--- product_id: 48150843 title: "HD 650 Audiophile Open-Back Dynamic Headphones-Grey" brand: "sennheiser" price: "€ 545.55" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 category: "Sennheiser" url: https://www.desertcart.pt/products/48150843-hd-650-audiophile-open-back-dynamic-headphones-grey store_origin: PT region: Portugal --- # 42mm dynamic drivers Frequency range 10-39,500 Hz 300Ξ© impedance, neodymium magnets HD 650 Audiophile Open-Back Dynamic Headphones-Grey **Brand:** sennheiser **Price:** € 545.55 **Availability:** βœ… In Stock ## Summary > 🎢 Elevate your audio game β€” hear what others miss with HD 650! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** HD 650 Audiophile Open-Back Dynamic Headphones-Grey by sennheiser - **How much does it cost?** € 545.55 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.pt](https://www.desertcart.pt/products/48150843-hd-650-audiophile-open-back-dynamic-headphones-grey) ## Best For - sennheiser enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted sennheiser brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - β€’ **Wide Frequency Response:** Dive deep into a rich soundscape from 10 Hz bass to 39,500 Hz treble β€” hear every detail. - β€’ **Lightweight & Durable Design:** Aluminum voice coils and titanium-silver finish combine comfort with professional-grade build. - β€’ **Open-Back Natural Soundstage:** Feel immersed with expansive, natural sound ideal for critical listening and studio work. - β€’ **Hand-Selected Matched Drivers:** Enjoy perfectly balanced left and right audio channels with Β±1 dB accuracy. - β€’ **Precision Acoustic Silk Damping:** Experience ultra-low distortion at just 0.05% THD for crystal-clear sound clarity. ## Overview The Sennheiser HD 650 are premium open-back dynamic headphones featuring 42mm hand-selected drivers, a wide 10-39,500 Hz frequency range, and ultra-low distortion acoustic silk damping. Designed for audiophiles and professionals, they deliver detailed, natural sound with a spacious soundstage and punchy yet precise bass. Lightweight aluminum voice coils and a luxurious titanium-silver finish ensure comfort during extended listening sessions. Ideal for critical listening, studio monitoring, and high-fidelity music enjoyment, these 300Ξ© impedance headphones perform best with a dedicated amplifier. ## Description From the manufacturer HD 650 Reference Class Wired Headphones The HD 650 is richly detailed and offers a natural sound that is smooth, effortless and relaxing to listen to. You will quickly become captivated with their expressiveness and emotion whilst also enjoying their absolute control and precision. The HD 650s feel luxurious with a thickly padded headband and ear cushions with a high-tech lightweight titanium-silver finish that is both understated and elegant. An open-back design ensures the sound is natural. An amazing all-rounder for all genres of music Clear and detailed sound, with distinct separation and layering of the upper frequencies and musical instruments Tight and punchy bass that is not overwhelming Everything you would want from full-size audiophile headphones Features - Hand-selected headphone drivers with precise left and right matching tolerances (Β± 1 dB) for accuracy - The bespoke damping element, made from fine acoustic metal mesh, ensures a precise damping over the entire diaphragm surface and is highly constant in all climates - Computer-optimised neodymium magnet systems are used to minimise distortion - The custom modulated detachable cable is made from highly conductive OFC copper and is Kevlar-reinforced for strength. Very low handling noise - Extremely lightweight aluminum voice coils ensure excellent transient response - A 3 m dual-sided cable terminates in a gold plated 1/4" jack plug (with an adaptor lead to a 3.5 mm jack plug) Some time in use is recommended for these headphones to sound optimal. The HD 650 is not just for critical listening or classical music and is also often used by sound professionals in studios, for example, who understand that a high quality pair of headphones is crucial to their success. A dedicated headphone amp is definitely preferable, but not essential. A balanced cable will help you raise the stakes even further (CH 650S). Sennheiser recommends this headphone for those who have a passion for headphones and for music – and who want to enjoy hours of listening pleasure in comfort. These headphones are an ideal choice for the professional recording engineer recording classical music. Review: The Best I've Heard - I have been using these for a few days now and I have to say they exceeded my expectations. I have been using the HD 598s almost daily for three years now. The reason I got these is because I was dissatisfied with the low end on the 598s. Just some background; I have owned the 280 pro, HD 518, HD 598, and now made the jump to the HD 650. I will be comparing these mostly with the 598s and the 518s. As far as comfort goes they compress the head a bit more than the 598s and the 518s, but they are not uncomfortable. The only noticeable discomfort would be below the ear where