[1Time]

Quote:

Originally Posted by carlineng /img/forum/go_quote.gif After an extensive burn-in period (~200 hours using pink noise), the 280s have really come alive for me. I'm listening to them now, and I'm impressed! Maybe its because I'm a bit drunk. Final appraisal to be conducted in the morn.

Yes, whether drunk or hungover, the HD280 Pro sounds much better after burn-in, and IMO at higher volumes.

 

[Greg Weed]

I'm using my 280s twice a day on weekdays for about 45 minutes to an hour each time (great for bus commuting - good isolation and they make me look crazy, so people don't want to sit by me).

I've had them three weeks now, so that's only 20-30 hours use, but I am occasionally starting to notice some bass (though the track has to be THUMPING - Mix Master Mike, Steinski, etc.) I play direct from an iPod nano set on R&B EQ to get the most bass (Nano generation before the current one, which generation is that?), but I'm adding an E5 amp tomorrow in hopes of upping the bass a little.

I'm afraid to do the blu-tack mod; this is my first decent pair of phones and I don't want to break them. (My accountant may not approve another headphone purchase for a while)

Burning in for long periods of time isn't really practical for me, so here's a question. Is there anything about burn-in that requires sustained sessions (I don't know: heat?) or will my 500 hours accumulated in short sessions over the course of a year be an equivalent burn-in to doing it all at once?

Even though they're still a bit shrill and I'm anxious for more bass, I am really loving the 280s. I hear all kinds of wack things I've never heard before, especially with vocals and samples. Just today, I noticed that the Mr. Ed sample in the Beastie Boys' "Time to Get Ill" says "The Famous Mr. Ed," not "His name is Mr. Ed," and I've heard that song a million times.

NOTE: To me, they sound pretty great, with satisfying bass, when plugged into my Denon receiver, my Macbook at home, my PC at work--anything but my Nano, really. I'm hoping the E5 will be a cheap bump.

 

[yklee118]

I was hoping that a thread like this would be started.

I have owned my Sennheiser HD280 Pro since they were first introduced in Hong Kong almost seven years ago at the last High-end audio show. I just happened to be there when Sennheiser's rep stated that a high-quality monitoring headphone will be made available to the masses in the month of February 2003. I know that these headphones have been around a little longer than that, however I didn't start to get into headphones until around that time.

I purchase the HD280 in Hong Kong directly from the show 2003 and I spent about five-weeks burning them in with everything that was in my five-disc carousel. Jennifer Warnes "Famous Blue Raincoat", Verdi's La Traviata, and some jazz fusion. Driven at moderate volumes through the Audio Alchemy DAC 24/48-KHz and to a dedicated X-Can headphone amplifier. That was my setup in 2003 and much to my peers dismay.

All I can say that with quite a bit of time, these headphones are some of the best in the industry. My current setup provides me with an excellent sound-stage representation with some of the characteristics of some of the higher-end offerings from Sennheiser with some of the other attributes that AKG currently offers. Bass frequencies are well presented while the mid range is rich with lucious high-frequencies. No harshness nor any type of peaks throughout the entire frequency range.

This is my experience that is. Please check out my profile and you will see that my current equipment list is growing ever so slightly and much to my father's dismay being an audiophile. He calls my headphones as something to hang yourself with. I say with the music that I listen to, I say I can now die happy with a smile on my face.

Despite what other people think, the Sennheiser HD280 is an excellent headphone when time and attention is paid.

Have a great week and see you all soon.

 

[moonboy403]

Last post: 08-30-2007, 02:36 AM

Today's date: March 4th, 2009

 

[charliex]

Another head-fier who probably sold my 280's too soon - never really let them burn-in and probably only had less than 50 hours on them - lucky purchaser....

 

[Xan7hos]

I have the same feeling as you..I'm listening to them now and I feel like they offer more than what they did a couple years back. But at the same time, I guess I have a sort of bias against them, IMO they're not as fun nor as engaging as Grados. At the same time, listening to a SR125 now isn't as engaging to me as it was when I first had them < 1 year ago

 

[Duggeh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yklee118 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Despite what other people think, the Sennheiser HD280 is an excellent headphone when time and attention is paid.

Despite what you think, the Sennheiser HD280 is an awful headphone no matter how much time and attention is paid.

 

[phandrew]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duggeh /img/forum/go_quote.gif Despite what you think, the Sennheiser HD280 is an awful headphone no matter how much time and attention is paid.

