Sennheiser HD 660 S Open, Dynamic Lightweight Circumaural Headphones with Low Impedence and Improved Transducer Design for Audiophiles, Black

There were several reasons to add these "Sennheiser HD 660S Over-Ear Open Dynamic Headphones - Black" to a small but growing personal mini-collection. The packaging is essentially to expectations, card sleeve enclosing a solid box in which are the 'phones, cables and data booklet. The only issue is that the box is a VERY TIGHT fit in the sleeve and difficult to remove without damage to the sleeve, not that all will care about that! Once extracted, a thick lump of dense foam packaging within the box pushed its two sections outwards and the cause of the difficulty. Included cables are a 4.4mm balanced and a 3.5mm unbalanced, both 3m long and rubberized. There is an option for a balanced XLR cable should that ever be needed. As best known, coiled versions are not available as potential alternatives to those provided as they have a reputation for kinking. Rather than the gold-plated brass headphone adapter most manufacturers include, there is a short adapter cable ending in a plastic-bodied socket. The connectors linking with the earpieces are not obviously keyed other than being labelled L and R, respectively, on the outside. The earpieces lack any obvious labelling for side (L or R). The cable connectors are marked but the lettering is small, black on black and barely rise beyond the general surface. The key is the gold S logo on each unit which should be oriented to the rear. The headband is the expected thick, broad band with deep velour-covered foam pads to either side of centre with sufficient adjustment for different head sizes, hairstyles etc. The ear-pads are also velour-covered which should be longer-lasting than the 'leather' found on lesser models and that usually need replacing within two years; these should last several years. Both sets of padding are sufficiently thick and comfortable. While immediately comfortable to wear, and likely to be just as comfortable after several hours, they are quite lightweight as plastics are used extensively, a significant surprise at the price paid. Were construction of carbon-fibre, glass-fibre or a honeycomb composite as used in the aviation industry (subject to suitability); the weight would be similar but perception of construction standards would probably be higher. Regardless, construction is to an adequately high standard although a hard case may be desirable should they need to be transported between home and studio or between venues; the 'phones are not designed to fold so is likely to be large and preferably internally sculpted to fit. At home, a suitable headphone stand (a polystyrene head?) could be a worthwhile addition. Designed for audiophile, professional studio or monitoring purposes the HD660s' perfectly flat mid-range and lower-treble - the portion of the audio range most relevant when monitoring or producing - is outstanding and probably exceeds almost everything within their price range. Overall frequency response is quoted as 9 Hz to 41500 kHz but without a specified variation at the extremes. Sub-bass performance out-of-the box is less impressive. The HD660s generally requires a headphone amplifier and that is how it will be later used; a burn-in period using a radio's headphone socket as a source will follow almost immediately with the 'phones buried under a pile of cushions to deaden the leaking sound over the minimum of two or three days' continuous play it involves - it isn't necessary to listen, especially if in a bedroom at night! The amplifier owned offers two functions dedicated to an older Sennheiser model that is now manufactured by another company and rebranded. That model has widely recognized performance issues that the amp can resolve. Although not specifically intended to support them, it was suggested by an independent professional audio lab that there is a shortlist of Sennheiser models that each benefit when partnered with the amp; the HD660s is one, supported not equally but even better! That information was previously unknown. Having purchased the amp to use with other owned headphones, it was initially thought not to be fully functional as its benefits were not audible with either. Questions were raised with the manufacturer and some clarification followed but additional questions were raised but not yet resolved. Once support for the HD660s was known via another source, their purchase was initiated. Personal curiosity about the amp's benefits needed to be satisfied and results for both functions are highly favourable, very evident even for older ears. With both working in consort, low-bass performance is improved, the sound rounder and more characterful helped by a slight rise and smoothness in the high-treble area while the expanded sound-stage is dramatic having eliminated the sense from the HD660s alone that performers who previously appeared to essentially be shoulder-to-shoulder were now spread across a wide area with a well-defined left, right and centre, not each in a single location but with individual isolation. After burn-in, performance should be smoother and more impressive. As a headphone amplifier is almost indispensable, purchasers should undertake their own research to ascertain which best meets their budget and usage requirements as prices range from sub-£100 to low-thousands! Personal choice, initially incidental and with no expectation that the HD660s were soon to be purchased, may have resulted in the perfect partner without breaking the bank! Without doubt, these are the best headphones ever heard although not the first to be of a professional audio standard. There was unsatisfied expectation that there may be an individual performance print-out of the actual unit's audio spectrum, distortion levels etc to demonstrate just how closely the two ear units matched; a similar chart was provided with professional 'phones purchased in the '70s and binned when its gel-filled, non-replaceable ear-cushions solidified over several months one summer.

