Why It Is Still The Reference
The HD 600 has been in production, essentially unchanged, since the 1990s, which in consumer audio is close to unheard of. It stays because the tuning is neutral in a way that has not been meaningfully improved upon at the price, and because it is honest about recordings.
Neutral means the frequency response does not add a bass lift or a treble sparkle to flatter music. The consequence is that well-recorded material sounds correct and badly recorded material sounds bad, which is the point for anyone mixing or critically listening and occasionally disappointing for anyone wanting everything to sound exciting.
The midrange in particular — voices, acoustic instruments, most of the information in most music — is presented without the dip that many headphones use to make bass and treble seem more prominent.
Open Back Means Open
This is the single most important practical fact and it surprises people. Open-back headphones have a perforated or mesh outer housing, which is what produces the spacious, uncongested presentation they are bought for.
It also means sound goes out as freely as it comes in. Anyone within a few metres hears what you are listening to at moderate volume, and you hear the room. On a train, in an office or beside a sleeping partner, they are unusable.
There is no version of this that can be fixed. If you need isolation, open-back headphones are the wrong category entirely and no amount of good tuning compensates.
Amplification And Practicalities
The impedance is high and the sensitivity modest, which means a phone or a laptop headphone jack will drive them to audible levels and not to their potential — the bass loses control and the whole presentation thins out.
They do not need an expensive amplifier, and they do need something better than a laptop jack. A modest dedicated headphone amplifier or a competent DAC with a decent output transforms them, and this should be budgeted as part of the purchase rather than as a later upgrade.
Every part is replaceable. Pads, headband, cable and even drivers are available, which is why twenty-year-old pairs are still in service. Pads in particular change the sound as they compress and should be replaced every few years rather than left indefinitely.
Against The Alternatives
Against closed-back headphones, these are more spacious and more comfortable over hours and offer no isolation whatsoever.
Against planar magnetic headphones at similar prices, planars typically offer more detail and bass control and are heavier and often less comfortable; the HD 600's midrange remains a benchmark.
Against consumer headphones with a bass lift, these will initially sound thin to anyone accustomed to that, and most people adjust within a week and then find the alternative fatiguing.
Who Should Not Buy It
Anyone needing isolation — commuting, open offices, shared rooms — should buy closed-back headphones, as open backs are simply unusable in those settings.
Anyone wanting a bass-forward, exciting sound will find these honest to the point of dullness, and that is a legitimate preference rather than a lack of appreciation.
Anyone unwilling to add an amplifier will not hear what they paid for, as a laptop jack does not drive them properly.
The Verdict
A genuinely neutral reference headphone that has outlasted three decades of fashion, is comfortable for long sessions, and can be kept running indefinitely through replaceable parts.
They leak sound completely, need more than a laptop jack, and will sound thin to anyone used to a consumer bass lift.
Budget for an amplifier at the same time — an HD 600 on a laptop jack is a worse experience than cheaper headphones properly driven.
At a glance
Pros
- Neutral tuning with a benchmark midrange
- Comfortable for multi-hour sessions
- Every part replaceable; pairs last decades
- Reveals recording quality honestly, which is what reference means
Cons
- Open back offers zero isolation and leaks sound completely
- Needs more than a laptop or phone headphone jack
- Will sound thin to anyone used to a consumer bass lift
- Pads compress over years and change the sound
Frequently asked questions
Can I use them on a train?
No. Open-back headphones leak sound outward and let the room in, so everyone nearby hears your music and you hear the train. This is not a minor drawback but a categorical limitation — you want closed-back headphones for that.
Do I really need an amplifier?
Something better than a laptop jack, yes. They will play at audible volume from a phone and the bass loses control and the presentation thins. A modest headphone amp or a competent DAC transforms them, and it should be part of the budget rather than a later addition.
Why do they sound thin at first?
Because most consumer headphones add a bass lift and a treble sparkle, and neutral tuning sounds unexciting by comparison. Most people adjust within a week and then find the coloured alternative fatiguing — but it is a genuine adjustment.
Specifications
| Type | Open-back dynamic |
| Tuning | Neutral |
| Isolation | None |
| Leakage | Substantial |
| Amplification | Required beyond a laptop jack |
| Parts | Fully replaceable |
| Comfort | Excellent for long sessions |
| In production since | The 1990s |
The bottom line
A neutral reference that has outlasted three decades and can run forever on replaceable parts. Zero isolation, and budget for an amp with it.
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