SENNHEISER HD 599 Open Back Headphone, Ivory

I’m still relatively new to collecting headphones, but I do have a small collection for reference. I have used the Samson SR850s, SR860s with after market earpads, Moondrop Chu’s, Moondrop Chu II’s, Tanchjim Zeros, and both iterations of the AirPod Pros. These in short the HD599s are good enough that I can easily tell the difference in quality from listening to an MP3 on a iPod verses the same MP3 on my phone. So if you want these for listening to your old iPod you are overspending. I can also tell the difference in quality in certain FLAC files verses their MP3 counterparts, though I will admit the difference is slight to my untrained ears. I bough these on sale for ~$120 which I feel is more than a fair price for the product I received. Now for the compare and contrasting… In terms of audio quality the HD599s and the Chu II are my favorite sounding headphones. (If you want less bass and a more sparkly sound get the original Chus or the Zeros. Lofi, classical instruments, and female vocals in particular sounds amazing with them) They are both fairly balanced with a warmer bass. They both have a very different quality of sound thanks to these being an open back headphone and the Chu II’s having more of a passive noise cancelation. I can’t put it into words. Some say open backs sound fuller thanks to their open nature, but that word doesn't hit the spot for me. Needless to say, I find myself switching between both frequently to scratch the itch each of the qualities provide depending on my mood. The HD599s are naturally a harder to run so I have to crank the volume on my phone more, but they are still perfectly drivable without a dedicated DAC/AMP. The Chu II’s start at $20, but if you are cursed with small waxy ear canals, like myself, then you will have to replace the filters fairly frequently (every ~5 days) which would cost me around $4 a month with my average use case. That is a bit of a hassle and a hidden cost that is rarely mentioned. The HD599’s always sound good since they are not subject to the same moist conditions. Can you get competing sound for cheaper if you go the IEM (in ear monitor) route? Yes, but sometimes you just want over the ear headphones for the sake of comfort, lack of hassle, and sharability. If your not interested in IEMs like the Chu II’s then here is a comparison to the SR850s (the SR860s are basically identical, but have another color way and are usually more expensive). In terms of comfort the HD599’s are far more comfortable out of the box. The pads of the SR850’s touch my ears which felt fine until I experienced better, now I don't care for them and wouldn’t wear them for long periods of time. The HD599’s actually sit around my ears with the inner pads being deep enough that they don’t touch my ears. The ear cups also swivel to conform to my head which also improves the experience. Where things get interesting is if you splurge for after market velour pads for the SR850s which cost an additional ~$20 (I got mine from TRANSTEK). These increase the total cost to around $60 but feel equally comfortable (if not slightly more so) than the HD599s. I haven't seen any aftermarket pads that look as thick and soft for the HD599s yet, but if I do, I will definitely give them a try and update this review. The sound quality is a matter of preference between the two, I like the warmer and slightly fuller sound of the HD599s and I think the top end sounds slightly more crisp/accurate. In terms of sound leakage the HD599s are definitely worse. You don't want to use these if you don't want people to listen in to your content. With the SR850s you can tend to avoid people listening in if you’re at a moderate volume. If you are in a noisy house with children then both of these may not be right for you. You would want to look into closed back or IEMs. I personally like open backs because you can still hear the world around you when you’re working. You are not in your personal bubble. The removable cable is the greatest quality of life feature of the HD599s. It comes with two cables out of the box: a long boi with a chonky 6.3mm jack with a step down adapter to 3.5, and a reasonably sized 3.5mm cable. The SR850s in contrast have a non removable long 3.5mm cable with a step-up 6.3mm adapter. As a result the SR850’s don’t leave my desk and the cables stay cable managed underneath it. The HD599s offer way more flexibility. I use my short cable for around the house listening on my phone, handheld game consoles, and occasionally on my AMP/DAC on my PC while reserving the long cable for watching TV on my sofa or bed. If you’re looking for solid stationary desk headphones for work and general use with a flat sound get the SR850s with the aftermarket earpads are fantastic for the money and will beat pretty much any “gaming” headphone on the market in terms of sound quality. They also dont have much audio leakage so they may work well in an office setting as you can still hear what is going on around you. If you want convenience buds for daily use that you keep on you 24/7 get the AirPod Pros (the first gen had better connectivity and range but the second gen sound slightly better). If you want great affordable sound (with some maintenance) go the IEM route and snag the Chu’s or Zeros for a flat accurate sound or the Chu II’s for a warmer sound that maintains the accuracy on the top end. If you want excellent open backs that can be driven without an external DAC/AMP that are slightly warm then the HD599s are great. I don't think I would buy the HD599s at the retail cost of $250 considering the HD600s (the de facto benchmark for over 20 years) often drop down to $300 on sale or $250 in used like-new condition, but at $120 I think they are a fair price for what they offer as a package. They are versatile, comfortable, and accurate enough that you can hear the differences between good and bad mp3 playback and (depending on the file or the quality/accuracy of your hearing) the difference between a FLAC and MP3. Welcome to audiophile country, open your wallets and enjoy the process of nitpicking sound quality to justify your purchases. I hope you enjoy your descent.

Brandon Kleeman · 2023-09-22 · via amazon

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.

M. Henderson · 2019-10-09 · via amazon

Amazing product, I don't usually write reviews but this one is worthy Why I bought the headphones: I play video games and my hyper x cloud alpha s cable was bent so the sound stopped working in one ear. They were about 2 years old so I decided to just upgrade my headphone setup and purchase headphones + a separate mic. Pros: - amazing soundstage - very lightweight - most comfortable ear pads I've ever worn - very good imaging - super easy to drive, so they sound very loud in most games if you need them to be - can wear for hours Cons: - Audiophiles may prefer 560s for less extension in mid-bass - no noise cancelation to speak of. This is nonissue for me, cause I don't need that. - clamping pressure may be too light, so more weight on top of head - plastic frame if you don't like plastic Gaming: For gaming, they are insanely good due to the imaging and soundstage. footsteps heard clearly in every direction, great for FPS games. I do recommend using an EQ though to boost the higher frequency sounds especially because footsteps are more treble-sided and the mid-bass is a tad heavy on these. See the image in this post for the EQ settings for gaming that I found work well in games like Valorant. I chose these over the 560s because the soundstage and imaging are better from what I have heard, and for gaming that is more important than a neutral sound. Audiophiles: Consider Sennheiser 560s if looking for more neutral sound. These headphones are a bit warm in the mid-bass area as I've said before, but you can technically fix it with an eq. they are also easier to drive than the 560s. However, the others are technically superior from out the box and only cost an extra 40-50 dollars or so. They may also be better with the higher clamping pressure so more of the 'weight' will be on the side of your head rather than the top. Conclusion: This is a top-tier headphone in the price range (probably the best) for gaming. Much better than any gaming headset, just buy a separate mic for like $30-60 if you need one. Razer siren mini and Fifine k678 are good options For audiophiles, the 560s might be a more neutral option at a very similar price range. Just get those instead unless looking for a warmer sound.

Gennady · 2022-05-27 · via amazon

I recently needed to replace my pair of over the ear headphones so I began my search for a good pair of headphones in the $150-$200 range. Immediately Senhiser, Beyerdynamic, and Audio‑Technica stood out. I first received a pair of the Audio‑Technica ATH M-50x which had good sound but were very uncomfortable if worn for more than an hour or so. Then I picked up a pair of the Beyerdynamic DT 770. These headphones had amazing sound quality and comfort but the passive sound isolation was mediocre at best. Which is why I ordered a pair of the Beyerdynamic Premium 990 which are open back. I figured that the sound quality and comfort would be similar but the open back quality would allow me to talk with others while I played music. Unfortunately the 990's had worse sound quality than the 770 (a bit harsher sounding and not as clear) and were very uncomfortable even after only a couple of hours. During this time I also ordered a pair of Senhiser HD 599 headphones. While these headphones have a significantly different sound signature than the others I have tried, they were of similar quality. Overall the HD 599's were slightly less comfortable than the 770's but the open back quality was convenient and the sound was quite nice. I would have been satisfied with the HD 599's but they were the only pair of headphones I could not drive with my desktop. They produced terrible static. This did not occur when I used the 599's on other devices or when I used other headphones (even those with similar impedance and SPL) driven by my desktop computer. This prevented me from keeping them. I have attached a breakdown of my thoughts below: ------------Sound Quality------------ Beyerdynamic DT 770 (80 Ohm) - Winner Highs - Quite good representation, much cleaner than Senhiser Mids - Quite good representation Lows - A little closed sounding but overall they are handled well Overall this is how the music should sound. They perform the most similar to my pair of Martin Logan Motion 15's (bookshelf speakers) Beyerdynamic Premium 990 (32 Ohm) Highs - Similar to the 770's but rather harsh sounding Mids - Nothing special, no major issues Lows - Not as powerful as the 770's but more spacious. Seemed a bit washed out due to the open back design Senhiser HD 599 (50 Ohm) - Close 2nd Best Highs - Not quite as poppy as they should be. They are a bit muted in the sound signature which can make them less fatiguing than other, more analytical, headphones. Mids - A bit to high level for me, it tended to make punk rock music sound very close and muddied Lows - A bit boomy but very spacious Audio Technica ATH M-50x Highs - Quite good representation, a bit cold though Mids - Nothing special, no major issues though Lows - Too over-emphasized -----------------Comfort--------------- Beyerdynamic DT 770 - Winner Perfect. I wore these on multiple occasions for more than 7 hours and never noticed any pressure points or discomfort. The headband is larger than average to distribute the pressure. The clamp pressure is also a bit more than average but this was not an issue due to the soft, replaceable, ear pads. Beyerdynamic Premium 990 I could not wear these for more than a few hours. The headband is made of a much harder material than the 770's and causes a painful pressure point on the top of my head. I believe this is made worse by the lower clamping force since more of the weight is on the top of your head. Senhiser HD 599 I could wear these for several hours as long as I moved them around every 30-40 minutes. More comfortable than the 990's. Significantly less clamping force than the 770's. Audio Technica ATH M-50x These were the least comfortable. I could only stand to wear them for an hour or so before I had to take them off. All of the discomfort came from the top of my head. ----------------Usability--------------- Beyerdynamic DT 770 These come with a permanently attached 10ft cable. That was a lot of cable to get in my pocket every time I got up from my desk. The cable also has more insulation making it much thicker and stiffer than average. Beyerdynamic DT 990 These come with a permanently attached 10ft cable. That was a lot of cable to get in my pocket every time I got up from my desk. The cable also has more insulation making it much thicker and stiffer than average. The open back design was also a plus for me since I work in a semi-quiet office environment and I could still hold a conversation with someone while listening to music. But I could not hear others quite as well as I could with the HD 599's. Senhiser HD 599 The interchange-able cables with different lengths worked perfect for home listening as well as on the go. The cable is also thinner and more flexible than the Beyerdynamic cable. The open back design was also a plus for me since I work in a semi-quiet office environment and I could still hold a conversation with someone while listening to music. The only downfall is the issue I had with compatibility between some devices and this pair of headphones where I would hear static or computer noise when driving them with a computer. Audio Technica ATH M-50x I really love the long coiled cable that came with these. To me this is the best option since I dont have to lug around a long cable or risk losing extra cables. With that being said, it also came with a ~ 9ft straight cable and 3ft straight cable if the coiled cable is too much for you.

J. Hill · 2018-09-26 · via amazon

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.

Adam Akers · 2025-07-01 · via amazon

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