Started with the 7506, but soon moved to the HD600, they are flatter and just translate better. I prefer them over the 650.
Tested the 800, they're very revealing. Start saving if you can.

Check out the Smyth Research Realiser A8, a dedicated headphone DSP box that with suitable headphones can be used to provide a pretty good simulation through the headphones of the sound of a mastering studio (reputedly... I have not yet pried open the wallet to buy one, so have no direct experience). You need access to that mastering studio for capturing the suitable DSP transfer function, which includes response of the speakers, acoustic response of the room, unique HRTF of the specific listener's head, and the response of the headphones on the listener's head.

Suitable headphones don't have to sound especially good without the DSP because the box applies necessary EQ, but the headphones would need to have a response that can be forced to the target response. Such headphones would exhibit adequately wide bandwidth, no suckouts in the audible frequency spectrum, and no high Q resonances in the response. It also accommodates the use of subwoofer(s) in combination with the headphones.

With that, and with brief access to the real examples of what you are simulating, you should be able to generate simulation profiles of a good mastering studio setup, other setups with EQs suitable for mixing, lo-fi consumer setups, car-fi, etc. ...all played back through the same headphone setup.


This post is starting to read like a sales pitch, but I have no affiliation with Smyth or any reseller, no chips in the poker game.

I'm pretty sure if your mastering guy is using headphones he doesn't know what he's doing mastering
Not saying he might listen thru them
But he sure as he'll isn't mastering thru headphones

650s exclusively,bc I was forced to sell my monitors. I get great mixes in these and very rarely need to make adjustments. Prior to selling my monitors I didn't believe it to be possible to mix with just headphones. I was wrong.

Rme UCX. I'm getting great mixes

I'm looking to get the Senheiser HD600 soon and wondering if anyone has experience with the AudioEngine D1 amp/dac? Or alternatively the Fiio E17k?

Will either be a good choice to drive the HD600?

Many thanks

The MIYO has good reviews and apparently drives the HD600's and 650's with ease:
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/11788590-post16.html

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/11788611-post17.html

Yes, I've been using 600s for years and really know them. They give a different presentation which is very helpful to me.

Would you say they are accurate enough for mixing dance based music?

Many thanks

Accurate - yes. But I'd think they're bit low on bass for mixing dance. You'll have to be aware of that or you'll end up having way too much bass in your mixes.

But bass region/levels/balance really should be evaluated on speakers anyway.

I would not mix on any headphones without using Sonarworks...headphones are less flat than good monitors in a decent room...the freq curve is quite large and the difference with Sonarworks once you hear it you won't go back...

I am getting much much better results now using Waves NX followed by Sonarworks. I was using them stock with my HD650 but I now got HD800 and had an individual calibration done with Sonarworks - and it was worth every penny...

It's a plug-in, but you can still probably use it for any PC application (listening to your music library, spotify, whatever)... On a Mac you can use an app like this:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/audi...89844081?mt=12

(or one of the alternative solutions mentioned in the comments)

and I would be surprised if it couldn't be done on Windows as well.

Went from 15 years on Sony 7506 to the ATH-M50X early this year.
Add the Sonarworks plug to the mix - literally - and I'm golden when my room is not an option.
Things translate so well I wonder what I'm doing wrong, or what I'm doing right for that matter, does my head in but in the best of ways.

Never tried the HD 600/650, I'm sure they're fantastic, but for a sub $200 set, I can't fault the ATH-M50X one bit.

I've had to mix a lot on HD 600's recently (small children), but with Sonarworks and driven by Ray Samuels Hornet. Ray told me he designed the amp to drive the HD 600's and I have been getting results that translate well. Ray's amps are the business.

If I take my HD600's on and off my head and compare to the sound of my K&H 0300's the sound is remarkably close, really, really close.

The HD600's are very impressive for their natural response imho.

HD660s are really good headphones and I've been using them alot over the years.
But...

They are fragile. We have 2 of them in our studio and both of them have been sent back to sennheiser for repair, twice! Something with the loend falling apart in L or R.

I have now switched to Beyer 880 pro and I'm really happy with them!

Samson SR850 Pro - $40
Ironically MUCH better than a lot of the overpriced headphones

Nope. Only use my 600's for listening for pops/clicks and occasionally when trimming tops and tails when sequencing.

The 770's are good for checking if the mix is too bassy or too bright. I use 650's now for late night mixing and adjust on the monitors during the day. First headphones I've been satisfied doing so with.

I dunno how you can mix the drums with headphones, so impossible for me!

I know this is an old thread, but I need to know how you are doing this properly.

I have the HD 600s custom calibrated by sonarworks...

but how are you using the Subpac and sonarworks at the same time without the EQ curve from sonarworks affecting the Subpac??

Hello guys.. first time here.. I’m from Dallas tx.. I’m been reading all your comments.. amazing how you learn reading these.. I do have a questions.. a friend of mine have one of this headphones and also says that bass bumps a little.. can it be fix when calibration from this plugin from sonarworks? Or at least to making sound better. Also I do have a Scarlett 6i6 2nd gen. I do want to know if I still need to get an amp for better results or it just do it fine without it

Compared to other headphones, Sonarworks are doing very little to the HD600, since they are very flat. Not perfectly, but more so than most speakers in most rooms, and more so than any headphone i'm aware of.
That said, lots of other problems mixing on headphones of course, millions of threads about that already.
I used them for 10+ years and just recently changed to a pair of HifiMan Arya, because my requirements changed a bit. From mixing, more to detail check. The HD600 are pretty detailed, but are smoked completely by the Arya.

As far as mixing headphones go, they're very good. Same solid freq response but more detailed are Focal Clear Professional, but those are much pricier obv..

There are some speaker emulation plug-ins for headphones which are also good for checking mixes if you don't have access to speakers.

...Ha, Since I got my 'big boy speakers' (Genelec 8341's w/7360 sub) more than a year ago, my HD600's don't see much action.

I am mixing and mastering the dance music I make using them, also referencing MacBook Pro speakers and a mobile phone speaker, and get pretty good results, but sometimes the deep bass has not been what I expected on large speakers. Much more revealing that the HD 280s I used to use, although I am now using them do double check the bass parts.

That being said, I can't wait to get some good reference monitors again.

DougS
How are your mixes better now with Genelecs?

DougS,
Just curious how these made your mixes better?

I can hear the material so much better. I do a mix in a fraction of the time and it translates. Before I was mixing on small Genelecs - the 8010's. They are good but no comparison to the 8341s and 7360 sub. I used to check my mixes on the HD600s often. But now I get more detail from Genelec Ones. With the 7360 sub I get better bass. The HD600's are kind of lonely.

When I say I do a mix in a fraction of the time I mean a really small fraction. Like 1/10th or even 1/20th of the time. No more ear fatigue. Comparatively, it was like searching a dark room with a dim pen light vs turning the lights on.

Thanks DougS!

It helps to know how it's better. Sounds like it's a lot better for you!