This collaborative space allows users to contribute additional information, tips, and insights to enhance the original deal post. Feel free to share your knowledge and help fellow shoppers make informed decisions.
My headphone journey started about 15 years ago with the HD598. The 599 is basically the same headphone just with a slight retuning that makes the bass better. The 598/599 have what I call a 'fun' tuning. They're tuned to make 'most' music pleasing to the human ear.
The HD 600 is a different animal and has a mostly neutral tuning. Maybe slightly mid forward. If you want to hear the music as it was recorded with the vocals as the standout the HD 600 is a great choice. The 600 is more resolving and less forgiving of bad recordings. It also 'needs' amplification to get the most out of them. If you like EDM or bass heavy modern pop or especially rap save your money. The whole 6xx series lacks sub bass. If you like vocal forward jazz or rock and want to hear it as it was recorded there are few headphones with better timbre. They'll work for classical but there are probably better choices.
The HD600 is a classic open back wired headphone best known for neutral, mid focused sound, natural timbre, and a more airy presentation than the HD650 or HD6XX. It handles vocals, jazz, rock, and classical especially well, with a bigger soundstage and strong detail for the price. The main caveats are its bass light tuning, limited forgiveness with poor recordings, and the need for a decent headphone amp to get the most out of its 300 ohm drivers. A solid fit if you want a reference style listen rather than heavy bass.
Owners with a proper headphone amp who want the most from a 300-ohm headphone, because amplification makes a big difference.
Desk listeners who want to hear room sounds while keeping music quality high, because the open-back design lets outside conversation and ambient noise through.
The HD 600 is the more neutral, airier option with a bigger soundstage, while the HD 650/6XX family is warmer and more bass-forward. That makes the HD 600 a stronger fit for listeners who want a more revealing presentation, especially for classical and vocal-focused music.
It can run from modest gear, but it benefits from amplification to get the most out of its 300-ohm drivers. A small DAC/amp may be optional for casual listening, while a better amp can make a noticeable difference in dynamics and overall sound.
Yes. The HD 600 is known for mostly neutral tuning with strong mids and natural timbre, making vocals, jazz, and rock stand out clearly. It is less forgiving of bad recordings and has limited sub-bass, so it is not the best pick for bass-heavy EDM, pop, or rap.
Yes, $265 is described as a good deal compared with recent pricing. Similar options mentioned include renewed units around $224.99 and Sennheiser-refurbished pairs around $229.95, while some buyers were happy paying $299.
Yes, but they leak sound and let in room noise because they are open-back. That makes them better for hearing your surroundings at a desk, but people nearby may hear what you are listening to.
I bought the Drop version of these around 2018 and still use them daily. Highly recommend.
Keep in mind these are open back so people may hear what you're listening to, but also you can better hear the rest of the room.
I use a small DAC (Fiio E10K) but it may not be necessary. The drivers for these don't need much help.
This is the true original, recommended by the audio community for years, the off shoots HD650 HD6xx etc were after thoughts IMO. Sadly the Drop HD6xx which were sold out @$149 by Drop & Drop itself has been sold and will not exist after 31Mar, so this is likely a good deal especially if you have an OTL amp.
Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank
Quote
from sherretz
:
I bought the Drop version of these around 2018 and still use them daily. Highly recommend.
Keep in mind these are open back so people may hear what you're listening to, but also you can better hear the rest of the room.
I use a small DAC (Fiio E10K) but it may not be necessary. The drivers for these don't need much help.
The Drop one is based on the HD650, different headphone
I see these on sale once a year, but I've always been hesitant or on the fence to buy one since I currently own the HD 595 and the HD 599 SE and I'm not sure how much better the HD 600 fares against them since the HD 600 costs more than twice what I paid for each of them.
This is the true original, recommended by the audio community for years, the off shoots HD650 HD6xx etc were after thoughts IMO. Sadly the Drop HD6xx which were sold out @$149 by Drop & Drop itself has been sold and will not exist after 31Mar, so this is likely a good deal especially if you have an OTL amp.
