Headphones
Sennheiser HD 595
Among the least expensive of the headphones we consider "audiophile grade" the Sennheiser HD595 delivers an up-front presentation with really terrific imaging. The bass is punchy and well textured, mids are coherent and nicely balanced, and the highs are articulate though just slightly grainy (they're not $1,000 headphones after all). These are a terrific cans, brought to you by a world-class maker, bound to please those purchasing their first audiophile quality headphone.
Product Features:
- Excellent performance across the audio spectrum, with especially fine imaging.
- Very comfortable for listening sessions long into the night.
- Excellent styling, materials, and build quality from a world-class maker.
- Comes with nifty headphone hanger that clamps to desk or shelf.
- 2 Year Warranty
What's In The Box:
- Headphone Holder
Applications:
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 an overly "laid-back" or a 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 and 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 its 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-back headphone (NO noise-blocking!) is a circumaural earcup 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 1/4" headphone plug; a 1/4" inch-to-1/8" adaptor is included. Although it's a decent adaptor, we still very highly recommend the right-angled Cardas Audio 1/4" to 1/8" adapter if plugging into a source with small 3.5mm outputs, as it places significantly less strain on small 1/8" (3.5mm) headphone jacks. By the way, the overall fit and cosmetic material finish of these cans is excellent as usual for Sennheiser. A big final plus is the nifty Sennheiser headphone holder included with the HD595 which allows the user to display the cans conveniently from a desk or other flat surface. It's a way-cool accessory provided gratis with the HD595! A 2-yr manufacturer's product warranty remains standard with all Sennheiser headphones.
Specifications:
- Sensitivity: 112 dB/V
- Warranty: 2 Years
- Cord Type: Straight Left-Side
- Coupler Size: Large
- Microphone: No
- Detachable Cable: No
- Cord Length: 10 ft. (3 m)
- Weight: 9.5 oz.
- Connector Type: 1/4"
- Driver Type: Dynamic
- Isolation: 0
- Ear Coupler Type: Full-Size
- Impedance @ 1kHz: 50
- Manufacturer Warranty: 2 Years
- Wireless: No
- Headphone Type: Full Size
- Noise Cancelling: No
- Acoustic Seal: Open
Additional Resources:
- Manufacturer's Website
- http://www.sennheiserusa.com/
- Product Manuals
- HD 595 Manual
Average Customer Rating: by KikassAssassin from Granite City, IL on 2010-01-12
Pros: Fantastic sound quality, very comfortable, easy to drive
Cons: Not much of any
Would you recommend this product: Yes
The HD 595's were my introduction to high-end headphones, and what an introduction they were. I had been using cheap gaming headsets and PC speakers for my music listening needs previously. I had heard fairly high-end home theater speakers before, so I knew there was a big wide world of high-fidelity audio above the equipment I was using, but nothing prepared me for pure sonic bliss of these headphones. The first time I put them on and started playing music, my jaw nearly hit the floor, and then I had a huge grin on my face for the rest of the day.
The amount of detail and clarity they presented was the thing that struck me the most. It brought out sounds in my music that I didn't even know existed, and it made me realize that there's this whole frequency range below the mid-bass that DOESN'T actually just sound like a bunch of rumbling booms and farts; there's crispness and detail there in the lower bass ranges that I'd never imagined possible in reproduced sound, and along with the airy openness of the sound these headphones produce, it gave a whole new life to all of my music.
They do have a crispness to their sound that can veer to the side of being a bit sparkly at times, especially in the higher frequencies, but that doesn't stop them from being by far the best headphones (even, the best reproduced sound, period) I've ever heard. Though I'm sure you can tell from my introduction that I don't exactly have a lot of experience with other high-end headphones to make a comparison. The one major downside to these headphones from a sound quality perspective isn't actually a fault of the headphones: they'll make all of your badly transferred low-bitrate MP3s sound like distorted junk, so you'll want to make sure you have some decent quality music you can listen to with them (I've ripped all of my CDs into lossless FLAC format, but high-bitrate MP3s sound just fine, too).
The HD 595's are also by far the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn. Even the most comfortable supra-aural (earpad) headphones have always made my ears hurt after extended use, but the loose-fitting circumaural (around-the-ear) design and very soft plush pads means there's no discomfort at all. Sometimes I'll put them on even when I'm not listening to music just because they feel so nice on my head, and oftentimes I'll even forget I'm wearing them after awhile.
The one star I took off from the durability score is because a plastic bit where the right headphone connects to the headband has broken, but the clicking mechanism that holds the headphone in position still works fine, so it seems to be primarily a cosmetic issue, and it probably broke due to a few too many drops to the floor during the two years that I've owned them, so I blame myself for that, not the headphones themselves.
The bottom line is that if you're new to high-end audio and you're not sure if you want to take the plunge: I say do it. Even if you don't buy the HD 595's, if you're stuck using cheapy headphones or small, cheap speakers, a high-quality headphone will be a huge, huge improvement.
