Where to get drivers for Sennheiser HD600 phones?

[RunOutGroove]

I got these phones from a friend who was thinning out his collection. To me though they're A list stuff, but the one problem with them was that there was a bit of a short (intermittent) on one side. It took me forever to get the spring pieces that I needed to fix those contacts as Sennheiser customer service isn't the greatest (many emails and confusion on their part to get that one thing). Anyway, when I fairly got around to fixing the thing with the parts I finally got, I ended up damaging one of the drivers in in it. Clumsy as I may be, I think that I can do the replacement, if I'm extra careful, but I just can't find where to buy the part. I contacted Sennheiser once with a customer email address that I had on file and another time through their website, but that was several weeks ago and I've heard nothing (and of course it isn't one of the replacement parts that they have for sale on their site). I looked on Ebay too, but nothing... Does anyone know where I might be able to order such a part? I'd hate to have to trash these great sounding phones and invest in another pair...

 

[swechsler]

Call Sennheiser, don't use email. They should have the parts and their prices are reasonable (IMO).

 

[RunOutGroove]

Call Sennheiser, don't use email. They should have the parts and their prices are reasonable (IMO).

Thanks... It was a little difficult even to find a # for these folks but I did and called. Turns out that they are out of stock, unsurprisingly with all of the supply chain issues happening worldwide. I'm toying with the idea of buying the HD6xx phones, which I hear are very similar to the HD600 ones (and the HD650 ones as well) but are far cheaper. I'll probably still get parts for me HD600 phones though eventually, fix those things and have two pairs. They might prove to be similar enough that I won't care about having them both.

 

[RunOutGroove]

UPDATE: After calling Sennheiser a number of times and them never having the stuff in stock, I wonder it anyone out there knows of a possible alternative to Sennheiser themselves to get parts, particularly the drivers for the HD600 (not Massdrop as they don't stock this kind of thing)? I'd really like to repair this thing, rather than than junking it, but I'd like to actually use these things, rather than be waiting waht could be months for a part. I see that the HD6XX are nearly identical to the HD600 I have and sell for a really attractive price, but it's still several times more than the cost of that driver I need and I'd rather than spend that extra $ unless I absolutely can't get those parts...

 

[swechsler]

B&H had the headband foam in stock when I needed to replace it in my HD-580s. Maybe they'll have the transducers as well. This was probably 10 years or so ago, though.

ETA: doesn't show on their site, but it couldn't hurt to call them.

 

[RunOutGroove]

B&H had the headband foam in stock when I needed to replace it in my HD-580s. Maybe they'll have the transducers as well. This was probably 10 years or so ago, though.

ETA: doesn't show on their site, but it couldn't hurt to call them.

I believe that there are several places that sell the parts like headbands, ear cushions and cords, but no one but the manufacturer seem to sell stuff like drivers...

 

[boza]

I believe that there are several places that sell the parts like headbands, ear cushions and cords, but no one but the manufacturer seem to sell stuff like drivers...

I don't know if this will help but It looks like Audiosanctuary have them in stock but I couldn't figure out how to copy the link.

 

[RunOutGroove]

I don't know if this will help but It looks like Audiosanctuary have them in stock but I couldn't figure out how to copy the link.

Thanks for the tip! This place may be the only spot on the web other than Sennheiser itself that sells this stuff. They're a bit more than Sennheiser and coming from the UK to the US the shipping is likely to be more and the whole thing to take longer, but it may be the only option. I didn't see this other part that I need, these spring-clip contact things (don't know what they're actually called) so I just sent them an email asking about that too. If they have that part as well and if when I call Sennheiser another time they still are out of stock on this stuff than I'll probably place an order. The stuff isn't cheap, but it's still less than getting comparable headphones, even used ones...

 

[RunOutGroove]

Well... I emailed this Audiosanctuary place and they did have the drivers listed on their site, though they were more expensive than Sennheiser's price, but since Sennheiser has been out of stock for the past several times that I've called them, I was considering paying the extra and the shipping from the UK. Still, I also need the little contact pieces that hold in the headphone wires which I didn't see on the Audiosanctuary site and after emailing them twice asking about those things, I've still never heard back from them (and this first email was sent well over a week ago). I just called up Sennheiser yet another time and now they tell me that the part is "obsolete" and they won't be getting anymore in. I guess that I could have asked about the spring clip things and ordered those from Sennheiser if they had them. Then I could order the drivers from Audiosanctuary, but this seems all like a lot of trouble to go through and I suspect with the separate shipping and the already high cost of those drivers from the UK that I would be getting pretty close for what I could get a pair of the HD6xx phones for, which I understand though cheaper are very similar to the HD600. As much as I prefer to repair, rather than discard (and these parts are pretty easily swap-able too), it might be time to give up on the HD600s...

In other (but related) news, I was missing having some headphones to listen to (at least decent ones - I do have a few cheaper, non-audiophile phones) so I impulsively bid on, won (on ebay) and now have in my hands some HiFiMan Sundara phones, which I've only just demoed for a bit, but they do sound very good. I'd love to have my HD600 phones working to compare, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards. Anyway, I at least have one working pair of really nice phones to listen to, so in the end I feel that I shouldn't complain (though I realize that this is exactly what I'm doing here!). I wish it was easier to buy parts for these things though and with really popular gear like the Sennheiser stuff, it really seems like it ought to be...

 

[swechsler]

HD6xx phones for, which I understand though cheaper are very similar to the HD600. As much as I prefer to repair, rather than discard (and these parts are pretty easily swap-able too), it might be time to give up on the HD600s...

I've posted this before, but it bears repeating: the HD6xx is actually similar to the HD650, not the 600. If you like the way the HD600s sound, the headphones you'll want from Drop are the HD58x. The HD58x is based on the HD580, which is the predecessor to the HD600 (they use the same transducers, but the design of the enclosures and headbands is a little different). I "upgraded" my HD580s with the HD650 transducers after I broke one (the HD650 transducers weren't much more expensive), but I find I prefer the sound of the originals.

ETA: looks like they modified the HD58x to use 150Ω drivers instead of 300Ω like the 6xx and the original 580.

 

[RunOutGroove]

I've posted this before, but it bears repeating: the HD6xx is actually similar to the HD650, not the 600. If you like the way the HD600s sound, the headphones you'll want from Drop are the HD58x. The HD58x is based on the HD580, which is the predecessor to the HD600 (they use the same transducers, but the design of the enclosures and headbands is a little different). I "upgraded" my HD580s with the HD650 transducers after I broke one (the HD650 transducers weren't much more expensive), but I find I prefer the sound of the originals.

ETA: looks like they modified the HD58x to use 150Ω drivers instead of 300Ω like the 6xx and the original 580.

Yeah, I think that I've heard the same thing, that the popular HD6xx is based on the HD650, not the HD600. All this though isn't that meaningful to me as the (broken) HD600 phones that I have were given to me so it isn't like I compared them against other models before I bought them. From what I understand is that these HD600 and at least some of the HD500 series phones are all pretty similar, where the differences are very subtle. After getting my new HiFiman phones, I'm certainly not in a hurry to get any kind of new pair, particularly since I have to admit, I don't even use phones all that often. If I do ever decide to get another pair of Sennheiser phones though, and I really liked the way that my HD 600s sounded, I'll look into the HD580/58x headphones, which I suppose are a bit cheaper as well. Low on my priority list, as I said, but it might be fun at some point to have a contrasting headphone sound to the Sundara phones and if I ever go that route, I'll probably be looking to get a good deal on some of these HD500/500 series phones.

I'm curious about what differences do you hear between these HD600/600 models?

 

[Caveman Carl]

UPDATE: but it's still everal times more than the cost of that driver I need[...]

Don't be so sure, Senn parts on discontinued upper-tier models are costly...when you can find them. If I were you I'd get the HD6XX and be done once and for all with the issue.

 

[RunOutGroove]

Don't be so sure, Senn parts on discontinued upper-tier models are costly...when you can find them. If I were you I'd get the HD6XX and be done once and for all with the issue.

Not sure if you read my other post, but it turns out that Sennhieser is no longer selling those parts at any cost... so it isn't simply a matter that their out of stock, but that they'll never have those parts in again. In the interim, I did buy those Sundara phones, which I'm pretty happy with so it isn't like I don't have any to listen to. It might be fun to have a pair of Sennhiesrer's too and I would probably be fine with the cheaper 6xx model (or even a few others), but the truth is, is that as fun as it is to have all of these toys to play with, I don't even listen with headphones all that often anyway and even if I did, I suspect that I might end up picking the Sundaras anyway the vast majority of the time. I can see though that having a few sets of cans, each with a different sound could be a nice kind of thing... like being able to swap out speakers without the effort of dealing with that and without the storage concerns. The reality is that I have and continue to buy so much music that I tend to spend all of my listening energy sorting through that, rather than with playing around with audio gear....

 

[Caveman Carl]

I don't even listen with headphones all that often anyway and even if I did, I suspect that I might end up picking the Sundaras anyway the vast majority of the time.

I collect headphones since 1978 when I was 15 and received my first pair of "serious" (to me) phones from my father's younger brother, who a true-blue audiophile before the term even existed. I had Sennheiser HD414 or HDD424 at the time, not sure which one as they looked identical with their bright yellow foam pads. I liked them because I didn't know any better and one day our dog sorta ate them and I was broke and left headphoneless and despondent. But on my 15th birthday my uncle, who was an engineer and a genius regarding all things mechanical and acoustic and not to mention, an unusually gifted musician, came down to my junior man-cave. He handed me a box containing Stax "ear speakers" and the amp that goes with them told me "enjoy, and btw happy birthday". The phones weren't brand new, but only been sparsely used over 6 months. They looked new though, even smelled new lol. He ha d purchased them out of curiosity because like you, he was a speaker type (preferably costly PSB towers, but also Paradigm units), he evens goes to Canada to pick them up at the factory.

Anyway all this to say that his gift turned me into a headphone guy forever, enough so as to become a collector of mid-fi to high-end cans, of which I have about 160 pairs by now, dating from 1971 to last month, But I only use 6 or 7 sets to listen to music, and only use two of my amps for that purpose. If that were not the case I'd be doing exactly what you mention: playing with my stuff instead of playing it. Having the pleasure of owning both the HD600 and the Sundara 2020 edition I did compare them but it took me about 10 minutes to decide that the Sundara was vastly superior in practically every aspect including build quality and sturdiness, something the lesser HFM models have a hard time with. Sundara has no "veil", is crystal clear without being sibilant, nice tight fast bass, energetic mid-bass and slightly recessed highs, which to me is a quality, and sounds better than some of my $2k+ planar models. I consider that HFM is to planars what Focal is to dynamics: best in class.

 

[RunOutGroove]

I collect headphones since 1978 when I was 15 and received my first pair of "serious" (to me) phones from my father's younger brother, who a true-blue audiophile before the term even existed. I had Sennheiser HD414 or HDD424 at the time, not sure which one as they looked identical with their bright yellow foam pads. I liked them because I didn't know any better and one day our dog sorta ate them and I was broke and left headphoneless and despondent. But on my 15th birthday my uncle, who was an engineer and a genius regarding all things mechanical and acoustic and not to mention, an unusually gifted musician, came down to my junior man-cave. He handed me a box containing Stax "ear speakers" and the amp that goes with them told me "enjoy, and btw happy birthday". The phones weren't brand new, but only been sparsely used over 6 months. They looked new though, even smelled new lol. He ha d purchased them out of curiosity because like you, he was a speaker type (preferably costly PSB towers, but also Paradigm units), he evens goes to Canada to pick them up at the factory.

