Sennheiser HD600 Over-Ear Open Dynamic Hi-Fi Professional Stereo Headphones (Black)

Other products by Sennheiser

Product Details

Data Sheet [257kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 0.4 x 0.4 x 0.4 inches ; 9.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004SY4H
• Item model number: HD600
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: May 16, 2000

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Sennheiser seals its reputation as the classiest name in headphones with the stunning HD600, a stylish and high-tech headphone that's exquisitely pleasing to listen to and nearly as pleasing to wear. A near-perfect mating of art and science, the HD600 uses an open, over-ear design to eliminate unwanted resonances and optimally position its large, dynamic drivers just outside your ears--so they work more like miniature speakers than traditional in-ear or against-ear drivers.

Granted, all this comes at a pretty hefty price for a headphone. But the lightweight HD600 represents one hefty value. It so far outshines other headphones in sound quality, build quality, and comfort that despite its price it's still a strong value.

Of course, with a headphone like this and a name like Sennheiser, it's the sound you're really after. With stand-alone loudspeakers, the goal is generally to provide balanced sound across as much of the audible sound spectrum as possible (roughly 20 to 20,000 Hz). High-frequency reproduction is easier than low, simply because low-frequency reproduction requires a speaker to move so much air. Speakers capable of rendering deep bass usually use large speaker cones--8 inches or more in diameter--to help move the necessary volume of air.

Headphones, of course, are restricted in the sizes of the drivers they can use. Being so much closer to your ears, the amount of air they need to move to convey bass frequencies is much smaller, but still a challenge for what are basically tiny speaker cones. And anyone who's listened to a lot of headphones can tell you, there's almost always a tradeoff in what a headphone driver is capable of. Some produce balanced overall sound with little in the way of bass; others aim for bass at the expense of natural-sounding midrange and coloration-free treble.

The Sennheiser HD600, we're here to tell you, manages--through its extremely high-grade parts and exquisite engineering--to bring home truly full-range sound with remarkable timbral balance. Rich, deep, effortless bass grounds the listening experience while the headphone's airy midrange and treble help render everything from acoustic bass to soprano saxophone and electric guitars with a haunting degree of realism.

The HD600 doesn't offer the lush midrange favored by tube-amplifier enthusiasts--tube fans may find the headphone somewhat bright and maybe even strident in tone. But the rest of us will revel in the expanse of crystalline detail and snare-snappy dynamics.

The exceptionally natural quality of the HD600's overall sound bears reiteration, since so many headphones with "fat" or even "slamming" bass response deliver the low-end goods with a degree of emphasis that, while pleasing to bass aficionados, grossly distorts the frequency balance, limiting the range of music and recordings that will sound good on those headphones.

How does Sennheiser do it? Through computer-optimized magnets--critical to driver operation--that minimize harmonic and intermodulation distortion, granting the HD600 its uncanny clarity and spaciousness. Furthermore, the headphone's advanced diaphragm design eliminates standing waves in the diaphragm material, preventing unwanted emphasis at otherwise resonant frequencies.

As good as this headphone is, however, we don't recommend it to those seeking a stellar headphone for portable use. While this unit is capable of amazing sound, its best performance requires more amplifier power than most portable devices can muster. The HD600 owes its strength in part to its large drivers, which just can't be moved as easily as those in smaller headphones.

Furthermore, the HD600's open-ear design means that sounds pass easily into and out of these headphones, which would in all likelihood prove irritating to you and to those around you in libraries, on buses, and even at the office. These are only our suggestions, however; the fact is your MP3s will probably never sound better than when you're playing them over this headset.