With someone like you who has so much money to spend on headphones of course you can buy any headphone and bag the **** out of HD280 but with people who are on a budget the HD280 will offer better SQ than many other headphones at their price. Not everyone can afford headphones you have.

 

[yklee118]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duggeh /img/forum/go_quote.gif Despite what you think, the Sennheiser HD280 is an awful headphone no matter how much time and attention is paid.

I have listened to many headphones. STAX, Audio Technica, Beyer, Ultrasone, SONY (high-end offerings), Sennheiser, Grado, JVC, Denon, and AKG K-701.

All of them have different models with different sound signatures.

The Sennheiser HD280 that I have has survived the test of time and I have no idea where do you get your information. This headphone is used in many of studio friends who work for many recording studios. The HD280 during the first 1000-hours of use is not very engaging to somewhat flat sonic response. Bass response would be low and tight. Even with an amplifier, many of the lower frequencies as well as the upper range areas would not be represented well. Once past the 1500-hour mark, most of these problems virtually don't exist. It is like a different headphone when first purchased.

It is not about the money factor either. Old Chinese saying or something of the sort "When a person is poor, they appreciate everything they have a strive to achieve something better. Those who are wealthy do not understand how the poor think because they have yet to experience that life."

If you have never owned the Sennheiser HD280 Pro for at least a year and with more than 2000-hours on them, then that statement that you have made is just a biased opinion with not much weight. Just because other people say that it is a lousy headphone doesn't mean that you should add your two cents in. Be humble on don't say save your money to people who just want a headphone. If they can only afford less than $100.00, then the Sennheiser HD280 is a sure bet. Eventually a headphone audiophile will reach the higher-end of the audio spectrum, but until then, do not berate a headphone that was designed for monitoring purposes.

Until then. Have a great week.

 

[Duggeh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by phandrew /img/forum/go_quote.gif With someone like you who has so much money to spend on headphones of course you can buy any headphone and bag the **** out of HD280 but with people who are on a budget the HD280 will offer better SQ than many other headphones at their price. Not everyone can afford headphones you have.

MX500, MX550, MS-1, SR-60, SR-80, Portapro, PX100, KSC-75, Goldring DR-50, Goldring DR-100, HD485, HD545, HD555, Jecklin Float 2 aaand Triport AE.

I don't particularly like some of them, but I've heard them all and they can all be had for similar or less than the HD280 and they're all nicer headphones. You don't have to own a K1000 to hear the difference in cheaper headphones and I'm not bashing everything cheap, I'm bashing one particular headphone.


Quote:

Originally Posted by yklee118 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have listened to many headphones. STAX, Audio Technica, Beyer, Ultrasone, SONY (high-end offerings), Sennheiser, Grado, JVC, Denon, and AKG K-701. All of them have different models with different sound signatures. The Sennheiser HD280 that I have has survived the test of time and I have no idea where do you get your information.

I don't "get my information". The phraseology of my sentence was intended to satire your own "I know better than anyone who disagrees with me" articulations.


Quote:

Originally Posted by yklee118 /img/forum/go_quote.gif This headphone is used in many of studio friends who work for many recording studios.

Pardon?


Quote:

Originally Posted by yklee118 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The HD280 during the first 1000-hours of use is not very engaging to somewhat flat sonic response. Bass response would be low and tight. Even with an amplifier, many of the lower frequencies as well as the upper range areas would not be represented well. Once past the 1500-hour mark, most of these problems virtually don't exist. It is like a different headphone when first purchased.

Why on earth would I spend nine solid weeks running a headphone I don't like in the hope that it will turn into a different headphone? I abhor the notion of thousand hour burn in times, it is a total nonsense.



Quote:

Originally Posted by yklee118 /img/forum/go_quote.gif It is not about the money factor either. Old Chinese saying or something of the sort "When a person is poor, they appreciate everything they have a strive to achieve something better. Those who are wealthy do not understand how the poor think because they have yet to experience that life."

I don't think I mentioned money.


Quote:

Originally Posted by yklee118 /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you have never owned the Sennheiser HD280 Pro for at least a year and with more than 2000-hours on them, then that statement that you have made is just a biased opinion with not much weight.

Good Lord! We've moved from nine weeks solid run time to twelve! Well I'm sure that the other 40 weeks in that year might be saved for something worthwhile. As for my statement having not much weight, it has just as much as yours, because however much you like to try and surround yourself with psudoscience and crowds of invisible acolytes, both of us are expressing an opinion.


