Customer Reviews

Sennheiser HD555 Professional Headphones with Sound Channeling

5 star:		(358)
4 star:		(104)
3 star:		(36)
2 star:		(18)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

This is an excellent pair of headphones for those (few) of us who like classical music. I've used these headphones with a player that has no bass/treble controls, and found that the headphone sound is well balanced throughout the spectrum. The bass does not boom, something that you don't want in classical music. It is there, but balanced as it should be.

I've noted that when playing something like Haydn's Cello Concerto, the solo instrument hits you right in the middle of your head -which is where it shoud be -, and the orchestra surrounds it from far left to right.

Other reviewers have mentioned that the open format of these headphones results in large sound leakage into the air around you. I've found that the leakage is quite small, and not noticeable a couple feet away. Then again I don't crank the sound up to 100 decibels.

As for the complaint about the plug, I've had no problems in this regard. It fits snugly into phone jack, and seems well made.

My only very trivial complaint is that I sometimes use these on my portable DVD player while lying in bed, in which case the very long cord is a bit of a nuisance. My personal preference would have been a short cord plus a detachable cord extension.

These headphones are great for just about any kind of music.

For anyone new to audiophile headphones, you may be surprised to learn that Sennheiser is THE name in the audiophile headphone business, and have been for some time now.

In case evidence would help you:

1)Ask the pros - HD600s are popular in serious studio recording, where sound quality is all-important.
2)More expensive is not necessarily better - other companies use their names or unnecessary and expensive materials to bump up the price....
3)Sennheiser is interested in "true sound", and, accordingly, puts into their products the right materials and excellent acoustical engineering. Everything in the 555s is for sound quality and comfort and durability. (Some headphones use wooden shells, fancy materials, and other such gimmicky things...that's just plain stupidity if you consider the sound, but it gets buyers that don't know audiophile headphones.)
4)Open vs closed - sound is vibrations. The air needs to vibrate if you want good sound. Closed headphones may help cut out noise in some situations, but it will dampen the sound in all situations. (Sennheiser's audiophile line are all open.)
5)Look at the stats! - the stats alone are better than most...the 555s are, essentially, standard for audiophile headphones...595s, 600s, and 650s are better, but other brands have a tough time matching even some of the lower ones, such as the 515s.
6)Noise cancelling vs pure quality - I have tried Bose noise cancelling headphones, which attempt to advertise good quality, but in fact, the noise-cancelling mechanism calls for the "closed" type and, furthermore, functions by running a sort of noise-dampening frequency, which, sadly but inevitably, dampens the sound (and puts pressure on your ears). Nice feature for noisy situations. However, audiophiles typically seek out a quiet place to listen. (Although in my experience, 555s sound so much better I prefer not having noise-cancelling over lesser quality.)
7)Great entry level - as above, these are the standard within Sennheiser's line of audiophile headphones. Even so, if you are just moving up to this quality level, you would be surprised how clear the music is, how suddenly you can hear the details you have been missing...in comparison, ordinary headphones or other companies' headphones simply sound trashy - the pitches may be there and the general sound is there, but no tones, no flavor, no character, no spirit. You'll be surprised how much you have been missing.
8)Sound reflection - just as Bose uses sound reflection in its speaker systems, Sennheiser uses such technology to create a more real experience...thus, they work great for movies too. Instead of having half the orchestra on one ear and the other half on the other, it will seem more like you are actually in a concert hall. (Although, at this price level it still won't be perfect...still, it will be better than the vast majority.)
9)Sennheiser is legendary - Do you know what the world's best headphones are called? Try Sennheiser Orpheus. They were a limited edition, only 300 were made, and are reportedly absolutely surreal. (The Orpheus, being so rare, is not very available...the best price I have seen is $12,000, and that is IF they are for sale.) The 555s follow in grand footsteps.

Now, a few points of advice if you get serious with audiophile headphones and get 555s or better:

1)To use them to their fullest, try to use them through good hardware... (iPods and mp3 players are pretty good, but if you want to go all out you could get amps, etc.)
2)Healthy volume is 70 decibels or less (about 70% of the max volume on 555s)...and, sound quality is generally better if you don't force them all the way up. (Finding a quiet environment helps.)
3)enjoy

Sennheiser definitely makes quality headphones, and prior to buying this, I owned Sennheiser HD-202, which seem to be the most popular Sennheiser model on Amazon. The only complaint I had with the 202's was that they hurt my ears after a while. Plus, I had some extra cash to burn and I wanted awesome headphones that would last me a very, very long time. Here s where the 555 comes in.

