The Sennheiser HD6XX is the newly revised version of the ever-popular HD 650 with a few new updates. It is an open-back headphone designed by the collaborative effort of Massdrop and Sennheiser. The Sennheiser HD6XX is a very highly rated pair of headphones and has garnered tons of praise from its owners. It truly deserves an equally talented amp to drive them and if you are currently looking for one, please continue to read on.
Matching the right amp to the Sennheiser HD6XX headphones will help make them sound their absolute best and provide an enjoyable music listening experience. We will need to first learn more about their sound characteristics and merits. Once that is done, we will then have enough data to prepare a list of the best amps which you can go for and pair with your Sennheiser HD6XX headphones.
Table of Contents
Sound Characteristics and Merits of Sennheiser HD6XX
Gone are the gray colorways, the Sennheiser HD6XX now has a darker tone, the deep midnight blue which does make the headphones look more modern. Another notable change will be the shorter detachable cable. All in all, the Sennheiser HD6XX will look great for outdoor use but their open-back design will cause sound leakage. This might be an issue for indoor use as well as the leaked sound will disturb the others around you. The noise isolation of the HD6XX is not terrific either and that is as expected from an open-back headphone. They are quite comfortable to wear and the slightly tighter clamp does provide a better grip while you are nodding your head to your favorite music.
It might be a bit discomforting for some listeners due to the tighter clamping power especially after long hours of music listening sessions. The frequency response of the Sennheiser HD6XX is impressive which is from 10Hz-41kHz. It is quite a difficult headphone to drive though, as it has a nominal impedance of 300 Ohms. We should definitely go for headphone amps that have a certain level of performance and quality. The price points of these amplifiers will be taken into account too.
More Details at Amazon – Sennheiser HD6XX Open Back Headphones
The open-back design has its advantages, the soundstage that the Sennheiser HD6XX is able to project is spacious and more open than a closed-back design. The larger soundstage does help to provide us with a more engaging music presentation especially when the music details start pouring onto the stage. The musical details are highly defined and well separated, there is enough spacing to make each musician sound more distinct. The rich music delivery is filled with subtle details and nuances, not to mention, the stereo imaging is amazing and with pinpoint precision.
The overall sound reproduction is neutral with a hint of warmth which enables us to listen to our favorite tunes for hours without worrying about listeners fatigue but the diminishing comfort level does start to slowly get us. The neutrality of the Sennheiser HD6XX provides a well-balanced music presentation with natural sound reproduction where vocals and instruments sounded authentic. The bass performance is quite good and blends in seamlessly with the higher frequencies. It may not be satisfying enough for bass fanatics though. The very deep bass delivery is lacking and bass-heavy soundtracks won’t be ideal for the HD6XX.
The midrange reproduction is the Sennheiser HD6XX’s greatest strength, followed by the smooth highs and the lows will be its limitation. It never once sounded overly bright or harsh no matter which music/song we’ve played or at any volume. The earpads should be changed to a new one after long use (or starts to worn down) as this would make it more comfortable to wear and also worn-out earpads may negatively impact the treble quality. If we were to nitpick, the Sennheiser HD6XX soundstage is not large enough in its price range but their accuracy is sure top-notch. We have enough data and information to prepare a list of the best headphone amps which you can go for and partner with your Sennheiser HD6XX open-back headphones.
Sennheiser HD6XX Specifications
- Wearing Style: Headband (Over the Ear)
- Transducer Principle: Open-back, Dynamic
- Frequency Response: 10Hz – 41kHz
- THD: <0.05 %
- Nominal Impedance: 300 Ohms
- Connector: 1/8 inch (3.5mm)
- Cable Length: 6ft (1.8m)
- Weight: 260g (0.57lbs)
Best Amps to pair with Sennheiser HD6XX
The Schiit Audio Vali 2 is one of the best headphone amps to pair with the Sennheiser HD6XX and it is affordably priced as well. The Vali 2 adds a fuller sound quality into the overall sound reproduction and includes a hint of tube warmth which helps to bring out the instruments a bit more. The richer music delivery also has a bit more weight to it that complements the bass performance of the Sennheiser HD6XX headphone. It makes bad recording sound more forgiving and all in all, it is easy and enjoyable to listen to the HD6XX using the Schiit Audio Vali 2 as the headphone tube amplifier.
