Sennheiser HD 598 Cs Around-Ear Closed Back Headphones - Black

Bought with my own cash money.Update II --- 06/01/17 ---Still love these headphones. Fully burned in and running through my Schiit Magni 2 they still sound glorious.I've noticed a lot of comments regarding noise cancelling. Please be advised that these are not (I repeat not!) noise cancelling headphones. They appear to have been mistakenly listed under noise cancelling headphones. What they are is in fact Noise 'Isolating' headphones which is Sennheisers (and others) fancy way of saying closed back headphones - and perhaps to distinguish from the open backed original 598 line.Anyone needing noise cancelling headphones should look elsewhere either at Sennheisers Momentum Wireless or PXC 550 (Wireless - reviewed) or PXC 450 (wired) or to Bose QC 25 (wired) or QC35 (wireless - reviewed) as the 598cs will not offer anything but 'passive' (i.e. Closed back) isolation.With that cleared up these are a great sounding pair of closed back headphones that have been unfairly castigated for having been both mistakenly listed (not by Sennheiser) as noise cancelling headphones and for the fact that they share a product number to an open backed classic in the original 598. They therefore shouldn't be compared against the original 598 as open vs closed is never a fair fight. They are simply a closed back option in the vein of the original 598 that are highly efficient and don't need an amp to sound fantastic.I'm at a loss to explain the negative reviews as in my opinion these are a great option for closed back home listening either through an amp or smartphone. If you're able to go for open backed headphones then the 598/600/650 will give you extra nuances of detail but they're more expensive and you will also need a decent amp to get the best out of them (and then you enter the costly realm of amp matching!) so for 145 smackeroos these offer an efficient cost effective route to decent sound. They work for me (so much so that I sold my £700 Audeze EL8 Titaniums) as they weren't getting any use!).Update I --- 2/12/16 ---Seems like there's a lot of differing experiences of these headphones since my original review so I thought I'd update my review.I've been using these solidly since I bought them and thankfully my views have still not changed. For the current price (£145 at the time of update) you still get a very very good headphone.Sure it shares a model number with a popular open backed option from the same company which has attracted some criticism but I can't use open backs so I for one am glad Sennheiser made a closed back option.But that's exactly what it is - an option. A highly efficient closed back option of a widely regarded headphone with a choice of cables and a slight bass bump. What's not to like? What you lose in soundstage you gain in isolation and portability from not being tethered to an amp (I personally wouldn't use these for commuting as the comfortable light clamp which works great at home tends to cause the cans to slide about when out and about).Those seeking a true Audiophile grade open headphone should head straight for the HD600/650 line but they will need an equally decent amp to get the best out of them.I personally don't hear these as even slightly muddy or veiled that some have mentioned in their reviews. But it's all subjective so audition them for yourself to see if they work for your intended use as we all respond to things differently.They worked for me at £89 and they still cut it at £145. YMMV.Original review ---Heard nothing about these until I saw them on the current deal (£89 at the time of writing) and all I can say is wow!Now you don't come across a lot of wow moments in this hobby that cost so little so you gotta hold on to them when you can to keep the headphone love going through bigger more expensive (mostly less wow-y!) purchases.So let me say straight off the bat these are a killer bargain at this price and still a great headphone at full price which is hardly ever the case!So first things first - In the box you get the cans and two cables. That's it. Simple packaging it may well be but it's done well and I'm glad it's sparse as it means the money goes where it's most needed - the sound.Now if you're aware of the original 598 (cream) then this has some of the same characteristics as that much lauded headphone aswell as some welcome additions.Firstly - it has a 1.2m (1-button) cable as well as the stock 3m cable which is great as usually you had to buy the shorter cable separately so it's a welcome addition.Secondly - it's 23ohms so it doesn't need to be powered by an amp and has fantastic volume levels and clarity and punch straight from my iPhone 6s (It scales well with an amp but it's not a night and day difference).Thirdly - its a Closed Back so it has a bit more bass than the notoriously bass shy 598. Not tremendous amounts (a la B&W P7 Wireless / Wired - check my review) but it's enough for me and I love bass. Plus it's perfectly in keeping with the rest of the sound signature.And it's a sound signature that sounds