Simply put, this is the best audio investment I have ever made. These will definitely last at least 10-15 years. I'm sure you've all read about the awesome sound, so I won't waste your time with that. The comfort level, however, is incredible! I can wear these all day (really!) without even noticing them.

I live in the dorms at school, so I bought these headphones to give my roommates privacy. Don't worry about the sounds leaking. The only leak slightly more than other headphones. Also, the sound only leaks within your immediate space. So my roommate on the other side of the room doesn't even hear my music even at a relatively loud volume.

Almost everything that can be said about these headphones, has been said, so I'll keep this mostly to physical pros and cons

Pros:
The most accurate sound you can get for 100 dollars. Not up to par with my Beyerdynamic DT880's, but at one third the cost, you are getting atleast 3/4th's the sound (if that makes sense) so they are an excellent bargain. These are easily the best headphones you can buy at 100 dollars.

The velour ear cups mean that the pressure applied to your head is very minimal, and these are indeed the second most comfortable headphones I've ever worn, next to the DT880's (I've had Grado's, AKG's, other Sennheisers etc) and the inclusion of a velour (I believe) head cushion means that the top of your head won't hurt even after hours of use.

These cans are also very easy to drive from a PC soundcard, and even on my integrated sound card, they'll go to ear splitting volumes if I am so inclined. I bought these specifically because my beyer's can't be driven by my computer, and I got sick of having to move my headphone amp between devices (Between Ipod, computer, etc).

The Bad:

An all plastic frame makes me think that one good drop might be the end of these headphones. The ear pieces are attached to a swivel joint (for comfort, which does help) but the joint is plastic as well, so it's not hard to imagine it popping off. I may just be worrying too much though, because I have a pair of all purpose koss headphones that are entirely plastic, and they've lasted atleast 10 years (though they sound terrible in comparison)

I said these were the second most comfortable headphones I've ever worn, and while that is true, there is one caveat; Even though they are comfortable, my ears are too large for the space provided (the velour sits around the ear, with your ear inside) so my ear presses against the outside of the ear pad. Not a huge deal, and not nearly as severe as with other headphones, but still an issue if you have big ears.

The biggest complaint I have is probably how much sound leaks in and out. I realize that these are open headphones, but even at low volumes, everything you are playing is easily heard by anyone in the same room (so these aren't good for dorm rooms, planes, trains, etc). I was expecting that, but I wasn't quite expecting how much sound is let in. My DT880's are also open, but they don't let nearly as much sound in or out as these Sennheiser cans. The sound of my computer fan is easily heard through the headphones if I don't up the volume a little louder than would otherwise be necessary (meaning others will hear it even more).

There is also a lack of bass with these cans. Others have said it is balanced, but I would almost go so far as to say it's a little bit diffused. Using equalization though, this problem is quickly fixed (if you see it as a problem).

One last con; These headphones come with a large (1/8th inch I believe) plug, with a very rigid 1/4th adaptor (the plug on your computer, compared to the plug on your stereo). This doesn't seem like a huge deal, but this type of adaptor is very prone to snapping and damaging your headphone cord. I'd suggest spending an extra 5 or so dollars and getting a flexible adaptor.

As with all headphones in the quasi-audiophile range (audiophiles will tell you that these cans aren't neutral enough to be audiophile quality. They are close enough at 100 dollars though) you first need to evaluate your own hearing before you spend any amount of money. I have friends that can't tell the difference between my 300 dollar Beyerdynamic headphones, and my old 30 dollar Koss headphones. If you don't have really sensitive ears, you are better off buying the cheaper Sennheisers and saving yourself some money (the 202's, the 212's, etc). I'd suggest going to a local audio store and trying these headphones side by side with a much cheaper pair, and seeing if you truly can tell the difference between the two (and then coming back to buy from Amazon, of course). Also, if you don't buy a whole lot of CD's, and most of your music is compressed MP3's you bought off the net, or songs from youtube/myspace/whatever, these headphones won't help you and they may actually make that type of music sound worse because they will expose flaws in the recording that you wouldn't have been able to hear otherwise.

In conclusion, these are the best headphones you can buy at 100 dollars, and unless you need complete isolation (if you do, I suggest the HD-280's for the same price), or you really love bass, or you have really big ears, these headphones are exactly what you are looking for.

