technica M50
The M50s are fine phones (unlike what this comparison suggests). Its just that the M50s are actually $100 phones selling at $159 right now. The next cheapest phone is the $200 Grado SR225 while the most expensive can, the D5000 sells for $420 new, so you can imagine the price difference between the M50 and the competition in this comparison.
That said, they have the best bass for me and the mid range and treble are not too bad either so they are not all about the bass even though the bass is definitely their best attribute and the focus of their sound.
4. Sennheiser HD650
The HD650 was not driven properly but they are still my favourite can in this comparison due to their fabulous midrange alone. I listen to music with a lot of vocals and the Sennheiser midrange presentation is not bested by any can I have heard so far. However they are not for everyone. They need a good DAC and amp to sound their best and they don't sound great with fast paced music or music which requires a lot of bass like Trance and Electronica.
5. Sennheiser HD650 amped
Ah my favourite cans have never sounded so nice when amped. Without amping they were bested by the competition in many areas but when amped they put up a much better fight. Still to get back down to earth, they cannot rival the bass of the Denons nor can they match the fast paced nature of the Grados. But in neutrality they don't disappoint one bit. They are very transparent and only their lack of treble sparkle can be counted as a weakness. The HD650s sound very different on different systems and due to that fact alone I would be wary when choosing them.
6. Lawton D5000
Damping has (IMO) made the Lawtons to be much better cans. In each and every testing (barring comfort) the Lawtons have either matched or beaten the D5000. Damping will void your warranty but if you are careful there wont be any problems and the mods are pretty cheap to boot.
A worthwhile project for those who have a D5000 and not afraid to do surgery on their cans.
A special thanks to Benny and Faheem for trusting their expensive cans with me for more than one week. (Especially Faheem since he knows how 'well' I treat my stuff ! )
So don't read too much into my impressions as someone will probably have a different view on each headphone.
Plus my music choice is a bit old fashioned and off the mainstream electronica/trance that most people enjoy today.
Testing Methodology
Ok so I did not use any real testing methodology. Just ran all headphones directly out of my Music Streamer II DAC and did not bother with volume matching.
Also the Music Streamer II doesn't really have a headphone out so I connected the headphones via a RCA - > 3.5mm jack. All the headphones other than the HD650 come with a native 3.5mm jack and so a 6.25" - 3.5mm converter was used for the HD650.
UPDATE : I have now ran the HD650 amped with my new EHHA into the comparison. Keeping the unamped HD650 also in the mix.
UPDATE #2 : Faheem has been most generous enough to give me, err I mean Loan me his modded Denon D5000 aka Lawton audio D5000 (Lawton Audio is the maker of these Denon mods). The Lawton D5000 was driven out of the EHHA amp.
Ran a few tracks from different genres (mostly rock, pop and a little classical)
I will rank the headphones in order of preference. Also I will be weighing each headphone with a comparative rating where 1 is the lowest.
For e.g. If I like the M50 the least in SQ, then I would rate it as 1. If the HD650 was maybe 10% better then it would get 1.1 and if the D5000 was noticeably much better then I would give it 1.3 or 1.4 (40% better than the M50). All entirely subjective and IMO. So I say again take what I say with lots of salt ! Do run to the grocery store now if you are all out ! tongue_smile.gif
A. Comfort
1. Denon D5000 (1.3)
2. Sennheiser HD650 (1.15)
3. Audio Technica M50 (1.1)
4. Lawton D5000 (1.05)
5. Grado SR225 (1)
The Denon D5000 is the hands-down winner in this comparison. Its very light and has very little clamping force. The Sennheiser I have used for many years and I have gotten used to its fit but it is heavier than the Denon and the clamping force is also higher. The M50 is also comfortable and slots in a very close fourth.The headband is a little uncomfortable for me which drops it from 2nd place. The Grado slots in fourth but honestly I felt them uncomfortable only after prolonged listening of maybe > 30 minutes.
Lawton Update The Lawton D5000 is much heavier than the Denon D5000 as the extra damping material adds to the weight. They are comfortable w.r.t to claming force and ear comfort but the added weight does strain the neck muscles after an hour or so.
As you can see the difference from best to worst (for me) is not very significant.
B. Isolation
1. Audio Technica M50 (1.5)
2. Lawton D5000 (1.4)
3. Denon D5000 (1.35)
4. Sennheiser HD650 (1.3)
5. Grado SR225 (1)
The Audio Technica has a very snug fit and offers the best isolation. The Denon being closed gets second place but due to the low clamping force it doesnt offer as much isolation as the Audio Technica. The Sennheiser has a stronger clamping force but is an open can and so slots in third, but its not far from the Denon. The worst is the SR225 which is very open and sits on your ears and hence offers little isolation. In this comparison to the competition, the SR225 is noticeably the worst performer.
