Sennheiser makes some of the best noise-cancelling headphones around, but they’re geared more towards audiophiles. Or at least, they were. The freshly announced HD 550 cans are officially aimed at both audiophiles and gamers. Although, I’m neither and I still want them parked on my desk immediately.
The HD 550 headphones blur the line between hi-fi audio and gaming gear. You’ll find no gaudy LED lights here, thankfully. Instead, these are slick headphones with what Sennheiser is calling “effortlessly smooth tuning” and stereo imaging.
At the core of the HD 550 is a custom 38mm transducer. It covers a frequency range from 6 Hz to 39.5 kHz. That’s ridiculously wide for something that weighs less than a gaming controller at 237 grams. I’m guessing that’s light enough to forget you’re wearing them.
The design is open-back, so these aren’t for public transport unless you enjoy side-eye. But that’s part of the charm. The new acoustic mesh and angled drivers create an expansive soundstage. These headphones should be just as at home dropping you into an orchestral performance as they would in a Call of Duty session.
Comfort-wise, Sennheiser has apparently tuned the clamping force down from other 500-series models. Good news for people with heads that don’t appreciate being vice-gripped into oblivion. The HD 550s have a soft-touch headband, ventilated mesh earcup covers, and a modular design that makes swapping cables and pads a doddle. They come with a 1.8 metre cable that finishes in a 3.5mm plug. There’s also a 6.35mm adapter included for when you’re feeling fancy.
Sennheiser’s HD 550 headphones are available for pre-order now, shipping in the first week of April. They’ll set you back $300, though UK pricing hasn’t officially dropped.