Sennheiser HD 600 vs Sennheiser HD 650 – A Head To Head Comparison

I know everybody has heard about Sennheiser as a brand at some point, but as they bring a lot of headphones to the market, doubts begin as you don’t know what to choose from this fantastic brand!

There are the Sennheiser HD 600 and 650 headphones that have brought you to this article! Here, I will compare these two types of headphones so that you can choose wisely and precisely between them! Let’s start!

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The Best Sennheisers, Meet Them

Sennheiser HD 600

Sennheiser HD 600 headphones are the brand’s most famous launch, and they are one of the most used headphones by many lovers of music all around the world.

The headphones have a lot of built-in features, and most importantly, they sound perfectly fine, as they are made for audiophiles in the world of music.

Sennheiser HD 650

Sennheiser HD 650 are kind of an upgrade of the Sennheiser HD 600, and they are as well headphones used by audiophiles.

What is special about these headphones is that they are known to be more modern, and of course, they are also used for different purposes, from listening to music to creating music!

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Key Specifications of the Two Headphones

Below you will find the key specifications of both these headphones. So you can find out how the two headphones compare to each other and other headphones in general.

Name of the product	Sennheiser HD 600	Sennheiser HD 650
Impedance	300 Ohm	300 Ohm
Sensitivity	97dB/mW	103dB/mW
Frequency response	12Hz – 39000 kHz	12 – 39000 Hz
Weight	315g (11.1 Oz.)	370g (13 Oz.)
Termination	3.5mm with 1/4″ Adapter	3.5mm with 1/4″ Adapter
Primary use	Mixing, Mastering, Reference, Critical Listening	Casual Listening, Fun
Padding	Velour	Velour
Material	Metal Grilles, Carbon Fiber, Velour Ear Pads, Plastic	OFC copper (Kevlar Reinforced), Velour, Plastic

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The Battle of Siblings: Sennheiser HD 600 Vs. Sennheiser HD 650

Now that everything is set and clear, let me start with the comparison of these two beasts from Sennheiser, as there are many things to talk about!

Design/Comfort:

The first thing I notice when I have these two pairs of headphones in my hands is how they look.

That means that these headphones are very similar to one another when it comes to the design part, and you will not directly notice whether you are looking at HD 600 or HD 650 unless you check out the side parts of the headbands where is found the exact name so that you can distinguish.

They both have an open-back design, which can be noticed quite easily!

As I mentioned the headbands, these Sennheiser headphones have some sturdy headbands in general, as they are made to accompany you for how long you want regarding usage per day.

They are comfortable while on your head, and also worth mentioning is the fact that the earcups are very comfortable. They include a fluff material that doesn’t create heat or even bother your ears while staying over them.

Moving on to the build quality, I wouldn’t say that these two pairs of headphones are the best out there.

Sennheiser HD 600 and HD 650 are both made of plastic, and we all know that plastic isn’t the most durable material that can be used in making any product. Still, if you take care of them properly, you can use them for a period.

Design Verdict:

As you noticed the comfortability and build quality are pretty much the same, color is only what differentiates them.

In my opinion, I opt for the HD 600 design, since I am a nostalgic person, and I like vintage stuff, the marble look, and the Sennheiser lettering – take me on a nostalgic trip.

But most people opt for the 650 HD, based on my research and what I’ve heard.

HD 650 is the winner design-wise, it has a modern and elegant look that can blend anywhere.

Still, if we go in depth look both are headphones with a good build quality

	Sennhesier HD 600	Sennheiser HD 650
Color	Black	Black
Material	Plastic	Plastic
Weight	9.17 oz /260 g	19.17 oz/260 g

Accessories:

Both headphones, the HD 600 and 650 come well-packaged and in a high-quality foam-hinged box.

Both headphones come with a proprietary cable that fits at the end of the right and left ear cups. What I liked here, is that the 600 HD includes one of the cables in red and the other one is black, so you can easily tell which end of the cable should go to which cup.

That said, the cables come in great quality and are thin straight, and made to last.

Both headphones come sporting a 3.5mm adapter that has a termination of ¼. While the cable length on both devices is 3 meters.

