HD 555

I have some HD555s as well, had them since 2010 I think. Use them everyday for work!

Paging /u/sennheiserconsumer - Just in case you do come back to look at this post, I'd like to say that the PC360 gaming headset from 2010 is the true answer to your question. I'm utterly disappointed that sennheiser stopped doing a proper set of headphones with a good mic. The PC360 was basically an HD555 with a good raise-to-mute boom mic. There's NOTHING like it in the current line up, and that's so sad. Mine is currently 15 years old and still going strong, although I had to bypass the volume dial since it crackled. Please, pick up the mantle again now that EPOS isn't doing gaming headsets, and make some real headphones with a mic again. Please?

I’ve had the same pair of Sennheiser HD555’s since 2006. Buy a quality product and take care of it and they last.

Hi I have the sennheiser 555, money is not that much of problem, just a normal one and I can put a little more on that. Anyone have a suggestion?

I consider discontinued HD330 (later HD465 I think) as the best on-ears I've heard, but they are pain to refurbish - no direct replacement for earpads or rubber/silicone headband strap (straps can still be in good condition though). There is a higher model HD340 / HD475 which I haven't tried, nor anything Grado. I consider the above to be better than 60Ohm Koss (not a comparison really), or the very popular HD480 Classic II, or some more current lower-mid level over-ears like HD559, but not as good as say HD555/558/579. I might pick them over HD599 though, just because I don't like the bloated tonality of HD599. So all in all, it is still not the level of hundreds of dollars, but very usable.

I disagree, try using like Creative Aurvana Live SE and you will only be able to tell the 4 cardinal directions, and with Koss Porta Pro any remote explosion will sound like right on you. I can't count the times I was accused of wallhack because I used HD555, and likewise, cant count times I have won because I had them. Good headphones won't make you automatically good, but all things equal, if players know how to play by the sound (that is also a skill), there can be surprisingly big difference. It can be the difference between hearing the enemy is in the next room, and actually rushing in and prefiring the exact spot.

User made frequency response measurement of MMX 330 Pro, DT900 Pro X and DT990 Pro X [https://gadgetrytech.squig.link/headsets/?share=beyerdynamic\_MMX\_330\_Pro,beyerdynamic\_DT\_900\_Pro\_X,beyerdynamic\_DT\_990\_Pro\_X](https://gadgetrytech.squig.link/headsets/?share=beyerdynamic_MMX_330_Pro,beyerdynamic_DT_900_Pro_X,beyerdynamic_DT_990_Pro_X) DT990 Pro X seem to be likely the sharpest. DT900 Pro X seem a bit more sharp than MMX 330 Pro due to peak around 7kHz, but also thicker from mids down. Depending to what part you adjust your loudness level it might differ a bit between those headphones, but even if you align treble peak and bass, then MMX 330 Pro has just more in the presence area. Again, can't really say anything without hearing, but if I was to order without trying, and with the idea of returning them if they aren't good, I might try MMX 330 Pro out of the three. That said I'm Sennheiser person, and only play comptetitive fps on neutral signature open backs (unfortunately I'm not up to speed with all the newly released models). When I tried DT770 Pro 80Ohm, it felt like it is more of a competition to $50 Philips SHP9500 (actually friend who owns those DT770, bought SHP9500 after we made a comparison) :P

Unfortunately not, some headphones require considerable power, and in guitar amps the headphone outs tend to be more or less an add on. It is rare to even get a proper specs on them. Many non modelling solid state amps don't even have a cab sim on the headphone out so it might not even sound good. In case of your Mustang the specs sayis the power output is 30mW at unspecified impedance, likely 32Ohm, worst case 16Ohm. That is about 1Vrms or what cheap $3-10 USB C dongle DACs output. It is enough for SHP9600 as that headphone has rather high sensitivity and low impedance, but nowhere enough for HD600 . Some people would say it is even not enough for a bit less demanding HD560S. Below is the measured sensitivity SHP9600 = 117.5dB/V (Vrms) HD560S = 108dB/V HD600 = 103dB/V So that is SPL you would be getting from Mustang. A bigger amp where headphone out was not a priority might actually be worse. To be honest 1Vrms output is not enough to even drive a headphone amplifier to the fullest, as usually those are designed for 2Vrms input. So for example a headphone amp like JDS Labs Atom Amp+ amplifies 2Vrms input into 9Vrms output, but with just 1Vrms input it would output 4.5Vrms instead. For HD600 for me the minimum to have the volume I want would be 2Vrms, but for headphone to sound the best in music listening I want 7Vrms. Guitar will be fine with less as you don't really need all the dynamic range, so you just want it to be loud enough + some volume reserve to actually work with.

To be honest guitar is not very demanding on headphones and sounds mostly fine as long as there is a decent level of the mids. Unfortunately SHP9600 have a bit of a dip in upper mids range [https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/9600-fr.png](https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/9600-fr.png) Measurement taken from DIY Audio Heaven [https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/measurements/brands-philips/shp9600/](https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/measurements/brands-philips/shp9600/) I have a bit clearer/brighter sounding SHP9500 and I can tell that guitar in a recordings is of good quality, but a bit recessed. Haven't actually tried them for playing though, and I don't have any decent headphone out at home to try right now (will check and write if I can find anything later). Generally speaking most of Sennheiser are good for guitar as the brand tend to prioritize the mids. In the past I've used HD555 for guitar quite a bit, and it was really good. A modern HD599 would be a bit worse due to a bloated upper bass, but it is somewhat manageable depending on the modelling used + EQ helps, I think HD560S/505/550/490 Pro would likely be better due to their flatter frequency response, but I haven't tried those models as they are fairly recent. HD600 would be good too, but a bit of an overkill unless you plan on using it for audio work, especially since they have a much steeper requirement when it comes to power (as explained in another reply).