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

Features of the HD600 include a sophisticated design, elegantly finished in black and gray with high-quality open metal-mesh earpiece covers for an extremely transparent sound. Computer-optimized magnet systems minimize harmonic and intermodulation distortion, while extremely lightweight aluminum voice coils ensure excellent transient response. Neodymium ferrous magnet systems ensure optimum sensitivity and an excellent dynamic response. The result is an exceptionally natural, spatial, and accurate sound.

The HD600 comes with a 3-meter detachable, dual-sided oxygen-free copper cable with very low handling noise, and a 0.125-inch stereo minijack plug with a 0.25-inch stereo jack plug adapter.

Sennheiser headphones come with a two-year warranty on parts and labor.

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.

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.


The Best Dynamic Headphone in the World   October 5, 2000
 62 out of 77 found this review helpful

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.


Pricey, well-made, not for everyone   February 23, 2002
 31 out of 47 found this review helpful

These are excellent audiophile headphones, no doubt about it. Their reproduction of sound is superior, and there is no attempt to render the sound excessively bass-y or to otherwise alter/distort whatever signal the source happens to deliver. This actually is a mixed blessing, since many contemporary listeners now seem to expect a exaggeratedly bass-heavy sound from their headphones.

These are gorgeously made, high quality 'phones, but they are not for everyone. The potential drawbacks to using these headphones are several. First, the HD600 does such a fine job of amplifying input that it will render all the clearer any flaws in the audio system to which it is hooked up. Consequently, using these with a very cheap overall sound system can actually backfire. Second, the impedance associated with these 'phones is very high, so they will not produce much volume when used directly with a portable cd or md player. You NEED to use a headphone amplifier with any portable or other low-output device. Third, the design of these headphones is of the "open" variety. This helps in their superior sound reproduction, but it also means that if you are in a crowded room listening to music, everyone around you will know just what you are listening to and may not be as pleased with the experience as you are. If you need isolation, you are better off buying either "closed" headphones or else, even better, some first-rate (ear) canal phones such as the Etymotic ER-4's.

Finally, as has already been pointed out, these headphones are quite luxuriant in their on-ear padding, but as a result they can become uncomfortably hot or itchy to wear.

With those caveats in mind, these are still among the best stereo headphones currently made, and if you understand beforehand just what to expect with the HD600's, you will surely enjoy them.


Could this be a pair of electrostatics?   June 21, 2000
 29 out of 33 found this review helpful

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.


The King   April 27, 2006
 27 out of 33 found this review helpful

Well, if you're here, then you probably know what you're looking at. If not, let me explain.

The HD600 was introduced by Sennheiser as the replacement for their highly acclaimed HD580. It was essentially the HD580 Jubilee edition, but re-dressed and re-badged. As such, it shares nearly everything with the HD580 Jubilee, and shares it's drivers with the HD580. The HD600 has been on Stereophile's A list for ages, and hasn't budged despite passing years and many new models from competitors. It has also been the golden standard for neutrality and accuracy in recording studios worldwide.

What does the HD600 sound like? Quite simply, it sounds much like the components that you have upstream, but with more weight and body to the sound. The HD600 is uncolored enough that every change in your signal path results in a different sound signature. You hear exactly how your CD player sounds, how your amp sounds, how your cables sound (yes, I know this statement disqualifies me with the audio cynics... well, so be it). In my experience with hi-fi and more specifically headphone hi-fi, I've yet to find another headphone that sounds so neutral, so very "right" with everything that I throw at it.

It is detailed, but presents detail in a relaxed manner. It is very airy and open but doesn't sound thin. It has a strong bass but it's quite clear and well defined. It has a melodic midrange but it's clean and articulate. It has exactly the right tone and tembre on every instrument. And it does it all in a very coherent, integrated fashion. Everything is part of a greater sonic whole, and works together in a coherent fashion to recreate beautiful music. Most prominently, it has a sense of weight and solidity to every sound that is very much speaker-like. I have heard this kind of solidity in other headphones, but in many cases it has worked detrimentally to the music. In this case, it adds a sense of magical realism that's hard to find elsewhere.

You probably are aware that this headphone needs an amp. That's definitely true. Don't connect it to an mp3 player expecting it to sing, because it won't. A dedicated headphone amplifier is a must. I will also go further than that and say that a dedicated hi-fi source is a must, since this headphone does, once again, sound like it's upstream components.

Here's what I suggest for building a good headphone rig around the HD600:

Start with an inexpensive source with an optical line-out. A cheap Sony D-NE920 will do quite well, or any other PCDP with an optical line-out. Next, get a standalone DAC, either a portable battery powered model like a Headroom MicroDAC (amazing little product) or a full-size jitter-immune DAC like the Benchmark DAC1. Next, if you're going the portable route, get a good portable amp - I use the Ray Samuels Hornet currently, and it's a killer piece of amplification. If you're going with a stationary home DAC, then make sure that it has balanced outputs, and get a true balanced amplifier (Headamp GS-X is a good model, as is the Heardoom Max Balanced, or perhaps a cheaper but still excellent SFT-build balanced M^3). Finish it off with a decent set of IC's (Grover Ultimate Reference is a great inexpensive cable), and replace the dinky cable that came with your HD600's (I like the Moon Audio cables myself). You'll need an XLR-terminated cable for your balanced amp. You can throw in power conditioning if you believe in that sort of thing, but it's really up to you. Lastly, throw on your favorite recording, relax, and enjoy. For this is what the HD600 will do - relax and let the music flow.

I've heard some very serious phones - the Sennheiser Orpheus, Sony MDR-R10, Sony Qualia 010, together with countless less-expensive phones. Properly amped and properly driven, the HD600 can play with the best of them. It's a real steal at the price, but make sure to pair it with quality gear.

****

Let me address some previous reviews.

To the gentleman who claimed that this sounds muddy next to Stax headphones - I agree. Stax headphones really are unique in terms of clarity, but since they're electrostatic, this is to be expected. However, driven balanced, the HD600 can come close to this sort of clarity, and will be more realistic in terms of tembre and texture. I prefer it in some ways over the SR-007, and I own the SR-404 myself, so I'm no stranger to Stax.

To the reviewer below who claims that the A900 and MDR-V7506 are better phones: I suggest you get your facts straight. The HD600 is used nearly as much as the V7506 in the studio. I also happen to own the A900, and I honestly cannot say that it sounds just as natural as the HD600. It has an upper-midrange honky coloration that is distinctly artificial. Having played piano for 13 years, I know how the instrument is supposed to sound, and the HD600 is it. The A900 isn't. But, I will agree with you, to some extent, when it comes to the HD650. This latter phone is voiced rather differently from the HD600, and does sound colored to my ears.