Sennheiser HD 219 Headphones

I got these for free as they were being disposed of by the University I work for. I had to replace the worn out and peeling ear cups and headband but... oh boy do I love these for listening to classical music! I use them with my Chord Mojo 2 and I can honestly say that I am enjoying them more than my far more expensive headphones for classical music atm (at least until I get myself one of the Hifiman, Focal or Aeon planar models). For more bass focussed music like reggae or dance I love my Panasonic ATH-m50x, but the midrange of the ATH-M50x, to my ears, is too recessed to communicate clearly the quality and expressiveness of a piano and violin to be really enjoyable for classical music. For Jazz and everything else I love my Sennheiser HD600s. But the HD219 is something special, especially as it was free! (apart from the cost of replacement ear pads).

I'm just a junior head-fi'er, but I do love my music.
 
~~~Summary for the hasty?~~~
They are decent $50 headphones, but they are barely decent. The only area that they excel in is portability. Everything else is just sufficient for the price you pay. My recommendation? Buy them on sale. I know looks are subjective but they seem pretty stylish.
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Build:
Sufficient. I admit, one year of use is not very long, but they show no sign of damage. Keep in mind, I have no case for these, and I just stuff them in my backpack. it is reasonable to assume the plastic will crack eventually. Hopefully only after a year or two of more use. The reason I say the headband may crack is that the plastic is very light, and definitely not the best Sennheiser has to offer. Even higher end (50 - 100 USD) Senn's are known to have headband cracks. I would not bet that these stand the test of time if handled roughly.
 
The headphone cord is pretty thin as well. Try to be nice to the cord; it is not excessively thin, but it probably won't take much of a beating.
 
Comfort:
Stellar. As they are so light, you can barely notice them on your head.
 
Portability:
This is important, as it is really the only reason to shell out money on these things. The earpads fold inwards so they are more flat when folded. They are very easy to store, and if you decrease the size, as in readjust the headband length, before you store them, it is really easy to just wrap the cord around the earpads. The wire has not tangled severely thus far. I usually just have a knot to untie on occasion. These are easily stuffed into most carrying cases, there is no need to buy a pouch for these unless you really want these to last you many years.
 
Sound:
Fairly unclear, but for a 50 USD headphone I am pretty impressed. Compared to the best $100 dollar pair of headphones...these leave much to be desired. Compared to mediocre $100 dollar headphones, on the other hand, these sound pretty close.
 
I listen to classical music on these headphones, usually harpsichord, choir, and orchestra. The treble range is emphasized, and it is overall clear. The trebles are pretty loud though, and the push out the mids in my opinion. The mids and lows are also clear, but less so. The lows sound a bit messy, and may be the worst part of this headphone. Honestly, it did not stop me from enjoying music for the double-bass, but it is not the high point of these headphones.
 
These also feature passive noise cancelling, so on a crowded bus you will still hear your music pretty well.
 
My perspective: These were basically my first pair of headphones.(Before these, the only audio quality I knew was that of the apple earbuds.) I knew nothing about how to buy headphones, yet I am still impressed with these. I'd recommend buying them on sale. These do compare to the Sennheiser HD 280s, and they are not good products in my humble opinion. Since these compare to headphones that sell for closer to $100 dollars, I'd say they have good value.

Introduction: Now, before i start the actual evaluation of the sound, these were literally my first pair of headphones... And the ones that started my obsession with the whole collecting headphones thing.
 
Build Quality: For a $50 headphone, you can't really complain about the build quality. They are basically all plastic, and the cable is not detachable. For a low cost headphone, i really think these reflected the price in terms of build quality.
 
Comfort: For being a sealed, on ear headphone, the comfort is really good, for me anyway. Sennheiser chose the cheapest and most lightweight plastic imaginable, in my opinion. When you put them on your head, you feel nothing... Literally! They are virtually weightless.
 
Bass: These headphones do not have a whole lot of bass, but for 50 dollars, i cannot complain. Just because they are light on the bass doesn't make them a bad headphone.
 
Mids/Vocals: Controlled. They definitely ring out and are more prominent than the bass, obviously. I was able to hear the singers voice a bit better than on some other headphones.
 
Treble: These headphone have a treble-dominant sound to them, meaning the treble is the star of the show. It gives an emphasis on rock and metal music, which i like because that is pretty much all i listen to nowadays. It is not harsh, or fatiguing in the sense that they are never tiring to listen to. The energetic treble and vocals make everything sound lively and quite dynamic.
 
Conclusion: For 50 bucks, these are great in my opinion for people who are on a budget. Sennheiser and other companies make headphones that are incredibly better than these, but you would have to spend more money to actually get them.

[I have edited this review after +1 year of near daily usage.]
 
Pros:
First off, these headphones are EXTREMELY light. They don't weigh a thing on your head, don't clamp hard at all, and are just generally very comfortable. They sit well and adjust in several different ways to fit heads of almost any size. I have worn these headphones for HOURS and barely notice them! The sound these guys produce is also pretty fantastic, especially the top end. They are clear and airy, and the pads dull a sufficient amount of outside noise. For as small as they are, the bass is more than enough. It's nothing spectacular, but it's definitely present.
 
Cons:
These headphones FEEL weak and fragile, as coming with their lightweight portability. It's hard not to treat them timidly, because you feel you might just snap them like a twig. Though the plastic feels high quality, there is definitely not much of it. Another big issue I had was the positioning on the ears; once you get them in the right spots, they stay pretty well, but getting them "balanced" on your ears is a bit of a game. The 3.5mm connecter is pretty beefy, whilst the cable is quite then and light; it's a strange contrast, but it's held up for over a year of portable use. The mids are slightly washed out, nothing terrible, but definitely noticeable.
 
I bought mine on sale from Best Buy for around $30, however, they typically go for ~$50. If you need a pair of portable headphones, these certainly do a good job. If you can, find them on sale, but they're still worth the typical ~$50.
 
After +1 year of near daily usage, they have held up more than fine just hanging out in my backpack.
 
I recommend them!