Sennheiser HD 599 Review - The Audiophile Gateway Drug 

metal571 what kind of aftermarket ear pads are good for hd600?

metal571 does aftermarket headphones cables really make a sound difference?

+Its Shanna none of them. Never use aftermarket pads on a Sennheiser, they completely change the sound

metal571 i listen to alot of rock and PsyTrance music, how do the bass function in this headset compared to the Philips Fidelio X2HR?

Very good review, sir metal571! I have a question though and I'm not a "connaisseur". I want to buy these headphones for gaming and other activities, but I have no idea how amps work. Would you recommend any amp for this specific model? Thanks!

Dunno why I’m replying now but me too! I returned my momentum 2’s cause they had smooth sliders and not countable clicks and it triggered my ocd

J Thorsson ok den 👌🏽

Me too

On some headphones I go one less click on the right because I`m not symmetrical anymore after crashing my bike hehe xD

@J Thorsson A good whooping and a strugglesnuggle, go ahead, GIVE HIM THE FULL COSBY! xD

He definitely is, I have been following him for a long time. I love Zeos too but now it's all for fun. But this guy is the most accurate of all. There are times when I just watch his videos for nothing. Think I have watched 90% of his reviews lol. The most disappointing thing is people who review headphones but have no idea about sound, are much more popular than him. He deserves to be more popular!

Beyond Curiosity Zeos tends to exaggerate so much you end up getting a wrong idea.

Yeah and he tends to talk more about wires than the actual sound quality lol. His analysis of sound is average at it's best.

This is why I keep making reviews. Thanks.

And keep doing it. I'm a headphone lover just like you. And I don't think my next headphone will be without your recommendation. You're awesome and the only headphone reviewer that I trust blindly. I would love to see you have more success here ♥

+Tim Garcia I find not enough reviewers explain the sound relative to a certain reference and then separate that from whether they like it or not. Two separate things indeed

Truer words never have been spoken

I know some people out there have some seriously expensive setups so I'm glad it is enjoyable. Rode makes a heluva mic with the NT1

What software do you use for EQ?

+Antoine P the whole channel is based on sound description because it's what I found the most lacking in other channels

Tried these out today at a local hi-fi store, impressive sound and OMG they were comfortable. I'm fairly new to this hobby and although I've owned and tried-out many lower-end pairs over the years, these were the first that were truly circumaural. What a difference it makes when the pad seals on your skull and your ears are just kind of "floating" in there. Can't wait for my 6XXs to arrive for Christmas!

That's how I do all my reviews, thanks for stopping by

+Tim Garcia LOL I can't stand the pale yellow. The cans ivory color looks much better. Eventually will repaint

metal571 hmmm, wow, I hadn’t seen the 598 and 599 together, but even just pulling up an Amazon listing for the 598 which happens to show the 599 right above it, the color difference is obvious.

metal571 the wall paint is almost iconic by now, expect a subscriber drop after repaint /s

The colour-scheme in Metals' videos always cracks me up, it's effectively the sepia channel, even his skin, hair and glasses.

Yeah that's what happens when you combine a bunch of strong 2700K LED lights with pale yellow walls from the previous owner of my place...looks comical

Does 599 has sharp highs if you plugging it into the computer? I want to find headphones without sharp highs.

That's mainly because removing some of the upper mid shout tends to trick you into thinking the headphone is less grainy as harshness there can sometimes fool people, even me, into thinking a headphone is grainier than it is. Have fun and don't forget to play with the filters yourself

Most "normal" people don't know that soundstage is a thing with headphones but that's what this shows off. Very useful for pinpointing enemies in games

@@metal571 how are they for single player rpg games and sports games? Do they feel immersive, and how’s the bass? I have the hyperx cloud 2 wireless headset for my ps5 and have really been thinking of grabbing the 599s.

@@ceezare3039did you ever find out

Hopefully you enjoy

what do you think of them

How are they?

