Sennheiser HD 600 Review: 300 Ohms and Worth the Amp
Buy the HD 600 if you have a real headphone amplifier or an interface with a strong headphone output, because the midrange is still one of the most trustworthy references at any price. Skip it if your only output is a laptop or a modest interface, because at 300 ohms it will sound thin and quiet and you will blame the headphones.
The long standing midrange reference, and the impedance figure that decides whether you will actually hear it.
Sennheiser HD 600 Open Back Headphones
~$269
The open back reference headphone that has been a mixing standard for decades, with a detachable Kevlar reinforced cable.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Type | Open back, circumaural, wired |
|---|---|
| Impedance | 300 ohms |
| Drivers | Neodymium ferrous magnet dynamic drivers |
| Cable | Detachable, Kevlar reinforced, oxygen free copper |
| Earpieces | Open metal mesh covers with replaceable plush pads |
| Approx. price | Around $269 |
Specifications above come from Sennheiser's published product description as listed on the Amazon product page. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- A midrange that has been trusted as a reference for decades, which is where voices, guitars and most of a mix actually live.
- Open back presentation makes reverb tails, depth and stereo placement much easier to judge than a closed design does.
- Comfortable enough for genuinely long sessions, which is not a small thing when the alternative is a clamping closed back.
- Detachable cable and replaceable pads, so consumables do not end the life of the headphones.
- Resale and parts availability are both unusually good, because these have been in production a very long time.
Where it falls short
- 300 ohms. On a laptop output or a modest interface they play quietly and lose low end authority, and most first impressions of the HD 600 being thin are actually an impression of an underpowered amplifier.
- Open backs leak in both directions, so they are useless for tracking with a live microphone and useless in a noisy room.
- The bottom octave is polite. These will not tell you what a subwoofer would.
- Clamp force is firm out of the box and takes time to relax, which some owners never stop noticing.
- Headphones remove the room from your monitoring, which helps with detail and hurts with absolute low frequency balance. A headphone only mix is a mix with a known blind spot.
What owners report
Published owner reviews have been consistent for years: the midrange is the reason people buy them and the reason people keep them. The recurring criticism is not about tuning but about drive. Owners plugging them into a laptop or a weak headphone output describe them as quiet, thin and underwhelming, and owners who then add a proper amplifier describe an entirely different headphone. That is the single most important thing to understand before buying.
The second consistent theme is longevity. Owners report using the same pair for many years, replacing pads and cables rather than the headphones, which is a real part of the value at this price.
What headphones can and cannot do for a home mix
Headphones remove the room entirely. That is a genuine advantage in a bad room and a genuine trap: your ears never load the way they do in a real space, so absolute bass balance judged only on headphones frequently fails on speakers. The workflow that works is to use both, and how to mix on headphones covers the habits that make headphone decisions translate. The monitors versus headphones comparison sets out what each one is actually good for.
If you are choosing between open backs, the honest split is amplification. The beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X at 48 ohms is driven properly by an ordinary interface and is the more detailed of the two at the top, while the HD 600 is flatter through the midrange and needs the amplifier. The HD 600 versus DT 990 PRO comparison covers the other common cross shop. If you need one pair for tracking as well, an open back cannot do it and the DT 770 PRO is the closed back answer.
Who it suits
- Anyone with a dedicated headphone amplifier or an interface with a genuinely strong headphone output.
- Mixers who work primarily in the midrange, which is most people most of the time.
- Rooms too poor or too shared for monitors to be trusted, used alongside a speaker check when possible.
- Anyone who wants a pair they can keep for a decade and repair rather than replace.
Who should skip it
- Laptop and phone users with no amplifier, who should buy a lower impedance model instead.
- Anyone tracking with a live microphone in the room, since an open back leaks straight into it.
- Bass heavy production where the bottom octave is the deciding factor.
- Anyone expecting headphones alone to substitute for room treatment.
Alternatives worth considering
beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X Studio Mixing Open Back Headphones
~$320
At 48 ohms an ordinary interface headphone output drives it properly, which removes the single biggest obstacle to living with the HD 600. It is also more detailed at the top, at the cost of being brighter than some people want.
Check price on Amazonbeyerdynamic DT 770 PRO Studio Headphones, 80 Ohm
~$200
Closed back with real isolation, which is the job an open back cannot do at all. If you record with a microphone in the room and can only own one pair, this is the correct purchase and the open back comes later.
Check price on AmazonAudio-Technica ATH-M50x Professional Studio Monitor Headphones
~$159
Closed back, low impedance and driven by anything, at well under the HD 600's price. It is a more coloured headphone and the better practical choice if the budget will not stretch to an amplifier as well as headphones.
Check price on AmazonKeep reading
- Sennheiser HD 600 vs DT 990 PRO
- Open back vs closed back headphones
- Studio monitors vs headphones for mixing
- Best studio headphones for mixing
- Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X review
- How to mix on headphones
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Frequently asked questions
Do the HD 600 need a headphone amp?
In practice, yes. At 300 ohms a laptop output or a modest interface headphone jack will produce sound but not enough current to control the drivers, which is why underpowered HD 600s are described as thin and quiet. Most complaints about their bass are complaints about the amplifier. If you are not going to add one, a lower impedance model such as the DT 900 PRO X is a better purchase.
Are the HD 600 good for mixing?
For midrange decisions they are among the most trusted references available, which covers voices, guitars, keys and most of the important part of a mix. They are less useful for the bottom octave, and headphones in general remove the room from your monitoring, which helps with detail and hurts with absolute bass balance. Check important low end decisions on speakers or against a reference track.
Sennheiser HD 600 vs HD 650, what is the difference?
The HD 650 is voiced with a little more low end weight and a slightly softer top, and the HD 600 is the flatter and more analytical of the two. For mixing the HD 600 is usually the safer reference. For listening, more people prefer the HD 650. Neither difference is anything like as large as the difference a proper amplifier makes to either.
Can I use the HD 600 for recording vocals?
Not with a microphone in the room. They are open back and leak by design, so the backing track and click bleed into the take and cannot be removed afterwards. Use a closed back such as the DT 770 PRO for tracking. Keeping a cheap closed pair for tracking and a good open pair for mixing is the standard and correct arrangement.
Are the HD 600 comfortable for long sessions?
Once the clamp relaxes, yes, and published owner reviews consistently mention comfort as a strength. Out of the box the headband is firm and some owners find the first few weeks tight. The pads are replaceable, which matters because velour flattens over time and worn pads change both the fit and the frequency response.
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