Look, I know you are reading this because you are on the fence if you should buy these, or buy something else like the HD 558, Grados or even some Bose or Beats!
Where do I start? If this will be your first Open Back headphone, listen up! This is my FIRST Open back headphone, I came from mainstream headphones like Bose and Beats, so this should give you a good idea of what I will be comparing to.
Sound (10/10)
Ok, so first off, people are saying the Bass is lacking, I'm not sure where people are getting this from, the Bass is *exquisite* It's smooth and tight, by this it means that it won't distort the rest of the song, it's very relaxing and has the perfect amount. Don't believe me? Listen to "Better Together" by Jack Johnson, you will hear the bass playing in the back, hitting incredible lows. If you are looking for JUST Bass, you won't find it here, but trust me, you don't want that, you want the smooth Bass that these headphones offer because it will let you hear the clarity in the song.
Now, let me talk about what the "Open" portion of the headphone does. Imagine for a second, standing in the middle of 5 speakers, and you being able to pinpoint where the sound is coming from. THAT'S the magic of these headphones, you HEAR where the individual instruments are coming from, you can focus on a single instrument and follow it throughout the whole song, that's how clear these babies are. Listen to "In the Twilight" by Phaeleh and close your eyes, it sounds like the singer's head is floating around you like a helicopter and singing! I actually had my eyes closed and was tracing my finger in the air, when my girlfriend walks in, she thought I was crazy, but who cares!
Another thing which I love about the sound is that you will be able to hear whispers and other small instruments in songs that you didn't know were there. It will forever change the song for you, trust me.
10/10 for sound, no contest. I can't even imagine what the upper end Sennheisers sound like!
Build Quality (9.5/10)
Before you get worried, the only reason I took .5 off was because initially, Sennheiser had an issue with the quality of the material used on the side of the headphones, leading to small (cosmetic) cracks, however, THIS ISSUE IS NOW FIXED! Otherwise, they are a 10/10 for build quality. Very sturdy feeling, but lightweight at the same time. It nails that fine balance between weight and the feeling of something substantial. You will not be disappointed.
Appearance and Comfort (10/10)
Guys, prepare for an onslaught of ladies at your doorstep, these things look like the inside of something like a Bentley. Ladies, prepare to meet your future husband while wearing these.
Looks are subjective of course, but I feel like they look extremely premium and I definitely get a lot of complements on them whenever I show them to friends.
As for Comfort, you can wear these for hours and hours, and you will forget they are on your head. The don't clamp tightly at all, but are just right to where they don't fall off. Actually, these are the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn, Beats can't even touch this.
Some important notes:
-These are the "highest end" Open back Sennheiser headphones you can buy without needing an AMP. This is very important! Any step up from this will require amplification to sound good. These work just fine with your Smartphone, Tablet or Portable device. I highly recommend trying this with a computer, as computers will usually have a higher quality sound card compared to phones and tablets, try it out.
-Since they are open back, they leak sound. These aren't great for traveling, but believe me, this trade-off is worth it. You will NOT find a closed back headphone that offers the "surround" effect that Open backs do, it's simply how they work. I think these could work inside an office if you keep the volume down.
-Make sure you use them and "burn them in." When you first get them, they will sound amazing right out of the box, but over the course of the next few weeks, it's like the headphone will keep getting better and better!
Comparisions with other Headphones
HD 598 vs HD 558
People say that the lower tier model, the HD 558, sounds the same as this if you remove the little foam piece inside the ear cups. Believe me, I tried this with my friend's pair and played several songs; the 558 sounds muddy and isn't as clear. Do yourself a favor and get these, you will not be disappointed.
HD 598 vs Bose AE2
These win by a long shot. Bose does offer more bass, and are good for travel, however, they felt cheaply built to me compared to these. Bose would be my number 3 pick after HD 598 and VModa.
HD 598 vs Beats by Dr. Dre (Various models)
I'm a little biased here, but to me Beats just sounds like a giant thump with every note. That's cool for the first hour or so, but then you will get tired of the constant thumping inside your head. The 598s offer smooth bass while allowing you to hear the lyrics and instruments with great clarity; the Beats do not. Please do not get these; it's all marketing!
HD 598 vs V Moda Corssfade LP
The VModa's are probably the closest competitor. They are great headphones, but are closed back, and I felt like the sound didn't quite hit the HD 598's fidelity. However, they are great headphones in themselves, and if you want sound isolation, go for the VModa's. However, if you want the huge soundstage and clarity, the HD 598 is your headphone.
I think I've rambled enough about these. I'm going to go put them on and cry because the music is too damn beautiful. Buy them. They are impeccable.
EDIT (Feb 9 2015): I have recently discovered something that will allow you to truly experience these headphones. I'm in no way affiliated with these companies, but it's called TidalHifi (in the US and UK) and WiMP everywhere else. Here are the links: http://tidalhifi.com/us and http://about.wimpmusic.com/wweb/index/
These services will stream LOSSLESS music, which is almost 4 times the fidelity of most other streaming services. You can try it out for free and see if you like it; I found that it brought out the sound stage even more for me, and I'm just doing the free trial for now. Hope this helps!
