Our Verdict
Not designed for casual, everyday use. The HD 518 are critical listening headphones best enjoyed in an isolated and quiet environment.
- Good and open audio reproduction.
- Comfortable fit.
- Sensitive to ambient noise, by design.
- High leakage by design, can be distracting to others.
- Slightly bulky and cumbersome design.
The Sennheiser HD 518 deliver a good audio reproduction and open sound quality. They have a crisp representation of instruments and vocals and a spacious and immersive soundstage thanks to the open back ear cups. They sound a bit boomier and less evenly balanced than the HD 598 but still offer a good enough sound for most neutral listeners.
Not meant for commuting or traveling. Their open design does not prevent noise from seeping into your audio.
Not sports headphones. They're big, bulky and a bit cumbersome. They're not designed to be used while doing any physical activity.
Not suitable for office use except if you work in an isolated environment.
Changelog
- Updated Jun 20, 2023: We have corrected a mistake in Wired as these headphones have a detachable audio cable.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
Check Price
We've upgraded our Headphones Test Bench to 2.0! This update brings several key changes to our tests and usages, making it easier than ever to interpret our sound results based on your personal preferences. You'll also find a brand-new interactive graph tool featuring multiple targets (including our own!) for you to explore and compare.
For a full breakdown, check out our changelog, which includes detailed commentary from our test designer explaining the rationale behind our update.
We'd also love to hear your thoughts: your feedback helps us keep improving, so join us in the comments!
Test Results
The Sennheiser HD 518 are not the most eye-catching or stylish open over-ear headphones. They have a similar aesthetic to the HD 598 but lack a few of the premium touches that the more expensive models of Sennheiser HD series provide. This makes them look a bit cheap at a glance, especially with the thick and plastic ear cup grills. On the other hand, the headband and ear cup padding do look and feel high-end for their price.
The Sennheiser HD 518, like the HD 598 and the Audio Technica ATH-M50x, are well padded comfortable headphones. The large oval ear cups fully encompass the ears and the cushioned fabric is soft and feels good on the skin. Unfortunately, they're a bit tight on the head. It's not as noticeable as some other over-ear headphones but it does make them a bit less comfortable than the HD 598.
Like the Beyerdynamic DT 770, the HD 518 are on the larger side for over-ear headphones. They're not designed to be very portable. They're bulky, and the ear cups do not lay flat to take less space. They also don't fold into a more compact format. They will fit into a backpack and some larger bags but are too cumbersome to carry around on your person. Sadly, they don't come with a case or pouch either.
Decent build quality. The Sennheiser HD 518 feel sturdy enough to withstand a few falls without damage. The ear cups are comparatively dense, and the headband has a thin metal frame that gives a bit more durability to the design. However, like the HD 598 the metal frame connects to the ear cups by a relatively thin swivel hinge that seems susceptible to heavy physical stress.
The Sennheiser HD 518 are fairly stable headphones. However, they're not designed to be used while doing any physical activities. They'll sway and quickly fall off your head but maintain a stable and comfortable fit during casual listening sessions.
Poor isolation. These headphones have an open-back design and therefore don't isolate any sound below 2KHz. Above 2KHz, they perform poorly, achieving only 13dB of overall attenuation in the Treble Range.
Poor leakage. Due to their open-back design, the Sennheiser HD 518 leak a lot of sound throughout a broad range of frequencies. The significant portion of the leakage is spread between 300Hz and 20KHz which makes the leaked sound quite audible to the people around you.
No compatible app.
