Pop quiz time!
What does the HD in Sennheiser's HD series headphones stand for?
Is it A) high definition?
Is it B) hot dog?
Is it C) Hilary Duff?
or is it D) headphone dynamic?
Hot dog!
Correct.
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Released in 2017, the Sennheiser
HD 660S has its share of fans
who enjoy the neutral, dynamic, and forward sound.
However, some people have felt that it's a bit lean in the low end.
Articulate bass? Yes. Thumping, deeply extended bass?
Not so much.
So when Sennheiser set out to make a V2 of this headphone.
They made it a point to address the low end.
But that's not all that's changed with the HD 660S2.
Let's take a look.
So here we've got the
660S2 next to the original 660S.
They look almost identical right?
Now, you can see that the silver logo on
the original has been updated to gold on the new version.
It is a small change, but I do think it elevates the look of this headphone.
When you hold the 660S2, you may wonder if there's actually anything inside.
They are so light, only nine ounces.
Now, the design appears pretty basic.
It's all black with the simple mesh grilles and not much in the way of visual
bells and whistles.
It's not boring, it's just not fancy.
But take a closer look at the earpads and you'll see that they are this rich
black velour.
They look so classy and they feel wonderful!
The cushioning on the headband is not a continuous piece of foam.
It's two strips with a gap in between.
I actually wondered whether this was going to be comfortable, but it totally is.
It actually eliminates the pressure that I sometimes
feel on the top of my head during long listening sessions
and the material over the foam has this nice satin-like feel.
Now, just like the 660S, the HD 660S2
has a rather tight clamping force out of the box.
Some people have been known
to position the headphones on a basketball to help loosen them up a bit.
I happen to feel like a lot of
headphones are too loose on me, so I prefer the snug fit.
For me, the 662 is a highly comfortable headphone.
I seriously don't even have to think about it once I put it on
and I'm able to wear it comfortably for hours at a time.
The earpads combined with the secure fit, combined with the low weight,
are a big win in my book.
Let's get right into the sound.
I appreciate the 660S for what it is.
It really is a great reference headphone, but
I quickly came to like the 660S2 more.
It's got a richer, fuller sound.
It's not aggressively forward, but it's not lazy and laid back either.
It's clear, crisp, and detailed without being too analytical.
There's definitely some warmth, but not so much
that it makes the headphones sound lush or thick.
The treble, to me, sounds smooth and easy on the ears,
but at the same time I feel like there's plenty of detail there.
Now, this headphone is not revealing to the level of many top of the line
headphones, but it does a pretty good job with detail and separation.
The midrange is quite awesome, with vocals in the spotlight on every track.
I truly feel like the singers are close enough for me to hear
every drop of spittle and every bit of texture in their vocal vibrations.
There's warmth here, too, which adds a level of expressiveness and emotion.
Okay, let's talk about the bass, which, as I said, is
a huge area of improvement versus the original HD 660S.
You can thank improved transducer airflow
and a refined voice coil with lower weight for the deeper bass.
The original HD 660S has been critiqued
by many for sounding too thin with a lack of heft in the low end.
But based on the HD 660S2 is fuller and warmer, but still clean sounding.
And it sounds like both the mid-bass and the sub-bass extend more deeply.
That being said, the 660S2 is not a bassy headphone.
It's probably not going to be your choice for EDM, rap,
or other genres that rely on thunderous bass.
That's not what this headphone is about, but in my opinion
it offers a much, much better bass experience than the original.
I really enjoyed this headphone with rock,
folk, blues, classical and of course, vocals of all flavors.
I find the sound to be refreshingly open.
It's not as wide as the Sennheiser HD 800,
which is one of the best headphones for a soundstage.
Still, it's like my music is being directed away from my ears,
not stopping at the edge of the earcup and swirling around inside of my head.
The airiness of the sound, coupled with the comfort of the headphone,
had me loving the HD 660S2 right out of the gate.
Now you could say that the Sennheiser HD 660 S2 is to the HD 660S what the
Focal Utopia 2022 is to the original Utopia.
In other words, a more forward and analytical-sounding headphone with a
tipped-up top end has become a warmer, smoother sounding headphone.
But in both cases, the warmth of the newer version does not overshadow
the detail retrieving ability of the headphone.
And as I previous noted, while the 660S has been critiqued
by some for sounding thin or bass-light,
the updated version does have that much fuller sound, with more deeply extended
bass that really allows the listener to feel it.
From a technical standpoint, the 660S2 features a smaller,
lighter voice coil, putting the impedance of this headphone at 300 ohms
versus 150 ohms on the 660S.
Also, the airflow around the driver on the new version
has been optimized, which ultimately leads to less distortion.
Finally, the resonant frequency has dropped from 110 Hz to 70 Hz,
which leads to that better bass response in the 660S2.
Now, you may wonder if the increased impedance
makes the 660S2 more difficult to drive.
The answer is not really.
With an impedance of 300 ohms and a sensitivity of 104dB,
the S2 is relatively easy to drive.
You likely won't get maximum performance driving it from your phone,
but you will be able to drive it
to peak performance with a variety of DAPs and headphone amplifiers.
When it comes down to it,
The HD 660S2 has a richer, more impactful sound.
To my ears, it's simply more satisfying and joyful.
Let's talk about audio cables for a minute.
At Moon Audio, we handcraft every Dragon Audio Cable to your specifications
using the purest UP-OCC silver and copper wire available on the market.
Each Dragon cable has a different tonality,
so you can upgrade the sound of your headphones to your liking.
Now I chose to use the flagship Silver Dragon Headphone Cable
with the HD 660S2.
Because this headphone already has some warmth and well extended bass.
I didn't feel like the low end or the midrange for that matter needed enhancing.
Instead, I wanted to add some top-end sizzle
while maximizing detail air and definition in these headphones.
You can learn more about dragon cables at moon-audio.com
With an MSRP of $599.95,
The HD 660S2 costs $100 more than the 660S.
What you get for the price is a headphone
that is still wonderfully detailed and nuanced,
but with better bass- bass that goes
deeper and adds more weight to the sound.
The HD 660S2 also adds
a bit of warmth to an otherwise neutral sound signature.
The combination of warmth and great detail retrieval is a win-win in my book.
The 660S2 is going to sound great with
genres like rock, blues, jazz, and folk,
and it'll be a phenomenal choice every time for vocals.
It's also a lightweight and comfortable
headphone that I am able to wear for hours on end with no issues.
My recommendation- go for the new HD 660S2.
For more information on the Sennheiser HD 660S2,
check out our written review, which we've linked in the description.
If you have any questions, drop a comment below.
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