SHP9500 vs HD58X | Ft. HD558 

Value is a pain in the ass to evaluate. Another person could come in and say both of these are a waste of money when PortaPro exists. The other thing that broke the pricing model is the excessively expensive new 579 and 599. The original pricing model was 100 for 558 and 150 for 598 which made way more sense. I hardly see the 5x9 series come down to those prices nowadays. It's also worth repeating that the 559 is like the 518, not the 558. I heard the 559 579 and 599 at Z's a long time ago. No idea why Sennheiser decided to confuse everyone. Wasn't the SHP9500 like $50 or $60 at some point? That's back when I reviewed it and thought it was fine at that price. $80 is asking too much when the 558 existed and wasn't discontinued at the time. Looks like you agree. PS died at that intro

I own both of these headsets and use them every day. Heres my quick take. The Phillip's are far more comfortable with the looser clamp force and the bigger ear cups. They sound clear and I use them for general PC use and movies. They are a bit harsh for music and that's where the 58x wins. More pleasant sounding and musical. So I use them exclusively for music. I use an audioengine d1 dac.

Wow, what a great comparison! Love my 58xs! One of the best values in headphoneland

Ooh you have a very smooth, deep narrator-like voice Subbed only for that The quality reviews are a addon really : )

For a moment there Josh, I thought you were going to talk about the star of the show when it came to the 558s, their phenomenal soundstage for gaming and live recordings! Nice reviews!

I had to “rewind” to the metal571 impression because I thought my brain had malfunctioned processing the audio 😂 Thanks for wedging the HD 558 into this review - it was my first “serious” headphone and I still love it because it’s super comfy, easy to drive relatively speaking vs my other good headphones, and has a pleasing sound signature and soundstage.

Good job man. This was helpful.

Just got my HD 58X today and they are the first set of headphones I have that I can actually feel the bass. I have been ripping myself off all these years, my first open back cans. I love em.

Finally the video we all wanted

hahaha, that metal571 impression. subbed :D

As an owner of the SHP9500 and the hd58x Jubilee, the hd58x is more of well-rounded headphone. The tight and clean bass is good. The clean sound and treble, along the imaging is what makes them great. The SHP9500 is great. Airy and ambient soundstage. That treble with the sibilance can be rough on my ears, depending on what I'm listening to. It's not, TOO harsh, but it is there. At times, I brace on those s,t, and z sounds.

still got my 558, first pair of headphones i got going into this hobby, and they still hold up. GREAT set of cans for anyone trying to upgrade on a budget.

Liked the video man. Well spoken and coincise in your opinions. Quite enjoyable to watch. Sub'd

ive been daily driving the shp9500 for years and was looking at buying the 58x. this video is perfect.

I got the hd558 on sale at bestbuy a few years back for $50. With some modding, paired them with a 3.5mm adapter and Vmoda boom pro, then removed the back foam. Been my favorite since. I tried the SPH9500 and found their clamp force to be too little for my small head and also not as breathable, they actually made me sweat, and did not prefer their sound signature. Gave them to my Dad and they were perfect for his line of work and head size. Whats great about the SPH9500 is cost and the detachable cable. Just buy them w/ VMODA boom mic and you got yourself a sweet gaming setup for cheap.

9500 were my first, replaced with the 58x. Think I still prefer the 9500 tbh because it's much more comfortable for long sessions. but love both

I'm so glad I jumped on the 579's when they had a $99 msrp

Awesome description, .... You get correct headphones.👍

Damn this was great!

I do plan on buying a pair Philips but can’t buy them now since I’m about two weeks away from moving to another house so I don’t want to waste space in my suitcase (my parents live in separate states and I’m flying) so I’m gonna wait until then. Really great video, your videos always sell me on philips but it wasn’t until now that I have enough money to actually buy them. Just starting to get into audiophile headphones and I want my first pair to be open back so this helped a lot A little after I watched this video I bought them and threw them in my bag for the plane trip, three weeks later(almost four) I absolutely love these headphones

Love that intro 🤩

Thanks. Have you reviewed any Audio Technica headphnes? The ATH-R70x is the studio reference monitor. Would love to know how it compares with the DT 1990, and various Sennheisers.

I love music in Headphone reviewer's videos. Especially yours.

Wonder if you could compare the KPH30i to these as well? I've got them recently together with the KSC75 and been wondering for which open-back upgrade (if I'll ever even need one!) I should go for in the future? I'd like to game and overall use the pair for everything from youtube browsing to spotify listening on a motherboard soundcard, also planning to get some budget/starter amp/dac.