Quote:

Originally Posted by yklee118 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just because other people say that it is a lousy headphone doesn't mean that you should add your two cents in.

I don't see why I shouldn't, according to you those people are all wrong too, maybe because they haven't performed the requisate 12 weeks of burn-in.


Quote:

Originally Posted by yklee118 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Be humble.

Irony.


Quote:

Originally Posted by yklee118 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...don't say save your money to people who just want a headphone. If they can only afford less than $100.00, then the Sennheiser HD280 is a sure bet.

The whole aspect of "saving money" is what faciitates someone being able to afford more than they can currently spend, your point is oxymoronic.


Quote:

Originally Posted by yklee118 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Eventually a headphone audiophile will reach the higher-end of the audio spectrum, but until then, do not berate a headphone that was designed for monitoring purposes.

Wait? So if you aren't a studio engineer you shouldn't buy them? Do you know how expensive those 12 weeks of inactive studio time will be while they wait for the equipment to burn in?


Quote:

Originally Posted by yklee118 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Until then. Have a great week.

I'll do my best.

 

[yklee118]

Again, another reaction from the person from above.

I think everybody has their own tastes for headphones. And did I say that actually burn them straight through without listening to them. These headphones were my first closed Sennheisers. I could have chosen different brands, however these were at the Hi-Fi Show in Hong Kong and plus my good buddy at the TVB studio assured me that these are a good investment. His crew uses Sennheisers because of the neutrality in the audio work that they do. And since at that time, they were my only full-size cans, then I was stuck with them. I know that there are better phones out there, however again with time, these HD280s can sound very three-dimensional. I know that opinions are just an expression of ones own thoughts, however please try not to be overly abrasive. I will also tone down my expressions. I am rather new here that is. Not new in the audiophile world, however so in this forum.

Until

Everybody have a great week

 

[priest]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yklee118 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I know that there are better phones out there, however again with time, these HD280s can sound very three-dimensional. I know that opinions are just an expression of ones own thoughts, however please try not to be overly abrasive. I will also tone down my expressions. I am rather new here that is. Not new in the audiophile world, however so in this forum.

Thanks for your thoughts. I think I will actually pick up a pair just to see how the sound strikes me. Plus, I need some closed headphones with excellent isolation and very little leakage, for when my wife is watching General Hospital and I am listening to Ponytail. And I understand the HD280Pros have great isolation. I will be a little patient with them.

 

[priest]

Just got them, for $80 all-in from J&R, and I like them right out of the box. I am using them out of the headphone jack of my Onkyo A-9555 integrated amp. I may not have the most expensive headphones on the block to compare them to, or the fanciest gear to run them off, but for $80 they sound pretty damn good to me, and the isolation/leakage is superb. The sonic presentation seems highly organized, whatever I mean by that. A happy customer. Then again, I'm listening to hip hop tonight. I wonder if they'll disappoint with indie.

 

[yklee118]

Enjoy

I reinforced my headband of late. Seven years of use and like with anything in life, a little bit of patching up here and there will be needed to prolong the life of anything. I am not willing to replace my pair since seven years of use has been put with my HD280.

It carries sentimental value.

I hope you enjoy these headphones. I do.

Have a happy week

 

[priest]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yklee118 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Enjoy I reinforced my headband of late. Seven years of use and like with anything in life, a little bit of patching up here and there will be needed to prolong the life of anything. I am not willing to replace my pair since seven years of use has been put with my HD280. It carries sentimental value. I hope you enjoy these headphones. I do. Have a happy week

Still loving these headphones and choosing them on a nightly basis over my D2000 and SR 125. So, since you seem to really like them, and I checked out your gear and noticed that you have a very respectable collection, let me ask: what "higher end" (as opposed to "highest end") headphone do you think I might try? I am wanting to maybe get the K701 or the HD650/600 but am unsure which. Given my affinity for the 280s, I'm leaning toward the Senns, but I can't decide on trying the 650s or the 600s. And I don't have the ability to audition them (unless I get the chance at the upcoming DC meet). Your impressions would be appreciated. Plus, we can keep this 5 year old thread alive. ps, I listen mainly to rock, of all varieties, and plug my headphones into the headphone jack of my integrated amp. If you don't have the chance to answer such a detailed post, I understand. Thanks.