Sennheiser launched new headphones that could easily be confused with other existing designs from the brand. But the new HD 550 headphones are supposed to be a decent product that should hit the sweet spot between a solid performer and an ultra-light build at an affordable price. Sonova, the company now responsible for Sennheiser’s consumer products, says the new HD 550 could even be compelling for gamers seeking superior sound reproduction that outshines its price tag. The challenge is that just a month ago Sennheiser launched the very similar HD 505, and both compete mostly with all other existing Sennheiser headphones.
"Audiophiles looking for featherlight headphones with honest voicing and deep bass extension are in for a treat,” says Klaus Hanselmann, who not only believes he should call his customers “audiophiles” but even holds the title of Sennheiser Audiophile Product Manager. "While the HD 550’s airy detail is obvious, customers will fall in love with its delightfully polite touch – perfect for listening for hours on end."
Let’s be clear, the core market for Sennheiser wired headphones is likely to already own one of the HD 600 series reference headphones, or the excellent Sennheiser HD 560S, or even either the Sennheiser HD 490 PRO or HD 400 PRO Studio Headphones, depending on preference for open or closed models. And anyone familiar with the Sennheiser HD 560S (2020) or the HD 400 PRO (2021) and many others will quickly notice how they look exactly the same as these new HD 550s.
Complicating things even more for potential buyers, Sennheiser recently launched the HD 505 headphones, which apart from featuring prominent copper details, also look exactly like the new HD 550 model, and will confuse even more potential buyers. They are both open designs and are even priced very close ($50 difference). The unexpected HD 505 announcement in February 2025 was actually so vague that we didn’t even feature it in the audioXpress website.
Sennheiser (Sonova) explains that the HD 505 headphones are “crafted for listeners looking to elevate their love for audio to the next level of performance.” And then offers no details on why that should be, only saying that the HD 505 uses a custom 120-ohm transducer, is “built upon the trusted HD 500 series chassis” (that same design that Sennheiser keeps reusing and confuses everyone), and retails for $249.95 USD or €279.90 EUR. Actually, the very few details of the HD 505 announcement are similar to what is now revealed for the HD 550 headphones.
At a time when mainstream consumers are investing in wireless headphones— and there’s even a fast-growing premium wireless category where many models can also work in wired mode when intended— does it make sense to flood the market with so many new models, all so similar looking? Even for the head-fi community of headphone enthusiasts— where most of the actual enthusiasts already own several of the classic Sennheiser best-selling wired headphones, such as the HD 650 or HD 800S— the distinctions are incredibly vague. The HD 505 headphones are described as “neutral with a cooler, analytical tuning, brilliant treble, and wide soundstage”, while the HD 550 are characterized as “neutral with deep & smooth bass extension, brilliant treble, politely balanced, and wide soundstage”. Good luck with that.
Behind the reasons for enthusiasm around the new HD 550 design, Sennheiser again mentions things that are difficult to discern from the outside, such as the custom 38mm transducer, “made at Sennheiser’s facility in Tullamore, Ireland.” That is not saying much. And looking at the exploded images of both the HD 505 and the HD 550, apparently the driver is the same size.
“Its speedy performance yields exceptional clarity from 6Hz to 39.5kHz, all 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 such as Sennheiser’s own HDV 820,” the company states in the announcement.
A fully open-back design, the new HD 550 headphones also feature a new acoustic mesh that protects the transducers while removing any remaining barriers between the listener and their music. Like in the HD 505, the driver is angled, allowing gamers to “experience superb, lag-free spatial awareness and immersion for both competitive and casual sessions. True to the Sennheiser brand’s heritage, the HD 550 delivers punchy bass, crystal-clear transients, and neutral mids without straying from the truthful voicing that audiophiles prefer,” the brand describes.
Now that we know that the reason why all these Sennheiser headphones look alike or exactly the same is because of the “trusted HD 500 series chassis,” these descriptions look even more vague and meaningless to be frank. This “trusted HD 500 series chassis” is frankly not for everyone’s taste and very likely has been explored for too long. Yes, the HD 550 still preserves the merit of a very light construction that provides long-term comfort, and in this case, Sennheiser says that it features “a more relaxed clamping force” compared to other 500-series models. (Why isn’t that the case with the also new HD 505 headphones then?) It is true that weighing a mere 237 grams [8.4 oz], the HD 550 headphones practically disappear on the user’s head. But the big plastic shape is also difficult to ignore for everyone else looking at someone using it.
The comfort for the user is explained also by the soft-touch textured headband and ventilated metal mesh earcup covers. Both design options don’t sacrifice durability. And like other models in the 500 series, the HD 550 headphones allow for easy swapping of cables and earpads. They ship with a 1.8m cable terminating with a stereo 3.5mm jack plug with a 1/4” adapter. A range of additional cables are sold separately to allow users to use these headphones with balanced sources and mic-enabled jacks.
In contrast with the HD 505 headphones, the new HD 550 are being teased only as “available for pre-order” for $299.95 USD or €299.90 EUR, with shipments estimated for the first week of April. Actual models actually exist and have been sent for press and influencer reviews, which are already praising the frequency response results. The strategy seems to consist in allowing the actual reviews of the product to generate a buzz around the virtues of its “balanced sound and excellent value.”
But will the market care enough about it at this price range? Will it notice the difference between these and all the different models that the company shows on its website? And if they do, then why not also launch a version of the HD 505 headphones without the ugly copper inlays? Maybe even launch a special edition of both models in cream (sorry, ivory) and brown like the original HD 599? If the market truly understands the difference between “truthful voicing” and “politely balanced,” that shouldn’t be much of a problem.
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