Wow metal really stepping up your production quality! Keep up the good work :)

I have all 3 headphones and others and for some reason I always go to my HD558's. It just sounds right to me.

Love the intro

The 9500s are like Street Fighter 2 for Super Nintendo. It's a respectable but inferior conversion. The 58x is like the PS1 version, basically flawless. And the 6xx is the Arcade

I chucked a pair of Yaxi pads onto my 58X, made it more comfortable and elevated the bass a little without losing any detail (at least as far as I remember)

Personally, I like a mix of casual and formal presentation style, depending on the content. A comparison video like this, which includes a lot of subjective content, works well in a more casual presentation. That said, I like to see your intro (this one) every time. It helps me distinguish it as your content, especially if I’m playing multiple video reviews in a series while doing other work at my computer. I mean, I’m not going to mistake you for Zeos or anything, but I still appreciate the intro.

Perfect timing, I've had the SHP9500 for a couple months. I just ordered HD58X yesterday. If only I had waited till today and watched your video! Great channel btw.

I've had the 9500s for a couple years now. I highly recommend replacing the stock cable that comes with it. And yes I'm aware this is about the 9500 but I'm sure there's little difference. They are very good for the price. I use them on console with vmoda mic. I did pick up my pair on newegg for $50 at the time

Ergo 1 or 2 are the headspeakers to get! I got the HD 558 new for 120euro...Score!! I love the wide soundstage and warm signature. More tuned towards male vocals but not a detailed sounding headphone. 9500 is not for sale in The Netherlands or on German Amazon. I also bought the Creative Labs Aurvana Live! 1 for 60euro. And it sounds better than my HD 558. It's ridiculously good.

It's funny you brought up the 558's. They are a great sounding and enjoyable headphone. I've had mine for several years and if I'm not mistaken, I got those on sale for 110 or 120 dollars.

I couldn't resist getting the 58X at the current price of $135 plus tax minus the $20 first purchase discount. I decided to upgrade from some cheap but fairly decent Aiwa phones that were about 20 years old and started by getting a Status Audio CB-1 which I was really impressed with. I then got the 58X because of the perceived value and to have a basis to start doing some comparisons. So far I have to say that I prefer the CB-1s. My first impression of the 58X is that it is perhaps more analytical than I'm used to, but seems colder as well. By comparison I find the CB-1s buttery smooth and balanced, with somewhat more assertive but not overbearing bass response and slightly less treble resolution. The soundstage though, while not wide on either, seems more smooth and even on the 58X, while it is more left, right, middle, with the CB-1. I think I'm going to reserve final judgement until I see how they both respond to a better amp. I'm currently running on a Fiio K3, which sounds pretty good to me but is IMO underpowered for the 58X. BTW I greatly enjoy these videos so keep up the good work.

Haven't heard the HD58x but I do own the SHP9500 and I adore those for their openness and relaxed but present bass they sound so clear and are great for certain types of music - Michael Jackson sounds amazing on these to be fair.. I would also argue the SHPs are great for immersion gaming due to the openness works great for stuff like Resi 2 remake.

Josh, I appreciate your production values and that's a big reason I watch your videos. You also are very open to learning, which is really important when others like DMS have much deeper electronic and production backgrounds. I like your "formal" reviews as I like this one. Honestly this felt as formal as your others, but had more light. I really dislike very dark backgrounds in videos. Your others are well made and balanced, but God I hate the cave look, it's very depressing! Zeos makes good use of his window light. DMS and you should. I know that folks need dark walls for their vid production, but that's not good in gear videos! Your sound is very good, as is Z's and DMS's. Actually just a lav or headset mic works fine, they have fewer volume variations when you speak off-axis. I have two more strong recommendations. Please note, I designed and built very high end playback gear for several years and did some production work as well, so this isn't just a layman's POV (valid though that is). First, go to an AES Convention and talk audio with the designers. Last time (admittedly over 10 years ago) the top designer at Sennheiser gave me all the time I wanted: his favorites were HD25s (which he designed). The best people in the business share like crazy and are a wonderful community! Second, check out videos from Uncle Doug, who makes *extremely* fun videos of rebuilding vintage guitar amps and other gear. He has 3 cats and a dog whom he incorporates in delightful ways. But he's also an excellent electronics teacher. Another very competent audio tech (probably an EE) is "Mr Carlson's Lab." Another excellent teacher, the guy designs, fixes, and calibrates audio gear of all kinds. The most *pleasant* audio reviews I've seen on youtube are John Darko's, but geez he pays for a cameraman. But *notice* his use of natural light, it makes a huge difference for the better. Also Currawong (Amos Barnett) mixes pleasant visuals with concise information, and gives good technical info on products. But he often speaks too quickly and softly. Good luck, Sam

