Sennheiser HD 650 Review
Intro
The Sennheiser HD 650 headphones are designed specifically for audiophiles and music producers. There’s really no way around that fact—if you’re considering a pair of HD 650s, you need to think about just how specialized they are, and how their performance might be underused or, at worst, completely mismatched for your needs.
At their core, these headphones put sound quality above everything else, focusing most of their resources on the driver technology and the open-back design. They’re not flimsy, to be sure, but if you’re looking for flashy bells and whistles or extra features commonly found on consumer-grade headphones, you’ll want to look elsewhere.
That’s why we give the HD 650 a solid thumbs up, with the caveat that you should know exactly what you’ll be using them for, and when. We’ll dig further into the different use cases below, so keep reading.
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | Amazon Store | For US Customers | For EU Customers |
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Sennheiser HD 650 |
Sennheiser HD 650 Design and Sound
The HD 650 is much smoother and warmer than many other open-back headphones, and it delivers much deeper bass. They’re well made, comfortable, and built to last. These headphones tend to sound a bit too warm, meaning the highs are somewhat subdued compared to other models. If you enjoy a big, warm sound, you’ll love them, but if you prefer a lighter, brighter sound, they may not be for you.
Regardless of your preference for overall balance, these are among the world’s top headphones and are completely free of any coloration; there are no peaks or dips in their response, and they sound exceptionally clean.
They may not get loud enough if you plug them directly into your phone or the built-in headphone jack on your laptop, especially if you use them with Sonarworks calibration and have the “Safe headroom” switch on. However, don’t worry—if you run them through an audio interface, almost any interface with a headphone output will drive them plenty loud.
The drivers in the HD 650 are hand-selected for precise left/right matching tolerances and feature computer-optimized neodymium magnet systems to minimize distortion. Their lightweight aluminum voice coils ensure accuracy and a fast transient response.
The 9-foot Y-cable on the HD 650 is user-replaceable, which is great because cables inevitably wear out over time. The cable comes with a 1/4-inch plug, and a high-quality miniplug adapter is included.
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | Amazon Store | For US Customers | For EU Customers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Sennheiser HD 650 |
Headphone quality feel
For music lovers, in a quiet room, the HD 650s will transport you to another world. You’ll feel like you’re in the studio with Led Zeppelin, hearing Jimmy Page’s fingers slide up and down his guitar strings.
These headphones are masters of nuance. They don’t just deliver your favorite musicians’ notes in classical pieces—you’ll actually hear the breaths they take between verses. You’ll experience the subtlety and finesse in every note. The HD 650s’ incredible detail had me revisiting many of my most cherished albums just to discover what I’d missed before.
I also love the understated look and finish of the HD 650s. They use shimmering metallic plastics and dark gray metal, and I especially like the metal grilles covering the outside of the earcups. The dark materials add a nice, elegant touch.
The sound from the HD 650 is truly exceptional. Music is well-balanced, with punchy bass, clear midrange, and beautiful treble. Nothing is artificially boosted, so these headphones produce accurate sound—just as it was recorded in the studio. Since these are open-back headphones, sound will leak out. The HD 650 is wired, not Bluetooth, and comes with a 3.5mm jack.
The Sennheiser HD 650 is geared more towards music enthusiasts and record producers. It’s not ideal for everyday casual use, but perfect for critical listening. If noise cancellation is what you want, it’s best to look elsewhere.
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | Amazon Store | For US Customers | For EU Customers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Sennheiser HD 650 |
Conclusion
The Sennheiser HD 650 headphones offer a significant improvement over the Sennheiser 600 headphones, which themselves won numerous awards for their high quality. The reason the HD 650 stands out as an upgrade is thanks to its incredible sound quality and wide frequency response, made possible by the neodymium ferrous magnet system, lightweight aluminum voice coils, and the uniform acoustic silk damping.
Every component in these headphones has been carefully selected by a skilled and innovative design team that knows what works. Within moments of listening to music through these headphones, you realize you’re experiencing something special—something that any audiophile would truly appreciate.
