Sennheiser HD 505 Review | 93 Data compared

The Audiodreviews.org review by LJ finds the Sennheiser HD 505 to be an exceptionally lightweight (237g), comfortable open-back headphone with a premium black and bronze design. It excels with acoustic music, offering a highly resolving, transparent, and forward midrange that is easy to drive, making it a strong choice for simpler arrangements. Conversely, the review identifies significant drawbacks, including a shallow sub-bass extension, a midbass dip, and an artificially enhanced midrange that makes male vocals sound shouty. These tonal imbalances render the HD 505 a less cohesive listen than its predecessors, leaving heavier, busier genres sounding hollow and bassless.

The Sennheiser HD 505 Copper Edition is an entry-level, wired, open-back headphone designed for budding audiophiles looking for affordable high-fidelity sound. Highly praised for its exceptional wearing comfort, it utilizes a lightweight chassis, a breathable open-back frame, and plush foam earcups wrapped in a soft, velour-like fabric. From a technical standpoint, it boasts an impressive frequency response of 12Hz to 38.5kHz and a sweet-spot input impedance of 120 ohms, allowing it to perform well across a wide variety of audio devices without requiring massive amplification. The package includes a detachable 1.8-metre cable featuring a proprietary locking mechanism, a screw-on 3.5mm-to-6.35mm adapter, and a soft drawstring carrying pouch. In terms of performance, the review highlights several major strengths, most notably an expansive, immersive soundstage with distinct dimensionality and a lively, tactile frequency response [+ Expansive soundstage, + Lively frequency response, + Comfortable]. However, the headphones are held back by certain drawbacks, including cheaper elements in their physical build quality, a limited selection of out-of-the-box accessories, and a lack of portability due to their design [- Cheap elements to construction, - Could...

The Sennheiser HD 505 is an entry-level pair of open-backed, over-ear wired headphones designed as an affordable gateway to high-fidelity audio, priced at $249 / £229. Built with 38mm dynamic drivers, a 120-ohm impedance, and a lightweight 237g chassis, they feature soft fabric and memory foam earpads that offer a remarkably comfortable, low-clamp fit that keeps ears cool during long listening sessions. In terms of performance, the headphones deliver a spacious, expansive soundstage with excellent separation, tracking both large dynamic shifts and subtle harmonic details with a natural, unforced tonality. Additionally, they are less prone to sound leakage than many open-backed competitors, making them a highly capable, deftly informative option for budget-conscious audiophiles. However, the headphones suffer from a noticeable lack of low-frequency substance, making them ill-suited for dedicated bass-heads who crave deep punch and body. The overall build and material quality, while perfectly functional, feels rather ordinary and lacks a tactile or luxurious premium feel. Users looking for connectivity flexibility will also find the cable options restrictive, as the package includes only a single 1.8-meter cable (2.5mm to 3.5mm...

The Sennheiser HD 505 are open-back, over-ear wired headphones priced at £230 / $250 / AU$450, designed as a stepping stone into high-end audio. They feature a lightweight 237-gram build with synthetic leather headband cushioning, soft velour earpads, and subtle copper accents. In terms of performance, the headphones use forward-angled 120-ohm transducers that deliver an expansive soundstage and a highly detailed, smooth, and refined sound profile. They are notably easy to pair with almost any audio source or budget equipment, making them incredibly versatile for long hours of home listening, movie watching, or podcast consumption. The primary advantages of the HD 505 are their highly comfortable, lightweight structure and their spacious, agile, and fatigue-free treble response. However, their open-back construction causes substantial sound leakage, restricting their practical use to quiet, private spaces. Additionally, the review notes that the soft velour ear cushions tend to give way a bit too easily, meaning users may eventually feel the inner structure of the earcup. Finally, while the headphones are dynamically adept, they lack the intense rhythmic precision, punch, and meatier bass texture offered...

The Headfonics review of the Sennheiser HD 505 highlights an open-back, lightweight design offering a cohesive, transparent, and analytical sound signature with impressive detail retrieval for an entry-level model. Key strengths include a responsive 23Hz bass extension, forward midrange, and lower clamping force compared to the HD 560S, ensuring comfort during extended use. HeadfonicsConversely, the review notes significant frequency irregularities, specifically a steep, harsh roll-off below 20Hz and noticeable, uneven peaks around 2.5kHz, 5.3kHz, and 7kHz. Additionally, the headband design is criticized for having a solid, non-creased cushion that creates a pressure point on the top of the head.

