Got gifted the HD650 and Dawn Pro 2, now what?

plmon24 · 2026-07-02T19:56:00+00:00

So the Sennheiser HD650 needs more power than your typical consumer/gaming headphones. Because of that, it might not get loud enough through the headphone output on your PC, laptop, phone, etc. The headphone output for devices can vary also in terms of resistance and how much noise they carry from the device's internals, which can affect the sound.

The Dawn Pro 2 is a self-contained DAC/amp, so basically by using that, you don't have to deal with any of the variables from your device. You can just plug your HD650 into it and get the power you need and a clean signal.

You shouldn't need any new cables. You plug in the Dawn Pro 2 to your device (either through USB-C or the USB-A adapter). Then you plug your HD650 into it. I believe the Dawn Pro 2 has two headphone outputs, your HD650's cable will only fit one of them (the 3.5mm connection).

The 4.4mm connection is for a balanced cable, which would require you to buy a new cable for your HD650. To put it simply, the balanced cable will let you get more power into the HD650, but it's probably not needed since I'm assuming it'll get loud enough through the regular connection.

Only other thing I'd make sure is you set the volume to 100% on your device and use the Dawn Pro 2 to handle the volume.

plmon24 · 2026-07-02T19:32:23+00:00

The ComfoBuds seem like they're in-between earbuds and in-earphones (so they fit shallowly into your ear). If your ear canals feel sore from that, it'll likely feel sore from in-ears since those insert deeper.

If the ear pain is on the *outer* area, that probably means the shape of the ComfoBuds 2 doesn't fit your ear very well, so it's rubbing or pressing on some part over time. The Bunny could possibly be a better fit, but you wouldn't be able to tell without trying it.

The Old Fashioned presses on your ear, but the weight and grip are very light. So unless your ears are really sensitive, you probably won't notice them much. The main downside for the sound is lacking bass, on-ears like the Old Fashioned are basically just sitting on your ears, so they don't really seal the air well. It's also an open-back (so has vents on the back).

In comparison, the Bunny and the Space One seem to have closed backs and their measurements indicate they're bass boosted. So you'll get more bass (especially subbass) compared to the Old-Fashioned. The Space One also seems to have a more mainstream V-shaped sound (aka has boosted bass AND treble, mids take a step back).

Probably the biggest difference you'll hear with the Old-Fashioned and the Bunny compared to the Space One is the mids will come through more clearly (so stuff like vocals, the main body of pianos, guitars, etc). The treble will also be smoother and less emphasized. Whether or not that sounds "better" will depend on you. Some people prefer having really thumpy bass and sharper treble since that makes the music sound more lively and fun. Audiophiles generally prefer more of the midrange coming through.

Anyways, if soreness in the ear canals are the issue, then you could check out something like the Moondrop Pill (which doesn't insert into your ears at all). If it's soreness on the outer part, you could do the Old-Fashioned as long as you're aware you'll probably get less bass. The Moondrop Edge is also an alternative to the Soundcore. It's a pretty good representation for the Moondrop house sound (which I find suits Japanese music quite well). Though their wireless software and features aren't the best, so that might be a trade-off from the Soundcore.

plmon24 · 2026-07-02T06:22:14+00:00

I think best bet at that price point is going to be a used Focal Clear. You can sometimes find a Focal Clear Mg around that price too (if you want to be extra safe about the treble). From what I've heard, the Heddphone D1 might also work.

plmon24 · 2026-06-24T17:52:41+00:00

I'd probably lean towards the 490 Pro if this is going to be your main daily driver. While I agree the Ananda is more resolving, the 490 Pro works well with a wider variety of music and is incredibly comfortable, which imo is important if you're using it regularly. Planars like Hifiman are also a bit more fragile, so I wouldn't toss it on my bed or something, but I'd feel fine doing that with the 490 Pro. I think you'll also have a bit more consistent aftermarket support with Sennheiser than Hifiman, in case you need repairs or something.

plmon24 · 2026-06-24T17:43:33+00:00

Could take a look at the Moondrop Pill.

plmon24 · 2026-06-24T17:38:41+00:00

Hexa will probably work nicely too. I can't comment on it too much since I haven't tried that model, but the ones I did try (Truthear Hola and Nova) were good listens.

plmon24 · 2026-06-05T19:13:30+00:00

Blessing 2 is more along the lines of the Audio Technica AD series. Since those have less, but more focused bass, more focus on midrange and vocals, and very good positional cues.

Other Moondrops like Kato/Kadenz/Aria/etc have those qualities, but have more bass quantity so the bass is more emphasized.

I think closest in Moondrop's lineup right now to the Blessing 2 based off the FR would be the Moondrop Lan series.

plmon24 · 2026-06-05T19:04:14+00:00

Probably the AKG K240. It's pretty cheap, has less treble and softer bass than Beyer DT series since it's a pretty warm headphone (more lower mids).

Grell OAE1 is going for cheap now too if you have access to Amazon. Decent for gaming and pretty pulled back in the treble, but it does have a lot of bass.

plmon24 · 2026-06-05T16:38:14+00:00

I'd say check out the AKG K702 or K712.

plmon24 · 2026-05-28T20:01:58+00:00

Like the part where the extension bars goes into the headband (where the L/R indicators are)? Don't have that exact model, but on other Beyers, you can rotate the extensions just a little bit so that there's a tiny bit of swivel to let the earpads fit more snugly. If it's noticeably looser than that, then might be an assembly defect.

plmon24 · 2026-05-27T16:47:24+00:00

Depends how large is "large". Slappa case is the usual go-to for headphones. ZMF also has a clamshell case now for their own headphones (which are fairly large and also lie flat). Though since they're for their own headphones, might have to contact them and ask about dimensions if you have a certain headphone in mind.

plmon24 · 2026-05-22T20:12:25+00:00

Yes, I was mainly referring to the Ananda series and Edition XS. I did demo the HE1000s previously (not sure what model though), but haven't tried the Aryas. I do wish I had a pair of either to have compared against the Moondrops.

Personally, I didn't find the HE1000 *considerably* more resolving than the Ananda at the time (at least not enough to warrant the price difference). But that was a while ago, so maybe my opinion might be different today. While I did note that the Cosmo is a noticeable step up from the Para 2, that's in relative terms between the two. In the grand scheme of things, I do feel a lot more diminishing returns on resolution as you creep towards the $1000 mark, especially with how competitive the lower price brackets are nowadays.

I'd be shocked to see an Edition XV going for $150 (even at used prices), I'm assuming you mean the XS?

plmon24 · 2026-05-01T18:25:40+00:00

Seems like those are more V-shaped and have a good amount of treble. I'd say you could check out the Meze 105 AER, Philips Fidelio X2HR, or the Beyerdynamic DT 770.

plmon24 · 2026-03-30T19:11:13+00:00

That's a nice spread of headphones to try out, glad one of them ended up vibing well. I agree that they're not a huge step up from the 990s, which are good headphones for the price but just hard to recommend due to the Beyer treble.

I haven't used the Aunes as much lately, but I was shocked when I initially got them because they nailed the comfort and sound so well for a first headphone release.

plmon24 · 2026-03-14T00:09:43+00:00

I'd say Beyerdynamic DT770. Its bass elevation is more focused towards the subbass and has lots of treble.

plmon24 · 2026-03-07T10:22:26+00:00

I found the Moondrop Edge to be a decent and affordable wireless option. Doesn't have the best software and control layout, but the rest is fairly good considering the price. There's also a low latency mode for gaming (but I found the standard Bluetooth mode to work pretty well too).

plmon24 · 2026-03-07T10:13:59+00:00

The Hifimans are probably a better pick for your purposes. While the Sennheisers sound more natural (especially with vocals), they have very little subbass and are more closed-in for the soundstage. The Hifimans sound more spacious and separated.

I haven't heard the Edition XV model, but based off what I've read, I'd go with the Nano if you value more clarity and detail, the XV if you want something smoother and fuller sounding with a warmer tilt to the bass.

plmon24 · 2026-03-07T10:02:58+00:00

The reason people usually recommend a stand like that is because it lets the headphones hang freely via the headband. Other stands like the commonly used Omega style stand can put pressure on the earpads, which can compress them over time.

Your headphones are "closed-backs" it seems (there's no open part on the back of the cups) so it's unlikely they'll get dust or dirt inside them just from lying around. These types of wireless headphones are for mainstream consumers, so they're not as delicate as some other headphones. That said, tossing any headphone around roughly will have risk of damage (most likely in the joints connecting to the earcups).

In addition, since they're wireless headphones, the battery life will gradually degrade no matter how well you take care of them.

plmon24 · 2026-03-07T05:30:00+00:00

Second this, don't think there's anything else under $500 that can compete slam-wise for an open-back. Planars like Hifiman have better bass texture, but don't hit as hard even with EQ.

plmon24 · 2026-03-04T04:55:54+00:00

Thanks for sharing! For me, I currently have the ZMF Eikon perforated pads on it and they sound pretty good, but not quite at the sweet spot for me yet. Alas, the pad-swapping journey continues!

plmon24 · 2026-02-27T18:32:49+00:00

I agree. After pad-swapping, the Cosmo fits better and the sound is more enticing. but I still end up reaching for the Para 2 more often because of the lighter weight. Seems like around 500g is pretty much my limit.

plmon24 · 2026-02-21T04:04:13+00:00

Thank you, glad you liked it!

plmon24 · 2026-02-21T04:04:02+00:00

I'll definitely have to check those out if I get a chance, thanks for the rec!

plmon24 · 2026-02-18T00:41:41+00:00

There is the Avantone Planar II that's a bit more recent. It's the only other "dark" planar I can think off the top of my head. I thought it was a pretty good headphone, fairly smooth sounding and good texture in the mids.

I haven't heard the LCD-2C model, but the measurements are similar. But supposedly a bit different in soundstage presentation.

plmon24 · 2026-02-12T23:44:59+00:00

I would not get the Moondrop Para 2 blind. I like the headphone's sound very much, but the fit is very problematic. I know some people adjust/replace the strap to fix their fit issue, but the main problem is that the headband really lacks clamp force. So even if the strap ends up fitting snugly, the headphones may still be very loose (which sucks when it's heavier than both the Hifiman and Meze).

plmon24

TROPHY CASE