Sennheiser HD-280 PRO Headphones
by Sennheiser
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List Price: Our Price: $99.94 You Save: $50.01 (33%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $55.00 (click here) Category: Speakers See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Sennheiser HD-280 PRO Headphones
Customer Review: Excellent sound for a low price!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought these a year ago, and wanted to give them some long term use before I wrote a review.
Everything others have written about the high quality sound is right on. I have noticed bits in songs that I couldn't hear before I got these. The sound is just fantastic, everything comes through nice and clear. I use these headphones for 2 things: playing games and listening to music on my computer, and listening to my portable cd player, and they work very well for both. One thing that I've noticed is that I can actually tell the difference between sound quality on winamp vs my cd player, and I didn't really notice it that much with my old 'phones.
A few other things:
Comfort: The headphones are a little snug when you first get them. A tiny bit tight even, I thought. But once I got used to them (about a week or so, I think), I had no problem at all wearing them for extended periods - 6+ hours at a stretch. They are not the least bit uncomfortable to me. The padding on the ear cups and headband is very soft and comfortable. I do have a hearing aid, and I was a little concerned when I saw the padding on the ear cups. The space your ear fits into looks a bit small. But I've had no problems there, they fit great and don't interfere with my hearing aid in any way.
Durability: I've had absolutely no problems with the plastic band cracking as a few others have reported. Granted, I try not to abuse them, but I do put them in a bag and take them to work, so they get bumped about a little bit. And after a year, they still look and sound like new.
Burning in: I noticed that they started to sound a lot better after they were "burned in" for a couple days. I've no idea what the principle behind this is, but there you go. They sounded ok when I first got them, but after about a week I started getting this amazingly clear and crisp sound from them. So burning them in definitely helps.
Noise blocking: I've listened to these at work where there's a huge amount of noise from the machinery, and I can still hear the music really well. They don't completely block out all sound, but I have no trouble hearing the music standing next to loud machinery (so loud that we're normally required to wear ear plugs).
One minor little quibble: I wish there was a volume control on the cord like I had on the last pair of headphones I owned. Then again, that was the first thing that went bad on the last pair so maybe those cord volume controls are susceptible to problems or something.
Summary: I listen to a wide variety of music: folk, pop, metal,
classical, etc, and everything I've listened to sounds really nice. These Sennheiser headphones are a great high quality product, especially for the price and I'd recommend them to anyone. I paid $80 for mine (new) on some online auction site, and you just can't get better sound for under $100. Even if they were $200, they'd still be worth it in my opinion.
Customer Review: Not bad sound but not comfortable headphones
Summary: 3 Stars
I was looking for circumaural headphones to use with my MP3 player for travel and use at work. After looking around I narrowed my choices between the Bose Triport and Sennheiser headphones. I did not want to spend a lot of money on headphones and after reading all the great reviews on Sennheiser I decided to give them a try. Now the only problem was deciding which Sennheiser model to buy. Since I wanted a circumaural model I ended up choosing the HD280 PRO after reading the great reviews and how comfortable they were. I got them three days later and anxiously hooked it up to my MuVo MP3 player. At first I thought the sound was pretty good and would probably be even better after burning them in as other reviewers suggested, but to my biggest disappointment the headphones were not comfortable at all. They were a little tight around the ears (my head is not that big either, I wear a size medium on hats.) and the headband gave an annoying feeling on the top of my head. I was afraid to stretch them open given the fear of cracking the plastic construction headband. On the positive side, these headphones did block out some ambient noise since they are tight fitting and the ear pieces pivot and fold to transport when traveling.
Not feeling satisfied with these headphones, I reluctantly purchased the $... Bose Triports since Bose guaranteed a 90-day customer satisfaction and the only way to be sure was to compare the headphones side-by-side with the Sennheiser HD280 at home. The first thing I noticed was how much more comfortable the Bose Triports were over the Sennheiser, they were light and very comfortable on the ears and the headband did not give that annoying feeling on the top of my head. The Triports had much better and thicker material construction on the ear cushions than the Sennheiser did. Also the Triport has a metal headband that you can widen to your fit.
