New ear resolution: Sanjoy Narayan on the iconic Sennheiser HD 600 headphones

Hindustan Times

24-05-2025

There's something humbling about stumbling onto greatness way after the hype train has left the station. Like binge-watching The Wire in 2024 (I did this!) and cracking open Dune with everyone else already quoting it (I'm on it!), my late discovery of the Sennheiser HD 600 headphones feels like I've unearthed a gem that's been chilling in plain sight for nearly 30 years.
For years, I have been a bit of an audio wanderer. I've vibed with budget-friendly Chi-fi (or Chinese hi-fi) earbuds, grappled with the surgical precision of Audio-Technica's ATH series, geeked out over AKG's studio-grade clarity, admired Shure's obsessive craftsmanship, and even dabbled in HiFiMan's planar magnetic magic. I've scrolled through endless Reddit threads where audiophiles argue about soundstage depth like it's a matter of life and death.
Yet, somehow, the iconic HD 600, launched in 1997 and basically unaltered since, slipped under my radar. When I finally plugged them in, these understated headphones had me sceptical. Then I hit play.
The opening piano chords of Bill Evans's Peace Piece didn't just play; they breathed. Each note carried the creak of the piano's wood, the air of the recording room, even Evans's subtle exhales. The HD 600's famed midrange peeled back layers I'd missed all these years — not by hyping the sound, but by stripping away the haze I hadn't even known was there.
These aren't headphones that scream for attention with booming bass or glittery treble spikes. They're a slow burn that makes one rethink what 'neutral' means, over hours of listening.
My digital rip of Led Zeppelin's Ten Years Gone suddenly felt like a 3D soundscape.
Jimmy Page's layered guitars weren't just stacked, they were having a conversation across space. John Paul Jones's bass didn't just hold it down; it told its own story. Robert Plant's vocals revealed raw emotion and technical finesse I'd missed in countless spins. I became a Led Zep head. Again.
The magic kept unfolding across genres. Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage floated like it was recorded on a cloud. D'Angelo's Voodoo hit like a masterclass in production, Questlove's drums pulsing with life. Even Burial's Untrue, usually a dreamy sonic haze, broke into distinct layers without losing its moody soul.
The HD 600's clarity is a double-edged sword. Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly showcased the headphones' knack for untangling dense, jazz-infused mixes. But some of my favourite '90s hip-hop tracks? Yikes. These cans exposed mastering flaws I had happily been oblivious to.
These headphones don't sugarcoat; they just tell it like it is.
Doesn't such precision feel sterile? No way. Nina Simone's gut-wrenching Strange Fruit hit even harder, the raw edges of her vocal break cutting deeper. Not because the HD 600 added drama, but because it let her pain shine through unfiltered.
Miles Davis's Kind of Blue felt brand-new. I found myself discovering new notes in Coltrane's sax tone and Bill Evans's subtle comping. And to think these details had always been there, just waiting for gear honest enough to let them shine through.
What's wild about the HD 600 is how it has stayed relevant in a world obsessed with the shiny and new. While brands churn out 'game-changing' drivers every year, this 28-year-old design is still the gold standard. There's a quiet confidence in that.
In a world of planned obsolescence, Sennheiser's loyalty to this design feels like a middle finger to the hype cycle. One can replace every part of the Huh Duh Six Hungeos (as they're known in audiophile circles) oneself: the drivers, the earpads, even the headband.
It's no surprise that the model has spawned a cult following. Hop onto any audiophile subreddit and one will see 'HD 600 lifers', people who have tested $3,000 electrostatics but keep coming back to these humble German cans that can be bought for about $270. They're the audiophile's equivalent of a beat-up Fender guitar: a tool that melts into the art instead of stealing the spotlight.
The HD 600 isn't flawless. Today's headphone models might boast wider soundstages or deeper bass. But none I've tried nail the vibe quite like these do, whether I'm sinking into Tom Waits's gravelly vocal experiments or getting lost in Radiohead's melancholic brilliance.
What these headphones deliver is the deeper satisfaction of knowing one is hearing music as it was meant to be heard; no filter, no fluff. They essentially just get out of the way.
This shines brightest with live recordings. Jeff Buckley's Live at Sin-é puts the listener right there in that tiny NYC café. John Coltrane's Live at Birdland doesn't just play notes, it captures the room, the moment, with Elvin Jones's drums resonating like they're alive.
In a world of endless gear upgrades, there's something real about finding a tool that doesn't demand one's attention but points it where it belongs: to the music. The HD 600's real superpower isn't what it adds; it's what it takes away: the techy noise between the listener and the artist.
Sometimes the best finds are the ones right under your nose, waiting for you to catch up. Almost three decades late, I've finally shown up — and the music's never felt more real.
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