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Member Reviews: Sennheiser HD 280 Headphones

Positive Reviews

wahsmoh

2 YEARS of ownership and over 500 HOURS of burn in

Posted
By wahsmoh

Pros: Great sound isolation, deep head vibrating BASS, nice treble, mids are slightly recessed but sound OK, great price to performance ratio

Cons: lacks much of a soundstage, can get somewhat uncomfortable after a few hours

I've owned these cans over 2 years and I've watched them mature like fine wine sitting in the barrel. When I first bought them I was surprisingly disappointed. I was expecting a lot more but found their sound to be tinny and weak. After many many many hours of burn in these cans really warmed up and showed coloration in a nice way. I like to compare these headphones to my DT880 600ohm cans for reference of sound. These cans are much more LIVELY while my DT800's are more ANALYTICAL and neutral. I would say the HD280s are much more suited to electronic/hip hop/ dubstep and any sort of bass heavy music that doesn't require a soundstage. I found my DT880s much better for rock/jazz/some...
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Bigshow33

Great throw around cans.

Posted
By Bigshow33

Pros: Good build quality, solid sound.

Cons: The headband...

  The first of these that I have are going on 5 years old, I am also listening to them while I type this review. I am basing my opinion on this pair. I received a NIB pair about a month ago but have not listened to them yet. I really like everything about this headphone. I am a big fan of the Sennheiser sound signature though; they always seem to suite my musical tastes. I have a preference for closed cans, and this is a solid one for an entry level of better sound. My one complaint is that I have a large head and have to extend the headband all the way out on both sides. This is where my complaint comes into play, with them in full extension and on my head, the band sticks out...
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Negative Reviews

Lunatique

Overrated

Posted
By Lunatique

Cons: Uncomfortable, tonally unbalanced

I always see people recommending the HD280 like it's some amazing price vs. quality gem in the headphone world or something, and when I borrowed a pair to compare to my HD555 a few years ago, I was surprised by how bad the HD280 sounded and how uncomfortable it was. The bass was anemic, the soundstage was congested, and the way it clamped on the head was uncomfortable. For sub-$100 headphones, you'll be much better off with the Equation RP-21. But if you could spend a little bit more, you'll get into a far better range of headphones like the Audio-Technica ATH-M50 (for sealed cans) or Sennheiser HD555 (for open cans)--headphones that absolutely destroy the HD280 in every way possible.
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Eisenhower

Awful

Posted
By Eisenhower

Pros: Isolation

Cons: Terrible sound, uncomfortable, large

These have a very thin and dull sound. There is a noticeable lack of low mids / bass, which leave the headphones sounding very cold. There is no sound stage to speak of. I just can't find any redeeming qualities in the sound department. My cheap Senn IEMs sound much fuller than these. They do isolate extremely well, at the expense of strong head clamping and ear warmth.   Stay away from these. Frankly I'm astonished that these have 4 stars (as of this review) on a site dedicated to headphones. I suspect people want to believe their $80 were well spent.
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More Reviews

mashupAddict

great budget can

Posted
By mashupAddict

Pros: good sound, isolation, comfort

Cons: plastic construction, fixed cable

I'm a pro-sumer, not an audiophile, so I will not discuss the sound, really. These were purchased new, are still stock, not modded. I have owned these cans for 2 years, so burn-in is complete. Full head of hair, no glasses, no TMJ.   Pros: completely circumaural, even for my large-ish ears leads to great noise isolation. I keep the volume below 20% and can hear the music fine and no cube-mate phone calls. Nice padding on cups and headband. I wear these for hours at a time at work and neither the clamping force nor the weight of these bother me. Both cups rotate and swivel. You can wear them comfortably around your neck or off the ear of choice easily. They also...
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pinetrees

Good monitors. Not for the masses.

Posted
By pinetrees

Pros: Very flat frequency response, nice isolation, accurate, detailed.

Cons: Can get uncomfortable after a while, not a very exciting sound, lack of decent soundstage.

First, let me start by saying I am a total noob. These were my first and still are my only pair of real headphones. Now that I look back, I probably should have bought the ATH-M50S considering what people have said about it. These cost somewhere around $120 when I bought them. I have had them for a few months and just got an amp (Pyle PHA-40) today (great amp, by the way). An amp is HIGHLY recommended. It got rid of any harsh, screechy highs typical of my computer's headphone jack. The bass also sounded pretty undefined and in general, missing. The amp fixed that right up. Now bass is well balanced and has incredible extension like I have never heard before! These also respond well to...
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BBBS

