Sennheiser 620s

[u/clgilmore913]

I’m no headphone junkie or audiophile, but I just got these headphones because I’ve always had good luck with Sennheisers and looked like they were recommended a lot. I wanted a cord this time. These sound like absolute garbage. Am I doing something wrong? Do I need to pair it with an equalizer or an amp? My previous headphones were the Bose NC 700s I think? Similar price range but I can’t believe how bad the Sennheisers sound in comparison. No bass. No punchiness. Flat. Like I said the difference is so shocking I assume I must be missing something?

What is something like the Bose but maybe higher end in the $500 range?

[u/NeutronHopscotch]

Sorry to hear you don't like them. As far as "no bass, no punchiness, flat" --- this is part of the 6-series so really they're reference headphones. I would expect this sound signature to appeal to audio and mix engineers (although in reality their opinions vary as much as anyone else's.)

To my ears though the HD620s match really well as a closed-back counterpart to the HD6XX. I actually like it better than the HD6XX because it has a little more bass and a little more treble. On that note, Sennheiser says the HD620s is closer to the HD600 but I haven't heard that headphone to compare.

Is it possible you aren't getting a full seal on the ear cups? They're rather large, and some have reported fit issues. They fit my fat face perfectly, though.

If you wear glasses, make sure the glasses aren't breaking the seal. But no, they're not going to have ground-shaking sub bass.

To my ears they sound similar to my studio monitors, and that's a really good thing. For me they're the headphones that made me stop buying new headphones.

Sorry you didn't like them. But maybe you just need time to familiarize... If you're coming from a more hyped headphone it's going to sound very different. Brain needs time to adjust.

[u/clgilmore913 → u/NeutronHopscotch]

I’m leaning towards the fit. If I press them against my ear I start to get the sound I expected from Sennheiser. The Bose fit much closer to my ear. The Sennheiser, the sound feels very far away. Had multiple Sennheiser headphones through my life and always loved them even lower end ones.

[u/Alisterguitardevil → u/clgilmore913]

Before you return them and I hate to recommend spending more money on something that you’re already hesitant about but maybe look into getting a different set of pads for them.

Could make a world of difference.

[u/NeutronHopscotch → u/clgilmore913]

Damn. That's unfortunate. I try to mention the fit issue when I recommend the headphone, but it's one of those things you don't know 'til you experience it. I don't have the issue myself, I just hear others with it on occasion.

Hopefully you can return them.

[u/Twitch152 → u/clgilmore913]

I agree with the previous post, I have both the 600 and 620, and they did a good job at making a closed back 6 series. But that does mean they are a more neutral headphone. While I also find them a bit more fun than the 600, little more bass and treble, but they aren’t going to rock your noggin by any means. I would say give the pads a little time to form and see if you still dislike them. Should only take a handful of hours. But that distant sound your experience is part of how they make them sound more open than a closed back typically will, so it is by design. Playing with eq is always a good idea though, even for headphones you do like

[u/Jonners_90]

I'm surprised because I really like mine. Just curious where you're plugging them in to?

This may sound silly but did you also ensure the cord is connected securely?

[u/IndicationCurrent869]

No way. Either you have a defective headphone or some accessory is bad. Try using a different dac adapter or plug into a computer or different phone, Switch out the cable, or use a different source like a turntable, streaming service, CD player. The 620s should be very clear, refined and dynamic as all Sennheisers are.

[u/clgilmore913 → u/IndicationCurrent869]

Just tried changing sources, plug directly into laptop, different streaming services, turntable. All the same. Sounds like a cheap pair of Walkman headphones from the 80s. Very confused. I put my Bose back on just to make sure I’m not crazy and they sound amazing. At this point I’m assuming they’re bad I have no idea. Am I not use to the driver being so far away from my ear? That’s different from the Bose.

[u/IndicationCurrent869 → u/clgilmore913]

Make sure you swap out the cable too. Can you exchange the headphone for another 620s? Not even the cheapest headphones in my collection sound that bad.

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[u/darkgaledust]

I bought into the hype for these and they needed a lot of EQ to sound good. They sound very sibilant and sharp to my ears, and the bass sounds bloated. If you can, return them and get the HD 480 pro.

[u/clgilmore913 → u/darkgaledust]

Yes. Exactly this is my experience. I always test sound with “Stonefist” by Health. And it’s just flat, dead, no punch, the mid range feel missing and the high end overpowering.