Sennheiser HD 660S2 Wired Audiophile Stereo Headphones with Deep Sub Bass, Optimized Surround, Transducer Airflow, Vented Magnet System and Voice Coil – Black

Product Information

Both headphones are equally fast, the 109 PRO has the lead when it comes to dynamics, impact and raw power but it can also sound a little hollow and bloomy. Despite the usual sneer directed at plastic for not having a “premium” enough feel in hand, the HD 6xx series of headphones tend to last for a long time. My HD 650, for example, have been going strong for over seven years. The familiar design of the 6XX series re-appears on the HD 660S2. The 660S2 is more resolving and refined with a treble texture of higher quality that responds better in upstream gear and offers finer micro detail retrieval.

Sennheiser HD 660S2 | Audio Science Review (ASR) Forum Sennheiser HD 660S2 | Audio Science Review (ASR) Forum

Sennheiser comfort-wise always scores well and it’s no different here. The velour/plush ear cushions are very comfy and the side pressure on your head is not too high, and it’s evenly distributed. The headphone always stays perfectly in place, but it never is uncomfortable. For some heads the clamping force might be a bit too much, but you can always stretch the headband. Starting with gaming.​ Opening up discord and immediately being greeted by a few dudes in a VOIP channel, the first thing I noticed was the HD660S2 being absolutely clear for speech. This is great, because in this game I play on a daily basis called Squad, I always take up the role of a Squad Leader. The Squad Leader is essentially a volunteer managerial position where I need to listen to 2-4 voices through my right ear, speak with fellow squad leaders with my left ear, and have a 3rd party application like Discord taking up my center channel. I listen to jazz more than anything else. Trio and modal jazz to be more specific. My playlist for understanding gear does not have a lot of jazz in it since I want to hear numerous instruments happening in the same song and more bass and treble and of course vocals.

Packaging & Accessories

As the former Home Cinema Editor for TechRadar, I have years of experience testing and evaluating the quality of audio devices, from headphones and soundbars to Bluetooth speakers. The HD 660S2 use a “dual-entry” cable system where both earcups use separate cable entries. This system is far more robust than the single-entry ones and does not rely on wires running through the headband. The channel marking is less obvious than it used to be. The earpads are the same ones that come with the other HD 6xx series of headphones, which means that the sound signature will become more mid-centric as the pads wear over time. The foam padding has been improved, aiding in comfort.

Sennheiser HD 660S2 vs. HD 660S Review - Major HiFi Sennheiser HD 660S2 vs. HD 660S Review - Major HiFi

Let me reiterate, that I have no skin in the game. I do this for the cognitive brain orgasm I get out of analyzing what I enjoy. This is a joy to write, and I hope informative for the listener. Let’s get into tonality starting with treble. The HD660S2’s bring out a smooth and realistic presentation. I can’t say for sure but they could be on the same volume as the Sundaras regarding treble, but they peak in the absolute perfect place in comparison. Sundara’s treble is somewhat grating for me and peaks in the weirdest places that seem to alter speech. Listening to that guy on AfterPrisonShow with the Sundaras is a real problem, I can’t stand listening to him with the Sundaras as the lower treble peak on the headphones emphasize the way he pronounces “S” sounds through his molars. I’ve sold the Sundaras a long time ago and my goodness just typing about that headphone brings me grief again. The 660S2’s treble regarding speech on S pronunciations are smooth in comparison, there is no grain and sibilance. Forwarding the time to two weeks of ownership with the HD660S2’s, the clamp has finally loosened. If they are anything like my other Sennheisers, it will take about another month for them to adjust to the size of my head. So regarding comfort it will be a total of two months for them to relax and feel better to wear. I do want to point out however that Sennheiser’s oval cups and headphone design itself are the absolutely most comfortable out of all headphones I’ve tried. They are lightweight, they conform to my ears, the swivel cups are spectacular, and the earpads are just the right density. With all other headphones it seems as though instruments would fade away into the distance. Instruments with the S2’s would exist in its own space and direct all their sound towards me in all of its clarity. Instruments in general have greater detail than my other Sennheisers and it gives them that extra bit of realism. Any reverb near the end of a song can be heard, and artists that sneak in a small vocal line are audible. I don’t need to increase my volume to hear it; no detail escapes the HD660S2’s. I’ve never heard detail like this before, and it just blows my mind listening to songs that I had in my library for over 5 years. BTW here the playlist I use for understanding HPs for review purposes. These are the songs I listen to most due to the quality of the recording in a lot of cases as well as how much I enjoy the songs:There’s little-to-no sound isolation here, so don't take these headphones with you on your commute. (Image credit: Future/TechRadar/Henry St Leger) Sennheiser HD-660S2 review: Price & release date I could listen to the HD 650 for hours and not get any fatigue. With the 650 you must come to the notes . In comparison to the S2, with the S2 the notes come to you. Not in a an annoying “why is this guy always wanting to talk to me” at the party feeling but in a “I am so glad she enjoys coming over and engaging in a conversation with me” feeling. The S2 is closer to me. More intimate than the 650. That is wonderful unless there is bad breath involved. Nothing personal Siegried. We all get that at times.

