Nope not crazy. Still have my HD650 and still love them. 
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How you liking the Ovation? What are you running as the input tube?
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Pretty sure my amp quest ends here with the Ovation. It is great with all headphones I have tried, balanced. I miss the 600 ohm tap of the Kenzie for the Beyers, but the High Z is 90% as good with 600ohm.
I wrote MRphotography this the other day:
The Ovation is actually more neutral, poised. It the first amp I have heard so far that sounds like it is simply “presenting” the music rather than amplifying it. It just sounds effortless, nothing is lost in translation. And I find I listen at lower volumes and it sounds complete.
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I added to the prior post on what input tube you were using?
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Regarding the tubes, the standard 12SN7 was merely adequate for my 87db speakers. I switched it out for a 2C52 and it sounds phenomenal with my speakers. I sense that I lost maybe a tiny bit of 3D with that tube with headphones, so I suspect I will swap that tube out a lot based on my listening.
I think I’ll be passing this amp down to my daughter, unless I get stupid and order a Nautilus or something. Please intervene if my eye wanders.
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The 2C52 (Raytheon) is what I was going to suggest. Good choice.
You can also use an adapter and use 12A_7 tubes.
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A Raytheon is in there now and I just ordered some RCA to try also and to have some back up.
I have adapters and 12B4A tubes which I have read make it more powerful but I broke one adapter and waiting on a replacement.
Thanks for the tip
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I think the 1626 outputs sound better myself, but the 12B4A has more oomph…
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This is exactly why Gene Kelly chose to star in SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN rather than HEADPHONIN’ IN THE RAIN (though the latter offered more bread).
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I’m speechless, filled with wood awe
My belief in the ability of cables to impact sonics remains like my faith in a higher power. - Doubtful, but hedged.
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Those are purty. Brand?
How similar are the 6XX to the 58X Jubilees?
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Calling @pwjazz and @pennstac for comments. I don’t own a 5 series Sennheiser myself. You can also search for earlier discussions, as there have been several.
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Custom wrap from
They terminate in a mini xlr, and then you can buy as many “mini xlr to whatever” as you want.
The hipdac is pentacon, and the modius is balanced 4 pin, so I took the leap.
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I’ve never heard the 6XX actually but I did own the 600 and 598SE, though not at the same time as the HD58X, so this is all going from memory.
As far as the tuning is concerned, the 58X is much more similar to the 600 than the 598, both audibly and in measurements. The 58X has sightly elevated, tighter and better extended bass compared to the 600, more laid back upper mids/vocals and darker but also less smooth treble. Mind you this is all at the level of splitting hairs, they really are quite similar.
My opinion, and one I see many other people echo, is that the HD58X is a better all rounder, but if you’re listening to certain acoustic and vocal music, there’s something special to the 600/650 presentation that you don’t get with the 58X.
At the end of the day, I still own the 58X and not the other two, so I guess that says something.
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Thanks for the callout, @generic. I can tell @Interceptor69 that there is definitely a sort of house sound marked by the HD-580, HD-600 and the HD-650. I got my 580’s after listening to a friend’s 600 in about 1996 or 1997. The 580 sounded similar, and was just a bit cheaper - I think about $400 on sale back then. The 650 came out a bit later.
Of the three, the HD-580 is the easiest to drive, the most forgiving, and still a very listenable headphone. I bought the Drop HD-6xx like yours a year or so ago, and I like it very much. It requires an amplifier with some grunt to sound right - as @Torq schooled me when I was driving it with a Dragonfly Black. It was much better with the iFi xDSD, and really came into its own when I powered it with the Schiit Lyr 3. It’s not loudness - it’s detail, and precision.
While I prefer the sound of the 6xx, I am less fond of the clamping force. My HD-580 is more comfortable. It’s been years since I listened to the 600. A large amount of the community is split over which is the better - the 650 or the 600. The 600 is perhaps more balanced, while the 650/6xx is a bit warmer and bassier. Few prefer the 580, which is also quite balanced, unless they want to grab it and go, because it really does work well with your mobile phone - even without a Dragonfly (the Black was great with it, the Blue even better).
Where does the HD-6xx fall down? Compared to my Hifiman HE-560, the Grado RS-1e, and my Nectar Hive E-stats, it’s just a bit weak and not extended in the high end. Not bad, but on a good recording, I don’t hear the shimmer I expect of a cymbal that I hear in real life. The others do have it.
I find more dynamic punch with the HD-6xx on my favorite late 60’s early 70s rock bands than I get with the Hifiman HE-560. I still get that with the 580, but it’s less pronounced. Soundstage on the HD-6xx is precise but not wide. I have better soundstage on the 580, especially since replacing the worn pads with new YAXI pads made for it. The Grado RS-1e has MUCH wider soundstage, equally precise, as does the Nectar Hive.
I’m not sure what else I can say about these headphones. All have a place in my collection.
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I particularly find the 58X a tad darker than the 6XX.
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Thanks for the replies. I like the 58X Jubilees but wanted to know if the 6XX were significantly different/ better.
