Sennheiser HD-280 PRO Headphones

by Sennheiser

Product Features

• Dynamic, closed-ear headphones with up to 32 dB attenuation of outside sound
• Lightweight and comfortable, ergonomic design, Cord Length - 3.3 - 9.8 feet Coiled
• Extended frequency response and warm, natural sound reproduction
• Around-the-ear design with padded earcups
• Earpads, headband padding, and audio cord are easily replaceable, ensuring long life
• Collapsible earpieces for compact transport
• Lightweight and comfortable, ergonomic design

Product Details

Product Manual [991kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4 x 8 inches ; 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000065BPB
• Item model number: HD 280 Pro
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (970 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #99 in Electronics > Accessories & Supplies > Audio & Video Accessories > Headphones
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 2, 2001

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

	Sennheiser HD 280 Pro	Beyerdynamic DTX 710	Beyerdynamic DT 235
Sound Characteristics	Dynamic	Enhanced bass	Powerful acoustic
Application	Tablet/iPad/iPhone/ Smartphone/MP3/PC	Tablet/iPad/iPhone/ Smartphone/MP3/PC	Tablet/iPad/iPhone/ Smartphone/MP3/PC
Construction	Closed	Open	Closed
Headband	Leatherette Headband	Adjustable Headband with 90 degree swiveling earcups	Lightweight and Self-Adjusting Headband
Cable Length	10 ft / 3 m	10 ft / 3 m	10 ft / 3 m
Included Accessories	Single-sided cable Stereo jack plug, 3.5 mm Screwable 6.35" / 1/4" adaptor	Singled-sided cable Gold-plated stereo jack plug 3.5 mm Screwable 1/4" and 1/8” adaptor	Single-sided cable Gold-plated stereo jack plug, 3.5 mm Screwable 6.35" / 1/4" adaptor

Product Description

The HD280 Professional is Sennheiser's most significant closed, circumaural headphone to be introduced in years. Designed to exceed the demands of the professional environment, the HD280Pro boasts extremely robust construction combined with extensive features that meet the requirements of today's most demanding applications. The unique collapsible design combined with swiveling ear cups, offers maximum flexibility in any application. The HD 280 Pro is Sennheiser's most significant closed, around-the-ear headphone to be introduced in years. Designed to exceed the demands of the professional environment, the HD 280 Pro boasts extremely robust construction combined with the sound quality, modular design and aggressive noise isolation the necessary in the field. The unique collapsible design, combined with swiveling ear cups, offers maximum flexibility in any application. FeaturesClosed, dynamic stereo headphonesAccurate, linear sound reproduction for critical monitoring applicationsOptimum impedance ensures universal compatabilitySpace saving design features collapsible, rotating earcupsUp to 32 dB of ambient noise attenuationNeodymium magnets for high maximum SPLSingle-sided, coiled cable with 3.5 mm mini jack with locking 1/4" adapterVery comfortable, even if used for long periods of timeRugged construction with user-replaceable parts2 year warrantyCompatible (listen only) with latest generation of tabletsDelivery Includes1 pair of HD 280 PRO headphones1 screw-type adapte

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

906 of 923 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent sound, but . . . February 4, 2003

By Jordan F Viray

Amazon Verified Purchase

the folks at Sennheiser must not have large heads. As with about every pair of headphones that I try on, I had to extend these all the way to fit. After a few months of daily use, the plastic headband began to develop small cracks. Now the cracks are growing and I fear that the whole thing will just snap one day. Unfortunately, that is one of the parts that isn't listed as replaceable.

That said, people who look at this headphone are looking for: a) quality sound synonymous with the name Sennheiser b) excellent noise reduction.

a) The sound from these phones is excellent. The standard criteria are there. The signal is very clean, thanks in part to the oxygen free copper cabling used. Bass is controlled and precise so a timpani doesn't sound muffled. Higher frequencies do not hiss and the phones are able to drive high frequency sounds and pull out details lost by consumer grade headphones. Soundstage is fairly narrow as some have said, but much better than consumer sets that sound like the sound source is inside your head. Of course, a DSP solution for soundstage expansion could help if someone didn't like the soundstage.

What people should realise is that most music is optimised for listening on a stereo system and not headphones. A search for "binaural music" will yield samples that show how music should be sampled for headphones. Anyways, the HD-280 Pros also have 64 Ohms of resistance so an amplifier isn't needed.

b) The biggest impression I got from these phones is silence. Not total silence, since with the headphones on I could still hear outside noise. Once the music starts playing, however, music is much clearer because background noises have been attenuated so effectively.

That was the biggest attraction of these headphones. For my sound processing work, ambient noise from my computer and the outside world are suppressed admirably. 32 decibels is a lot of sound attenuation, far more than the Active Noise Reduction sets from Bose or even Sennheiser. The HD-280 Pros use passive noise attenuation. This means that for the phones to supress outside noise effectively, they have to be tight. They are very tight in fact. Four Newtons of force are applied, a number significantly larger than most headphones. If it weren't for the thoughtful padding, they would feel as uncomfortable as firing range headsets. Passive noise attenuation also means there is no artifacting from electronic noise that is usually the case in Active Noise Reduction sets.

