Short answer: the Sennheiser HD 598 CS, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #353 of 481 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 2.9/5, at $489; the iBasso SR2 ranks #410, rated 2.6/5, and costs $499, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 481 over-ear headphones; for better sound, the HIFIMAN Ananda Nano ranks #6 at $319.
Why pick the Sennheiser HD 598 CS: A low 23 ohm impedance and very high 115 dB sensitivity let it play loudly from a phone or laptop with no headphone amp. Watch for: Treble is the weak point, running about 6 dB below target from 6 kHz up and dropping into a 13.5 dB dip near 9.9 kHz, so cymbals, air and detail sound dull and closed in.
What the iBasso SR2 does well: An open-back over-ear headphone weighing 0.9 lbs (395 g), with 108 dB/mW sensitivity and a 24 ohm load. The tradeoff: A Harman score of 50 places it in the lower part of the over-ear rankings.
Buy the Sennheiser HD 598 CS. It is rated higher for sound quality than the iBasso SR2 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
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A low 23 ohm impedance and very high 115 dB sensitivity let it play loudly from a phone or laptop with no headphone amp.
Amazon $489.00 eBay
An open-back over-ear headphone weighing 395 g, with 108 dB/mW sensitivity and a 24 ohm load.
Bloom Audio $499.00 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 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.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Sennheiser HD 598 CS | iBasso SR2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $489.00 | $499.00 |
| Ranked | #353 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones | #410 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 58 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 50 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.84 dB standard deviation | 3.72 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.31 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +1.13 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.2 dB at 30 Hz) | - |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Closed | Open |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Impedance | 23 ohms | 24 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 115 dB | 108 dB/mW |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 28kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 3Hz - 40kHz |
| Weight | - | 0.9 lbs (395g) |
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