Meet Maggie, PCMag'sThe $279.95 Sennheiser HD 505 are the company's new open-back wired headphones for serious listening. They deliver a natural and wide sound stage, and we appreciate the stylish design and detachable cable. If you can spend a few dollars more, though, the $295 Grado SR325x are our Editors' Choice-winning audiophile headphones thanks to their broad stereo reproduction and iconic looks.
Regarding design, the Sennheiser HD 505 headphones look much like other contemporary models from the brand. They consist of large oval earcups with a headband that curves around the top quarter of each ear cup. They weigh 8.36 ounces, which is average for this type of headphone. The HD 505 Copper Edition that I reviewed comes in a copper-and-black color scheme, which looks lovely, and the headphones have plush fabric padding covering each ear pad, designed to make for a comfortable listening experience. I found that in the afternoon, when my office heated up, the padding got quite warm while listening.
As you would expect from open-back headphones, most of the earcups' exterior is covered in a mesh grille that lets sound in and out. Consequently, you can still hear your surroundings; when you're listening to music, it'll be audible to anyone nearby, too. They're not for mixing in the studio, and they're not for listening to while on public transport.
Inside each ear cup, a 38mm dynamic driver can deliver a frequency response between 12Hz and 39kHz. The headphones have an impedance of 120 ohms, so while you can drive them from a laptop or phone, you'll want to use them with a headphone amplifier for the best listening experience.
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The headphones come with a detachable 5.9-foot cable, a soft carry bag, and a one-eighth-to-one-quarter-inch adapter.
People tend to choose open-back headphones because they can sound more natural and have a wider soundstage than their closed-back counterparts. They're also often more comfortable because they're more breathable. The downside is the lack of sound isolation or noise cancellation, and the fact that sound isn't contained to the headphones themselves. As a result, most people use them at home or in the studio, rather than in public places or the office.
The headphones deliver a natural listening experience overall. That’s true of the soundstage and the frequency response. The HD 505s reproduce impressively deep bass without sounding muddy or uncontained.
On The Knife's “Silent Shout,” the headphones reproduce plenty of the sub-bass frequencies characteristic of the track without overshadowing the wide-sounding percussion and the lead synths. The track feels organized and immersive, and the percussion is given plenty of sparkle in the high-end, without venturing into harsh territory. I love the headphones' sound profile out of the box. I always like a little boost in high frequencies, though some audiophiles may find it strays slightly from a completely neutral sound.
The excellent bass response is featured in Kendrick Lamar's “Loyalty." This track leans on deep bass in the form of a bass synth. The HD 505s faithfully produce all but the lowest bass synth notes in a controlled and smooth way without overpowering the rest of the mix. However, it does lack some impact and sometimes feels a little slow. It helps contribute to the easy-listening feel of the track, though you might prefer a tighter response. Lamar and Rihanna’s vocals are rich and present; I never experienced discernable distortion even at higher volumes.
Bill Callahan's “Drover” is perhaps my favorite test track with these headphones. Callahan’s vocals are rich and deep, the acoustic guitar natural and vibrant, and the drums immersive and detailed. The broad soundstage and natural feel help give all of the instruments their own space, and it's easy to imagine the band playing around you. The mid frequencies here feel ever so slightly deprioritized compared with the highs. However, this is probably only discernible to a self-described audiophile who has spent years listening on high-end gear.
That wide soundstage, partially achieved with angled drivers, is particularly helpful on orchestral tracks like the opening scene to John Adams' The Gospel According to the Other Mary. This track is packed with instruments, yet the strings, brass, and vocals all feel distinct. That’s often not the case with closed-back headphones, no matter how expensive.
The Sennheiser HD 505 headphones offer a responsive, natural frequency response suitable for all genres of music. I was particularly impressed with the bass and high-end extension, especially for a pair of headphones in this price range.
Final Thoughts
(Credit: Christian de Looper)
Sennheiser HD 505
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Sennheiser HD 505 headphones are an excellent option for critical-listening open-back headphones. Audiophiles who want to kick back in their favorite armchair and listen to an album from end to end will find them a splendid choice for a reasonable price, thanks to their comfort, appealing design, and beautiful, warm audio reproduction. Ultimately, we like the audio response and design of the Grado SR325x a little more, so it retains our Editors' Choice award for high-grade headphones. But this Sennheiser effort is a sound alternative.
About Our Expert
Christian de Looper is a freelance consumer tech reporter based in sunny Santa Cruz, California. With a Bachelor's Degree in Music Technology, Christian leverages his industry knowledge to review audio products for PCMag, including Bluetooth headphones and speakers. He also contributes to Tom’s Guide, Digital Trends, Mashable, ZDNet, and others, where he reviews audio, mobile, smart home, and computing gear.
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