Sennheiser HD 599 Around-Ear Open Back Headphones - Ivory

Product Information

I assumed that the 599s were supposed to be more of an "entertaining" headphone, so I thought the comparison to the SR-80 might be closer, but the SR-80 blew them away. But i had only 200Eur budget for next upgrade so i got the HE4XX instead of 6XX and i totally don't regret it, they're clearly level above the 598 ( maybe they're even better than 6XX especially for gaming ). I've been using them on and off with the 598CS and man the 599 is far superior in every single aspect. Even the bass is much better defined on the 599, it goes deeper and is also faster and more precise with no "boom" whatsoever, that's pretty odd for open headphones compared to closed ones! They're also clearer despite this, I mean it, the sound is crystal clear and the soundstage is immense compared to closed cans.

The Sennheiser HD 599 is likewise powered by Sennheiser’s patented transducer technology, Ergonomic Acoustic Refinement (E.A.R.) design, which explicitly channels all audio signals to the listener’s ears. With Sennheiser HD 599, you’ll experience vibrant and realistic sound devoid of any muffle or distortion.

Don't give up on your HD600 for gaming just yet. A headphone doesn't need to be 'designed for gaming'. If you read such a thing that is pretty much marketing.

Lower-Bass is excellent. Very good for RapCaviar and other modern rap songs, may get in the way for songs using acoustics but you can EQ that down and problem solved. Doesn't remove detail, just is a distraction to it. The HD599 – according to Sennheiser – lets the listener enjoy their choice of home entertainment with exceptional wearing comfort assured, thanks to the large ear cups and soft, replaceable ear pads. Created with Sennheiser’s “Ergonomic acoustic refinement” (E.A.R.) technology, the headphones have been designed to more effectively channel the audio signal directly into the ears of the listener for a more satisfying listening experience. Offering a step into the world of audiophile sound, the HD599 is a premium headphone for those seeking sophisticated sound, design and build quality. The top-of-the-range model impresses with a natural spatial performance. When I listened to RapCaviar though, it becomes the Achille's heel of these headphones. It detracts from the vocals rappin out and overpowers the song along with the Lower-bass. Lower bass is good itself, but if combined with this part of the frequency it just detracts from the song entirely.Not saying the 598 won't pull ahead or be more enjoyable in some respects. i just find that even though the hd600 is a bit darker, I find it more linear, natural and refined over the 598. I would recommend FiiO K3 ( low power @ ~200mW its like the E10K just new and better ) or the FiiO K5 ( no DAC, but you can use FiiO DAP as DAC - 1.5W ).

Sennheiser HD 598’s bass may not be as strong as other models’ basses, but it does have a powerful and well-balanced bass. You can play your favorite hip-hop tunes and not be disappointed with its sound quality. P.S. I've noticed that the 598 sounds bit darker on my onboard compared to AMP, so that also could be the case for not having an amp. If an even-to-flat sound is your cup of tea, though, you’re better off opting for the slightly more-expensive HD 600 – for a clinical sound, the 600 reigns supreme. Should you fork out the bills for this one? If you’ve been searching for an impressive dynamic sound with plenty of highs and plenty of lows – and the HD 598 just didn’t cut it for you – I’m willing to bet you’ll love these cans. To my own ears, they sound just a tad cleaner than the 598, but don’t tell the fanboys I said that. I don't know what Sennheiser was trying to achieve here. Low midrange is accentuated making male vocals and guitars louder, while high midrange is recessed. This is pretty evident with good records where the voice is not mastered very loud. Detail is just average.Also HE4XX that i currently use doesn't have much bass by default, but with some EQ they have it more than enough and its really nice and realistic bass, the sub bass is pretty good ( sounds like my subwoofer, while the 598 for example is artificial af and has pretty much zero sub bass ), but to get the good bass on planars u need good AMP, since its like +12dB ( -12dB preamp ) on low end to compensate the volume. I'm just a bit clueless at which headphone I could give a try as I still want an open headphone (as I can't stand not hearing myself while talking). In fact we have a pair of HD 599 demo unit in our office which, in my opinion, sounds slightly better than the HD 598. I can say that the sound signature of the HD 599 is the same, if not better, than the HD 598. Do keep in mind that due to burn-in and HD 598 will initially sound different than brand new HD 599. But if both are brand new, then they will sound very similar."