Sennheiser HD 595

The Sennheiser HD580, HD600, and HD650 form a lineage of headphones that some consider the gold standard by which all other headphones are compared. However, the one common criticism of this family of cans is a an overly "laid-back” or slightly 'veiled' sound, meaning a presentation that's perhaps a few rows too far back in the audience ... Well, hallelujah! The HD595 has just given you killer front row seats at the best theatre in town -- your own listening room. These cans are very evenly well-balanced but just slightly brighter than the HD600/HD650s with a livelier, more 'energetic' timbral presentation. And while the HD595 may not be as black between the notes nor as critically damped as the sophisticated upscale HD600/HD650 models, the HD595 still provides a superb sense of depth to the soundstage image and very clear access to all the low-level sonics happening in the recording. You can easily hear the valves and pads on the horns and woodwinds as well as the soft sibilant blat of a lip slapping on a trombone. This detail & depth do come at the price of a slight graininess in the overall sound, but all things [price!] considered, it’s an easy trade-off to make for the musical immediacy of these fine cans.

The low 50-ohm impedance rating of the HD595 make it a usable choice for most portable audio players and computer-based listening applications but keep in mind it's overall audio performance will definitely improve VERY significantly when mated with any quality dedicated headphone amp. We've heard many an audiophile argument rage over which Sennheiser model reigns supreme, but few listeners deny that they certainly make some great cans. We highly recommend the HD595 to those who like a slightly forward, lively, and clearly delineated sonic presentation.

This full-sized, open-earcup headphone (no noise-blocking!) is a circumaural design with fabric-material earcups and pleather headband padding. It features an unusual but highly effective construction that places the headphone driver elements in a naturally angled position parallel with the ear for maximum detail resolution. It's also a quite comfortable headphone to wear for extended periods due to the ergonomic position of the earcups. The non-detachable [hard-wired] 10-foot headphone cord attaches to the left earpiece and is terminated in a full sized ¼" headphone plug; a ¼" inch-to-1/8" inch adaptor is included, but we still highly recommend the Grado Labs ¼-to-1/8" short cable flex-adaptor ($14.95usd) as it places significantly less strain on small 1/8" (3.5mm) headphone jacks. You can find that cable flex-adaptor in our 'Cables- Manufacturers' webpage. By the way, the fit & material finish of these cans is really excellent as usual for Sennheiser. A final plus is the nifty headphone holder included only with the HD595 which allows the user to hang the headphones conveniently from a desk or other flat surface... Way-Cool! A 2-yr manufacturer's product warranty remains standard with all Sennheiser headphones.