Our Verdict
Great for neutral listening. They're comfortable and have a decently well-balanced sound quality with an open-sounding soundstage. Unfortunately, they lack a bit of bass compared to closed-back neutral listening headphones and tend to be a bit forward with instruments and vocals. Still, overall, they have a good sound quality that's suitable for casual and neutral listening.
- Great audio reproduction.
- Well-built design.
- Comfortable and stable design.
- Open-back design, so they leak a lot.
- Poor noise isolation, by design.
Not made for commuting. Their open design does not block any ambient noise and leaks a lot. They're also bulky and have no controls so they won't be practical to use on the go or while travelling.
- Great audio reproduction.
- Well-built design.
- Comfortable and stable design.
- Open-back design, so they leak a lot.
- Poor noise isolation, by design.
Subpar for sports use. The Sennheiser HD 650 have a bulky critical listening design that's not meant for running or workin out despite being decently stable on the head.
- Great audio reproduction.
- Well-built design.
- Comfortable and stable design.
- Open-back design, so they leak a lot.
- Poor noise isolation, by design.
Below-average for office use. Unless you work in an isolated environment, the leakage will distract your colleagues.
- Great audio reproduction.
- Well-built design.
- Comfortable and stable design.
- Open-back design, so they leak a lot.
- Poor noise isolation, by design.
Subpar for gaming. The Sennheiser HD 650 have a good sound and a low latency wired connection but are not as convenient or as customizable as most wireless gaming headsets. Also, they don't have a microphone.
- Great audio reproduction.
- Well-built design.
- Comfortable and stable design.
- Open-back design, so they leak a lot.
- Poor noise isolation, by design.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 16, 2024: Thanks to user feedback, we updated the Bass Accuracy, Mid Accuracy, and Treble Accuracy sections to align with the most recent measurements.
- Updated Mar 08, 2023: We've added a comparison between these headphones and the Sennheiser HD 660S2 in Sound Profile.
- Updated May 06, 2022: After user feedback regarding the differences between the Sennheiser HD 650 and HD 6XX, we decided to retest their frequency responses. We purchased and replaced the padding of the HD 650 and did a pass, which confirms that the two headphones have similar sound profiles. However, the differences are likely attributed to wear and tear on the HD 650's ear cup's padding, which can impact the headphones' clamping force, fit, and seal, in turn affecting their sound over time. However, these results don't reflect the original performance of the headphones, and our results have not changed. We also noticed that we incorrectly reported the headphones' clamping force. We have updated our review.
- Updated Jun 29, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sennheiser HD 650 come in one variant: 'Gray'. Some users have also reported a silent re-release of these headphones. They're now made in Romania and have different ear pads, which may change their sound. However, we tested the older model and don't know how this re-release variant compares to our unit.
If you come across another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the discussion section below and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Sennheiser HD 650 are great for critical listening but average headphones for everyday casual use. They deliver a good and open sound reproduction that caters well to all tracks. They're comfortable and don't feel tight on your head like the HD 600. Unfortunately, their soundstage isn't as spacious as other similarly designed open-back critical listening headphones. Their build quality also isn't as durable as some of the competing models below.
See our recommendations for the best audiophile headphones, the best DJ headphones, and the best over-ear headphones.
There's not much to split the Sennheiser HD 650 and the Sennheiser HD 600. They feature very similar sound profiles that lack low-bass delivery with a somewhat recessed treble range. Both feature accurate, detailed mid-range reproduction though. The biggest difference between the two models is that the HD 650 are a bit more comfortable, so you can wear them for longer than the HD 600. Given the similarities in sound profile, budget-conscious audiophiles might want to opt for the more wallet-friendly HD 600.
The Sennheiser HD 660S2 and the Sennheiser HD 650 are both open-backs with similar designs and mid-forward tunings. For most people, the deciding factor will be the price, given that they sound similar and share limitations such as needing a headphone amp. But, if it's the small differences we're considering, the HD 660S2 are a little more stable. They include standard TRS and balanced cables, plus a carrying pouch. The HD 650 are a little more comfortable, but you only get one TRS cable.
The Sennheiser HD 6XX are a revision of the Sennheiser HD 650 that are only available through the Drop website. There hasn't been a change in driver structure, and both headphones sound fairly balanced. However, the HD 6XX have a more consistent audio delivery, most likely due to their higher clamping force. While both headphones lack thump and rumble due to their open-back design, the HD 6XX have better bass accuracy. They also come in a dark blue colorway instead of black.
The Sennheiser HD 650 and the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO are both very good open-back headphones for neutral sound. While the Beyerdynamic have better bass extension, they also sound a bit sharp and piercing in the treble range. The Sennheiser have a smoother sound, with less sharpness in the treble but can't deliver as much bass as the Beyerdynamic. That said the Beyerdynamic are slightly better-built, while the Sennheiser have a weak point in their construction between the earcups and the metal frame.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
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