Hello,
I have been checking for some time to up my headphone game to the HD series (I currently own an HD599). Now there is a 30% discount that I found for HD660S2 which makes it around 450$. To make a comparison, HD600 V2 can be bought for the same price as well. It can go around -10$ for V1 too.
So my question is; is it worth it? There are 2 aspects for this question though, one is the worth considering the price and the other is the worth considering the sound signature; how it fits my taste. For this second aspect, I will try to explain the profile I like and hopefully you experienced people can help me out in my search.
As I said, I use HD599 as an open-back, use the oratory EQ for it and a little additional decrease for upper mid to lower treble range (I am sensitive to high treble so even this warm headphone can cause disturbance for some songs). Additionally, I have a Focal Bathys which I use for commute, travel etc. There is not much needed for this headphone to me. I just increase the mid range a little. As a side note, I started to thing these Focals are on par, if not better than HD599, am I going crazy?
Anyways, so as you see I like warmer headphones with crystal clear mids. High treble is a pain for me, I tried Sony WH-XM5's and had to return it. Not just because of the treble but that's another discussion. For the bass, I don't have much experience of high quality bass although I tried Momentum 4's and for me their bass was spectacular. Probably the best I've heard in a headphone. I would love a deep bass but I wouldn't want it to be muddy which would mask the lower mids.
So do you think HD660S2 is a good choice for me? Thanks in advance
The HD660S2 is a great deal for under $500. It's my favorite of all the headphones I've ever tried. I have tried to EQ it, because it does have a low-mid hump and a peak around 8600Hz that I had wanted to smooth out. They're not offensive together. The one balances out the other. But it would be better if neither were there, in my opinion. But getting rid of them backs the stage away and puts the singer and band behind a veil, due to the huge dip around 4400Hz. That dip cannot be lifted without ruining the clarity, which is one of the main selling points of this headphone. I have given up on trying to EQ them.
The bass is probably the other great selling point. It is low, agile, quick, and beautiful without being overbearing. It's the best bass I've heard on a dynamic headphone. With it, I have learned that there are more notes in the bass line to Beck's "Loser" than I had previously heard. It's the opposite of muddy bass. I tried giving a tiny boost to the lowest frequencies just for hip-hop purposes, but it also ruined the clarity. I just can't use any boosts in EQing them, at all.
So, to sum up: They're great headphones. I use them every day, and I love them. They have shown me new sounds in old songs. They fit and are built very well. They have excellent, natural tonality in general. But they have that treble peak, and the low-mid hump to balance it out and give you a V-shape. If I am using the K7 with the 660S2 without EQ, the treble gets fatiguing within a few hours. If I use the MCTH with the 660S2 instead, without EQ, the treble peak isn't as cutting. I can go several hours with it. The sound is warmer, more rounded and organic, but with less punch and not as well-defined layers of depth. If I use them with either amp and EQ to reduce the treble peak and low-mid hump, the tonality is perfect, but distant and dull.
So even though you're breaking rule #2, I'm going to advise you get them and see how they do with your amp. If your amp is technical, analytical, and powerful, that treble might annoy you. If your amp is warm, organic, and rich, you'll probably love the 660S2 with it.
Great thorough review and recommendation, thanks a lot!
Mostly people emphasize on the V shape of the sound signature and it makes me wonder if I would be satisfied with the clarity of the mids. Would you say mids would be a selling point of this headphone? I mean, for sure it would be an upgrade to HD599 but what about compared to HD600? Do you have any experience?
I will be using a cheap dac/amp by the way. Fosi Audio Q4 if you know the device. I believe It would be sufficient but not too powerful.