Sennheiser says its new HD 550 hifi headphones are designed for audiophiles who want a lightweight pair with “honest voicing and a deep bass extension,” says Klaus Hanselmann, Sennheiser Audiophile Product Manager.
At the heart of the HD 550 is its custom 38mm transducer, made at Sennheiser’s audiophile production facility in Tullamore, Ireland. Its yields clarity from 6 Hz to 39.5 kHz while producing less than 0.2% total harmonic distortion. At 150 ohms, it’s an ideal match for a wide variety of hi-fi gear, scaling with ease when paired with premium audio gear like Sennheiser’s own HDV 820.
The fully open-back design uses a new acoustic mesh that protects the transducers, and the angled arrangement creates an expansive soundstage, says Sennheiser. Gamers will experience lag-free spatial awareness and immersion for both competitive and casual sessions. The HD 550 delivers “punchy bass, crystal-clear transients, and neutral mids without straying from the truthful voicing that audiophiles prefer,” Sennheiser describes.
In terms of design, the HD 550 features a more relaxed clamping force compared to other 500-series stablemates. Weighing less than the most popular gaming controllers at 237 grams, the HD 550s come with a soft-touch textured headband and ventilated metal mesh earcup covers.
Like other models in the 500 series, the HD 550 features a modular design, allowing for easy swapping of cables and earpads. It ships with a 1.8 metre cable terminating with a stereo 3.5 mm jack plug with a 6.35 mm adapter, making it compatible with a wide range of devices. A range of additional cables, sold separately, allow for adapting to balanced sources and mic-enabled jacks.
The Sennheiser HD 550 is currently available for pre-order, shipping the first week of April at an MSRP of US$299.95.