Digital Trends

Sennheiser HD 580 July 16th, 2003 | by Brandon King

Forward

Before saying a word about how amazing the Sennheiser HD580s are, two issues must first be addressed. 

First, there appears to be a divide in the audiophile headphone community with many people falling into either the Sennheiser or Grado side.  Both manufacturer high quality headphones with unique characteristics and this review is not meant to be a comparison or ranking of the HD580s in comparison to other offerings.  It is a standalone, hands on review discussing the use of the headphones in the situations below.  Your taste may vary.

Second, this review assumes the intended use is for PC use.  As such, there is no amplifier, which may sound like heresy to audiophiles.  Perhaps later, we will add a review with amp performance.  That having been said, the Sennheiser HD580s are not for use with portable devices, which will drive them to decent levels, but to really get volume and added clarity, you'll need to boost them.

Introduction

The Sennheiser HD580's are the slightly cheaper version of the flagship HD600 headphones.  The primary difference between the two is the material making up the housing and the grill.  The HD580s use plastic, while the HD600s use carbon fiber and stainless steel.  There are also the HD570 and HD590, which are not as similar to the HD600.

One thing stands out about the Sennheiser HD580s, besides sound quality, is comfort.  The ear pads apply very little pressure, the material is soft, and they do not slip.  The cord measures 10 feet, which is the source of endless modding by fanatics.  Most brick and mortar stores will only carry the HD600s, so online ordering may be your best bet when ordering a pair.

The hardest thing about reviewing the Sennheiser HD580s was actually stopping the music to switch discs.  Every sound component is perfectly balanced.  No screechy highs, no boomy bass, no flat mids;  absolutely wonderful sound.  The soundstage feels comfortably wide, but not too wide and close and not ‘in your face'.  The open design allows for a lot of leakage, and the outside world is only slightly muffled, if at all.  Sound placement is precise.  So much so that you could probably close your eyes and point to exactly where the instrument in the orchestra is located within a few feet.