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This Item  Sennheiser HD 598 Over-Ear Headphones - Ivory |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | $169.95 | $269.95 | -35% $149.95 List: $229.25 | $14.75 | $149.00 | -17% $149.79 List: $179.99 |
| Delivery | Get it as soon as Friday, Apr 26 | Get it as soon as Friday, Apr 26 | — | Get it as soon as Friday, Apr 26 | Get it as soon as Friday, Apr 26 | Get it as soon as Friday, Apr 26 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Sound quality | ||||||
| Noise cancellation | ||||||
| Quality of material | ||||||
| Bass quality | ||||||
| For gaming | ||||||
| Sold By | Detroit Packing Co. | Detroit Packing Co. | Amazon.com | Sicanal | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
| connectivity tech | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired |
| headphones form factor | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | In Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear |
| connector type | 3.5mm Jack | 3 5mm Jack | 1/4-inch, 3.5mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack | 3 5mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack |
| headphones jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack |
| cable feature | Detachable | Without Cable | Detachable | Detachable | Detachable | Retractable |
| control type | — | — | control | Noise Control | Volume Control | Volume Control |
From the manufacturer
HD 598
Over-Ear Headphones
The HD 598 headphones combine impeccable sound quality with unrivaled comfort. This elegantly styled over-ear, open back headphone features ear cups with high-gloss burl wood detail complementing premium metal mesh. Innovative acoustic engineering delivers incredibly natural, detailed and balanced sound. A high-quality leatherette headband and velour covered ear cushions provide outstanding wearing comfort for long listening sessions.
The HD 598 offers unrivaled performance and value. They draw on decades of Sennheiser engineering expertise to ensure the sound quality, reliability and durability and audio industry professional trust. Crafted with precision using premium materials, they exude luxury and quality while delivering exceptional sound quality.
Sennheiser‘s innovative E.A.R. technology is featured in the HD 598. This positions the transducers inside the ear cups to channel audio signals directly into your ears producing a more realistic, spatial listening experience. The transducers employ a special diaphragm geometry that minimizes intermodulation and harmonic distortion while delivering high output and impressive frequency response.
Features
Distinctive styling – Featuring high-gloss burl wood accents and premium black metal mesh inspired by European sports sedans
Exceptional clarity – Open back design contributes to outstanding tonal balance, detail and definition
Extreme comfort – Lightweight yet robust with luxurious velour covered ear cushions and padded leatherette headband
Premium components – Sennheiser engineered transducers use aluminum voice coils delivering high efficiency, excellent dynamics and extremely low distortion
E.A.R technology – “Ergonomic Acoustic Refinement” design channels audio directly into your ears producing a more “in room” listening experience
Compatibility – 50-ohm impedance is compatible with virtually every audio device including phones, tablets and computers
Connectivity – Single sided, detachable 3m cable (Oxygen Free Copper) with gold plated 6.3mm connector and 3.5mm adapter
Peace of mind – 2-year international warranty
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Did you know?Sennheiser invented the open back headphone design in 1968. This design, used in the HD 598, is industry renowned for producing exceptionally natural sound quality. |
AudienceSennheiser recommends this headphone for music lovers who are passionate about sound quality wanting extreme comfort during long listening sessions. |
CompatibilityThe HD 598 is compatible with virtually any audio device with a headphone input: traditional audio components, computers, tablets and cell phones. |
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Sennheiser HD 598 Headphones (Burl Wood Accents)
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Reviews with images
Arguably the best deal in headphones for the office audiophile.
After much thought and careful painstaking research, i finally committed, and bought a pair of the HD 598's. And i have absolutely no regrets!! I was comparing these against the higher and lower Sennheiser models, and also tried on a pair of the Bowers and Wilkins P7's, and i can safely say the 598's are better. I work in these 8 hours a day, and they breathe better, are more comfortable (lighter weight, softer ear cups, softer head band, lower contact pressure), have a broader, more accurate sound stage, and are less than half the price. Now these are open ear, which is nice in the office. I can listen with tremendous fidelity and still hear my name if I'm not rocking out too hard. I am spaced about 5 feet from my cube mates, and i have asked them if they can hear my music at 75% volume, and they say no, so the sound leakage isnt something to worry about. Some say the bass is lacking, and i agree. However, there is an app for that! I downloaded Equalizer and Bass Booster for free on my Samsung Galaxy S4 running Lollipop, and they now have all of the bass i will ever need. Truly, if you want the best sound possible out of these at lower volumes, then they probably need a small amp. My phone just doesnt have the power to drive these well at really low volumes, which is where i prefer to listen since i want to protect my hearing. However, i am completely satisfied with their current performance, as they provide all the glorious sound i would ever need at 30-50% volume (which is also enough to drown out surrounding conversations). I also recommend purchasing the HD 598 carrying case, it is a very nice semi-rigid case with a soft plush interior to protect your investment. I carry these to and from work in my backpack every day and it fits perfectly. Only downside is you have to collapse the headband to get them to fit without bending the cable, but that is hardly something to worry about. Also, i did not buy the shorter cable. I heard it has quality issues, and i am able to keep the 3 meter cable in the original twist tie it came in. I did let one or two loops out to give me enough cable to move with, and i have had zero issues with this set up so far. Bottom line, if you are looking to jam for 8 hours a day in front of a computer, and still be aware of your surroundings, you can not go wrong with these!
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