Product Description

HD 505

Wait, did that sound come from my room…or was it the recording? Beyond a certain level of fidelity, it can be hard to tell. No, we’re not trying to mess with your head. But this is one way the HD 505 might surprise you, especially if you’re new to high-end sound. Everything feels more real, you’re right in the middle of the action — without investing in big, expensive gear.

• Discover the details you’ve been missing
• Light, comfy, and perfect for long sessions
• Sennheiser quality you can enjoy for years and years

Features

• Ideal for critical music listening, movies, and gaming
• Our own 120-ohm transducers made in Ireland for clear, analytic sound from 12 Hz to 38.5 kHz
• Enjoy extra comfort from comfy ear cushions and headband
• Built to last with extended availability of replacement parts
• Open-back headphones with high-grade metal mesh earcup covers for durability and style
• Drawstring bag and 1.8 m cable included

“I never noticed that before!"

Have you memorized your favorite songs note for note? Possibly in fear of being dragged to a karaoke bar? Even so, there could be details you haven’t yet heard.

Imagine discovering: the sound of a piano returning to its resting position; the subtle hum of a tube amp; the saxophonist inhaling; a synth line buried deep in the mix. The HD 505 reveals a whole new world of small details like these. And it works for everything: music, movies, and gaming, too! People sometimes call it “high resolution” or “analytical” sound. (Contrast this with lesser audio products tuned for big, sloppy bass and crazy amounts of treble — but weak or mushy in the middle.)

High-end components and perfectly tuned acoustics

An optimized 120-ohm transducer from our own facility in Ireland delivers clear mids and extended treble.

The transducer is the heart of the headphone. It includes the magnet and diaphragm that vibrate to produce sound. We angled this one forward in the open-back cups to help create the “soundstage”: that’s when it feels like sound is coming from a specific spot in front of (or behind) you. Close your eyes, and you can imagine being on a stage: that saxophone player slightly left of center, the piano further off to the right, the guitar amp behind the sax…

The impressive frequency range of the HD 505 covers sounds you feel more than hear (below 20 Hz)as well as high frequences in dog-whistle territory (over 20 kHz). And, of course, we tweaked the acoustics to eliminate gaps and maximize detail. Fine-tuned damping behind the transducer, for example, ensures smooth lower treble response —always brilliant, never overdone (unlike Aunt Mary’s meatloaf!).

Appealing accents and serious comfort

The sophisticated color accents of the HD 505 make a great first impression. But the HD 505 is more than just a glow-up.

Based on the HD 500 chassis, these headphones come in at a svelte 237 g. They’re so light and comfy, you’ll barely notice the cushy headband resting on your head. Lower weight also means a lower clamping force was possible, another way these cans are friendly to your cranium. The synthetic leather headband and velour ear cushions give everything a lush vibe.

Seeking a long-term relationship

Some people get a little weird about headphones. Like a kid with a favorite blanket. And we feel you! Which is why these are built to last.

Lots of people still have working Sennheiser headphones from the 1960s. Robust product design is a hallmark of German engineering, after all. The HD 505 is no different: you get less plastic, more lux. Those high-grade metal mesh ear cups really set the tone, for example. Accessories from our HD 500 series, including all cables, are compatible. And you’ll have access to those items, as well as replacement parts like ear cushions, for many years to come.

Describing the HD 505 sound with a frequency response curve

Headphone frequency response graphs look very different from those for loudspeakers, which are ideally very flat. Here you can see a big rise on the right (treble) side and then it falls off a cliff. But this is in fact very close to what’s considered ideal for headphones. It’s called the Harman Curve. This industry benchmark is based on extensive psychoacoustic research into listener preferences.

For instance, it turns out that headphones negate the function of the outer ear, which otherwise amplifies sounds in the 3 kHz region. So the ideal response for headphones is much higher there. Resonances in the inner ear also make sounds between 7 and 10 kHz louder, which is why the graph dips abruptly around 8-9 kHz. We can see here that the HD 505 builds on the already excellent characteristics of the HD 599, extending even further into subbass territory while still offering strong, analytic mids and brilliant treble without sibilance or harshness.

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