HD 599 SE Open-Back Wired Headphones,Comfortable Fit, Black

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD438's, but I hadn't used them much in the recent years. I was more into TWS earbuds and then transitioned to wired IEM's. I recently dug out my old Sennie's for a change and really appreciated the forgotten comfort and sound signature. So, I decided to research today's headphones. The HD 599 SE was in the right price bracket (I've spent way too much already, according to my wife!!) and the reviews gave it high marks for soundstage, comfort, sound signature and open-back bass. I knew Sennheiser was durable. My HD438's are still in excellent condition after 11 or 12 years. The SE traditional coloring is much better suited to my taste than the HD 599. . DESIGN & BUILD: The Industrial Stylist at Sennheiser must have a really tedious job. I was surprised how similar my 11-year-old HD 438 is to the HD599. No major styling change there in all that time! At least that shiny spoke pattern, which reminds me of my truck wheels, is gone! The headphones are equally comfortable, with a touch more pressure on the HD599. My glasses are not forced onto my head though and I can wear these for hours. The oval earcups are quite large vertically, like the HD 438, and fit my big ears perfectly to be truly ‘over-the-ear’ ‘phones. I have room to spare, but not much! . While these headphones are made of plastic, they are very strong and you’ll struggle to break them. You can twist and spread these around and not crack anything. . I’m not a fan of the dedicated 2.5mm (?) twist-lock connector into the headphone, but at least there are aftermarket replacements available. I have no idea why the adapter on the longer cable is a large female to small male and the large male 6.35mm connector is on the cable. The cable should be 3.5mm and the adapter should enlarge the connector. With the adapter on, the cable end is just too honking big! . My only criticism would be the headband adjustment. I liked the SHP 9500 with its strong detent and numbering system. I find the headband can go out of adjustment too easily handling the headphones and I have to judge the gap in the headband visually for my best fit. . SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING: When I got the HD 599 SE, I plugged them straight into my phone and was totally blown away. The frequency curve is essentially neutral with a hint of coloration. The bass rolls off below 40Hz but the treble stays strong right up to the 20kHz limit. The mids are slightly cool but are certainly not ‘recessed’. I felt like… - I was in a room with the musicians. The reproduction was totally natural. - The bass was really solid, surprisingly so for an open-back headphone. Maybe not bass head worthy, but punchy, crisp, and realistic. - The treble was clear, detailed and ‘Sennheiser smooth’. I really liked my Momentum TW2 earbud sound signature, but as buds go, they are dated (app and ANC) compared with other brands and I ended up returning them. ☹ ‘Hold me now’ by the Thompson twins, ‘Honey and the Bee’ by Owl City, and ‘Appetite’ by Prefab Sprout can be quite harsh, even sibilant, at the upper end on all my IEM's and some of my TWS buds. I like a bright sound, but not sibilant and grainy. The HD 599 SE was so natural sounding and just… gorgeous. - The soundstage is what I've been seeking and missing with closed back and in-ears. Hotel California - Live on MTV 1994 by the Eagles sounds amazing. That punch at 32s is awesome. ‘Strive’ by Amber Rubarth, ‘Killing me softly…’ by Roberta Flack, 'Unearthed - Orchestral version' by Wildpath, and ‘Your Grace is enough – Live’ by Matt Maher are just sublime. There’s both width and height with correctly mixed tracks. Try listening to “Best 8D song EVER with headphones 2021 – HD” on YT. Awesome! - Imaging is also superb and it’s easy to pick out the location of instruments. ‘Buck Dance’ by Dick Schory’s New Percussion Ensemble has your senses tracking all over the stage! . I’d not used open back headphones before trying the SHP 9500 and I actually liked the feel and openness, compared with closed-back. However, the SHP 9500 did not have the sound staging I was after. The HD 599 SE certainly does. Of course, you need to use these in a quiet room to save your ears. With the 106dB sensitivity and 50 Ohm impedance, I do have to use 70 to 80% volume directly connected to my phone, compared with 40% on my IEM’s. Still plenty loud enough for me, but you may not agree. Please take care of your hearing though! . I have a collection of Earbud Test Tracks, which I use to assess my earphones… . https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/6c1a03929ed947ab82cc33db24d7c001sune?ref=dm_sh_c7f9-3dba-7009-a4cd-8323a . I usually use a Qudelix 5K DAC/AMP. I loaded Oratory1990’s HD 599 PEQ and with the HD 599 connected, I noticed that it cleaned up the lower/mid bass just a tad. On some tracks, the bass can get a little muddy. I felt that a little more treble was needed and slightly less bass though to suit my taste. So, I adjusted the PEQ and I now have my final settings (see photo). . CONCLUSION: For a consumer-friendly price, you are truly entering Audiophile territory with the HD 599. I have no reticence in stating that. When the HD 599 go on sale, they are an absolute must-have. I bought these for the current price of $150. I still think that’s a steal! The HD 599 SE are now my go-to for serious listening late at night and I think they could be yours also!

