Sennheiser's wired headphones are some of the most respected and accomplished models if you are after stunningly detailed, composed and spacious sound for at-home listening. If that sounds like you, you're in luck: the superb HD 820 wired headphones are enjoying a massive £550 off their retail price right now.
We originally reviewed these high-end closed-back headphones at £1999, but the price has since come down to hover around £1799. But that's nothing compared to the current discounted price – the HD 820 can be yours for just £1249 at Sevenoaks. Even Amazon, which is currently offering headphones and TV deals as part of its October Prime Day flash sale, doesn't have these five-star headphones at this low price.
If your home audio system needs an upgrade and you have been eyeing up these premium Sennheiser cans for a while, now could be the right time to pounce.
If you are after serious wired headphones for at-home listening, we would normally direct you to open-back models, such as Sennheiser's own HD800S. But this superb HD 820 model has a closed-back design that uses a curved gorilla glass covering the driver unit, which aims to combat some of the downsides of a typical closed design.
And it works to a degree: the HD 820 deliver an impressive sense of scale and dynamic punch, with a sense of roominess that we get in traditional open-back designs.
As we said in our original review, the Sennheiser HD 820 have "a smooth, full-bodied tonal balance that trades the last ounce of transparency and sonic agility for the kind of sound that’s easy to listen to for hours on end despite the quality of the recording." Voices are delivered with crisp articulation and natural expression, while the headphones have a tremendous sense of organisation of the polyrhythms in a complex piece of recording.
One of the highlights is these closed-back's ability to "deliver low frequencies with terrific authority". The basslines in Massive Attack's Paradise Circus have punch, power, agility and precision. Dynamic shifts are handled with great skill and intensity, and while rival premium headphones such as the Beyerdynamic T1 (3rd Gen) might have more infectious enthusiasm and rhythmic drive, the Sennheisers "deliver music with a physicality most alternatives barely hint at, and this makes them all the more enjoyable." Now that's tempting, isn't it?
The durable build quality and comfortable earpads help too, and while they may look bulky, the HD 820 are surprisingly lightweight and roomy. If you tend to listen to full albums for long listening periods, these Sennheisers – partnered with an appropriately talented source – will be great company.
These are high-end audiophile headphones that are always worth considering if you have the money to spare. But with this significant £550 saving bringing the price down, it might be time to treat yourself.
MORE:
Read the full Sennheiser HD 820 review
Check out our guide to the best audiophile headphones
Open-back vs closed-back headphones: which type is right for you?
