Sennheiser Announces the HD 505 Headphones

[Nomad76]

The Sennheiser brand today announces the HD 505, a headphone crafted for listeners looking to elevate their love for audio to the next level of performance. With its blend of analytical tuning, precise detail, and enduring comfort, the HD 505 brings the essential Sennheiser experience to listening setups and gaming rigs of all kinds.

"The HD 505 is for anyone ready to experience the audio awakening a great set of Sennheiser headphones is known for," said Klaus Hanselmann, Sennheiser Audiophile Product Manager. "There is something truly special in here that puts serious listening within arm's reach of the emerging audiophile or gamer."



Your Introduction to True Sound
At the heart of the Sennheiser HD 505 is a custom 120-ohm transducer situated in an open earcup, produced at their cutting-edge audiophile factory in Tullamore, Ireland. With a frequency response stretching from 12 to 38,500 Hz and total harmonic distortion measurement of less than 0.2%, listeners can ensure that their music is reproduced with surprisingly rich detail and integrity. This combination delivers a politely balanced sound signature, with the punchy bass, effortless mids, and non-fatiguing treble the audiophile brand is lauded for. The angled transducers replicate the triangular positioning of a set of nearfield loudspeakers, resulting in an expansive soundstage that enables listeners to sit in the front row of their favorite music, movies, and games.

Timeless Design, Built to Last
The HD 505 is built upon the trusted HD 500 series chassis, celebrated for its long-term comfort and lightweight fit. From the synthetic leather headband to the metal mesh earcup covers, every component is designed to last while exuding an understated sophistication. At just 237 grams, the HD 505 offers a level of comfort that makes extended listening a pleasure. It comes with a detachable 1.8 m (6 foot) cable, with a 3.5 mm (1/8-inch) plug and 6.3 mm adapter for connection to the widest range of audio sources like amplifiers, sound cards, audio interfaces, and A/V receivers. Like virtually all 500 series headphones, a wide range of cables and earpads—ranging in length, application, and plug type—can be swapped by the user without tools. This modular design lets the HD 505 adapt to the wearer's evolving setup over time such as incorporating a balanced audio source or adding an in-line microphone

Availability
The HD 505 will be available starting today from Amazon.com with an MSRP of 279,90 EUR / 249.95 USD.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[AusWolf]

Nearly 300 EUR for "emerging audiophiles"? That's a bit steep.

 

[Onasi]

Senn, your naming scheme makes zero sense. Why, oh why is the 505, which logically should be the entry-point to the 500 series, is in actuality, what, a junior to 560S, but more expensive and higher in the stack than the 559/569/579/599? It’s madness.

That being said, I am curious to see the reviews. I consider the 500 series chassis to be the most comfortable headphone ever created and having another option there is never bad.

 

[Fungi]

Not shocked but still disappointed they've continued to name this shape family (595, 598, 560, etc) so arbitrarily.

 

[Space Lynx]

At this price, I think I'd just recommend HifiMAN Edition XS for $269. I am pretty sure @VSG agrees considering his review of the Edition XS and the subsequent price drop since he reviewed it.

Even without hearing this, I just know a mid-range dynamic is going to struggle against innovative planar design.

 

[SOAREVERSOR]

At this price, I think I'd just recommend HifiMAN Edition XS for $269. I am pretty sure @VSG agrees considering his review of the Edition XS and the subsequent price drop since he reviewed it.

Even without hearing this, I just know a mid-range dynamic is going to struggle against innovative planar design.

I've yet to find a planar I liked for under 1k sadly.

 

[Jomale]

Which Mikrofon solution is acoustically good? Does a "wireless go version" exists?

 

[Chrispy_]

Senn, your naming scheme makes zero sense. Why, oh why is the 505, which logically should be the entry-point to the 500 series, is in actuality what, a junior to 560S, but more expensive and higher in the stack than the 559/569/579/599? It’s madness.

Not shocked but still disappointed they've continued to name this shape family (595, 598, 560, etc) so arbitrarily.

I'm looking to replace an old set of HD580s and my recent look into Sennheiser made me run away in terror. It seems to be arbitrary randomised nonsense!
Also, the whole 500-family isn't really Sennheiser any more, right? They sold out to these guys: https://www.sonova.com/en/sennheiser

Are they just using the brand name and IP or are these still made by the same people in the same location as they used to be before selling off the business?

