Astonishing audiophile headphones deal sees five-star Sennheisers dip to their lowest price ever

Sennheiser HD 820
(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

Sennheiser's wired headphones are some of the classiest and most respected models on the market for at-home listening. And they don't get much better than the superb HD 820, an all-time favourite pair of ours that also happens to be enjoying a massive £560 discount.

We originally reviewed these high-end closed-back headphones at £1999, but over time we've seen it drop to around £1799. During Black Friday last year, we saw the price plummet to £1249, the lowest price ever. Until now that is. That price has been beaten by several retailers and the Sennheisers can now be yours for £1239 at Sevenoaks, Peter Tyson and Richer Sounds.

Sennheiser HD 820 was £1799 now £1239 at Sevenoaks (save £560)Five stars

Sennheiser HD 820 was £1799 now £1239 at Sevenoaks (save £560)
Amazing build quality and comfort, combined with a detailed, organised and dynamic sound with powerful, agile bass, these closed-back headphones are outstanding. The Sennheiser HD 820 are not cheap, but they will last a lifetime, and with £560 off their usual price we think they are worth the investment. Five stars

Deal also available at Peter Tyson and Richer Sounds

If you are after serious audiophile headphones for home listening, we would normally point you in the direction of open-back models, such as Sennheiser's own HD800S. But this superb HD 820 model has an eye-catching closed-back design that uses curved gorilla glass to cover the driver unit.

This design reflects the sound coming out of the back of the driver towards sound-absorbing chambers to combat some of the downsides of a typical closed design.

The result is 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 Sennheiser HD 820 review, the headphones 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 crispness and a natural sense of expression, while the headphones have a tremendous ability to organise even the most complex recordings.

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 enjoy long listening sessions, these Sennheisers – partnered with an appropriately talented source and headphone amplifier – will be great company.

These are premium audiophile headphones that are always worth considering if you have the budget at your disposal. But with this significant £560 saving at Sevenoaks bringing the price down, it might be time to take the plunge.

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?

TOPICS
Andy Madden

Andy is Deputy Editor of What Hi-Fi? and a consumer electronics journalist with nearly 20 years of experience writing news, reviews and features. Over the years he's also contributed to a number of other outlets, including The Sunday Times, the BBC, Stuff, and BA High Life Magazine. Premium wireless earbuds are his passion but he's also keen on car tech and in-car audio systems and can often be found cruising the countryside testing the latest set-ups. In his spare time Andy is a keen golfer and gamer.

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