Well after falling in all the hype about combining a capable enough dsp dac amp with an open back headphone a person is propelled into a world of blissful surround sounds i decided to try this hands down once and for all.
After about half an hour of burning the headphones in with some 24bit Flac songs i went ahead to test it.
Played multiple songs and movies via the Walkman , X3 amp , Note 9 phone.
First impressions:
Build : The build quality is excellent, it's all plastic that seems like it is made to last and keep it light for comfort. The mechanism also feels reliable.
So 5/5
Comfort:
Very good , not fatigued after 1 hour , No unwarranted peaks in any frequencies.
Its winters here in the north so it also doubled up as a scarf insulating my ears from the peircing cold.
Sound isolation:
Well what would one expect from an open back , it's terrible.
But it is what it is.
You have to be alone and in a quite environment to listen to these.
Sound will leak both ways.
Package contents:
Well the box that comes with it is unimpressive, it is a waste like soft cardboard box which is labeled as "frustration free" packaging, it's all nonsense.
If it was a good quality box one would use it to keep the headphones after use safely,and won't throw it away.
No i will have to purchase a headphone case adding more to the environmental damage.
You get two cables one being a 6mm and one 3.5mm with a 6mm to3.5mm converter plug.
Sennheiser took good care in that area.
Sound :
Well i come from using the following in order of magnitude
Most vintage models of Sony tape walkman headphones and earphones
Mdr xb 60ex
Mdr xb500
Mdr xb 90ex
Mdr xb 75ap ( Skull rattler )
Mdr ex220
Asus rog headset
Xba H3 ( My personal favorite in all areas )
Shure se 846 ( Skull breaker , My almost perfect set but gets beaten in High frequency department)
As you can see there is only two over the ear headphones.
Now i have always been disappointed by the music of over the head headphones due to lack of proper Isolation and driver limitations.
Being my first open back This HD559 is no different to closed back in music department.
Music coming out of it is unimpressive , you get almost no proper bass rumbles in the tracks that have them but maybe it's my fault.
(more on that later).
The soundstage although quite good does not impress you enough to warrant the sacrifice in sound isolation and lower frequencies.
Sometimes some songs get tinny and empty, sometimes they come out good but never great.
Apart from that i maybe wrong with my eqs and settings i will update after a week of listening.
Movies : WTF
This has blown all my in ear headphones far away , nothing comes close to the immersive theater like experience while pairing it with the X3 amp and switching on the xfi.
You are instantly placed in a premium position of a proper dts tuned theater seat.
All the action is all around you and dialog of the actors are clear and crisp even during intense explosions and gunfire.
Things are properly imaged bodies dropping to the ground , bullets whirring past you thunders in the sky everything is represented perfectly.
Imaging is more vertical than horizontal.
Now the bass : While the music had no bass on it , on movies while on xfi turned on the bass reaches skull rattling levels without getting distorted or overlapping any other frequencies.
It is unreal and brings a huge smile on your face and the only reason i did not return these back.
The explosions shake you bullets fired seem real , thunders are near to being real.
For movies this is the ultimate solution for me the END GAME so to say.
Haven't tested it yet on games but have heard quite a praise for them in that regard.
Conclusion:
These mysterious headphones struggle to pump up the proper bass notes on music but will pummel your head in movies.
Maybe i am doing something wrong on my amp but i have tried to bring it on the music by various ways.
The world shattering bass is there waiting to be unleashed but with mysterious ways.
The mids are perfect for both Male and females all the frequencies are present and quite powerful.
The highs are a bit laid back and roll off at the highest levels quite quickly , whenever you will need them desperately they will bail out on you.
But overall they are fine.
Is it worth the money ?.
For movies absolutely. 100%
For music Maybe
For games , haven't tested yet but i am confident they will excel in that department.
Very good product.
Highly satisfied.
| Brand | Sennheiser |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Sennheiser |
| Model | 508697 |
| Model Name | Audiophile |
| Product Dimensions | 22.2 x 16.8 x 9 cm; 255 Grams |
| Item model number | 508697 |
| Hardware Platform | Laptop, Smartphone |
| Compatible Devices | Laptops |
| Special Features | Open-back audiophile on ear |
| Mounting Hardware | HD 599 SE headphones, 3 m cable / 6.3 mm straight plug, 1.2 m cable/ 3.5 mm straight plug, 6.3 mm to 3.5 mm adaptor |
| Number of items | 1 |
| Microphone format | without microphone |
| Headphones form factor | Over Ear |
| Batteries Included | No |
| Batteries Required | No |
| Cable feature | Detachable |
| Connector Type | Wired |
| Form Factor | Over Ear |
| Includes Rechargeable Battery | No |
| Includes AC Adapter | No |
| Manufacturer | Sennheiser |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Imported By | Sennheiser Electronics India Pvt Ltd. 104-ABC, 1st Floor, Time Tower, M.G Road, Gurgaon-122002. Haryana. |
| Item Weight | 255 g |
