Sennheiser makes amazing headphones and there are some which come at a very modest price, providing loads of value to their users. The Sennheiser HD 558 is one such extraordinary open-back headphone and delivers exceptional sonic performance. To really bring out the best in them, you will need a matching amp to pair up with the Sennheiser HD 558 so please continue to read on if you are looking for one now.
There are so many headphone amps out on the market and to select the matching ones, we will first need to understand more about the Sennheiser HD 558 headphone’s sound characteristics and merits. Once we have this important data, we can then prepare a list of the best headphone amps which you can go for and match with your Sennheiser HD 558 open-back headphone.
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Sound Characteristics and Merits of Sennheiser HD 558
The Sennheiser HD 558 is extremely comfortable to wear and the clamping power is just right, providing us with the stability we need for a casual listening experience, at least for the average-sized heads. It is well-padded and the velour earpads don’t trap a lot of heat which enables us to listen to our music for hours without feeling headaches or discomforts. Since it is an open-back design headphone, it is expected that the Sennheiser HD 558 will not be suitable for outdoor use or in a noisy environment. The headphone has poor noise isolation which means you will hear environmental noises and it will interrupt your music listening experience. There will be sound leakage thus disturbing others around you.
For a modestly priced Sennheiser headphone, the HD 558 looks stylish and modern. It has a frequency response of 15Hz-28kHz which is cool for an open-back headphone at this price point. The impedance is only 50 Ohms and it will be quite easy to drive the Sennheiser HD 558. These headphones will be almost flawless for casual listeners and we wouldn’t advise working out while wearing the HD 558 as the headband is not as tightly clamped to give such a level of stability.
More Details at Amazon – Sennheiser HD 558
The Sennheiser HD 558 has a warm sound signature which makes it relaxing when listening to music. The easy on the ears sound quality makes this headphone very forgiving with bad recordings and the smooth delivery provides us with a pleasing music presentation. The laid-back music delivery does have some attack here and there to give us a bit of excitement but most of the time, the Sennheiser HD 558 is simply easy-going, and should we say it is a polite performer. For an open-back design, we were expecting an open and spacious soundstage, the Sennheiser HD 558 is not really giving it to us though.
The bass performance is agile and accurate, the low-ends are tightly delivered. The deep bass response is lightweight and the overall bass reproduction is rich. It is quite punchy and has a decent mid-bass impact but would not be sufficient for bass-heavy music. The highs are pleasing to hear and won’t reach a level of harshness even when pushed. The midrange reproduction is a tad forward-sounding and is silky smooth as well. There is a lack of clarity when it comes to music subtleties and the details retrieval is not as great as the higher-end models.
At this price point, it is pretty difficult to nitpick the Sennheiser HD 558 and most casual listeners should be able to enjoy listening to their favorite tunes via this open-back headphone. It is not neutral enough for critical listeners though. The overall sonic performance does make the HD 558 an amazing all-rounder and will also do well in a home theater environment and/or gaming use. The pleasing sound quality will be ideal for most music genres and audio resolutions excluding bass-heavy soundtracks. We have the data we need to start listing out the best headphone amps that you can match with the Sennheiser HD 558.
Sennheiser HD 558 Specifications
- Wearing Style: Headband (Over Ear)
- Transducer Principle: Open, Dynamic
- Frequency Response: 15Hz-28kHz
- THD: 0.2%
- Impedance: 50 Ohms
- Jack Plug: 6.35mm stereo
- Weight: 260g (0.57lbs)
Best Amps to pair with Sennheiser HD 558
The Drop O2 is one of the best headphone amps to go for and to pair with Sennheiser HD 558. The O2 is a well-received headphone amplifier and it is affordably priced too. This Drop headphone amplifier may have very modest pricing but it still has enough power to drive your HD 558 headphone efficiently and the sonic performance to provide good sound quality for the price. Furthermore, it is a suitable match with most Sennheiser headphones and will work well together. Quite an impressive feat for a budget headphone amp like the Drop O2. We will suggest hearing them out first before seriously considering them.
More Details at Amazon – Drop Objective 2 Headphone Amp
The FiiO E10K will be another excellent headphone amplifier choice for listeners who have tight budgets. This is a very highly rated headphone amp and has garnered plenty of praise from its satisfied owners. The FiiO E10K even has a built-in DAC and is strong enough to drive the Sennheiser HD 558 headphone efficiently. The sound characteristics of this FiiO headphone amp are clean and lean sounding which will fit nicely with the HD 558 warmish sound quality. The amplifier also provides a bit more neutral sonic characteristic into the overall sound reproduction. At this price point, there is nothing to really complain about.
More Information at Amazon – FiiO E10K (Black)
If you need a headphone amplifier with a better D/A converter then the FiiO K3 will be an ideal choice for you to go for. It is an affordable entry-level headphone amp with a DAC that supports up to 384kHz/32bit resolution (USB Type-C). Another notable feature will be the Bass Boost function where you can get a slightly more emphasis on the low frequencies. It will make a suitable amp partner for the Sennheiser HD 558 headphone due to its neutrality and lean sonic characteristics, not to mention, the tighter bass performance which complements the HD 558 really well. The FiiO K3 headphone amp will fit most listeners’ budgets too.
More Details at Amazon – FiiO K3 DAC Headphone Amp
The Schiit Audio Magni Heresy is one of the best headphone amplifiers to go with your Sennheiser HD 558 open-back headphone. The music pacing and speed of the Magni Heresy adds a tad more liveliness into the overall sound reproduction, giving you a more engaging music presentation. The clean and clear music delivery of the Schiit Audio Magni Heresy also helps to add more musical details and nuances. The easy-going HD 558 smooth sonic quality will ease the hard edges and prevents the music from sounding overly harsh. It is a modestly priced headphone amp and is worth your time to check them out.
More Information at Amazon – Schiit Magni Heresy
For a warmer music presentation, getting a tube headphone amplifier will be an exemplary choice and the Schiit Audio Vali 2 will be the tube hybrid amp to do the job. Pairing the Vali 2 with the Sennheiser HD 558 headphone will deliver a smoother music presentation and adds more texture as well. The overall sound reproduction will be fuller and a tad more polite. For a tube headphone amp at this price point, the Schiit Audio Vali 2 has really low background noise. You can also tube roll to change the sound signature and fine-tune it to your liking. This will be a fantastic entry-level tube headphone amp for your Sennheiser HD 558.
More Information at Amazon – Schiit Vali 2 Tube Hybrid Headphone Amp
If you are a competitive gamer and want a gaming headphone amplifier that can give you an edge then check out the Sennheiser GSX 1200 Pro. It is a gaming audio amplifier with a built-in gaming DAC and EQ to provide you with impeccable spatial awareness, allowing you to detect the position of your enemies in the gaming environment, thanks to the amp sonic accuracy, precision, and clarity. The GSX 1200 Pro enables you to daisy chain up to eight amps, providing you with lag-free team communication. If this chat-link feature is not important, perhaps the Sennheiser GSX 1000 will be sufficient to pair with your Sennheiser HD 558 open-back headphone.
More Details at Amazon – Sennheiser GSX 1200 PRO Gaming Audio Amplifier
To Sum It Up
The pleasing and polite sound quality of the Sennheiser HD 558 will work well with solid-state headphone amplifiers and the ones listed here are some of the best on the market which their price points are quite closely matched as well. If you prefer tube amps then the mentioned Schiit Audio Vali 2 will be worth your time to check it out. It is highly recommended to audition these headphone amps first and see which one sounds the best to you. Do bring along your favorite music for the headphone amplifier audition so that it will be easier for you to tell the difference in sound quality.
