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We've recently released our Test Bench 1.6 update for Headphones! Read the Latency R&D Article to learn more.

Sennheiser HD 598 Cs Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.3.1
Review updated Mar 29, 2017 at 12:35 pm
Latest change: Test bench update Nov 21, 2019 at 11:23 am
Sennheiser HD 598 Cs Picture
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

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

6.3 Mixed Usage

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.

Pros
  • Great audio reproduction.
  • Sturdy build quality.
Cons
  • Below-average isolation.
  • Slightly bulky design.
  • Bass delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
7.6 Neutral Sound

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.

6.1 Commute/Travel

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.

5.9 Sports/Fitness

Not meant for sports. They're bulky and unstable to run with.

6.3 Office

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.

7.2 Wired Gaming
  • 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
  1. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
  2. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
  3. Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
  4. Updated Oct 02, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
  5. Updated Aug 10, 2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
  6. Updated Mar 29, 2017: Review published.
  7. Updated Mar 27, 2017: Our testers have started testing this product.
  8. 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.

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x

The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x are slightly better headphones than the Sennheiser HD 598 Cs due to the great value they offer. Their sound quality is really good, and they are slightly better-built than the Sennheiser. Both headphones perform similarly, but the Sennheiser also have a microphone for calls if you need one. Also, their cups are larger and may feel more comfortable for some, especially since they aren’t as tight as the Audio-Technica.

Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO

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.

AKG K371

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

Design
Design
Style
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless No
Transducer Dynamic

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.

7.5
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.62 lbs
Clamping Force
0.58 lbs

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.

6.2
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Decent
Feedback Decent
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control No
Microphone Control N/A
Channel Mixing
N/A
Noise Cancelling Control N/A
Talk-Through
N/A
Additional Buttons N/A

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.

6.7
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 5.2 °C
5.6
Design
Portability
L 7.48"
W 6.63"
H 3.44"
Volume 170 in³
Transmitter Required N/A

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.

0
Design
Case
Type No case
L N/A
W N/A
H N/A
Volume N/A
7.0
Design
Build Quality

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.

6.5
Design
Stability

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.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • Sennheiser HD 598 Cs Headphones
  • 1/4" to 1/8" Adapter
  • Audio cable (x2)

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
-2.71 dB
Treble Amount
-1.96 dB
5.8
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
1.01 dB

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.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
9.2
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.11 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
14.14 Hz
Low-Bass
-1.48 dB
Mid-Bass
0.01 dB
High-Bass
1.17 dB

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.

8.3
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
2.26 dB
Low-Mid
0.17 dB
Mid-Mid
2.71 dB
High-Mid
2.33 dB

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.

7.8
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
3.64 dB
Low-Treble
0.03 dB
Mid-Treble
-2.23 dB
High-Treble
-1.88 dB

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).

7.8
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
1.22 dB
Dips
1.75 dB
8.8
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.21
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.56
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
1.78
Weighted Phase Mismatch
2.84
6.2
Sound
Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
3.3 dB
PRTF Size (Avg.)
5.4 dB
PRTF Distance
11.19 dB
Openness
4.2
Acoustic Space Excitation
4.7
8.1
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.100
WHD @ 100
0.172
Isolation
5.6
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-14.53 dB
Noise Cancelling No
Bass
-0.29 dB
Mid
-12.77 dB
Treble
-31.68 dB

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.

6.3
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
43.68 dB

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.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
No
In-line
Yes
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
N/A
Mic Yes
6.9
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
285.09 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
2.11 dB
HFE
2,560 Hz
Weighted THD
0.105
Gain
18.85 dB
6.4
Microphone
Noise Handling
Speech + Pink Noise
Speech + Subway Noise
SpNR
16.77 dB
Active Features
not tested
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
N/A
Continuous Battery Life
N/A
Additional Charges
N/A
Total Battery Life
N/A
Charge Time
N/A
Power Saving Feature
N/A
Audio While Charging
N/A
Passive Playback
N/A
Charging Port N/A
0
Active Features
App Support
App Name N/A
iOS N/A
Android N/A
macOS N/A
Windows N/A
Equalizer
N/A
ANC Control
N/A
Mic Control N/A
Room effects
N/A
Playback Control
N/A
Button Mapping N/A
Surround Sound N/A

No compatible app

Connectivity
0
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
N/A
Multi-Device Pairing
N/A
NFC Pairing
N/A
Line of Sight Range
N/A
Default Latency
N/A
aptX Latency
N/A
aptX(LL) Latency
N/A
0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
9.5
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
Yes
USB Audio
No
Detachable Yes
Length 10.1 ft
Connection 1/8" TRRS
Wired Latency
0 ms
Connectivity
PC / PS4 Compatibility
PC / PS4 Analog
Audio + Microphone
PC / PS4 Wired USB
No
PC / PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
Xbox One Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
Audio + Microphone
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Wireless
No
0
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
N/A
USB Input
N/A
Line In
N/A
Line Out
N/A
Optical Input
N/A
RCA Input
N/A
Dock Charging
N/A
Power Supply
N/A