Short answer: the Sennheiser HD 600. It ranks #10 of 429 over-ear headphones by sound quality (rated 4.4/5); the Sennheiser HD 6XX ranks #70 (rated 4.1/5).
The Sennheiser HD 600 is the better-sounding option. 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 catch: Sub-bass is about 7.9 dB below target, so bass lacks rumble and weight on electronic and hip hop tracks.
Why pick the Sennheiser HD 6XX: Measured response gives it an excellent Harman preference score of 84 with a 2.10 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural. The tradeoff: Sub-bass is 7.9 dB short at 30 Hz, so deep bass lacks rumble.
Buy the Sennheiser HD 600. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Sennheiser HD 6XX.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sennheiser HD 600 | Sennheiser HD 6XX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $301.99 | - |
| Ranked | #10 of 429 in Over-Ear Headphones | #70 of 429 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Back | Open | Open |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Harman Preference Score | 91 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 84 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.88 dB standard deviation | 2.10 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.02 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.27 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 42 Hz (-8.6 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 40 Hz (-7.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 42mm dynamic | 1 x 42mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 300 ohms | 300 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 97 dB SPL/V | 103 dB/Vrms |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (260 g) | 0.6 lbs (260g) |
| Frequency Response | 12Hz - 40.5kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 10Hz - 41kHz |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More top alternatives to Sennheiser HD 600:
- 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
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The Two Headphones In Full
Sennheiser HD 600: $301.99 Amazon $301.99 eBay
Older model: the Sennheiser HD 580 precision (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5). See every Sennheiser HD 580 and HD 600 generation.
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 17 comparisons
Sennheiser HD 6XX eBay
Pros: Measured response gives it an excellent Harman preference score of 84 with a 2.10 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural. It uses 1 x 42mm dynamic.
Cons: Sub-bass is 7.9 dB short at 30 Hz, so deep bass lacks rumble. Treble sits about 4.9 dB low, so it sounds a little dark.
Full Sennheiser HD 6XX review and specifications →
| Released | Nov 2016 (9 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Open |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.10 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 42mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 41kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 84 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 300 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 103 dB/Vrms |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 40 Hz (-7.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.27 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (260g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.1 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 | +6.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 8,800 Hz | +5.1 dB | 1.42 |
| Peak | 118 Hz | -3.1 dB | 0.50 |
| Peak | 37 Hz | +0.7 dB | 3.96 |
| Peak | 3,169 Hz | -1.7 dB | 3.89 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -2.1 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,227 Hz | -1.2 dB | 2.53 |
| Peak | 2,055 Hz | +1.2 dB | 3.23 |
| Peak | 587 Hz | +0.4 dB | 1.19 |
| Peak | 5,332 Hz | -1.1 dB | 5.75 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons