When it works as it should, the sound quality is crisp. My issue stems mainly from when it doesn’t. And that is at random times, such as a usb plugged in to my pc, some hardware getting turned off, windows updating in background, etc..
Worst yet, when i try to talk, even though i have the background transparency disabled in the app. It just happens at random, and the quality of the sound switches from top notch, to something akin of a 1920s telemachine
Ok, after a bit more of investigation, i found that for some reason when i go on a call, my sound quality is reduced down to 16kb?? It even happens at random times when im not on a call. I’ve done a factory reset and that seems to have helped a bit, but there’s defentely a software/harware issue somewhere. It happens regardless if im on usb or dongle
Hey all, I’m in a pickle, and I hope you can help me.
Somehow, HDB 630 turned out to be the best and most natural-sounding of all the headphones I owned or tried. The timbre is unmatched; most music instruments sound just right and life-like. I want to attribute this to good sub-bass and filled mids, but maybe it’s because of DSP witchery and closed-back construction. I’d love to try/buy another headphone like HDB 630, but a open-back construction that carries a similar timbre/impact. I’d appreciate hearing from anybody who has a similar experience to mine and has heard another headphone with this life-like quality.
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I think the default answer would be either the Sennheiser HD 600 or 650, as it is touted for its life-like timber and mid range accuracy. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen members of this hobby sell one of those models only to repurchase it again because they (I) didn’t realize what they (I) had lost until it was gone. My audio journey is a prime example of that. Heh.
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Thank you, I tried HD 600, they sounded unremarkable to me, especially in the area of bass. Knowing what status this headphone carries, I want to defend myself that it may sound different in my ears than it does to others. I should also mention I own HiFiMan Ananda Nano, and it lacks in timbre compared to HDB and even with EQed base, the music, i.e. rock, sounds fake compared with HDB 630, i also tried a number of other headphones from HiFiMan Arya Organic, Hedd D1, some Aduze and Focal models. On HDB 630, on certain instruments like drums, I can hear a full round sound as if I were standing next to that drum; it’s hard to express really.
I get it! I love the HDB630’s midrange. I also love listening with my DCA Noires — they’re a fun and engaging listen compared to the HDBs — but they are no where near as accurate when it comes to timbre.
It’s weird to even consider replacing my streamer/stack/DCAs with cans that don’t require anything other than a smartphone as a source…
#jussayin
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You’re not wrong: HD 650 and 600 don’t extend very low, so the bass can certainly sound unremarkable. I boost it 5 dB or so with a low Q peak filter and it helps quite a bit to my ear. Even with the bass extension limits in stock form, I’ve yet to find a headphone with better timbre accuracy than HD 600 and 650. I suppose that’s why they’re still so beloved in 2026.
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Thanks, I’ll try to get a pair for home and play with EQ. Which one of the two you think it be closer match to HDB 630?
I tried those, my local headphone store guy claims those are his favorite of everything they have ( and they have a lot ). I’ll give a try on the next visit. I’ll be looking at potential purchase of Arya Unveiled, and so it take Noires for comparison.
One complaint I have about HDB 630 is that they’re not very wide in their overall soundstage, they’re also that deep either. Revently when testing the Arya Unveiled I tried Yello - Kiss the Cloud and Tool - Chocolate Chip trip, and it blew me away on the positioning of instruments and sound stage.
I own the HDB 630 and find it leans warm, so perhaps the warmer HD 650 would be the better choice of the two. YMMV
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What were your impressions of the D1? I’ve not yet heard it but have seen many praise it for its timbre accuracy.
I only used it briefly on a few songs. I intentionally asked for it since I heard it has great treble and excellent mid-range. It was a similar, unimpressive and dissapointing experience as with the Sennheiser 600, technically, all sounded good, but the realism of instruments wasn’t there for me. At this stage, I started thinking that I hear differently than most and it may not be the mid-range that brings the realism to my experience. I start wondering if it’s not closed back + strong but controlled sub-base and base. Next week, I’m planning to demo FIIO FT1 and see if it provides a similar effect.
There’s nothing wrong with that. Preference is king, and not everyone prefers “flat.”
Have fun at the FT1 audition!
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If you get a chance try to listen to some electrostatic headphones, STAX is the usual but there are others. Despite what some say about frequency response being the determinative factor, I find that there’s something special about extremely low mass diaphragms driven over their entire surface. Possibly this produces some particular aspect of frequency response that nothing else does, but you can’t prove it by me. Or disprove it. I’m agnostic about this part of the argument.
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I was wondering if you headphones.com guys have gotten any MIRE data for this headphone. I’m curious to see how it responds in some real human ears. I’m asking because either maybe I have different expectations about what neutral is supposed to sound like, or it’s just not responding in my ear the way the graphs show. because I hear this headphone as pretty bright and etchy in the treble. So just wondering if you guys had any of that kind of data to share
Hahaha yeah we do, it’s pretty wild on my head in the treble. The bass is totally competent and the mids are solid too (if a bit lean), but man the treble is so wildly rollercoastery I really don’t enjoy using the headphone. Below is MIRE data DF compensated with my personal preference bounds, avg. of 5 seatings per side.
huh, thanks for that. yeah I hear most headphones as too bright also, so seems likely that it’s whatever HPTF stuff is going on. I wonder if I have also very similar roller coastery treble because I’ve tried using tone generation to fix this but it’s very squirrely
I haven’t actually heard the HDB 630 yet since you, Resolve and Cam hog all of our units now so this is my contribution.