If you have a very large head, a solution is to find in-ear phones (the expensive Etymotics sets have even better sound quality and noise reduction). If you are sensitive to tight headphones, a solution might be the Active Noise Reduction sets (although they aren't as good sonically). If you listen to sound in a very very quiet environment, Grados or some other Sennheisers would probably get you that better soundstage for the money.

If none of these situations applies to you, then these phones will provide better sound through their native excellent quality and their superior noise attenuation. After all, the listening experience with Sennheiser 600's on an Audigy 2 card or a tube amplifier is diminished with that noisy computer fan in the background.

All in all, these phones are HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

*** UPDATE, October 20, 2009 ***

Wow, well these headphones are still ticking after over six years and I'm pretty rough with my equipment! Cheap headphones break after six weeks for me because the cable gets pulled or I mess up the speaker so these Sennheisers are pretty solid.

Just as I feared though, the plastic HAS cracked and you can see the thin wires (covered in plastic or rubber) exposed. Now that most of the plastic on the headband has broken off, the fit is quite a bit looser though the headband is still held together by a wide piece of metal. I just wish they would just make a nice metal headband to avoid the plastic cracking issue.

While I like the fact that they aren't so tight, I don't like the fact that richness (low-end midrange and bass) suffers because of it. You can simulate this when listening by pulling the headphones slightly apart. It isn't noticeable on light music though and might not be an issue with newer versions of the HD-280 Pro.

The ear cushions on my 6+ year headphones are worn past the leatherette, past the foam and to the foam backing layer. The top is looking ratty as well. Replacement ear cushions are around $20.00 which isn't cheap. I'll probably skip that in favor of a new pair of HD-280s - especially if they've been redesigned for larger heads as some people are indicating. I'll keep this pair around as beaters until they quit on me. However, now that I've quieted my working area, sound isolation isn't as critical to me as it was before so I might take a look at other Sennheisers.

270 of 282 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars All I can say is, WOW June 19, 2003

By SIGARM

Amazon Verified Purchase

These cans are currently being offered well below MSRP -- no, they aren't in danger of being retired any time soon (confirmed with Sennheiser customer service) -- and are truly the best bang for the buck. Despite the very positive reviews, I had two reservations about purchasing the 280s: 1) the tight, uncomfortable fit; and 2) cracking in the plastic headband that some have commented on. I have a big ol' head where adjustable ball caps barely fit me. The 280s aren't tight at all, but rather comfortably snug -- what do you expect from a closed design? Shooting range ear protection/muffs are 3 times more tighter than these. Secondly Sennheiser claims to never having heard about the cracking issue but will repair/replace your unit with no questions asked under their 2 year warranty.

Although plastic in design, the product has a solid, quality construction (made in Ireland if you care). An advantage, as you may already know, is that most of the components are designed to be replaced due to wear or damage. I like the folding convenience of the 280s, but don't expect them to fit in your coat pocket.

After burning these puppies in for 24 hours, the audio quality truly impresses with details I've never noticed before in my Definitive Technology and Aperion Audio home theatre/stero systems. Initially I thought the bass was a *little* lacking, but the cans have developed a fuller, richer sound with burn-in. I'm tempted to buy a second pair so I don't have to carry mine from home to work all the time.

77 of 81 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Headphones, after burning them in January 2, 2003

By A Customer

These are, overall amazing headphones. They sound great, are comfortable, and easily driven by portable players. However, when I first bought them, and eagerly unwrapped the packaging and tried them out, I was bitterly dissapointed. Where had my money gone, I wondered. They sounded tin canny, and the bass had no punch. I nearly returned them. But, taking the advice of many reviewers, I plugged them into my computer and left the music playing loudly for nearly a week straight. And it paid off.

After nearly a month's use, these headphones sound GREAT. I have fallen in love witht eh tight, clear treble and amazingly accurate bass that the HD-280s provide. Jazz and classical fans (and rockers too but to a lesser extent) will love these headphones. I could go on and on and on about the sound quality, but you would find your self reading needless repition of the words "great," "amazing," etcetc.

The design is a little big, but very comfy. I can wear these for several hours at a time and my ears will feel fine. The way that they fold up is also very useful for the frequent traveler, and the stretchy wire design is also very handy, keeping the wire out of the way yet providing you nearly 3 meters worth of wire (if stretched to the max)

I would also just like to note that, after several airplane trips, the noise reduction in these headphones is also wonderful, and the HD-280 Pros make airplane flights that much more enjoyable.

In conclusion, wait at LEAST two weeks, preferably more before judging these headphones, because the more you use them, the better they sound. And after a month's worth of use, they sound great. And they also fit great, and are extremely comfortable. The price too, isn't too bad, and I found them at ... for [$$$], including shipping from the states to taiwan.

Do your ears a favor, and buy a pair of HD 280s.