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by A HeadRoom Fan from washington, dc on 2010-01-25
Would you recommend this product: Yes
Everyone seems to love these headphones. They are extremely comfortable, have a more forward-sounding presentation than all Sennheisers I have heard, and are well suited for rock. A common observation is that they suffer slightly in clarity in certain frequencies, but I, like many others, overlook this small flaw given their other strengths. This is the headphone I would choose if I valued comfort, listened to alot of rock, and did not want to spend more money for the HD 650, K 702 or DT 880. I am sure there are those who don't like this headphone, but I personally have never heard anyone complain, and they seem to be an extremely common entry point for headphone listening.
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by Radiola from New York on 2010-02-03
Pros: direct and clear, balanced sound,
Cons: somewhat boxed in sonics
Would you recommend this product: Yes
After reading reviews I got the impression that the HD595 would be a little bright. My experience with using them is that they need a little treble lift to sound their best. Perhaps the impression of being "up front" I have been reading about with these is due to the angling of the transducers in the ear cups.......putting them more directly in line with the ear canal.
Still, in comparison with my old HD545 these cans sound a little spatially restricted and less airy. Perhaps it's the HD545 that are off neutral because subjective preferences account for much of what people like. Also my HD545 are well broken in to the tune of more than 15 years.
The HD595 still make me "rock" though as their bass is particularly taut and tuneful as well as it's timing and delivery. I can't find any fault with their harmonic integrity either. It's that psycho-acoustic switch that goes off in a listeners head that says all is well with the sound reproduced by the HD595, whatever the reason.
I find them a bit "clampy" on my head after extended listening.
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by Samuel J from Chicago, IL on 2010-01-22
Pros: Open-air clarity, comfort, & build quality
Cons: Might miss some of the goodness w/o an amp
Would you recommend this product: Yes
I'll keep this brief. The HD-595's have fantastic clarity and detail. The fact that Sennheiser made them so comfortable and light makes putting them through long listening sessions a joy. I've used these with every audio source I have including computers, MP3 players, TV's, A/V receivers, guitar amps, and I have to mention how great they are plugged into my Digittech RP500 processor. Don't torture yourself by listening to low quality digital formats thorugh these; you'll hear every little digitized fizzle in the upper highs as well as artificial-sounding lows. Also, I agree with HeadRoom that using an amp with these cans will make a real difference overall. I especially feel that it beefs up the low frequencies the most (which I like with these). This is a solid choice for serious listeners without deep pockets.
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by Seanasaur from Toronto, ON on 2010-01-20
Pros: Very comfortable to wear for long periods of time, good earpads, solid construction
Cons: Headband is slightly noisy
Would you recommend this product: Yes
I am using my new HD595s with a ZERO DAC/headphone amp, and am very pleased with the results. I originally purchased the HD595s as a replacement for my in-ear monitors, which I had to give up for reasons not relevant to this review. My transition from a closed, in-ear model to a wide, open-ended headphone was a difficult adjustment at first: my IEMs provided a soundstage where it felt like the singer was pouring their soul in to my ears alone, while the HD595s provides what feels more like a second-row seat in a concert hall. Positioning of instruments got much better with the HD595s, I could easily pick out where in the studio each musician was.
In terms of sound quality, I feel that the HD595s are excellent. Bass response is a little bit low compared to what I am used to, but it is still highly accurate and pleasurable to listen to. I feel the mids and highs are where the HD595 really shines, it gave me a whole new appreciation for my classical albums, especially Bach. They are also excellent with another of my favourite bands, Infected Mushroom - Sennheiser has produced a great 'overall' performance headphone, without too much focus on any one particular area.
Overall, I am very satisfied with my purchase. The HD595s are comfortable, pleasurable to listen to, and are competitively priced. My only complaint (and my only con in the review) is that the plush headband occasionally makes a 'whooshing' noise when I adjust the headphones, like air escaping from a balloon - I believe this is because the cushions use air pockets to provide a comfortable headband. While this is hardly a deal breaker, it surprised me the first few times I heard it, prompting me to wonder if there was a problem in my audio stream.
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by shlincoln from on 2010-01-16
Pros: comfort, sound
Cons: non-detachable cable
Would you recommend this product: Yes
I absolutely loved my pair of HD 595. Tremendously comfortable with good sound. It was a sad day when the puppy destroyed them.
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by Menisk from Canberra, Australia on 2010-01-15
Pros: 3D imaging, reasonably comfortable
Cons: Lack of bass, overbloated midbass, rolled off highs, generally fuzzy presentation
Would you recommend this product: No
The HD595s are far from being a spectacular headphone. They've got a strangely accentuated midrange, extremely rolled off highs, bloated midbass, not much deep bass and they've got a generally fuzzy presentation. They still do have a few things going for them, the soundstage is 3D which works well for games, they're reasonably comfortable and easy to drive - they do sound better with an amp though.
The 595s do have some musicality and are reasonably dynamic, but for me their flaws outweighed their positive attributes and they're easily trumped by the HD600s. For gaming these headphones are good because of the 3D soundstage. Equalizing some more treble in will help reveal some more detail to hear things like footsteps etc.
The build quality isn't amazing, but I've seen worse. They only real complaint I've got is that they easily resize themselves when they're being handled.
I certainly wouldn't recommend these headphones for music but with some EQ they're not too bad for gaming.
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