I'm always interested to hear new impressions too

Same here and I was mind blown via a g6 dacamp they are mazing and 7.1 or atmos in movies wow just wow

I'm almost 30 and have never been to an ENT. Kinda wonder if I could improve my hearing even further if I had that done now

@@metal571 I've had to have my ears unblocked multiple times unfortunately. Not sure why, but I seem to be susceptible to wax build up. It was quite shocking the first time, to see a garden pea sized lump of wax come out of each ear! The sudden difference in hearing though, is always quite significant. I used to work in loud environments, so when my hearing first seemed to have deteriorated, (I was struggling to hear high frequencies and voices over background sounds), I thought hearing loss from excessive noise was the cause, so went to get my hearing checked. That's when I was first told that my ears were blocked. Nowadays I just sort it myself. Most people are lucky and don't have this trouble though, as the wax comes out naturally on its own.

Another problem is if you have flu or allergic flu long time. Ears are unblocked and cans sounds horrible. I have also sometimes that earwax problem, but that can resolve earwax remover liquid or going to nurse getting earwash.

@@jari121 Yeah, flu really doesn't help with that does it. Thankfully I haven't had it for a few years now, but I get the flu jab every year, so that's probably why.

Just got em during black friday for 70€ :)

@@baccarah7010 do you use them for gaming too? I’ve been thinking of snagging these for gaming

@@ceezare3039 I have used these for gaming (as well as everything else) for about 5 years now, and they are a dream. For the price, especially on sale, I wouldn't regret buying these again at all.

@@mitvulf I was stuck trying to decide between getting the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless or the Astro A50, but I've always wanted to try open-back headphones for gaming. So, I got these. I'm really excited to see what they can do based on all the reviews I've seen.

Its 80 bucks now, looks like its bang for buck now

Lol I am retired from doing YT now but thanks

Fiio BTR5

I sat on my HD598s once... I had a mini heart attack but they survived

Same, I sat on mine, then out of shear terror from realizing what I had done, I fear farted so forcefully that it completely obliterated the headphones and my chair !

I sat on the cable of my ad900x’s which pulled it out of the headphone just enough to cut the connection to the left driver. I wish it had a detachable cable:(

@@krypto_9872 this is why i have a headphone stand and i always use it

@@jsharp9735 I know this is 2 years too late, but may I ask what you ate that day?

I sat on my HD558's multiple times without them breaking. I was shocked.

@@PeterKropotkin42069 that's kinda kinky

I should probably update my EQ on these someday again lol

same for me :)

Same. Fucking outrageous value but just wish they had that natural ivory/leather colorway. Decided to replace my old Astro A40s held together with duct tape with Philips HD 9500. Dumpster quality audio, really shallow soundstage and no bass, way too bright. Tried 599 SE and it's so much better.

@@libertyprime9307 Do you think they're an upgrade from the Astros? I'm debating on whether to save for A50's or order the 599s!

@@SuperPancake20 I got my A40s back in 2012 and at the time I loved them. The fake surround sound is really enjoyable for movies. Saving Private Ryan made great use of it. however because it's only simulated surround, it actually makes it more difficult to determine sound in video games, so movies were the one and only time I used it. And I usually watch movies on speakers so... it did not get used much. I really liked the build style and comfort of Astros. They have the least pressure of any pair I've used. The audio on Astros is fine but 599s are better in my opinion. I don't really believe you can beat the value of 599s. Audiophile quality at $99 budget. The MixAmp on the Astros had problems, when I would dial it, the volume increase would affect one speaker more than the other, swapping back and forth. I think this was like a dust issue or something, as spinning the dial enough made the issue go away. It was still annoying and other mixamps and preamps I've used don't do this. Currently pairing the 599s with a $50 Fosi Audio DAC and still deciding on dedicated microphone but have it narrowed down to a few dynamics.

@@libertyprime9307 so for gaming, and casual music listening, would you recommend the 599’s over the Philips 9500 you had? I, debating on which one I want to get.

This channel was all about a focus on the sound quality, because without that, what is an "audiophile" product

+Justin Huang true. I missed that thx

metal571 learned it from someone else just passing it along. Thanks for your review!

dt 990 pro is better at gaming.

@@dmytrotarasov9477 Yeah but you need an amp to drive that and that’s cringe.