UPDATE 03/10/10: After two years of use, I've got a few additions to make. The headband has developed a crack at both ear cups. I baby my equipment, so it's definitely a design flaw and not misuse on my part. I've noticed that this has happened to others as well, and it really is a shame. It doesn't degrade the sound quality, but I fear that the cracks may expand and eventually cause the earcups to come free from the headband (essentially making the headphones useless).

As far as sound quality goes, now that these are burned in (I'd say I'm somewhere comfortably between 500 and 1000 hours on the phones) they sound much better than they did when I first received them. I modified them (when I passed the warranty date) to increase their bass response, and they are now basically converted into HD595's. They sound great, although they are still obviously no match for the HD600's or HD650's, which are 3-4x the price (much much more when you consider that you'll need an expensive amp to drive them).

I'd still recommend these headphones despite the cracking issue, and for 100 dollars, I don't think that you can find a better set of (open) cans.

Pros-
Amazingly clear sound. I've never had a better sounding pair of headphones in my life. I can't give an audiophile description of the sound quality, but to me everything seems to be in place for an open pair of headphones.
Extremely comfortable. The velour, over-the-ear design is great and I've literally worn them for hours without even noticing them. On the package and in several reviews I've seen a comment on how you can even wear them with glasses on... I didn't know that that was a big deal, but I was blown away at how this pair of headphones didn't shove the frame of my glasses into my skin like every other pair I've ever worn.
Sturdy construction- They're a teency bit heavy, but the construction is perfect. Right down to the little rubber tabs behind the cups and flexibility of the cups themselves, I can tell these are going to last a long time.
Nice design. Aesthetically, these are really pleasing. Even the placement of the reflector cups within the phones that adds to the sound quality is ingenius.

Cons-
Not a lot of bass. I bought them knowing they wouldn't be bass heavy because they're of the open design. They're not exactly weak on the bass, but if you like bass, the only way you're going to get it is to put your hands on the back of the phones themselves as you listen to it. Then you just look silly and have defeated the purpose of purchasing open-designed headphones.
No ambient noise reduction. Again, I bought them knowing they weren't designed to keep sound out. If I had to say how much sound they eliminate, I'd go with 0.00%. Even cranked all the way up, there was a gathering at school in the quad and I could still hear conversations around me.
Sound leakage. I also knew of this before buying them. Good lord it's like you have stereo speakers on your head when you wear these, so if you want to listen to music in a library, or in line at the bank, or in your dorm room, or anywhere where other people are, you're going to get dirty looks unless you have it at a very low level. And you're going to be able to hear people talking smack about you and your obnoxious headphones because, well... refer back to the sound leakage issue. It's so weird! I was at Taco Bell, and this baby was screaming across the dining room, and I cranked these up and I could still hear it. Only now, people around me were looking at me like I was a jerk because they could hear every note of my music.


FLAW OF THE CENTURY THAT I HAVEN'T READ IN ANY REVIEW-
The plug-in is a quarter inch, and it comes with a gigantic quarter-to-eighth-inch adapter. This is simply retarded. The other way around (1/8" to 1/4") is always a nice feature, but this isn't the case with these headphones. When you plug into the adapter, you've got about three inches of garbage hanging out from whatever you're plugging into. So if you have an iPod in your back pocket, you might as well have a satellite sticking out. The other thing about the stupid eighth-inch adapter is that the actual gold plated plug sticks out of a really huge piece of plastic, so unless the input you're plugging into is out in the open, you can't plug in all the way. So if you have an extremely popular silicone iPod cover, for your extremely popular iPod, you're going to have to take it off before using these headphones, defeating the purpose of buying that cover. That adapter is also a hassle when plugging into my laptop. It just doesn't go in and stay in. Either it pops out, or it isn't secure enough to stay in place, and this causes sound to go in and out of the right phone while making the left one crackle and pop.

The bottom line is that these aren't really for portable audio. And according to reviews I read after the fact, these headphones are pretty much designed for stereo receivers and either watching DVD's or gaming. I can't even see them for computer gaming considering they don't properly connect to the eighth inch headphone input PCs have. I would say that if you're prepared to make a few sacrifices and get some dirty looks when you take these out into public, the Pros will outweigh the Cons. And if all you're doing is plugging into a quarter inch stereo receiver to watch DVD's... you're set for life, girl... 'cause these are insanely comfortable and rugged.

I've had this set for almost 2 years now. I have been very happy with just about everything. However I now have to replace them.

The sliver part where the headband meets the ear cups has fallen apart. Slowly over time the pivoting motion allowed by the design wore down the plastic, starting with hairline cracks that slowly developed into full breaks (despite my best superglue efforts).