great. Phenomenal even. A nice clean evenly balanced sound signature across the board. Not neutral exactly but superbly balanced within its own soundscape. The Mid-range as you would expect with Sennheiser is clean and even and detailed. The treble sounds slightly rolled off to these ears. Pleasantly so - very smooth not even a hint of the sibilance that plagued my £400 HD630VB.For a closed back set these have quite a wide soundstage with great separation. Admittedly not as widescreen as the 598 but it's an open can so it's a no-brainer but the 598Cs are definitely no slouch and give some much needed breathing room to heavier passages of music.Plus they're light and comfy as hell so you're gonna reach for these time and again. I know I have been!The ear cups may be roomy but their profile on the head isn't so they're not too spacemaney. Personally I'm not a big fan of the suedetype material on the outer cups but Sennheiser loves to go all 70's with the 598 from time to time so it's not a deal breaker.The soft shell ear pads are soft and more importantly flat so there's no creakage from any of my glasses (the HD600 & 650 whilst technically better sounding are awful for glasses creak).My only issue is the 3.5 jack on the 1.2 m cable. It's somewhat slimline but not overly so and it's not stepped so it doesn't fit through the same phone case that the momentums or the 630VB have no trouble with which is a shame. Not a wow killer by any stretch of the imagination buts it's definitely worth noting.So other than that these are the bargain of the year for me (considering I just spent £700 on some Audeze EL8 titaniums - also reviewed!) and have brought a much needed audio smile to my wallet!Seriously for this price these are definitely worth an audition. I think you'll be impressed.Hope some of this helps.Stew

First off the bat, I bought these headphones in this years Black Friday Week (2016) for £89. To be honest, I would happily pay full price for these headphones. I have been an avid user of Sennheiser for 11 years, starting off using the HD202s, then slowly progressing up, thinking the HD429s were the best I had ever used. Well I was right until I bought these beauties! The only way to describe them is like when you eat that perfect chip. It's nice and fluffy and hot on the inside, and deliciously crispy on the outside. No these headphones aren't crispy but the quality is very crisp and luscious! Here are some points I would like to make as to why I love these headphones so much compared to other Sennheiser Models.1. The sound quality is superb. It's like something you would get from a set of Bose headphones, it completely blows the likes of Beats out of the water. The bass isn't heavy which I like. Instead it compliments the other frequencies which means the quality on both modern and classical music is intricate. They're definitely worth the full price and worth investing in if, like me, you are in to sound design.2. Removable cables. This feature I find particularly handy. In the package is included a long 3.5mm to 6mm jack for all those in to sound and music design etc. But it also comes with a shorter 3.5mm jack cable for those who want to also use them for going out and about, and includes a microphone for all of those who play music from their phones. Not a feature I would use as I use my iPod but there we go.3. They are super light. Really you can find a lot of headphones these days, even cheaper Sennheiser models that are a little heavy and they become uncomfortable after a while of use. Particularly if, like me, you have a large head. These headphones are so light and comfortable you can kind of forget you are wearing them. And they are not too tight for those of us with fat heads! So as well as getting a rich and beautiful sound to tickle your earbuds (not a real concept I know), you get to enjoy that without discomfort on your ears and your head. I had that slight problem with the 202s. They are also rather stylish!4. They are noise cancelling. And believe me, they are. I live with 3 girls, all of them drama students and all of them loving to sing. So you can imagine my flat is very loud and chaotic and beautifully mad! Well these headphones cancel a lot of that out. Seriously, they do. One flatmate was singing at full projection in the same room as me while I was listening to Concerning Hobbits by the talented Howard Shore. I tell you this, I could hear every note perfectly. Maybe on the odd occasion I caught a bit of sound from my flatmate as she belted the top notes of her song but honestly, these headphones perfectly cut her out enough for me to be able to listen to my favourite music without interruption.So to summarise, would I recommend these to a friend? YES!! 100% yes! They might seem expensive, but for what you get, it is way worth it! You won't be disappointed!NOTE:I had been using these headphones for 8hours non stop to break them in, so don't expect the quality to be at it's best straight off the bat. However I can say the quality when you first start listening is something to admire from Sennheiser.