The Sennheiser HD 505 open-back wired headphones are designed for critical home or studio listening, offering an excellent price-to-performance ratio at a retail price of $279.95. Featuring an elegant copper-and-black design with comfortable plush fabric ear padding, these headphones house 38mm dynamic angled drivers that deliver an expansive, highly immersive soundstage. They feature a neutral frequency response spanning from 12Hz to 39kHz and a 120-ohm impedance, which yields the best acoustic results when paired with a dedicated headphone amplifier. Audio reproduction is highly natural across all genres, delivering deep, well-controlled bass frequencies and crisp high-end details without noticeable distortion at higher volumes. A notable advantage of the HD 505 is its broad and distinct stereo separation, allowing individual instruments in complex orchestral arrangements to remain beautifully organized. Additional pros include its contemporary style, reliable sub-bass extension, a convenient detachable 5.9-foot cable, and an overall natural frequency profile right out of the box. However, the review highlights several distinct drawbacks. The plush fabric padding tends to trap heat and feel overly warm during extended listening sessions in a warm room. Furthermore,...

The StereoNET review of the Sennheiser HD 505 highlights these open-back, over-ear headphones as a capable, neutral-sounding product for emerging audiophiles, featuring a wide, spacious soundstage and a "butter-smooth" midrange. A major pro is their fanatically detailed, analytical tuning that retrieves harmonic variations, while the build is praised for being lightweight and comfortable. Conversely, the review notes a subtle lack of bass weight and fleshiness, which may not satisfy listeners seeking a warmer or more visceral, punchy sound. Ultimately, the HD 505 delivers a balanced, rhythmic performance that avoids being fatiguing, making them an excellent choice for those prioritizing accuracy over bass impact.

The Sennheiser HD 505 ($249 / £229) is an affordable pair of open-backed, hard-wired over-ear headphones that delivers an expansive, highly detailed, and dynamic soundstage with a naturally neutral tonal balance. Weighing just 237 grams, they are built with comfortable memory foam padding covered in synthetic leather and velour, providing a lightweight fit with well-judged clamping force suitable for long listening sessions. On the technical side, they feature 38mm full-range dynamic drivers, a 1.8-metre detachable cable with a twist-and-lock 2.5mm jack that terminates in a 3.5mm plug (6.3mm adapter included), and a 120Ω nominal impedance that remains relatively easy for standard devices to drive. While the headphones excel at rendering a spacious, organised presentation and revealing high-frequency nuances, they suffer from a notable lack of low-frequency substance and punch, giving the bass a somewhat flimsy and lightweight quality. Additional drawbacks include a mostly plastic construction that fails to look or feel premium, a slightly tight fit for individuals with larger-than-average ears, and a lack of balanced cable options. Furthermore, their open-backed design naturally leaks sound, making them poorly suited for...

The Sennheiser HD 505 Copper Edition is an open-back consumer headphone retailing at S$399 in Singapore that features striking copper color accents and a highly comfortable, lightweight 237-gram design. Sonically, it delivers a mainstream, warm, and highly enjoyable sound signature that avoids excessive treble transparency or overbearing, sloppy bass. Its midrange provides intimate vocals and excellent resonance dispersion due to the open-back form, while the mid-bass remains clean and linear. The headphones perform best at high volumes when paired with a third-party 4.4mm balanced cable, which yields significantly better clarity and balance than the stock single-ended 3.5mm cable.

The Sennheiser HD 505 is a wired, open-back over-ear headphone designed as an entry-level option for audiophiles and gamers seeking high-fidelity home audio without digital bottlenecks. Weighing 237 grams, it features a lightweight matte-black plastic construction with copper accents, comfortable fabric-covered ear pads to reduce heat buildup, and a padded headband. At its technical core are angled 120-ohm drivers manufactured in Ireland that offer a wide frequency response of 12 to 38,500 Hz. In terms of audio performance, the headphones deliver a highly analytical, balanced, and broad soundstage with excellent transient reproduction and distinct vocal separation, though they maintain a leaner profile in the low frequencies rather than a heavy bass boost. A major strength of the HD 505 is its practical longevity, highlighted by key pros such as replaceable ear pads, an airy and spatial sound profile, and a detachable 1.8-meter cable that can be easily swapped or upgraded for balanced operation. However, the review notes several cons and limitations, including a leaner bass response that lacks the deep rumble of closed-back models, making it less ideal for listeners...

The Sennheiser HD 505 Copper EditionGo is highlighted as a versatile, open-back headphone designed for audiophiles and gamers, featuring a 38mm dynamic driver that is easy to drive. Its pros include a lightweight 237-gram build, comfortable velour ear pads, low clamping force, and a well-balanced, analytical sound with precise imaging. The review notes that the headband lacks a central divet, causing a pressure point after 30 minutes, and the overall design does not break new sonic ground for the brand. Aesthetically, the upper-midrange is described as cold or sterile, and the bass lacks the necessary slam to satisfy dedicated bass enthusiasts.

