Sennheiser HD 598

The basics

The Sennheiser HD 598 are a timely update of the older Sennheiser HD 595 over-the-ear headphones and come with a nice designer twist. The cream and brown plastic and leather look is off-set by a nice Burl Wood veneer trim that certainly helps these cans stand out from the crowd.

The good

In terms of style and build quality, these have to be some of the best looking and well-built headphones around. From the metal grills of these open-backed cans to the plastic and real leather lining of the headstrap, they’re a joy to wear. The fleece can covers add to the comfort and it’s hard to fault the overall package.

The Sennheiser HD 598 comes with a removable cable. At one end you’ll a 2.5mm audio jack that plugs into the cans with a neat twist-to-lock mechanism, which means it won’t come apart with a simple yank. At the other end is a 6.3mm jack but the package also come with a 3.5mm audio jack converter, for using

At this price range you’d be disappointed if the sound quality wasn’t spot on and we have to admit we’re bowled over with our warm and deep the sounds on the Sennheiser HD 598 create. Neither too bassy or trebley, Sennheiser has taken a nice mid-tone that delivers genuine warmth.

The bad

The Sennheiser HD 598 may have an innovative twist-and-lock cable fitting but the 3 metre cable itself is too long for use on the street, while the audio converter means it’s too large for comfortable pocket stuffing.

The bottom line

For the money, the sound quality is amazing and visually you may want to show them off in the street but the cable and connection make them a little too impractical. If perfect sound pitch in the home is what you’re after then it’s hard to deny the Sennheiser HD 598 appeal