Overall these are a solid choice if great sound (with some eq), lightweightness, tight fit, balanced connection and strong mids are your thing. They sound great with every genre. They sound nice and loud enough directly without an amp from my Samsung Galaxy S10, but with an amp they really shine. They are very open, which is very nice when using them in a (video)call. Listening to your own voice almost sound natural. That said I also bought recently a pair of Beyerdynamic DT1990pro for basically the same price and apart from the points already mentioned the Beyers are better in every aspect: Better build, better comfort, better accessories (extra pair of ear pads and carry case), better cables. Better sound with more detail, crispier highs and very detailed bass. And yes their biggest problem/flaw is that harsh 8khz spike. So they also need to have some eq. With a strong treble lift on the HD660s both headphone can almost sound identical, but the DT1990pro still has better soundstage, resolution and presence. I let my wife decide which one she wants, but after an initial impression, she also wants the DT1990pro. Just to be clear, the differences are marginally, both headphones are amazing and better than anything we had at hand before like Bose QC15 and QC35II and Beyerdynamics DT 770 pro 80ohm. The QC35II are still my no 1 choice for outdoor and overall comfort, but listening to music on these is hard after experiencing the HD660S or DT1990pro. It's like driving a VW Golf and then Mercedes C-Class ... Update after a month of use: The initial quite strong clamping force is not so much an issue any more and I can almost forget wearing them. I would say they became more comfy than the dt1990pro, especially being lighter and more "airy". BUT: last week I upgraded to the HifiMan Arya Stealth, which are way better than both of them in sound and comfort. Build quality and cable is still better on the dt1990pro. But if you planning to use headphones as your primary sound source the almost 1000 pound price difference is worth it. The sound is drastically better, especially compared to the hd660s and the fact the that earcups are so big and deep that they don't touch the ears at all is amazing. These are truly S-Class ...

These sennheiser headphones deliver some of the best audio quality i've ever heard. Bass is practically non-existant however so I use an equalizer for that. They're very comfortable.

I'm not an experienced reviewer, and still fairly inexperienced with this tier of headphones. But maybe my experience with these headphones as an average audio enthusiast might help some likeminded individuals decide if these are worth checking out or not. The setup and sources I use Primary Source/DAC/Amp: Fiio X5 mkiii Music sources: Spotify Premium, HiFi, Flac, 320 kbps Build quality No complaints here. Even though the exterior is mostly plastic, the frame of the headband is made from aluminum, and does not feel cheap or vulnerable at all. The plastic allows these headphones to be very light, which contributes greatly to the comfort. The HD 6-- series have been known to endure for decades when properly taken care of, and I have not found any reason to doubt that. Comfort This might be the most significant selling point for me. They are definitely not very comfortable right out of the box, since the clamping force is initially quite prominent. Also the pads are fairly stiff, which in combination with the clamping force, puts a fair bit of strain on the arms of my glasses. They still were more comfortable than many headphones I've owned before though. As time progressed, the headband loosened up, and the pads had worn in, forming to the shape of my head. Since then, they haven't been uncomfortable at all anymore, and I've been able to keep them on for endless hours without feeling strained. Like many others have said, you just forget that you're wearing headphones after a while. Power requirements They are rated at a nominal impedance of 150 ohms, and are advertised to not require a dedicated amp for good results. While I do agree that these sound absolutely fine with my iphone X and galaxy s9+, but i primarily use a Fiio X5 mkiii player and that has definitely shown a worthwhile improvement. Not only to achieve satisfactory levels of volume, but also to remain free from distortion at much higher volume levels than my on-board audio. It just sounds more effortless and linear overall. Sound Bass The bass on these is tight, quick and punchy. Without EQ, the amount of bass is leaning more towards being bass-light, which isn't optimal for bass-heavy genres like modern hip-hop and various electronic subgenres. There is still a decent amount of mid-upper bass, which is sufficient to nicely complement instrumental/vocal focused genres like rock, jazz, soul, classical etc. With EQ, the bass can be elevated quite a lot without sounding distorted or awfully off. Also, with tracks that have a lot of loud bass going on, the bass does start to audibly struggle quite a bit, and can at times sound a bit distorted. Overall, it's not capable of being a bass-cannon, but for my likings, it's capable enough. Midrange This is regarded to be the main reason why the 6-- series has been so popular for over 20 years, and rightfully so. Vocals sound impressively clear and forward, definitely the most realistic representation of vocals I have heard on any headphone. Even realistic to a degree where you can almost feel the breath of the singer. Intrumentals are also presented with magnificent detail and separation. Opposed to the HD 600 and 650, these don't sound veiled at all. Vocals are very much in-your-face, instrumentals right behind it, without feeling like anything overshadows anything. Very impressive! Treble I am quite treble-sensitive, which contributed greatly to why I like the 660 S more than the 600 or 650. To my ears, the treble is already leaning towards the brighter side, but the EQ conveniently smoothens it out just enough to hit the sweet spot for me. The slightly recessed treble does translate into a mild loss of fine details and sparkle in that area, but for my own listening enjoyment, this tradeoff is worth it for me. Soundstage The soundstage on the HD 660 S is decent, but not impressive. It's still wider than any closed back headphones I have tried, and there is enough width to get a proper sense of separation and distance. It sounds a bit wider than the 600/650 to my ears, but this might be because there appears to be a bit more air in between different sounds. On the 600/650, adjacent sounds can sound a bit more like they are transitioning into one another, while the 660 S sounds like there is much less of a transition, and more air in between sounds. Final verdict The HD 660 S does a lot of things exceptionally well, and has not revealed any major flaws. The combination of comfort, the beautifully balanced sound signature that never fatigues, the resolving capabilities, the flexibility to EQ this to a wide variety of different sound signatures all make this a headphone that is very difficult to criticize.

