Sennheiser HD 598 SR vs Samsung Gear IconX

The large ear pads feature a velour surface and a soft foam material underneath. The comfort of the headband is also notable. It features a synthetic leather material with a thick foam inside. In combination, these cushioned parts feel like pillows on the head.

These headphones are in a price range that is quite affordable, yet offers sound and build quality that is beyond the standards in its price bracket.

The bass takes a bit of a back seat compared to the other frequencies, yet is still enough to give fullness and punch to the sound. The mids are the star of these headphones' sound signature. They are clear and a little bit forward, which give a lot of extra detail and presence to guitars and vocals. The highs are pretty crisp and clean, and complement the other frequencies really well.

Even for open back headphones, the soundstage that the HD 598 produces is amazing. It is quite wide yet natural at the same time, which makes it feel like you're listening to the artist perform in front of you live. This wide sound stage and great imaging also make these ideal for games and movies, as these can enhance audio immersion.

This makes the headphones quite easy to store, and the cable easy to replace. Also, the attachment mechanism is a twist to lock system which minimizes the chances of the cable getting disconnected while in use.

The highs and mids are not amazing, but they most certainly sound good with nice clarity and warmth. The bass is very good. There is a lot of low-end presence with good thump. These will most certainly excel with bass heavy music and are great choices for working out, as the thump will definitely help you stay upbeat.

The Gear IconX has 4GB of internal memory where you can store files like music and play them from just the earbuds.

There is a built in heart rate monitor and you can set these earbuds to tell you exercise-related metrics at set intervals. Also, you can sync the IconX to Samsung's S Health app where you can view fitness metrics.

Once synced with your smart device, you can set which of the earpieces is the primary device. You can do gesture controls on it to control your playlist as well as answer or end calls.

These come with ear tips in three different sizes for you to get a nice and comfortable seal, as well as 3 wing tips in various sizes which adjust how snug these earbuds can be.

A nano-coating is applied to the ear pieces, preventing sweat and splashes of liquid from causing damage.