The Sennheiser HD 6XX are open-back wired headphones. They're a collaboration between Massdrop and Sennheiser and can only be purchased on the Drop website. They build on the blueprint of the popular Sennheiser HD 650 and revamp it with a slight aesthetic facelift and subtle modifications, like the inclusion of a 1/8" plug to facilitate connecting mobile devices.
Our Verdict
The Sennheiser HD 6XX aren't suitable for sports and fitness. They're stable enough for casual listening sessions, but they aren't designed for sports use, and they may fall off your head during more intense physical exercise. They're decently comfortable, but these bulky over-ears aren't very easy to bring on the go. Plus, it's very easy for the cable to get snagged on something as you're running.
- Well-built and decently comfortable.
- Not stable enough for exercise.
- Not very portable.
- Leaks a lot of noise.
The Sennheiser HD 6XX are disappointing travel headphones. These decently comfortable headphones work passively, so you don't have to worry about the battery running out. However, due to their open-back design, they won't prevent your audio from leaking into your surroundings, nor will they block out background noise (like bus and plane engines) from disturbing you.
- Well-built and decently comfortable.
- Not very portable.
- Terrible noise isolation.
- Leaks a lot of noise.
The Sennheiser HD 6XX are poor for office use. They're decently comfortable, and thanks to their wired connection, you don't have to worry about them running out of battery. However, due to their open-back design, they don't block out background noises typically found in an office, like chatter from other coworkers. Also, they leak a lot of noise, which can be distracting for people around you.
- Well-built and decently comfortable.
- No microphone.
- Terrible noise isolation.
- Leaks a lot of noise.
The Sennheiser HD 6XX are wired-only headphones, so they aren't suitable for wireless gaming.
The Sennheiser HD 6XX are okay for wired gaming. You can plug them into your PC or Xbox and PlayStation family controller, but they don't have a microphone, so you can only receive audio. Thanks to their wired connection, they have low latency, and they're decently comfortable. However, they lack low bass, so you may not feel the deep thump and rumble in action-packed scenes.
- Well-built and decently comfortable.
- Consistent audio delivery.
- No sound customization features.
- No microphone.
The Sennheiser HD 6XX are a great choice for audio reproduction accuracy. The frequency response generally matches their flat sound profile, with only small deviations occurring in the treble range. The L/R drivers are well-matched in terms of amplitude, frequency, and phase, which ensures instruments are panned correctly in the stereo image. They also don't produce audible harmonic distortion at typical or loud listening levels. Their PRTF response is quite similar to that of an angled reference speaker, which can add an immersive quality to the presentation of stereo elements, even if the sound isn't spread particularly wide.
The Sennheiser HD 6XX are terrible for noise isolation. Their open-back design lets noise in from across the frequency spectrum. While they're marginally better at attenuating treble-range sounds, like fridge hum, they really struggle to isolate you against bass-range noises, like bus and plane engines.
The Sennheiser HD 6XX don't feature a built-in microphone.
The Sennheiser HD 6XX are outstanding when it comes to delivering audio consistently. Regardless of your head shape or physical features, you'll be able to achieve consistent audio reproduction as long as you take the time to secure a solid fit.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Mar 12, 2026:
This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.1, which removes the Group Delay test and rebalances scoring for the Harmonic Distortion test and Audio Reproduction Accuracy performance usage. For more details, consult our full changelog.
- Updated Mar 12, 2026: This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.1, which removes the Group Delay test, and rebalances scoring for the Harmonic Distortion test and Audio Reproduction Accuracy performance usage. For more details, consult our full changelog.
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Updated Aug 22, 2025:
We referenced our How To Make Headphones Louder article in the Electrical Aspects section of this review.
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Updated Jul 18, 2025:
This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.0, which adds the following tests: Stereo Mismatch, Group Delay, Cumulative Spectral Decay, PRTF, Harmonic Distortion, and Electrical Aspects. In addition, we've added updated results for Isolation, including Noise Isolation - Full Range and Noise Isolation - Common Scenarios. We've added new performance usages and updated the text throughout the introduction, comparisons, and Sound tests and side-by-sides.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sennheiser HD 6XX are available in 'Midnight Blue,' and you can see the label for the model we tested here.
If you come across another variant, let us know in the comments so we can update the review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Sennheiser HD 6XX are a revision of the popular Sennheiser HD 650. Like the Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee, they're only available on the Drop website. Their relatively affordable price, coupled with their comfortable and consistent fit, makes them a compelling entry point into the world of audiophile over-ears. Like many open-back headphones, they struggle to reproduce low-bass frequencies, so it's worth looking at planar magnetic headphones, like the HiFiMan Sundara 2020, if you need to hear more of these frequencies. Alternatively, the Sennheiser HD 490 PRO are open-back over-ears that feature a dual-earpad design that lets you adapt to two different use cases. Their 'Mixing' pads are made of cloth and offer enhanced mid-range reproduction, while the 'Producing' pads offer a more excited sound with a more comfortable fit. They're a fair bit pricier, though this is arguably justified based on their unique design.
See also our recommendations for the best headphones, the best open-back headphones, and the best headphones for audiophiles.
The Sennheiser HD 6XX are a revision of the Sennheiser HD 650 that are only available through the Drop website. There hasn't been a change in driver structure, and both headphones sound fairly balanced. However, the HD 6XX have a more consistent audio delivery, most likely due to their higher clamping force. While both headphones lack thump and rumble due to their open-back design, the HD 6XX have better bass accuracy. They also come in a dark blue colorway instead of black.
The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO and the Sennheiser HD 6XX are both open-back headphones that are well-suited for audiophile use. The Sennheiser have a more consistent audio delivery and a wider, more immersive sound. However, the Beyerdynamic are more comfortable and better built, and they also come with a pouch to help protect the headphones. Both headphones lack low-bass and have very detailed mid-range reproduction, which is common among open-back headphones, but they differ in their treble range reproduction. The Sennheiser feature slightly recessed highs that can darken sibilants, whereas the Beyerdynamic are the inverse; with a brighter mid-treble reproduction that can make sibilants sound bright.
The Sennheiser HD 600 and the Sennheiser HD 6XX are open-back headphones with similar overall performances, and they're both great for audiophiles. The HD 6XX have a more consistent audio delivery across different listeners. However, the HD 600 are more stable.
For most people, the Sennheiser HD 560S are slightly better headphones than the Sennheiser HD 6XX, but it depends on usage. The 560S are more comfortable and don't require a headphone to drive them adequately. However, the 6XX are better built and may appeal to those who want audio professional-style headphones since they resemble the studio staple Sennheiser HD 650.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
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