Introduction
Sennheiser are a well known name in the music industry in terms for high quality, producing mainly headphones and microphones, both for businesses and personal use.
The HD555s are one of Sennheiser's "audiophile" offerings according to the website, sitting between the HD515 ... Read review
Advantages: Great sound quality, comfortable Disadvantages: Long cable, large connector, slight lack of bass
...Introduction ==
Sennheiser are a well known name in the music industry in terms for high quality, producing mainly headphones and microphones, both for businesses and personal use.
The HD555s are one of Sennheiser's "audiophile" offerings according to the website, sitting between the HD515 and the HD595.
Currently selling for £69.99, these are hardly the cheapest headphones, but with so many rave ... ...needed though - why don't Sennheiser offer a shorter cable? The only place to get them pre-made is through audiophile websites, and these sites are hardly cheap - $70 for a cable?
These negative points aside, I was still very much looking forward to trying them out, so I connected them up to my PC...
== Testing ==
To test them, I decided to play 3 very different tracks, from a variety of genres.
Sennheiser are a well known name in the music industry in terms for high quality, producing mainly headphones and microphones, both for businesses and personal use.
The HD555s are one of Sennheiser's "audiophile" offerings according to the website, sitting between the HD515 and the HD595.
Currently selling for £69.99, these are hardly the cheapest headphones, but with so many rave reviews around I decided it was worth at least trying them out.
Features
Most of the headphones specifications go straight over my head, so instead I'll quote the features list:
" * Enjoy music in a completely new way: “Eargonomic acoustic refinement” (E.A.R.) design channels the audio signal directly into your ears * Advanced Duofol diaphragm technology almost eliminates standing waves inside the capsule * Optimized neodymium ferrous magnet systems * Outstanding wearing comfort for long listening sessions * Long life due to easily replaceable parts * Lightweight aluminium voice coils for high efficiency and excellent dynamics * Extremely comfortable velour ear pads * Surround reflector for an extremely spatial sound reproduction"
There are a couple of specification points which I do want to point out though.
The first is the cable length of 3m - I plan on using the HD555s both on the go and in my room, and 3m is quite long...
Second is the fact these are open-ear headphones - this is quite important. Closed ear headphones will let in, and out, far less noise, so if you want something that you can listen to in busy or silent areas (such as on a train or in a library) these are not highly recommended.
The Headphones
The headphones come in a box much larger than them with a clamshell design, with the HD555s right in the middle. The first thing you'll notice is the size; they are quite big, but not huge.
The next thing I noticed was the padding - there is some around both of the ears, and some more just under the headband, and its very, very soft. Like cotton wool. Lovely.
Upon taking them out of the packaging I noticed the size of the cable - it's definitely not short. It's also relatively thick. The connector, by default, is a 6.3mm stereo connector, such as the one you'd find on guitar amps. While a 3.5mm adapter is supplied along with the headphones, this pushes the total length of the connector up to well over 5cm. Not a problem for a computer, but very awkward for on the go.
It isn't possible to buy a new, shorter cable from Sennheiser, although they do have instructions on how to remove the cable. If you, or someone you know, is good at soldering, producing a new cable shouldn't be too hard (the headphone end of the cable has a special connector so you'd need to cut this off and solder it onto a new wire). This shouldn't be needed though - why don't Sennheiser offer a shorter cable? The only place to get them pre-made is through audiophile websites, and these sites are hardly cheap - $70 for a cable?
These negative points aside, I was still very much looking forward to trying them out, so I connected them up to my PC...
Testing
To test them, I decided to play 3 very different tracks, from a variety of genres.
The first was Beethoven's "Symphony No. 5 In C Minor: 1st Movement".
This quite simply blew me away compared to my PC speakers. The sound quality is amazing, and very crispy - each different instrument can be heard individually, while still blending together. Deep sounds sound rich and powerful, while high sounds avoid being squeaky or tinny.
The second track was something with a bit more baseline punch - Chase & Status's "Call To Prayer", a drum n' bass track.
I was a bit disappointed with this track - while the sound quality was excellent, as with the first song, there seemed to be a lot of bass simply missing. However, after playing with my EQ and upping the bass on that slightly, results were a lot better. While bass isn't extremely punchy, its definitely there, and sounds great. The main thing you notice when listening to the HD555s is their excellent sound reproduction - you really can hear every different part of the music, rather than just the end result.
