HD 599 Open Back Headphone, Ivory

I primarily use these for gaming or watching videos, listening to music on YouTube. I'm not an audiophile but I really enjoy my "me time" on my PC so I want it to be a high quality experience. These deliver on every level. I don't really play many games that need a mic so I just bought an in-line mic add-on from a 3rd party made specifically for these headphones and attached it. It's a cheap boom mic but it picks up fine. The MOST important thing for me is comfort. I have fallen asleep with these on multiple times. It never leaves my ears or scalp sore. I used to have a pair of Astro A40s because of how comfortable they were, but these are superior in just about every way. These are absolutely worth the price if you can afford them. I've had mine for about 5 months. They're the best headphones I've ever used. I bought a nice little SoundBlaster DAC/soundcard to go with them to make sure I got the full range of the headphones and it made a big difference. These are phenomenal. I couldn't be more pleased with them. I plan on using these for as long as they will last, which judging by the high quality materials, I think they'll last many years just like my Astro A40s did. COMFORT: These fit OVER my ears. So many headphones are called "over-ear" yet lay on top of my ears. I have detached ear lobes so most headphones lay on my ear lobes slightly and after a few hours will make my ears sore. The clamp strength is also a huge factor. I have a big fat head (because I'm so smart) and most headphones start to feel too snug after awhile. These never do. I've fallen asleep for 6+ hours before at my PC and woke up, forgot I was wearing these, and never felt any discomfort. It's like they were made by a benevolent God just for my cranium. The top of the headphones never press down on the top of my scalp in an uncomfortable way either. The head cushion on my Astro A40s would get uncomfortable after extended sessions but I swear these NEVER do me wrong. These are a gift from heaven and I love them dearly. If you care about audio quality and comfort above all else, you will be pleased with these.

I got these headphones as a upgrade to my Bose Soundtrues I got 3 plus years ago. I heard about Sennheiser open headphones being one of the audiophile standards when wanting great audio, and I read lots of reviews on different ones on RTings.com. So when I decided to venture into the so-called realm of audiophiles, I wanted to do so without breaking the bank. So I looked and looked until I came across these Sennheiser HD599s. These are an upgrade to the HD598, a very popular premium, entry level open back headphone. However, one of the complains about the 598s is that it lacks in bass, this upgrade is supposed to correct that. The design is very premium looking, and I like the color pattern. Many people claim they don't it and prefer the standard black look most headphones have, but I like the cream and silver look. It reminds me of luxury cars like an Audi or a Bentley. The pads are very comfortable and look like the kind of material used in car seats further giving that luxery look. The pads never get irritating after hours of use, nor does the ears get sweaty from the inside, which most plastic foam materials cause. the build is also very sturdy. You'd have to drop these from a decent height more than once to seriously damage them. So how do they sound? In one word, great. These headphones have a well balanced sound with just enough deep bass to standout without being overwhelming. The mid-range is nearly perfect, meaning vocals are not to high and intrusive and not too low where you can't hardly hear them over the music. The treble is excellent. Symbols and other high sounding instruments come through clear without sounding distorted and ear piercing. The sound stage, which open back headphones are best at, is very immersive adding body and fullness to the music. It's for this reason that these headphones are also great for watching movies and playing video games. So are there any cons? Yes, but only a few. One, the headphones do not come with a carrying case, like most headphones do once you start paying well over 100 dollars for them. Second, the headphones come with two cords, a small standard 3.5mm cord for cell phones and the like, and a long 10ft stereo cord. The stereo cord, however, is kind of flimsy and has a receiver style jack at the end. Luckily, there's an adapter included that can change it into another 3.5mm output. Final note: I didn't use any fancy headphone or stereo amps, because these headphones has an impedance of 50, so it doesn't take much to drive. My review is based on using this like any other average headphone in different applications like my PC and Television. Bottomline: These are great open headphones for the price, especially if you are just starting to get into this whole audiophile thing. I know I won't be going back after these babies. My next pair which likely won't be for a while, will be something ever more premium like a Sennheiser 600 series, or a HiFiman, Focal, etc. I checked in and I can't check out.

