Why do some of yall look down on the HD280s?
Dec 16, 2009 at 5:35 PM Post #16 of 62
The HD280s were my real entry to legitimate headphones, and initially, I found them lifeless as well, with a very flat sound. After I recieved my Grados, I also found that they lacked detail as well as a bass presence.

Now, I've read about tac mods, and I've read about that magical 5+ year burn in thing. Haven't done both. But recently, around a year ago, after playing with a FiiO E3 and E5, which definitely gave a warmer sound and a livelier tonal feel to both my Grado SR-125 and Senn HD280, I began to notice how much detail (lack of veiled sound/rolled treble) the HD280 had as well as a deeper bass. Nowadays, even without an amp, they still retain these traits. I'm not sure if it's because of burn-in or not (there was a period where I used them exclusively on my guitar amp, which I suppose is a great burn in tool), but to me, they sound very balanced with great bass quality and extension, with just enough detail. It does not sound bright at all to me. Nowadays, they're my beater cans that I can toss around. They have great isolation, and honestly I feel like I can listen to any genre music without feeling like there's a lot missing (especially when amp'd). But it's also a jack of all trades as I like to use them when mixing audio when messing with Final Cut via stereo jack out of a Mac due to how ease of drivability.
 
Dec 16, 2009 at 6:19 PM Post #17 of 62
Quote:

Originally Posted by Head_case /img/forum/go_quote.gif
There are more 'in your face' Sennheisers. Most listeners coming to these HD280Pros want a kind of Aiwa/Sony/Technics disco thump rocking sound, and not analytical detail. I still keep mine, but don't use them anyway as much as I could
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Could I get a few model numbers to look up? I'm more partial to closed sound, I think.
Quote:

Originally Posted by scytheavatar /img/forum/go_quote.gif
ES7 are available for the same price, and pretty much is flat out superior to the HD280 in every way.


explain
Quote:

Originally Posted by Cosmonaut /img/forum/go_quote.gif
cyanide and happiness! high 5.


bigsmile_face.gif

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palpatine /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I bought these as my first real pair of headphones, before I discovered Head Fi. I soon discovered that these headphones sounded lifeless unless eq'ed compared to many other headphones. yes their isolation is great, and they could be driven from an iPod, but I soon sold them and moved on.


Did you read my post?
Quote:

Originally Posted by dpippel /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Yikes. I'm glad you like your HD280s, but IMO if you're mucking with your source THIS much you've answered your own question about why a lot of people here think that they suck.
wink.gif



Yes, that came out to be about $0.0000. So you're saying that I should have spent a couple hundred on my source/amp instead and hours researching which amp is better, which dac is best for the money, what cable to get??? My tweaking was free and makes the HD280s sound intense. Like FFFFF-UUUUUUUUUU-intense.
Quote:

Originally Posted by mritt400 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Great user name OP...


I also find live wires DELICIOUS.
Quote:

Originally Posted by Xan7hos /img/forum/go_quote.gif
The HD280s were my real entry to legitimate headphones, and initially, I found them lifeless as well, with a very flat sound. After I recieved my Grados, I also found that they lacked detail as well as a bass presence.

Now, I've read about tac mods, and I've read about that magical 5+ year burn in thing. Haven't done both. But recently, around a year ago, after playing with a FiiO E3 and E5, which definitely gave a warmer sound and a livelier tonal feel to both my Grado SR-125 and Senn HD280, I began to notice how much detail (lack of veiled sound/rolled treble) the HD280 had as well as a deeper bass. Nowadays, even without an amp, they still retain these traits. I'm not sure if it's because of burn-in or not (there was a period where I used them exclusively on my guitar amp, which I suppose is a great burn in tool), but to me, they sound very balanced with great bass quality and extension, with just enough detail. It does not sound bright at all to me. Nowadays, they're my beater cans that I can toss around. They have great isolation, and honestly I feel like I can listen to any genre music without feeling like there's a lot missing (especially when amp'd). But it's also a jack of all trades as I like to use them when mixing audio when messing with Final Cut via stereo jack out of a Mac due to how ease of drivability.



I'm about to purchase either a replacement set of drivers, or a complete new set of HD280s (I'm finally getting some rattling in my right drivers D: completely my fault, not sennheisers. I'm impressed on how long it took for this to happen knowing what I've done to f*k things up
smily_headphones1.gif
). I might go for the silver edition, they've dropped about $30 to where you can get them for around $80 shipped. I want to see how long it takes now to get to the stage/level of burn-in/sound I have now. I really believe the HD280s have a huge amount potential that many people don't tap into.
 
Dec 16, 2009 at 6:51 PM Post #19 of 62
Quote:

Originally Posted by sesshin /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Can someone let me know what these "tac mods" are and what they improve? I have a pair of HD280s I wouldn't mind experimenting on.


Bascially, by layering the inside of the cups of the HD280 with tac (blu tac, sticky tac, etc), you can dramatically improve the bass response (punchier in-your-face bass). Remember, the mod will only give your cans the POTENTIAL to have punchier bass, it's up to the rest of your system to let your cans know who's boss.
 
Dec 16, 2009 at 7:03 PM Post #20 of 62
Quote:

Originally Posted by shake babies for exercise /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Yes, that came out to be about $0.0000. So you're saying that I should have spent a couple hundred on my source/amp instead and hours researching which amp is better, which dac is best for the money, what cable to get??? My tweaking was free and makes the HD280s sound intense. Like FFFFF-UUUUUUUUUU-intense.


Why so defensive? As long as YOU are happy with your rig then what difference does it make what anyone else thinks of it? Really. You're happy with what you're listening to? End of story, right? So was your original post motivated by some personal need to defend your opinion of the HD280 because a lot of people don't share it? Was it because you're really not as satisfied with them as you let on and you're looking for alternatives? Or are you just trolling?
wink.gif
 
Dec 16, 2009 at 7:05 PM Post #21 of 62
Quote:

Originally Posted by dpippel /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Why so defensive? As long as YOU are happy with your rig then what difference does it make what anyone else thinks of it? Really. You're happy with what you're listening to? End of story, right? So was your original post motivated by some personal need to defend your opinion of the HD280 because a lot of people don't share it? Was it because you're really not as satisfied with them as you let on and you're looking for alternatives? Or are you just trolling?
wink.gif



I was simply pointing out the hypocrisy in your statement. Are we all not here to muck with audio?

I am happy with my headphones and sometimes have trouble believing more expensive setups can be much better than mine. I read that the HD280s are dull and on the low end of the spectrum, and yes, I do not share that opinion. That is why I think something is wrong. I want to find out what is wrong.
 
Dec 16, 2009 at 7:16 PM Post #22 of 62
Quote:

Originally Posted by shake babies for exercise /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I was simply pointing out the hypocrisy in your statement. Are we all not here to muck with audio?


There was no hypocrisy in my statement. I pointed out that if you have to EQ your source bits so much to make those HD280s sound good to you then maybe the people who think they're not very good headphones are correct. I'm firmly in the "source to amp with as little processing as possible" camp because that works best and sounds best to me. Doesn't mean you're wrong and I'm right, it just means we have different approaches.

So I'll ask you again - if you're happy with your current headphone rig why do you seem so bent on defending it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by shake babies for exercise /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I am happy with my headphones and sometimes have trouble believing more expensive setups can be much better than mine. I read that the HD280s are dull and on the low end of the spectrum, and yes, I do not share that opinion. That is why I think something is wrong. I want to find out what is wrong.


Here's my advice if you want to save your retirement fund - be satisfied with your current HD280 happiness and forget you ever came here and asked that question. Run away. Quickly. If you don't then you'll probably soon discover why the Head-Fi greeting to new recruits is "Welcome, and sorry about your wallet!"
smily_headphones1.gif
 
Dec 16, 2009 at 7:38 PM Post #23 of 62
The HD280 was the first headphone I actually bought, and it still is the only headphone I have.

I have not had any problems with the headband cracking either. I did accidentally mess up the wiring up on my first pair and had to send it in, and I received a new pair. I find them pretty comfortable too and I like how they clamp. I recently tried another pair of headphones that clamped only half as much as the HD280 and I didn't like it because of that.
tongue_smile.gif


I like their sound signature although I do wish they had a little more bass.
 
Dec 16, 2009 at 8:23 PM Post #24 of 62
"Yall"? Hee ****ing haw! Couldn't resist.
atsmile.gif
 
Dec 16, 2009 at 8:32 PM Post #25 of 62
You need a basis for comparison first of all. Naturally you would think your first "high end" or rather "not mass market crap" phones are the best thing since sliced bread. But if someone is saying something not to favorable about the 280 it is because they've heard better and they know better.

