Based on the merits of sound quality alone, we would rate the HD 598 a 9.5. These cans sound remarkable, perhaps the best we've heard under $500.

Remarkable Sound; Extremely Comfortable; Lightweight

Unattractive Color; No case/pouch; Awkward with portable media devices (long adapter

These really are special

Great sound; Soundstage; Comfortable; Price

Not portable

The Sennheiser HD 598 are a timely update of the older Sennheiser HD 595 over-the-ear headphones and come with a nice designer twist. The cream and brown plastic and leather look is off-set by a nice Burl Wood veneer trim that certainly helps these cans stand out from the crowd.

In terms of style and build quality, these have to be some of the best looking and well-built headphones around; From the metal grills of these open-backed cans to the plastic and real leather lining of the headstrap, they're a joy to wear.

The Sennheiser HD 598 may have an innovative twist-and-lock cable fitting but the 3 metre cable itself is too long for use on the street; while the audio converter means it's too large for comfortable pocket stuffing

The open-backed Sennheiser HD 598 headphones offer a jazzed-up take on the HD 595, which have been part of Sennheiser's over-the-ears range for more than five years. They're more visually striking than their predecessors, but anyone spending around ￡160 on headphones is probably going to care more...

Wide "open-back" sound; Well-measured; powerful bass; Good with movies and games too

Eye-catching looks an acquired taste; The look comes at a slight premium

Sennheiser is one of the world?s leading headphone brands. Their new HD 598 headphones offer a jazzed-up take on the HD 595 and while they are not cheap they do offer something a little different in both looks and sound quality.

Wide "open-back" sound; Well-measured, powerful bass; Good with movies and games too

Eye-catching looks an acquired taste; The look comes at a slight premium

The Sennheiser HD598's high-gloss burled wood accents, thickly padded headband, and ear cushions all lend a luxurious feel to the design. The tan-and-beige colour scheme is a nice alternative to Sennheiser's usual grey or black finishes.

Lightweight German design is extremely comfortable; Highly dynamic and detailed sound; 3.5mm headphone plug adapter

No storage case included

Call us boring, but we're not sure we prefer the bold colour scheme of the Sennheiser HD 598 to the standard black and grey, but any qualms blew away once we donned these headphones.

Wide "open-back" sound; Well-measured, powerful bass; Good with movies and games too

Eye-catching looks an acquired taste; The look comes at a slight premium

Crutchfield has collected 11 user reviews for this product with an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars. The most recent reviewer said, "I was amazed on how comfortable these headphones are. I would highly recommend this to anyone.

THE Sennheiser HD598 has very striking aesthetics. The cream and brown colour scheme is a welcome change from the usual grey and black design. It also has a glossy wood veneer that gives it a premium look and feel.

: Lightweight and comfortable to use; balances treble and bass well; tunes sound natural

: Long, unwieldy audio cable; poor sound isolation; pricey

No need for any introduction here. Sennheiser is a well respected brand name in the audio industry and its headphones and in-ears are known to be loved by audiophiles. The new HD 598 headphones are an over the ear headphones with an open-air design. I'll get more into the open-air design later.