[applaudio]

Pics...

 

[applaudio]

More pics...

 

[applaudio]

Let's start with my impressions of the phones from a physical point of view...

While not bad for the price range, the build quality is my main concern with these phones. The lightweight plastic construction (and I mean really, ridiculously lightweight, hardly heavier than the PX 100 in fact) is a double-edged sword. It makes the phones easily portable as well as very light and comfortable on the head, but it does limit their ruggedness somewhat. That said, the cord is a particular area of concern... or rather, either end of the cord. First of all, there's no strain relief to speak of where the cord connects to the jack, which both concerns and puzzles me. As well, the connection between the cord and the left driver housing features only a short, stiff rubber sleeve to reduce strain on the cord. If you grab and gently wiggle this rubber sleeve, you may hear a quiet crick as it moves against the sides of its exit hole. I'm nitpicking here of course, but these design flaws, however minor they may seem, inevitably impact impressions of the overall construction, not to mention would seem to put the cord at unnecessary risk.

Looks-wise, the HD 228 is a real stunner. A combination of glossy black on the driver housings with matte black on the headband, plus nicely understated chrome accents, make for a real winner in my book. These phones look classy and fashionable, if not necessarily uber-expensive. (One negative note: since getting the headphones, I have noticed a slight cloudiness to the glossy plastic around the Sennheiser logo on the left ear cup, which both baffles and bothers me. You can see what I'm talking about in that last pic up above. I may end up exchanging this pair for another one if it gets worse.)

But the good vibes don't end just because the cans are out of sight on top of your noggin; where the HD 228 really shines is in its exceptional wearing comfort. If you've ever had a pair of headphones that really clamped down painfully on your ears, you'll appreciate the long wearing comfort that comes from... well, not having your head in a vice! Although, I would note that due to the almost complete lack of clamping force and the specific choice of padding material, these babies do feel a little slippery on the head. If you pitch your head forward to look down, for example, you may feel the headband slide a centimeter or two. It's far from a deal-breaker for me, since I don't intend them for active use, but it is slightly disconcerting when it happens. For those who are into heavy metal, a word of warning: "head banging" while listening to these may result in temporary blindness as the headband inevitably drops in front of your eyes. Hey, someone's gotta say it before anyone does this while driving.

Importantly, these headphones need to be in the perfect position on your ears in order to sound full and detailed. The first time you put them on, it may take a few minutes to find the sweet spot. I find that having the ear pads more or less vertically centered on my ears, but protruding slightly past the back of my ears, gives the best sound--but this will of course vary depending on the shape and size of the wearer's ears. It's not terribly difficult to find the correct position the first time, and after you've done it a few times you won't even have to think about it. Still, it's definitely something one needs to know if one is to enjoy the real sonic potential of these headphones.

Which brings us to how they actually sound....

If you've listened to a Sennheiser headphone or earphone before, chances are you have a fairly good idea what to expect: a pleasant, warm response that's well detailed, and essentially the furthest thing from fatigue-ing. Or, if you're not fond of the Senn sound: a dark, veiled headphone, lacking in the highs, and with no particular energy or enthusiasm for life. Okay, so that last part may have been a bit harsh... something the HD 228 certainly is not! Anyway, this newcomer shouldn't surprise anyone familiar with Sennheiser, so if you're one of the many who like that kind of sound, you should like these.

The bass response isn't exactly "explosive" like they claim on the packaging, but is accentuated enough to please most bass heads with an ear for decent quality, while at the same time being controlled enough to please a good chunk of the budget audiophile crowd. Well-detailed, tight and punchy, they strike me as a bit less airy and a tad darker than the PX 100. However, to my ears, they sound every bit as detailed as their famous little brother, and they aren't quite as laid-back.

Now, as good as these cans are, if you find them a bit too dark or closed in their sound, one simple and completely reversible alteration makes these seem almost like a whole 'nother headphone. (Heck, you'd be forgiven for thinking they suddenly sound like an open-backed headphone.) I am of course referring to the "astroid mod", as it's becoming known around Head-Fi. Except it's not really a "mod" at all, at least not the way that one generally thinks of a mod, as it's incredibly easy, pretty much risk-free, and completely reversible. To put it in a nutshell, you yank off the ear pads, pull out a chunk of foam from the center(don't worry, it's a separate piece that just slides right out, and more importantly, back in), and slap the pads back on. As for the sound post-mod... suffice it to say that you will hear a noticeably brighter response, as well as a tad more transparency and resolution throughout. Seriously, it's like they're expecting you to try this!

All in all, these phones are solid performers for the price, and while they do have some design flaws, and may not prove to be the most durable phones on the planet (we'll see how they wear over time), the comfortable fit and their fun, engaging sound have a way of making you forget those faults. In fact, these might be the best bang for buck value in the Sennhieser lineup as far as portable sealed headphones go.

4.5/5

 

[estreeter]

Agree with most of your review, applaudio, and its good to see someone giving them their due. I actually bought the 228s because I *wanted* a darker pair of phones with more bass, so the astroid mod isnt for me, and I suspect that many Head-Fiers would opt for the balance of the HD238 : I have the MS1 when I want that style of phone.

I dont get too hung up on the whole 'veil' thing - Sennheiser make some good phones and some really abysmal phones, but I think the HD228 is one of their better efforts.

 

[applaudio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by estreeter /img/forum/go_quote.gif Agree with most of your review, applaudio, and its good to see someone giving them their due. I actually bought the 228s because I *wanted* a darker pair of phones with more bass, so the astroid mod isnt for me, and I suspect that many Head-Fiers would opt for the balance of the HD238 : I have the MS1 when I want that style of phone. I dont get too hung up on the whole 'veil' thing - Sennheiser make some good phones and some really abysmal phones, but I think the HD228 is one of their better efforts.

I also like a darker sound, which is why at first when I tried the astroid mod, I was on the fence, even leaning a little toward just keeping the foams in. It was only after removing, replacing, removing, replacing, and removing the foams again, that I finally settled on the mod. I just find that it adds more than it takes away. It's not a dramatic difference anyway, just enough to be noticeable. You really can't go wrong either way.

 

[applaudio]

You know what? I'm feeling more generous today than I was yesterday when I wrote the review, and I decided to change the rating because they sound so darn good! 4.5/5!

 

[priest]

Thanks for writing up your thoughts on the HD 228. I think they got a bad rap on Head-Fi when they first came out because the first couple people who bought them didn't like them. I didn't like them much at all when I got them either until I learned that they need to be placed farther back on the ear than would seem intuitive. Then, they needed some burn in. The astroid mod was the final step that made me love them. I'm not saying they're going to change anyone's life, but for an inexpensive closed portable, I agree with your 4.5/5.

 

[applaudio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by priest /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for writing up your thoughts on the HD 228. I think they got a bad rap on Head-Fi when they first came out because the first couple people who bought them didn't like them. I didn't like them much at all when I got them either until I learned that they need to be placed farther back on the ear than would seem intuitive. Then, they needed some burn in. The astroid mod was the final step that made me love them. I'm not saying they're going to change anyone's life, but for an inexpensive closed portable, I agree with your 4.5/5.

Well, Head-Fi'ers can be a picky and impatient bunch, no disrespect. I myself have made headphone purchases in the past, and turned around and taken the things back the next day because they didn't meet my unrealistic expectations, only to wish later that I had given them more of a chance.

 

[Palpatine]

Nice review. I saw them on sale at Future Shop as well, and noticed they were considerably cheaper on ebay. I considered getting a pair, but decided on the HD25 I- II instead. Enjoy your cans!

 

[Pangaea]

I got a pr of the 228 last week, and like most I really did not like them at all in the beginning. I did the mod which helped but then they really grew on me some more with time. Now I feel like I am not even listening to the same HP I got last week. Plus they are really comfortable which I hold in a higher regard lately. Quite a perfect little portable. I am using mine with a transportable rig I put together recently, which rarely leaves my nightstand- but I am very happy with it. I really feel bad for the people that sold these off within hours. I can't explain it but these are a sleeper phone.