Did the 58x foam mod video happen? I can't find it. Would be cool to see If it might be worth to try it.

really like your videos but in this one i gotta know where you got your hat - very hard to find plain good fitting dad caps - waiting on a HD58x i just ordered this morning and watching your reviews in anticipation thanks for the content!

this style of reviewing is better that the other one

Hey. Kind of an old video I don't know if you will see this. I had the shp9500 and I loved them but the loose clamp force was ridiculous so I got the 58x which I can tell are technically better in every way but I prefer the signature of the shp9500. Any recommendations for a better headphone with the shp9500 signature?

I've been watching a lot of your reviews lately, your intros sound amazing :D I use SHP9500s with a Fiio K1 to power the SHP9500 a little bit.

Try a pad mod on the 9500s. Modhouse sells ring adapters for $10 and get some Shure 1840 pads on Amazon for like $20. Low end gets brought up just enough and the highs are tamed. After years of listening and trying new headphones I still go back to my 9500s.

Hey Josh, have you ever tried any of the Audio Technica Air Dynamic series headphones? or any Audio Technica future reviews? I been using the ATH-AD900X for a couple of years, so I'm looking for something new. I recently bought the Philips SHP9500 and I was quite disappointed, but can understand why people buy them. I'm scared to purchase the 58x because I'll hate to be disappointed.

How does the soundstage of the 9500 compare to that of the AKG M220 Pro?

that intro is dope

If you want rain?...then the UK especially, Wales, the Lake District and Scotland are recommend...Headphones, DAC's and amps etc are also readily available 👍

hi what would you recommend. I got hd558 for long time already on 3rd set of ear caps, just bought 9500 but it's disappointing. I think im same boat as you, what would be noticeable upgrade in x00 $ is range, I was thinking about hd800 but i need something to drive Easly on pc without any extra amps.mostly need comfort as hd558 and clear sound,really enjoy my dt demand d11 i do use arcam avr30 as amp for home theater and music

I love my hd558's, do wish I had a dac/amp to drive them a little better and I bought them new for$80, but they're great

I kinda dig this mic over the other..

Believe it or not, the same day i watched this video (like a month from this post) i found a pair if 558s in a pawn shop which was an hour drive from my home. And man, it was totally worth the 60dls i pay. Now, i didn’t have an open back headphones before, but i have compared them to anything else i had around (even the most expensive steel series) and they triumph.

Did you modify the 58X? No foam? - you can see the driver on yours not on mine.. and on the "Drop" site they promote them without foam.. which is weird.. making them look like 6XX.. do you know?

Had the 558's for 6 years now. Love them to bits. I have been watching so many review wondering if their is a something else i should upgrade too. Would buy a dedicated headphone amp be a better purchase?

Great comparison and video ! Just one quick question, should you get 558 or 598 at the same price ? Thanks and best regards !!!

Does anyone know what cables Josh has on the HD58Xs? I don't like the way the cables that come with it look but love the ones he has there?

Hello, kind question to Josh or to someone who owns HD558 and Ananda. I am aware of the technology and price differencies but I would like to know if the difference between them in reality is like night & day ? Worthy 700$ (640euro) in sale. 2nd question - would be a dac/amp like FiiO KA3 an improvement for HD558 ? Hopefully someone will reply. Thank you in advance.

Nice comparison!!! I just wonder how can 58x being 150 ohms still sound pretty good directly with mobile phones... But, the velour pads are quite hard to clean, are the pleather type replacement pads available? The velour pads have been a deterrent for me for buying various open back headphones 😕

558s are great!

Do you prefer your hd58x without the foam over stock?

I have the 558, 599 and 660s. The 558 is easily one of the best bargains out their at their current price($50-80). I bought them brand new in 2012 for $179(retail) as my first major audiophile purchase. I didn't even know that the 598 existed so I thought the 558 was the best headphone that sennheiser made. Especially since they were the best headphones i had heard up to that point and it wasn't until I got online and went to sennheisers website that I realized I bought a mercedes C-Class relatively speaking when I saw the 600, 650, 700 and 800.

I have the 58X, 6XX and the 598SE and 598CS. Love them all.... different signature between them... but...... The 58X is the one I use much more often.....

I got the Koss KSC75 and KPH30i for under $50. Now I'm selling my SHP9500, Audio Technica M50X-BT, and Steel Series Siberia V2. I like using the KPH30i for gaming as well.

