Sennheiser HD 598 Special Edition Over-Ear Headphones - Black (Discontinued by Manufacturer)

WOW The sound from these cans is simply amazing! I dont know where to begin. This headphone sounds so good, I cant even imagine there are better phones out there. Not only is everything so clear, but the soundstage is huge. Live recordings are just a delight, no matter the genre - rock, blues, jazz, and, as most people point out, classical. You name it, there is nothing this do bad. Listening to live albums with these on, you are in the venue, front row. You can separate and identify every instrument and then position it to where the musician should be located. The best part is that you dont need digital trickery of listen to a 5.1 surround mix t o get the effect, it just comes naturally. Most reviews here state that this headphone is very bass shy, but the truth is, bass is there. If theres a piano in the mix, and the player hits the lowest keys, you do feel the strength of his fingers as he presses the keys; I keep taping my feet to the rythm of the bass guitar as I hear those strings being plucked. We are used to artificially boosted bass to unnatural levels, that we assume the HD 598 lacks bass, but the truth is, it has as much bass as the song was recorded with. Basically, these headphones are very neutral and aim for a reproduction that remains faithful to what was recorded, as it was recorded. Also, people tend to assume that because this is an open set with a higher than average impedance (50 ohms vs 18-32 in average portable headphones and IEMs), it needs a headphone amp and that it wont work without one. Nothing farther from the truth. These can get pretty loud from my PC, from my girlfriends laptop, and even from my smartphone. The downside is that these devices usually come with generic, poor quality soundcards, so if you want to experience its true capabilities, you need a better souce. Hence, Id say go for a DAC as your priority; you will only need more power if youre planning to upgrade for more power-hungry headphones later; but for the HD598, your PC is powerful enough to drive them, just invest in a good DAC to improve sound quality and make sure youre taking your headphones to their full potential. And yes, dont you ever dare to take them out while commuting, you wont hear a thing. I travel often, and I take them with me on my trips so I can enjoy them once I arrive to my destination. A few times, just out of curiosity, I took them out of my suitcase and put them on on the road, only to confirm what many claim: that ambient noise leaks in (though your music doesnt leak out as much as people say); I could hardly even identify what song I was listening to. Sure, you can take a walk on a quiet Sunday morning with them, but in a busy street or inside the bus, its just a waste of time. These are primarily meant to be used in the quiet of your room or at the office, and while they can be taken out from time to time, their goal is to stay indoors. Thats not a bad thing at all, just the price for your hi-fi experience. Its like owning a racing car: it will perform much better than any regular car, but you cant take it to the streets, and if you do, not only you will get a fine for doing so, but traffic jams wont let you run it full speed. Its hi-end, but because of this, it can only be used in very specific circumstances, and that is true for the 598s as well. So dont complain that you cant drive your racing car in the streets and take it to your school to show off, instead, get it to the races and let it run!

Got these during the black Friday sales at £75, so great value

Para escuchar en un lugar en silencio, no los compren si quieren usarlos en la calle o lugares ruidosos, el sonido es muy bueno, al escuchar canciones reconoces nuevos sonidos que nunca habías escuchado, y un sonido muy espaciado, los bajos estan presentes y creo que son suficientes para el tipo de audífonos.

Let me preface this by stating I love (or did love) Sennheiser products. Ive been using them in a professional audio capacity for close to 20 years. I brought this set in the Black Friday sales for what I thought was a steal. However after not a whole lot of use the left ear has gone slightly. Im used to the cables going on Sennheisers, Ive just come to accept that, but not the drivers. I presume this lack of quality is due to some of the units, including this one being manufactured in China. Its a real shame the company decided to do this. Or if they are going to do this, sell them under a different brand or label so we know were buying substandard equipment. Im afraid Ill be taking my business elsewhere next time around, its unfortunate I can no longer get a refund.

These headphones offer exactly what I look for in audio. Fantastic resolution, rhythmic drive, balanced frequencies and fatigue free listening. Works well with iPod/iPhone, but shines through amp. For $130, a steal.

Amazing! f

Tal como los describieron practicamente todos los reviews de usuarios en foros reconocidos, el sonido es enormemente detallado y balanceado, he podido escuchar detalles sutiles en mi música que jamás hantes había percibido. El ensamble del producto es bastante robusto aunque se trate principalmente de plastico, y la comodidad es tal que después de un rato uno olvida que lleva puesto un par de audífonos. ¡Por el precio es una verdadera OPORTUNIDAD!

Awesome audio quality and comfort.

Después de un tiempo estar probándolos, puedo dar mi conclusión final y es de que el sonido es excepcional, sin duda una gran compra.

great headphones! bought them during black friday sale and for me its really worth it.