So this year I really wanted to try open back headphones, it was a new world I found out about. I have bluetooth aukey and anker earbuds, Sony XB900N, HyperX Cloud PS4 (same as pc,xbox versions), and other wired earbuds. A big plus is I can hear my surroundings with open-back. This fall I did research, and learned so much about audio that I didn't care for before, but now fascinated. I'm still not doing the amp thing. SO I hope this review helps someone. My ultimate two choices came down to Sennheiser HD599se and Philips X2HR. These two are so opposite when it comes to available information on the web. Tons of X2HR forums, reviews, videos, etc., and HD599se not so much. I wanted an open back headphone, for primarily games, and secondary music and movies. I almost decided to keep both headphones because it was so hard to choose. Here are the differences first: - X2HR too heavy for me. I thought it wouldn't matter. Very comfy but gets heavy soon after and too noticeable. - X2HR definitely a boomier bass. Think deep rich smooth. - HD599se, super comfy, probably my most comfy headphone. Ears don't get hot or sweaty like my Sony ANC headphones. Can wear for hours which others I kind of need to take breaks. The first headphone I opened was X2HR. First song was a Paul Taylor's Push to Start. I almost cried, I don't think I've experienced a wide sound stage before. Deep bass and open audio experience like no other. It was like listening to song you knew but in a different way. Everything sounded great. Then I listened to more Paul Taylor, then Tobu, Axero, etc. Yeah there's awesome bass. Then I couldn't contain myself I had to try the HD599se. First I was underwhelmed. Not wide, actually felt almost like closed back headphones. But I was surprised to hear bass, I was worried it would be non-existent. There was bass, but not as much as X2HR. Then I tried both on my PS4 controller. Both can were loud enough so no issues here. Two days later I tried them again, but put on the HD599se first and listened. They were actually really good, not as bad as I remembered. Then I put on X2HR. Now I noticed the differences clearer. In Jazz, the sax was so much more clearer and cleaner. Guitars sounds beautiful. So much more balanced, not neutral, but everything is presented well. X2HR, bass does cloud the instruments, as its more pronounced I feel. Ultimately, after listening to more music from tobu, axero, gramatik, jack johnson, nora jones, paul taylor, haywyre, etc., and playing ps4, I really wanted to keep both for different purpose. But in the end I chose one because I knew I'd only use one most of the time. Here's why I chose the Sennheiser HD599se: - Audio is very balanced, and easy to listen to most genres. I like the bass doesn't overwhelm everything. Everything is pretty much at the same level. The instruments sounds much clearer. Its like if the artist wants more bass in the song, you'll definitely notice it. Its seems more a match for what the artist probably wanted you to hear. - I don't know if burn-in happened, or what exactly that is, but over time I feel like the bass and audio quality of HD599se got significantly better. Or maybe its that it sounds better on my PC than phone, and that's when I notice it. - Hip hop, jazz, blues, etc was a pleasure. Only edm sounded better on X2hr to me. - Gaming was much more enjoyable on HD599se. In FPS like call of duty, I could hear my surroundings better and anticipate people around me. In sports games, I felt like crowd noise was overwhelming on X2hr, such as FIFA. - Super comfortable and light. - I spend alot of time already listening to music on the HD599se because its really good. I appreciate these more and more as I listen to music. I'm not analyzing, just listening and doing my thing. In closing, I wish I could keep both. But won't. I wish Sennheiser had a little more bass, but its enough. You will hear the boom, bass hum, the usual, but just not as much or rich as X2HR. I wish HD599se had wider soundstage, which the X2hr had. Really like that openness... alot. If you like lots of bass and don't mind to sacrifice some of the audio of the instruments such as sax, piano, guitar, and ok with heavier headphone, then X2HR is amazing. I went back and forth so much between the two, and was hard to pick. I had to really listen alot. In the end I'm really happy with my decision and awesome black friday price. Maybe next year we'll see what options are available in the market.

I’ve been eyeing seinheisers for about 10 years after continually hearing they are the standard for the audiophile community. I wanted to see if there is truly a noticeable difference in sound or if we were just dealing with sound snobs. However, I never pulled the trigger because of the price point. When i saw them at 45% off i decided to take the plunge on some entry level HD 599SE. So that being said, here is my opinion. Comfort - A+ Sound - They sound good, but not as good as the hype surrounding them (maybe because these are the low end side of things). The bass seems artificially dampened. Highs and mids seem on point. And overall is a good listening experience. It all depends on what you are listening to and how it was produced. So there are some releases that sound mind blowing and some sound just like your car radio. Durability: they seem to be decent quality, not flimsy Great purchase for $100. I don’t think i would be happy with them at full price. For the average music listener, I doubt these will blow your mind. If your primary style of music is hip hop, i would go with with a different headphone that emphasizes the lows/bass.

