Sennheiser HD 555 - Comments??

[jclinton46]

I had someone (mailorder) recommend the HD555 after I told him my tastes and requirements. (I listen to a wide variety from classic rock to classical to lite Jazz and I want good phones for portable use but under $200). I have been reading most posts for several weeks and have seen posts for Senns costing more and less but not this one. Is it too new or just lost in the no-mans land between "cheap" and "audiophile"?

Previous headphones incl. Sony MDR-V2 and Audio Technica electrostatics. Presently testing Senn PX-100. Nice sound easily beating V2's and you almost forget they're on your head.

 

[rx7_fan]

I think the senns hd555 is a great headphone at around 100 dollars. I personally own them myself. The general concensus here is that for a bit more, you can get the HD595 which sounds a lil bit better; so most people end up recommending the hd595 over the 555. But if you can get the 555 under a 100, that's a steal and you should go for it.

P.S.
They are definately not worth $200. Look else where at this price range.

 

[Alu]

Well I wouldn't recommend the 555s for classical now...since they are more something like "pop" cans for me. Even though classical tunes don't sound bad at all over those, the 650 are still winning the classical contest, but I guess they're out of price range.

So, if I were you, 555 would be the way to go, yea.

 

[Jasper994]

If you're using them portably, they're a bit big and the cord is very long... It can be done, but I don't know that it would be my recommendation.

For portables, I'd recommend IEMs (In Ear Monitors). Do some searches, there's a wealth of information out there on them. Some of the most popular brands are: Shure, Etymotic, Ultimate Ears, Westone, and Future Sonics.

 

[Nerull]

I have the HD555's. The highs are a bit rolled off, the mids, they're good. The bass is good with some pretty alright impact. A bit dark, but spacious with a good soundstage. All in all, I find them boring. They really don't do anything wrong, but they don't do anything really well either (except the soundstage). This is from listening to j-pop and indie pop/rock music. I can honestly say though they work VERY well with movies (just watched Shindler's List last night, and they were spectacular.) Not to mention they're quite comfortable. In all honesty, I don't like them. Too boring, not noteworthy in any areas. It's just too...mediocre. I hope this helps.

Cheers!

~Tom

 

[Little J040]

I agree for under 100$ you can't go wrong, but IMO the 595s are a step up, although you do pay for it, so if your on a budget, 555s are a good buy as well.

 

[jschneid]

I received my HD555s a couple of weeks ago and I must say they are awesome. They keep getting better the more I use them and I am very impressed with their comfort and soundstage.

When I first got them out of the box they felt "clampy" but after a couple of listening sessions they have softened up and now they feel perfect. In fact, I sometimes forget they are on and try to walk around and pull the cord.

The highs, mids, and lows all sound VERY nice. All of them sound equally neutral in my opinion and no part of the spectrum stands out in a weird way. I have put them through all kinds of music and I think they are equally good at just about everything from Trance to Acoustic.

I listened to the HD595 and HD485 before I purchased and I think the HD555 is the best choice in the lineup. The 485 was OK but I thought the bass was kind of thick and the soundstage was much more narrow than with the 555s. The 595s look a little bit sturdier but on my rig at home they sounded the same as the 555s to me. No kidding, I could not tell the difference. I think if you have a great source and amp the 595 would be a good investment but if you run out of a an average/good source or just out of your stereo receiver you would be wasting your money on the 595s.

BTW, the 555s sound GREAT w/ movies or video games. They are a great all around phone and an excellent way to get into headphones.

Good luck

 

[RedLeader]

I'm a complete n00b, and when i did A/B/C, etc comparisons between a rack of senn, grado, akg, the 555 was the one I liked the best (yes, the 595, 600 and 650 were there, even the ms-1 and such). I would strongly recommend it myself. (Coming from someone who honestly doesnt know anything about cans, just speakers)

 

[jclinton46]

Thanks!

The price I was given on the 555 was $150. I have since found them for $115 but not lower. I am interested in value so I will try to compare them with 580, 650 etc to see if I can tell that much if a difference.

When I said portable I meant to indicate the source would be portable like a CD player or iPod. I don't see myself walking around wearing a pair of 555's. And I know I will need a canalphone or closed can for when I travel commercially,

As for music, I might listen to the Eagles followed by Judy Collins then Mussorgsky. Go figure. I am hoping to find a pair of cans that does a credible job on several types of music. I don't relish playing musical headphones.

Thanks again for all your comments!!

 

[Murdoch]

From what I've seen, about $115 shipped is the best price you can find online about now. I think for under $120 the hd555 is a very good value, particularly for contemporary music.

Its bass is tight, warm, impactful and sufficiently deep, although it should be noted that the hd555 is *not* a basshead can. (When I want full deep bass I reach for the akg k240s.) Highs are slightly rolled off at the very highest frequencies making this can very non-fatiguing. Otherwise the highs are pretty well extended. The mids are warm and forward, however they are a bit grainy. The hd555 is not a smooth liquid can. It presents good detail however, and is very nicely balanced, so I think its a fair trade-off. It can be driven well without an amp, but amping them brings them more "to life" giving them a more involving sound.

I like the hd555 very much, especially with harsh/poorly recorded music, where the balanced presentation of this can tames the craziness. But if I could only choose one can in this price range to own, it would have to be the akg k240s for its liquid detailed mids. But the hd555 is a nice can with a very pleasing flavor, and as I said is very useful to have when listening to spiky rock recordings.

 

[spaceman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murdoch From what I've seen, about $115 shipped is the best price you can find on line about now.

Can you/anyone recommend a reputable on line dealer for this price?

 

[sacundim]

Yes, the HD 555 are a great buy. I got them for the $150 + tax price, and I'm still pretty happy with them (I use them every day at work). The overall balance is just great.

The only thing I'd warn you of is that mine took a good long while to burn in (through normal usage-- I didn't go for deliberate burn in). Two months, in fact. Before that, they sounded a bit congested in the mids, and the highs were just not right.

 

[fante7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaceman Can you/anyone recommend a reputable on line dealer for this price?

For what it's worth, I bought my HD555 from www.aaxes.com (when it was even cheaper) and I had no problems with them.

 

[3lusiv3]

The HD 555 are good value even at $150. I really liked them when I had them. I wouldn't use them for portable use because they are too big and open.

 

[Murdoch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaceman Can you/anyone recommend a reputable on line dealer for this price?

If you are on a very tight budget, froogle them and see if headroom will price-match. They're doing that now. That way you get the best price AND support a head-fi sponsor.