So this year I really wanted to try open back headphones, it was a new world I found out about. I have bluetooth aukey and anker earbuds, Sony XB900N, HyperX Cloud PS4 (same as pc,xbox versions), and other wired earbuds. A big plus is I can hear my surroundings with open-back. This fall I did research, and learned so much about audio that I didn't care for before, but now fascinated. I'm still not doing the amp thing. SO I hope this review helps someone. My ultimate two choices came down to Sennheiser HD599se and Philips X2HR. These two are so opposite when it comes to available information on the web. Tons of X2HR forums, reviews, videos, etc., and HD599se not so much. I wanted an open back headphone, for primarily games, and secondary music and movies. I almost decided to keep both headphones because it was so hard to choose. Here are the differences first: - X2HR too heavy for me. I thought it wouldn't matter. Very comfy but gets heavy soon after and too noticeable. - X2HR definitely a boomier bass. Think deep rich smooth. - HD599se, super comfy, probably my most comfy headphone. Ears don't get hot or sweaty like my Sony ANC headphones. Can wear for hours which others I kind of need to take breaks. The first headphone I opened was X2HR. First song was a Paul Taylor's Push to Start. I almost cried, I don't think I've experienced a wide sound stage before. Deep bass and open audio experience like no other. It was like listening to song you knew but in a different way. Everything sounded great. Then I listened to more Paul Taylor, then Tobu, Axero, etc. Yeah there's awesome bass. Then I couldn't contain myself I had to try the HD599se. First I was underwhelmed. Not wide, actually felt almost like closed back headphones. But I was surprised to hear bass, I was worried it would be non-existent. There was bass, but not as much as X2HR. Then I tried both on my PS4 controller. Both can were loud enough so no issues here. Two days later I tried them again, but put on the HD599se first and listened. They were actually really good, not as bad as I remembered. Then I put on X2HR. Now I noticed the differences clearer. In Jazz, the sax was so much more clearer and cleaner. Guitars sounds beautiful. So much more balanced, not neutral, but everything is presented well. X2HR, bass does cloud the instruments, as its more pronounced I feel. Ultimately, after listening to more music from tobu, axero, gramatik, jack johnson, nora jones, paul taylor, haywyre, etc., and playing ps4, I really wanted to keep both for different purpose. But in the end I chose one because I knew I'd only use one most of the time. Here's why I chose the Sennheiser HD599se: - Audio is very balanced, and easy to listen to most genres. I like the bass doesn't overwhelm everything. Everything is pretty much at the same level. The instruments sounds much clearer. Its like if the artist wants more bass in the song, you'll definitely notice it. Its seems more a match for what the artist probably wanted you to hear. - I don't know if burn-in happened, or what exactly that is, but over time I feel like the bass and audio quality of HD599se got significantly better. Or maybe its that it sounds better on my PC than phone, and that's when I notice it. - Hip hop, jazz, blues, etc was a pleasure. Only edm sounded better on X2hr to me. - Gaming was much more enjoyable on HD599se. In FPS like call of duty, I could hear my surroundings better and anticipate people around me. In sports games, I felt like crowd noise was overwhelming on X2hr, such as FIFA. - Super comfortable and light. - I spend alot of time already listening to music on the HD599se because its really good. I appreciate these more and more as I listen to music. I'm not analyzing, just listening and doing my thing. In closing, I wish I could keep both. But won't. I wish Sennheiser had a little more bass, but its enough. You will hear the boom, bass hum, the usual, but just not as much or rich as X2HR. I wish HD599se had wider soundstage, which the X2hr had. Really like that openness... alot. If you like lots of bass and don't mind to sacrifice some of the audio of the instruments such as sax, piano, guitar, and ok with heavier headphone, then X2HR is amazing. I went back and forth so much between the two, and was hard to pick. I had to really listen alot. In the end I'm really happy with my decision and awesome black friday price. Maybe next year we'll see what options are available in the market.

