[LoyK]

It does not challenge >1k headphones, still very much mid-fi.

If these had the naturalness of HD600 timbre, i would really like these. They dont though. Feels like they are just decent at most things. Treble doesn't feel high quality to me.

I had the HEDDphone2 here right before getting the HD 490 Pro - unfortunately no overlap. But for me the HD 490 Pro is overall the better headphone with better sound quality ( also comfort, driveability etc. no contest).

Funny how everyone wants this to be an improved HD600. I don´t have that one here for direct comparsion but let me say the goosebumps and smile on my face the last few days with the HD 490 Pro have been quite a good indicator that it does something right.

I was checking out some Dolby Atmos Blu-Rays today and it´s nice that an AVR can power these with ease and sounds good even if it has a bit of higher output impedance. Even with the mixing pads I was thinking I had a subwoofer in the room while watching Top Gun: Maverick. Also Porcupine Tree´s newest Live Blu-Ray and John Williams Live in Vienna were really enjoyable. I am used to these on my Atmos Setup and I was quite shocked how well I could make out details like different reverbs with these headphones that I don´t get over speakers.

 

[Rob80b]

I do like 490 quite a bit more than NDH30.

That may ruffle a few feathers, but just a few. lol

Overall, I think the driver in the 490 is more capable than the NDH 30.

Most likely similar drivers, it has been pointed out that it may be the same as the HD58X driver .... my issue with the Neumann, while decently built, the overall sound was too safe IMHO, staying out of trouble by omission so an easy "nice" listen all round, wasn't challenging.
If in fact if the 490 is more in line with the HD58X initial impressions make sense.

 

[kman1211]

That may ruffle a few feathers, but just a few. lol

Most likely similar drivers, it has been pointed out that it may be the same as the HD58X driver .... my issue with the Neumann, while decently built, the overall sound was too safe IMHO, staying out of trouble by omission so an easy "nice" listen all round, wasn't challenging.
If in fact if the 490 is more in line with the HD58X initial impressions make sense.

It was mentioned in solderdude's review that it has the same number (IE 00576672) printed on it's driver membrane as the HD 560S/400 Pro, so it's definitely related to the NDH-30 driver (which I think also has the same number printed on it). They seem to be using that driver in very different damping schemes on those headphones, possibly some other tweaks as I'm not sure if the number just means the driver membrane or the whole driver capsule.

Reading that they tweaked the HD 560S, explains why I found the HD 560S (early model) and HD 400 Pro quite different.

 

[Rob80b]

it has the same number (IE 00576672) printed on it's driver membrane

All variations of a theme, membranes are cut from a sheet with the production # most likely printed all over it so any differences would come down to the motor assembly but the drivers do look very similar.
The NDH30 do exactly as Neumann intended, emulate their studio monitors, the 490 appear to be more versatile in that regards and with multiple pads more so, but all just speculation from my end.

 

[kman1211]

All variations of a theme, membranes are cut from a sheet with the production # most likely printed all over it so any differences would come down to the motor assembly but the drivers do look very similar.
The NDH30 do exactly as Neumann intended, emulate their studio monitors, the 490 appear to be more versatile in that regards and with multiple pads more so, but all just speculation from my end.

That's what I'm thinking, the same driver membrane but potential differences in the motor assembly which can yield quite different results. Definitely curious about the headphone, but waiting on more reviews and longer term impressions.

 

[gavinfabl]

I’ll be comparing the HD 490 Pro vs Fiio FT5. I have both now.

 

[Shane D]

I’ll be comparing the HD 490 Pro vs Fiio FT5. I have both now.

That should be a tale of two very different headphones. Looking forward to your thoughts.

 

[Elegiac]

I'm only in if it's something like as quick and bright as the Meze 109 Pro is supposed to be. I need something with some bite for a super-smooth chain.

 

[maegnificant]

I am pretty sure these are Sennheisers take on the 560S driver iterarion that is used by Neumann in the NDH-30.

 

[jbarrentine]

Reading that they tweaked the HD 560S, explains why I found the HD 560S (early model) and HD 400 Pro quite different.

Does the 560S not sound tinny anymore?

 

[kman1211]

Does the 560S not sound tinny anymore?

The HD 560S (I got on release) I had was very bright, excessively thin sounding, and lacked dynamics. The HD 400 Pro actually had a bit of body and treble wasn’t overwhelming. I hated the HD 560S but somewhat liked the HD 400 Pro, but still think the 400 Pro could do with more body and dynamics.

 

[chesebert]

If I had to guess 490 uses left over drivers from binned NDH30 drivers, minus the damping and tuning pads and uses plastic case to save cost. Specifically it appears that 490 has the same driver part as NDH30 but with significantly higher distortion figure.

NDH30 THD at 1 kHz and 100 dB SPL: 0.03% or -70dB.

490 Pro THD at 1 kHz and 100 dB SPL: 0.2% or -54dB

note1: usually you can’t compare THD between 2 drivers and say which one is better but given we are talking about the same part number, it makes sense that better speced drivers are top binned.

note 2: distortion at 1khz is usually where the driver performs best. Distortion at low and high frequencies are usually significantly higher than the value at 1kHz.

 

[equalspeace]

I've been reading impressions on these, but here's my question: For a mid-fi price, is it still just mid-fi or does it legitimately challenge the next tier of >$1000 headphones? Sounds like it's better than existing mid-fi, but can it compete with the likes of the HD800S, LCD-X, or Hifiman HE-1000?

