#Lightweight

[sennheiserhd598csreview]

Sennheiser HD 598cs review

With over 70 years in the sound sector, Sennheiser has styled yet another fabulous product: the Sennheiser HD 598 CS. Don’t just let the plastic construction fool you, these types of cans continue to manage to feel premium. Lush padding and even weight distribution through the expandable headband makes these extraordinarily pleasant. If you appreciate getting a feeling of spatial understanding in tracks, then the Sennheiser HD 598 CS could be the last set of closed-back cans you’ll ever need to buy. Who are the Sennheiser HD 598 CS for? Music addicts who desire incredibly convenient headphones that offer a somewhat flat frequency response without spending too much. Listeners with a decent budget. Even so, for under $150, consumers are afforded an immersive audio that’s unparalleled by various closed-back hi-fi headphones. Sennheiser HD 598 CS review: The headphones leaning against a cappuccino on a light-colored wood table. Sennheiser’s circumaural HD 598 CS easily isolate the listener from ambient noise. Side note: Anyone who would wear glasses will really enjoy the comfort that the ear pads provide. The cushioning appropriately offers way to spectacles arms without composing on sound isolation. What’s Inside Inside are 2 cable options: a 3-meter cable with a 6.5mm jack and a 1.2-meter cable with a one-button mic/remote and 3.5mm jack. Sennheiser also offers listeners with a two-year limited warrantee on the off-chance that cables fray or a driver fails. Build & Design The German-based organization opted for lightweight plastic as opposed to weightier superior components for the headphones—something those about to begin with a multi-hour listening period are going to enjoy. Granted the ear cup size, folding hinges or the capability to rotate the ear cups to be entirely flat could have been an excellent add-on, but at least the Sennheiser HD 598 CS fit for noggins of all sizes and shapes. The headband expands ~2 inches width and each ear cup rotates vertically at the yoke. What’s more, the spacious over-ear design permits a lot of move about room. Sennheiser HD 598 CS review: A close-up of the inside of the headband on a coffee cup saucer. Although the headband expands a good 2 inches width, it lacks the capability to fold over for storage or travelling. Additionally, the deep-black leatherette ear pads gain a suede texture which matches the ear cup exterior and exudes class. This looks great but conveniently accumulates difficult-to-remove dust. However, the man-made material should please people that have an aversion to animal-derived products. On the headband, the leatherette padding more close up resembles the real deal as well as remains equally as relaxed as the ear pads. Although the padding makes these convenient for long listening sessions, when the HD 598 CS have been worn out for three or four hours time, the crown of the head is the first evident pressure point. Gradual discomfort accumulation is nearly imperceptible… until it’s alarmingly totally obvious. Now, the pressure won’t induce a migraine or even an longer headache; nonetheless, it’s still irritating. If possible, listeners needs to remove the headphones every three hours, tops, to avoid this. Sennheiser HD 598 CS review: A close-up of the in-line mic with a blurred out and about cappuccino in the background. The in-line microphone of the Sennheiser Hi-def 598 CS is located on the back of the multi-function module on the 1.2-meter cable. Moving because of the cable, one end discontinues at 3.5mm—what most consumers are recognizable with—but the other ends in a 2.5mm salvador. This side is outfitted with an L-shaped divot, which acts simply because a locking mechanism, to prevent stunning ejections. Both cables feature this components. Sound isolation Combining a closed-back model with sound-dampening ear pads is a powerful way to passively isolate the listener from normal noise without the fuss and battery drainage that plagues active noise-cancelling headphones. Efficiency of the Sennheiser HD 598 CS is impressive. Although, there’s often room for improvement. For case in point, filtering out the rustle of anxious undergrads shuffling newspapers in the library commons is an easy activity for the headphones; noisy coffee shops, however, are an entirely totally different beast. Sennheiser HD 698 CS review: a close up of the left ear cup of the headsets. The 2.5mm headphone jack on the Sennheiser High definition 598 CS headphones features an fragile locking mechanism to keep the cable it is in place. The headphones still outperform something like the JBL E55BT, but even a normal conversation that’s 5ft away manages to permeate the HD 598 CS sound barrier with ease. Coffee shop vagabonds will likely benefit more from a pair of in-ears with Comply memory foam ear tips. In all