Sennheiser - HD 505

Thanks! Do you have a budget in mind? Sennheiser has a number of comfortable open-backs that are tuned more on the warm side, such as the HD 505 (though I prefer the more neutral HD 550), HD 650, and HD 650. This is probably a good starting point. Comfort on these is pretty good as well (especially the newer models).

Yeah totally agree with that, but the turtle beach was insanely bad. I have Sennheiser open backs and while the bass isn't anything to write home about, it's not a noticeable thing.

Might wanna look at the sennheiser 505, i think it's pretty new, saw a review saying it's like a more refined tuning of the 560s. Also look at pretty much any of the hd600 series. Ive had the hd650 for years and it's great. Hd6xx is only $210 on amazon, thats a solid deal. Iirc its an hd650 with slightly different colored plastic.

Fiio FF1 (sadly mic doesn't seem to work - possibly OMTP vs CTIA incompatibility I've not looked into it) or Sennheiser HD505 (sometimes I hook up the Fiio QX13 for a better audio experience). I don't really do wireless personally.

I’m not an audiophile by any means but rather a casual gamer looking for a premium pair of headphones. I recently picked up the 505 and I’m really enjoying it. I do wish the bass was a bit more bassier for lack of a better word. Everything else is wonderful.

Hey Ten! Great job on this review. That copper colorway is so sharp looking! I have the 505 as well and I appreciate the analytical sound it gives me. It is right now my favorite headphone for critical listening. I'll go back to the 600 series soon enough but this headphone is just stellar! I get great detail retrieval with it!

Open if you have a quite environment. If not closed. It's impossible to use open backs if you have for example someone watching TV in the same room. Also to get one of each over time is good. I use my openbacks 95% of the time. But when mixing low frequency content I switch, the difference is massive. Also as u mentioned, even if it comes down to brand. Most open backs are more comfortable. Can do severel hours without any problems with my senheisers. But over an hour with my ath M50 is torture. Last input, just for getting s good listening experience closed are much better. (All above is just my personal experience and over time I have learned that its a huge factor chosing equipment)

Nice review! The headphones are indeed "Versatile" as you said. If someone wanted to own just one open back headphone, this would be a great choice. I also really like how the pads are machine washable. Personally, I think the tuning is pretty solid in the sea of headphone tunings, it's better overall than the 560S, even with the mixing pads. It is not as lean or grainy sounding as the 560S. Especially with the Producing Pads. Though, I'm not sure if you agree, do you find the 490 Pro to lack in "air" frequencies? Above 10kHz I mean. I guess when I say "Lack" I mean compared to the 600/650. That is my biggest dislike of the sound. Otherwise, it is good! It is better than the vast majority of non Sennheiser tunings. With that said, the extra price being paid is definitely to consider the improved comfort and build quality. Since in my opinion both the new HD 505 and the HD 550 sound better than the more expensive 490 Pro, same with the HD 600/650. The 490 Pro improves on the 560S flaws, but does not get rid of them entirely. To be fair, the 505, and the 550 are just **good** headphones compared to some things costing thousands, and we know about the 600/650. I like them more than the Audeze LCD-5. I think that is why the 490 Pro hasn't "Made waves" in the community, people don't like the price. And some don't see it as a worthwhile upgrade over something like the 560S, and see it as "Worse" than other Sennheiser options. Also, for people in North America, the HD 6XX exists. Which is just an absolutely ridiculous value. But, ignoring just the sound quality, the 490 Pro is indeed a better overall package than those in my opinion. Jack of all trades, master of none.

Realize that soundstage will be achieved through the spatial DSP of your particular game. There are aspects of headphones that can make them sound more expansive or airy, but you want a linear headphone like the HD560S, HD505, Fiio FT 1 pro and similar. It is these target reference curves that are used by sound engineers so if you want to get close to what was designed in the studio you will be absolutely happy. Best gaming headphones I’ve owned were Hd800 and Utopia but can confidently say the headphones you are looking at are near the best for what you want without breaking the bank. The planar especially will blow your mind. The Sennheiser are also great and comfortable

Hello again fellow headphone enthusiasts! Following up on my first impressions / review on the HD 550 which I posted here literally only yesterday, I have now also received the other fairly fresh new entry to the HD 500 family of headphones – **the HD 505 Copper.** Therefore, I decided to do another first impressions / stream of consciousness kind “review” and comparison between the two as the impressions of the HD 550 are obviously still very fresh and present in my head and in my ears. Here’s the link to the HD 550 review for those of you who haven’t read it and/or are interested in still doing so: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/1kge1ac/sennheiser_hd_550_what_a_delightful_surprise/ Now, first of all, the HD 505 unboxing experience at first glance is a very basic one, even more so than with the HD 550. The cardboard box it comes with is pretty much just that – a normal cardboard box with some sparse information on the product on the side where the box opens. That’s it :) Let’s call it minimalism at its best! Maybe that’s why they are the 20€ cheaper set at launch… Joke aside, the rest of the unboxing is pretty much identical to the HD 550. We get the same black soft pouch, safety instructions, 1.8 meter / 3.5mm cable and the 6.3mm adapter. Taking the headphones out of the pouch reveals the HD 505 which also look strikingly similar to the HD 550 in form, size and shape. The new synthetic leather headband is there, the soft velour earpads as well…you get the idea. It’s pretty much an identical headphone up until this point. The first objective difference (apart from the small difference in price) presents itself in the quite beautiful and stylish copper colorway and accents on and around the headphones which I really like! The combination of black and copper just always works for me and I hereby declare that the HD 505 Copper officially look better, fresher more “exciting” than the HD 550! Luckily, that’s not the only difference between the two, so let’s dive in a bit deeper. On the technical side, the main differences are that the HD 505 has a nominal impedance of only 120 ohms vs. the 150 ohms of the HD 550. It also has an ever so slightly higher sensitivity which in combination means that the HD 505 are even easier to drive than the 550. They will likely work with anything that you throw at them which is always a bonus in my book. With regard to comfort, the HD 505 are equally as comfortable as the HD 550. Both of them have clearly less clamping force out of the box compared to, say, the HD 560S. What else is different here, though? Well, let’s talk about the sound then. I want to quote an official Sennheiser statement that they have posted about this here on reddit as I feel like this pretty much nails it: *“The HD 505 is positioned as an analytical headphone whereas the HD 550 is positioned as a neutral sounding headphone, more balanced with slightly more controlled bass and a wider treble presentation. Over time the HD 505 replaces the 599SE and the HD 550 will replace the HD 599. The HD 505 is very close in tuning to the HD 560S.”* I would concur with the fact that the HD 505 feels incredibly close to the HD 560S with regard to tuning. It is a very balanced affair and a very coherent presentation. It differs from the 560S mainly in that it sounds ever so slightly warmer or fuller and a bit less harsh, imo, which are all welcome changes as the 560S was always a bit on the „almost too harsh“ side of tunings for me. So, the HD 505 is basically what I would call an improved HD 560S with better comfort, better looks and less clamping force. Bass extension is good for an open back headphone but we find a bit less bass quantity compared to the HD 550 here. It’s a very analytical bass performance. There’s just enough of it there and what’s there is also tactile, tight, fast and pretty solid overall. I personally still prefer the bass on the HD 550, though. It’s not a big difference but the HD 550 just has a tad more bass without compromising on bass quality and that’s just close to perfect for my very own tuning preference. Midrange is as excellent as you would expect from a Sennheiser headphone. No complaints there. Again, it sounds a bit richer than the HD 560S which is a good thing. I find it not as lean or dare I say “cold” sounding? That’s how I perceive it at least. So far, I find the midrange to be almost identical to the HD 550 but my listening time has been very short so far, so take that with a pinch of salt and don’t directly quote me on it. I’m just writing down my initial impressions for what it’s worth. The midrange is very clear, detailed and, well, analytical. It seems to be even slightly clearer even than the 550 but that’s likely to do with the leaner bass response, I assume. The picture continues in a similar fashion here. The treble is well extended, very detailed and clear, less harsh than on the 560S but a bit brighter and a bit sharper than on the new 550 without becoming fatiguing for me. Both new models are still quite similar in treble performance, the main difference being in the presence / ear gain region where the 505 just has bit more energy than the 550 and peaks a touch higher there. It can be ever so slightly sibilant on certain recordings but generally speaking this is not really an issue (and I am quite the treble sensitive type of person). Soundstage is wide, imaging very accurate and timbre natural. Vocals sound very nice, clear and resolving and it is a joy to explore minor details in recordings with the HD 505. I think it is ideal for accurate and especially analytical and critical listening, even more so than the HD 550. That said, my personal preference still leans towards the HD 550 which is one of the best headphones in this price range that I have heard to date! I wouldn’t call it more “colored” sounding but that added bass presence as well as the softer ear gain region is just on point for my taste. The HD 505 is the one for the analytical audiophiles and the HD 550 more for “regular” audiophiles who want a headphone that suits even more musical styles and genres, at least that’s my subjective take on it (don’t know if it even makes sense :D). Now, one last thing. The HD 505 are great for gaming! Easy to drive, crystal clear sound and a wide soundstage. They even work well on a PS5 controller, believe it or not. All of that is also true for the HD 550 but the even clearer sound and the aspect of even easier drivability while being slightly cheaper might favor the 505 for some when it comes to gaming. Cannot go wrong with both models, though! Take whichever nuances of sound you prefer! All I can say is that the HD 505 and especially the HD 550 are both excellent 500 series headphones and I see little reason (apart from the price of course) to use another 500 series headphone over them. These will probably soon be regarded as the new standard over the widely popular HD 560S. Thanks for reading and feel free to ask questions or add your own comments as well! 😊