Now on the sound comparison: On the MuVo MP3 player, the Triports had a cleaner and tighter sound than the HD280, and it also had a higher volume probably due to the 32 ohms vs. 64 for the HD280. Then I compared them on my home system listening to Jazz and Rock on an Arcam Alpha 7SE thru a Denon receiver with all settings on flat. The HD280 had great bass, little midrange and a bit high on the treble. I'm sure the HD280 would sound a lot better later given the reviews of burning them in but my biggest complaint is that these headphones are NOT comfortable as others have reviewed. The Triports, surprisingly, sounded a lot better with more midrange and an overall balanced sound. Bottom line, I am returning the HD280 and keeping the Triports. Albeit I am spending more than I wanted to but after listening and wearing these comfortable headphones, I am very satisfied with my decision. If you're looking for comfortable headphones, I don't recommend the HD280. I can't say that for all Sennheiser models but the Bose Triports beat these hands down on sound and comfort.
Customer Review: Excellent quality at this price point
Summary: 5 Stars
I was originally going to rate these as 4-stars, since the sound is definitely a bit worse than my higher-end cans (Sennheiser HD-570). However, I then realized that I got the HD-280 Pros for around $70, which is really an absolute steal considering the sound quality and portability (the latter of which my other cans really lack). Here are the main features:
(1) Solid sound quality. The bass is tight and punchy (so if you like booming hip-hop bass, these might not be for you, but they are outstanding for funk/fusion with big, yet clear, bass). Frequencies seem to be pretty well distributed. Some of the upper mids seem a little tinny, but that's only by comparison to my 570s, which are specifically designed to sound good in that range, and I suspect that this will also get better with some more burn-in. 4/5
(2) Noise Isolation. This was a big selling point for me, and these cans definitely deliver the goods in this arena. While listening to music even at low volumes, I can't really hear much of anything outside of me (my typing, for instance, is eerily silent) and, no one next to me can hear any sound bleeding out of my headphones (which is really nice since I often work in a small, quiet office with my fellow grad students). 5/5
(3) Comfort. The headband adjusts well, and the plether-ish earcups feel very nice over my ears, so no complaints there. They are also quite lightweight for enclosed headphones. As with all solidly-enclosed headphones, these cause a slight sensation of pressure on one's ears while listening to music (at least, my ears always react that way) but it's quite slight and really not that big of a deal. 4/5
(4) Portability. One of the major selling points of the HD-280 Pro for me was the fact that it can fold up for transportation. Now, it should be said that, even when folded these cans are pretty bulky, but at least the headband does a good job of protecting the earcups. You can fold them into a rather lumpy ball, or you can rotate the earcups so the entire thing is quite flat--kudos to Sennheiser for engineering that kind of flexibility. 4/5
(5) Other cool things. I love the old-school curly cord (some people might find it annoying, but I really like it) and I also love the fact that the 1/4" adapter actually screws on to the input plug--clever design.
Bottom line: At this price point, you'd be hard pressed to find other cans that perform as well as these do. Due to their portability and noise-isolating capabilities, they should be excellent for traveling and for listening in environments where one should be quiet (i.e. libraries). And, of course, all the portability in the world isn't worth anything if the sound quality isn't there, but these deliver a nice, tight, clear sound. Considering the price: 5/5
Customer Review: Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Headphones
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a 58 year old male who usually DOES NOT write reviews. However, I felt the desire to write one about the aforementioned cans. Simply put, they are OUTSTANDING! I have been involved with music as a guitar player & "Blues" and "NON-commercial Rock & Roll" lover since the age of 13, and very much like "Metal". QUALITY reproduction is a MUST for me. Not just volume, but spatial headroom & tonal quality. These cans do this very well! I have used cheaper cans just because I HATE ear buds. While they worked, they were not quality cans. At Christmas-time 2010, my wife asked me what I wanted for a gift from her & I said a new set of good headphones. As she is not into electronics, she told me to pick a pair. I went on-line & researched them, as well as going to the store to listen to them. At the time, I was certain I wanted Bose. Of course! Their commercials say they are the best... that must be what I needed! I went to Best Buy & listened to a higher end set & thought "Something is missing! While the price says they are the best, what I am hearing says otherwise." So I emailed them, asking for frequency responses & was told they don't publish them as they are not that important! Hmmm... while I agree that what you hear IS more important than numbers, I still want the numbers! Then I listened to a set of Senheisers. Night & day difference! Went on line to Amazon.com (because I trust them) & ordered a set of HD 280 Pro's.
