[Norm Strong]

I'm curious about the new Sennheiser HD-280 headphones. They seem designed to compete with the Sony 7506. Has anyone tried them yet?

 

[timoteus]

I did a search on the HD280 a couple nights ago to read up on them and came up with these threads to read:

http://head-fi.com/forums/search.php...der=descending

Good luck and enjoy.

 

[JML]

I just tried a pair. I have to agree with Jan Meier's evaluation, and not meithkiller's.

I was shocked at the build quality, first of all. The pleather is tissue-thin, and already had two holes in it IN THE BOX. The seams are unfinished, the edges of the molded plastic are sharp, and the whole thing has a cheap feel. They are like a vise grip on my head, and don't fit completely around my ears. And the sound? Screechy, plasticy, and boomy. They make the V-6 seem mellow and comfortable. IMHO, not good enough to keep for any break-in when they start out like this. Run out of three different portables, too, each with plenty of power, and no significant difference heard.

 

[meithkiller]

Wow, sounds like the 280pro's aren't for everybody.

I'll address the fit and finish first. I'm not sure what seams you are finding aren't unfinished, but I wouldn't call the edges of the plastic sharp. Not as rounded as the Sony V6's, but not sharp. I did address the build quality in my initial review (inferior to the V6) and the increased clamping force (I'm sure everybody's heads are differently shaped), but that is where the 280pro's get there increased isolation, from the increased clamping force, and bigger earpads. I am really surprised that your V6's fit over your ears better than the 280's do, since the Sennheiser's have bigger earpads. The measurements I got were 35mm W x 55mm H x 10mm D for the inside of the earpads on the Sony, and 37mm W x 65mm H x 15mm D for the Sennheiser. My Sony V6's fit 1/2 on and 1/2 around my ears, while the Sennheisers fit all the way around my ears for a much tighter seal. I've never been completely happy with the amount of isolation the V6's give for a closed can. The "pleather" on my Sennheisers seem to be very similar in composition to the Sonys, and have stood up to their first month of use with no rips, tears, or holes. I didn't think the Sony cushions would last long when I got them, but a couple years later they are still fine.

Screechy, plasticy, and boomy. I am still amazed how different people can listen to the same headphones and have such differing opinions. I've had a little more time to compare the V6 and 280 pro since my initial impressions, and haven't changed my mind much at all. The V6's are definitely brighter than the 280's, but I wouldn't call either one screechy. I'm not exactly sure what "plasticy" sounds like, so I can't comment on that quality of sound. The 280's bring out some low bass notes that the V6's reproduce, but with more impact. I'd say that the 280's emphasis the lows the way the V6's do the highs, but neither artificially so, just a different sound.

These cans aren't for everybody. For overall sound quality in a closed can I still give my Beyer 831's the nod (have you had a chance to listen to the Beyers JML?), but I really like the isolation I get from the 280's, and they are a little more laid back then the Sonys. Only time will tell if they hold up as well as the V6's, but I think they are worth considering for an inexpensive closed can (paid $89 for mine after a rebate). Personal preferences about fit and sound will color most reviews, but I don't think these phones should be universally discounted as bad.

JML, good luck in your ongoing search for a good set of closed cans. Maybe the Beyer 250-80 or DT831 would be more to your liking.

-Keith

 

[JML]

Meithkiller, in part I was disappointed because I had expected much more than I got (and your review was the basis for my trial!). I'm glad you like them, but they're not my choice.

The plastic is molded in a way that results in the inside of the earpiece hangers and headpiece stopping abruptly without any bevels or finishing at all; they're just cut off at right angles. Sort of like you molded a box and sliced it in half. Over time that means they'll get scuffed, dented, and look pretty bad on the edges. It's cheaper to mold them this way, of course. The plastic has a matte-finish, but without any texture to it, and I don't think it'll hold up at all. Or they'll show their age quickly.

My V-6 cans have the Beyer DT-250 pads. I've already boxed up the 280, but what it felt like to me was that the inside dimensions of the Senn pads left a smaller ear space than the 250 pads (which are better than the original Sonys in every way). Both hit the top of my ears (I am NOT a Vulcan!) but the increased tension on the Senn was something I was not willing to live with. I find the Sony too fatiguing to wear for very long, in part from the sound and in part from the fit.

The Senn pleather is soft, but I bet it doesn't last too long. Looking at my about 15-year-old Sony pads, the composite vinyl & fabric on them is thicker than the Senn's. What really amazed me was the edge finishing of the Senn headpad. There was none. The material is just cut and glued to a clip on for the head pad, and there is another dissimilar material stitched to the pleather on the earpads, to hold them on to the driver cups. The unfinished edges will fray, and once that starts, there's no stopping it. The Sony had every single one of the edges neatly folded and then stitched under, often with a top lock stitch to make a welt that would withstand abrasion far better. But I'm a velour or ultrasuede pad lover.

If I had to define the highs, I'd guess that the Sonys have a peak in the neighborhood of somewhere near 7K Hz, for presence & emphasis; it results in a sibilant hiss or spit, and overall irritating roughness with voice or violins (the Grado SR-80 has a similar peak) that many call revealing and detailed. Well, too mutch etching wears away the substrate... These brand-new Senns had a harsh treble throughout, not with the Sony's peakiness. Sort of like the whole high range abruptly shot up and stayed there.

The depth of the Sony bass is impressive, if a bit exaggerated in the midbass range, and the Senns were brand-new, but they seemed boomy, wooly and uncontrolled by comparison. I felt I was listening to a three-way speaker, not one transducer.

