The Sennheiser HD 598 Cs are the closed-back variation of the popular HD 598. They deliver a good sound quality with a few improvements thanks to the closed-back design but also some drawbacks for more critical listeners. On the upside, they're slightly more versatile because they isolate better than the open back model but not enough for commuting or traveling.
Our Verdict
The Sennheiser HD 598 Cs are a bit more versatile than the open variation since they block more ambient noise and leak less. They also still deliver a good sound quality that's great for casual and critical listeners although some critical listeners may prefer the open sound of the regular HD 598. However, even with the improved isolation, they're not the best headphones to use in loud environments.
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Great audio reproduction.
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Sturdy build quality.
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Below-average isolation.
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Slightly bulky design.
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Bass delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
Suitable for neutral listening. Although, they're a bit less comfortable than the open HD 598, for long listening sessions, and also have less soundstage. The Sennheiser HD 598 Cs still deliver a well-balanced frequency response with better bass, thanks to the closed design, and a moderately flat mid-range that caters well to instruments and vocals. They do not sound as open and airy as the HD 598, but the treble range is still well above average for most headphones.
Below-average for commuting. They do not isolate well in loud environments. However, they do have a control scheme compared to the HD 598 which makes them a bit better to travel with.
Not meant for sports. They're bulky and unstable to run with.
Below-average for office use. They don't isolate well enough for a loud work environment, and although they don't leak as much as the open HD 598, your colleagues may still hear what you are listening to at higher volumes.
- 6.3 Mixed Usage
- 7.6 Neutral Sound
- 6.1 Commute/Travel
- 5.9 Sports/Fitness
- 6.3 Office
- 5.4 Wireless Gaming
- 7.2 Wired Gaming
- 6.5 Phone Call
- 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.
- Updated Oct 02, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
- Updated Aug 10, 2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
- Updated Mar 29, 2017: Review published.
- Updated Mar 27, 2017: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Jan 11, 2017: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Compared To Other Headphones
See our recommendations for the best over-ear headphones, the best wired headphones, and the best audiophile headphones.
The Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO are slightly better closed-back critical listening headphones than the Sennheiser HD 598 Cs. Their sound profile is somewhat better, but they may sound overly sharp for some people. The Beyerdynamic are very well-built headphones and feel more durable than the Sennheiser. Both headphones are fairly comfortable, but the Sennheiser's cups are more spacious. The Sennheiser also have an in-line microphone for calls, which can be useful if you want to take calls on the go.
The Sennheiser HD 598 Cs and the AKG K371 are very similarly performing over-ear studio headphones. While the Sennheiser have a more stable fit with in-line controls, the AKG have more accurate sound reproduction and leak much less audio.
Test Results
The Sennheiser HD 598 CS look pretty much indistinguishable to the open HD 598, especially at a distance. However, upon closer inspection, you will notice the slight difference in the padding and the closed-back earcups that have a matte finish instead of the perforated metal back like the regular HD 598. They look pricier than their actual cost giving them a somewhat high-end appeal. They only come in the understated black color scheme, which shouldn't be an issue for most listeners but they won't stand out in a crowd.
The Sennheiser 598 Cs are decently comfortable headphones, but they're not as well padded as the open 598 variations. The padding used for the ear cups on this model is a bit stiffer, which makes the headphones feel tighter on the head. This results in a fit that's a bit more tiring to wear for extended periods of time unlike the open 598.
The 598 Cs, unlike the open variation, have a cable with an inline remote that provides basic call/music and track skipping functionality. Unfortunately, the button is not very responsive, and the lack of volume controls is a bit disappointing.
Like the Beyerdynamic DT 770, the HD 598 Cs are bulky, and the earcups do not fold or lay flat to take less space. They're not particularly portable headphones, and they're not designed to be. And although they're not as big as some of the higher-end models of the same series, they're still too cumbersome to carry on your person without a bag. They also don't come with a case or pouch, which is slightly disappointing.
The build quality for the Sennheiser HD 598 Cs is above average but slightly weak at the joints. The headband is reinforced with a metal frame, and they feel sturdy enough to withstand a fair amount of physical stress. Unfortunately, the swivel hinges are a little thin and seem like the most likely area where they may get damaged.
These headphones are stable enough under normal, casual listening conditions but they're not intended for and won't be ideal to use while running. They're a bit bulky and sway a lot under strenuous activity. On the upside, the cable will detach if hooked on something provided you do not lock them into the earcup.
Poor Consistency. The lower regions of our over-ear and on-ear headphones are measured on 5 human subjects, 5 times each. We noticed that subjects with glasses or long hair didn't achieve a seal as good as other subjects, and therefore experienced a significant drop in bass. However, this wasn't apparent to them until we made the measurements. We noticed that glasses with arms that were not flush to the temple, had a bigger impact on the bass measurements.
Excellent Bass Range performance. The overall bass response is nearly flawless and within +/-1dB of our Target Response, if you can achieve a proper seal with these headphones. The plot shown here is the average of 25 measurements done on 5 human subjects. We noticed that subjects who have long hair or wear glasses with arms that aren't flush to their temple measured less bass.
Good Mid Range performance. Low-mid is very well reproduced, but mid and high-mid are consistently overemphasized by about 3dB. This tends to push vocals/leads to the front of the mix.
Decent Treble Range performance. The 5dB dip around 5KHz has a small negative effect on the detail and articulation of vocals/leads. Also, these headphones may sound slightly sibilant. (Sharp S and T sounds).
Poor isolation. These headphones don't isolate any sound below 300Hz. However, the closed-back earcups of the HD 598 Cs achieve an average amount of isolation in the Mid Range, by attenuating the sound by about 12dB. In the Treble Range they achieve about 32dB of isolation which is good.
Poor Leakage. These headphones leak sound over the relatively broad range of 400Hz-4KHz, which covers parts of Mid and Treble Ranges. However, the overall level of the leakage is not very loud.
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