A few months ago, I got the chance to try out some Sennheiser HD 550 headphones for review.
When the new set from the audio behemoth first popped up in my inbox, it was clearly pitched as a gaming-focused product to sit alongside the brand’s suite of premium listening cups up with a slightly lesser price tag.
I’m no audio snob by any means, but I enjoy quality sound as much as the next person, and can certainly tell good audio from the rest.
Turns out, however, I can also differentiate awesome audio from very good audio – something I noticed recently when I decided to adopt the Sennheiser HD 550 headphones to replace my beloved SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless gaming headset.
Simply better sound, for everything
Let’s start off with the biggest reason why I made the leap: they’re called audiophile headphones for a reason, of course, and the sound offered by such sets is, pretty objectively, excellent.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I really rate the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless on audio quality right out of the box – as with almost all of the brand’s audio gear to be frank – but there is something different about the sound you get from a set like the Sennheiser HD 550.
In gaming, everything sounds spectacular with real richness and warmth. From environmental sound effects to the busiest of combat encounters and frantic gunplay, and from crisp dialogue or instructions over strategy games to spooky atmospheric audio in titles like Control, it all just feels perfect.
I don’t miss the extra bass that gaming headsets typically offer over headphones either, and there are also the huge benefits of the audio quality you get from such a set of headphones when listening to music (which I do everyday while working), watching videos or TV, or simply hearing colleagues on work calls.
Furthermore, I’m still yet to try the HD 550s with an external amp or DAC unit, so I could yet have my mind (and ears) blown even more!
Keeping it simple is often better
While sometimes I miss tinkering with the many audio profiles of the SteelSeries pair, I haven’t felt it at all necessary since adopting the Sennheiser HD 550s.
There’s something so elegant and simple about being able to plug-and-play with such a quality set of audio givers, never having to worry about selecting specific profiles for each type of game or media, is very freeing. The audio settings in my SteelSeries GG software has never been left alone for so long!
As someone who plays mostly single-player games, I also appreciate the fact that the HD 550s are just an old-fashioned pair of wired headphones attached to a cable: no dials, no buttons, no on-cable controls, and no mic. Simple, and perfect for playing solo.
Wired or wireless matters less than I often thought
I used to be very keen to get rid of every cable possible in all of my setups, especially on PC, and that would mean trading wired gaming headsets for wireless gaming headsets at every opportunity, in particular.
I want my desk to be spacious and relatively tidy, rather than just a surface for dozens of cables (slight embellishment) to be draped across.
And on console? Forget it, I won’t stand for cables to and from the machine itself, of course, but also the prospect of so much excess cable between my DualSense or other controller, and my headset? No thanks.
However, with a set of headphones like this, I have found myself caring less and less about wanting to be wireless at all times. In reality, I soon forget about the cable being there when on PC, and while the cable is a bit in the way when playing on my PS5 Pro or PS5 Slim, the earcups are so comfortable and the connection into the controller is so robust, I quickly get used to it too. It’s the same when playing on the PlayStation Portal on my sofa.
I’ve learned to care less, and the Sennheiser HD 550s facilitated that.
I’ve learned to appreciate my external mic on PC more
My SteelSeries Alias Pro is a wonderful microphone for streaming, gaming, and everyday use, but in previous years, I was always suspicious of adding yet another accessory to my PC setup, especially when the mics on gaming headsets can be so good now.
However, by adopting a set of audiophile headphones instead of a headset, I’ve learned to value the standalone mic more – especially so as I can put it on a boom arm and keep it out of the way.
It also offers – again, with the caveat of I know how good mics on the likes of the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless are – incredible voice clarity and detail and means that from work calls and family chats through to cutting across busy action sequences in games, my voice will travel unhindered.
I’ve never been happier to have one audio solution for all devices
I’ve always strived for convenience and for compartmentalising each part of my setup in terms of accessories. For example, I always wanted a PS5 headset, a headset for my Xbox, a headset for my PS3, and a headset for my PC – all separate and independent.
However, related to my points above about the wired simplicity a set like the HD 550s offers, I’ve never been more chill about simply unplugging the headphones from one setup and moving them to another.
Of course, some of this is dictated by me now being fully ‘in’ on the audio the headphones provide, but also given there’s no worrying about dongles or wireless connections, or being paired with the wrong device if I have more than one on at once, or any trouble whatsoever. It’s just easy and painless. Nice.
I would also like to remind you that the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is a fantastic headset and still is my go-to recommendation in pretty much every instance.
Plus, if you do want a headset that offers audio as close to that of audiophile headphones, then the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is right up there, so it is definitely worth investing in.
However, if you’re after a set of audiophile headphones because you mainly play single-player games, don’t mind being tethered, and maybe have a separate mic solution too, then something like the Sennheiser HD 550s will be absolutely perfect for you and you’ll have zero regrets.
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rob.dwiar@futurenet.com (Rob Dwiar)