Which one is better for gaming? Btw I do care about base in gaming I don't want it to be too flat I wanna feel the bombs exploding and all but most importantly I wanna be able to tell where the enemy is standing so which one to pick regardless of the price.

hey @joshua - been watching lots of your stuff.. and this content with the environment noise using the yeti mic made me want to suggest you having a look at NVIDIA RTX Voice. AI active noise suppression that would have suppressed all of those noises without any post production needed. Appreciate you may not have the same issue again, you have your D3, or may not be recording to your gaming rig with a GTX or RTX card, but thought I would leave the tip anyway. Its impressive.

I agree with the 558 comments you made. In fact, I may be an absolute lunatic, but I enjoy the 558's more than the 6xx. Crazy huh? I have had both now for over 2.5 years and in terms of just a dynamic, very fun sound with beautiful mids, a nice tight thumpy bass section as well as terrific soundstage, the 558's make me much happier when listening, I forget about being analytic and just have such a ball listening to the music. No fatigue, harshness or lack of anything really. If you can find 558's on the secondary market that you can afford, buy them. Forget about modding them as they are perfectly fine. peace.

great video. i have and love both, but my hd58xs are daily drivers - light, balanced and clean, and i like the closer soundstage for most applications (ymmv). what's the aftermarket cable you're using on your hd58x?

Hey Josh! I want to get an amp but would I also need a dac with the amp? Or just am amp? I'm planning on getting the massdrop thx amp. Yet don't know much about it.

I'm currently rocking 518s (very similar to 558s,) and considering upgrading to 58Xs + a dedicated amp (rather than just straight into my PC.) That said, just saw a local FB ad for $25USD 558s, so I might check those out just for fun. Sell em on if nothing else.

I own both 9500 and 58X, at first I liked the 58X but I wasn't impressed, I expected more. After some months only using the 58X I noticed how it's superior to the 9500, the 9500 is too grainy nowadays for me also it lacks some body and intimacy on the mids. The 9500 is great and I reccomend it but 58X is better and also another great bang for your buck. Great comparison I agree with most points.

I had bought the HD598 brand new about 8 years ago for $120 CAD (about 90 US dollars) for a black Friday sale. They still work fine to this very day, except i have replaced the ear pads once. The 5x9 series now is so overpriced at like 330 Cad(252 USD) for a 599. It's actually cheaper to ship a HD6xx from the USA than to buy a brand new 599 or even 579. Too bad the Sundara is $500 over here while the HD600 is about $450.

I would have loved to have a set of HD 58x but opted for the Phillips 9500s and modded them with BRAINWAVZ XL pads and a V-MODA BoomPro Microphone.

what exactly is the mod and model for the fostex cans you speak of...

For me personally the 9500’s win because of the value (I got them when they were still around $60) and because of the soundstage. I already have great sounding closed headphones, so if I’m buying open back cans, soundstage is a big factor for me. Plus I love them for gaming and the 3.5mm jack lets you use the vmoda boom pro mic, so they’re great for that.

did you mod the sennheiser hd558 and remove the strip of dampener, or do you enjoy it with the strip?

I have the 598 which I hear has the same driver as the 558. I use it more for gaming than much else (I like the more loose bass for action games). Sony's tend to be pretty good for that. I know I have this really odd pair, the Sony HW700, which wires to your entertainment system with HDMI and transmits at 2.4 or 5Ghz wifi with virtual 9.1 surround. Those things have some of the deepest sound stage I've ever heard with obnoxiously loose bass. Unfortunately, being that it only accepts HDMI and optical, it's uses are pretty limited. Also, you must run it pass through to get audio via HDMI. Running HDMI to it but not to the TV doesn't work. Other good choices would probably be the Sony MDR-Z7 (or the MK2) and the monoprice retros.

Thank you for this. I own the 9500's and just ordered the 58x's from eBay for $159 so this was perfect lol. Actually couldn't believe someone did it. I personally think the 58x's will crush my 9500's running off of my Schiit Stack (Heresey/Modi black) but it will be fun to find out.

my buddy bought the phillips over the hd58x. I let him hear my 58x, he immediately shipped the phillips back and bought the 58x. its definitely worth it.

Is a 9500 good for gaming like pubg or fortnight and is it come with a mic??

Great videos...but who LOVES the rain?!

I have the hifiman hd 350 (Massdrop) and the k7xx and I love both of them. I've seen a lot of hype about the shp9500 and I've always wanted to check them out. Should I get them or would you guys think it's not worth it?

Hey.. 2 things.. 1. I could not find the video you mention in the beginning about 58x without the foam. Pls point me to it 2. Do you prefer the sound without the foam?

