Why I think the Sennheiser HD 505 is an ideal audiophile starting point
Open back over-ears take the analytical approach
Picking a first pair of wired headphones can be intimidating when the model ranges are more indecipherable than a back catalogue of live Beatles bootlegs. Sennheiser is looking to simplify things with its HD 505 open-back over ears, which target a broader audience than just hardcore audiophiles.
Slotting in beneath the HD 600 series – regularly considered a benchmark for personal audio, but with a price to match – the HD 505 otherwise tick plenty of boxes for music fans chasing sonic supremacy. The open-back design promises an airier sound than the closed-back HD 620S, while the tuning targets a more analytical output instead of beefy bass or tight treble. The firm reckons total harmonic distortion is under 0.2%, too.
Distinctive copper trim aside, they fit right in with the rest of the HD 500 line. That means metal mesh outer covers on the ear cups, a headband wrapped in synthetic leather, and branding that’s not in-yer-face. Sennheiser has tweaked the mechanical bits a little, reducing the amount of clamping force from the headband for a more comfortable listen. At 237g they’re rather light for a set of wired over-ears, too.
The cable is detachable, using Sennheiser’s familiar twist-lock mechanism to stay securely fastened to the headphones while in use, but easily swapped out should you damage the bundled 1.8m spool. You’ll also be able to swap it out for a balanced cable, if you’ve got audio kit that can supply a balanced signal. It’ll work with inline microphones, and there’s no shortage of other first- and third-party accessories, because it largely sticks to the HD 500 series’ tried-and-tested design.
Inside you’re getting Sennheiser’s in-house angled transducer drivers, which have been upgraded with improved laminate diaphragms and lighter voice coils to create a more transparent sound. They deliver a 12Hz-38.5kHz frequency range and impedance is rated for a fairly high 120 ohms; enough that you’ll want an amplifier or dedicated audio interface to drive them properly. I used a Fiio JM21 portable player, which had impedance to spare.
I’ve only had a few hours of listening so far, but have been impressed by how the HD 505 presents Sennheiser’s signature balanced sound. The low-end doesn’t dominate, but isn’t lacking either; you can pick the sub-bass out from the basslines on layered electronica like Flux Pavilion’s I Can’t Stop and Noisia’s Split the Atom. The treble extension ensures high-end notes come across crisply but delicately.
The open-back drivers bring an airy and expansive soundstage, giving a real sense of scale to James Blake’s Limit to you Love, and letting you focus on details like the subtle vocal echo on Broken Bells’ The Ghost Inside. It’s a step up from the HD 599 SE in almost every aspect. A full review is needed to see how they stack up to similarly-priced rivals, such as the Fiio FT3, Grado SR325x and Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X.
Sennheiser has teamed up with Amazon to launch the HD 505 in the US, UK and Europe. It’ll be going on sale for £230/$250/€280, and ship in plain, eco-friendly packaging. The simple pack-ins – a drawstring bag and 3.5 to 6.35mm screw-on jack adapter – make it clear the headphones are the main event, not the box or accessories.
Things are a little different for China, where a Gold edition will land first; it’ll head to other territories later, in case you’re not sold on the copper finish.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor 