Short answer: the Sennheiser HD 650. It ranks #68 of 481 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.1/5, at $329.95; the Aune AR5000 MK2 ranks #136, rated 3.9/5, and costs $339, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Sennheiser HD 650 does well: A preference score of 84 and a warm tilt of minus 0.27 give a relaxed, smooth sound, with bass from 60 to 200 Hz, mids and presence all within about 0.6 dB of target. The catch: Sub-bass is about 7 dB under target and the 6 to 10 kHz treble is nearly 5 dB low, with a 9 dB dip near 9.3 kHz, so cymbals and air sound dull and rumble is missing.
What the Aune AR5000 MK2 does well: Hobbyist measurements give it a Harman preference score of 80.3 with only 2.0 dB of deviation from target, so the overall balance is close to what most listeners prefer. The catch: The open back leaks sound and blocks no outside noise, so it is a home headphone rather than one for commutes or shared offices.
Buy the Sennheiser HD 650. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Aune AR5000 MK2 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
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A preference score of 84 and a warm tilt of minus 0.27 give a relaxed, smooth sound, with bass from 60 to 200 Hz, mids and presence all within about 0.6 dB of target.
Amazon $329.95 eBay
Hobbyist measurements give it a Harman preference score of 80.3 with only 2.0 dB of deviation from target, so the overall balance is close to what most listeners prefer.
Amazon $339.00 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Sennheiser HD 650 | Aune AR5000 MK2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.95 | $339.00 |
| Ranked | #68 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones | #136 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 84 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 80 (median of 4 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.10 dB standard deviation | 2.02 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.27 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.47 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 40 Hz (-7.9 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 27 Hz (-5.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Open | Open |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 42mm dynamic | 1 x 50mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 300 ohms | 28 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 103 dB SPL/V | 112 dB SPL at 1kHz/1Vrms |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (260 g) | - |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 41kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 5Hz - 43.5kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Frequency Response Compared
Both headphones’ measurements overlaid on the Harman target. Above the target sounds louder in that range, below it quieter. Each curve is the median of several independent measurements, shifted so its 500 Hz to 2 kHz average sits at 0 dB, so only the tuning is compared.
Measurement data: the Sennheiser HD 650 from auricularesargentina, cammyfi, capraaudio, hadoe, kuulokenurkka, listener and sai; the Aune AR5000 MK2 from aden, elrics, kr0mka and sai, all via squig.link.
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