More Information at Amazon – Schiit Vali 2 Headphone Amp
The DarkVoice 336SE is another amazing headphone tube amp to go with your Sennheiser HD6XX headphone. Let the tubes warm up a little and start listening, the sweet sound quality and the smooth music delivery of the 336SE will be simply alluring. Furthermore, this DarkVoice headphone tube amplifier doesn’t compromise the details where subtle nuances can be heard clearly. This makes vocal reproduction sound mesmerizing and intimate. You can even fine-tune the overall sound reproduction to your liking by tube rolling which can be a really fun process. The stock tubes are actually good enough so there’s no real need to switch them.
More Information at Amazon – DarkVoice 336SE
The iFi Zen CAN Signature is one of the best headphone amplifiers to pair with your Sennheiser HD6XX. It is a balanced headphone amp and preamp which is optimized for Sennheiser HD6XX. The ActivEQ circuitry of the Zen CAN Signature is tuned and calibrated to work really well with the sonic characteristics of the HD6XX. The bass boost of the headphone amp also complements the Sennheiser HD6XX overall low-end performance and uses a high-quality Class A output stage to open up the sound even more. It is recommended to have a listen first and see if you like what you are hearing.
More Details at Amazon – iFi Zen CAN Signature Balanced Desktop Headphone Amp
Mayflower Electronics Desktop Objective2 is a well-received headphone amplifier and has the capability to make difficult-to-drive headphones sing. It doesn’t just simply increase the overall volume of your Sennheiser HD6XX headphone, it also adds more clarity and improves the sound quality. It is modestly priced and will be a good entry-level desktop headphone amp to start with. The built-in USB D/A converter will come in handy as well. The overall sound quality is neutral and delivers a clean music presentation, if this is what you are looking for in a headphone amp then the Mayflower Electronics Desktop Objective2 is an ideal choice.
More Information at Amazon – Mayflower Electronics Objective2 ODAC Rev B.
The Schiit Audio Valhalla 2 is probably the best tube headphone amplifier to pair up with your Sennheiser HD6XX open-back headphone. The neutral and accurate sound reproduction of the Valhalla 2 complements the HD6XX really well, able to produce massive amounts of details with clarity. Furthermore, the overall sound reproduction doesn’t sound harsh. The soundstage is large and stereo imaging is impeccable, the music performance is vivid which simply engages you. It is a powerful Triode OTL headphone amp where it can make your Sennheiser HD6XX sing with ease.
More Details at Amazon – Schiit Valhalla 2 Triode OTL Tube Headphone Amp
The Drop + THX AAA 789 Linear is a very powerful linear bipolar amp capable of providing pristine power to drive your Sennheiser HD6XX headphone and unlock their potentials. If you are looking for a more transparent and clean-sounding quality, the Drop + THX AAA 789 Linear is an exemplary choice to go for. It has a very polished background which gives you an ultra-low noise music presentation. The Sennheiser HD6XX also scales well with power and with this headphone amp, you will have plenty of reserves to tap on. The overall sound reproduction is rich and powerful, not to mention, accurate and has a very detailed music presentation.
More Details at Amazon – Drop + THX AAA 789 Linear Headphone Amplifier
To Sum It Up
The Sennheiser HD6XX does work well with tube amps and also scales with power, the listed headphone amps are some of the best on the market and will be suitably matching with the HD6XX open-back headphone. It is recommended to have a listen first though and see if you like the sound quality that you are hearing before making a final decision. If possible, you might want to do a side-by-side comparison of the headphone amps so that you can tell the difference in sound quality immediately.
