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Member Reviews: Sennheiser HD-598

Positive Reviews

Negative Reviews

BK201

An improvement to the HD595

Posted
By BK201

Pros: never harsh sounding, no sibilance, easy to listen to, wide soundstage

Cons: bass rolls off, not very detailed, a bit muddy, dark sounding, overpriced

Firstly, this headphone is the prime example of something I'd love to hate. I did like the HD595 as a non fatiguing headphone... and yeah the HD598 is better. But that ugly design and MAP restriction left a sour taste. I'm still saddened they didn't switch to a 1/8 inch connector as most devices use that nowadays. Another problem is the impedance varies among the frequency greatly, especially in the mid-bass. Don't plug these into some receivers, they will get really muddy. It sounds like the HD595 with better clarity, and more treble. But again much better can be found for the money. Supposedly Sennheiser fixed the build quality issues, but we'll see...
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MansomeHan

Great mid-priced headphones!

Posted
By MansomeHan

Pros: Great sounding, comfortable, reasonable price

Cons: Plastic frame, thin cord

I just got these phones delivered a couple of days ago and have enjoyed burning them in and listening in intervals all weekend.  They seem to benefit quite a bit from burn in, as most headphones do. What length of burn in time optimizes them? I don't know, but hey have improved all weekend.  They didn't sound bad right out of the box, but the extension, clarity and sound stage across the spectrum have all gotten better with each hour of burn in and listening time. They are very accurate, open and transparent sounding to me.    Some reviews I've read about the 598's  have bemoaned the lack of bass response, but I find it to be just about right for my...
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Gilly87

Great all-rounder

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By Gilly87

Pros: Soundstage, excellent mids, tasteful bass, active but smooth treble, great on vocals, classic rock, less aggressive electronic music

Cons: Not the fastest or most crisp sound, bass could be a smidge tighter; Sennheiser house sound isn't for everyone

My chain: FLAC/320kbps MP3 -> Foobar 2k WASAPI Output-> HiFiMeDIY Sabre DAC -> E11 -> HD598   My first taste of the Sennheiser house sound came in the form of the HD439, which I purchased while looking for a balanced all-rounder for casual listening on the go and in coffee shops while writing. I enjoyed the signature, so when it came time to look for an open headphone, the first place I looked was Sennheiser.   I usually favor phones that have slightly elevated bass and are a bit darker, and after reading reviews saying that the HD5x8 series shared the same drivers, I decided that the HD558 was likely the best way to go, assuming it wouldn't sacrifice...
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Arsis

I've had these for about 6 months. I find them to be outstanding. I love them!

Posted
By Arsis

Pros: Natural, airy, unhyped and detailed

Cons: None...except they'll make you realize just how bad MP3s really suck. But is that really a con?

I've had these for about 6 months and I find them to be outstanding.  I think you'd pay double to get anything better.  Natural, unhyped response. Nice full soundstage. VERY, VERY COMFORTABLE. I use them with a Fiio E10 as well as a Focusrite TwinTrak Pro. I have quite a bit 24/96 and vinyl. For reference I also own  AKG K240M (600 OHM), Sennheiser HD439, Superlux HD681 and AKG K55.  The 598s are by far my favorite, no contest.
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Yelverton9

Audiophile for starters

Posted
By Yelverton9

Pros: Great Sound stages, Clear, Natural Sound, Really Comfortable, reasonable price

Cons: PLASTIC!, not for basshead

This Is a nice headphone. I don't really like the design but this is in my price range, I like to use it at public places(It's weird, I know). Sound leakage is impossible to hide. Soundtage is good but not so well on the more behind sound. High sometimes is too high, mid is good, and the low is perfect. Build quality is not good, almost all of it's frame are plastic, but there's the iron part on the back of the earcup, however. Nice headphone for starters, even for someone who's trying on a cheap(reasonable) audiophile.
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RietSuiker

I'll be using these for a long time

Posted
By RietSuiker

Pros: Soundstage, comfort, very nice looking imo...

Cons: Lacks a little punch in the low bass.