Lawton Update- The Lawton D5000 gets newer pads and a slightly higher clamping force. It edges out the Denon D5000 in isolation but its still behind the M50s with their higher clamping force.
C. Cable
1. Sennheiser HD650 (1.4)
2. Lawton D5000 (1.35)
3. Audio Technica M50 (1.3)
4. Grado SR225 (1.15)
5. Denon D5000 (1)
This test is purely a matter of preference since I have had no cable failures from either phone. I am awarding the HD650 as the winner purely because its a user replaceable cable and its light and tangle free. The Audio Technica has a light cable and is coiled to offer a bit of mobility. The SR225 has a thick and heavy cable but its tangle free. (The loaner Grado SR225 had a shortened cable). Slotting in last in the D5000 as its cable is very long, gets tangled rather easily, has a lot of memory and worse, it is not user replaceable even though the D5000 is the most expensive can in this test.
Lawton Update - The Lawton D5000 has a better cable than the Denon D5000 which is very tangle free. Its right up there with the HD650 but do note again that this is a highly subjective test.
SQ Tests
A. Bass (Quantity)
1. Denon D5000 (1.5)
2. Lawton D5000 (1.4)
3. Audio Technica M50 (1.35)
4. Sennheiser HD650 Amped (1.3)
5. Sennheiser HD650 (1.25)
6. Grado SR 225 (1)
The Denon is the clear winner in the bass quantity. It hits very low and has good body and impact. Bass heads will be most pleased with the D5000 even though the mids and treble are also fantastic. The M50 is a not so close second with less sub bass compared to the Denons. The HD650 has even less sub bass than the top 2 cans but has decent impact to make most people happy. If you run the HD650 unamped the bass sounds muddy and bloated. Even though the Music Streamer is not the best the HD650 still manages to give a good amount of bass to make sure they are not too far from the second placed M50. The Grados slot in last with practically no sub bass.
HD650 amping update The amp adds a bit more oomph in the sub bass and sounds a lot closer to the M50s nut still having less impact.
Lawton Update - The damping scheme has tightened the bass which reduces the overall quantity. However its still more than the M50s.
B. Bass (Quality)
1. Sennheiser HD650 amped/Lawton Audio(1.35)
2. Audio Technica M50 (1.3)
3. Sennheiser HD650 (1.15)
4. Grado SR225 (1.1)
5. Denon D5000 (1)
Ok this is highly debatable as everyone has a different idea of how much bass is enough, but I loved the M50s bass even though its not strictly neutral. The bass is not as boomy as the D5000 and it is quite tight with a good amount of sub bass thrown in. The HD650 has a nice punch bass as well and is never overpowering. However the lesser quantity of sub bass docks it a few points. The SR225 have barely any sub bass to speak off but it does present a reasonable amount of bass punch to make most non bass heads feel happy and its fast paced to boot. The D5000 is last IMO in bass quality as bass is present even in songs that do not have much bass in the first place. Its also a touch slow and it can get disjointed from the rest of the spectrum in some very fast paced music. Its like the the Big Show on WWE. Huge and hard hitting but slow. The SR225 in comparison is like The Rock. Agile and fast footed but having having noticeably less power. However while I have given the D5000 the least rating I still like the bass, just less than the others.
HD650 amping update - With amping the bass quality of the HD650 has received a significant boost. Its quite faced paced and its very tight. The mid bass hump is still there but the bass has got very good texture and its very tight.
Lawton Update - The damping tightens the bass and now its among the best in its class. I still find it a bit heavy and slow but the bass is now in more control and makes it presence felt only in songs that call for bass. The bass still has good body and impact and the boom that I heard in the Denons is missing. Decay times are however still on the slower side and it can sound slow in a few quick paced songs. While having similar impact as the M50s I find the texture and control to be better with the Lawtons. I have placed it on top along with the HD650 since I can see how many would find the quality of bass better than the HD650 even though I prefer the faster decay times on the HD650.
