Open-Aire, circumaural, dynamic, stereo headphones
Eargonomic Acoustic Refinement (EAR) enables ideal sound channelling for a new kind of listening experience
Stats of the Art Duolfol diaphragms
Highly optimized, field-strengthened neodymium ferrous magnet systems
Outstanding comfort for long listening sessions
The HD 515 is a classic headphone and an affordable entry into the audiophile 500 series. It's perfect for listening with virtually any source. It is fitted with Sennheiser's innovative E.A.R. technology, plus special Duofol diaphragms that reduce unwanted resonances to an absolute minimum. Overall listening pleasure is combined with outstanding comfort.
This review is from: Sennheiser HD515 Dynamic Stereo Sound Audiophile 500 Series Headphones
Let me say right off the bat that I am very picky about sound when it comes to using my computer for most of my audio visual needs. I have a fast computer with a Soundblaster X-Fi platinum card, and Klipsch ProMedia THX surround sound system - a combination that almost got me evicted on several occassions before getting a home of my own to indulge myself in.
I did a lot of humming and hawing over headphones and ended up getting both the Sennheiser HD 515 and the more upscale 555. I have always been spoiled by the bold yet warm, balanced yet punchy sound that the Klipsch speakers and subwoofer deliver - literally everything sounds great from music to movies to games. It wasn't until I got these headphones that I realized how good Klipsch is at making up for variances in source recording quality.
Everyone says it, so I will echo this here as well - you hear details you never knew existed in just about anything you play. This is not always a good thing, when you notice that some of your favourite songs have some annoying, yet previously-undetected touches in the background that can really spoil things.
Like a lot of people, I mostly listen to MP3s off my hard drive which will never be as good as the originals, but the convenience outweighs the slight loss in quality. From the moment I plugged in these headphones, the difference between inferior rips and great ones was painfully evident.
After the first few tracks, I was pretty disappointed and thought the headphones were just not that great, or perhaps they needed more time to "burn in". But then I put on some of my favourties and WOW what an instant difference!
I put on Sting's "Thousand Years" captured at 256 bitrate and it was like I was right there in the studio. Sade's "No Ordinary Love" and Toni Braxton @ 192 kbps were also amazing . Even at 128 kbps, The Coors' "Dreams" was outstanding.
I tried them plugged into the home theatre receiver with the opening scene from Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring. The narration by Galadriel was haunting and powerful, with her voice sounding like it was inside my head.
I haven't plugged these into my pre-amp yet which will give them a lot more juice, and they haven't had a 40+ hour burn-in so I am quite pleased so far.
IMPORTANT - although they are open, very little sound leaks out like some people have complained. I find this a good balance because I have small kids where I use the 555's at home, and cannot shut myself off from everyone else at work where I use the 515's. It completely drowns out my slightly loud case fans but I can still hear loud things around me. Anyone who says that people down the hall can hear them must be cranking these to obscene levels - VERY bad for your long-term hearing, and ironically one of the reasons why it is smart to get pure-sounding headphones in the first place.
Bottom line: The 555's are better and do not colour the music as much as the 515's. This means everything sounds good with the 515s while the 555s can make you change your mind about some of your favourites. Again, this comes back to the quality of the source and not the headphones themselves. Are the 555's worth 2-3x the price of the 515s? Not unless you have the money to burn. The HD 515s are an amazing value for the price - I got mine as fully warranteed B-stock that are in new condition and cost $20 less than list. $40 for a set of cans that sound almost as good as the highly vaunted 555s - a no brainer......
This review is from: Sennheiser HD515 Dynamic Stereo Sound Audiophile 500 Series Headphones
I have had these for about a year now. I love them. They were $70 at the time and provide great quality audio. I use them in an office environement setup to a standard PC audio card. The sound is clean and crisp, while also providing good bass.
They are very comfortable to wear - I often find myself unknowningly wearing them after I've shut my music off.
I use these everyday....
This review is from: Sennheiser HD515 Dynamic Stereo Sound Audiophile 500 Series Headphones
I've read some different opinions of these 'phones and people have said they don't fit your head (this is ridiculous since they're adjustable) or that they are very easy to break, which in my experience it has been the exact opposite. I've caught the cord on things numerous times, had somebody knock them off of my desk, somebody even sat on them and they still remain the same as when I first purchased them. No scratches, cracks, disconnections or breaks of any kind. I would actually inform people that these are quite sturdy and durable instead of making it seem as though they will snap with the first wrong move.
The sound quality is just amazing for the price and as others have noted, they're much better all-around headphones than the Sony brand in the same price range. I tested both for long periods of time and gave them each a fair amount of burn-in. In the end the Sennheisers are a much bigger bang for your buck. As for them sounding like tin cans or even more laughable: sounding better when they're cupped by your hands, those statements are just entirely false as another reviewer has already pointed out. The sound becomes much worse when this is done because it takes away from the sonic accuracy and spatial experience. Maybe the reviewer who said this needs some new equipment or a better understanding of the way these headphones are supposed to work. When you buy open headphones (which, by the way, reproduce better sound than a closed pair) you should know what you're getting and the fact that people will be able to hear what you're listening to if they're close enough. The quality is much better, that's the difference and it's the reason they are made this way. If you're looking for privacy, grab the Sony V6.
All in all these are well worth the price tag and will definitely bring a smile to your face if they're your first, second, or even third dip into audiophile territory. However, you must keep moving up the line if your expectations become too high. Headphones in this range can only do so much and these most certainly get the job done for the tag attached to them. ...
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