Sennheiser HD-555 Audiophile Headphones

 Amazing Headphones
These headphones are amazing. It is a blast listening to them, great sound quality and spatiality. I have had HD500 for a very long time and I guess I still havent got used to the valour earpads, but they are still comfortable even for prolonged wearing.
Good value for great headphones.

 Audophile's report on this MASTER piece !
I'm just amazed by these headhpones !
These babies are definetly the "best-for-money" deal you get from Sennheiser today. I'm an absoloute audiophile and I've tried loads of other headphones ( I currently own the 212-Pro, 280-Pro, couple of Sony's ( 600, 700 ) and Pioneer ) ... so I know what I'm talking about when I say these babies ROCK !!
Of course they're open so it MAY bother some people which have people around them which need privacy so if you're dealing with that, go with the 280-Pro CLOSED cannons...
The best thing with the HD-555 in my opinion is when you listen to ACOUSTIC music ( e.g. the new Sevendust Acoustic CD, Godsmack's EP, Incubus live on MTV etc ... ) you really get the feeling you're ON THE SPOT listening experience. These babies lack only one thing and that's handling really heavy music ( e.g. Pantera, Soulfly, Sepultura etc ... ) - But they manage ok, so don't worry.
I highly recommend these soft cannons, they're extremely confortable and you can ware them for days without even noticing.

 But of course, it's Sennheiser!
For anyone new to audiophile headphones, you may be surprised to learn that Sennheiser is THE name in the audiophile headphone business, and have been for some time now.

In case evidence would help you:

1)Ask the pros - HD600s are popular in serious studio recording, where sound quality is all-important.
2)More expensive is not necessarily better - other companies use their names or unnecessary and expensive materials to bump up the price....
3)Sennheiser is interested in "true sound", and, accordingly, puts into their products the right materials and excellent acoustical engineering. Everything in the 555s is for sound quality and comfort and durability. (Some headphones use wooden shells, fancy materials, and other such gimmicky things...that's just plain stupidity if you consider the sound, but it gets buyers that don't know audiophile headphones.)
4)Open vs closed - sound is vibrations. The air needs to vibrate if you want good sound. Closed headphones may help cut out noise in some situations, but it will dampen the sound in all situations. (Sennheiser's audiophile line are all open.)
5)Look at the stats! - the stats alone are better than most...the 555s are, essentially, standard for audiophile headphones...595s, 600s, and 650s are better, but other brands have a tough time matching even some of the lower ones, such as the 515s.
6)Noise cancelling vs pure quality - I have tried Bose noise cancelling headphones, which attempt to advertise good quality, but in fact, the noise-cancelling mechanism calls for the "closed" type and, furthermore, functions by running a sort of noise-dampening frequency, which, sadly but inevitably, dampens the sound (and puts pressure on your ears). Nice feature for noisy situations. However, audiophiles typically seek out a quiet place to listen. (Although in my experience, 555s sound so much better I prefer not having noise-cancelling over lesser quality.)
7)Great entry level - as above, these are the standard within Sennheiser's line of audiophile headphones. Even so, if you are just moving up to this quality level, you would be surprised how clear the music is, how suddenly you can hear the details you have been missing...in comparison, ordinary headphones or other companies' headphones simply sound trashy - the pitches may be there and the general sound is there, but no tones, no flavor, no character, no spirit. You'll be surprised how much you have been missing.
8)Sound reflection - just as Bose uses sound reflection in its speaker systems, Sennheiser uses such technology to create a more real experience...thus, they work great for movies too. Instead of having half the orchestra on one ear and the other half on the other, it will seem more like you are actually in a concert hall. (Although, at this price level it still won't be perfect...still, it will be better than the vast majority.)
9)Sennheiser is legendary - Do you know what the world's best headphones are called? Try Sennheiser Orpheus. They were a limited edition, only 300 were made, and are reportedly absolutely surreal. (The Orpheus, being so rare, is not very available...the best price I have seen is $12,000, and that is IF they are for sale.) The 555s follow in grand footsteps.

Now, a few points of advice if you get serious with audiophile headphones and get 555s or better:

1)To use them to their fullest, try to use them through good hardware... (iPods and mp3 players are pretty good, but if you want to go all out you could get amps, etc.)
2)Healthy volume is 70 decibels or less (about 70% of the max volume on 555s)...and, sound quality is generally better if you don't force them all the way up. (Finding a quiet environment helps.)
3)enjoy

 Could Be the Best $150 I've Spent
I recieved my backordered Sennheiser HD-555's today and was EXTREMELY eager to give them a listen. I put them on over an hour ago, and I'm afraid that I won't be able to take them off for several more hours. Yanni, Soil, Floyd, Ted Nugent, they all sound nothing short of unbelievable with the triple-nickels.

I (possibly like more people) had to decide between the Bose Triport headphones and the Sennheiser HD-555 headphones. I was fortunate to test out the Bose Triports a few times and was impressed with the sound. Highs were clear and crisp, but not overly loud. Bass was quite impressive, and the midrange suffered few faults. I was also reccommended the HD-555 headphones, which were at the same price as the Triports. I was never able to give them a test listen, for no dealer around me had a display pair, or even a pair in stock. Because I was spending big money on headphones, I wanted a pair that not only sounded remarkable, but also would last.

