Sennheiser’s new Sydney flagship store – sounds even better than it looks

Sennheiser 2019

Sennheiser’s new Sydney flagship store is open for business. It is in the beautiful art deco “Money Box” building at 5 Martin Place, Sydney CBD.

Sennheiser’s new Sydney flagship store is its first in Australia. It offers an interactive retail experience you will not want to miss.

Gadgeteer Jim Matthews attended the opening and even managed to get his hands on the$80,000 HE1 headphones. He is now considering ways to sell his less vital organs to obtain a pair.

Sennheiser’s new Sydney flagship store

Opening a new retail store during the Christmas rush is no small feat. GadgetGuy sat down with Pete Ogley, COO Consumer Products for Sennheiser, to learn more about the decision to open in Sydney:

“In 2013 we went direct (to the Australian market). We know now that what Australians want and what we offer, clicks. We are slowly opening stores in iconic places: our first store was in Berlin, and we opened in San Francisco just over a year ago. Sydney is oneof the iconic cities of the world – so it fits well with our plan to bring whatwe do to more customers.”

Iconic status is essential for Sennheiser

That is evident once you see the striking chrome design aesthetic of the store blending with the heritage styling of 5 Martin Place. It has an impact.

Sennheiser’s new Sydney flagship store

Walking in, you see a long mirror-plated table adorned with all categories of Sennheiser headphone. These include the latest in-ear Momentum True Wireless earbuds; the CX Sport workout earbuds; DJ-staple HD25’s; the noise-cancelling PXC550; and a range of gaming headsets. They each sit on neat Perspex stations, ready to be picked up, explored, and tested (except for the in-ear models due to health and sanitary considerations)

Sennheiser’s new Sydney flagship store

On the opposite side of the store is a table highlighting Sennheiser’s professional range – microphones, headsets, and conferencing solutions. There is also a mock living room containing assistive listening headphones for those with hearing loss or damage, and a section containing audiophile-grade headphones, amps, and TIDAL equipped iPads to provide the full listening experience.

Sennheiser’s new Sydney flagship store

Then there is the premium section

Wander toward the back of the store, and you will discover the premium experience room. In a 20 minute or so session, visitors will be among the first in Australia to hear a prototype of the new Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar. It’s not due for release until mid-2019, but this 13-driver, 5.1.4 simulating, beast of a unit sounds very promising.

Sennheiser’s new Sydney flagship store

You can also take the Sennheiser HE1 for a spin, the world’s best high-end headphones valued at a very affordable $80,000. As you would expect, you can hear every last detail in the music, and you’re invited to choose a song you know well to get the full experience. It is a beautiful piece of equipment and words don’t do it justice. You will not be disappointed.

Sennheiser’s new Sydney flagship store will surprise and delight

There is some seriously expensive equipment here for the public to interact with. We asked Pete Ogley about this, and he explained:

This welcoming ethos was strongly evident in the store’s team members. They all share a similar level of knowledge and passion for helping us to explore and enjoy the products. Given how oppressive some luxury brands make their retail stores, this is a refreshing change. No matter your level of familiarity with Sennheiser or audio products in general, you are welcome here.

“The whole point is really to experience it. You can getyour hands on it; you can play, you can sit and enjoy for as long as you want. Alternatively,you can come in and get some quick advice from the team about what you already have, or if you want to upgrade. We want everyone to come in and enjoy the experience.”

If you’d like to check it out for yourself, Sennheiser’s new Sydney flagship store is at 5 Martin Place, Sydney. It is open seven days during CBD shopping hours. Click here for more details.

GadgetGuy’s take:

Sennheiser is one of those iconic brands we all have heard of but few really know the extent of its sound technology offerings.

Its Ambeo binaural (two-ears) technology (GadgtetGuy review here)is amazing. Professionals rely on Sennheiser’s recording technology. It has consumer over-the-ear headphones from $100.

It is nice to see a store dedicated to the brand, especially one so welcoming as Gadgeteer Jim Matthews found.

Sennheiser’s new Sydney flagship store