Actually, Drop had been sold to Corsair years ago, I'm talking since 2023. More recently, Corsair is now deciding to shutdown Drop.
Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank
Quote
from Frank_Nitty
:
I see these on sale once a year, but I've always been hesitant or on the fence to buy one since I currently own the HD 595 and the HD 599 SE and I'm not sure how much better the HD 600 fares against them since the HD 600 costs more than twice what I paid for each of them.
My headphone journey started about 15 years ago with the HD598. The 599 is basically the same headphone just with a slight retuning that makes the bass better. The 598/599 have what I call a 'fun' tuning. They're tuned to make 'most' music pleasing to the human ear.
The HD 600 is a different animal and has a mostly neutral tuning. Maybe slightly mid forward. If you want to hear the music as it was recorded with the vocals as the standout the HD 600 is a great choice. The 600 is more resolving and less forgiving of bad recordings. It also 'needs' amplification to get the most out of them. If you like EDM or bass heavy modern pop or especially rap save your money. The whole 6xx series lacks sub bass. If you like vocal forward jazz or rock and want to hear it as it was recorded there are few headphones with better timbre. They'll work for classical but there are probably better choices.
I see these on sale once a year, but I've always been hesitant or on the fence to buy one since I currently own the HD 595 and the HD 599 SE and I'm not sure how much better the HD 600 fares against them since the HD 600 costs more than twice what I paid for each of them.
Looking for an opinion of an audiophile. Currently I have the Arctis Nova Pro 2 Wireless and although i love them for sound quality, the sound cancellation is such that i could have someone standing in the door to my room talking to me and I cannot hear unless they speak loudly. I would like to try an open-ear headset and feel these would be a quality set to try out without sacrificing sound quality. I know these are wired but I don't really need wireless at my desk. Any opinions on the two? Much appreciated!
Top Comments
The HD 600 is a different animal and has a mostly neutral tuning. Maybe slightly mid forward. If you want to hear the music as it was recorded with the vocals as the standout the HD 600 is a great choice. The 600 is more resolving and less forgiving of bad recordings. It also 'needs' amplification to get the most out of them. If you like EDM or bass heavy modern pop or especially rap save your money. The whole 6xx series lacks sub bass. If you like vocal forward jazz or rock and want to hear it as it was recorded there are few headphones with better timbre. They'll work for classical but there are probably better choices.
Community Reviews
The HD600 is a classic open back wired headphone best known for neutral, mid focused sound, natural timbre, and a more airy presentation than the HD650 or HD6XX. It handles vocals, jazz, rock, and classical especially well, with a bigger soundstage and strong detail for the price. The main caveats are its bass light tuning, limited forgiveness with poor recordings, and the need for a decent headphone amp to get the most out of its 300 ohm drivers. A solid fit if you want a reference style listen rather than heavy bass.
Common Questions (5)
AI-generated summary based on comments from the community. Updated ago
Join The Conversation
Share your experience with the Slickdeals community
Share information with the community. Please follow our Community Guidelines and be kind!
33 Comments
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
Keep in mind these are open back so people may hear what you're listening to, but also you can better hear the rest of the room.
I use a small DAC (Fiio E10K) but it may not be necessary. The drivers for these don't need much help.
Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank
Keep in mind these are open back so people may hear what you're listening to, but also you can better hear the rest of the room.
I use a small DAC (Fiio E10K) but it may not be necessary. The drivers for these don't need much help.
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank
The HD 600 is a different animal and has a mostly neutral tuning. Maybe slightly mid forward. If you want to hear the music as it was recorded with the vocals as the standout the HD 600 is a great choice. The 600 is more resolving and less forgiving of bad recordings. It also 'needs' amplification to get the most out of them. If you like EDM or bass heavy modern pop or especially rap save your money. The whole 6xx series lacks sub bass. If you like vocal forward jazz or rock and want to hear it as it was recorded there are few headphones with better timbre. They'll work for classical but there are probably better choices.
Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
Join The Conversation
Share your experience with the Slickdeals community
Share information with the community. Please follow our Community Guidelines and be kind!