@@afungai1649 to be completely honest, I didn't notice any striking difference with or without an amp. My hp gaming 15 drives it loud enough. It sounds much better when I use them with dx160, but as for a hybrid amp that I bought for it, it does not make a huge difference. It is much louder, lows are a tad bit more pronounced (i mean the texture is much more refined, they aren't louder), but other than that it is basically the same. I would rather get a DAC/amp to boost the sound quality as the standalone amp is not worth it IMO.

For most people buying these it'll probably be one of their first open backs so many will dispute the grain. But it's there - you just have to try a 6XX to realize it. Awesome value at 100 bucks though

@@metal571 Awesome value with a slight inconvenience? Count me in!

this is going to be way more pleasant to listen to for long periods, but it might sound really dark coming from the enormous treble of the dt990 at first

How you like it?

@mightbebren I'm trying to decide whether to buy the dt990 premiums or these, I'd love to know which one you preferred.

@@campbell1897 get the 990s for comfort... 599's for sound imho. keep in mind it takes the 990's a couple months of use so it doesnt feel like you have a clamp on you head, but after the break in period, they are wonderful. i only play fps games, listen to music and watch movies on my headphone so ill tier list them on those categories gaming: tie Music: 599 Movie: 599 side note... i had the dt990 pro 250

How are they compared to the DT990'S😀

Me too

And did you?

@@bymicromize In the end I went with the HD 569 because I prefer closed back headphones. I've been satisfied with them.

Hey bro 559 is the upgraded version of 518 right. Should i get the hd559 or 599

559 sounds like a 518, not the same at all as the 599 in tuning. If you already had a 518 and liked it though, then you will be ok with the 559

@@metal571 i am going to buy , i dont own any previously.

@@metal571 so which shld i go for

Then 599 is a better introduction to the Sennheiser open back house sound signature

+Thomas Marshall whichever is cheaper at the moment

If you think the bass is good, you must be new to this hobby.

Zimtron So what would you say is "bad" about the bass? I mean compared to hd600 it sounds pretty good to me specialy in this pricerange. If your looking for headshaking bass then yeah i can see why you dont like it, but thats just subjective cause some people prefer more neutral.

+grandmaster noob it's not that. Bass gets way way better than the HD 600 or 599. They have a lot of rolloff, both of them. Open back planars extend much further. For an open dynamic type headphone the Sennheisers are fine, but nowhere near the be all end all.

metal571 I have never heard a planar magnetic so i cant compare it to that. Without eq i agree the 599 and 600 sound a bit weak compared to my sony mdr-ex650ap which are amazing for the price btw. But with your eq they come pretty close imo. I would love to try some planar magnetics but i need them to be good in the other aspects aswell like the 600s.

Has Metal mentioned what his opinion is on the dragonfly series? I would be curious to know!

+Nathan Hood only had a short demo but as far as I can tell the 599 is to the 598 as the 579 is to the 558. So very similar

The only difference between the 599 and 579 is a piece of foam on the earcups in front of the driver which isn't there in 599.

Got the 599 for $79 at Amazon this week, so it was a no brainer.

It's a fairly extreme EQ if I remember right so obviously feel free to adjust to taste, which I always encourage. Use what sounds best to your ears as usual

@@metal571 I had Bose qc35 but I returned them because I get very hot and sweat. I understood that these, being open, do not heat up so much. I need something comfortable for PC, music, games, youtube. Do you recommend these or something else up to 150 euros? Please help me with an advice.

Being open back and having velour pads will definitely help with that but the sound signature will probably be quite a bit different than you're used to as in much less sub bass

I like them with some well placed EQ. Nowadays they are on the harsh side in the upper mids for me and lack some deep bass extension but this can be adjusted easily and the price is indeed great for what you get

I didn't like it, PX / PMX 95 sound much more natural and open

I agree I'm confused about senheiser HD 4.5 or senheiser HD599. You should also check back beat pro 2

Thinking of buying them currently, anything better to go for?

Yeah I don't know if I should go for these or 58X Jubilee on Massdrop for $160

I have the hd 569s and although theyre closed back im happy with those. im gonna buy these and I know you wont be disappointed with it

I'm still thinking to buy them. 13 hours left...

