![]() ![]() The War on Drugs' "Strangest Thing" sounds sublime, and the temptation is always there to turn up the volume to become totally enveloped by the sparkling percussion, the detailed strum of the guitar, and the power of the lead singer's tortured tones. Move on to Micheal Jackson's "Billie Jean" to hear the headphones' wonderful soundstage, stereo separation, vocal detail, and precise control of the bass and mids. The mix of lazy synth, steady bass kick, and dreamy vocals in Kavinsky's "Nightcall" suits them perfectly. My voyage of discovery wearing the HD 660S led me to understand how much they excel with electronic music. There's enough sound leakage through the open backs that no one will be thanking you for wearing them in Starbucks anyway. The necessity for external power is another reason these headphones need to stay at home. Using the iPhone 11 Pro equipped with the camera connection kit (an OTG cable is required to connect the iFi Nano to a USB Type-C equipped device), the headphones suddenly have the power they need, and what a difference it makes. This makes the HD 660S sit up and take notice. The solution comes in the shape of the iFi Nano iDSD Black Label portable DAC. The HD 660S laugh at the iPhone 11 Pro, snort in derision at the LG V60 ThinQ with its Quad DAC amp, and while they enjoy the hi-res sound from my Sony NW-A45 player, the amount of power on offer simply isn't enough. ![]() The sound I described above just isn't possible from a standard source. If the headphones could physically react to receiving an unamped signal, it would be to sit there drumming their fingers on the table, waiting for a challenge. Just using an iPhone 11 Pro with the 3.5mm headphone adapter will not do for the HD 660S. High praise, but to get the best from the HD 660S you won't want to just plug them into your iPhone or music player. The sound is about as well-rounded, exciting, and engaging as headphones get. There's a fabulous richness to the midrange backed by a bass thump that's controlled and punchy, and some bright and detailed treble. They're so well balanced the sound is much more intimate and centered than I expected, but with the wonderful airiness that comes with an open-back design. Open-back headphones mean a massive, wide soundstage, right? Yes, but that's the first surprise with the HD 660S. You'll want people to see them because anyone who knows the HD 660S' name and heritage - their predecessor, the HD 650 headphones, are revered in audiophile circles - will quickly understand you take your music very seriously. They have a mature style that's ideally suited to the home, and a classiness that will make you want to leave them placed on top of your turntable, rather than hiding them away in a drawer or back in the box. It's hard to say anything negative about the HD 660S' design and comfort. The cable is about 10 feet long, which is handy if you want to plug the headphones into an amp that's not right next to your favorite chair. The cups cover your ears completely and I like the handy three dot marking on the left cup, making it easier to identify which way to put them on without looking for the L or R mark. There's an air of "studio cans" about them with the oversized elliptical cups and black metal grill over the drivers, along with the Sennheiser branding running over the top of the hanger. There's no creaks or groans from the chassis, and they have all the quality you expect from a pair of headphones that cost $500. These are very comfortable headphones that are perfect for relaxing on the couch while wearing. The plastic body is lightweight, the padding on the hanger and the earcups is thick, soft, and springy, and there is plenty of flex to ensure they don't grip your head too much. Also, these are open-back headphones, meaning they don't block out sound from around you, or from others hearing what you're listening to. ![]() You use an adapter (included in the box) to convert it to 3.5mm, plus there's a 4.4mm balanced and an XLR-4 balanced cable in the box for use with an amp. For starters, they're wired headphones, and the thick cable extends down from both cups before becoming one, and terminating in a 6.35mm unbalanced jack plug. ![]() The Sennheiser HD 660S are headphones to enjoy at home, not outside on the street or on public transport. ![]()
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