Dopo più di un mese d'uso, amo le cuffie di più. All'inizio, penso che non abbia molto il bass, infatti lo è, ma ci vuole un po' di tempo per abituare e per riconoscere che le cuffie sono molto bilanciate in tutte tre bass, mid e trebbe. Il bass è abbastanza per farlo sentire ma non supera il mid; il trebbe è chiaro e nitido. Senza dubbio, come le altre recensioni hanno confermato, HD660s sono assolutamente precise, fano sentire ogni cosa viene stato registrata in maniera perfetta, non confusa e bilanciata. La mia combinazione è Schiit Modi Multibit DAC, Schiit Vali 2 come amp. Ma la cosa che renderebbe tutto straordinaria è la valvola che si usa con il Vali 2. Tre esempi: quella stock (va insieme con il Vali) è una canadese 6BZ7 che da il suono naturale, abbastanza brillante, ma il bass è inferiore, non è chiaro. Tutto cambia con la Mullard E189CC (quella militare), il suono è stato molto migliorato, il bass è forte e chiaro, il mid è preciso, il trebbe è brillante come la fama di Mullard. L’ultimo esempio è quella di Philips, la E188CC SQ. Tutto è perfetto! Niente da dire. La qualità di questa valvola è incredibile. Il suono è vivace, chiaro, bilanciato. Il suono della chitarra diventa così precisa come si sede davanti il musicista. Il soundstage è molto ambio, rende la musica assolutamente musicale e piacevole sentire ma la musica non diventa superficiale ma reale. Con il tempo, le cuffie diventano comode fino a punto che non si rende conto più le sta mettendo.

C'est un casque HIFI, les lecteurs qui le comparent à du gaming se sont trompés d'usage et de produit. Sur du Haendel, les voix sont claires et définies, les concertos pour piano de Mozart limpides, souples ouverts en image stéréophonique. Evidement on n'est pas au niveau de Focal, mais c'est 1/3 du prix avec ce casque là pour un son très équilibré, ouvert, défini, rond. Un détail: c'est un casque "ouvert" donc pas adapté à l'extérieur, au train etc. C'est un usage HIFI à domicile.

ハイエンドクラスと言われるようなヘッドホンを買っては売りを繰り返していましたがその下にあたるミドルクラスのこのヘッドホンを未だに手放せずにいます。 理由としてはダイナミックドライバーのウォーム系であればコスパ最高だと思うからです。これを越えるとなるとFocalくらいじゃないでしょうか。とたんに桁が変わります。 残念ながら上位のHD800や700は手元に無いです、クリア系は平面駆動には勝てないと感じました。だからこそずっと手元に置いておけるこのHD660Sです。 ・音質 濃厚な中音域、豊かな倍音表現、暖かみのある音でとても心地よく聴けます。解像度が高いのにも関わらず角は取れていて優しく素晴らしいバランスだと思います。 ヘッドホンアンプが無い状態やパワーの無いシングルエンドですとややフラットで若干籠ったような音になり上流を選びます。 籠った音で残念というレビューを見かけることがあるHD660Sですがそう感じてしまっても仕方ないと思うことは多々あります。 透き通った音が好きな方にはあまりおすすめできないかもしれません。 ・音場 広いと言う感じてはなく優しく包み込まれるイメージです。 ・装着感 私は問題ありませんが側圧は強めだと思います。軽さはいいですね、全く疲れません。 ・付属品 高品質な3mの4.4mmのバランスケーブルが付いてきます。3mのバランスケーブルをリケーブルするとなるとかなり高価になりますので屋内でゆったりと聴きたい私にはかなりのプラスポイントです。 聴いているジャンルは流行りのPOPSや古いロックです、クラシックやジャズは滅多に聴きません。 音楽に集中したい時はそれこそ数十万クラスのヘッドホンを使っていますがリラックスしたい時はこれです。この病み付きになる中音域、手放せませんね。