Massdrop x Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee review: Headphones for serious listening

Massdrop x Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee

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These headphones are focused at audiophiles or anybody looking for thoughtfully designed audio merchandise. There isn’t any app that may join to those.

As a fast overview, the Massdrop Sennheiser HD 58X are open-back headphones that enable extra air in and sound out. As anticipated, we skilled loads of sound leakage, making these lower than very best in a quiet workplace.

In fact, the design additionally permits a extra pure, much less confined listening expertise if in case you have a typically quiet house.

removable, 6-foot cable

On the spec aspect, they’ve a frequency response of 12-38,500 Hz (-10dB) and a 150 ohms impedance. Additionally they solely weigh 9.2 ounces and embrace a 6-foot detectable cable.

The headphones aren’t new. In case you’re within the story of their inception, you possibly can read more about it on Massdrop.

The Massdrop Sennheiser HD 58X are squarely aimed toward folks thinking about listening to music.

You do not have to be a self-proclaimed audiophile to understand these headphones’ audio high quality. Nonetheless, you do must be keen to hear in particular methods, accommodating a wired connection.

We liked the huge soundstage and pure sound from the Massdrop Sennheiser HD 58X headphones. Massdrop did a wonderful job summing up the sound, stating there’s an “emphasis on clear, prolonged bass, with a stable transient response and a easy however clear higher midrange.”

All genres of music we listened to have been reproduced properly, and all kinds of music had excellent crispness and readability. There was a presence right here, helped by the open-back design, that brings the music up shut and private.

The tune “Grace” from Marcus Mumford’s solo album is an excellent instance of how the mid-range would not get muddied.

Remember these headphones didn’t sound very bass-heavy — they usually’re not purported to. As an alternative, there was an evenness and flatness that introduced music with out intervention.

However you may undoubtedly hear it for those who take heed to a bass-heavy tune combine or one thing with a thick low-end.

We examined the headphones with “Sweeter” by Leon Bridges, the place the monitor swims by low frequency from the start. The Massdrop Sennheiser HD 58X headphones did not drown within the sound like some headphones that attempt to punch up the bass can.

General, we discovered these headphones comfy, however solely with some critiques.

Ear pads

The highest foam did not trigger any strain, and the light-weight helped make the headphones wearable for a number of hours.

We discovered the headscarf to be just a little tight. An individual’s head dimension will doubtless contribute to whether or not they really feel the identical approach.

The tender materials on the ear cups was pleasant, particularly in the course of the chilly winter months. There was loads of room for our ears contained in the padding as properly.

The plastic physique was mild however flimsy, particularly when the headscarf was twisted.

Whereas we liked what the Massdrop Sennheiser HD 58X headphones supplied, we do not assume they’re for everybody.

Actually, the window of who these are literally for is getting narrower over time. The comfort of streaming music from gadgets with out 3.5mm jacks outpaces folks’s willingness to hear in confined methods.

Even plugging into an iPhone with the Lightning adapter will not get you the popular expertise. Fortunately, Apple has not dropped the headphone jack from its Mac lineup.

These headphones cater to a restricted viewers. Their wired connection would not make them very best for somebody who primarily listens to music by way of their iPhone. Nonetheless, those that take their music listening classes severely will doubtless wish to spring for one thing even higher-end.

Foam on the headscarf

Normal shoppers searching for “good sounding” headphones below $200 most likely do not need a wired connection and may not respect the sound profile right here.

Nonetheless, we preferred these Sennheiser HD 58X headphones higher than equally priced Grado headphones — though we love our Grado headphones.

Anybody testing the waters of audiophile gear or individuals who have a strict funds for brand new audio gear ought to most likely begin with these.

• Glorious audio high quality
• Comfy padding round ears and on headband

• Plastic body felt a bit flimsy
• The match was a bit tight for us

These headphones can be found for buy at Massdrop for $149 on the time of publication.