 

[Fungi]

I'm looking to replace an old set of HD580s and my recent look into Sennheiser made me run away in terror. It seems to be arbitrary randomised nonsense!
Also, the whole 500-family isn't really Sennheiser any more, right? They sold out to these guys: https://www.sonova.com/en/sennheiser

Are they just using the brand name and IP or are these still made by the same people in the same location as they used to be before selling off the business?

Not sure about who exactly is designing now and where things are manufactured, but there are still fantastic headphones coming from the Sennheiser brand. For example, I'd recommend the HD560S to a lot of people and that's current production.
That said, why do you want to replace the HD580? They haven't been replaced by anything and in fact the HD6xx (pretty much the same headphone) is still being recommended today and for good reason. You can get replacement parts like earpads pretty easily too.

 

[Onasi]

Are they just using the brand name and IP or are these still made by the same people in the same location as they used to be before selling off the business?

It’s a weird split, Sonova got the consumer side, but Senn themselves still make professional cans on their own. But from my understanding the consumer stuff under Sonova is made in the same factories by the same people and RnD is still also going as usual. At least I haven’t heard of any new QC issues or overall quality degradation.

 

[Chrispy_]

That said, why do you want to replace the HD580? They haven't been replaced by anything and in fact the HD6xx (pretty much the same headphone) is still being recommended today and for good reason. You can get replacement parts like earpads pretty easily too.

Because I've had them for 20 years, replaced the cable twice, earcups countless times, but can't seem to get replacement drivers and they just sound a bit fuzzy now. IIRC it was possible to buy new drivers (at $125/pair, shipped) way back in the day but I never ordered any to keep as spares and now I think they're as rare as rocking-horse poo, unless there's a compatible part from newer headphones I can swap them for....

If I was replacing the Precision 580's with something as close to like-for-like as possible, what is the equivalent model in the HD6xx family?

 

[Veseleil]

Dear Lord, after reading that first dozen of text lines, I kinda knew the price is going to be in the no way territory. BS marketing phrases insulting common sense. Klaus Hanselmann, the audiophile.

 

[Hxx]

At this price, I think I'd just recommend HifiMAN Edition XS for $269. I am pretty sure @VSG agrees considering his review of the Edition XS and the subsequent price drop since he reviewed it.

Even without hearing this, I just know a mid-range dynamic is going to struggle against innovative planar design.

Yess The edition Xs for $270 is pure gold . If you want a do it all entry level high end sound I don’t even know why someone wouldn’t consider the XS. I thought it was good when it was $400. With that being said I sold mine because it’s not a top performer for fast paced close quarter action games like cod and moved to iems ( I didn’t think I could find a better headphone for the price). My only complaint about the edition XS was comfort which can be easily fixed with a headband soft cover

 

[Space Lynx]

Yess The edition Xs for $270 is pure gold . If you want a do it all entry level high end sound I don’t even know why someone wouldn’t consider the XS. I thought it was good when it was $400. With that being said I sold mine because it’s not a top performer for fast paced close quarter action games like cod and moved to iems ( I didn’t think I could find a better headphone for the price). My only complaint about the edition XS was comfort which can be easily fixed with a headband soft cover

I retired from the hobby with my HD58X headphones when they launched in summer 2018, hard to believe I have had them almost 7 years, that is wild to me. Currently, I keep them in a nice case. I plan to bring them back out soon though, and put my speakers away. I like to rotate like that sometimes.

Honestly, still completely happy with HD58X, so I probably will put that craving to upgrade away again. I almost upgraded to some Ananda Stealth's, but I backed out at the last second.

 

[Fungi]

Because I've had them for 20 years, replaced the cable twice, earcups countless times, but can't seem to get replacement drivers and they just sound a bit fuzzy now. IIRC it was possible to buy new drivers (at $125/pair, shipped) way back in the day but I never ordered any to keep as spares and now I think they're as rare as rocking-horse poo, unless there's a compatible part from newer headphones I can swap them for....

If I was replacing the Precision 580's with something as close to like-for-like as possible, what is the equivalent model in the HD6xx family?

OIKI that is a great reason to be buying new. You might be able to contact Sennheiser for replacement drivers (same as HD600) but the cost might make it not worth it, you'd have to check.

This is a good post with measurements of HD580 vs HD58X and HD6XX

Sennheiser HD 58X vs HD 6XX: which of the two "tells the truth"?

This is my first time in this section, so hello to you all. This forum is a very interesting place. I own an Apogee Groove which I've had at a steal price and after reading in search for a decent pair of headphones I ordered Sennheiser HD 58X from (mass)Drop a couple of days ago. Not yet...

www.audiosciencereview.com