Sennheiser HD 820 Closed-Back Stereo Over-Ear Headphones

Sennheiser’s first closed-back flagship headphones are beautifully built, but their sound doesn’t live up the company’s high standards

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  Expansive soundstage, Extremely articulate and distortion-free sound, Exemplary build quality

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  Mid-centric sound is unexciting, Despite light weight, they create pressure hot spot at top of head, Lacks the advantages that make closed-back cans attractive

Superb closed-back headphone with great all-round performance

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  Overall sound quality, Bass response, Balanced cables, Audiophile Standard for Closed-Back Headphones, The closed dynamic HD 820 employ an innovative technology, Developed and made in Germany they offer an incredibly realistic natural sound, Hand crafted providing excellent attenuation of ambient...

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  A hint of edginess in the top end

I got my first taste of the Sennheiser HD 820 headphones at Can Jam New York 2018. And despite the crowded convention hall, I could tell they had a uniqueness to them. I was lucky enough to explore those qualities in more detail over the last couple of weeks.

The Sennheiser HD 820 are part of one of the most illustrious lines in the entire headphone world. These are top-end Sennheiser cans, outside the limited-run series, which at €30,000 or more are the preserve of oligarchs and famous rappers.

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  Extra large soundstage, Deep, controlled bass, Better isolation than open-back peers

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  Mid-range tone is at odds with their stature, Cost a lot more than their open-back siblings

The HD820 are pricey, but they are the most capable pair of closed-back headphones we’ve tested

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  Robust, full-bodied and detailed sound, Powerful, agile bass, Solidly made, Cleverly engineered

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  Huge price jump from the £1400 800S, Closed back design still limits absolute performance

This will be my first review so bear with me I’m currently looking for a replacement for my B&W P7. I have used them directly connected to smartphones and been happy with the sound on these. But after getting a Chord Hugo2 I can really hear the limits of the P7.

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  - Soundstage, detail, comfort

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  - Does not get my head nodding, too analytical and a bit cold