Sennheiser HD650 Pro Audiophile & Reference Headphones

The Sennheiser HD 650 Pro is an excellent choice for anyone looking into an audiophile or reference quality, open backed headphone that's comfortable.

Sennheiser’s line of open backed headphones has grown a bit over the years, however the HD 650 Pro remains a stalwart of the brand. It’s considered by many Americans to be a true reference headphone, not just in terms of the sound signature but also for listener comfort. Plenty of products have come and gone during this headphone’s lifetime...

So, let’s take a look at why it's such a well preserved product.

Sennheiser HD 650 Pro Packaging

Who is the Sennheiser HD650 Pro for?

The Sennheiser HD650 Pro is a stellar choice for anyone who wants a great sounding, comfortable, open backed headphone for listening in extended sessions.

What's included in the box?

Out of the box, no storage case is included with the HD 650 Pro, you only receive the headphones, the Y cable, and a short adapter cable. You’ll need to look for a carrying case if you’re planning on taking them anywhere on a regular basis, especially considering the open-back design. Also, there are no folding hinges to further compact the headphones, underscoring that they are intended for home (or studio) use only.

Sennheiser HD 650 Pro Headphones with 3mm Y-Cable / 6.5mm & 3.5mm Reducer

What about the design?

The headphones are built on a frame that’s been optimized by Sennheiser over the years. The plastic parts are finished with a subtle grey metallic look. The badges on each side over the open grilles are light grey and provide its model number. All other parts are black. Identifying the left and right sides in low light conditions isn’t totally obvious until you realize that the Sennheiser logo on the headband goes to the left. Sennheiser could afford to provide a Y cable with color coded ends, which used to be the standard for this line, but sadly isn’t any more.

The large ear cups easily accommodate larger than average ears, and the padding material works okay over glasses. The clamping force could be considered appropriate, while the small amount of swivel in the ear cups suggest they follow the contours of the head. The low weight of the headphones and ample padding mean that very long listening sessions are possible without discomfort. Notches on the headband make it possible to recall your size setting, but only by counting each of the clicks made by each adjustment on the relatively stiff metal mechanism.

What about the HD 650 Pro connection?

The HD 650 Pro connects to your source via the included 3 meter (just under 10 feet) long Y-cable, which can be cumbersome in some situations, and terminates in the larger standard 1/4 inch TRS jack. The Y-shaped cable connects into each ear cup using Sennheiser’s standard 2 pin push fit connectors.

6.5mm Jack / 3.5mm Jack

Do you need an Amp for the HD 650 Pro?

You may or may not need a dedicated amp. While it’s possible that your source device won’t have enough power to make the most of the Sennheiser HD 650. It’s actually 6dB more sensitive than the Sennheiser HD600. Should you find that you can’t get your headphones loud enough, or you’re running very close to the limit, you’ll want to explore getting an amplifier.

Does the HD 650 Pro block out or cancel noise?

The HD 650 Pro are open backed headphones, so minimal noise isolation exists. This means there shouldn’t be an expectation to use them outside of quiet places. The HD 650 also doesn’t exhibit any notable passive amplification (<1dB) of ambient noise, which has been seen on some open backs.

Headband Front View

How does the HD 650 Pro sound?

The HD650 uses an exclusive 42mm transducer model (with 38mm diaphragms), and was tuned by Axel Grell, who defined the signature sound of the HD6XX series during his time at Sennheiser. It has the rare distinction of having a sound that receives practically universal approval, and is considered a benchmark by many.

Earcup Side View

Should you purchase the HD 650 Pro?

The HD 650 was never cheap but with the recent general upward trend in pricing in the industry and the emergence of many premium priced offerings from more audiophile oriented brands, it’s now a better looking price proposition than it’s ever been. That said, it’s definitely worth doing some listening comparisons with the HD 600 to see if the difference in price is worth it to you. You basically can’t go wrong with either one.

Sennheiser HD 650 Pro

Sennheiser.com recently reduced the price of the HD 650 Pro by 30%. Many online retailers followed suit, Sweetwater.com, Bhphotovideo.com, Adorama.com, and Amazon.com, all competitively scaling reductions from its original MSRP: $649.95 as low as $319.00 in some instances.