TUE, AUG 13
NimishAndAkriti
Imagine investing Rs 32,990 in a pair of headphones that has no Bluetooth, no ANC, no calling support? Well, that is what audiophiles do. The folks who love the sheer purity of sound and value it more than anything else in their audio. Well, those are the folks that will totally love the latest pair of headphones from Sennheiser, the HD 620S.
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Now, we know that Rs 32,990 is a lot of money for a pair of headphones - something like the Sony 1000 XM5 comes for Rs 27,999. And that comes with features like ANC, long battery life and great call quality, so what in heck is so great about these headphones? Well, obviously, they sound great, but there is something else here as well. Something that you won't find on other headphones.
Now in the audiophile community, there are two kinds of headphones - open back, and closed back. Most purists prefer open back headphones (which have mesh-like openings on the back of the ear cups), and the more conventional closed back headphones, where the back of the cups are closed and solid metal or plastic.
Both open and closed back headphones have their own pros and cons, but we have seen a lot of purists preferring open back headphones, simply because the sound from them is more spacious. In audio geek terms, they have a wider soundstage - the sound seems to be coming from all directions, letting you feel as if you are sitting in the middle of a room surrounded by sound, and can even identify where each instrument is located. Think of it like spatial audio, but with far more sense of direction. The problem with open back headphones is that well, they are open at the back, so sound leaks out and the world will get to hear what you are listening!
Closed back headphones on the other hand are well, closed by nature, so have lesser sound leakage. However, they generally do not have a very open sound signature and are best at handling tracks that had bass and rumble in them. It is a sort of rule that if you want 'open sound' which seems to envelop you, you need open back headphones and if you want more punchy sound, you need closed back headphones! Sennheiser is looking to change that with the HD 620S!
Now, the Sennheiser HD 620S are a pair of closed back headphones. But Sennheiser claims that they have been designed in such a manner that users can actually experience the sort of open sound and wide soundstage that they would get on open back headphones. And as these are closed back headphones, no sound from them would leak out either. Basically, you get open back sound in closed back headphones. Sounds impossible. Pun intended!
Rather amazingly, the Sennhesier HD 620S do deliver on that promise. These are closed back headphones but the ear cups are well padded and there is not only a lot of space inside them, but even the 42 mm drivers have been placed in a manner to ensure a wider sound.
And well, it actually works. We were able to experience audio with a surprisingly wide soundstage, without any concern of being overheard or disturbing anyone. This is particular amazing for those who love classical music, country, rock or those soundtracks with have dramatic sweeping music on them - the LOTR soundtrack sounded dazzling. Bass is a little on the low side but is present. But take it from us, you will be dazed at the quality of sound that hits out from the Sennheiser HD 620S. No, it does not match the openness of a classic open back headphone, but it is well ahead of anything we have heard on a closed headphone in soundstage terms!
There is a catch, though - these are wired headphones and gave an impedance of about 150 ohms. That means that while you can plug them into your notebook and smartphone and still get reasonably good sound, you will need a device called a DAC (digital to analog converter) to get the most out of them. And those cost money. A good wired DAC will set you back by close to Rs 10,000. Mind you, once you use it, you will be mesmerised by the difference it makes.
The big question of course, is whether all this expenditure (Rs 32,9990 for the headphones, and some more for a DAC, in case you do not have one) is worth it? Well, if you are into listening to high quality music or are a professional audio user, then definitely. The Sennheiser HD 620S look elegant and smart, ate not too heavy at around 300 grams., are comfortable to wear (lots of padding on them ears and headband), solidly built (plastic and metal) and well, they sound awesome with the right DAC. They are perfect actually for those who love open back headphones but have the sound that leaks out of them.
You will NOT be able to make calls from them,. or connect to multiple devices, and while the ample padding and closed back will keep out a lot of sound, they will not match ANC. If all you want is a pleasant listening experience, these are too expensive. But if you want the sort of audio experience when you can sometimes even hear a bow scrape a violin or the tinkle of a piano key in all its glory, these are the headphones for it. They are designed to last for years and they can handle any genre out there. Bassheads need to avoid these - the Sennheiser HD 620S is for the purists. It is expensive, but serves up expansive sound!. In spite of being closed back. Kind of an audio miracle, actually.
omkar
The design looks like the HD 560S, are the 620S the successors to them?
Got the 560s not too long ago, paired them with the Behringer audio interface. My first dip into such audio setup, pretty happy with them.
WED, AUG 14
NimishAndAkriti
Omkar Arora
The design looks like the HD 560S, are the 620S the successors to them?
Got the 560s not too long ago, paired them with the Behringer audio interface. My first dip into such audio setup, pretty happy with them.
It is VERY liked the HD560S in design - those curved handles attaching it to the headband! And yes, the 560S are so so good! These are not their successors, though. They are closed back and are actually supposed to be more like a closed back 660 series kind of option. If you have got the 560s, you might find these too 'narrow' - those are so open and have that amazing treble!
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