Plasticky? Well, I meant they sounded like cheap headphones, cold and one-dimensional beyond the closed nature of the beast.

Maybe my sample and Jan's were from the same batch, or maybe they represent one end of the production tolerances. Or maybe we represent one end of the production range of human listeners. I just didn't hear anything that made me want to give them more time to grown on me. I have a set of cans I like that others couldn't stand at first listen, but there was enough magic on the first listen I took to make me keep them. But these had nothing.

 

[meithkiller]

My Sony V6's still have the original pads after several years, and I have not tried the Beyer pads yet, but I am surprised that the Beyer pads could be that much bigger than the V6 (and 280pro) pads. I'll have to give them a try, I do truly hate pleather pads, no matter how high quality the pleather is. The measurements I took show that the stock Sony V6 pads have a smaller inside cup area than the Sennheiser HD280pro's. I really can't compare the Beyer 250/V6 pads vs the Senn 280pro pads since I have never tried the Beyer pads. It does sound like a worthwhile mod though.

If the cans are going to be treated roughly (whether the V6's or the 280pro's) they will both suffer. The Senn's may get more scuffs and scratches, but the Sony's have the exposed wires on each side running to the headband, and I would think it would only take one good snag to pull those loose or tear them. The Sennheiser's wires are concealed in the framework of the headphones themselves, the only exposed wire is the single-sided cable terminating in the 1/8" plug.

The 280pro's are new enough I don't think any judgements can really be made yet about their durability or resistance to physical wear. Sounds like your pair were defective if the pleather earpads had a couple holes in them right out of the box. That can't be used as proof that the material is low quality or prone to tearing or ripping easily unless the pair you received was used and the holes were created by someone else using them prior to your receiving them. Sounds like a manufacturing defect to me. The pleather does feel rather cheap, but all pleather feels cheap to me.

I'll say it again, these cans probably aren't for everyone. As closed cans go (IMHO) these aren't bad. Most open cans, even mediocre ones will soound better though. I went through an "audiophile" stage in my 20's where I carefully read the high end mags, and tried to only buy purist audiophile recordings and equipment that was highly recommended and "sounded" good. I ended up listening to the equipment and the recordings, not the music. Thankfully I have returned to enjoying the music again. I still have a lot of decent equipment and headphones, but I try to concentrate (or just sit back and relax) on enjoying the music. I can still recognize a piece of equipment that makes the music sound bad, but my criteria have changed somewhat. The Sennheiser HD280pro's allow me to enjoy the music I'm listening to while blocking out a considerable amount of outside noise, all in a rather convenient folding package.

-Keith

 

[JML]

Fair enough. But try the Beyer pads; well worth the $17 or so. There are threads with pics and instructions. The only thing to be careful about is the removal of the inner velour cover from the pleather Sony pad. Separate them very slowly and very carefully, and do NOT try to glue them to the Beyer pad. I found the easiest way to get them in place was to put on the Beyer pad and then slip the inner Sony cover in place afterwards.

I agree with what you mean about music vs. sound. Many of the recordings I bought in my 20s for their highly touted sound have languished because the music isn't worth listening to. Most have been sitting on the shelf for 25 years since I bought them. But those few with great music have withstood the test of the years very well. And those that sound wonderful, too, are a joy forever.

 

[Crazy4Bass]

Well, I have a short and sweet opinion of the HD 280s. They are comfortable, have a deep, but tight bass extension, beautiful wide soundstage, and best of all, once you slip on a pair, ALL you hear is the music. I auditioned a pair a couple of weekends ago at a San Mateo musician's store called B Street Music. They are being sold there for $110, so hopefully, if I can save up enough $ for another month or two, I can grab a pair of these, that is, if NO ONE else buys this sole pair!!!!

 

[Alan B]

Hey Norm:

Are you the same Norm from the Asylum? Welcome to Head-Fi. I have not listened to the 280's but I have owned the V6's for over 10 years and they have traveled with me all over the world on my business trips form Norway to New Zealand and never a problem! The V-6's are not HD-600's (which I use at home) but for a compact rugged traveler they are great.

Alan

 

[JML]

I just got my Sony V-6 with Beyer pads back from a student of mine. I had loaned them to him because he wanted something with isolation, and they fit the bill. But he thinks they're not as good as his Grado SR-80 (he has, among other things, a D-25s -- my students get more than the usual educational tips -- and a portable Headroom amp). The midrange and presence isn't what he wants.

Anyway, I can say that the Beyer pads' padding is softer than the Senn's, and the velour or velvet fabric is much more comfortable than the Senn pleather, too. The Beyer pads or the Sony pads may measure smaller than the Senn, but the softness of the padding, when combined with their far lesser pressure, makes them far more comfortable to me than the Senn. And the finish and workmanship is far better, in my opinion.

 

[Gluegun]

Alright, I'm posting this in every HD280 thread that I can find....

I have a question concerning how they fold, and DJ-type uses:

Do the earcups have to rotate for one eared monitoring, like the Sennheiser HD25's, the Technics RPDJ1200's, the Sony MDR-V700DJ's, the IXOS DJ1001's all do?What I mean is, are you able to put the headphones around your neck, and rotate the earcups so that they are facing UP from your shoulder, so you can just place your ear down on the headphone as the need arises (so you can have your hands free)? What about firmness and tightness on the head for one eared monitoring by simply placing one earcup on the side of your head instead of your ears? Thanks!