Short answer: the Sennheiser HD 820, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #348 of 429 over-ear headphones by sound quality (rated 2.7/5) at $1,999.95 and is still sold new; the Sennheiser HD 559 ranks #411 (rated 1.6/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 429 over-ear headphones; for better sound, the Dan Clark Audio E3 ranks #1 at $2,299.
The case for the Sennheiser HD 559: 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 820 is the better-sounding option. It is a closed back flagship, so it isolates and keeps sound in, unlike most headphones at this price. The tradeoff: In oratory1990’s measurement presence and treble sit about 3 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz with a 6.6 dB dip near 11.7 kHz, so cymbals and detail sound dull and veiled.
Buy the Sennheiser HD 820. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the Sennheiser HD 559 is discontinued, so it is only available used.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sennheiser HD 559 | Sennheiser HD 820 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Discontinued | $1,999.95 |
| Ranked | #411 of 429 in Over-Ear Headphones | #348 of 429 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Back | Open | Closed |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 38mm dynamic | 1 x 56mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 50 ohms | 300 ohms |
| Frequency Response | 14Hz - 26kHz | 12Hz - 43.8kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 9.9 oz | 0.8 lbs (360 g) |
| Harman Preference Score | 27 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 52 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 4.40 dB standard deviation | 3.55 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -2.07 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.15 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 28 Hz (-5.7 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+4.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Sensitivity | - | 103 dB SPL/V |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
Related Headphone Comparisons
How Sennheiser HD 820 compares with other leading options:
- Sennheiser HD 550 vs Sennheiser HD 820
- Sennheiser HD 600 vs Sennheiser HD 820
- Sennheiser HD 505 vs Sennheiser HD 820
- Sennheiser HD 650 vs Sennheiser HD 820
- Sennheiser HD 800 vs Sennheiser HD 820
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The Two Headphones In Full
Sennheiser HD 559 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. It uses 1 x 38mm dynamic.
Cons: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used. Presence sits about 3 dB low with a 14.7 dB dip near 9.7 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite. Sub-bass is 5.7 dB short at 30 Hz, so deep bass lacks rumble. A Harman score of 27 places it in the lower part of the over-ear rankings.
Full Sennheiser HD 559 review and specifications →
| Released | 2016 (10 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Open |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 4.40 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 38mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 14Hz - 26kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 27 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 50 ohms |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 28 Hz (-5.7 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -2.07 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 9.9 oz |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -7.1 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 | +16.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 57 Hz | -15.5 dB | 0.29 |
| Peak | 8,586 Hz | +6.4 dB | 1.38 |
| Peak | 1,333 Hz | +5.9 dB | 1.86 |
| Peak | 1,855 Hz | +4.2 dB | 3.75 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +1.1 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 2,971 Hz | -3.3 dB | 4.77 |
| Peak | 3,736 Hz | +2.6 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 5,108 Hz | -1.3 dB | 5.23 |
| Peak | 2,286 Hz | +1.1 dB | 5.82 |
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Sennheiser HD 820: $1,999.95 Amazon $1,999.95 eBay
Pros: It is a closed back flagship, so it isolates and keeps sound in, unlike most headphones at this price. Bass sits 3 to 4 dB above the Harman target and holds down to 20 Hz, which suits warm and bassy taste profiles. It rates above the AKG K872 Pro and the Fostex TH900 at about the same price.
Cons: In oratory1990’s measurement presence and treble sit about 3 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz with a 6.6 dB dip near 11.7 kHz, so cymbals and detail sound dull and veiled. The 300 ohm impedance needs a dedicated headphone amp to reach proper volume, and the Dan Clark Audio Voce and the Focal Stellia both rate higher. See headphone amps and DACs with enough power to drive it.
Full Sennheiser HD 820 review and specifications →
| Released | 2018 (8 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.55 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 56mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 12Hz - 43.8kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 52 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 300 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 103 dB SPL/V |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+4.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.15 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (360 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.2 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 | -2.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 147 Hz | -8.6 dB | 1.79 |
| Peak | 294 Hz | +7.6 dB | 2.24 |
| Peak | 5,732 Hz | +1.8 dB | 0.18 |
| Peak | 965 Hz | -3.9 dB | 1.74 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -1.1 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 74 Hz | +6.7 dB | 2.74 |
| Peak | 69 Hz | -2.8 dB | 0.80 |
| Peak | 3,823 Hz | +3.6 dB | 5.33 |
| Peak | 5,091 Hz | -4.0 dB | 5.68 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sennheiser HD 820 vs AKG K872 Pro
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