You don’t even need to know anything about audio to know Sennheiser. The German audio company has propelled itself to worldwide recognition since it was founded in 1945 and is basically a household name at this point. Not only is it the brand that a lot of audio professionals prefer, but it is also the one that many consumers prefer due to their price-to-punch ratio.
On the consumer side of things they have also have a wide variety of styles so you can find the perfect match for you no matter what your preference is, be it over-ear or in-ear. With so many options it’s no wonder people keep asking, “What are the best Sennheiser headphones?” Well we have the answers.
Related: Best Headphones of 2015
Sennheiser MOMENTUM Wireless
Sennheiser hit a home run with their MOMENTUM line of headphones. They quickly became a fan favorite when they were first released a couple of years ago and when they finally decided to cut the cords with the MOMENTUM Wireless earlier this year, we rejoiced along with the rest of the audio world. After checking it out for ourselves there was no doubt that these were one of the best pairs of cans they’ve ever made. The active noise canceling (ANC) was one of the best we’ve seen and if you’re looking for features, these have it all.
The headphones are one of the few in the Bluetooth 4.0 club with aptX codec and come with NFC as well, so you can easily connect to them simply by tapping your compatible device to the ear cup for a second or two. If not, you can always do it the old fashioned way by just scrolling through Bluetooth settings in order to connect. Assuming you own a device that doesn’t have wireless functionality you can also just plug in a 3.5mm audio cable. This is also helpful when the battery in the headphones die out.
The battery should last you about 21 hours including ANC which should be more than enough for most people, but some (like myself) will forget to plug them in when the juice is running low so it’s good to know that you always have this option in your back pocket. I can speak from experience how frustrating it is to leave the house with a pair of headphones expecting a full day of battery only to find that they die halfway into your commute. At least that won’t be a problem here, assuming you don’t forget the included audio cable at home as well.
Besides that they also have a new NoiseGard technology that uses four tiny microphones to block out as much of the outside world as possible. If you’re the type who likes silence when you listen to music but often find yourself in noisy situations, this might work out for you. It also helps in terms of sound quality since there is less noise floating around the ear cup to distract you.
The sound quality is top notch and though these do offer a good amount of bass, they tend to lean more towards accuracy so if you’re into a boomy and exaggerated low end you you might want to look elsewhere. That said, if accurate sound reproduction is your thing these do a good job at it, wireless or not. The frequency response ranges between 16Hz – 22kHz so you should have no problem hearing everything that your music has to offer.
As far as build quality goes, these take on a design that won’t be too strange if you’re already familiar with the MOMENTUM series. They have a stainless steel adjustable headband wrapped in leather and plush ear cup padding as well. Overall, they feel solid and are surprisingly light and comfortable when you wear them considering their size.
Speaking of their size, they also fold at the hinges for easy storage and come with a nice hardshell carrying case. The MOMENTUM Wireless come in ivory or black and will run you $499, but are only available for pre-order as of right now since some early models were found to have Bluetooth issues. Ours wasn’t one of them but there were enough issues for Sennheiser to halt sales in order to fix the problem, but when they do make sure to grab a pair for yourself. If you want to know more make sure to check out our full review of the MOMENTUM Wireless.
Buy now from Sennheiser ($499)
Sennheiser Urbanite XL Wireless
If you want another great pair of wireless headphones by Sennheiser for a little less, check out Urbanite XL Wireless. As the name would have you believe, these are the wireless version of the updated Urbanite headphones. Part of the reason you probably haven’t heard of these as much is because they came out at almost the same time as the significantly more popular MOMENTUM wireless. Though I’m sure they bit themselves in the backside to some extent in doing this the customer ends up being the winner whenever there’s more competition, even if it’s coming from within the same company.
When you put them next to each other, the Urbanite XL doesn’t look anything like the MOMENTUM wireless but it does share some of the same premium features. For one, they also have Bluetooth 4.0 with the coveted aptX codec that allows for wireless CD quality streaming and they also fold at the hinges for easy storing. That said, the Urbanites also have a couple of features that set them apart from their more popular cousin.
The Urbanite XL was made with durability in mind. They’re flexible to the point where you shouldn’t have to worry about throwing these in a bag when you’re on the go whatsoever. They’re so confident that these won’t bend or break on your that Sennheiser doesn’t even include a case, only a carrying pouch to put them in. They only come in black and the adjustable headband is covered in a textured cloth that’s stitched on nicely.
On the right ear cup is the control pad that gives you intuitive controls over volume and playback options. Swiping up and down will, as you might expect, raise or lower volume while tapping will pause or play music. They have other controls as well like skipping tracks or going back to previous ones so you can leave your source device safe and sound in your pocket where it belongs. They have a battery that should get your around 24 hours of constant playback over Bluetooth and should they die you can also plug in a 3.5mm auxiliary cord so you can still jam out.
The sound quality is still a little more on the accurate side, but we found that these tended to be a little more “fun sounding” (read our full review here) meaning that some aspects of the sounds will be slightly embellished, but in a good way.
That said, you probably wouldn’t want these if you’re going to be mixing in the studio (check further down the list for those) but for the rest of us who want a good sounding pair of durable headphones for commutes or casual listening, these are a great option. With 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon, these are definitely one of the best Sennheiser headphones earning it a spot on our list.
Buy now from Amazon ($299)
Sennheiser HD800
Wireless headphones are great if you’re commuting or prefer Bluetooth for convenience, but what if you’re a hardcore audiophile and want the best headphones Sennheiser has to offer, period? Then you want the HD800 headphones. These are open back headphones that give you the most accurate sound reproduction possible with a soundstage to match. They’re hand assembled in Germany so if you don’t trust robots making your headphones, these might be for you (even though I’m sure robots make the actual parts, but we’ll ignore that aspect).