I really like these headphones. They are comfortable, look sleek, have great sound, and respond well to EQ. BUILD QUALITY: I would place these in the higher medium build quality. Very typical Sennheiser feel. They are mostly made of plastic but it’s not cheap plastic. There is absolutely no creaking when twisted and manipulated. They have a premium feel. The leatherette headband is comfortable and adds to the sleekness. The velour ear pads are very soft and comfortable. They don’t make my ears hot at all, making long listening sessions a breeze. The long 9’ cord is thick and durable. I love the length because I can sit comfortable on my couch while I listen. It comes with a shorter 3’ cord for listening on my phone around the house. I would not bring these out in public because they’re open back and everyone will be able to hear what you’re listening to. Don’t be that person. SOUNDSTAGE: I would say the sound stage is medium. Definitely not as wide as some other headphones that I’ve tried such as the Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X, which were TOO big in my opinion, but enough to give the music some space to breathe. They definitely don’t have that closed in soundstage that closed back headphones have where the music feels like it’s right on top of you AUDIO COMFORT: These are very comfortable to listen to. It has a nice warm delivery that make listening to vinyl especially enjoyable. Some people complained about the boomy bass and I will cover that in the next section but compared the the ATH-AD700X, they’re much warmer and not harsh at all the way the ATs were. Regarding vinyl records, these seem to hide surface noise quite well. HIGHS/MIDS/LOWS: One thing to note here is that these seem to respond well to EQ. Many people find these headphones to be too bassy, and they’re half right. Out of the box they do seem a bit boomy but a simple bass adjustment on your EQ will resolve that. All songs are mastered with differing levels of highs, mids, and lows and you have to compensate on your end to make it sound the way you want. His is especially true when going from vinyl to digital sound. Some adjustments are going to need to happen. HIGHS: Highs are articulate without sounding icy. MID SECTION: Again, clear and articulate. LOWS: Lows don’t seem to get lost in the bass. BASS: I am pleased with the amount of bass these produce. I actually would prefer to have a set of headphones like these that have a touch more bass than I want because it’s easier to roll that off on my EQ than to push them to produce more. If the drivers are incapable of it, they just won’t be bassy and it’ll end up muddying up the rest of your sound, sounds I take the more bass as a positive NOISE ISOLATION: They’re open back so they’re not at all noise canceling or even noise isolating. For this reason I would not recommend using them in public where everyone will be able hear what you’re listening to. These are really designed for at-home listening FINAL THOUGHTS: These are a great pair of entry level audiophile headphones. I think there’s enough to love here for the price point.

Quality is amazing. Materials feel nice and comfortable. Keep in mind this won't isolate noise from outside, and even thought its advertised for gaming, this isn't a headset so you need a separate mic which is a bit misleading IMO if you are not familiar with the correct terms. I've been using this setup with an external mic and it's working great so far, directional sound is good for multiplayer.

These are great headphones. I use them for listening to music and playing video games. They sound amazing for both. One important thing to note is that they are open back, which means you don’t get any kind of noise cancellation or even sound isolation. So if you are using them in a noisy environment, you’ll hear what’s going on around you.

These are by far the best headphones I’ve ever used. I’ve been using a pair of B*se quiet comforts, which I originally bought for airplane trips. Those work well for noise cancellation but they have no range or depth compared to these. The Sennheiser’s go on sale from time to time, and if you can get them under $90 then they’re a no-brainer. Someone who wants the best possible sound for the lowest cost of acquisition and who is going to be using these at home in a quiet / private environment will be very happy with this purchase. I would not recommend these for airlines or other forms of public transportation, as the open back model allows others to hear what you are listening to, at the same volume. These are not appropriate for public places. Likewise, you will hear everything around you, and not in a good way. The wire makes these inappropriate for any sort of exercise as well. You would be better served with a bone speaker which is wireless and which allows for the ambient noise around you to still be audible. These are very appropriate for someone who is listening/mixing/producing music at home, or for someone who is playing video games or watching movies in a private room. The surround sound is spot on and clear, the range is vast, and the sounds are crisp. Moreover the ear muffs themselves are very very comfortable. The microfiber lining allows for hours of wear. The holes for your ears are very large, so if you have big ears then these are good. Note, these are good for ears which sit close to the head, if you happen to have ears like dumbo the elephant which are seated far from your head then these may not be for you, as I can feel them rubbing one of my ears not from the top, bottom or sides but from the outside and it is uncomfortable from time to time. These also fit people with large heads, I have a large head and a lot of hair and these fit very nicely for long stretches of time (IE several hours without removing them). The last thing to note is that the volume on these at “10” is equal to my Bluetooth headphone when the volume is set to “60”, so you’ll get a much louder headphone. If you have very very sensitive hearing then that could be an issue, but if you are not super sensitive these will be better than Bluetooth in that regard. At $200 they’re alright, but under $90 they’re really something. I would rate these as a buy, but unless you have money to burn then wait for them to go on sale and you’ll be very happy indeed.

