23 out of 23 people found this review helpful.
These are really really GOOD, but read before you buy
Date of Review: Sep 22, 2007
The Bottom Line: If you are looking for unbelievable sound in a closed style headset then the HD-280s are a good fit for you.
Let me just start by saying that the Sennheiser HD-280 PRO headphones are absolutely amazing. They will allow you to hear detail and depth in your music that you never knew existed. With that said they may not be exactly what you want. Now on to the review...
About Me
I'm a 28 year old male. I'm not an audiophile but I am always on a constant hunt for headphones. I've bought roughly a dozen types of headphones in the last 3 years. I've purchased Shure, Sony, JVC, and a wide assortment in between. My desk drawer has become a headphone graveyard.
Packaging
The HD-280's came in an attractive box that allowed the headphones to be seen through the plastic front. Opening was easily and thankfully these did not have a clamshell design. There is not a lot of things inside the box, just the headphones, 1/4" adapter, and a manual.
First Thoughts
At first I was surprised by how light they were compared to their weight. They may be large, but their weight is very manageable. The next thing that I noticed was that the material covering the headband and ear muffs was extremely soft and smooth. The cord coming out of the left ear muff is very tightly coiled which is nice since the cord is 10 feet long. Fully coiled I would put the length about 3 1/2 feet long. This is nice because it leaves the long cord manageable when you are holding your ipod, have your laptop on your lap, or are at your computer.
Sound Quality
Now this is what you really want to know. Obviously if you are contemplating purchasing a set of Sennheiser headphones you have an obvious desire to have good sound piping into your head. The HD-280s don't leave your disappointed by any means.
These headphones are closed style and they feature around 32db of noise isolation. This amount of noise isolation is similar to what you would get with a set of foam ear plugs. It basically makes your ears their own private studio.
True audiophiles like their open headphones, but I've never owned a good set of open cans and I can't comment on the difference in sound quality.
As for the sound quality it is great. The music has much more depth than I thought was possible. Even my streaming Sirius 128bit (extra fee required) sounds great! CDs, MP3's and DVD's all sound unbelievable. The combination of the isolating closed phones along with the broad spectrum of sound is unbelievable.
Now on to the one problem with sound. Because these headphones are designed to give you true sound. The headphones do not inflate the bass like most headphones do. This isn't always a problem but personally I would like a little more bass.
On my desktop computer or my Onkyo receiver I'm able to adjust the sound to my liking, but on my MacBook there is no equalizer. That isn't to say that the sound is bad, it's still by far better than any other headphones that I own.
Parting Thoughts
These headphones are excellent and are worth the cost. Thankfully the cost has been coming down recently.
Also, if you purchase these they will last a long time. Sennheiser has designed the cord, ear muffs, and headband to be easily replaceable. This is especially nice if your dog chews your cord (replacement cost $27).
They are worth the money and I would purchase again.