Unlike the MOMENTUM wireless or Urbanite XL wireless headphones, the HD800 are of the wired variety. Those wires end in a custom detachable cable that needs to be connected to an audio interface, so you can throw any thoughts you had of plugging these into your mobile device out the window.
There’s also a high-end cable you can get from Sennheiser that costs $379 and is best matched with the HDVA 600 and HDVD 800 amplifiers (both made by Sennheiser) which will give you sound that you didn’t think was possible. That said, both of those also cost upwards of $1500 so if you’re looking to spend a couple grand on the best sound possible you might as well go all out and get the entire setup. Still, any ‘ol audio interface should work.
The HD800 headphones have the biggest transducers ever put into headphones and come with a frequency range of 14Hz – 44.1kHz. Why anyone would be trying to listen to bat sonar via headphones is beyond me, but at least you know you can whether or not you can physically hear it. They weigh in at about 330 grams without the audio cable, which is 3m in length and ends in a 1/4” jack.
If you want to follow Sennheiser’s advice and “enjoy sound in perfect”, you can get a pair of the HD800 for yourself for only $1599. Don’t worry, it also comes with a carrying case. These have a 4.5 out of 5 star rating on Amazon with 83% of those ratings being a perfect 5. Though you might regret watching your bank account dropping by about $1600, you definitely won’t regret the sound that comes out of these.
Buy now from Amazon ($1,549)
Sennheiser HD650
Okay, so you’re into high accuracy reference headphones and still want a top-of-the-line product, but don’t feel like dishing out a full months rent in a New York City apartment for a pair of headphones? Then you should check out another one of Sennheiser’s headphones dubbed the HD650. Despite being roughly a third of the cost of the HD800, they still provide an accurate sound with a beautifully wide soundstage.
It’s worth mentioning that these are also open back headphones, so even though you can plug them into an amp and then a mobile device to use them on-the-go, you might not want to since most people do not enjoy listening to the music of whoever sitting next to them. Trust me, I speak from years of bad NYC subway experiences. It’s really annoying. That said, these are amazing for home or studio use. Heck depending where you work you might even be able to pull them off at the office.
They only come in a light gray color but have a smooth, minimal design with two oval shaped ear cups. Being open back headphones the speaker drivers are plainly visible which, in my opinion, makes them look pretty damn cool. The drivers themselves use a custom designed silk that reduces distortion and helps to get a wider, more accurate frequency range (10Hz – 39.5kHz to be exact). Each ear cup also has premium padding that will allow you to rock these for the longest of studio sessions.
The 3m audio cable used for the HD650 plugs into both the right and left ear cups, meaning that it’s proprietary so just like the HD800 if you lose it you need to pick up another one from Sennheiser. The cable ends in a 1/4” jack as well so if you need it to be 3.5mm, you’ll have to get an adapter if you don’t already have one. The HD650 cost $499 and have a 4.6 out of 5 star rating on Amazon which basically means they’re awesome.
Buy now from Amazon ($499)
Sennheiser CX 5.00 in-ears
Over-ears are great and all and Sennheiser makes some great in-ear monitors as well, but if you’re not looking to break the bank in order to replace the ‘buds that came with your smart phone then the CX 5.00 are for you. The MOMENTUM in-ears are good a well, but they cost a bit more making these the best price-to-performance earbuds Sennheiser has to offer. They pack a good portion of the signature Sennheiser sound into something that can easily fit in your pocket and are not so expensive that breaking them will ruin your week, though it might ruin your day.
They have a 1.2m long tangle free cable and earbuds designed to stay in your ear so if you’re the type of person who has a hard time getting in-ears to stay put, these shouldn’t give you a problem. As in-ears they’re naturally noise isolating, so a significant amount of sound can not physically get through them to ruin your music experience. Will you still hear someone honking the horn if you’re crossing the street, sure but we consider that a good thing. I might have the right of way as a pedestrian but I’m pretty sure I’d still lose a fight with a car. For this to work best you’ll need to get a good fit so Sennheiser throws in 4 different sized ear tips (XS, S, M, L). Chances are, one of them will provide you with the fit you’re looking for.
As far as sound quality goes the CX 5.00 have a frequency range of 16Hz – 22kHz so even though you won’t hear a thumping bass due to the physical size of the earbuds, the low end sounds full and fairly accurate. These max out at 118dB which is pretty high for earbuds considering that the threshold of pain is about 120dB, so you won’t even need to max them out in order to get the volume to a comfortable level.
The 1.2m audio cable ends in an angled 3.5mm jack which increases the durability of the wires inside the cable. Somewhere towards the middle of that cable you’ll find the remote and in-line mic which gives you control over volume and playback. The full functionality does depend on the kind of device you use. If you’re rocking an Android or any other non-Apple device you’ll want the CX 5.00G which, on top of volume control, lets you pause and play music and skip to the next song and answer phone calls.
If you have an Apple device then you’ll want the CX 5.00i which gives you all of the functionality of the 5.00G and then some. You’ll be able to rewind, fast-forward, go back to previous songs, and even end a current call and answer an incoming call by using different combinations of clicks. The CX 5.00 are available in white or black for $89 and have an Amazon rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars. If you’re looking for a good pair of headphones to use with your phone, these are the ones.
Buy now from Amazon ($89)
As long as Sennheiser continues to impress us, we’ll continue to update this list with the best they have to offer. Let us know what your favorite Sennheiser headphones are in the comments if we missed one.
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