Massdrop x Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee Headphones

In 1991, Axel Grell joined Sennheiser and designed the HD 580 Precision: the headphone that would launch a much-loved series—and the peak of the company’s audiophile headphones for more than 25 years. Four years later, to mark its 50th anniversary, Sennheiser released the HD 580 Jubilee, which would later become the HD 600 and lead to the HD 650. In the spirit of the HD 580, with current technology and optimizations learned throughout the series’ rich history, we’re excited to release the newest evolution: the Massdrop x Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee. Tuned by Axel Grell and Massdrop based on feedback from the audiophile community, it features new 150-ohm drivers and a colorway inspired by the HD 580 Precision that started it all.

The HD 58X Jubilee uses Sennheiser’s new 150-ohm drivers, which require less amplification than previous driver platforms while retaining the same magnet strength and driver size. This makes the new headphone easier to drive from sources like your mobile phone or digital audio player. The sound is clear, fast, dynamic, and lively: reminiscent in some ways of the HD 600 and in others of the HD 650. It places an emphasis on clean, extended bass, with a solid transient response and a smooth but clear upper midrange. Plus, with Sennheiser's ongoing testing of all units in the series, you can be assured that the drivers hit the target frequency response and match in both left and right channels.

In an homage to the HD 580 Precision, the HD 58X Jubilee features a glossy black headband and gray metal grilles. For hours and hours of listening comfort, the elliptical cups are shaped to follow the anatomy of the ear, the headband is generously padded, and the ear pads are covered in soft velour and easily replaceable. Finally, the detachable 6-foot cable is made of highly conductive OFC copper with sturdy para-aramid reinforcement and a very low handling noise.

Because the HD 58X Jubilee’s open-back design won’t isolate you from outside noise or prevent sound from being heard by those nearby, it may be best-suited for quieter home and office environments. Like all headphones in this lineup, this new model can be disassembled by hand to its component parts, all of which can be replaced. Many of its parts are interchangeable with others in the series, and owners of the HD 58X Jubilee can benefit from the rich aftermarket and brain trust of modifications and gear matching—along with excellent long-term support from Sennheiser itself.

Want to upgrade your HD 58X with a premium feel and enhanced sound signature? These earpads (available in four styles) provide a breathable, cushioned, enveloped feel for hours of fatigue-free listening. The velour pads feature soft, tight-knit velour covers that are stitched at the seams for security and a good seal; the supple sheepskin pads deliver a tight soundstage and truer sound, thanks to the increased absorption of more early reflections before sound enters the ear; the fenestrated sheepskin pads are similar to the sheepskin pads, with perforations for a more breathable design; finally, the hybrid velour pads combine a sheepskin outer ring with velour on the face for the best of both worlds.

• Jude, Head-Fi: "I really like it, and it’s a big improvement over the prototype.”

• John Grandberg/project86, Head-Fi: "I liked the prototype but I love the final production model. This is among the smoothest response I’ve heard from any of the HD6 series. Upper mids and highs are just so well controlled and clean, without losing much detail or feeling overly dark. There’s still an awful lot of air up there beyond 8kHz. Bottom line, for me, the $150 HD58X is arguably one of the best entries in Sennheiser’s HD6-series, and the absurd price advantage it carries over all other models makes it an easy recommendation."

• Solderdude, DIY Audio Heaven: "The HD58X has the best bass extension of Sennheiser’s HD6** series headphones. At this price-point the HD58X is very hard to beat."

• Marv, Super Best Audio Friends: "This [production revision] corrects minor issues with the original pre-production HD58X such as the lack of bass extension and a small peak at 5.5kHz. The issues were minor, and given Massdrop’s price, easily forgiveable. Now that these issues have been corrected, what we have now is a headphone with an amazing performance-to-price ratio.  The lows now extend as well as the HD6XX headphones, and actually sound clearer. There is actually more clarity in the bass than the HD6XX! Not quite as good as the HD600, but somewhere in between, closer to HD600."

• Ken Denmead, GeekDad: "At their introductory price of $150, they’ve just set a new standard for entry-level audiophile headphones, and considering that you don’t need an amp to drive them, Massdrop and Sennheiser have just brought great-sounding audio down to a level where a lot more people can afford to hear what they’ve been missing."