C. Mids
1. Sennheiser HD650 amped (1.55)
2. Sennheiser HD650 (1.5)
3. Lawton D5000 (1.45)
4. Grado SR225 (1.35)
5. Denon D5000 (1.3)
6. Audio Technica M50 (1)
Ok I may be biased but I simply LOVE the HD650 mids. Its the main focus of the HD650 and there is something indescribable about them. The SR225 with its forward midrange is a close second but a little harshness here and there push them down a bit. The D5000 has recessed mids but they are very clear with a good amount of detail. It is a close fight for second and third places and its a matter of preference more than anything. I believe the MarkL mod for the D5000 brings the mids a bit more in line with the rest of the audio spectrum. The Audio Technica is last with noticeably less detailing and is the least transparent.
HD650 amping update - With the EHHA the mids are a bit cleaner and transparent but otherwise not very different when running unamped.
Lawton Update - Mids are still slightly recessed. However if I add a bit of EQ the mids really shine ! Its very smooth and slightly lush (possible due to the wooden housing). Wish I had tried EQ with the D5000 to compare but thats no longer possible.
There are still a few annoying peaks from time to time but frankly I really like the mids and I have no qualms of slotting them ahead of the Grados for the bit of lush wood sound.
D. Treble
1. Grado SR225 (1.4)
2. D5000/Lawton D5000 (1.35)
3. Sennheiser HD650 amped (1.3)
4. Sennheiser HD650 (1.1)
5. Audio Technica M50 (1)
Its a close fight with the SR225 and the D5000. The SR225 has a slightly exaggerated treble which gives them a very engaging sound. The D5000 has a smoother treble but with little more detailing but they still have a lot of energy to satisfy most people. The SR225 kinda jumps you with lots of in your face treble while the D5000 kinda lets you sit back and hear the micro detailing. The HD650 has a noticeably softer and smoother treble but lacks any sparkle or excitement and so takes second last place. The detailing is up there with both the SR225 and the D5000 but it sounds laid back and un engaging. Cymbals crashes sound muted on the HD650. The M50 comes in last as the treble is a bit grainy and loses a lot of details compared to the other three. Its not terrible, just that its outclassed by the higher end cans. Thankfully none of the 4 cans exhibited a lot of sibilance. If your recording has sibilance then the SR225 and D5000 will show that while the M50 will reduce it a bit and the HD650 will simply gloss over it.
HD650 amping update - The HD650 still has a rolled off treble but its much more cleaner and clear now. I wouldn't call them dark cans anymore. Treble energy/sparkle is still missing but detailing and extension seem to have improved a lot compared to running them unamped.
Lawton Update - Ok I cannot really remember how the D5000 treble sounded but I like the Lawtons treble. Very little harshness/sibilance and that too only in tracks which have a bit of sibilance in the recording. I have been listening to these cans for hours without fatigue and treble extension and detailing is very good though its missing a bit of sparkle/crispness that I found in the Grados.
E. Soundstage
1. Sennheiser HD650 amped (1.45)
2. Lawton D5000 (1.35)
3. Grado SR225 (1.3)
4. Denon D5000 (1.25)
5. Sennheiser HD650 (1.2)
6. Audio Technica M50 (1)
Some may be surprised to see the HD650 so low in the rankings, but just to remind you they are not driven to their fullest and I know they have a bigger soundstage out of my Compass amp. But since I am doing this for fun and using a single source to do the test they will remain no 3 for now. The SR225 being open cans have the widest soundstage but the D5000 surprisingly is right up there with the SR225. The D5000 in fact has better depth while having very similar width. However I prefer the open sound of the SR225 compared to close sounding D5000. The HD650 (driven directly out of the MS 2) sounds a bit more closed in but that its an open can is still very clear. The M50 has an in your head soundstage and slots in last.
HD650 amping update - Soundstage is the biggest difference between amped and unamped versions. The HD650 really sound like open cans now. Whats best is that the soundstage is very natural as you don't notice it in many tracks but in the tracks that do require the headphone to convey a lot of space, the HD650 shows off its stuff ! Seriously impressive performance.
Lawton Update - With the damping and the added padding the soundstage is noticeably wider than that older Denons. Soundstage depth is pretty good but height is not as good as the HD650.The Lawtons manage to upstage the Grados and now come second in this test.
F. Imaging
1. Grado SR225 (1.2)
2. Sennheiser HD650 amped (1.18)
3. Denon D5000 / Lawton D5000 (1.15)
4. Sennheiser HD650 (1.1)
5. Audio Technica M50 (1)
Same story as above only this time the differences are not as prominent as before and all cans are helped by the awesome soundstage performance of the MS 2 DAC.
HD650 amping update - Amping really improves the imaging of the HD650. They still can't top the Grados though.
