Crack + HD650 - Bass

[louis.jeck]

Hi !
Not sure if it's the right sub to talk about this but I'd like to ask a question :
Disclamer : I'm new to these audiophile grade products !
I currently have a HD6xx with Crack + Speedball. I really like the definition and clarity, but it lacks bass (and sub bass) to my taste. Listening to tracks for Hans Zimmer for example, don't get the lower end spectrum as much in IEMs like my IE 80s or on my Devialet Phantom. Using Flac tracks with a Fiio DAC.
Are there any modifications (tube rolling and such) that I could do to get a little more power in the lower end spectrum ?

Thank you !

 

[Paul Birkeland]

How much run in time does the Crack have?  Does the Crack meet its voltage specifications?  Are all the solder joints nice and tight and shiny?

 

[fullheadofnothing]

.

 

[louis.jeck]

Crack is new and has about 20hrs in. It meets the voltages specifications (in the Speedball pdf at least, not sure if those in the Crack pdf are still valid when the speedball is installed, and I just have a slightly different input resistance on the RCA jacks of about 10%), and the solder joints seem pretty good, I was careful not to make cold joints. I might recheck all the connections and resistance in the weekend.
And @fullheadofnothing that's not why I asked the question here.. I was wondering if it is supposed to be rather light in the lower end of the spectrum or if there might be something to change with my setup. It just feels like it's missing a part of the song compared to listening my other devices.

 

[fullheadofnothing]

The question you asked is how to get more bass. Replacing tubes when you are looking for a tone control is a waste of time, effort, and money.

If an open backed headphone sounds different from something crammed directly into your ear canal, perhaps they sound different because the ARE different...

 

[Cmdr_DASh]

Crack is new and has about 20hrs in.

Give it more time, my lows opened up first time after about 50 hours of playtime and then again after another 50 or so...

 

[BZ58]

Good question.

I have had my Crack with Speedball for about 8 months. My setup is Bottlehead Crack  |  Sennheiser HD 650  |  Fiio E17K ALPEN 2 USB DAC  |  iMac. The Fiio DAC has an equalizer in it. I have found that, for me, I often need to equalize the sound for my liking. Some music, the bass is distorted. Other better produced albums sound amazing and perfect to my ears with the equalizer off. I listen to flac files also, but some of Apple Music streaming through iTunes sounds very good, and usually can’t tell a difference between the Apple Streaming and Flac. 

I’ve tried some different tubes, and settled on a pair to just use until they die. I can’t afford the highest priced potatoes, I mean tubes, but the ones I have sound great! I’m afraid if I spend a lot of money on one expensive tube, I might be disappointed.

The best thing I discovered is set your sound output to 24/96. I’m not on my Mac now, so I don’t know exactly how I did it. I first discovered it when reading Neil Young’s new streaming website. Changing these setting made a great difference. Maybe this information is common knowledge, but it wasn’t to me.

I think that your crack will improve over time by just using it, letting the tubes break in.

 

[louis.jeck]

Give it more time, my lows opened up first time after about 50 hours of playtime and then again after another 50 or so...

Well it is really getting better by the day, I'm really starting to love it ! The lows are really starting to show !
I just have a slight difference in highs between left and right (balance feels centered but a small band of high frequency seems to be left out on the left earphone, it's not always noticeable). I might have to try and re do my solder joints.
Oh and I didn't get a Bottlehead sticker like in the pictures  :'(

 

[BZ58]

They offer the Bottlehead sticker as a separate purchase.

 

[ianp]

I found that I could alter the sound off the HD650 by using some of the mods that are out there on the interwebs. The coin mod revealed a lot of detail and lifted some of the darkness from the sound. Adding damping material (dynamat) to the rear of the drivers helped tighten up the bass considerably.  I found that I had to add and remove pieces of the dynamat until I found a sound that that was optimal to my ears and music tastes.

Before you do any mods make sure, as others have mentioned, that your amp and headphones are well broken in. Particularly so if you feel that the bass is just beginning to show. Also be aware that some of the mods may involve cutting bits of the plastic frame around the driver which voids any warranty you have and is pretty much non reversible.

 

[mightygrey]

If you're trying to EQ your 650's into different-sounding set of cans, you're going to have a bad time. It'll get reaaaal expensive really quickly too. Two things: 1. Change-up your cans to something else. 2. Spend a LOT of time with the 650's and your current rig, and let your ears/brain get adjusted to the sound. 650's have plenty of bass, it might just be your brain's "benchmark" that's throwing you out.