the bottom of the can presses against my jawbone. After a few hours this starts to annoy me, but simply moving them around provides relief so this is nothing. I would definitely say the 598s are more comfortable for extended periods, but the 650s feel more solid on the head. I haven't experienced any major warm spots even after long periods of use. The cans do keep my ears warmer than the 598s, but nowhere near as bad as the 518s used to. My main complaint about the 518s was how hot they would make my head due to the lower quality material and padding used. The 650s are nowhere near the 518s in this regard. Also, the headband on the 650s is narrower than both the 598 and 518. I found this to be a very noticeable difference since the compression is higher and have had to adjust it often. It just feels weird, but this is something I'll get used to with time since I've been using the 598s for so long. The build quality is extremely solid, but the plastic feels cheaper than I would like. It doesn't make me feel uneasy about breaking though. This is mostly the outside of the cans and top of the headband. The outside grills are metal and the cushions are high quality. The included cord is nicer than what comes with both the 598 and 518, but is special since the 650 uses one input per can. The included 1/4 to 3.5 adapter is way better in my opinion since it has cord length. The included adopters with the 528s and 598s were a single adapter piece which looked like a freakishly long Frankenstein plug when used with a portable device. This adapter keeps the cable end at the typical 3.5 size so it looks normal and doesn't cause unneeded stress on the contact or the output jacks. The old adapter actually caused me to break a couple laptop outputs while being careless. I wish this adapter was included with all the other models. I'm no experienced audiophile so I'm probably going to sound like a child explaining the sound. These have been described in other reviews as being "dark" sounding. I'm not sure what that means, but after using them I think I kind of get it. My 598s were very bright and almost airy sounding. The treble was very distinct, the soundstage was amazing, but the bass was very low key and had little impact which is good in some cases. The 650s definitely have more bass impact and I can concur that it is "punchy". I can enjoy electronic and hard rock on these much better. While the bass is heavier on these it is still crisp and accurate, not boomy or overpowering. The treble is still very present, but does seem a bit rolled off to me. The sound is not what I would call bright at all, and the soundstage is definitely smaller than the 598s. The overall sound seems more focused and impactful in comparison. I am amazed at how much more detail I was able to pick out in some of my favourite songs which I thought was impossible at this point. These really surprised me at how clear the entire range was. Now for web videos or Skype calls these were not as enjoyable to me. These made me well aware that I was not listening to high quality sources and since the sound is more focused and narrow when compared to the 598s voice calls can actually annoy me. This was something the 598s do extremely well, but this wasn't the reason I purchased these. I guess it should be mentioned that the sound leakage on these is much higher even when compared with the 598s and 518s. These headphones are hard to drive. It's been said everywhere and should be expected given these are 300ohm cans. I haven't had much experience with high resistance headphones so this is venturing into new territory for me. I had a small fiio amp with my 598s which increased the quality, but wasn't really needed for my main application so I got rid of it. I can DEFINITELY see where I would want that back now. Forget about using these with something like an iPhone. At max volume these were so quiet I couldn't enjoy them at all. On my 15" MacBook running boot camp I was only able to achieve a moderate volume with a few software tweaks that I would never use daily and hindered the overall sound. Now, my MacBook running OSX was actually able to push these fairly well. This is the only way I have to actually enjoy them right now. The sound is great and depending on the track, the volume could go above my comfort level with OSX. I will be purchasing a dac/amp combo for my system very soon and I feel like this will really open these up and sound even better. I should have factored this into my price, but luckily I have my Mac that can push these decently until I save up more. The price on these is very reasonable. I'm a little mad because I payed the same for these as I did for my 598s at the time. Also, I think this is the only time ive seen UK desertcart have a better price than the US on these. I was able to save about 100 usd on these even with the VAT and shipping. Overview: I really like my decision to "upgrade" to these. I quoted upgrade because it really can't be said that these are better than my 598s. Each has a noticeably different personality and I'd say it all depends on the application. The 598s excel in acoustic listening, voice calls, and movies due to its wide soundstage and crystal clear upper range. I wanted to move from the 598s because my heavier bass heavy music was lacklustre and the highs would get fatiguing to me when listening to the majority of my music (rock). The 650s definitely excel in the music department with a more focused sound and deep, quick, bass with some punch without sacrificing quality of the rest. They do not do well with lower quality sources or voices using Skype. I am very satisfied with these though since I bought them to relieve the bass situation I was having with some of my favourite music. Review: Sennheiser HD650 Headphones - Still a quality product - My Aim I have what could be described as a very entry-level computer-based audiophile set up. A dedicated Mac-Mini with Audirvana installed as the music library manager & playback program. This plays music directly to a USB Headphone DAC/Amplifier (I bought an AUNE X1s, made in China by a specialist manufacturer. Incidentally, high quality indeed at the price). This in turn has been driving a pair of Sennheiser HD558 headphones up till now. I was looking to upgrade the HD558's for headphones that would suit this set up better and my genres of music that I tend to listen to (mostly Acoustic, Rock, Popular & Jazz). They would need to be comfortable and capable of rendering music at high-resolution...so, detailed & accurate as possible for my budget. I wanted to avoid anything overly bright that in my experience can lead to listener fatigue. The AUNE amplifier is also reputed to make bright headphones sound slightly harsher. I decided on the HD650 based on the many positive reviews both on desertcart and other websites. The AUNE is optimised for the likes of the HD650, as well as the AKG701 and BeyerDynamic 770. However, I felt that the AKG & BeyerDynamic would be too bright. Anything else would be beyond my budget or taste. Delivery & Presentation The item arrived on time and as advertised...full marks to desertcart. Verification The first thing I did was verify that these were the genuine article, using Sennheiser's Verification VR code process. A useful authenticity check. Package It came in a larger box than I was expecting but then these are large headphones. The outer sleeve removed, revealing a good quality wooden presentation box covered in textured black vinyl, with metal hinges and foam inlay inside. I think over time this has improved over the previous presentation. This looks and feels a quality item although some may say it's austere looking. I'm perfectly happy with the quality & appearance...sound is more important to me. The lead is also of high quality...thickish but pliable and terminated in a 6.3mm jack at one end and Sennheiser individual connectors for each cup at the other. There is a 3.5mm adapter included and this is also a quality item, although I would question whether this would fit phones and tablets that have covers fitted... the adapter would probably be too big in many cases. It doesn't fit my phone with a Spigen case. That said, these are probably overkill for a phone or tablet and are designed more for home system listening. Comfort I agree with other commentators...they are on the tight-side. I have got used to that. I suspect that if the headband was looser, the cups may slip down onto the ears and that would be more uncomfortable. I have used them for many hours at a time and have no complaints. Sound - what to expect Straight out of the box these headphones do not impress. They sound like they are playing behind a thick curtain...rather dull and lifeless. As others have observed, these headphones need a 'running-in' period. I just played music rather than using pink-noise as others have suggested. The potential sound quality only starts after about 10 hours playing and improves greatly after that. After 40-50 hours, they open up as if that curtain has lifted. Give them time and they will realise their full potential. After running-in, the listening experience is fairly laid back, but full of detail and instruments sound like they should, thus fulfilling my original aim. The sound is not in the least harsh and I have been happy to listen for many hours at a stretch without suffering any fatigue. Bass is plentiful for my genres of music, deep and tight with plenty of 'punch'. They possibly may not suit other music genres that require yet more bass. Mids are nigh-on perfect. Treble possibly not 'zingy' enough for some tastes but in turn that can lead to harshness which is something I was trying to avoid....it's not evident with the HD650 and therefore perfect for me personally. The 'stage' and 'imaging' of players is excellent with plenty of depth...this is one of the HD650 top strengths. These headphones are detailed, meaning they sound excellent with good source recordings converted to FLAC or ALAC lossless digital formats. However, poorer quality recordings or lossy conversions (low MP3 or AAC) will be revealed for what they are. I personally feel that anything converted to below 320kbps on MP3 or below 256kbps on AAC bitrates would not be good enough to do justice to the HD650. I would also suggest that they do sound much better through a dedicated DAC/Headphone amplifier via USB. Doing the comparison, there is more detail, ambience and instrument accuracy. Quality DAC/Headphone amplifiers are plentiful at reasonable prices (e.g. SHIIT Modi2/Magni2 combination for $200 or AUNE X1s for $289). Conclusion I paid Β£232 for these headphones and at that price they are remarkable value for money. They have come down in price significantly over the years and still represent a first-class buy subject to the points made above. A worthwhile step up from the HD558's for me personally. I can see many years of listening with these headphones. ## Features - Specially designed acoustic silk ensures precision damping over the entire frequency range and helps to reduce THD to an incredible 0.05 percent - Improved frequency response is 10-39,500 Hz (-10 dB) - Hand-selected matched driver elements - High power neodymium magnets deliver maximum efficiency - Lightweight aluminium voice coils for very fast transient response ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | ASIN | B00018MSNI | | Age Range Description | Adult | | Antenna Location | critical listening, professional audio monitoring and high-fidelity music enjoyment | | Audio Driver Size | 42 Millimetres | | Audio Driver Type | Dynamic Driver | | Best Sellers Rank | 3,332 in Musical Instruments & DJ ( See Top 100 in Musical Instruments & DJ ) 36 in Studio Headphones | | Bluetooth Version | 2.0 | | Box Contents | 3.5 MM Jack and 1/4" connector | | Brand | Sennheiser | | Brand Name | Sennheiser | | Cable Features | Retractable | | Cable Length | 118 Inches | | Colour | Grey | | Compatible Devices | Desks, Laptops, Tablets, Music Production Equipment | | Control Method | Remote | | Control Type | Noise Control | | Controller Type | With cable | | Country of Origin | Ireland | | Customer Package Type | Standard Packaging | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 2,953 Reviews | | EU Spare Part Availability Duration | 2 Years | | Ear placement | Over Ear | | Earpiece Shape | Over Ear | | Enclosure Material | Plastic | | Form factor | Over Ear | | Frequency Range | 10 Hz - 50,000 Hz | | Frequency Response | 41000 Hz | | Global Trade Identification Number | 00615104099692, 00615104340497, 05054230087060 | | Headphone Form Factor | Over Ear | | Headphone Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | | Headphones Ear Placement | Over Ear | | Impedance | 300 Ohms | | Is Autographed | No | | Is Electric | No | | Item Type Name | Headphones | | Item Weight | 9.12 Ounces | | Manufacturer | Sennheiser | | Model Name | HD 650 | | Model Number | 508825 | | Network Connectivity Technology | Wired | | Noise Control | Passive Noise Cancellation | | Noise control | Passive Noise Cancellation | | Number of Items | 1 | | Product Features | Lightweight, Noise Cancellation | | Sensitivity | 103 dB | | Series Number | 508825 | | Specific Uses For Product | critical listening, professional audio monitoring and high-fidelity music enjoyment | | Style Name | open-back | | Theme | Professional Audio | | UPC | 700615305605 658700901129 615104099692 615104340497 | | Unit Count | 1.0 count | | Water Resistance Level | Not Water Resistant | | Wireless Technology Type | Bluetooth | ## Product Details - **Brand:** Sennheiser - **Colour:** Grey - **Ear placement:** Over Ear - **Form factor:** Over Ear - **Frequency response:** 41000 Hz - **Headphone jack:** 3.5 mm Jack - **Impedance:** 300 Ohms - **Model name:** HD 650 - **Noise control:** Passive Noise Cancellation - **Sensitivity:** 103 dB ## Images ![HD 650 Audiophile Open-Back Dynamic Headphones-Grey - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71CuiTHpCwL.jpg) ## Questions & Answers **Q: Are they better than beats?** A: For all the Beats haters out there, they're not the overworked, bass heavy, poorly made headphones the other snobby answers seem to make them out to be. I own these Sennheiser 650 cans. I also own the Audio Technica 50 that many others seem to drop in the answers to this question. Truly the answer is to each his own. To be fair, it's important to compare Beats and these while hard wired, ideally into a headphone amplifier. Once you listen to Beats hard wired like these or other high quality headphones, you'll quickly realize Beats are no dollar store wannabes. Funny, but if you like listening to Dr. See or Snoop, you may like the Beats more, I know I do on occasion. These are reference quality headphones that really aren't for everyone. They do not hit the bass very hard, the highs are not accentuated, and for those audiophiles reading this, the sound stage is wide open on this Sennheiser 650, while the Beats is tighter, more enclosed, tuned to rap or metal or electronic music. You may find these lacking if you're used to headphones tuned for more emphasis as opposed to replicating audio as recorded in the studio. These are amazing headphones no doubt, but you must have the right equipment, starting with a solid headphone amplifier. Beats simply need a Bluetooth connection. I hope this more balanced answer helps those trying to decide on their next headphones. **Q: how do these compare to the hd 598's** A: I just did a back-to-back test of these two headphones today (I own the 598's). The 650's sound better. They have an incredibly natural-sounding reproduction. It's.... perfect. The problem with the 598's is an over-emphasized mid-low area which in layman's terms would seem muddy. Also, the high's have a bit of sizzle, which is common among dynamic headphones, especially AKG's (also tested out their whole range today). The 598 holds it's own amongst other headphones in the 200-500 dollar range, but the HD 650 is in a class by itself. **Q: Does it support/ us it on android phone?** A: The 650-s have 300 ohm impedance. This makes them not the best option for an Android or Iphone handheld. For that application, you are better off with a lower impedance headset, e.g: the HD 585 is 150 ohms, the 280/300 series is 62 ohms. The 280-s are closed back, and excellent for listening using a mobile device. The HD-650 will be rather quiet directly connected to an Android phone. The 650 maybe overkill listening to compressed content, as it is common on mobile devices. The typical use scenario for these is connecting them to a high quality source (often, driven by a hi-resolution player, playing Flac or Dsd or some other high resolution material), using a headphone amp. I own the MassDrop version (the HD6XX), and I also have an older HD-555, and the HD-555 is a better experience plugged into my LG android phone, streaming "high quality" spotify. **Q: Can they be used effecively on an airplane?** A: The 650's are not noise cancellation headphones and inferior to Bose, for instance, when using on a plane. In addition the 650's can be heard by others because of the open design. They are superior to everything else for solo listening when you are not on a plane. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Best I've Heard *by B***S on 28 January 2016* I have been using these for a few days now and I have to say they exceeded my expectations. I have been using the HD 598s almost daily for three years now. The reason I got these is because I was dissatisfied with the low end on the 598s. Just some background; I have owned the 280 pro, HD 518, HD 598, and now made the jump to the HD 650. I will be comparing these mostly with the 598s and the 518s. As far as comfort goes they compress the head a bit more than the 598s and the 518s, but they are not uncomfortable. The only noticeable discomfort would be below the ear where the bottom of the can presses against my jawbone. After a few hours this starts to annoy me, but simply moving them around provides relief so this is nothing. I would definitely say the 598s are more comfortable for extended periods, but the 650s feel more solid on the head. I haven't experienced any major warm spots even after long periods of use. The cans do keep my ears warmer than the 598s, but nowhere near as bad as the 518s used to. My main complaint about the 518s was how hot they would make my head due to the lower quality material and padding used. The 650s are nowhere near the 518s in this regard. Also, the headband on the 650s is narrower than both the 598 and 518. I found this to be a very noticeable difference since the compression is higher and have had to adjust it often. It just feels weird, but this is something I'll get used to with time since I've been using the 598s for so long. The build quality is extremely solid, but the plastic feels cheaper than I would like. It doesn't make me feel uneasy about breaking though. This is mostly the outside of the cans and top of the headband. The outside grills are metal and the cushions are high quality. The included cord is nicer than what comes with both the 598 and 518, but is special since the 650 uses one input per can. The included 1/4 to 3.5 adapter is way better in my opinion since it has cord length. The included adopters with the 528s and 598s were a single adapter piece which looked like a freakishly long Frankenstein plug when used with a portable device. This adapter keeps the cable end at the typical 3.5 size so it looks normal and doesn't cause unneeded stress on the contact or the output jacks. The old adapter actually caused me to break a couple laptop outputs while being careless. I wish this adapter was included with all the other models. I'm no experienced audiophile so I'm probably going to sound like a child explaining the sound. These have been described in other reviews as being "dark" sounding. I'm not sure what that means, but after using them I think I kind of get it. My 598s were very bright and almost airy sounding. The treble was very distinct, the soundstage was amazing, but the bass was very low key and had little impact which is good in some cases. The 650s definitely have more bass impact and I can concur that it is "punchy". I can enjoy electronic and hard rock on these much better. While the bass is heavier on these it is still crisp and accurate, not boomy or overpowering. The treble is still very present, but does seem