We'll just leave you with one last suggestion, then: if you're after the best-sounding, most comfortable audiophile headphones you can buy at anything resembling a real-world price, look no further than Sennheiser's HD600. --Michael Mikesell

Pros:

• Natural timbral balance
• Extremely detailed presentation
• Excellent bass extension
• Produces a spacious, wider-than-your-head soundstage
• Terrifically comfortable

Cons:

• Slightly bright treble for some tastes

Product Description

The HD 600 is an audiophile quality open dynamic hi-fi/professional stereo headphone. The advanced diaphragm design eliminates standing waves in the diaphragm material. The HD 600 can be connected directly to hi-fi systems of the highest quality, in particular DAT, DCC and CD players. This headphone is an ideal choice for the professional recording engineer recording classical music.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Could this be a pair of electrostatics?, June 21, 2000

By A Customer

One of the opuses in the stable of Senheisser's line of headphones was their Orpheus electrostatic headphones that came with an out-of-this-world partnering tube driven amplifier/energiser with an onboard D/A convertor. It came with a nice asking price as well and quantities were limited to say the least. The good news for those who crave the transparency and response of the forementioned electostats, you can. Well almost, with the new HD600s from Sennheiser which was introduced as an improved version of HD580s. Wrong, the HD600s are not just an improvement, they represent a massive leap over the HD580s. This is not to say the HD580s are bad. They're not. But compared to them, the HD600s outdo the former in every department. The upper frequencies have even more air and energy. Large scale orchestras are presented with greater delicacy and precision. Long term wear with the Senheissers are a pleasure. There's non of the usual hot ear syndrome and the headphones can be worn for extended periods of time. There is very little that that the HD600s will miss in the program material presented. If anything can be faulted about the HD600 is that it may actually reveal the inadequecies of the recorded material. Especially if it is a vintage or historical recording. The HD600 also requires a high quality headphone amp if you're to exploit it to the fullest. Better if you can obtain a dedicated headphone amplifier. If you're in the market for a pair of high quality dynamic headphones you can't really go wrong with the HD600s.

86 of 94 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible value!, March 3, 2001

By	Bluejack (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

How can four hundred dollar headphones be a good value?

Consider it this way: Let's call a CD 10 dollars. Let's say you get a certain amount of pleasure from a new CD: new sounds, new music, a new experience to last you a few weeks before it gradually inches its way into the dusty corners of your collection.

Now, let's say you have about 100 CDs.

These headphones are now worth about ... because you have never heard any of those CDs before. These are headphones that revolutionize all the music YOU ALREADY OWN!

But be warned: remember how when CDs first came out there were all those pretentious warnings about how the superior quality of the recording may expose flaws in the master that you could never make out before? I always thought there might be some audiophile somewhere who could hear some "flaw".

But with these headphones you can hear a good studio from a cheap one. I can hear the buzz of unshielded electronics in the second rate studio on some indy cds. Some of my beautiful old classical music suddenly sounds muffled and dead, flattened by an unflattering production job that my speakers could not convey.

The clarity is unreal. Guitar strings are made of gold and they ring clear as crystal; layers of techno pile atop each other in multicolor, multidimensional textures that knock you breathless; the exotic reverberant groan of a cello solo that you have heard a thousand times will bring tears to your cheeks.

And all of this at a fraction of the volume you might play music on your speakers with: these headphones are brilliant and clear and perfect at low volumes. Given their open air construction these things may well preserve your hearing for an additional decade.

I cannot recommend these highly enough.

71 of 79 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Dynamic Headphone in the World, October 5, 2000

By	Chad A. Lauterbach "chadl2" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is the best dynamic headphone in the world, and is rivalved only by the Grado RS-1 headphone. Many studio engineers and audiophile's use these as their REFERENCE headphone...they are a steal for such a high quality headphone. The Grado RS-1 [costs more], and is definately less comfortable than the Sennheisers. These headphones have an extremely detailed, open, airy sound, that nears electrostatic sound. They are also unique in that they suit all types of music very well, they have great punch for rock music, but can perform clasical pieces with all the fullness and detail they were designed.

It should be noted these headphone have an impedance of 300 ohms. Most headphone are 16-32 ohms. What this means is to get the full potential out of them you will need some type of amplifier. Headphone.com offers a couple inexpensive sollutions to this problem, as does audioadvisor.com. Althought they are not true audiophile components, they will greatly enhance your experience with these headphones. If you are planning on travelling with them, you can almost bet you won't be content with their sound when powered only by a portable CD player. I use a Audio Valve RKV Mark II Headphone Amplifier at home, and the headphone.com Airhead on the road. Buy these headphones if you are looking for true audiophile sound, or just the best dynamic headphone, but be aware of their limitations without am amplifier.