After perusing these reviews and the reviews for the Triports, there was an overwhelming reponse that these were it, and Bose were total sh*t. Many people remarked that the Triports were not well built, and after testing them myself, I could tell that those remarks were no lies. Construction appeared flimsy; the total opposite of the HD-555s. The headband connecting the cups is flexible, but in the correct sense. These headphones FEEL as well-built as my Koss phones, and as if they could last at least 7-10 years. (The last pair of phones I had were Koss UR-20s - they're 5 years old, and I haven't purchased ANY audio/video equipment of that quality for under $20 EVER.)

Don't let me forget to mention the comfort-sitting here and writing this review, it's hard to remember they're on my head. The velour earcups are extremely soft and are a great method to suspend the phones on the head.

After less than a few hours of use, I have a warm, fuzzy feeling that the Sennheiser HD-555's were the right choice.

 don't forget the a headphone amp-
if you use a portable player or from a PC. Leave some time for break in. If you mostly listen to an ipod etc., get ths senn 100's or koss porta pros. The 555's are great when kickin back on the recliner playin the better acoustically engineered tracks. Soft earpads must be made from dearfoams !

 EXCELLENT HEADPHONES FOR THE PRICE
The Sennheiser 555 headphones are EXCELLENT headphones in their price range. The have very good clarity and can be driven by my old Sony portable cd player without any problems or an external amplifier. They sound very good with all types of music, be it classical, jazz, and good old rock and roll. Very clear instrumentals, up front vocals and exceptional clarity. They are vey comfortable to wear for long listening sessions. My only advice is that if you can afford the extra few dollars upgrade to the 595 Sennheiser headphones for a truly GREAT HIGH END HEADPHONE. Either headphones will give you the satisfaction you desire from your recordings but the 595 headphones will just AMAZE YOU. Buy the 555 or the 595, which ever the budget will allow, and enjoy your music like you never have before. Also see my review of the 595 Sennheiser headphones.

 FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS!!!!!
After reading the other reviews here, and exploring my options with other products, I got these babies.

OH MY GOD!!!

I plugged them into a Panasonic SL-SV573J PORTABLE CD ( Crappy product that has NO VOLUME POWER AT ALL ) and put in an opera CD that was remastered from a 1962 live broadcast from Salzburg (MONO no Less) Ok it was DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHONE...but MY GOD! I never expected what came out of these babies.
I am listening now to that Opera with Leontyne Price. I have had the thrill to be on stage with her at at MET ( OK, I was an extra body, but I did get close enough to hear her Beautiful, Powerful voice)
These 555 Puppies bring back all the realism to the live performance I remembered then.

So what about a STUDIO RECORDING?
FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS...these babies are going to blow you away.
I Plugged them into my new SONY D-NE 10 with "Josh Groban" on board and I was unable to make a fist for 2 hours. It left me LIMP!! and USLESS!
WORTH EVERY PENNY...I would not take time to type lies..

TRUST ME... BUY THESE!!!

 Good but not as good as HD-570
I am a fan of Sennheiser. I bought a number of Sennheiser for myself and my kids over years. I own a HD-280 Pro, HD-570, PX-100, and MX-400, in addition to HD-555.

HD-555 is supposed to be the next generation for HD-570, but falls short of the standard HD-570 established. First, the sound quality. They are similar but HD-570 is slightly more efficient. They are both open air by design. So not being able to isolate environment noise is not a flaw but by your own choice. HD-280 Pro seals up better but you don't get the quality of openess. The resolution of different music instruments and voices is amazing. You can hear new sounds from a familiar recording. Second comfort. It is comfortable in general but becomes too warm over your ears after longer wearing. HD-570 is definitely more comfortable. The ear cups are smaller than those of the HD-570 too. Third, build quality. It is very durable after two years of use. But I whish it also had the removable cord as HD-570. Lastly, the appearance. It is subjective but in my opinion HD-555 wins in the coolness department.

I am not regreting buying HD-555. But I am a little disappointed at the lack of improvement over HD-570, and the hype on it.

 Good for every type of Music
I upgraded from a $50 pair of Sony "over the ears" headphones to the Sennhieser HD-555. It wouldn't be a fair comparison because they are in two totally different categories of headphones. I mention this to give an idea of where I am coming from.

The first startling effect of the Sennheiser 555's is the fullness of the sound, and the warmth of the sound. The extra clarity took some getting used to, all of a sudden, every effect on the track was audible, I was hearing new sounds on tracks that had been my favourites over the years. There is a power to the bass that is not overstated, but deep and strong, and the treble is clear and crisp.

I have tried out many different types of music from lounge music, alternative rock and even Mozart's Requiem, every style is just fantastic! I make a special note of Mozart's Requiem because I really loved this piece CD, but every time that I played it, it always sounded a little muffled and lacking crispness. I assumed that it was a problem with the recording, but the 555's brought this recording new and beautiful life. Absolutely fantastic set of headphones for every style of music!

 Great headphones for the blues
These Sennheiser HD-555 headphones are the best I have ever listened to the blues with.They have excellent response in the midrange and also give a very full and deep feeling for the bottom end of the music without giving away the great highend mix you get in the harmonica and piano.I listen to a lot of old time delta and chicago style blues along with some of the newer blues artists and for the money you cannot go wrong with these great headphones.I will be telling all my friends about the quality of these headphones for this type of music.