a bit rolled off to me. The sound is not what I would call bright at all, and the soundstage is definitely smaller than the 598s. The overall sound seems more focused and impactful in comparison. I am amazed at how much more detail I was able to pick out in some of my favourite songs which I thought was impossible at this point. These really surprised me at how clear the entire range was. Now for web videos or Skype calls these were not as enjoyable to me. These made me well aware that I was not listening to high quality sources and since the sound is more focused and narrow when compared to the 598s voice calls can actually annoy me. This was something the 598s do extremely well, but this wasn't the reason I purchased these. I guess it should be mentioned that the sound leakage on these is much higher even when compared with the 598s and 518s. These headphones are hard to drive. It's been said everywhere and should be expected given these are 300ohm cans. I haven't had much experience with high resistance headphones so this is venturing into new territory for me. I had a small fiio amp with my 598s which increased the quality, but wasn't really needed for my main application so I got rid of it. I can DEFINITELY see where I would want that back now. Forget about using these with something like an iPhone. At max volume these were so quiet I couldn't enjoy them at all. On my 15" MacBook running boot camp I was only able to achieve a moderate volume with a few software tweaks that I would never use daily and hindered the overall sound. Now, my MacBook running OSX was actually able to push these fairly well. This is the only way I have to actually enjoy them right now. The sound is great and depending on the track, the volume could go above my comfort level with OSX. I will be purchasing a dac/amp combo for my system very soon and I feel like this will really open these up and sound even better. I should have factored this into my price, but luckily I have my Mac that can push these decently until I save up more. The price on these is very reasonable. I'm a little mad because I payed the same for these as I did for my 598s at the time. Also, I think this is the only time ive seen UK Amazon have a better price than the US on these. I was able to save about 100 usd on these even with the VAT and shipping. Overview: I really like my decision to "upgrade" to these. I quoted upgrade because it really can't be said that these are better than my 598s. Each has a noticeably different personality and I'd say it all depends on the application. The 598s excel in acoustic listening, voice calls, and movies due to its wide soundstage and crystal clear upper range. I wanted to move from the 598s because my heavier bass heavy music was lacklustre and the highs would get fatiguing to me when listening to the majority of my music (rock). The 650s definitely excel in the music department with a more focused sound and deep, quick, bass with some punch without sacrificing quality of the rest. They do not do well with lower quality sources or voices using Skype. I am very satisfied with these though since I bought them to relieve the bass situation I was having with some of my favourite music. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Sennheiser HD650 Headphones - Still a quality product *by G***S on 18 September 2016* My Aim I have what could be described as a very entry-level computer-based audiophile set up. A dedicated Mac-Mini with Audirvana installed as the music library manager & playback program. This plays music directly to a USB Headphone DAC/Amplifier (I bought an AUNE X1s, made in China by a specialist manufacturer. Incidentally, high quality indeed at the price). This in turn has been driving a pair of Sennheiser HD558 headphones up till now. I was looking to upgrade the HD558's for headphones that would suit this set up better and my genres of music that I tend to listen to (mostly Acoustic, Rock, Popular & Jazz). They would need to be comfortable and capable of rendering music at high-resolution...so, detailed & accurate as possible for my budget. I wanted to avoid anything overly bright that in my experience can lead to listener fatigue. The AUNE amplifier is also reputed to make bright headphones sound slightly harsher. I decided on the HD650 based on the many positive reviews both on Amazon and other websites. The AUNE is optimised for the likes of the HD650, as well as the AKG701 and BeyerDynamic 770. However, I felt that the AKG & BeyerDynamic would be too bright. Anything else would be beyond my budget or taste. Delivery & Presentation The item arrived on time and as advertised...full marks to Amazon. Verification The first thing I did was verify that these were the genuine article, using Sennheiser's Verification VR code process. A useful authenticity check. Package It came in a larger box than I was expecting but then these are large headphones. The outer sleeve removed, revealing a good quality wooden presentation box covered in textured black vinyl, with metal hinges and foam inlay inside. I think over time this has improved over the previous