The Sennheiser HD 505 is a lightweight, hard-wired, open-backed headphone refresh designed to deliver an expansive and neutral soundstage at an accessible price point. Weighing just 237g and utilizing comfortable memory foam padding covered in synthetic leather and velour, it offers a secure fit suitable for long listening sessions. Key strengths include exceptional dynamic headroom, impressive structural organization, high detail retrieval across all frequencies, and an entertaining, rapid sonic delivery. Furthermore, it leaks less noise than typical open-back alternatives, though it is still not recommended for shared environments like public offices. However, the headphones suffer from a notable lack of low-frequency substance, resulting in a lightweight, "bony," or "flyweight" bass presence that lacks any true punch or conviction. Visually and structurally, the predominantly plastic build fails to look or feel like a premium product. It also lacks a balanced cable option, features a relatively tight circumaural fit for people with larger-than-average ears, and struggles to justify its value proposition when Sennheiser's own superior HD 600 model is frequently discounted to a similar price.

The Sennheiser HD 505 is a wired, open-back, over-ear headphone model designed as an entry-level stepping stone into high-end audio for budding audiophiles. Priced at an MSRP of $279.95, it scored a 7 out of 10 for its sturdy and attractive design that blends plastic, metal, copper accents, and large oval-shaped ear cups. The review highly praises its exceptional comfort, noting that the lightweight build and soft velour ear cups remain cool during long desktop sessions. In terms of performance, it delivers a solid, crisp, clear, and distortion-free soundscape, and features a user-friendly detachable threaded cable that is easily replaceable if damaged. However, the headphones come with several distinct drawbacks that limit them strictly to home use. Because of the open-back design, the HD 505 leaks a significant amount of sound into the surrounding environment and offers zero active noise cancellation or isolation from outside noise. Audiophiles may also notice that the high frequencies hit a bit too harshly. Additionally, the otherwise comfortable velour material easily attracts dust, grime, and pet hair. The overall package is relatively bare-bones, including only...

The Sennheiser HD 505 is a lightweight, open-back wired headphone designed for listeners wanting a premium, comfortable introduction to high-quality audio. Weighing just 237 grams, these headphones feature a sleek black aesthetic with copper accents, a comfortable headband with reduced clamping force, and plush velour-covered ear pads. Equipped with a new transducer similar to the HD 560S model, they deliver a highly balanced, natural, and energetic soundstage with bright, clear vocals and treble. They are highly versatile for audio sources, coming with a 1.8-meter cable that terminates in a 3.5mm jack, alongside a screw-on 6.3mm adapter. However, the review highlights several distinct performance and design drawbacks. While the bass is generally rich and deep, it occasionally becomes uncontrolled and muddy on certain bass-heavy tracks, such as Maroon 5's Moves Like Jagger. Additionally, despite their premium £219 price tag, the headphones only include a soft drawstring bag rather than a protective hard-shell case to guard the delicate open-back housing against accidental damage. Finally, while marketed toward gamers, they lack an in-line microphone, meaning users will need to purchase an aftermarket cable...

The StereoNET review of the Sennheiser HD 505 headphones highlights their neutral tonality, spacious soundstage, and high level of detail, providing an analytical yet engaging listening experience. Commended for their "butter-smooth" performance, these open-back headphones excel in accuracy, delivering clear, well-balanced sound across various genres. StereoNETConversely, the review notes a lack of visceral bass weight compared to competitors like Grado or Beyerdynamic, which may disappoint those seeking a more impactful low-end response. As open-back headphones, they are intended for quiet environments due to a lack of sound isolation.

The SoundGuys review of the Sennheiser HD 505 positions these open-back headphones as a comfortable, lightweight, and accessible entry point for new audiophiles, featuring a well-handled bass response and no audible distortion. They are noted for a secure fit and solid midrange performance, offering a reliable alternative to other models in the segment. However, the analysis highlights significant drawbacks, including a lack of immersive 3D spatial presentation and over-bright, heavily elevated high frequencies that can become overwhelming. The MDAQS testing confirms this limited soundstage, with treble-sensitive listeners likely to find the high-frequency response jarring.

The Sennheiser HD505 offers a well-balanced, slightly mid-forward sound profile that improves upon the older HD560S with a richer midrange, smoother 4–5kHz region, and slightly punchier mid-bass. Built with a robust plastic chassis, it features an upgraded headband padding and lighter clamping force that grants it excellent comfort. On the technical side, it operates via 38 mm moving coil drivers with a measured impedance of 137 Ω, delivering decent detail retrieval and a relatively spacious soundstage with precise imaging. Its overall frequency response requires minimal EQ tailoring, though the upper treble is clear yet dry, showing a degree of sibilance in the 7–9kHz region. Despite its sonic refinements, the reviewer argues that the HD505 is a tough sell at its original MSRP of $249 USD / $449 AUD because it competes directly with Sennheiser's cheaper legacy models. The pros highlight a natural, well-balanced tone, a fuller and smoother presentation than the HD560S, better imaging, and enhanced comfort. Conversely, the cons focus on the lack of a drastic performance upgrade to justify its price gap over the HD560S, passable dynamics with...