Many people like the HD555 as well, but I got mine as a mistake when I ordered the HD580. I had experience with ETY ER4 and K701 by that point of time. Now I have n problem with cheaper phones like the Koss KSC35, but the HD555 really hit me the wrong way. They sounded like there was sock between my ears and the drivers. Frankly I preferred the KSC35 to them overall. They may be more comfortable and have more bass or more treble or some other quality that they should at 4 times the price, but lack of detail and a muffled sound made me never use them again after a about 20 minutes with them. I did break them in a try again but they weren't even worth my time. Sometimes that happens. There are people here who will look at my K701s and say that they would rather go deaf than listen to them. It happens.

My advice: be happy with them.
 
Dec 16, 2009 at 8:51 PM Post #26 of 62
Quote:

Originally Posted by shake babies for exercise /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Bascially, by layering the inside of the cups of the HD280 with tac (blu tac, sticky tac, etc), you can dramatically improve the bass response (punchier in-your-face bass). Remember, the mod will only give your cans the POTENTIAL to have punchier bass, it's up to the rest of your system to let your cans know who's boss.


Sweet, I'll give that a shot. Thanks.
 
Dec 16, 2009 at 8:55 PM Post #27 of 62
Quote:

Originally Posted by dpippel /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I pointed out that if you have to EQ your source bits so much to make those HD280s sound good to you then maybe the people who think they're not very good headphones are correct.


I have to agree with this. You shouldn't need to use EQ to make up for deficiencies in your headphones. It just distorts the sound. And I'm one of those in the camp that has heard the HD280 (at meets) and does not like it. These were burned in sets, and I believe one had the bluetac mod. Even the modded HD280s I heard sounded thin and barely had any bass except a bit of honky midbass, and this was out of various amps. Unless you absolutely need the isolation they provide, there are just far better headphones that sell for around the same price as the HD280. I would take the lower-cost Grado SR60, which are well-regarded with good reason, over the HD280 any day.
 
Dec 16, 2009 at 8:58 PM Post #28 of 62
Quote:

Originally Posted by donovansmith /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I have to agree with this. You shouldn't need to use EQ to make up for deficiencies in your headphones. It just distorts the sound. And I'm one of those in the camp that has heard the HD280 (at meets) and does not like it. These were burned in sets, and I believe one had the bluetac mod. Even the modded HD280s I heard sounded thin and barely had any bass except a bit of honky midbass, and this was out of various amps. Unless you absolutely need the isolation they provide, there are just far better headphones that sell for around the same price as the HD280. I would take the lower-cost Grado SR60, which are well-regarded with good reason, over the HD280 any day.


x3
That was the point I was trying to make.
 
Dec 16, 2009 at 8:58 PM Post #29 of 62
Quote:

Originally Posted by shake babies for exercise /img/forum/go_quote.gif
As for the music I listen to: Pretty much everything with no excessive screaming/yelling (basically emo + some types of metal)


so you listen to music with just a bit of screaming
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Dec 16, 2009 at 9:12 PM Post #30 of 62
Coming from a strictly asian house-hold, the first time I had school strombolli, I thought it was the greatest thing I'd ever had. This is simply because I had simply no basis of comparison. Just because you think that your suped up Civic that you added a paint job and slapped a wing onto is sweet doesn't mean that it can even come close to competing to driving a NSX. But if that's how you want to roll, that's fine with me. I'm more than happy driving my beat-up 12 year old car around. It gets the job done, but I know that there's better out there.

Personally, my experience with the HD280 was a 2 hour experience with a friend's pair who had undergone as much tweaking as yours. Dynamatted internals, decent Sony CD player playing through an EQ (a classic rack EQ), into another receiver (I'm not sure why), and finally into his 280's. I can't say that I enjoyed it at all; sounded compressed, the signal stream had undergone so much change that it sounded as if it was a low bit-rate mp3. However, I think that the very mindset that:

"Hey! I created this awesome audio change using my own equipment, skills, and tastes! It's unique to me!"

made it that much better for him. Who am I to judge other people's opinions. I believed that my set-up was better, but that's personal taste. A simple thought called tolerance should apply here:

I don't necessarily agree with your views, but they are true to you, so its none of my business.

When your views, however, become forced onto me, however, that's when I take offense. [EDIT: I'm not implying that anybody has forced their opinions onto anybody else, just a general statement.]

As for system costs, I would've preferred just an ATH-ES7 hooked up to my laptop than to his set up.
 

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