Why Sennheiser’s new closed back headphones are a big deal

Sennheiser has been on a product release spree as of late. Following its Accentum True Wireless announcement, Sennheiser announced the launch of the Sennheiser HD 620S, which is a closed-back version of the much-revered HD 600 open-back headphones.

Audiophiles on the internet are already wildly excited about the announcement of the HD 620S, so laypeople may be a little lost. What’s going on with these headphones? What’s the big deal? Why does Sennheiser claim that they’ll “defy the closed headphone category?”

Sennheiser HD 620S

Microphones

In-line

Transducer Size

42mm

Connection Type

3.5mm stereo plug, 6.3mm adapter

The HD 600 is an audiophile staple

Serious listeners love the wide soundstage of the open-back headphones

Sennheiser / Pocket-Lint

For starters, Sennheiser’s HD 600 headphones have been around for quite some time and have really made a place for themselves among audiophiles.

Open-back headphones aren’t made for regular consumer listening, but rather for people who want the best reproduction of the music they’re listening to while in a more quiet, controlled environment. They have a wider soundstage, have a more neutral sound, but because they’re open-back, they don’t really have any sound isolation, so everyone around you can hear what you’re listening to, and sounds can get in really easily. The HD 600 has a really great neutral frequency response, excellent build quality, and a wide soundstage that audiophiles love.

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The deal with the HD 620S

Can closed-back headphones really be as good for audiophiles as open-back?

Sennheiser / Pocket-lint

Now, what’s up with the new HD 620S? Simply, these new headphones are a closed-back version of the HD 600. According to Sennheiser, the transducer in the headphones is a 42mm dynamic transducer, which sounds like it’ll be really similar to the Sennheiser HD 600’s 42mm drivers and dynamic transducers.

The release also emphasizes the air and movement concept, bringing to mind open-back headphones, reading “The angled baffle is remarkably open to encourage the free movement of air, modeling the behavior of open-back transducers while recreating the triangular imaging of a great loudspeaker setup in an expertly tuned room.”

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This is supposed to make the listener feel like they’re at “the center of the action,” according to the release. A video released by Sennheiser promoting the HD 620S also emphasizes the frequency response and its similarities to the HD 600. The video shows a frequency response chart comparing the HD 620S to the HD 600, showing similar responses in the mid and high ranges, with more of a bass emphasis in the lower range.

This boost in the bass range would presumably come as a result of the headphones being closed-back, because the bass doesn’t actually look too significantly boosted, but rather pretty standard for a pair of closed-back headphones with a fairly neutral response. Because of closed-back headphones’ lack of isolation, bass response will always be a little quieter.

So with all of this, Sennheiser is advertising the HD 620S as a closed-back option for the audiophiles out there who love closed-back headphones but want a good seal. “Audiophiles are accustomed to trading the natural response and wide imaging of open headphones in order to keep distractions at bay,” writes Sennheiser in their news release. “No doubt, the HD 620S is a breakthrough in real-world performance, offering the dramatic soundstage they want absent the fatiguing, boxy sound associated with sealed cans.”

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What else do you need to know about the Sennheiser HD 620S?

Headphones for gamers and audiophiles alike

Sennheiser

In addition to appealing to audiophiles, Sennheiser is advertising these headphones as an excellent gamer option. The news release mentioned the 150-ohm aluminum voice coil, which “excels at speedy transients and well-defined instrument tails for punch dynamics across the entire frequency spectrum,” which Sennheiser then emphasizes is great for both audiophiles and gamers. And that’s fair enough — it’s not just audiophiles that want good audio reproduction and soundstage.

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Lots of gaming relies heavily on the spatial awareness afforded by accurate sound — you want to be able to hear footsteps, gunshots, and other environmental sounds clearly, as it gives you a better sense of direction and urgency. Closed-back headphones with a wide soundstage would be ideal for gamers, though closed-back and wide soundstage are not usually words that go together.

Another great advantage of the HD 620S is that it comes with a 6.3mm adapter, which is great for musicians, since 6.3mm jacks are more common in audio equipment. There will also be a 4.4mm cable available for it in the summer, so audiophiles can plug into their devices with 4.4mm jacks easily.

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