Sennheiser HD550: A music and gaming powerhouse pair of headphones

I've recently been jumping into the world of high-fidelity audio - and what a journey it has been. It has always been a real attention grabber since I've always loved music, gaming and wanted the consumption of both medias to be the best it can be.

I have previously tried the and was absolutely blown away by the pair of headphones. Now, Sennheiser has sent me the newest HD550, designed for critical music listening, gaming, and watching movies, and somehow, I've fallen in love with them as well. is a pair with high-quality features that match the higher price.

is a pair of open-back headphones weighing just 237 grams but manages to pack a punch that outweighs its price. The headphones are covered in plastic with a soft, velour earcup that carefully sits on your ears.

They are quite big, and for those with smaller heads, you might notice just how big they sit. However, luckily, due to the weight and lack of strong clamping force, they are unnoticeable after a while. After sitting with them during a long three-hour session, I almost felt like they weren't on my head anymore - something I couldn't say with

In the box, comes with a large 6.3mm cable and a smaller cable that allows you to connect to what you need - whether it is a laptop, a phone or an AMP/DAC.

Just like many of Sennheiser's earphones, the headphones also come with a silk-feeling bag, which adds slightly to the unboxing experience and adds an additional flair. However, the best thing about the HD550 is the sound that it packs in.

The HD550 has blown me away with the sound quality - all for a pretty reasonable price. I've never been a huge fan of bass-heavy headphones, but the kick of the HD550 is impressive. I used a FiiO K5 Pro to drive these headphones through my PC - and I'm very glad I did despite not needing a lot of power to drive them.

Listening to Billie Eilish's Bad Guy, the bass gave an impressive punch without being overwhelming. Then heading over Massive Attack's Angel, it really showed what the headphones can do with a great bass response - putting my HD660S2 to shame. Billie Ellish's Bad Guy also sounded absolutely brilliant controlled but also packing a punch.

Another thing that also blew me away with the HD550 was its versatility. Not only do the headphones sound good for music, but they also are a powerhouse for gaming. Imaging-wise, the HD550 are great and compared to my other gaming headphones, the HD550 are a cut above the rest regarding sound.

Locating enemies or certain sounds in gaming is a breeze - and for this price point, I've noticed just how better they are in some games or situations. Sounds that weren't audible in my Logitech G Pro headphones were much easier to locate with the HD550.

However, is not perfect. Coming from the HD660S2, they do feel cheap when you hold them in your hand, but for the value of £249, although the sound is a perk. Also, compared to the HD660S2, something is missing in the brightness of the sound that I can't recreate with the HD550. For some genres of songs and games, the HD660S2 makes me come right back - the impeccable imaging, sound, and build quality.

The HD550 works best through an AMP and DAC, in my opinion, but they don't need a ton of power to drive them. One thing I miss with hi-fidelity headphones is the lack of a microphone, which some gamers may find annoying. Luckily, there are attachments out there that can help alleviate that annoyance.

When it comes to the HD550, they are a strong, solid pair of headphones for a price that competes with many high-end gaming headsets and sounds better in so many ways.

If you're looking to spend a little more and want headphones with a slightly warmer sound and better imaging, check out our There's also the Logitech G Pro X 2 headset here for , thanks to a limited-time deal. These have some great sound - not on par with the HD550 - but they come with a microphone which will be perfect for gamers.