I’ve owned these for a month. I use them to listen to hires lossless audio from my phone through a Fosi SK02 DAC. I work nights so I frequently listen to them while falling asleep. The sound quality with a high quality source is excellent. They are very comfortable to wear and can tolerate side sleeping. I’ve also used them with the boom mic accessory with an XBOX and they meet expectations as well. I would consider myself an aspiring audiophile on a budget so for $99 these are an outstanding value for what I use them for. I’ve run classic rock, metal, classical and sleep apps using binaural beats and they sound clear, I don’t listen to bass heavy music but I can hear Geddy Lee’s bass lines clearly on both classic and more modern Rush albums. Overall I’m glad I bought them.

I've had these headphones for 5 years. For me, Sennheiser is a trusted brand. I've only owned two Sennheiser phones in my life, and my first pair lasted me for 9 years. Technically they still work, but the plastic jacket for the wires are exposed. They still sound great; I was just not comfortable being around exposed cable. One of my favorite aspects of these headphones are the fact that they completely cover my ear. Earbuds tend to slip out of my ear more often than I'd like. Whenever I put these cans on, they stick, and I never have to adjust them. Not only are these phones extremely comfortable, you get the full range of sound. You do not need to turn up the volume too high. They are open back headphones, so if you are recording vocals, for example, there will be bleed over to the microphone, depending on how hot the mic is. However, I do not record very often - if at all - so it is no issue for me. Open back headphones allow you to hear the room around you, so if that is not desirable, consider closed back headphones. Please be mindful that I am just a random Amazon customer, not an audio engineer. The phones come with a 1/4" adapter, which allows one to plug into either an interface or even an amp for practice. I use it for the latter; a bass amp, to be specific. The bass sounds great through the phones, though sometimes I hear the headphones rattle because I tend to turn up the volume. This is because I wear earbuds underneath the Sennheisers - which are noise canceling - and that causes me to turn up the volume on my amp, thus causing the rattling. I wear earbuds because I usually practice at night and want to be able to hear the metronome/drum backtrack so as to not disturb my housemates. So it is a delicate balance to make sure I do not blow out the speakers on my phones. Something to keep in mind; I do not know if these headphones were necessarily made to blast the sounds of a bass amp. My amp is a Hartke HD75, and I typically practice with Low's/Mid's/High's at 12 o'clock and the EQ flat. I hear the rattling when turning up to approx. 3.5 on the volume knob. All that being said, I still give these headphones 5 stars because they are fantastic. I have noticed zero drop in sound quality in the 5 years I have used them, and I will 100% buy them again.

très bon casque, bonnes basses, voix claires et définies, fonctionne très bien sur mon ampli Denon et sur mon laptop ainsi que sur mon Iphone! je conseille!

Cuffia leggera, confortevole ed esteticamente gradevole. Buona qualità del suono. Utilizzata molto con musica leggera / Jazz e poco con musica classica (mancanza di tempo). Soddisfatto dell' acquisto. Qualità del suono compatibile con quella della musica in streaming. Inutile spendere di più

Excelente fone de ouvido, tanto pra música, filmes quanto pra jogar!

Buena calidad, pero hay que esperar a las ofertas. Lo compré y 4 días después lo pusieron a menos de la mitad de precio. A pesar de intentar que me aplicaran la oferta, tuve que volver a pedir y devolver el otro… no veo que sea muy sostenible, con lo que se preocupan por los embalajes!

I think the move to reduce packaging and return the savings to the customer is an excellent strategy. It promotes environmental sustainability and enhances the customer experience by offering added value. The headphones are super comfortable, and the sound quality is top-notch. You can't go wrong with Sennheiser at this price point, especially when used as computer headphones. They provide a great experience with music, movies, and gaming.