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD438's, but I hadn't used them much in the recent years. I was more into TWS earbuds and then transitioned to wired IEM's. I recently dug out my old Sennie's for a change and really appreciated the forgotten comfort and sound signature. So, I decided to research today's headphones. The HD 599 SE was in the right price bracket (I've spent way too much already, according to my wife!!) and the reviews gave it high marks for soundstage, comfort, sound signature and open-back bass. I knew Sennheiser was durable. My HD438's are still in excellent condition after 11 or 12 years. The SE traditional coloring is much better suited to my taste than the HD 599. . DESIGN & BUILD: The Industrial Stylist at Sennheiser must have a really tedious job. I was surprised how similar my 11-year-old HD 438 is to the HD599. No major styling change there in all that time! At least that shiny spoke pattern, which reminds me of my truck wheels, is gone! The headphones are equally comfortable, with a touch more pressure on the HD599. My glasses are not forced onto my head though and I can wear these for hours. The oval earcups are quite large vertically, like the HD 438, and fit my big ears perfectly to be truly ‘over-the-ear’ ‘phones. I have room to spare, but not much! . While these headphones are made of plastic, they are very strong and you’ll struggle to break them. You can twist and spread these around and not crack anything. . I’m not a fan of the dedicated 2.5mm (?) twist-lock connector into the headphone, but at least there are aftermarket replacements available. I have no idea why the adapter on the longer cable is a large female to small male and the large male 6.35mm connector is on the cable. The cable should be 3.5mm and the adapter should enlarge the connector. With the adapter on, the cable end is just too honking big! . My only criticism would be the headband adjustment. I liked the SHP 9500 with its strong detent and numbering system. I find the headband can go out of adjustment too easily handling the headphones and I have to judge the gap in the headband visually for my best fit. . SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING: When I got the HD 599 SE, I plugged them straight into my phone and was totally blown away. The frequency curve is essentially neutral with a hint of coloration. The bass rolls off below 40Hz but the treble stays strong right up to the 20kHz limit. The mids are slightly cool but are certainly not ‘recessed’. I felt like… - I was in a room with the musicians. The reproduction was totally natural. - The bass was really solid, surprisingly so for an open-back headphone. Maybe not bass head worthy, but punchy, crisp, and realistic. - The treble was clear, detailed and ‘Sennheiser smooth’. I really liked my Momentum TW2 earbud sound signature, but as buds go, they are dated (app and ANC) compared with other brands and I ended up returning them. ☹ ‘Hold me now’ by the Thompson twins, ‘Honey and the Bee’ by Owl City, and ‘Appetite’ by Prefab Sprout can be quite harsh, even sibilant, at the upper end on all my IEM's and some of my TWS buds. I like a bright sound, but not sibilant and grainy. The HD 599 SE was so natural sounding and just… gorgeous. - The soundstage is what I've been seeking and missing with closed back and in-ears. Hotel California - Live on MTV 1994 by the Eagles sounds amazing. That punch at 32s is awesome. ‘Strive’ by Amber Rubarth, ‘Killing me softly…’ by Roberta Flack, 'Unearthed - Orchestral version' by Wildpath, and ‘Your Grace is enough – Live’ by Matt Maher are just sublime. There’s both width and height with correctly mixed tracks. Try listening to “Best 8D song EVER with headphones 2021 – HD” on YT. Awesome! - Imaging is also superb and it’s easy to pick out the location of instruments. ‘Buck Dance’ by Dick Schory’s New Percussion Ensemble has your senses tracking all over the stage! . I’d not used open back headphones before trying the SHP 9500 and I actually liked the feel and openness, compared with closed-back. However, the SHP 9500 did not have the sound staging I was after. The HD 599 SE certainly does. Of course, you need to use these in a quiet room to save your ears. With the 106dB sensitivity and 50 Ohm impedance, I do have to use 70 to 80% volume directly connected to my phone, compared with 40% on my IEM’s. Still plenty loud enough for me, but you may not agree. Please take care of your hearing though! . I have a collection of Earbud Test Tracks, which I use to assess my earphones… . https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/6c1a03929ed947ab82cc33db24d7c001sune?ref=dm_sh_c7f9-3dba-7009-a4cd-8323a . I usually use a Qudelix 5K DAC/AMP. I loaded Oratory1990’s HD 599 PEQ and with the HD 599 connected, I noticed that it cleaned up the lower/mid bass just a tad. On some tracks, the bass can get a little muddy. I felt that a little more treble was needed and slightly less bass though to suit my taste. So, I adjusted the PEQ and I now have my final settings (see photo). . CONCLUSION: For a consumer-friendly price, you are truly entering Audiophile territory with the HD 599. I have no reticence in stating that. When the HD 599 go on sale, they are an absolute must-have. I bought these for the current price of $150. I still think that’s a steal! The HD 599 SE are now my go-to for serious listening late at night and I think they could be yours also!