fairness, the HD 598 CS still hold up exceptionally well, but there are better options if isolation is a top priority. Sennheiser’s E.A.R. technology: What is it? Listeners of the Sennheiser HD 598 CS—and all Sennheiser HD 500 series cans—benefit from the company’s Ergonomic Acoustic Refinement (E.A.R.). Aside from being on par with Dad-joke puns, E.A.R. means that each transducer is positioned to channel audio directly into the ear canal. This arrangement allows for a greater soundstage—or perceived sense of spatial awareness. While it’s a branded feature, angled drivers are more common on higher-end headphones than you might think. Connectivity A close up of the Sennheiser HD 598 CS 2.5mm end of the cable on a cappuccino cup. Sennheiser HD 598 CS review: The locking mechanism helps prevent inadvertent ejections. The Sennheiser HD 598 CS are wired-only, so there’s no Bluetooth codec compatibility to worry about. Both cables are straight-jacks with ample stress relief. Plus, with a low impedance of 23Ω (TKTK): listeners can forgo purchasing an amp, making the HD 598 CS evermore portable—despite their lack of folding ability. Sound Quality Overall, the sound of the Sennheiser HD 598 CS tends to highlight the mids, as there’s a bit of a bass rolloff. Vocals receive the most emphasis, in terms of volume, but they also tend to mask other elements of a song. At first listen, the boosted mids help highlight fun parts of your music, but analytical listeners might be dissatisfied. For most listeners, the highs and neutral bass reproduction compensate for the midrange frequencies. Soundstage Sennheiser HD 598 CS review: The headphones in hand with the ear cups showing. Background: coffee shop with wood furnishing. Sennheiser’s E.A.R. designed transducers angle the audio directly into listeners’ ears, creating a greater sense of spatial awareness. First and foremost, the E.A.R. design of the Sennheiser HD 598 CS provides a notably good soundstage for closed-back headphones. The Beyerdynamic Custom Game reproduction of Roma Fade by Andrew Bird can’t hold a candle to what the HD 598 CS offers. Sennheiser's E.A.R. technology drives audio directly into the ear canal, promoting a greater sense of spatial awareness for the listener. The latter brings the violin to life, illustrating depth by creating a distinct separation between the dominant violin and subordinate xylophone. Bird’s vocals sit appropriately between the looped violin and high-pitched whistles. Mids During the verses of I Would Die For You by Miley Cyrus, vocals are relayed clearly; however, the exaggerated lower midrange frequencies mask Cyrus’ vocals in the chorus. This is even more apparent during the primary guitar switches from F to G and then to A-minor. The lower frequency strums make it difficult to perceive the picked notes on the secondary guitar. Though some may view this as a bad thing, the overall emphasis is still clearly reproduced relative to something like the workout-oriented Plantronics BackBeat 500 FIT. Highs and lows BomBom, heard on Macklemore’s sophomore album, is an instrumental-only ballad—save for the twice repeated lyrics, “Uh uh”—that uses a combination of bass, piano, drums, and brass instruments to create an audio triptych. Sennheiser HD 598 CS review: Close up of the headphones and the multi-function button. The multi-function button on the Sennheiser HD 598 CS is useful and allows listeners to easily access their respective virtual assistants. Tambourines enter at 1:47 and are shaken, not hit, to extract a pure treble sound sans percussive attack. While the tambourines shake, a basic four-beat drum pattern kicks in. The two ends of the frequency spectrum complement each other well, due to the Sennheiser HD 598 CS sound engineering. Barely overemphasized, the treble is easily heard without degrading the bass which may sound under emphasized to the consumer ear but is actually an appropriately neutral response. Conclusion If emphasized vocals and treble combined with neutral bass reproduction appeals to you, then the Sennheiser HD 598 CS are a great buy. The soundstage is phenomenal given the closed-back design and sub-$150 price, making each song an open field for auditory exploration. Sennheiser HD 598 CS review: A cappuccino in the bottom-left corner of the image, the trackpad portion of a Microsoft Surface Book in the top-left corner, and the headphones taking up the right section of the image. Though the suede-like material looks and feels great, it takes patience and a good lint roller to remove all the dust it attracts. Though the mids could benefit from added clarity within the midrange spectrum, the sound signature is still pleasing without being completely neutral and analytical. The Sennheiser HD 598 CS serve as a great pair of headphones for listeners who appreciate a more neutral sound compared to bass-heavy alternatives.