Sennheiser HD 558

[The Walrus King]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone would help me decide if this is a good buy. I would be using them for gaming, and music (in public or not). I am worried about the sound leaking and there effectivness as a whole. Thanks, The Walrus King

 

[ssddx]

regarding the proper selection of headphones for a walrus.... (i am joking. i could not resist.)

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the hd558 is a good all-rounder. fairly neutral, decent soundstage, decent comfort, enough but not deep bass.

good choice if you want something more easy listening and are not interested in as bright energetic treble or deep bass extension. there are other headphones which are a bit more vibrant sounding however those can get fatiguing as well.

sound leak could be an issue with any open cans however that depends on distance as well. even at moderate volume people more than a few feet away will have a hard time making out what you're jamming to. on low volume levels its even closer. not a big deal unless you're in a crowded area. keep in mind that if you're jamming at high volume people near you will still hear you even with closed noise isolating cans - just that they muffle it more than open cans do.

the hd558 is a good choice for gaming. perhaps not the best soundstage available or the most advantageous however it has a more balanced sound that the advantageous headphones lack (ad700x for example).

fairly easy to drive, though not all portables will drive them. you could always use a small cheap amplifier if you have issues. many portables and onboard soundcards will drive them though.