I'll start of by saying I'm new to the hifi headphone world and I'm using these un-amped out of the headphone out of a focusrite usb interface. Wow I never expected a headphone to sound so full, It's almost speaker like. They have plenty of bass but they do lack a little oomph and this becomes very apparent at low volume levels or bad sources, they don't sound quite as well on an ipod as on my pc's soundcard.   It is a very open design, you will hear your surroundings clearly and at medium listening levels or above people in the proximity will definitely be able to play air guitar over whatever it is that you're listening to. If that doesn't bother you this headphone is still...
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barneypooch

Exactly as good as the price suggests

Posted
By barneypooch

Pros: Very comfortable; gorgeous looking, IMO

Cons: They're fine, but nothing special.

Most of my at-home listening is done via speakers, but if I'm in bed and not wanting to disturb the rest of the house, I have Shure SE 530s, via the laptop or a Sansa Clip. However, I've never been particularly in love with the Shures, which have spent most of their life in their case. I'd pretty much stopped listening to music on headphones.   I thought I'd try these. I don't know why I expected $250 'phones to sound better than $500 ones, and they certainly did not.  They sound exactly like what they are: mid-range, mid-price.   That's not to say they're bad - they certainly aren't; they're just middle of the road. They're lovely and airy, and the sound stage...
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chimmycham

Brilliant!

Posted
By chimmycham

Pros: Clarity, Comfort, Soundstage

Cons: Could be a bit tighter fitting. (I do have a narrow head though)

These are just wonderful. I had no idea what I was missing. I've always listened to lossless music, but had no idea it could sound like this. I run my music directly out of my 2011 Macbook Pro, and into these, using Audirvana Plus (iTunes integrated mode).   I also use these with my PS3. I plug the PS3's optical audio out in to my surround sound system (Yamaha Amp), and turn the settings to 'straight' and plug the headphones into the Amp's 1/4in headphone output jack.   Call of Duty is about 10x as addicting now. The soundstage allows me to hear almost precisely where others are.   If they broke, I would just buy another pair of these same...
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Tristan944

Excellent all-around headphones

Posted
By Tristan944

Pros: Great sound, Comfortable, Well Made

Cons: None

Ive listened to the Ultrasone HFI-780, Sony MDR-V6 (MDR-7506), Grado SR80i, and the Sennheiser HD598. The HD598 wins. The Ultrasone HFI-780 has absolutely terrible sibilance/sibilant. This is a common complaint with these cans. The 780 has better bass than the HD598, but the sibilance ruins these cans. The Sony MDR-V6 (aka MDR-7506) are phenomenal cans, but rather boring. These are some of the most popular headphones ever made, for good reason. They do sound incredible, and they are inexpensive. Every sound is fantastic. However, its boring. People in the audio industry refer to them as flat, and flat is the perfect way to describe them. And some people love this sound, however I...
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Gonor3a

Amazing Sound

Posted
By Gonor3a

Pros: Superb sound, Great build, Super comfortable

Cons: Cable is long, 6.5mm adapter, Massive sound leakage

Amazing sound and even better when using an AMP.   The 6.5mm standard adaptor is a bit Meh. But a 3.5mm is included. Cable is crazy long, definitely designed to be hooked up to a stereo unit at home. Still sounds great throught the ipad / iphone Sound leakage is huge and loud and will piss everyone off in the room. These cans are "at home" only use and not for office or when on public transport. My wife complained "what is the point of headphones if everyone can hear what you are listening to!!"   If you want aural candy, for the price (got mine on amazon.com) these things are diamond.    
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weirddub

The complete package

Posted
By weirddub

Pros: Very well made, They look awesome, big soundstage, nice punchy bass.

Cons: Cable is long, 6.5mm adapter

Design/Build quality Straight out of the box these feel strong and look like they have been put together very well, they have a beige colour with shiny wood accents and they look awesome! They are like the Aston Martin of the headphone universe, they just look and feel classy and expensive. Sound At first these didn't sound so great out of the box they sounded dull grainy and lacked bass completely after burn in however these opened up nicely, Bass is tight and punchy with a nice subtle low end but definitely not superfluous or over the top, Treble is these cans strong point they have a lot of detail and are unforgiving of low quality music any mp3 below 256kbps sound awful The...
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Where to Buy It

Amazon.comSennheiser HD 598 Headphones (Burl Wood Accents) at Amazon.comToo low to displaySee It »
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