Sennheiser HD 660S2 thread - Head-Fi.org Sennheiser HD 660S2 thread - Head-Fi.org

At just 260g, the HD 660S2 aren’t exactly heavy (Beyerdynamic’s Amiron headphones are 340g) and they don’t weigh us down during testing. Out of the box, it’s worth noting the clamping weight is a little on the firm side, but there isn’t too much pressure and over time we’d expect this to relax a little. The HD660S2 is essentially a new variation on the same theme and while this might not sound very exciting we better remember that in music sometimes the variations are actually of higher artistic quality than the original theme.It is not harsh or fatiguing but it is not as smooth and controlled as the 660S2 while it has the tendency to sound thinner, a little metallic and artificial with a rushed decay over time so percussion instruments don't sound that naturally shimmering. The new HD 660S2 follows Sennheiser’s classical design and from far you can’t immediately tell the original apart from the new edition. The biggest visual changes are:

Sennheiser HD 660S2 – Great Expectations - Headphonesty Review: Sennheiser HD 660S2 – Great Expectations - Headphonesty

The way the HD 606S2 handle the midrange and voices is a real highlight. Vocals sound super-smooth and ooze refinement. Play A-Ha’s MTV Unplugged version of Take On Me at 24-bit/94kHz and the Sennheisers paint a beautifully intimate picture. Morten Harket’s smooth tone is both captivating yet gentle with it. The accompanying instruments such as the guitar and piano are extra ingredients that add to this soothing rendition. This is a tuning with plenty of bass and mid-bass that favors the fun and enjoyment factor rather than actual tonal accuracy. Sub-bass used to be the Achilles’ heel for the HD 600 and HD 650, and while the HD 660S2 improved noticeably, the latest version of the HD 660S2 delivers the best performance.

Design

also went into optimizing the airflow around the transducer. There's more sensitivity over the entire An interesting comparison is that when listening to solo singing voices, like an opera aria, the voice on the 660S2 is projected close to your face and at the center of it, at the front of your nose, when with the 109 PRO it feels as being moved a couple of meters away and at the upper part of your head, at your eyes height. Vorbemerkung: Ich kenne keines der Vorgängermodelle und war bisher eher im AKG-Lager unterwegs. Ich mag neutrale Kopfhörer mit guter räumlicher Darstellung und hoher Auflösung. There isn’t much to note here if you’re familiar with the original HD 660S. Sennheiser has opted to go with the same basic structure as the 660S, which matches the design of the HD 600 series overall. The velour earpads and extra headband padding provide a snug but comfortable fit that seals excellently for supportive listening. Design The bass as a whole is relatively balanced but not strictly neutral and reference tuned, the HD660S2 is following the route of the HD650 with a mildly emphasized bass and upper-bass.