Sennheiser HD555’s
I balk at the term audiophile (much of my music is in lossy 128kbs) but I enjoy a good set of speakers and headphones. Several months ago, Sennheiser was offering a fantastic rebate and I jumped on a pair of Sennheiser HD 555’s, my first foray into (just-barely) premium headphones.
A couple of quick basics you should be familiar with this particular headset as well as all higher end “cans” as they’re called. Many of the mid to high end premium headphones require a headphone amp to power them. The 555’s do not but definitely benefit from the extra juice an amp provides. I’m currently using an ARTcessories HeadAmp4: nothing spectacular but it allows me to connect four headphones to a single audio out and tweak their audio levels independently. For a smoother sound, you can invest in a tube amp that easily surpasses the price of your headphones. The headphones themselves have only one cord coming out of the left ear. The cord terminates in a 1/4″ plug, Sennheiser includes a 1/8″ adapter plug but it seems rather flimsy and puts a lot of stress on your plug. For a little bit more you can invest in corded adapter that should remove any stress and lengthen the life of your headphones.
When I first removed the 555’s I was struck by their weight, they’re a bit more hefty than I was expecting. This heft, fortunately, does not translate when worn and I can wear them for hours without any pain in my head. The second thing I noticed was the incredible velvet texture of the ear and head pads. Coupled with the most glorious cushion I have ever touched, a wide range of adjustable sizes, and the circumaural design and these things are comfortable. These are by no means meant to block outside noise and with the music off, I can hear quite comfortably. Music on and external noises still reach my ears but it is by no means distracting.
Before I discuss the sound, it is worth noting that these are the most expensive headphones I have ever worn. The closest competitor was a Sony studio set for audio monitoring. However, a comparison between the two cannot be performed as the Sony is made for super accurate audio recreation for mixing while the Sennheiser’s just make music a joy to listen to. With that said, wow. I had used Sennheiser PX100’s and HD201’s before this set, both priced around $30 and considered decent for their class and lightyears ahead of any product that comes with certain popular mp3 players. The 555’s blow both of these pairs out of the water. Music is clear across the range, bass is far from overpowering but still carries a strong presence. Highs and mids are distinct and full, nothing shrill here. If you need to, the volume on this pair can be cranked well past comfortable listening range. Most impressive however is the sound stage, the feeling of sitting in a concert hall and watching the music before you. This is where the Sennheiser 555’s shine compared to everything I’ve used previously – music just feels live.
If you’re looking to purchase a premium set of headphones, the 555’s are an excellent option. As you spend more, differences between models grows less and less but the jump from $30 HD201’s or PX100’s is gargantuan and the improvement over stock, white earbuds is unreal. As of publication of this review, the going price is around $89 on Amazon. That price is reasonable for the quality of these headphones but if you’re patient, Senneheiser is likely to reinstate their rebate program sometime in the future – jump on a pair when that happens.
I’m a 19 year-old Telecommunications Arts major at the University of Georgia. I write about film, photography, and technology in addition to sharing ideas, reviews, and materials.
