How do these compare to the 598s?

The HD 599 is a cosmetic refresh of the the HD 598. Both uses the Sennheiser SYS38 50-ohm transducer.

How is the bass on these headphones? Does it effect the mids/highs at all?

While these aren't "bass head" headphones, they have noticeably more bass than their predecessor the HD 598s. I always found the HD 598s to be a little "bass light", where the HD 599s have a much richer sound. The HD 599's are more musical where the HD 598s are more analytical. Depending on the track and your listening level there may be some noticeable intermodulation distortion where the bass frequencies will distort the mids and highs. On Deadmau5's new track "Let Go" the effect is very noticeable when you turn them up (and not all that loud). Playing the same track on my HD 600s, HD 650s, and HD 700s does NOT result in this distortion. It isn't that the bass is distorting, it just interferes with the mids and highs. These HD 599s are my daily driver (at work) and I REALLY like them. They are a far more versatile than the HD 598s, they sound fantastic, and I don't regret the purchase at all. At work I run them on a Schiit Modi 2 Uber/Magni 2 Uber stack and the pairing with the HD 599s is excellent. The highs are also better on the HD 599s than the HD 598s (which struggled with "Sh" and "F" sounds).

Can you use these on a phone

Yes. I have an earlier version, the HD598SR. They are compatible with phones and computers, and the short cable has a built-in microphone which will allow you to use it on phone calls. The longer cable doesn’t.

Can any recommend an amp for these? i was thinking of getting the objective 2 but if anyone else has a better one please tell me. p.s. i'm on a budget

I powered the HD599s with my LG-G4 smartphone, an Acer Chromebook R-13 (excellent headphone section for a laptop), a Schiit Modi 2 Uber/ Vali 2 (Genalex Gold Lion 6922 tube) stack that I use at work (I also used a Schiit Magni 2 Uber with the Magni 2 Uber), and a Schiit Bifrost Multibit/Valhalla 2 (Genalex Gold Lion 6922 tubes)stack I have at home (I also used a Schiit Asgard 2 with the Bifrost). I did/do not apply any equalization or effects when I listen. Like all the higher end Sennheiser headphones, the HD599s improved noticeably as the driving components improved. After a lot of listening to the 598s and 599s I concluded that they both sounded best when run through my Bifrost/Asgard 2 stack (The Modi 2U/ Magni 2U pairing was also excellent), so this is how I listened when doing my analysis. Like most lower impedance headphones, they both seem to prefer solid state amps to OTL tube amps, but they did pair well with the Vali 2 (a hybrid tube amp) as well. I know the O2 is a brighter amp (and solid state) and would probably pair quite we with these.

Control Type	Bluetooth
Unit Count	1.0 Count
Item Weight	9.17 Ounces
Water Resistance Level	Not Water Resistant
Antenna Location	Music, Travel
Compatible Devices	Tablets
Cable Features	Detachable
Additional Features	Lightweight, Microphone Included, Detachable Cable
Enclosure Material	Plastic
Specific Uses For Product	Music
Headphone Folding Features	Over Ear
Earpiece Shape	Rounded/Oval
Headphones Ear Placement	Over Ear
Style Name	HD 599 SE
Color	Black
Wireless Technology	Wired
Connectivity Technology	Wired
Headphone Jack	6.35 mm Jack
Frequency Range	12 Hz - 38,500 Hz
Audio Driver Type	Dynamic Driver
Impedance	50 Ohm
Noise Control	None

SennheiserHD 599 SE Around Ear Open Back Headphone - Black

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