The final track I listened to was something I'd listen to a bit more regularly; Static -X, "Cannibal" - heavy metal.
Setting my EQ to Rock, I quickly found myself nodding along. Bass was again slightly lacked a bit of punch, but quality was very good again.
My Opinions
Having owned these headphones for about 6 months, I feel I'm in a good position to point out both the good points and the bad points.
The good: Sound quality is extremely good, and they are very comfortable. A plus to the open ear design is that your ears don't get as sweaty as with some other headphones I've used. They are very durable, although I wouldn't like to stand on them!
The bad: Cable length essentially rules out using them on the go - there is simply too much spare cable, plus the connector gets in the way. A replacement cable from Sennheiser would be awesome, but I wouldn't expect to find one anywhere. The bass is slightly lacking, but adjusts well with the EQ. Open ear design means you can hear a lot of what goes on around you.
These headphones are definitely worth a look if your into music without wanting huge amounts of bass, or for watching movies/general usage. If you do want lots of bass, take a look at Sony's X-Bass MDR-XB700, available for the same price.
Advantages: plays well and has a 2 year warranty Disadvantages: maybe uncomfortable to some users
...until i came across the Sennheiser HD 555 which moved me and i decided to make a try with it. This headphones which were not so cheap could provide me exactly with the sound quality i was dreaming for a longtime. This headphone is punchy in the bottom-end and slightly rolled-off extensions in the uppermost highs. You can use it basically with any MP3 play, iPods, computers and portable CD players and its light weight and has a 8.5 oz. It has this ... ...hear from the music that comes out of it is perfect that you feel you are present in the studio for the production of the music. It was built basically on Sennheiser quality and has a longer lifespan and warranty from manufactuer. I keep cherishing my lovely Sennheiser HD 555 ...
kanye1977 10.01.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Sennheiser HD 555
Advantages: V-comfortable. Sound is Lively, strong, lean & deep. Good highs & lows... Disadvantages: They need time to wear-in to help the sound luster a bit more...
...I have a pair of Sennheiser HD 457's at £26.99 RRP (25 - 21000 Hz) and even though they are approx. 5 years old I initially found that that the differences weren't as substantial as I would have hoped. I expected them to be three leagues apart from each other because you are expected to pay about three times as much for the HD 555's... To be honest they lacked a vital bit of luster that, for me, would justify a £99.00 price tag. Maybe I expected ... ...BIT OF BRILLIANCE..!)
Now, with that said, after living with them for a couple of months my opinion has changed. As they have worn-in* over the past couple of months they have improved. Initially i felt that they could only deliver lean bass but as they have worn-in the bass has got - how shall i put it... - Juicier and more rounded. Overall, after 3 months, the general sound from the headphones has improved to feel deeper, stronger but still quite ...
another_opinion 09.12.2007 (02.04.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Sennheiser HD 555
Advantages: superb sound quality with a elegane that is hard matched Disadvantages: none at all
One word . Superb these headphones are worth twice what i payed they are very high end,giving of the same awesome sound experience as my 1000 watt surround sound .There truely a brilliant buy. these headphones are cussioned and they are a shame to take off becasue of there extreme comfort .they are very light and give a ermmersive sound experience.I do nothing but reccommend this brilliant product. these headphones have one thing over most other ... ...which makes for a ultimate surround experience and when your watching a film in hd with these babies it feels like you behind the camera right there with them. i give these headphones 5 star i havnt found a fault yet and i have had them for 2 months . brilliant buy go get some you wont regret it !!!!!!!! ...
sam103329 04.08.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Sennheiser HD 555
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Advantages: Clear lively sound, lightweight, comfortable. Disadvantages: Bad for deep bassy tracks.
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I think the sound quality is good for the price. Clear mid-range with adequate high range. They do not deliver full and rounded bass, they are happier delivering lean punchy bass. For Rock and Pop they work very well. Excellent for Electronica, Dance & Funk music with a lively bass guitar on Funk tracks. They work well with Jazz too. However, for R&B, Reggae - genres renown for deep base - they are not perfect. You will not hear some of the music unfortunately. I only know this because i have a high-end pair (SennheiserHD555's) with a wider frequency range that pick up on more of the low frequencies that provide ambiance and depth and feeling to ...
another_opinion 09.12.2007
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