I have a few headphones in that tier above mid-fi, but I still get the itch to try new cans sometimes, and because I don't want to spend so much money, I've bought well reviewed and hyped up mid-fi cans before. But ultimately they always disappoint and sound clearly a tier below my best headphones.

If the HD490 is still only competing to be the best in mid-fi and not some giant killer that makes everyone question why buy $1000 headphones, then it's probably not for me. But if it's the $400 equivalent of the HD6XX, where a sub-$200 headphone is competing with headphones 2-3x its price, then I am very interested.

I think 490 pro can trade blows w some HPs in the 1k and > price segment. In terms of performance in it's own mid priced segment, 490 is the best of them that I've heard. To me, it doesn't sound like a mid-tier HP

I had the HEDDphone2 here right before getting the HD 490 Pro - unfortunately no overlap. But for me the HD 490 Pro is overall the better headphone with better sound quality ( also comfort, driveability etc. no contest).

Funny how everyone wants this to be an improved HD600. I don´t have that one here for direct comparsion but let me say the goosebumps and smile on my face the last few days with the HD 490 Pro have been quite a good indicator that it does something right.

I was checking out some Dolby Atmos Blu-Rays today and it´s nice that an AVR can power these with ease and sounds good even if it has a bit of higher output impedance. Even with the mixing pads I was thinking I had a subwoofer in the room while watching Top Gun: Maverick. Also Porcupine Tree´s newest Live Blu-Ray and John Williams Live in Vienna were really enjoyable. I am used to these on my Atmos Setup and I was quite shocked how well I could make out details like different reverbs with these headphones that I don´t get over speakers.

I owned the HEDDPHONE (first model) for a short time recently. For it's tonality, speed and pretty good staging/imaging, it's a great HP. I sold it off because of the build and weight. From memory 490 stages about the same as HEDDPHONE in terms width. I think 490 does stage depth better. 490 also clears HEDDPHONE in terms of imaging (more on that ). Overall resolution was about the same between both headphones. I think 490 is less warm sounding and more musical than HEDDPHONE. 490 pulls you into the music in an emotional way that many HPs I've heard cannot. Bass performance is about on par between the two HPs in terms of amount. I think 490 does the various bass textures better than HEDDPHONE. Midrange note weight/texture is about the same between 490 and HEDDPHONE. I think the mids from HEDDPHONE are a hair more detailed than 490 mids. I think 490 has more treble w the velour pads. I think there's more info to be pulled from the treble in the 490 than the HEDDPHONE. In terms of transient speed, and this is the amazing thing, about this 490, I don't feel like I lost anything in this department in comparison to HEDDPHONE. Make no mistake the 490 driver is very very fast and it is capable of layering over (due to the excellent depth) and imaging side by side so many instruments at one time on the sound stage. The staging capabilities of this headphone are quite amazing, so much so that I have often found myself shocked at what I'm hearing.

 

[headstef]

It was mentioned in solderdude's review that it has the same number (IE 00576672) printed on it's driver membrane as the HD 560S/400 Pro, so it's definitely related to the NDH-30 driver (which I think also has the same number printed on it). They seem to be using that driver in very different damping schemes on those headphones, possibly some other tweaks as I'm not sure if the number just means the driver membrane or the whole driver capsule.

Reading that they tweaked the HD 560S, explains why I found the HD 560S (early model) and HD 400 Pro quite different.

All variations of a theme, membranes are cut from a sheet with the production # most likely printed all over it so any differences would come down to the motor assembly but the drivers do look very similar.
The NDH30 do exactly as Neumann intended, emulate their studio monitors, the 490 appear to be more versatile in that regards and with multiple pads more so, but all just speculation from my end.

If we must follow this kind of speculation, then here is a close up photo of the NDH 30 driver by @Vitaliy Belz from his early posts in the NDH 30 thread:

and one of the HD 490 Pro from Reddit:

We can see that out of the 3 printed numbers on the membranes, 2 are clearly different and the last might be similar. We cannot be sure if the drivers (or the membranes) are identical judging from the printed numbers but if they are then it's a good thing for the HD-490 Pro.
I am sure though that much more strict tolerances of parts are used for the NDH 30 to achieve that impressively low THD of 0,03% compared to the 0,2% of the HD-490 Pro. I don't know if these values are really audible but the NDH 30 sounds considerably more undistorted and transparent than, say, the HD-650 which boasts a THD of 0,05%.

 

[equalspeace]

If we must follow this kind of speculation, then here is a close up photo of the NDH 30 driver by @Vitaliy Belz from his early posts in the NDH 30 thread:



and one of the HD 490 Pro from Reddit:


We can see that out of the 3 printed numbers on the membranes, 2 are clearly different and the last might be similar. We cannot be sure if the drivers (or the membranes) are identical judging from the printed numbers but if they are then it's a good thing for the HD-490 Pro.
I am sure though that much more strict tolerances of parts are used for the NDH 30 to achieve that impressively low THD of 0,03% compared to the 0,2% of the HD-490 Pro. I don't know if these values are really audible but the NDH 30 sounds considerably more undistorted and transparent than, say, the HD-650 which boasts a THD of 0,05%.

There's nothing audible worth noting with regards to THD and the 490 to my ears