yklee118
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 19, 2007
- Posts
- 213
- Likes
- 50
I have been a heavy user of this rather aged yet well taken care of pair of Sennheiser HD280 Professional closed headphones owned since 2002. I finally dug out the receipt for this headphone and I purchased this unit in Hong Kong during the high-end audiophile show located at the Harbor shopping center on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong. February 12th 2002 was the fateful day. I spend a good chunk of cash (149.00 USD + 19%VAT by Hong Kong standards). Before joining Head-Fi, I have been very much loving my HD280s. Right After I joined Head-Fi, I have been supporting those who enjoy having these phones.
Now after reading the numerous opinions of fellow Head-Fi members citing that this headphone is rather bad can be stated as an opinion. Burn-in of headphone soley depends on many factors. Some brands and their models break-in faster than others. The AKG K701 is a fine example of a long break-in. I have owned these HP since October of 2008 based on my first audition of them four months prior in Chino Hills California. I like many of the aspects of the headphone except the rather overwhelming harshness that is associated with it when listening to rather rich mid-range vocals and instruments. After owning the K701 for a little over five months and more than 2000-hours, I thought they have no more room for improvement. I posted a thread of a simple modification that literally removed the brightness and harshness factor. Now they feel very much like the Sennheiser HD650, but without the overly warm feeling.
The HD280 is one headphone that requires much time before they can be labeled as fully settled. I have posted comments about these headphones citing that it requires an unbiased ear to fully appreciate these headphones. Seven years of having these headphones shows how much love I still have for these closed headphones. My average usage per day come to six hours (based on an actual seven day per week cycle) so after all the math, that is a total of (+/-50hrs) 15,330-hours to this date. I do not turn them up to loud nor do I listen to them softly. The last 5000 or so hours have seriously opened up the soundstage of these headphones. Without the extreme frequency range comparison to the HD650, the HD280 that I currently own sound crisp with a very three-dimensional quality to them with the same tight bass, middle, and high-frequency response.
I listen to mainly classical with occasional hints of jazz and rock & roll. When listening to the 1812 Overture performed by Erich Kunzel in 2000 (a Telarc DSD release) toward the last five minutes of the instrumental piece, the digital cannons have a more realistic three-dimensional placement as versus when the headphones were at around the 7000-hour mark (I keep track just about that is).
The swells in the horns and strings followed by the cannons feels as though the listener is actually there. This based on my observation. Many who have listened to my setup with the HD280 have cited that once they were very hateful with the 280s are now understanding how much time is truly needed with this particular headphone.
When new, the HD280 Professional doesn't have any real character. In fact lifeless and dead would be the most accurate description of these headphones. Then again, if the consumer wants the most unbiased and most accurate representation of the sound character, then I would guess that a newly purchased HD280 with more than 300-hours yet less than 5000-hours would be the best time for the analytical minds of the recording industry (my friend who still works for TVB in Hong Kong told me that their recording department replaces the HD280s every year to retain the dead sound that they are use to). I may be wrong in that last sentence, however I have had these headphones and have listened to changes in its character over the course of the seven years and I have to say that the HD280 ages rather well.
Some members have cited that my ears must have burned in to the sound of the HD280 in order for me to praise it as such. That is not the case fortunately. If I have the guts to purchase so many wonderful headphones such as the HE90 Orpheus with amp (I still have it and won't sell it so don't ask), The AKG K701 with lite mod, the HD650 with Cardas upgrade, the newly purchased and received (unopened as of yet) Sennheiser HD800, and the Audio Technica ATH-W1000. I love how each of them reproduce the music that I play through them. Each have their own character so I really can give a good review for each and every one of them. The sad thing is that none of them are really portable like the HD280.
I guess I am too long winded. I hope that I can add some more to this, however for now this will have to do. I also hope that this thread doesn't get completely buried just because a noob decided to post something that can be considered commentary of objectionable material. Until then, post away.
Have great day
Now after reading the numerous opinions of fellow Head-Fi members citing that this headphone is rather bad can be stated as an opinion. Burn-in of headphone soley depends on many factors. Some brands and their models break-in faster than others. The AKG K701 is a fine example of a long break-in. I have owned these HP since October of 2008 based on my first audition of them four months prior in Chino Hills California. I like many of the aspects of the headphone except the rather overwhelming harshness that is associated with it when listening to rather rich mid-range vocals and instruments. After owning the K701 for a little over five months and more than 2000-hours, I thought they have no more room for improvement. I posted a thread of a simple modification that literally removed the brightness and harshness factor. Now they feel very much like the Sennheiser HD650, but without the overly warm feeling.
The HD280 is one headphone that requires much time before they can be labeled as fully settled. I have posted comments about these headphones citing that it requires an unbiased ear to fully appreciate these headphones. Seven years of having these headphones shows how much love I still have for these closed headphones. My average usage per day come to six hours (based on an actual seven day per week cycle) so after all the math, that is a total of (+/-50hrs) 15,330-hours to this date. I do not turn them up to loud nor do I listen to them softly. The last 5000 or so hours have seriously opened up the soundstage of these headphones. Without the extreme frequency range comparison to the HD650, the HD280 that I currently own sound crisp with a very three-dimensional quality to them with the same tight bass, middle, and high-frequency response.
I listen to mainly classical with occasional hints of jazz and rock & roll. When listening to the 1812 Overture performed by Erich Kunzel in 2000 (a Telarc DSD release) toward the last five minutes of the instrumental piece, the digital cannons have a more realistic three-dimensional placement as versus when the headphones were at around the 7000-hour mark (I keep track just about that is).
When new, the HD280 Professional doesn't have any real character. In fact lifeless and dead would be the most accurate description of these headphones. Then again, if the consumer wants the most unbiased and most accurate representation of the sound character, then I would guess that a newly purchased HD280 with more than 300-hours yet less than 5000-hours would be the best time for the analytical minds of the recording industry (my friend who still works for TVB in Hong Kong told me that their recording department replaces the HD280s every year to retain the dead sound that they are use to). I may be wrong in that last sentence, however I have had these headphones and have listened to changes in its character over the course of the seven years and I have to say that the HD280 ages rather well.
Some members have cited that my ears must have burned in to the sound of the HD280 in order for me to praise it as such. That is not the case fortunately. If I have the guts to purchase so many wonderful headphones such as the HE90 Orpheus with amp (I still have it and won't sell it so don't ask), The AKG K701 with lite mod, the HD650 with Cardas upgrade, the newly purchased and received (unopened as of yet) Sennheiser HD800, and the Audio Technica ATH-W1000. I love how each of them reproduce the music that I play through them. Each have their own character so I really can give a good review for each and every one of them. The sad thing is that none of them are really portable like the HD280.
I guess I am too long winded. I hope that I can add some more to this, however for now this will have to do. I also hope that this thread doesn't get completely buried just because a noob decided to post something that can be considered commentary of objectionable material. Until then, post away.
Have great day