Lawton Update - No difference from what I can remember. Using my amped HD650 as a reference however shows that the HD650s are better so they will stay along with D5000 is third place.
G. Transparency
1. Sennheiser HD650 amped (1.525)
2. Grado SR225 (1.5)
3. Lawton D5000 (1.45)
4. Denon D5000 (1.4)
5. Sennheiser HD650 (1.35)
6. Audio Technica M50 (1)
Here the SR225 is amazingly transparent and an open window into music. Probably this is to do with its forward and fast paced sound and fast tight bass. The D5000 is close but slots into second place since the bass is a bit too flabby for my liking and it has a recessed midrange. However the D5000 has a tad more detailing than the SR225. The HD650 with its laid back treble and mid bass hump comes in third but detailing is still not too far from the D5000 and slightly better than the SR225. The Audio Technica sounds congested in comparison. Again its not bad by itself just outclassed by the competition.
HD650 amping update - With amping the HD650 lose whatever viel/laidback nature that people speak off and with the amazing soundstage they become amazingly transparent. IMO they best the Grados here only because the Grados have a heavy sub bass rolloff that can be very noticeable in some tracks. Transient response has also improved in leaps and bounds and they are now only slightly slower than the Grados.
Lawton Update - The Lawtons are better than the D5000 due to the tighter bass but the transient response is still on the slower side making the Lawtons go slightly ahead of the D5000 but remain behind the SR225 and the amped HD650.
Overall impressions.
Again these are just impressions for my fun and amusement and not to be taken too seriously since I have purposefully not done any scientific analysis as I wanted to enjoy these cans for my limited time with them rather than write a review. Plus I don't know all the audiophile lingo to express the sound I am hearing and neither have I had an appreciably long listening time with these phones.
1. Grado SR225
I quite like these cans. I think they sound seriously good for the $200 price. They are forward sounding and you will either love them or hate them. While the bass is sufficient for my tastes, bass addicts should excuse the SR225 as it does not have the punch and slam that they need. These sound amazing with fast paced music as they never sound congested at any time. Rock music fans will love the Grado house sound.
2. Denon D5000
Ok, while I prefer the SR225 to the Denons, the Denons are definitely a more capable phone. If the drivers are damped to tighten the bass and bring out the mids a bit I would have no doubt these would be killer cans and top this shootout hands down.
In its stock condition, the bass is a bit too flabby and exaggerated for my tastes but bass heads would appreciate it no doubt. The Denons have the best resolving power in this comparison and unlike the SR225 it does not jump out in your face but presents itself more gently.
The Denon's are probably best suited for music which calls for lots of bass like Trance and Electronica but I don't listen to such genres so I cannot say for sure. Again if they are modded to smoothen out the bumps these could be real killer cans since I am yet to find any deficiency in their sound.
3. Audio Technica M50
The M50s are fine phones (unlike what this comparison suggests). Its just that the M50s are actually $100 phones selling at $159 right now. The next cheapest phone is the $200 Grado SR225 while the most expensive can, the D5000 sells for $420 new, so you can imagine the price difference between the M50 and the competition in this comparison.
That said, they have the best bass for me and the mid range and treble are not too bad either so they are not all about the bass even though the bass is definitely their best attribute and the focus of their sound.
4. Sennheiser HD650
The HD650 was not driven properly but they are still my favourite can in this comparison due to their fabulous midrange alone. I listen to music with a lot of vocals and the Sennheiser midrange presentation is not bested by any can I have heard so far. However they are not for everyone. They need a good DAC and amp to sound their best and they don't sound great with fast paced music or music which requires a lot of bass like Trance and Electronica.
5. Sennheiser HD650 amped
Ah my favourite cans have never sounded so nice when amped. Without amping they were bested by the competition in many areas but when amped they put up a much better fight. Still to get back down to earth, they cannot rival the bass of the Denons nor can they match the fast paced nature of the Grados. But in neutrality they don't disappoint one bit. They are very transparent and only their lack of treble sparkle can be counted as a weakness. The HD650s sound very different on different systems and due to that fact alone I would be wary when choosing them.
6. Lawton D5000
Damping has (IMO) made the Lawtons to be much better cans. In each and every testing (barring comfort) the Lawtons have either matched or beaten the D5000. Damping will void your warranty but if you are careful there wont be any problems and the mods are pretty cheap to boot.
A worthwhile project for those who have a D5000 and not afraid to do surgery on their cans.
A special thanks to Benny and Faheem for trusting their expensive cans with me for more than one week. (Especially Faheem since he knows how 'well' I treat my stuff !
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