As I mentioned above the red cable found in 600 HD, sadly is not found in the 650. The HD 650 has both ends in black and you might struggle sometimes finding the right cable for the right ear cup.

With this being said, in this aspect, this gives the 600 slightly an edge over its successor.

Connectivity

Moving on, we have connectivity, which is also a very important feature to check out on headphones in general. That way, you can freely understand what they are compatible with and how they should get connected.

Just like on the design part, you will find these headphones similar on the connectivity part! I know it may sound boring saying that they are similar, but what can we do? They are both wired headphones that use the same way of connecting cables.

As for the use and compatibility, you will be more than free to use both headphones with any kind of device you may already own. They work perfectly fine with computers, phones, laptops, and even some instruments that accept the headphones’ adapters and jacks.

Sound Quality and Performance

Here we are at the main and the most important thing that should be known about every pair of headphones, and it is a fact of the performance, or mainly said, the way how they will bring the sound to you!

Both of the headphones, Sennheiser HD 600 and HD 650, are audiophile headphones, which means that they sound indeed amazing, and they bring the sound to you with an impressive detailed form.

Their open-back design allows the air to move in and out easily, as they offer a perfect professional listening experience but no noise cancellation of any kind.

As we compare these headphones regarding sound quality, I would like to make a specific division regarding lows, mids, and high frequencies of sound!

Bass?

So we arrived at the bass while they have a great overall frequency range, the bass is something they suffer at. Don’t worry, it’s not the end of the world.

Both headphones perform decently in Bass, but I don’t recommend them for bass heads. Neither of them has sub bass, which is crucial.

Nevertheless, the mid-bass is quite nice and you can hear the drums and reverberations clearly and smoothly. In a way, the mid-bass makes up for it sub-bass

It is safe to say that both these headphones are lacking bass response.

Mids?

Mid frequencies of sound are known as the normal ones, and that’s what the Sennheiser HD 600 headphones are mostly known for.

You will clearly notice that the mids that come from Sennheiser HD600 are way clearer than the ones on HD 650 headphones. The Sennheiser HD00 is very precise on the mid frequencies of the sound.

Highs?

Here we come at another similarity, and in fact, it is a great similarity! Sennheiser HD 600 and Sennheiser HD 650 sound perfectly regarding the high frequencies of the sound, and they are very powerful!

The high sound will be brought to you very precisely, and I don’t think that you will ever complain about this.

Sound Verdict?

Well, I am hard-pressed to find a difference here but I can separate them.

For example, if you like listening to vocals like Adele, 600 is the way to go. Also, its natural sound nature, makes the 600 ideal for studio use, if you monitor sounds or do professional work in general.

While 650 is ideal for audiophiles who like listening to music while doing daily tasks. Also if you listen to a lot of EDM/Techno, I mean electronic music in general, 650 is a splendid choice. If EDM is all you listen to, you can get a pair of headphones for edm music instead.

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Conclusions

So we arrived at the end of the article let me say this straight away those are great value headphones. Their longevity on the market for such a long time is a testimony to that.

After all, they didn’t dominate the market for anything all these years. There’s a saying that I think will suit this Sennheiser lineup a lot:

“Beware of an old man in a profession where men usually die young”

Both headphones are equally good but In the end, it all boils down to your preferences and the type of music you are listening to. Nevertheless, nothing changes the fact that you will listen to good music with those headphones.

Sennheiser is a very versatile brand, offering headphones in any price range and category. For example, the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro made it the best option in our studio headphones under $100 list.

As mentioned before, the HD 600 has a vintage/old design while offering great comfort, and natural sound without any enhancement. While the HD650 offers the same comfort but in a modern and elegant way and performs better in the electronic music field.

Further Reading

Just like Sennheiser, there are also other well known brands in the audio world, like Audio Technica. Audio Technica besides headphones also produces microphones. Check the difference between Audio Technica USB and XLR . Another well known brand is Yamaha, which besides headphones also produces speakers. Check the difference between Yamaha HS5 and HS7. 

Shure is also a well know nn the audio worsl, and you can check the comparison between Shure SM48 and Shure SM58.