Sennheiser HD555

Kemik

Kemik

Kemik

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Joined
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Hey guys,

After doing some research it seems the Sennheiser HD555 would be a great choice for a headset to take with me to uni. I will only really be using them to listen to music and maybe watch the odd film on my Macbook Pro and I'm not really a sound buff so I doubt I'd be able to notice tiny, tiny differences like some of you would. Comfort is pretty key. I don't want to wear them for 30 mins and then my ears start hurting or my brain feels like getting squashed.

I have some questions

  1. Is the HD555 worth the extra £20 when compared to the HD515?
  2. I've been told that the HD555s are open so noise can easily get in. How true is this?
  3. I know the HD212 Pro are only around £30, so half the price of the HD555 and about £10 less than the 515s but would you recommend those to me over the 555s considering what I'll be using them for.
 
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I have the HD555 and bought them for use at uni so that I didn't keep others awake at night with my HiFi kit.

They're very comfortable - I forget I'm wearing them at times.

I'm not sure about other models in the Sennheiser range, but these are the ones that get recommended the most at this price point.:)
 
i wouldnt worry about noise getting in, its the noise getting out that you should be aware of with open cans:p

the 555's are circumarual, meaning the pads fit around the ear, not on them. they are so very comfy!
 
What would you recommend for moving out with uni? Speakers or headphones? I was thinking of either spending about £70 on one or the other or up to £90 on both.

It's either the Sennheiser HD555 headphones or Creative GigaWorks T20 2.0 Speakers.
 
Do not buy HD212 Pros. I've had them and I can't stress how awful they are. HD515s, from what I've heard, are awful too. Stick with the HD555s - they're worth it.
 
I have a pair of HD555s which I bought for university a few years ago after suffering with a cheap pair of £20 headphones for a long time.

The difference between comfort levels is really huge. The main reason I bought a good pair of headphones was for comfort, and the 555s didn't disappoint at all. I think the longest I've ever worn them without taking them off was around four hours or so, and they weren't getting uncomfortable, but my ears needed a break from enclosed sound! So every time I watch a two or so hour film, there is absolutely no issue with comfort at all - they're really great for that.

As for speakers vs headphones, I guess it's down to what you need most. My headphones far outperform my speakers, probably because they cost about three times as much! For me, at the time, the headphones made more sense because I was one for wanting to watch films late at night and didn't want the worry of people in my house being disturbed. On the other hand, if you're going to be mostly playing music during the day, then maybe speakers would be a good option. I just know that my headphones were extremely useful!

And as for sound getting in - that's one reason I opted for open headphones. I like to know if there is someone knocking on my door, or if the phone is ringing! I've never had problems with being disturbed by outside sounds as far as I can remember, but again I guess that's personal preference. The sound escaping hasn't ever caused a problem either. I mean, they're not the headphones for using in a public environment, e.g. in the university computer suite, or in the library, but no-one is going to hear them outside of your room.

In summary, the HD555s are fantastic, and probably worth the extra £20 over the lower model. And of course, it's probably worth an extra £20 for the next pair up! I wouldn't go for £90 on both - that's going to cut your budget to £45 for speakers and £45 for headphones - you won't get particularly good products. If the HD555s have taught me anything, it's that there really is a difference between budget stuff and higher quality stuff. My £35 computer speakers make me wince now, and I've been eager to upgrade them ever since I bought my HD555s!
 
I recently invested in the 595s for the same reasons. Very comfortable to wear and noise getting in isn't really a problem. Just means you could hear someone talking to you if they're right next to you and you have the volume not so high.

I imagine the 555s are pretty much the same. You'd be happy with either but I'd recommend the 595s if you can afford them.
 
yep! if they are anything like mine (which they should be, they are both open circumaural designs) then they are gonna be the most comfortable headphones you are ever likely to wear lol. i think mine might just edge them out actually, they dont apply quite as much force on the head as the 555's do
 
Just a quick question, what type of headphone jack adaptor do the 555/595s come with? A cable, or just a regular convertor plug? Would rather not risk damaging the socket on my soundcard due to the extra size/weight of an adaptor, you see.
 
HD555.

Then get some cheap logi 2.1 like the x210 or x240 for your tunes and music for when peeps are in your room.
 
i made a thread about getting 555's, in the end i got persuaded to get the 595's the desk stand clamp thingy is SO handy, i could imagine them getting knocked a lot without that

http://evolutionmics.com/newsite/productdetail.asp?transid=510615

they rest neatly out of the way when i'm not using them

I don't regret getting these for a second :)

since i've had them i've started trawling through my music collection again :D
 
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