Anyway all this to say that his gift turned me into a headphone guy forever, enough so as to become a collector of mid-fi to high-end cans, of which I have about 160 pairs by now, dating from 1971 to last month, But I only use 6 or 7 sets to listen to music, and only use two of my amps for that purpose. If that were not the case I'd be doing exactly what you mention: playing with my stuff instead of playing it. Having the pleasure of owning both the HD600 and the Sundara 2020 edition I did compare them but it took me about 10 minutes to decide that the Sundara was vastly superior in practically every aspect including build quality and sturdiness, something the lesser HFM models have a hard time with. Sundara has no "veil", is crystal clear without being sibilant, nice tight fast bass, energetic mid-bass and slightly recessed highs, which to me is a quality, and sounds better than some of my $2k+ planar models. I consider that HFM is to planars what Focal is to dynamics: best in class.

That's cool... It seems that nearly all on a site like this have some sort of obsession with something or other. I'll admit to a bit of an obsession with audio gear, but that's only been a recent thing and I haven't really turned into a "collector" as I (mostly) only own stuff that I have hooked up and am using at the present moment (everything else gets sold off). My true obsession as far as audio goes is music, which I've been collecting for about as many years as you have headphones (I collect both LPs and CDs and tend to favor eclectic choices that I mostly find on the cheap, rather than valuable, rare collectable kinds of things). I was kind of fascinated by audio gear growing up, but I had no real means to acquire the stuff and had to be happy with my family's modest (but still pretty stylish) KLH compact stereo setup. One cool pieces that was my own though was a pair of Koss headphones that I actually didn't use for very long because the cord ended up pulling out (isn't that how just about every headphone fails?), but I do remember them sounding pretty good to my teenage ears.

Nice to hear a testimonial about those Sundaras that I just got from someone who knows this stuff well. You and a few others may have convinced me that I don't also need a pair of Sennheisers as well (at least a pair of the more affordable series which are the only ones that I would consider anyway) as if they're just going to pale in comparison with what I've already got then it doesn't seem like it would be worth the bother. I have to admit that sometimes I have a bit of that "what other piece of audio gear do I really need to compete the picture" type of mindset, but now with these Sundara phones, and realizing how good they sound straight into my old Marantz receiver, I'm kind of running out of stuff that would seem like real improvements to me... which is not a bad place to be! I kind of think that at this point, anything that would represent a big jump in sound quality, would likely be a much bigger jump in cost than I'm willing to make. I go after the cheap stuff that still sounds great, like these Sundara phones (which aren't actually that cheap, but since I got them used kind of were).

 

[Caveman Carl]

Nice to hear a testimonial about those Sundaras that I just got from someone who knows this stuff well. You and a few others may have convinced me that I don't also need a pair of Sennheisers as well (at least a pair of the more affordable series which are the only ones that I would consider anyway) as if they're just going to pale in comparison with what I've already got then it doesn't seem like it would be worth the bother.

I have never been a great fan of Senn products except for the Momentum series, which do not sound like Senns house sound so it doesn't really count I guess. Not that the HD600 sounds bad per se to me, but it was simply not a good value, maybe owing to the fact that they are made in a high-wage country (Ireland). At the same time the Momentums are a pretty good value as upper-tier mid-fi cans, so go figure.

I have to admit that sometimes I have a bit of that "what other piece of audio gear do I really need to compete the picture" type of mindset, but now with these Sundara phones, and realizing how good they sound straight into my old Marantz receiver, I'm kind of running out of stuff that would seem like real improvements to me... which is not a bad place to be!

Yes, provided you can stay there . But sooner or later you may be asking yourself how the Sundara would sound with a dedicated amp of reasonably good quality, like the iFi Zen stack (DAC and assorted power amp). AlIow me to to answer that: heavenly!

I go after the cheap stuff that still sounds great, like these Sundara phones (which aren't actually that cheap, but since I got them used kind of were).

The only thing cheap about the Sundara is its price. Even at $500 it was a bargain, but he sells so many of them that he is able to let them go for $300. That's the best deal in the business, along with the ridiculously low-priced HE-X4 but the latter comes with a caveat: it's double-sided and thus, inefficient so requires an amp to extract its hidden talents, of which it has no shortage of.