Short answer: the Sennheiser HD 600. It ranks #10 of 417 over-ear headphones by sound quality (rated 4.4/5) at $301.99 and is still sold new; the Sennheiser HD 515 ranks #318 (rated 2.9/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
What the Sennheiser HD 515 does well: Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. The tradeoff: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used.
The Sennheiser HD 600 is the better-sounding choice. It earns a preference score of 91, with the midrange from 200 Hz to 6 kHz within about 0.1 dB of target, giving vocals and acoustic instruments a very natural tone. Watch for: Sub-bass is about 7.9 dB below target, so bass lacks rumble and weight on electronic and hip hop tracks.
Buy the Sennheiser HD 600. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the Sennheiser HD 515 is discontinued, so it is only available used.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sennheiser HD 515 | Sennheiser HD 600 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Discontinued | $301.99 |
| Ranked | #318 of 417 in Over-Ear Headphones | #10 of 417 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Back | Open | Open |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Impedance | 120 ohms | 300 ohms |
| Frequency Response | 14Hz - 26kHz | 12Hz - 40.5kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 58 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 91 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.50 dB standard deviation | 1.88 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.81 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.02 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 71 Hz (-10.7 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 42 Hz (-8.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Drivers | - | 1 x 42mm dynamic |
| Sensitivity | - | 97 dB SPL/V |
| Weight | - | 0.6 lbs (260 g) |
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How Sennheiser HD 600 compares with other leading options:
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- Austrian Audio Hi-X60 vs Sennheiser HD 600
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- Sennheiser HD 600 vs Sennheiser HD 505
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The Two Headphones In Full
Sennheiser HD 515 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural.
Cons: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used. An 8.7 dB peak near 3.2 kHz can make cymbals and sibilance sound sharp. Sub-bass is 10.7 dB short at 30 Hz, so deep bass lacks rumble. A Harman score of 58 places it in the lower part of the over-ear rankings.
Full Sennheiser HD 515 review and specifications →
| Back | Open |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.50 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 14Hz - 26kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 58 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 120 ohms |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 71 Hz (-10.7 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.81 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.4 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +6.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 2,274 Hz | +11.9 dB | 1.20 |
| Peak | 3,125 Hz | -15.5 dB | 1.54 |
| Peak | 8,856 Hz | +4.8 dB | 2.40 |
| Peak | 262 Hz | -1.6 dB | 0.78 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -3.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,176 Hz | -1.2 dB | 2.51 |
| Peak | 1,588 Hz | +1.5 dB | 3.80 |
| Peak | 75 Hz | +0.9 dB | 2.86 |
| Peak | 5,360 Hz | -1.2 dB | 6.00 |
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Sennheiser HD 600: $301.99 Amazon $301.99 eBay
Pros: It earns a preference score of 91, with the midrange from 200 Hz to 6 kHz within about 0.1 dB of target, giving vocals and acoustic instruments a very natural tone. At 260 g it is light, and the long-running design from 1997 remains a reference for neutral midrange tuning. The warm and neutral tilt suits listeners who dislike bright treble.
Cons: Sub-bass is about 7.9 dB below target, so bass lacks rumble and weight on electronic and hip hop tracks. Treble from 6 to 10 kHz is about 3.6 dB low, with a 7.5 dB dip near 9.6 kHz that softens cymbals. At 300 ohms and 97 dB SPL/V it needs a dedicated headphone amp for proper volume, and the open back leaks sound. See headphone amps and DACs with enough power to drive it.
Full Sennheiser HD 600 review and specifications →
| Released | 1997 (29 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Open |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.88 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 42mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 12Hz - 40.5kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 91 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 300 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 97 dB SPL/V |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 42 Hz (-8.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.02 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (260 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.3 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +6.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 125 Hz | -2.7 dB | 0.55 |
| Peak | 8,445 Hz | +3.3 dB | 1.61 |
| Peak | 522 Hz | +0.7 dB | 1.02 |
| Peak | 1,298 Hz | -1.2 dB | 2.14 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -3.1 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 3,158 Hz | -1.8 dB | 3.67 |
| Peak | 2,166 Hz | +0.9 dB | 3.32 |
| Peak | 6,639 Hz | +2.2 dB | 5.82 |
| Peak | 5,433 Hz | -1.2 dB | 5.70 |
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