OLD DOGS, NEW TRICKS!! - Sennheiser HD660S2 Review (and vs HD600)

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AND I am BACK! I definitely needed to make this comeback with this headphone and at long last, here we go! I hope this video helps your purchasing decision. Thanks for tuning in!

Timestamps:
0:58 Contents
2:12 Build Quality
3:28 Comfort
4:21 Amplification
5:26 Sound
15:27 Notes & Observations
17:02 Conclusion

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---- UPDATED Top 5 Headphones of All-Time! ----

** Sennheiser HD600/6XX (Neutrality Benchmark, My Reference; My Favorite HP of All-Time)**

** HiFiMAN Arya Stealth (FAVORITE Summit-Fi HP for FUN) **

** HiFiMAN Sundara (HD600 - HD800 Love-Child) **

** AudioTechnica M40X (The only closed-back I actually like, but actually a great deal) **

** Sennheiser HD800/s (High-End Detail, GRANDNESS)**

[tomdavis]

My opinion is that there isn't much not to like here with this newest of the 600 series, particularly if you're a bit older and don't hear the same as when you were a kid. I am 62. I own the HD600 and purchased the 660S2 recently as an open-box pair which is in brand new condition with full warranty when I substituted them for a pair of Audeze MM100 of which I got tired of waiting for. The MM100 has yet to be released and I paid in full back in late March or early April. I got them for the same price of $400. I appreciate the elevated top end of the S2 very much. I don't find it sibilant in the least. I also love the boosted kick in the bottom. While not a bass lovers dream headphone I'm not into scrambling my brain or rattling the bumper off of my car so I really enjoy what we have here. As for that midrange, it's still where this shines but I think this headphone is a bit wider sounding. I like that, and I can't tell you how many times I've found myself while listening to my 600's loudly exclaim "Wow" when catching something I'd never heard. My biggest takeaway is that this is a really FUN headphone to listen to. It largely eliminates that "Sennheiser veil". And on the build quality, this is a series of headphones which is legendary on multiple fronts. The build is lightweight and just lasts. It requires very few tools to work on it with and replacement parts are interchangeable, readily available and fairly inexpensive when compared to similar parts from other manufacturers. A $50 pair of replacement ear pads is surely easier to digest than having to pony up for many of the Focal pads! Team this headphone up to a good DAC/amplifier and rock on. It's a 300 ohm headphone so you're going to want some juice. I use a Burson on the Solid State and a Woo Audio on tubes and it's pretty sweet sounding. At the same time, I can power them sufficiently enough with my Fiio BTR7 connected to my laptop.

[ixoye]

A 600 with worn pads has lower bass and treble, so your comparison won't be accurate, but I'm convinced the S2 has better bass anyway, but the difference would have been less with new pads on your 600.

[Tesseract]

Only major thing wrong with the hd 660s2 is the price.

[gdemirjian]

I met Axel Grell at CanJam NYC a few weeks ago and he confirmed that the 660S and S2 have the driver he designed for the HD700. However, he did not perform the tuning on these two. With a 5 min listen in a loud room I did notice the S2 to be slightly more energetic than my 660S. I also liked the overall more fun sound for music. For me, the 600 is better suited for work applications and both the 660S, and S2 are better for general music enjoyment/ Glad your back!!

[DaleMcGregor]

Love this candid review of the HD660S2. Well done. I'm "lucky" to have a 3, 800-4, 200 Hz partial impairment in my hearing due to having a Marshall Stack behind me during hyper dB arena-gigs in my youth, so the HD660S2's offer me OEM EQ adjustment that makes up for my aging hearing. I now mainly listen to acoustic instruments, recorded in real spaces accompanying liquid vocals - but will still harken back to musical rock from time to time (1970 - 2000ish). I avoid rap, hip-hop and EDM for the most part (sometimes something will catch my ear, but mostly "just no"). The HD660S2, in my experience, still offers that mid-range sweetness and accurate timbre that Sennheiser has been able to translate so well in its headphones, yet they are also capable of providing some excitement beyond what the HD600's can offer. I appreciate being able to discern a Bösendorfer from a Steinway from a Fazioli, while still having the option to bliss out to Boys of Summer or Roundabout and the memories of having these cranked while cruising the coastal highway to Whistler on a perfect summer evening.

