Reviewing headphones is a little like reviewing a modem or printer. What can you say about them other than what they do – in the case of headphones, let you hear sound.
Not quite true of course.
If you are an audiophile, you CAN hear a difference between different models and brands of headphone, and manufacturers actually tune them to suit different markets. For example, a person who listens to Wagner or Beethoven, would never tolerate headphones made for the doof-doof market.
And nor would an audio engineer tolerate anything that didn’t mirror exactly what was recorded, with no emphasis placed on any frequence (read again doof-doof).
Professional
With the in mind Sennheiser has always been at the forefront of headphone manufacture in the professional sphere. At this stage, lets not get confused with the consumer market branded Sennheiser models as this is an entirely different company using the brand name.
In the pro world particularly, there are two styles of headphone; closed back and open back. With its latest model aimed at the professional market, the HD 480 Pro, Sennheiser has opted for a closed back style, and have managed to eliminate two of the most annoying issues of closed back headphones, by delivering a tight, accurate bass reproduction and ensuring supreme comfort for audio professionals tasked with recording, tracking, or monitoring in the studio, in live audio environments or on the move.
Sennheiser says they have aimed the HD 480 Pro’s specifically at those in the studio such producers, mixers, musicians, recording engineers, and creators, in live environments by FoH engineers and monitor engineers.
Technical
Speaking technically, Sennheiser says that to enable the user to fully concentrate on the audio and hear all detail, the HD 480 PRO feature multiple stages of passive sound shielding, while comfortable ear pads with soft grooves for the temples of glasses ensure the precise seal that is required for good audio reproduction. As a person who wears glases, I especially appreciate the latter feature.
A series of design measures – subsumed under the term “Vibration Attenuation System” – eliminate unwanted vibration, reflections and distortion, preserving the clarity of the signal. The ultralight voice coils of the HD 480 PRO ensure a remarkably authentic and dynamic reproduction.
Another feature, although subtle, is that the cable is interchangeable between the left and the right sides of the HD 480 PROs.
Ok, enough of the technicalities. How do they actually sound? Well it has been a while since I did any live mixing of a band or in a studio I admit, but that aside, when I am just noodling away with a DAW for my own amusement, they sound glorious. I don’t put them quite in the stratospheric heights of the Sennheiser HDB 630s, but they are not a grand plus in price either, and to be fair, that is an entirely different market.
If you are an audio engineer or muso though, I can highly recommend the HD 480 Pr headphones. But go and have a listen and judge for yourself.
There are two versions by the way, one with a travel case which retails at AUD$819 and without at AUD$739.
Details
| HD 480 PRO technical data |
| Acoustic principle: closed Ear coupling: circumaural Transducer principle: dynamic Transducer diameter: 38 mm Frequency response: 3 to 28,700 Hz (-10 dB) Sensitivity: 107 dB SPL (at 1 kHz/1 Vrms); 98 dB (at 1 kHz, 1 mW) Max. SPL: 130 dB (1 kHz, 5% THD) THD: <0.5% (at 1 kHz, 100 dB SPL) Impedance: 130 ohms (1 kHz) Power rating: 300 mW (100 h, noise as per IEC 60268) Temperature range: 0°C to +50°C for operation; -25°C to +70°C for storage Relative humidity: 10 to 80%, non-condensing for operation; 10 to 90% for storage Weight: 272 g (w/o cable) |