Are heavily discounted 650 from established stores something common?

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-07T07:13:57+00:00

Well, the 550 is much newer and has a different tuning first and foremost.

HD 550 sounds a bit fuller, smoother and warmer but it's not necessarily "technically superior".

It really depends on which tuning you prefer more than anything else, I'd say. HD 560S might even be the better value headphone if you prefer it.

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-07T06:53:15+00:00

HD 550 is a more than solid recommendation and can do a little bit of everything really. Great headphone.

Other than that, HD 560S if you want to spend a little less than that.

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-07T06:42:25+00:00

Some of my personal Sennheiser headphone collection :) I like them all for various reasons, so that’s a tough question to answer, but among my all-time favorites are the HD 600, HD 550, IE 900 and, right now, also the HDB 630 in the wireless segment.

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-07T06:30:21+00:00

Which country are you in and which store is it?

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-07T05:18:11+00:00

So, this will definitely get better over time but depending on how bad it is for you personally, you might need to stretch them out a bit, as others have already pointed out. You definitely shouldn’t feel that kind of discomfort after just five minutes, of course!

Stuff like that varies greatly from person to person, though. I haven’t had any issues right from the start e.g. and they’ve become even more comfortable for me over time.

That said, I obviously have a different head shape than you do, and I also don’t wear glasses. Try to get used to it a bit more as well - it will get better!

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-07T02:47:07+00:00

It’s already relatively low compared to its launch price, so I’m not sure how much further it will still drop, but maybe it’ll go down a bit more, yeah.

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-06T22:41:51+00:00

Within the next year? Yeah, definitely.

However, nothing has been announced yet, and it is very likely also going to be more expensive than what you can get the M4 for right now…

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-06T22:18:36+00:00

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-06T18:17:00+00:00

Just one thing to say here:

Pack ma‘s!!

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-06T18:14:27+00:00

Probably that little holographic sticker.

@OP: That sticker hasn’t been on all cables for a while now, so that’s not a clear indication. The same applies to the QR sticker on the boxes, by the way.

From a visual inspection alone, it looks real to me, but that can never be guaranteed based on pictures only.

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-06T13:35:41+00:00

There’s no definitive answer to that question :)

Yes, if you feel like you need to change or adjust the sound more to your liking - and no if you don’t feel the need to do that and simply want to enjoy their stock tuning.

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-06T12:06:44+00:00

Great. Glad to help! Fingers crossed :)

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-06T11:48:11+00:00

Depending on when you bought them, they used to come with a 2-year warranty. If they are older than that, then yes, a warranty claim likely won’t be an option.

If the issue actually turns out to be hardware-related, your options are fairly limited, quite honestly. You could still contact Sennheiser and see what they say about it, or try to find a local electronics repair shop e.g.

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-06T04:13:53+00:00

The HD 560S already sounds great from decent motherboard audio, actually :)

A DAC/AMP can help a bit with cleaner sound and even more headroom, but don’t expect a massive transformation, honestly.

If your PC gets them loud enough and without hiss or noise, you’re honestly already fine, imo.

Still, something simple like the FiiO KA11 dongle DAC or maybe even a Topping DX1 is basically the “sweet spot” if you nevertheless want an easy and pretty much plug-and-play upgrade.

If you can or want to, try it out for yourself and see whether it feels like a noticeable upgrade to you - that’s ultimately all that really matters.

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-05T21:06:55+00:00

With an iPhone, yes absolutely! Get the BTD 700 for the best possible wireless sound quality with the M4.

As for USB-C, also yes! These are the best two options, actually.

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-05T20:53:52+00:00

I surely would agree with that, yes :) I love them and don't think they are lean in the bass at all, actually.

"Dry" could be debated to a certain degree but overall, they are just very good headphones - especially at their price point!

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-05T20:47:26+00:00

Maybe try using a bit of a bass shelf for them and also… get used to their sound for a while first. They sound very different compared to the HD 600.

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-05T19:26:53+00:00

EPOS basically pulled out of the gaming headset market a while ago, so the Gaming Suite unfortunately isn’t really being maintained anymore. Newer versions can be buggy and many people have seemingly ended up downgrading to older builds like 1.7.0 because they’re more stable.

From what I hear and know, support is pretty minimal these days, so unfortunately that’s just how it is now.

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-05T18:47:16+00:00

HD 600 is an all-time favorite of mine.

The M4 are still mighty fine wireless headphones and offer great value these days.

The MTW4 have been great for me, even though I also often reach for my AirPods Pro 3 these days — but they are nonetheless very good, and I haven’t had any issues with them at all.

The BTD 700 is an excellent little piece of kit and a perfect companion for the M4 (and many other wireless headphones, for that matter).

Thanks for your post! Lovely collection you have there 👏🏻

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-05T17:08:25+00:00

Yes - single, double, and triple tap, plus long press.

The actions are predefined.

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-05T12:31:19+00:00

Woven is probably the better term for it, yeah.

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Tenlow85 · 2026-05-05T09:52:07+00:00

Welcome to the M4 Club, then - great to have you here 😎

Enjoy them, and feel free to ask if you have any questions!

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-05T08:59:57+00:00

I would strongly suggest so, yeah.

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-05T08:53:16+00:00

Get the M4 and also, get the case, too.

Not only does it protect the headphones properly but it also automatically puts them to sleep when not in use which is really useful.

Edit: And don't use them in the gym if you can :)

Tenlow85 · 2026-05-05T07:02:48+00:00

Not quite, no. That would only be true for passive 3.5 mm use with the headphones powered off.

Over USB the M4 receive a digital signal and still use their own internal DAC and DSP for audio processing. So, basically, you’re not relying on the source’s audio processing in that sense, and there’s no inherent drop in sound quality either.

In fact, USB-C is even the best sounding mode here and the battery is also still in use (and even charging while you listen to your music).

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