What you hook them up to & the quality of the recording you are listening to DOES MATTER! After all, they "reproduce sound", they DO NOT "Generate sound"! They will sound better wired to a quality home audio system playing vinyl (or yes... even a CD!) than when connected to an iPOD playing a MP3! (For many reasons, which are not the topic of this review!) The headroom from this set of cans is OUTSTANDING! The low-end frequencies are quality... not muddy and not distorted. Mids for voice and most instruments are clean & clear and the highs are very crisp and clean... not painful as with some cans. You can pick out vocals on Pink Floyd mixes that you have neaver heard before! And Gilmore's leads... WOW! THD is, for all intents and purposes, non-existant! Seperation is as good as the recording will allow. Noise is as quiet as is your system... and if there is any on your system, you will hear it! This set of cans is not made for noise-reduction (noise-cancelling), but as they are "closed cans", they do a good job. I could only rate them as 3 stars for longevity, simply because I have only had them a short time. However I will say, they seem "quality" in materials. Are they the best headphones for my use? HELL NO, because I can't afford $1,000.00 to $1,500.00 for "the best"! But if I could, they would be marked "Sennheiser", and I would buy them through Amazon.com! For what I CAN afford to pay, I LOVE THEM!
Customer Review: Bang for the buck - fills a specific need
Summary: 4 Stars
I live in New York City and take the subway every day to and from work, and love listening to my iPod. Unfortunately, my line runs R-32 and R-38 cars, which were built in the 60's and are extremely noisy to ride in. Those ear phones that Apple gives you I gave up on after 10 minutes. I had a pair of Sennheiser HD535's that are open-ear circumaural phones with great fidelity, so I went to those. They sound great, but don't do much to combat the noise, and they're also high impedance, so they don't get very loud with the lightweight amplification from the iPod. After a few months of dealing with that noise, and the ringing in my ears from listening loud, I decided to find a good closed-ear headphone. I have reservations about 'noise-cancelling' headphones: in order to cancel outside noise, they sample it with a small mic and flip it out of phase and mix the inverted noise in with your music. To me, this sounds like PERCEIVED noise reduction, and actually more volume of sound entering your ears, leading to potential hearing loss. Since I am an audio engineer, I try hard to protect my livelihood (ears), so even if it's only my theory, I am staying away from active noise cancelling phones. Well, as it turns out, these headphones deliver exactly what I wanted, to the best of their capability. A tight fit is important to these headphones, as they aim to complete a seal around your ear so outside noise can't get in. Combine that with a good closed-back design and moderately good sonics and you have a great solution for noise reduction and decent sound. The claims of dB loss are exaggerated and probably are only accurate in lab tests - real world I'd say you get a good 6-12 dB reduction. That is great though, and that also means you can turn down your iPod 6-12 dB and still hear everything well. The only issues I have with them are: I have noticed with the stretching out (breaking in) of the phones, the seal isn't as good. Still not bad, but not like brand new. Also, I have a large head (7-5/8 cap size, if that means anything to you) and while they fit well, they look huge and I get looks on the train every day. I don't mind that - in NYC, everybody has an iPod, and the few who don't should just put their eyes back in their book or Us Weekly. With my large head, I also notice that the seals break a bit when I turn my head - it is a strange sensation, but one I am getting used to. I am just happy I've found a real solution to enjoying my music at non-deafening, non-harmful levels in the noisy city, short of airplane runway guide's earphones. They are also great to just put on and not play any music - they cut out enough noise I can fall asleep on the train. I would even recommend them to drummers for practice and in use in recording studios, as there is no leakage from the drivers. Enjoy.