Amp for Sennheiser HD600

[KTagaya]

I am about to purchase some Sennheiser HD600 headphones to use as a 2nd reference during mixing. For those who use them, I have some questions...

1) Will I need or should I get a headphone amp? The Senns will be driven out of an M-Audio Ozonic (not high end, I know) which claims it can drive headphones from 32-600 ohms. I currently use HD280s and there is plenty of volume (though the 280s are only 64 ohm impedance phones). I'm curious because the stated impedance of the 600s is 300 ohms, which is quite a bit more than the 280s.

2) Should I replace the stock cable on the 600s? I've heard that it can make a big difference (albeit from audiophile sites).

3) Do you recommend a burn-in period? If so, for how long?

As mentioned above, these headphones will be used primarily for help during mixing, so my main concern is a neutral, unhyped sound. However, it would be nice to use them for casually listening to music as well. Thanks!

[skopje]

I also have recently bought HD 600s. At the same time my hafler power amp with excellent quality headphone output broke. I started listening to the Hd600's on the headphone out on my Marantz Cd player, i was so dissapointed with the sound and they also distorted!!!!! I took them to a freinds house who had a NAD amp, and they sounded fine through that. They are going to need a little bit more power to drive them, but they are very good once you find a good headphone amp

stephen

[bob katz]

Originally Posted by KTagaya

I am about to purchase some Sennheiser HD600 headphones to use as a 2nd reference during mixing. For those who use them, I have some questions...

1) Will I need or should I get a headphone amp? The Senns will be driven out of an M-Audio Ozonic (not high end, I know) which claims it can drive headphones from 32-600 ohms. I currently use HD280s and there is plenty of volume (though the 280s are only 64 ohm impedance phones). I'm curious because the stated impedance of the 600s is 300 ohms, which is quite a bit more than the 280s.

Oh my goodness! In your case I would HIGHLY recommend you get a high quality combined DAC/headphone amp like the Benchmark or the Grace. Do NOT just get a headphone amp.

Running that M-Audio (isn't that a DAC, also) into a pair of HD-600s is like putting a Mercedes engine in a Yugo.

2) Should I replace the stock cable on the 600s? I've heard that it can make a big difference (albeit from audiophile sites).

The Sennheiser cable for the HD600s is very flimsy. Intermittents are not uncommon. I just bought the replacement cable that's for the 650s to use with my 600s, which is more rugged and a good idea. HOWEVER, the major problem is not the cable, but the spring contacts inside that cheap Sennheiser female connector. Somewhere on the net you will find instructions for reforming the spring contacts when intermittents develop. Watch out for that very very tiny wire, if you touch it, you break it and you'll have to buy a new element. Been there, done that! And don't even try soldering it, I think they must use electron microscopes and wave soldering to terminate that wire.

I doubt they need a burnin period.

[KTagaya]

Hey Bob,

Thanks for the informative reply! Your recommendation is one of the reasons I decided on the 600. Anyways, the things you said confirmed some old fears of mine that I've been relegating to the back of my mind; namely, that I need a quality interface. If I did stick with the Ozonic, would it be worth it to put a good headphone amp after the headphone output? I realize this wouldn't improve the DAC, but would it be enough to get reasonably good, neutral sound from the 600s? Mind, this is mainly for a project studio recording my own stuff and occasionally doing production work for a professional radio station. Cheers!

[skopje]

What amp are you using? If you are using passive monitors it might be worth upgrading your amp to improve your monitoring situation, and at the same time probably get a vastly improved headphone amp in to the equation for free. I'd love to get a DAC as well, but it's out of my price bracket?

stephen