While the pivoting is crucial for comfort, the plastic chosen for the design should have been much more durable.

I'll still give this 3 stars though. Even though I have no proof of purchase, they were willing to repair these for a flat $30 charge. In my mind I'd rather just replace than pay 30% of the of the price for a repair.

I am considering the 595's but the similarity in design scares me.

I'm just amazed by these headhpones !
These babies are definetly the "best-for-money" deal you get from Sennheiser today. I'm an absoloute audiophile and I've tried loads of other headphones ( I currently own the 212-Pro, 280-Pro, couple of Sony's ( 600, 700 ) and Pioneer ) ... so I know what I'm talking about when I say these babies ROCK !!
Of course they're open so it MAY bother some people which have people around them which need privacy so if you're dealing with that, go with the 280-Pro CLOSED cannons...
The best thing with the HD-555 in my opinion is when you listen to ACOUSTIC music ( e.g. the new Sevendust Acoustic CD, Godsmack's EP, Incubus live on MTV etc ... ) you really get the feeling you're ON THE SPOT listening experience. These babies lack only one thing and that's handling really heavy music ( e.g. Pantera, Soulfly, Sepultura etc ... ) - But they manage ok, so don't worry.
I highly recommend these soft cannons, they're extremely confortable and you can ware them for days without even noticing.

Even though these headphones have been out for seven years, I feel it's time to write in-depth about their technical performance and give a few examples of how that plays out into the music realm.

EXTERIOR DESIGN: These are large open headphones that let sound in with only a slight attenuation in the high frequencies and virtually no attenuation in midrange or low frequencies. The grilles on these are quite large and fairly substantial (for headphones) back waves from the drivers will emanate out of them. And it's not the tinny trebly sound from small open headphones like the PX100 that others in the room can hear; but the mids and highs in songs can easily be discerned. At higher volumes, it's similar to the volume level a laptop can put out. If these characteristics do not fit your listening environment, then these particular headphones are not for you.

I've had them for nearly nine months and have used them every day. The comfort is great and the velour earpads never feel itchy either. The contact pressure of the HD555 is hardly noticeable and I can wear them for a few hours without discomfort. I would not advise expanding them too much outward as this may cause the cracks at the upper arm. Mine have no cracks on them since I expand them only slightly wider than my head when taking them on and off. I don't want to take any chances flexing these like what can be done to the headbands of the HD202 and its variants.

EXTERIOR UPDATE 4/26/11: About a couple of months ago, I was shocked to see a hairline crack on the headband's lower plastic right arm that is currently just past the second 'N'. The crack actually starts at the narrow top part next to the black groove. The left side is fine. It seems like the plastic used there is too stiff and rigid, barely having any kind of flex or torsional resistance. Apparently, Sennheiser is quietly changing this material in the new HD598 to be more durable starting this spring.

ACOUSTICS: The baffle is angled at 45 degrees from the front with respect to the earpads. This is the angle that sound waves arrive at the outer ear from room speakers positioned at 60 degrees to the listener (the equilateral triangle setup). Thus when listening to the HD555s, I perceive the sound occurring outside my head not just in width, but also depth. The depth extension is like being in the sweet spot of a high-quality speaker set at near-field distance! The listening experience is pleasantly natural with spacious, airy highs and mids. Crossfeed isn't really needed on these cans, since the angled sound waves strike the outer ear before entering the inner ear creating a slight time delay, which is how we perceive spatial sound. The HD800 also has an angled baffle. But the superior wave produced by the new 56mm ring driver coupled with larger earpads and housings will obviously produce an even bigger sound field than the 555.

It's worth noting that the HD555 and 595 use the same drivers (part #5218**). A clue can also be seen in that both have a max SPL of 112dB, while the 515 uses an inferior sounding driver and is rated at 108dB. The 555 and 595 also have the same inner grilles (large circular holes with a fine mesh on the other side) and outer grilles. The new 558 now has a honeycomb inner grille and a fine fabric covering the outer grille with the Sennheiser logo riveted to it. This cloth may slightly attenuate the treble, making the lows and mids seem more apparent. Perhaps that's why the box for the 558 states "outstanding bass and vocal projection" and the 598 states "natural spatial sound experience." The 598 retains the outer grille from the 555/595 and now has a frame/bracing type of design for its inner grille.

