In this article, Marcus reviews the Sennheiser HD 620S, which are the company's latest 42mm 600 series closed-angle dynamic driver headphones. They are priced at $349.95.
Disclaimer: This sample was sent to me in exchange for my honest opinion. Headfonics is an independent website with no affiliate links or services. I appreciate Sennheiser for this opportunity.
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Sennheiser HD 620S Review
Summary
The Sennheiser HD 620S is a surprisingly good set of 'mid-fi' closed dynamic driver headphones and is entirely in the same class as the HD 600.
You get closed-cup performance that sounds just the opposite, and a well-weighted, neutral-to-natural tonal signature that suits a wide range of amp combinations and not just something that will keep you tied to the desk.
Advantages
Much improved sub-bass presence
The most comfortable ear pads on HD6 series headphones yet
Fairly easy to pair with a wide range of amplifiers
Cons
Does not include balanced cable
Some bending noise in the case.
We have a new edition of Sennheiser's 600 series of dynamic driver headphones, but unlike the HD660S2 As of last year, the HD 620S is a more affordable closed-end offering.
Priced at $349.95, the HD 620S sits closer to the classic HD 600 and HD 650 (6XX) but relies heavily on the aesthetics of the 500 series chassis with a 42mm angled dynamic driver more in line with newer 600 models.
With a detachable single-input cable and an impedance drop from 300 Ω to 150 Ω, it seems Sennheiser wants these new closed-back headphones to appeal to portable and desktop audio enthusiasts.
Based on our testing and sound impressions, it offers that classic Sennheiser 'love' of a natural-sounding midrange presentation, but now we have much more presence and power from the bass.
One of the most Harman-compatible Sennheiser headphones to date at this price? Read my detailed impressions and comparisons below to see exactly where the HD 620S fits into the company's current line of 6 Series headphones.
Characteristics
While the dynamic driver has the familiar 42mm overall size and 38mm diaphragm size combined with the company's ultra-lightweight aluminum voice coil, it's the HD 620S's nominal impedance that stands out at 150Ω more than the rest of the 600 series headphones. at 300Ω.
The previous 150 Ω outlier was the first generation HD 660S; However, this was a less sensitive driver at 104 dB/Vrms compared to this new version custom designed at 110 dB/Vrms, so it is not the old driver retrofitted to a new one. Closed chassis.
The second key feature is the driver's damped angled baffle mount and an acoustic surround structure taken from the HD 660S2 to create a stronger perception of depth and space.
The concept here is to combine the angle with a more open baffle design and steel plate to aim for something closer to the wider, more immersive triangular image of a speaker setup, while maintaining the benefits of the panel's improved isolation. closed.
Considering that the HD 600 are not known for being very spacious headphones to begin with, a closed version and keeping the driver position the same would create a sound that is too closed to impress.
And why opt for the 500 Series chassis? On the one hand, because the 600 series housing is assembled by hand, it is more difficult to prevent leaks on the production line than the 500 housing. On the other hand, the housing has proven long-term wearing comfort after tilt the drivers.
Design
It's been almost 15 years since I last had a Sennheiser 500 series chassis in my collection. That was the open HD598 back then and it's gone now, but even if the case has a similar design language, the HD 620S is a much beefier and heavier iteration.
Compared to the current line of open 600 series models, the 326g weight of the HD 620S without the cable is more than 60g more than that of the TOTL HD 660S and the classic HD 600/650 models. It feels more substantial in the hand compared to alternative models.
Much of the extra weight appears to have been due to durability issues with steel-reinforced headphone shells and headband sliders appearing sturdier than the lightweight HD 660S2 headband design. The headband itself is wider and sturdier than its open-back siblings.
The rest of the case is made of smooth black rigid plastic with that classic 500 series 'sleek flow' in the yoke structure design language and compact ovoid circumaural earcups with a splatter paint finish.
You do get a little bit of flex in the case when articulating it, more so than open models, but it's not something I'm too worried about. These headphones feel pretty sturdy, which is what I assume is Sennheiser's intention given that they have some portability goals.
Comfort and isolation
The HD 620S is for my head in line with the 600 series headphones, that is, a smaller circumaural design with a greater emphasis on lateral support rather than downward vertical pressure.
However, I find the HD 620S to be more comfortable than the open 600 series alternatives due to the 5mm wider and deeper internal opening of the new removable leatherette ear pads (from the outer plane of the earcup to the wedge inside of the earpiece).
The original velvet HD 600 and HD 650 eartips are narrower on the inside and tend to sit partially on top of my ear, creating more perceived pressure. That's not the case with these new eartips that clean my ear and conform to the surrounding sides.
This creates two positive benefits for the portability of the HD 620S: greater comfort related to the strong grip and better isolation by being able to rest on a more uniform contact surface, also known as the side of the head.
The new synthetic leather ear pads do an excellent job of providing a good level of passive isolation. However, a little more sweat will accumulate during longer listening sessions compared to the more breathable velvet ear pads. However, a small amount of internal perforation should help with heat dissipation.
Extra brownie points to Sennheiser for also introducing what appears to be the HD 560S's thick memory foam padding on the bottom of the headband.
It's much more substantial than the padding on the HD 660S/650/600 and helps mitigate what little vertical pressure there is when using the HD 620S.
common wire
The HD 620S comes with a single 1.8m single-ended cable for a single input connection on the left cup. As far as I know, all internal wiring is 27-28AWG OFC copper Litz with enamel coated wires and additional Kevlar for higher tensile strength.
It's a slightly lighter cable than the HD 660S2 version, which uses the equivalent of 2 HD 620S cables side by side, although I dare say it might be more welcomed by users who want to use the HD 620S in a more portable way. .
The cable terminates with a patented twist-to-lock mechanism machined into the rubber barrel that houses a 2.5mm TRRS connector on one end and a 3.5mm TRS connector on the other with a knurled finish to accommodate an adapter. 6.35mm.
The cable locking mechanism makes it more difficult to “wind the cable” if you want to use a balanced cable alternative. I'm told that Sennheiser will produce a 3.5mm inline microphone and an additional 4.4mm terminated alternative as an optional purchase sometime this summer for those who want something balanced.
Given its legacy connector, the HD 620S is also compatible with any other single-sided 500 series cable variants after 2007.
However, if you can't wait until then, you can find many adapters on Amazon or AliExpress for around $5 that will allow you to connect your own suitable aftermarket terminated cables.
Packaging and accessories
The packaging of the Sennheiser HD 620S is compact and functional but not aesthetically inspiring. It is similar to the new “simpler” packaging introduced for the latest editions of the 600 Series.
I wish they could give it a little more “oomph” in the boxing department to elevate the sense of value on the shelf and grab a little more buyer attention. It's a competitive world out there, guys.
On the plus side, you get a soft satin drawstring bag to store your HD 620S headphones, which will do a good job of protecting from dust, but not much in terms of mitigating bumps and impacts.
I stand by the findings of my previous review of the HD 660S2 to purchase a third-party carrying case. I've been using Geekria cases for the HD series and one ordered for the HD 620S costs about $30. They are excellent quality with plenty of foam padding inside to protect the headphones.
Click on page 2 below to see my sound impressions and recommended combinations.
Click on page 3 below to see my selected comparisons.
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