presentation. This looks and feels a quality item although some may say it's austere looking. I'm perfectly happy with the quality & appearance...sound is more important to me. The lead is also of high quality...thickish but pliable and terminated in a 6.3mm jack at one end and Sennheiser individual connectors for each cup at the other. There is a 3.5mm adapter included and this is also a quality item, although I would question whether this would fit phones and tablets that have covers fitted... the adapter would probably be too big in many cases. It doesn't fit my phone with a Spigen case. That said, these are probably overkill for a phone or tablet and are designed more for home system listening. Comfort I agree with other commentators...they are on the tight-side. I have got used to that. I suspect that if the headband was looser, the cups may slip down onto the ears and that would be more uncomfortable. I have used them for many hours at a time and have no complaints. Sound - what to expect Straight out of the box these headphones do not impress. They sound like they are playing behind a thick curtain...rather dull and lifeless. As others have observed, these headphones need a 'running-in' period. I just played music rather than using pink-noise as others have suggested. The potential sound quality only starts after about 10 hours playing and improves greatly after that. After 40-50 hours, they open up as if that curtain has lifted. Give them time and they will realise their full potential. After running-in, the listening experience is fairly laid back, but full of detail and instruments sound like they should, thus fulfilling my original aim. The sound is not in the least harsh and I have been happy to listen for many hours at a stretch without suffering any fatigue. Bass is plentiful for my genres of music, deep and tight with plenty of 'punch'. They possibly may not suit other music genres that require yet more bass. Mids are nigh-on perfect. Treble possibly not 'zingy' enough for some tastes but in turn that can lead to harshness which is something I was trying to avoid....it's not evident with the HD650 and therefore perfect for me personally. The 'stage' and 'imaging' of players is excellent with plenty of depth...this is one of the HD650 top strengths. These headphones are detailed, meaning they sound excellent with good source recordings converted to FLAC or ALAC lossless digital formats. However, poorer quality recordings or lossy conversions (low MP3 or AAC) will be revealed for what they are. I personally feel that anything converted to below 320kbps on MP3 or below 256kbps on AAC bitrates would not be good enough to do justice to the HD650. I would also suggest that they do sound much better through a dedicated DAC/Headphone amplifier via USB. Doing the comparison, there is more detail, ambience and instrument accuracy. Quality DAC/Headphone amplifiers are plentiful at reasonable prices (e.g. SHIIT Modi2/Magni2 combination for $200 or AUNE X1s for $289). Conclusion I paid Β£232 for these headphones and at that price they are remarkable value for money. They have come down in price significantly over the years and still represent a first-class buy subject to the points made above. A worthwhile step up from the HD558's for me personally. I can see many years of listening with these headphones. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Crisp! *by M***A on 10 May 2026* Super clear sound for music production and mixing. Would like them to be louder and no soft bag or case included is a bit cheap of Sennheiser at this price point, but they were 16% off offer so can’t complain at all. Again, these are super clear and a great product at a great price. Been using HD25s so noticeably quieter but much wider clearer sound. Immediate and noticeable upgrade for my mixing sessions. ## Frequently Bought Together - Sennheiser Consumer Audio HD 650 - Audiophile Hi-Res Open Back Dynamic Headphone, Titan - NewFantasia Replacement Audio Upgrade Cable Compatible with Sennheiser HD650, HD600, HD580, HD58X, HD660S, HD660S2, Massdrop HD6XX Headphones 1.2meters/4feet - AHG Accessory House Global carrying case compatible with Sennheiser HD 650 HD 660S HD 660S2 HD600 Massdrop X HD 6XX HD58X Jubilee HD580 and HD565 headphones. Ultimate protection/Easy transport --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - πŸ›’ **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** β€” Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** β€” Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - πŸ’° **No Hidden Fees** β€” All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - πŸ”„ **15-Day Free Returns** β€” Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - πŸ”’ **Secure Payments** β€” Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** β€” Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.pt/products/48150843-hd-650-audiophile-open-back-dynamic-headphones-grey](https://www.desertcart.pt/products/48150843-hd-650-audiophile-open-back-dynamic-headphones-grey) --- *Product available on Desertcart Portugal* *Store origin: PT* *Last updated: 2026-06-24*