I carefully did the foam mod about a month after I bought the 555s. The biggest difference came in a fuller midrange and improved imaging/soundstage where I heard sound pieces occurring in new locations in the sound space where they weren't before. The stage also got wider and more realistic, and was easily noticed when an audience cheered and clapped after a performance. This make sense since the foam pads previously blocked much of the back waves from exiting the grilles, giving a somewhat closed sound. The treble got a little cleaner and the bass tightened as well.

SOUND QUALITY: These headphones have a remarkably smooth frequency response, running nearly flat (in terms of acoustic perception of loudness) from about 60Hz all the way to about 12kHz! I did half-octave sine wave testing by ear and the -3dB point is at 60Hz compared to 90Hz where then the volume level remains the same all the way to about 2kHz where there is just the slightest dip; then there's a slight rise only around the 3 to 4kHz region (could be my ears are more sensitive at these frequencies, but it's never noticed during music playback) and back to being level all the way to 12kHz. After 12kHz, the response starts to slowly drop until the auditory limit of 20kHz is reached.

The HD555 lacks a bit in the deeper bass extension (30 to 45Hz is another 3dB lower than 60Hz) compared to the HD650 and HD800. The frequency response chart for the HD598 at Headroom is spot on with my experience and confirms that bass and low mids should be at about a +3 or +4dB plateau and start to drop around 500Hz until 1kHz (at 0dB) is approached. In other words, from 90Hz to almost 2kHz, I can't hear a difference in volume, and so the response is very smooth and accurate! We start to hear things louder than their actual measured levels in the upper mid/lower treble 2-4kHz region so the response should be reduced a few decibels. These headphones take into account the Fletcher-Munson effect and really do have a nice signature. With a frequency response this smooth, I can enjoy music at higher volume for longer periods without any peaks promoting ear fatigue.

The bass quality is great. It has tight impact, is fast, punchy, and devoid of boominess. Perhaps this lack of boom in the bass prompts some owners to perceive the bass as weak. But boomy bass, thick-sounding muddy mids, and grainy highs indicate a good deal of diaphragm distortion is happening. And distortion makes music sound louder than it's supposed to be.

These headphones synergize wonderfully with the Xonar Essense STX on the high-gain setting. Superb dynamics, transients, detail, a deep & wide soundstage, and precise imaging are revealed with this combo. Please don't think that since these are 50 ohms, they sound fine without an amp. An amp is mandatory for unleashing its true capabilities. I plugged them into my other computer that has a Xonar DX and was shocked at the downgrade. They became dark-sounding (since the highs were veiled) with absolutely no micro/macro dynamics, resulting in flat and boring music. The soundstage was unconvincing and overall volume was quite low.

The burn-in period is very long. The proper way to run these in is with pink noise (I use the extra-high gain only for that) and sine wave sweeps at very high volume (around 100dB). They can be downloaded at audiocheck.net. Out of the box they sounded thin and bright with a sizzle at the top-end, as the pink noise test confirmed. But they'll settle in and pink noise will then sound warmer, fuller and balanced. The driver is somewhat limited in its excursion ability when it hasn't had many hours of exercise.

UPDATE: I've also had success with playing a 1kHz sine wave at near max levels stated in the specs. Download a .wav file or use a tone generator. I played it only for a few minutes for a few days with maxed-out player, Windows control panel, and sound card's amp gain settings. Do not do this while wearing the headphones as 1kHz at that high an SPL becomes intolerable after only a few seconds!!! Afterwards I noticed a fuller and smoother overall sound in the mids and highs with a little more detail brought forward along with better imaging. To extract the most low-frequency performance, I used a 1 Hz sine wave so the driver can do the most excursion (plus it's cool to see the dome going back and forth). When a low frequency signal from about 60Hz and below is too much to handle, you'll hear a low pop/tick sound the same rate as the frequency it's playing. A lower midrange frequency of 250Hz instead puts out very noticeable harmonic distortion when the volume is too high I use that sound as a sort of "redline" indicator to not go much louder in the bass. This rather alarming low popping/ticking sound does not mean the drivers are getting damaged, though certainly too high may cause damage! Mine exhibit no abnormalities like buzzing or rattling.

