If you're looking for premium sound quality and comfort, the Sennheiser HD 599 is an excellent choice. These open-back headphones offer an incredibly wide soundstage with crystal-clear mids, detailed highs, and balanced bass. Whether you're listening to music, watching movies, or gaming, the audio feels immersive and natural.
The comfort on these headphones is outstanding. The velour ear cups are soft and breathable, and the lightweight design makes it easy to wear them for hours without any discomfort. Plus, the adjustable headband ensures a perfect fit.
The open-back design does mean sound leaks out, so these are best suited for quiet environments like home or private offices. However, this design is what gives them such an amazing, spacious soundstage.
Build quality is solid, and the detachable cable is a nice bonus for added convenience. They look sleek and feel durable, living up to Sennheiser's reputation for quality.
Overall, the HD 599 is perfect for anyone who values high-quality audio and comfort. If you're an audiophile or someone who enjoys long listening sessions, these headphones are worth every penny. Highly recommended!
Sennheiser Consumer Audio HD 599 Open Back Headphone, Ivory
4.6 | 9,339 ratings
Price: 96.99
Last update: 01-22-2025
About this item
Premium, around-ear, open back headphones: Audiophile sound combined with premium design and materials
Padded headband and luxurious velour covered ear pads perfect for long listening sessions with no pressure on the ears
Multiple connectivity options: Robust 3 meter detachable cable and 6.3 millimeter jack and additional 1.2 meter detachable cable with 3.5 millimeter Jack
Timeless design cues: Ivory color, matte finish together with the brown headband stitching and matte metallic detail convey quality at first glance
Premium Components: Sennheiser engineered transducers use aluminum voice coils delivering high efficiency, excellent dynamics and extremely low distortion
Connectivity technology: Wired
Power source type: Battery
Padded headband and luxurious velour covered ear pads perfect for long listening sessions with no pressure on the ears
Multiple connectivity options: Robust 3 meter detachable cable and 6.3 millimeter jack and additional 1.2 meter detachable cable with 3.5 millimeter Jack
Timeless design cues: Ivory color, matte finish together with the brown headband stitching and matte metallic detail convey quality at first glance
Premium Components: Sennheiser engineered transducers use aluminum voice coils delivering high efficiency, excellent dynamics and extremely low distortion
Connectivity technology: Wired
Power source type: Battery
Product information
| Noise Control | Sound Isolation |
|---|---|
| Headphones Jack | 3.5 mm Jack |
| Model Name | HD 599 |
| Connectivity Technology | Wired |
| Wireless Communication Technology | Wired |
| Included Components | Cable, Ear Cushions |
| Age Range (Description) | Adult |
| Material | Aluminum, Plastic |
| Specific Uses For Product | Music |
| Cable Feature | Detachable |
| Item Weight | 250 Grams |
| Water Resistance Level | Not Water Resistant |
| Package Type | Standard Packaging |
| Unit Count | 1.0 Count |
| Style | HD 599 |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Cable Length | 3 Meters |
| Is Autographed | No |
| UPC | 615104270992 |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 00615104270992, 04044155207576 |
| Manufacturer | Sennheiser |
| Item Weight | 8.8 ounces |
| ASIN | B01L1IICR2 |
| Item model number | 506831 |
| Batteries | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. |
| Customer Reviews |
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars
(9,337)
4.6 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #185 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics) #6 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | September 14, 2016 |
| Language | English, English, English, English, English |
| Country of Origin | China |
Top reviews from the United States
Ashton_NCGreat quality and nice bass
Brandon KleemanWorth it when on sale
Brandon Kleeman
Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2023
In terms of audio quality the HD599s and the Chu II are my favorite sounding headphones. (If you want less bass and a more sparkly sound get the original Chus or the Zeros. Lofi, classical instruments, and female vocals in particular sounds amazing with them) They are both fairly balanced with a warmer bass. They both have a very different quality of sound thanks to these being an open back headphone and the Chu II’s having more of a passive noise cancelation. I can’t put it into words. Some say open backs sound fuller thanks to their open nature, but that word doesn't hit the spot for me. Needless to say, I find myself switching between both frequently to scratch the itch each of the qualities provide depending on my mood. The HD599s are naturally a harder to run so I have to crank the volume on my phone more, but they are still perfectly drivable without a dedicated DAC/AMP. The Chu II’s start at $20, but if you are cursed with small waxy ear canals, like myself, then you will have to replace the filters fairly frequently (every ~5 days) which would cost me around $4 a month with my average use case. That is a bit of a hassle and a hidden cost that is rarely mentioned. The HD599’s always sound good since they are not subject to the same moist conditions. Can you get competing sound for cheaper if you go the IEM (in ear monitor) route? Yes, but sometimes you just want over the ear headphones for the sake of comfort, lack of hassle, and sharability.
If your not interested in IEMs like the Chu II’s then here is a comparison to the SR850s (the SR860s are basically identical, but have another color way and are usually more expensive). In terms of comfort the HD599’s are far more comfortable out of the box. The pads of the SR850’s touch my ears which felt fine until I experienced better, now I don't care for them and wouldn’t wear them for long periods of time. The HD599’s actually sit around my ears with the inner pads being deep enough that they don’t touch my ears. The ear cups also swivel to conform to my head which also improves the experience. Where things get interesting is if you splurge for after market velour pads for the SR850s which cost an additional ~$20 (I got mine from TRANSTEK). These increase the total cost to around $60 but feel equally comfortable (if not slightly more so) than the HD599s. I haven't seen any aftermarket pads that look as thick and soft for the HD599s yet, but if I do, I will definitely give them a try and update this review.
The sound quality is a matter of preference between the two, I like the warmer and slightly fuller sound of the HD599s and I think the top end sounds slightly more crisp/accurate.
In terms of sound leakage the HD599s are definitely worse. You don't want to use these if you don't want people to listen in to your content. With the SR850s you can tend to avoid people listening in if you’re at a moderate volume. If you are in a noisy house with children then both of these may not be right for you. You would want to look into closed back or IEMs. I personally like open backs because you can still hear the world around you when you’re working. You are not in your personal bubble.
The removable cable is the greatest quality of life feature of the HD599s. It comes with two cables out of the box: a long boi with a chonky 6.3mm jack with a step down adapter to 3.5, and a reasonably sized 3.5mm cable. The SR850s in contrast have a non removable long 3.5mm cable with a step-up 6.3mm adapter. As a result the SR850’s don’t leave my desk and the cables stay cable managed underneath it. The HD599s offer way more flexibility. I use my short cable for around the house listening on my phone, handheld game consoles, and occasionally on my AMP/DAC on my PC while reserving the long cable for watching TV on my sofa or bed.
If you’re looking for solid stationary desk headphones for work and general use with a flat sound get the SR850s with the aftermarket earpads are fantastic for the money and will beat pretty much any “gaming” headphone on the market in terms of sound quality. They also dont have much audio leakage so they may work well in an office setting as you can still hear what is going on around you. If you want convenience buds for daily use that you keep on you 24/7 get the AirPod Pros (the first gen had better connectivity and range but the second gen sound slightly better). If you want great affordable sound (with some maintenance) go the IEM route and snag the Chu’s or Zeros for a flat accurate sound or the Chu II’s for a warmer sound that maintains the accuracy on the top end. If you want excellent open backs that can be driven without an external DAC/AMP that are slightly warm then the HD599s are great.
I don't think I would buy the HD599s at the retail cost of $250 considering the HD600s (the de facto benchmark for over 20 years) often drop down to $300 on sale or $250 in used like-new condition, but at $120 I think they are a fair price for what they offer as a package. They are versatile, comfortable, and accurate enough that you can hear the differences between good and bad mp3 playback and (depending on the file or the quality/accuracy of your hearing) the difference between a FLAC and MP3.
Welcome to audiophile country, open your wallets and enjoy the process of nitpicking sound quality to justify your purchases. I hope you enjoy your descent.
Images in this review
JenGreat set of entry audiophile headphones. Warm, articulate sound and well built
Jen
Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2020
BUILD QUALITY: I would place these in the higher medium build quality. Very typical Sennheiser feel. They are mostly made of plastic but it’s not cheap plastic. There is absolutely no creaking when twisted and manipulated. They have a premium feel. The leatherette headband is comfortable and adds to the sleekness. The velour ear pads are very soft and comfortable. They don’t make my ears hot at all, making long listening sessions a breeze. The long 9’ cord is thick and durable. I love the length because I can sit comfortable on my couch while I listen. It comes with a shorter 3’ cord for listening on my phone around the house. I would not bring these out in public because they’re open back and everyone will be able to hear what you’re listening to. Don’t be that person.
SOUNDSTAGE: I would say the sound stage is medium. Definitely not as wide as some other headphones that I’ve tried such as the Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X, which were TOO big in my opinion, but enough to give the music some space to breathe. They definitely don’t have that closed in soundstage that closed back headphones have where the music feels like it’s right on top of you
AUDIO COMFORT: These are very comfortable to listen to. It has a nice warm delivery that make listening to vinyl especially enjoyable. Some people complained about the boomy bass and I will cover that in the next section but compared the the ATH-AD700X, they’re much warmer and not harsh at all the way the ATs were. Regarding vinyl records, these seem to hide surface noise quite well.
HIGHS/MIDS/LOWS: One thing to note here is that these seem to respond well to EQ. Many people find these headphones to be too bassy, and they’re half right. Out of the box they do seem a bit boomy but a simple bass adjustment on your EQ will resolve that. All songs are mastered with differing levels of highs, mids, and lows and you have to compensate on your end to make it sound the way you want. His is especially true when going from vinyl to digital sound. Some adjustments are going to need to happen.
HIGHS: Highs are articulate without sounding icy.
MID SECTION: Again, clear and articulate.
LOWS: Lows don’t seem to get lost in the bass.
BASS: I am pleased with the amount of bass these produce. I actually would prefer to have a set of headphones like these that have a touch more bass than I want because it’s easier to roll that off on my EQ than to push them to produce more. If the drivers are incapable of it, they just won’t be bassy and it’ll end up muddying up the rest of your sound, sounds I take the more bass as a positive
NOISE ISOLATION: They’re open back so they’re not at all noise canceling or even noise isolating. For this reason I would not recommend using them in public where everyone will be able hear what you’re listening to. These are really designed for at-home listening
FINAL THOUGHTS: These are a great pair of entry level audiophile headphones. I think there’s enough to love here for the price point.
Images in this review