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pangaea /img/forum/go_quote.gif I got a pr of the 228 last week, and like most I really did not like them at all in the beginning. I did the mod which helped but then they really grew on me some more with time. Now I feel like I am not even listening to the same HP I got last week. Plus they are really comfortable which I hold in a higher regard lately. Quite a perfect little portable. I am using mine with a transportable rig I put together recently, which rarely leaves my nightstand- but I am very happy with it. I really feel bad for the people that sold these off within hours. I can't explain it but these are a sleeper phone.

Spot on - too many Head-Fiers make rash decisions based on initial impressions - thats their call, but it gets annoying when those impressions are repeatedly passed on to others as definitive summaries of the pros and cons of a given pair of cans. The 228s cop a fair bit of flak here, but I find them to be good, comfotable little portables for the asking price and I enjoy the bass response - to others, its all 'too muffled and lacking in detail' : were they expecting the HD650 at that price point ??

 

[TheDeliveryMan]

We will support the 2 year warranty without question if something were to ever go wrong. We feel quite confident in the product, and want you to use them without apprehension. Thanks for your support, and I hope you enjoy them!

Quote:

Originally Posted by applaudio /img/forum/go_quote.gif Let's start with my impressions of the phones from a physical point of view... While not bad for the price range, the build quality is my main concern with these phones. The lightweight plastic construction (and I mean really, ridiculously lightweight, hardly heavier than the PX 100 in fact) is a double-edged sword. It makes the phones easily portable as well as very light and comfortable on the head, but it does limit their ruggedness somewhat. That said, the cord is a particular area of concern... or rather, either end of the cord. First of all, there's no strain relief to speak of where the cord connects to the jack, which both concerns and puzzles me. As 4.5/5

 

[eat]

Hey guys. I read a bunch of the posts here on the forum about all kinds of headphones and decided on these: the HD228s. I've been using the PX-100s for a few years now and while I'm more than happy with their sound quality for the price, I've had the same problem with two pairs in a row now. The jack is so flimsy that it always breaks and one side cuts in and out until it just doesn't work at all anymore. They still sound amazing but I can't deal with having to replace them once a year because the jack broke again.

So I picked up these HD228s today and have been doing a lot of back-and-forth with the PX-100s. There's no comparison: the PX-100s blow them away sound quality-wise.

My question is: what can I expect after the burn-in period or after trying the asteroid modification? Will the sound open up more, getting closer to what the PX-100s sound like? For any HD228 users, do you find that these headphones can come close to matching the PX-100s at their best? My PX-100s have hundreds of hours on them and my new HD228s have mere minutes so far. I'm not sure what to expect. How long can I expect the burn-in period to be for headphones like these?

I'm mainly concerned with sound quality. I've always been happy with the sound of the PX-100s but am wanting to try other headphones because of the flimsy jack and was also interested in something closed for a little sound isolation. I am enjoying the isolation of these headphones, the PX-100s pretty much don't block sound at all. Would anyone recommend the HD238s instead if I'm a big fan of the PX-100s? As is right now, the sound quality on these HD228s is not acceptable after spending so much time with the PX-100s.

The guy at Future Shop said I have 30 days to return them. If the sound doesn't open up in some way, I'll have to do just that.

(Also, I listen almost exclusively to acoustic, instrumental jazz on an iPod in case that makes a difference).

Thanks!

 

[Andrew Jones]

I bought a pair of 228s last year prior to going on vacation by train (10+ separate journeys) and in a noisy environment they provide pretty good isolation. However, I prefer the sound and comfort of PX100s (which I can also use lying in bed), so the 228s only get used when I need the isolation. My main travelling HPs are actually a pair of 595s, they only get used in my hotel room (I work away from home 2 or 3 days a week), but I find them more pleasant to use than the PX100s.

 

[JayXombie]

This was a magnificant review. I recently (today) bought a pair of Sennheiser HD 228's, and though I'm not an audiofile as of yet, I can really understand what you were explaining, from the deep, rich bassy sound, to the comfort. I'm really glad I got them for $69.99 and not $99.99, as they're listed at. I personally prefer bass.
 
But can someone explain this whole "mod" thing to me? Though of course, I won't expect you to explain it in full detail, so if you have a link on hand, that'd be wonderful.