Our Verdict
Mediocre-at-best for mixed usage. The Sennheiser HD 820 are a bit more versatile than the HD 800 S thanks to their closed-back design. They isolate a bit more in noisy environments, and they leak a little less. They also have an excellent build quality that feels high-end and durable and a decently well-balanced sound that makes them a good choice for audiophiles that prefer a bit more bass. Unfortunately, they do not sound quite as good as the HD 800 S which will be disappointing for some, especially due to the price difference. Also, they're still rather bulky critical listening-only headphones so they won't be versatile enough to take outdoors or for other more casual use cases since they are not designed for that. On the upside, they are a decent option to watch movies, thanks to their low latency and decently long audio cable.
- Good audio reproduction.
- Excellent build quality and design.
- Comfortable.
- Bass delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
- Disappointing value to sound quality ratio.
Good for neutral listening. These headphones are comfortable to wear for hours at a time and deliver a decently well-balanced sound and a bit more bass, on average, than the Sennheiser HD 800 S. Unfortunately, their bass is prone to a lot of inconsistencies across multiple listeners, and they do not sound quite as good overall. They have a large soundstage for a closed-back design, but it's nowhere near as spacious as the HD 800 S. Their mid-range is also a bit too forward. It pushes instruments to the front of the mix, but there's a dip in the lower mid-range that creates a hole in their audio reproduction. This makes it feel like something is always missing in the mid-range no matter what track you're listening to, which is a little disappointing, especially considering the price gap between the HD 820 and the HD 800 S. Some audiophiles will appreciate the deeper bass of the HD 820 and the relatively large soundstage for a closed-back design, but it may not be worth the investment for most.
Not suitable for commuting. The closed-back design of the ear cups blocks a bit more noise than the HD 800 S but they're not portable and do not have a control scheme for mobile devices. You also need a sufficiently powerful device to drive these headphones so your phone will not be enough.
Not meant for sports. They're heavy and require an amp so you won't be using them outside anytime soon.
Sub-par for office use. They block a bit more noise and do not leak as much as the HD 800 S so you can use them in more varied office environments. However, they still leak enough to be bothersome to the people around you in quieter conditions. They also do not block enough noise for very lively offices but on the upside, they're comfortable enough to wear for hours and they have no battery life since they are passive and wired.
Mediocre-at-best for gaming. The Sennheiser HD 820 are comfortable, sound good and have a low latency wired connection. However, they do not have a microphone for voice chat when gaming, and no customization options which are typical for most gaming headsets. Also, they do not have the convenience of wireless design or multiple connection options for an optimized experience on Xbox One or PS4.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Aug 29, 2018: Review published.
- Updated Aug 27, 2018: Our testers have started testing this product.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Sennheiser HD 820 are good critical listening headphones with an excellent and premium build quality. They feel exceedingly well-made, with great-looking closed-back earcups that make them a bit more isolating than the HD 800 S, so you can listen to them in more environments without distracting the people around you with leakage. They have a good sound that, on average, packs a bit more bass than the similarly designed but open-back HD 800 S. Unfortunately, their sound quality is slightly disappointing when compared to the HD 800 S or even some of the other critical listening headphones compared below at a fraction of the price. See our recommendations for the best studio headphones, the best DJ headphones, and the best headphones for music.
The Sennheiser HD 800 S are better headphones for mixing audio than the Sennheiser HD 820. The HD 800 S have a flatter, less bassy sound that adheres closer to our target with much more consistent bass and treble between wears. They also have a more immersive sound, thanks to their open-back design. They're a bit more breathable, too, so your ears won't get as warm during longer listening sessions. On the other hand, the HD 820 have a slightly more polished build quality, although they are very close in design. Also, since they have closed-back ear cups, they leak a little less, prevent more ambient noise from seeping into your audio.
The Sennheiser HD 820 are slightly better closed-back critical listening headphones than the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO, but not by much, especially considering the price difference. The Sennheiser have a much better and more premium build quality. They also have more spacious and well-padded ear cups that are breathable enough to wear for much longer than the Beyerdynamic. They come with more high-end cables and accessories and don't sound as sharp on vocals and instrumentals as the Beyerdynamic. On the other hand, the Beyerdynamic offer a better value for their price with a more consistent bass reproduction and a fairly even and neutral mid-range. They're also decently well-built and comfortable enough for most, although they can be tight on the head for some.
The HiFiMan Edition X are a better critical listening headphone overall when compared to the Sennheiser HD 820. The HifiMan are better balanced throughout their entire response and cater well to instruments and vocals, sound clear, and have enough bass for most tracks. However, the Sennheiser have a closed back design, which means they isolate more and leak less. The Sennheiser have slightly more bass and a much more premium and durable build quality than the HiFiMan. They're also slightly more comfortable and come with more accessories and cables.
Because of the disappointing performance of the Sennheiser HD 820 for their price, the Focal Elegia might be a better choice for most people. They are better-built than the Sennheisers and are as comfortable. On the other hand, the Sennheisers have better sound quality and perform closer to our target curve than the Focal, but at their extremely high price point, you could probably find something similar in performance, but at a cheaper price, like the Focal.
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