Yeah, it’s very analytical even in the bass response but it nonetheless is an excellent headphone. The more I listen to it, the more I love it, admittedly!

Hello again dear „Sennheads“ (yes, I made that word up)! Following up on my first impressions / review on the HD 550 which I posted here literally only yesterday, I have now also received the other fairly fresh new entry to the HD 500 family of headphones – **the HD 505 Copper.** Therefore, I decided to do another first impressions / stream of consciousness kind “review” and comparison between the two as the impressions of the HD 550 are obviously still very fresh and present in my head and in my ears. Here’s the link to the HD 550 review for those of you who haven’t read it and/or are interested in still doing so: https://www.reddit.com/r/sennheiser/comments/1kgdvlu/hd_550_what_a_delightful_surprise_review/ Now, first of all, the HD 505 unboxing experience at first glance is a very basic one, even more so than with the HD 550. The cardboard box it comes with is pretty much just that – a normal cardboard box with some sparse information on the product on the side where the box opens. That’s it :) Let’s call it minimalism at its best! Maybe that’s why they are the 20€ cheaper set at launch… Joke aside, the rest of the unboxing is pretty much identical to the HD 550. We get the same black soft pouch, safety instructions, 1.8 meter / 3.5mm cable and the 6.3mm adapter. Taking the headphones out of the pouch reveals the HD 505 which also look strikingly similar to the HD 550 in form, size and shape. The new synthetic leather headband is there, the soft velour earpads as well…you get the idea. It’s pretty much an identical headphone up until this point. The first objective difference (apart from the small difference in price) presents itself in the quite beautiful and stylish copper colorway and accents on and around the headphones which I really like! The combination of black and copper just always works for me and I hereby declare that the HD 505 Copper officially look better, fresher more “exciting” than the HD 550! Luckily, that’s not the only difference between the two, so let’s dive in a bit deeper. On the technical side, the main differences are that the HD 505 has a nominal impedance of only 120 ohms vs. the 150 ohms of the HD 550. It also has an ever so slightly higher sensitivity which in combination means that the HD 505 are even easier to drive than the 550. They will likely work with anything that you throw at them which is always a bonus in my book. With regard to comfort, the HD 505 are equally as comfortable as the HD 550. Both of them have clearly less clamping force out of the box compared to, say, the HD 560S. What else is different here, though? Well, let’s talk about the sound then. I want to quote an official Sennheiser statement that they have posted about this here in our subreddit as I feel like this pretty much nails it: *“The HD 505 is positioned as an analytical headphone whereas the HD 550 is positioned as a neutral sounding headphone, more balanced with slightly more controlled bass and a wider treble presentation. Over time the HD 505 replaces the 599SE and the HD 550 will replace the HD 599. The HD 505 is very close in tuning to the HD 560S.”* I would concur with the fact that the HD 505 feels incredibly close to the HD 560S with regard to tuning. It is a very balanced affair and a very coherent presentation. It differs from the 560S mainly in that it sounds ever so slightly warmer or fuller and a bit less harsh, imo, which are all welcome changes as the 560S was always a bit on the „almost too harsh“ side of tunings for me. So, the HD 505 is basically what I would call an improved HD 560S with better comfort, better looks and less clamping force. Bass extension is good for an open back headphone but we find a bit less bass quantity compared to the HD 550 here. It’s a very analytical bass performance. There’s just enough of it there and what’s there is also tactile, tight, fast and pretty solid overall. I personally still prefer the bass on the HD 550, though. It’s not a big difference but the HD 550 just has a tad more bass without compromising on bass quality and that’s just close to perfect for my very own tuning preference. Midrange is as excellent as you would expect from a Sennheiser headphone. No complaints there. Again, it sounds a bit richer than the HD 560S which is a good thing. I find it not as lean or dare I say “cold” sounding? That’s how I perceive it at least. So far, I find the midrange to be almost identical to the HD 550 but my listening time has been very short so far, so take that with a pinch of salt and don’t directly quote me on it. I’m just writing down my initial impressions for what it’s worth. The midrange is very clear, detailed and, well, analytical. It seems to be even slightly clearer even than the 550 but that’s likely to do with the leaner bass response, I assume. The picture continues in a similar fashion here. The treble is well extended, very detailed and clear, less harsh than on the 560S but a bit brighter and a bit sharper than on the new 550 without becoming fatiguing for me. Both new models are still quite similar in treble performance, the main difference being in the presence / ear gain region where the 505 just has bit more energy than the 550 and peaks a touch higher there. It can be ever so slightly sibilant on certain recordings but generally speaking this is not really an issue (and I am quite the treble sensitive type of person). Soundstage is wide, imaging very accurate and timbre natural. Vocals sound very nice, clear and resolving and it is a joy to explore minor details in recordings with the HD 505. I think it is ideal for accurate and especially analytical and critical listening, even more so than the HD 550. That said, my personal preference still leans towards the HD 550 which is one of the best headphones in this price range that I have heard to date! I wouldn’t call it more “colored” sounding but that added bass presence as well as the softer ear gain region is just on point for my taste. The HD 505 is the one for the analytical audiophiles and the HD 550 more for “regular” audiophiles who want a headphone that suits even more musical styles and genres, at least that’s my subjective take on it (don’t know if it even makes sense :D). Now, one last thing. The HD 505 are great for gaming! Easy to drive, crystal clear sound and a wide soundstage. They even work well on a PS5 controller, believe it or not. All of that is also true for the HD 550 but the even clearer sound and the aspect of even easier drivability while being slightly cheaper might favor the 505 for some when it comes to gaming. Cannot go wrong with both models, though! Take whichever nuances of sound you prefer! All I can say is that the HD 505 and especially the HD 550 are both excellent 500 series headphones and I see little reason (apart from the price of course) to use another 500 series headphone over them. These will probably soon be regarded as the new standard over the widely popular HD 560S. Thanks for reading and feel free to ask questions or add your own comments as well! 😊