Definitely a solid headset. They sound is clear and balanced. Very comfortable. Mainly use it for gaming and a little bit of movie watching. This model doesn’t require an amp to use but getting one helps with the fine tuning if you want the option. I use it on my PC and PS5. The lack of mic isn’t really a draw back. I don’t play online enough to care about voice chat. But they do make a mic if you want to get one as well.

These are by far the best headphones I’ve ever used. I’ve been using a pair of B*se quiet comforts, which I originally bought for airplane trips. Those work well for noise cancellation but they have no range or depth compared to these. The Sennheiser’s go on sale from time to time, and if you can get them under $90 then they’re a no-brainer. Someone who wants the best possible sound for the lowest cost of acquisition and who is going to be using these at home in a quiet / private environment will be very happy with this purchase. I would not recommend these for airlines or other forms of public transportation, as the open back model allows others to hear what you are listening to, at the same volume. These are not appropriate for public places. Likewise, you will hear everything around you, and not in a good way. The wire makes these inappropriate for any sort of exercise as well. You would be better served with a bone speaker which is wireless and which allows for the ambient noise around you to still be audible. These are very appropriate for someone who is listening/mixing/producing music at home, or for someone who is playing video games or watching movies in a private room. The surround sound is spot on and clear, the range is vast, and the sounds are crisp. Moreover the ear muffs themselves are very very comfortable. The microfiber lining allows for hours of wear. The holes for your ears are very large, so if you have big ears then these are good. Note, these are good for ears which sit close to the head, if you happen to have ears like dumbo the elephant which are seated far from your head then these may not be for you, as I can feel them rubbing one of my ears not from the top, bottom or sides but from the outside and it is uncomfortable from time to time. These also fit people with large heads, I have a large head and a lot of hair and these fit very nicely for long stretches of time (IE several hours without removing them). The last thing to note is that the volume on these at “10” is equal to my Bluetooth headphone when the volume is set to “60”, so you’ll get a much louder headphone. If you have very very sensitive hearing then that could be an issue, but if you are not super sensitive these will be better than Bluetooth in that regard. At $200 they’re alright, but under $90 they’re really something. I would rate these as a buy, but unless you have money to burn then wait for them to go on sale and you’ll be very happy indeed.

I have a hard time finding hats that fit. If this sounds like you than you may be in luck. These headphones fit my head just fine with a little space to spare which is perfect for getting them positioned just right. I needed a headset for streaming purposes that was comfortable enough to wear all day. I also wanted something open backed so I could speak easily and ideally something that sounded good. I wanted all of this at the bare minimum budget price because I've decided I'm done spending a bunch of money on nice headphones. These have checked all of the boxes except the bare minimum budget box but it was worth paying a little more for these. I won't go too far into sound since others have already described it well but here are my one week pre burn in thoughts: 1) These headphones are tuned to feel engaging out of the box. They are not as clinical as a set of AKGs. This is an excellent set to turn on your favorite album, close your eyes, and get lost in the music. 2) As a lifelong basshead these headphones may not satisfy sub-bass enthusiasts. They're open backed so they're not meant for that. However the bass they do reproduce is clean and fills nicely out of the box. It's just not gonna bump hard enough to get your booty shakin. To do that you'll need an amp with bass boost or to play with an EQ. The headphones take well to mild equalization on the low end. If I EQ the sub-bass a bit too high they'll crackle. But if I EQ to just where the sub-bass starts to overpower the track somewhat and then step it down to where it blends these definitely got my booty shakin. If you absolutely must crank your bass then you really need go with closed back sets or IEMs. Some IEMs don't seem to care how much you EQ bass. They'll reproduce it happily without a crackle. Most importantly let's talk about comfort. These headphones are a dream to wear. After I put them on I forget I'm even wearing them throughout the course of a 6 hour stream. After I'm done I usually just keep them on and continue listening to music or working on things. I got done with a stream an hour ago and I'm still wearing them right now. The earpads are truly over ear and I have a big set of ears. No part of my ear touches the earpad or the driver so there's no pressure point other than the cloth pads resting on my head. Clamp force is perfect and doesn't cause any pain either. This is particularly nice since I wear glasses. If you have a big dome and need a set of all day work headphones buy these and you won't be disappointed! You may find you want to keep wearing them and listen to music after you're done working...