Watching this with my SP9500

I’m coming from a razer headset and I am want an accurate, natural, and detailed set of cans. I have an amp and dac stack in mind but I am debating on these two headphones.

Good review! The Phillips price point is all over the place. They go on sale a lot. Newegg seems to give everyone an opportunity to own these Phillip headphones at 99 dollars Canadian.

Does the sibilance on the philips cause faster ear fatigue?? Looking for a headphone for gaming and I have tinnitus/sensitive ears. Staying clear from the beyerdynamic 990 pro's because of their sharpness

I love the new intro Josh! It's real testament to how professional you've gotten at making these videos. Thanks for what you do and keep up the good work. On the topic of Sennheiser's, does a classic DJ headphone like the HD 25 still have a place in an audiophile's collection given all the attention that the HD 580/600s/800s receive?

My beloved 58X.

Thanks for discussing the 558's. I am even more confused what to get next. My fiancee has grabbed my 558's and I am left with the Momentum Over Ear v2's which hurt my head for long listening sessions. Am thinking the 6xx's but want some deep and accurate bass.

Bought 558 based off this video. First audiophile headphone. Can’t wait to try them out.

I had the 558 which I got off Amazon UK. It's still pretty cheap there AFAIK and definitely worth it. As for the 9500 - its current pricetag vs how much it used to cost is a major sticking point for me. My personal opinion is that the Hifiman Edition S is superior sounding, similarly wide, for around the same money, but with the caveat of the brand's infamous lack of build quality. The 58X, more so than the 6XX, is just pure value because it truly is an all-rounder in terms of application. It's great for music, movies, games, and even production.

I have both, you can replace the pads on the shp9500s and it makes a huge difference.

SHP9500 or Status Audio CB-1? For music and gaming

Do they make a headphone that has the HD598's huge soundstage and the HD58X sound signature? Is that what the HD660S is all about? I have never heard the HD558 but for reference I love the Sennheiser "sound" and own the HD598 (Open and Closed versions), HD58X, HD600, and the HD6XX. They all possess something I like but at the same time each one is lacking in a particular area. The HD58X has my favorite sound signature but lacks the resolution and imaging that you get from the HD600 and also could be a tad more spacious like the HD598 (Open). I don't even know if a headphone like that exists but it's something I would see as my endgame. Looking forward to seeing what your upcoming video has to say about modding the HD58X and how it changes the sound.

I own the SHP9500, the SHP9600, the Senn 555, the Senn 660S and the Drop 58x Jubilee headphones. I prefer the SHP9600 for podcast conversations & videos such as this youtube review where it is imperative that I can hear what someone is talking about. The SHP9500 is also very good for that, but the SHP9600 is more comfortable on my noggin than its predecessor. The Senn units are better at presenting music. The Jubilee, I owned and used before the 660S and I preferred it over the HD555 for music. The HD555 was my first headphone and it satisfied my eardrums for everything from 2008 until the left channel died in 2020, when I obtained the Jubilee to replace it. I purchased the SHP9500 in 2017 and gifted them to my father who is very hard of hearing and he's enjoyed them tremendously. I'll soon have them back, as he's being gifted the SHP9600 soon. Having listened to both of the Philips headphones - they exel at straight up speech - but they aren't bad at musical reproduction especially at their price points - they're just not as luscious as the Sennheisers. All of them are open back, allowing for many continuous hours of wearing - while listening to your chosen audio.

bought some 558s for $30 off a college kid, and was going to just flip them for maybe double, but wound up keeping them since they sounded better than I expected. Was going to buy the 58x, but after listening to these for a couple months, I don't see...hear a reason to do so.

So I've decided between like 3 or 4 headphones. The sennheiser hd58x, the sennheiser hd558, the beyerdynamics custom studio(or something like the custom one area) or for like replacement of the 558 I found sennheiser hd559 kind of close

Well, my humble opinion, based on owning the HD600 and the HD598, which are pretty close to the HD58X and HD558 respectively, is that the HD600 blows the HD598 out of the water, for my they are not in the same level, not in sound or built quality, maybe the HD598 is more comfortable, though. I have a pair of HD58X coming my way, so soon I will see if those are close to the HD600 as I think they are. Also, to me the HD600 is the best sounding headphone I have ever heard, is like you said about the HD558, it just sound natural to me.

Whered you move to Joshua??

For use with a semi low power DAP, I think the 9500 may be the better option

Yeah I love the rain too. Can’t stand California’s long hot dry summers that create a major fire hazard, especially with the Santa Ana winds in the fall. Digging your more laid back approach a little more but either way you’re the best headphone reviewer imho.