MUSIC PERFORMANCE: The HD555s handle various genres very well with clean sound and smooth frequency response. With this type of quality I can also easily critique how well albums were mastered. For example, Rammstein's first studio album, Herzeleid, has the best sound quality out of all their subsequent albums (figures, since it came out in 1995). This metal album has actually has great dynamics with drum attacks, clear cymbals, and fine articulation of the riffs. Crank it up on "Asche Zu Asche" and these cans display a lively and energetic performance of the epic riffs right in front of me with clear and dynamic slaps of the sticks hitting the drums. Bass guitar, prominent in "Du Riechst So Gut" and "Laichzeit" is nicely textured and controlled with no boominess in the upper bass and mid-bass. Sehnsucht had its clarity and dynamics reduced a bit, and I consider it to be the minimum of acceptable quality for this genre. Unfortunately, all their post-millennium albums, particularly their latest one, are victims of the loudness wars-- a thick and heavy overall sound with muddy riffs, indistinct cymbals, no dynamics. But find some well recorded metal music, and you'll have a head-banging, foot-stamping good time with these phones.

The HD555s outstandingly render Daft Punk's "Voyager"-- great resolution and tight bassline. And at 2:40 when the bass comes in again with the harp, they immerse me in a full-bodied mid-range ambience from the front and sides. The timing of the quick and deep bass in "Too Long" at the 5:08 mark is cohesive with the mid and high frequencies, with the tearing/ripping sound effects playing about a foot in front of me.

Finally, these cans shine with live recordings. A fine example is Yanni's Live at the Acropolis. The dynamic fanfare in "Santorini" is simply theatrical, and the huge crescendo of the horns and cymbal crash at 1:19 swallows me up like a big wave. There is excellent separation of the orchestral parts, and the finale that starts at 5:00 becomes a pure emotional event. The piano performance in "Until the Last Moment" is intimate and buttery smooth, with the string arrangements extended out to the desk in front of me. Violin performance is wonderfully expressive in "Within Attraction", showcasing excellent reverberation width inside the theater and very impressive transient response during the dueling violins section.

That all being said, the HD555 is a superb partner for a wide variety of genres and allows you to rediscover your music collection.

These Sennheiser 555s are indeed audiophile grade headphones. I turn the bass on my stereo up a bit on my Rotel Stereo with Dali floor standing speakers and like it like that. (The 555 & 280s to me outperform the wonderful Dalis - these headphones then are a relatively low cost way to high end audiophile sound). However, to me the bass on these headphones slightly overshadowes the rest of the sound spectrum. In other words, for my taste the bass is a bit too heavy. Although not muddy, the lower mid bass was at a level that I would ordinarily want it when drunk listening to Fleetwood Mac at full volume but not ideal for everyday listening. The bass is on the 555s is apparently optimized for young adults and others who ordinarily like their bass nice and extra heavy. The rest of the spectrum is beautiful.

However, the HD280s to me sounded better with great sound throughout the frequency spectrum with full yet proportionally correct bass. Its an apples and oranges thing. If you normally turn your bass way up on your stereo buy the HD 555s, If you turn the bass up so that it sounds nice and full but not overbearing, then buy the HD 228s. The 228s are not too tight by me and I have a large head. You could put them around a bunched up pillow over night if that is a problem. The 555s seem a little lighter and they don't have the annoying coiled stretch cord like the 228s. Both are comfortable and produce great sound with the edge in comfort going to the lighter 228s and the edge in sound going to the cans with the level of bass you prefer.

I've written maybe three reviews online before, and they're all about things I've hated and felt the need to denounce. This will be my first positive review. I've wanted a pair of Sennheiser headphones since I was little and I put them on in an Audio King. They were so comfortable. Unfortunately, if I were to have one complaint about the 555s, it'd be that they could be less tight (although I haven't had them that long, so there may be a way to adjust that).

I write music as a hobby and have an okay set up, but my headphones were not very good. I did get a pair of the Bose Noise Cancelling headphones and although the noise was nearly eliminated, I didn't think the sound quality was much better than the $30 pair of Philips over-ear regular headphones I'd had for years. They weren't as comfortable either. I rarely listen to music through headphones where it isn't silent, except on the street (while walking), which is somewhere I'd prefer not to be hearing-impaired (car noises are important indicators in the city). So for me, noise-cancelling wasn't the right choice. If you want an amazing pair of monitors, these absolutely are just that.

You can feel the music, and I don't mean that in the way you can feel a stereo turned up too loud. It feels like you're there. The first thing I did with these was listen to an arrangement of mine to look for problems I might've missed while using my iPod headphones (I've had to use those while finding a replacement for the Bose, which I sold on eBay for the same price I bought them for!). When the bass drum hits it's clearer and more real than when I played it in my junior high band. Everything is very crisp and clear, and they do block out a little bit of noise.

These headphones are worth every penny. Words can't express the quality of the sound, so you really have to try it out if you're unsure. I think they're getting more comfortable too.