[Larzes]

Sennheiser's new pads are a lot stiffer nowadays than 4 years ago. The new pad type also makes the headphones sound a little different. Worn pads also impact the sound quite a lot.

[ccdani]

Great review ! I have had all hd 6x0 headphones from hd 580, 58x to 660s and I kept the 660s ( the old version ) they are my favourite of the line, after watching your review I think I will definitely buy the new 660s2

[DeatheCore]

Great review! I demo'd the 660S2 as well and came to pretty much the same conclusions, especially regarding the increase in perceived energy in the 2 to 4khz region, leading to a little fatigue. Couldn't crank the volume as much as my 650 and 660S. The treble quality stood out to me positively, brilliance is the word I'd use to describe it. I do feel it's overpriced tho

[KryssN]

I got 660s and 660s2 to test them against my 650 with Ifi Zen Dac v2.
I can confirm the upper mid range can a little bit, overpower/hype the vocals.
Could not crank up the volume to hear vocals better due to that in some tracks.
There is more detail in 660s2, I could pick some stuff from background sounds or background vocals that you did not notice on HD650.

The HD660S have more detail too, but due to lowered bass they have bigger soundstage. Overall they are almost 1:1 in mids to HD650. Sometimes in vocals and guitar they sound little bit more tiny than HD650.

Overall I think I prefer HD650 for music, pop, hip-hop, edm and rock.
But due to gaming and me wanting all round headphones, I will keep the HD660S, as if you don’t have them side by side the 660S still sound very good for music 97% for mids and vocals to HD650. But 660s have better soundstage, imagining, detail, perfect suit for gaming.

[tqotbel]

i love this channel.
the presentation is fantastic, as are the reviews.

[tnarch]

It is nice to hear that at last there is an obvious upgrade to HD600.

[Blackwing]

Well, I haven't tried them yet, but pricing... Literally twice the price of original HD 600! And 2-4kHz hump - i'm really sensitive to that region, before getting HD 600 i very often EQed it down, i believe HD 600 was the first headphones i was able to listen to even at insane loudness without my ears bleeding because of high mid/low treble. And I was never able to get with it

[bear]

Great and interesting video, I wonder what the hd660 s2 against us 6xx /hd650 with custom cabs bass mid compare . Regards mark

[howequalspeace]

I've been watching your reviews for years. You did a great job. Also an MFDOOM fan. Can't go wrong there. Thanks for this

[gomincha]

I would really appreciate a comparison with HD800S and Arya Stealth and yes I know they are at completely different price points.
Thank you for your time.

[garth]

They actually squeeze out a little more bass than my 800's although they have neither the resolution or the soundstage. And yes I did use both on Sennheisers own amp dac at around 2K..I wish these would have been available a year or two ago as I also bought pair of 650's for nostalgia and I love them but these sound so good and I mean really good!!

[CaptnKrksNippls]

chuckolatte reviews are back the world is healing

[travis]

Dude your review on the HD600 vs the HD650 is what made me decide to go with the HD600.. Which I got in March of 2023, so I've had them for just a little over a year now. I run them through an old Technics SU-Z25 with the bass dial rolled to +2, the treb rolled to -1 and volume at about 11 'clock. I must say I love them very much, but I have noticed some clipping sometimes (always in the right) and I seem to think its just when the bass is too much to handle. I am a metalhead but also listen to synthwave stuff and they get used for gaming too. I am considering upgrading, I hope maybe some wisemen can advise me here. I do want something that can give me more bass power (handle it without crackling). No please don't recommend the Crusher Evo 2.. I have a pair already 🤠, those are nice for walking the rottweiler 😉

[catcrusher]

They should make a hd 600 classic with black silk and old drivers and granite look

[RavikantRai]

Let's have one video for 560S vs 660S2!