Not bad

Posted
By BBBS

Pros: I guess you could call them confident at reproduction

Cons: Soulless zombie phones

These are...ok. I expected great things from these, and if they were my first pair of real headphones, I guess I would like them, but compared to many others, including the similar Amperior, they're simply missing something. The bass is there, the treble goes nearly high enough, they're clear and the instruments separate, yet they just don't excite. They really are professional monitor headphones, and nothing more and nothing less.   I kept these things for their high isolation so I can watch movies at night, but really I should trade them for some Sony 7506, which is what I would recommend over these.   Objectively, as a studio headphone, these are a good product....
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kcostell

I Got What I Was Looking For

Posted
By kcostell

Pros: Value, Sound, Travel Well, Isolation

Cons: Tight Fit, Bulky

I originally got these headphones because I was looking for headphones to use both for late night listening (in an apartment complex with thin walls) and travel.  So for me isolation was one of the first things I was looking for, and these headphones deliver that in spades.  Unfortunately, it comes at the cost of a fairly tight fit around the head.  Not enough to really be uncomfortable (I've used these headphones for hours on end), but enough to be noticeable.  The headphones are fairly bulky in size, but fold for travel, and I've found them to be much more durable than I was expecting given the reviews -- after several years and numerous airplane trips, the...
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sensfan3232

Best STUDIO headphones I've owned

Posted
By sensfan3232

Pros: Long Cable, Crisp Sound, BASS!

Cons: Uncomfortable after a while as are any

Well to start off lets list the headphones I am comparing these to...  Over Ear  Dr. Dre Beats (Studio)  Sennheiser EH 150's  Sennheiser HD 202's On Ear Dr. Dre Beats (Solo) In Ear Altec Lansing Back-Beats Pro  Ink'd Skullcandys  Monster Turbine In Ear  Dr Dre Beats  Monster Turbine Pro Copper The design of these headphones is a clever design, the coiled cord was a huge advance from constantly rolling over my EH150 wire with my computer chair. Another weak point I find in just about every pair of headphones is the connections at the end of the cable. On these the end user is able to remove and put in a new cable which is a...
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NA Blur

A Popular Choice

Posted
By NA Blur

Pros: Price, Sound Quality ( see full review )

Cons: Durability, Comfort, Bass

Too many people first starting out in the $100 category for headphones choose the 280 as a starting point.  Without directly A/B comparing the 280 pro against other headphones at this price point is you are going to leave yourself room for much improvement.  The isolation is about all that is beneficial from this headphone.  The durability is unanimously horrid and sound quality is hugely dependant upon how to fit your head and seal around your ears.   If you are looking at these for you first choice in "quality" headphones I would listen to the Audio Technica ATH-M50's before making your final decision.  If you like In-Ear type headphones try the Brainwavz...
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JoshKe

Underrated

Posted
By JoshKe

Pros: Comfortable, cheap, noise reduction

Cons: Coil cord

I bought these a while back to commute with on the train, hoping to block out some of the noise. Not only do they do that, but they sound great. 
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Fatmangolf

HD 280

Posted
By Fatmangolf

Pros: Light, good sound isolation for recording, quite comfortable

Cons: -

I have had these for about 5 years. It is not the most exciting sound when compared to the Grado 80's in similar price range for UK. But the sound is reasonably detailed and neutral enough for home recording use.   The closed back design and cushions do keep most of the sound in so spillage into mics is minimal. The same applies to nearby friends and relatives!  
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GottaLoveMusic

Love Em!

Posted
By GottaLoveMusic

Pros: Comfy, Light, Sound Amazing, Great Price

Cons: None So Far

I bought these headphones a few weeks ago an have been listening to them everyday. Hearing there progress break-in is incredible. For the price these are some amazing headphones, the sound quality is amazing an the over-ear design is very comfy. I also like the guide on how to replace broken parts, Most companies dont do that so this is an awsome thing. I would recommend these to anyone who asked!
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David Paul

These were the best pair of headphones, of any type, that I've ever owned.

Posted
By David Paul

Pros: Comfortable, lightweight, it's closed-back circumaural design attenuates ambient noise, good bass output, pretty durable.

Cons: Not enough room. read below.

After using them for maybe two years, I removed the fabric cover on one of the cans and found a paper component that had mold on it. I can't remember if it was the driver cone or something around it, but I didn’t like that. I’m not sure if it would eventually cause a health concern, or degrade the performance of the phones, but they could have anticipated that during the model's design. I know paper is common in speakers, but headphones are worn on the body like clothes (like clothes that you never throw in the wash!). There are alternatives, like Kevlar, and if you’re going to spend almost or more then a hundred dollars, can’t that be easily arranged? Also I would have preferred a...
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Where to Buy It

SweetwaterHD 280 PRO (Closed Studio Headphones) at Sweetwater$99.95See It »
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