The Sennheiser HD 599 is a high-quality around-the-ear headphone that is great for non-critical listening and for listeners who simply want to enjoy their music. It is an open-back design made for audiophiles, so you can certainly expect high sound quality coming from the HD 599 headphone. To really make them sing, you will need a matching amp for the Sennheiser HD 599.
If you are planning to get a headphone amp for the Sennheiser HD 599 then please continue to read on as we will be preparing a list of the best amps which you can go for and pair them with your HD 599 open-back headphone. We will share with you this list after learning more about the headphones’ sonic characteristics and their merits. This information will be useful for you too as you can use it to look for headphone amps on your own in the future.
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Sound Characteristics and Merits of Sennheiser HD 599
The very first impression we have for the Sennheiser HD 599 is how premium they look, the color mix is flawless and has a really stylish design. The HD 599 is the type of headphones you would want to bring out and show it off to people around you. Still, it is not recommended for outdoor use though unless is a quiet environment. The open-back design does not block out much noise from the environment and this will disrupt your music listening experience. The Sennheiser HD 599 will also leak out sound which disturbs the people around you such as your colleagues, cafe patrons, commuters, etc.
Is such a pity as the Sennheiser HD 599 looks so outgoing but yet it is best used in an indoor environment that is as quiet as possible. It is also not as stable to be used while exercising as the HD 599 headphone’s headband is not tight enough for workouts. The headband tightness of the headphone does provide greater comfort when it comes to casual music listening. The headband and the ear cups are well-padded which will feel comfortable around the ears. The overall weight of the Sennheiser HD 599 is not heavy as well. It has a frequency response of 12Hz-38,500Hz and the impedance is only 50 Ohms which is cool as this means the HD 599 headphone is not difficult to drive.
More Details at Amazon – Sennheiser HD 599 Headphone (Ivory)
It has a pleasing sound quality with a touch of warmth and makes bad recordings sound okay. This enables us to freely listen to any music without worrying they will sound too bad for comfort. The deep bass reproduction seems to be lacking and is not clearly delivered. The midbass on the other hand is a bit too prominent which does pack a punch but can be overbearing at times and muddle the overall sound quality. This does provide a full-bodied music presentation and adds weight to the sound, giving us a sense of musical presence that is rich.
The midbass may be a bit too strong but the overall bass performance is accurate. The same goes for the highs which are cleanly delivered with accuracy. The neutrality of the highs helps to provide us with plenty of details and integrate seamlessly with the mids, not to mention, the clarity is exceptional thanks to its bright characteristics. You can crank up the volume to a high level and the Sennheiser HD 599 headphone won’t sound harsh. It is an open-back design that is comfortable to wear and listen to. The soundstage is decent, still, we did expect it to be a little wider and deeper.
The overall sound reproduction of the Sennheiser HD 599 is enjoyable to listen to and the colored music presentation does set a different mood when listening to our favorite tunes. You will just feel like enjoying rather than being analytical. For critical listeners, you might want to stay away and for turntable users, the hint of warmth of the Sennheiser HD 599 might make it an ideal choice to try them out. All in all, the Sennheiser HD 599 looks good and sounds good if they were to set their pricing a bit lower, it would have made it even better. With this data and information gathered here, we can now share with you the list of the best headphone amplifiers which you can go for and pair with the Sennheiser HD 599.
Sennheiser HD 599 Specifications
- Wearing Style: Headband (Around Ear)
- Transducer Principle: Open, Dynamic
- Frequency Response: 12Hz – 38,500Hz
- THD: 0.1 %
- Impedance: 50 Ohms
- Weight: 250g (0.55lbs)
Best Amps to pair with Sennheiser HD 599
The Schiit Magni Heresy is one of the best headphone amps to match with your Sennheiser HD 599 headphone. It is an amazing starter amplifier with more than enough power to drive your HD 599 with ease. The Magni Heresy is a highly rated entry-level headphone amp and the neutral sonic character helps to provide a more detailed music presentation. The slightly lean sound quality of the Schiit Magni Heresy also helps to tame the midbass of the HD 599 headphone, giving you a clearer picture of your music presentation. The overall sound reproduction will sound a bit more natural as well.
More Information at Amazon – Schiit Magni Heresy
For listeners who do not want to invest too much in a headphone amp, the FiiO E10K will be a fantastic choice for you. The compact headphone amplifier has a built-in DAC which supports up to 24-bit/96kHz resolution. The portability of the FiiO E10K is incredible and makes it a very convenient headphone amplifier partner for your Sennheiser HD 599 as you can carry it anywhere and just plug it into your PC/laptop. It is also strong enough to drive the HD 599 and at this price point, it is a pretty impressive feat. The warmish sonic character of the FiiO E10K headphone amp is quite similar to the Sennheiser HD 599.
More Information at Amazon – FiiO E10K USB DAC Headphone Amp
If you are a gamer and want more clarity on the important audio aspects during your game that will help you in your competitive matches, then check out Sennheiser GSX 1000. It is a gaming audio amplifier with a dedicated DAC designed for competitive gaming and to provide you with balanced overall sound reproduction. You will be able to detect your enemies in-game by listening to their footsteps with distinctive details of how far and near they really are. The sound effects made by other players will be clearly delivered as well such as when the opposing player starts shooting and you will be able to pinpoint the location/origin of the sound been made. It will be an amazing gaming headphone amp for your Sennheiser HD 599.
More Information at Amazon – Sennheiser GSX 1000 Gaming Audio Amplifier
Prefer a smoother music presentation? Then the Schiit Audio Vali 2 will be one of the best tube headphone amplifiers to pair with your Sennheiser HD 599 open-back headphone. The Vali 2 is capable of projecting a wide soundstage and this will complement the HD 599 really well. The pleasing sound quality and smooth music delivery of the amplifier helps to ease off any hard edges, providing you with an easy on the ears sound quality that you can enjoy for hours without fatiguing. You can also tube roll the Schiit Audio Vali 2 to further fine-tune the sound quality to your liking.
More Information at Amazon – Schiit Vali 2 Tube Hybrid Amp
The JDS Labs Atom is another amazing entry-level headphone amplifier that will be able to drive your Sennheiser HD 599. It is a musical-sounding headphone amp with full-bodied music delivery which you will enjoy listening to. The Atom is not really designed for critical listening but for casual listeners to really enjoy their favorite music. The smooth presentation with a touch of warmth will produce pleasing sound quality and the bass performance is punchy too. If your budget permits, you might want to couple the JDS Labs Atom amp with the matching JDS Labs Atom DAC so to get a better overall sonic performance and sound quality.
If you have a higher budget, you might want to go with the JDS Labs EL AMP II instead as it will be able to produce more details and provide an even more engaging music presentation than the JDS Labs Atom. It is also very well-received and it will be worth your time to check them out. The Schiit Audio Magnius will also be one of the best headphone amps to go for and it is modestly priced. The energetic performance of the Magnius will deliver a livelier music presentation. It has impeccable music timings and the neutral characteristic of the Schiit Audio Magnius makes it a suitable match with the Sennheiser HD 599 headphone.
More Information at Amazon – Schiit Audio Magnius
To Sum It Up
These are some of the best headphone amps that are well-matched with the Sennheiser HD 599 open-back headphone. You might want to select 1 or more headphone amps from the list to arrange an audition and hear them out, the selection can be based on your budget or preference. Bring along your favorite music and if you are looking for an amp upgrade, you should also bring your old headphone amplifier (if possible) so that you can hear the difference in sound quality. The auditioning of the headphone amps can be a really fun process and is definitely worth the effort.