Yeah it's barely an upgrade, kind of an incremental revision instead. The 6XX is the upgrade path

@@metal571 I paid 118€ for the 598, I got a complete refund and I bought the 599 for 92€ The 600 series frequency response seems much more balanced but I'm on a budget and I can't find any competitor in the same price range except the 770/990 which I don't like due to harshness of the treble. I really liked the 598's soundstage which is honestly insane for spatial awareness (I guess that's why the same drivers are used on the Sennheiser G4ME ONE). The only way I managed to squeeze more bass from the 598 was by using an AMP, but it was barely enough, the frequency response on the 599 seems to have fixed most of this issue. -25€ for the refined 598 seemed like a good deal so I bought it. I'm just sad because Drop availability/delivery cost to the EU is way too high, the 5XX and 6XX seemed like a good deal, luckily the 500 series is much cheaper than in NA, idk why a german brand has to keep SennheiserXdrop stocks in NA and forget about the EU market.

@@axaro1738 So you prefer the HD599 then?

That is because the channel is retired with zero plans to return. I do not own either of those models nor do I have a source to get loaners for either one

Do you own the headphones now ? I just ordered them wondering how they are?

@@2Big2Sexy I own them currently and i must say switching from gaming headset to hd 599 .... Just wow. Super clear mids, accurate bass, I can hear sounds that i couldn't hear on my previous logitech g430. I paired them with Fiio e10k dac/amp. As for gaming they are pretty good. No problems locating an enemy in games like Apex, cs go, battlefield.

It'll be about the same so if you're looking to stick with that sound it's hard to go wrong

@@metal571 Thanks for the reply. I like the sound as well. I've tried bunch of other headphones but still come back to these.

thats why im here

Same

hear hear!

Yeah boi, prime gang wadduuup!

same

That is such a steal lol

Juan David Pabon how so?

I tried them both and the 599 are way more clear. 579 sound muddy in comparison. IMO 599s are way better.

MrBer0 Compared them on the same source/amp? If you're talking about "way better" i guess something was wrong. The 579 ain't muddy.

Harold Andeweg Not the same source exactly but in my opinion they sound better. It is your decision if you want to put in extra money.

They have the same driver, people saying one or the other is way better is hilarious. The only difference is a piece of foam on the inside of the earcups on the 579 too add a little emphasis on the low end.

Hah, just chiming in here to say that you probably shouldn't say a headphone that is missing a lot of bass is "too flat" cause clearly it is not reproducing region of the frequency response properly - exactly why the 599 is improved.

They were reproducing the frequencies fine, just with no impact or speed. You could clearly hear the bass, but couldn't feel it. Extension and control were fine, just no emphasis at all. So in my mind the best way to describe it is too flat. When you look at a frequency response graph, my ears saw the low end as being a completely flat line. I need just a little more than that. My AKG K712s and my Beyer Dt880s are IMO good examples of "just enough" bass. The HD598s were just short of that. The HD599s are much more in line with those other open/semi headphones. I appreciate the feedback tho, I'm still learning how to describe and critique sound.

Hopefully you enjoy it

@@metal571 Just picked up a second hand 599SE for a great price. You talked about amp needs towards the end of your video, my question for you is if you think you'd see much benefit running these headphones through a USB DAC for a PC gaming/productivity setup? I don't have a whole lot of DAC options available to me in Canada right now, so an example would be like a Soundblaster G6.

This review gets tons of comments so I guess these still go on sale fairly frequently. Sennheiser did a pretty good job with these but they've got at least some competition against the 58X and 6XX still, although prices keep rising on those

he voice cracks every 3 seconds

I hope you don't mean the X2HR, because those are (imo) awful shouty treble cannons. I also believe the X2 was plagued with quality control concerns, so it is hard to get a good judge on the overall line if people can have wildly different experiences with the same headphone due to variances in the drivers. Sounds like you just discovered you don't like the Sennheiser house sound.

Uggh! I've been using the X2's for 2 years now and just ordered the HD599's yesterday to try something new. I like the X2's but you know how it is with headphones ;-)

@@davidulmer3453 so did you like HD599 more than X2? for music purposes