Sennheiser HD 600 vs HD 650

What published reviews say about each, where the two differ, and who each one suits.

Summed up from 16 published reviews

Sennheiser

HD 600

The HD 600 is a well-built, neutral open-back headphone best suited to critical listening in a quiet room with a capable amplifier.

Best for: Critical listeners with an amplifier, seeking neutral sound in quiet rooms
Skip it if: You need portability, isolation, wireless, or visceral sub-bass

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What reviewers say about the Sennheiser HD 600

Sennheiser

HD 650

The Sennheiser HD 650 is a benchmark open-back headphone with neutral sound, great comfort, and strong value, but needs an amplifier and lacks isolation.

Best for: Home audiophile listening with dedicated amplification
Skip it if: If you need portability or noise isolation

PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon

What reviewers say about the Sennheiser HD 650

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Specs side by side

Spec	Sennheiser HD 600	Sennheiser HD 650
Fit	Over-ear	Over-ear
Connection	Wired	Wired
Noise cancelling	No	No
Best for	Studio, Music	Studio, Music
Microphone	No mic	No mic
Ear cups	Open-back	Open-back

Rows where the two differ come first.

What reviewers like, and what they don't

Sennheiser HD 600

Natural, balanced sound with clear mids and vocals 2 3 6 7
Open, airy presentation provides spacious soundstage and imaging 1 2 3 4
Generally comfortable for long sessions after initial fit adjustments 1 2 3 4
Replaceable cable and ear pads aid longevity 1 2
Open-back design provides little sound isolation 1 4 5 8
Capable amplifier is needed for best performance 2 3 5 8
Bass impact is disputed; some listeners find sub-bass restrained 1 2 3 5
Long cable and awkward connector can hinder use 1 2 3 4

Sennheiser HD 650

Excellent neutral, detailed sound quality 1 3 5 8
Very comfortable for long listening sessions 1 2 3 4
Open-back design delivers spacious soundstage 1 2 3 5
User-replaceable cable and earpads 1 2 4
Strong value and benchmark status 1 2 5 6
Open-back leaks sound, isolates poorly 1 2 3 4
Requires dedicated amplifier for best performance 2 3 4
Sub-bass extension weaker than peers 1 3 4
Treble can be uneven or colored 5 6 7

Ranked in our guides

Guide	HD 600	HD 650
Best wired headphones and earbuds	#10	–
Best studio headphones	#7	–
Best open-back headphones	#7	–

Sources

We don't test products ourselves. This page sums up 16 published reviews, read on October 23, 2026; each point above links to the reviews that make it.