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 579 ranks #243 (rated 3.4/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
Why pick the Sennheiser HD 579: Its tonal tilt of -0.60 sits close to the target, so the overall balance is neither dark nor bright. Watch for: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used.
The Sennheiser HD 600 is the better-sounding pick. 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. The tradeoff: 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 still sold new, while the Sennheiser HD 579 is discontinued.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sennheiser HD 579 | Sennheiser HD 600 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Discontinued | $301.99 |
| Ranked | #243 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 |
| Drivers | 1 x 38mm dynamic | 1 x 42mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 50 ohms | 300 ohms |
| Frequency Response | 15Hz - 28kHz | 12Hz - 40.5kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (250g) | 0.6 lbs (260 g) |
| Harman Preference Score | 68 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 91 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.94 dB standard deviation | 1.88 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.60 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.02 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | - | Falls 6 dB below target at 42 Hz (-8.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Sensitivity | - | 97 dB SPL/V |
Related Headphone Comparisons
How Sennheiser HD 600 compares with other leading options:
- Sennheiser HD 550 vs Sennheiser HD 600
- Austrian Audio Hi-X60 vs Sennheiser HD 600
- Beyerdynamic MMX 300 vs Sennheiser HD 600
- Sennheiser HD 600 vs Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X
- Sennheiser HD 600 vs Sennheiser HD 505
Prices on this page were last checked October 13, 2026 at 3:17 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Headphones In Full
Sennheiser HD 579 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Its tonal tilt of -0.60 sits close to the target, so the overall balance is neither dark nor bright. It uses 1 x 38mm dynamic.
Cons: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used. Its 2.94 dB spread is less even than the best measured sets.
Full Sennheiser HD 579 review and specifications →
| Released | Sep 2016 (10 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Open |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.94 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 38mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 15Hz - 28kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 68 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 50 ohms |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.60 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (250g) |
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 | +6.3 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 135 Hz | -4.4 dB | 0.45 |
| Peak | 1,680 Hz | +4.0 dB | 1.08 |
| Peak | 2,973 Hz | -4.4 dB | 4.33 |
| Peak | 33 Hz | +1.0 dB | 3.41 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -0.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 9,202 Hz | +6.7 dB | 2.00 |
| Peak | 5,676 Hz | -3.1 dB | 2.19 |
| Peak | 6,705 Hz | +2.2 dB | 5.29 |
| Peak | 630 Hz | +0.8 dB | 3.85 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sennheiser HD 579 vs Sennheiser HD 518
- Sennheiser HD 579 vs Sennheiser HD 555
- Sennheiser HD 579 vs Sennheiser HD 598
- Sennheiser HD 579 vs Sennheiser HD 599
- Sennheiser HD 579 vs Sennheiser HD 515
- Sennheiser HD 579 vs Sennheiser HD 800
- Sennheiser HD 579 vs Sennheiser HD 820
- Sennheiser HD 579 vs Sennheiser HD 569
- See all 11 comparisons
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 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sennheiser HD 600 vs Austrian Audio Hi-X60
- Sennheiser HD 600 vs Beyerdynamic MMX 300
- Sennheiser HD 600 vs Sennheiser HD 550
- Sennheiser HD 600 vs Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X
- Sennheiser HD 600 vs Sennheiser HD 505
- Sennheiser HD 600 vs Sennheiser HD 400 Pro
- Sennheiser HD 600 vs Sennheiser HD 650
- Sennheiser HD 600 vs Sennheiser HD 800
- See all 15 comparisons