Customer Reviews

Sennheiser HD 485 Open Air Over-Ear Headphones

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Before purchasing these headphones, I tried and returned the hd-215 "dj" headphones, which had insipid, lifeless bass and midrange --though crisp and sparkling highs. Definitely useless for dj's despite their 32ohm rating. their subjective volume and projection were somehow incredibly weak --perhaps the set was a lemon.

Now for the 485's:

At first I was divided about these cans. For headphones with 32 ohm impedance & 1/8" outputs --i.e. portable player ready--, they are the first phones I had heard with any appreciable soundstage. That is amazing considering the price of the phones; I paid U$ 70.00.

Since I was not expecting anything resembling soundstaging --or spatial placement of the different voices/instruments--, I initially mistook the sound as uneven and biased toward certain frequencies, especially the bass. (note: the 485's sound phenomenal for electronic music right from the beginning.)

I even tried --unsuccessfully-- to return the headphones.

Resigned to using them with as many different kinds of music as possible, even those with "trouble spots" for the phones, I thought they might sound different upon passing the 30-60 hour "break-in" stage.

This proved correct, both subjectively and in my concept of how headphones should sound. The bass, which had been a bit up front, but always tight and defined --the dynamic range well beyond human hearing in both directions--, smoothed out considerably.

The previously hidden frequencies became distinctly audible and, thanks to the soundstaging, revealed more about the music than I had previously heard. The players I used were an iRiver slimX 350 --main unit--, a top of the line riovolt player, and the humble, but mighty Sony Psyc 320.

These phones ultimately blew away all expectations for something in this pricerange; I quickly forgot about my Sony mdrv-600's.

Don't be put off by the initial apparent distance of certain elements of the sound; they make it to the forefront in about 35 hours of listening time. Use an appreciable volume for the entire process.

These phones fit over the average ear are very comfortable unless, perhaps, you have large earlobes --but even then, I can only imagine that the gentle earpads exert less pressure than most against-the-ear units.

The cord (which is thicker than on any sets I've seen for under several hundred dollars) is detachable and replacable, as are the earpads. The 485's are very aesthetically pleasing and unpretentious looking. The attached adjustable undertable hanger is not likely to be useful to anyone.

Nonetheless, these are phenomenal headphones for --well-- under $250.00. I can't imagine anything in this price range even approaching the combination of sensitive and aggressive sound qualities of the Sennheiser HD 485's. Anything resembling a sound stage at this price is simply unheard-of, and these headphones are, somehow, top notch in that respect. They excel --perhaps even sound better-- at lower volumes as well.

I have heard many different phones in different price ranges, both with and without preamps, and I really think these stand up to some high-end units. They are comfortable with all different genres of music --I have over 1800 cd's. Just give them a little time.

BTW, I don't recommend the "express" method of breaking-in headphones --wherein one plugs them into a stereo, puts a cd on repeat and leaves them for hours on end (they are not catcher's mitts) If you want to truly acclimate a set of headphones, you must take the time to listen to them with whatever different kinds of music you like (or even different artists, if you listen only to one genre). Also take into account that I have yet to hear these on my home system through a 1/4" connection --that will undoubtedly push them beyond what I have heard with the little, but formidable, iRiver.

Lucky me for encountering a strict return policy :)

Lucky you if you have a similar experience with these headphones.

Despite what the picture shows, these headphones fully cover the ear and do no lay flat on your ears like the 465's. The main selling point for these things is the great sound and diaphram technology. Well I can tell you, compared to my HD-527's these things are amazing. They really offfer a full range to the music withouth the heavy bass of the 527. It is fairly even sounding through the spectrum, with maybe some loss for solely classical music - but I am no audiophile!

Another great thing is that the impedance is only 32 ohms so it will work with your mp3 player or portable device, though it might look a bit funny when the small player is carried around and listened through these fairly large headphones.

For the larger eared people, if you dont like the feeling of your ears touching the inside of the headphone then don't get these. My ears are pushing it, but they just fit. I have worn these for a couple days now and they are exxxtreemely confortable even for long periods - this is attributed to the nice cloth earpads. And don't forget these badboys are warrantied for 2 years, which is more than most companies.

The box includes the headphones, a screw on 1" adapter and a stupid faux leather headphone stand. Do not buy these just for the stand, since you may never use it!

Otherwise, the price for these is pretty good for best sounding headphones you can buy that still work for portable players. Plus it has a detachable cord for those out there who constantly step on or snag the 3 meter cord. I gave these 5 stars for durability, sound, ease of use and quality you get with sennheisers proven equipment.

First off, I am comparing the 485's to the OEM iPod earbuds for reference.

On first impression, these sound really great -- a major improvement in range and audible frequencies. Out of the box the high frequencies are a little sharp and over accentuated so I modified the equalizer to tone them down till break-in is complete(10 hours so far). Besides that, the sounds are full and rich, and I am even able to pick up some I have never heard before in my music with the iPod earbuds. I also like the obvious improvement in bass. It isn't overpowering or muddy which is common, especially in very low sub-60hz frequences.

Some say they sound distant and I have to disagree. At first listen I was looking for that effect and thought I may agree with whoever said it until I continued to listen and realized that I was just looking for things to pick at, and that it really wasn't distant.

I have had no issues with comfort such as high pressure clamping or rubbing and I always thought I had a large head. I have worn them recently for about 3 hours with out feeling I need to switch to the desktop speakers ...why would I abuse my ears with such low quality anyway ;)

I can easily make use of the provided headphone stand so I don't see why so many poke at that.

Last night I was watching a movie on my non-amplified computer and there was a thunder sequence that startled me because it sounded so realistic.

For this review, I just now watched The Cave on my home theater setup and despite the cheesy intro, I heard every water drop and all the dust falling when they opened the old doors in the cave. The bass was powerful during the explosives seen, maybe too much for my taste ...but that is easily adjusted. I also heard a new sound the creatures were making ...so it definitely captures the entire range.

I would give these a 4.5/5 if I could, only because I wasn't blown away like I thought would happen when I switched to an over-the-ear type and because they don't enclose the sounds too well -- but I knew that would happen anyway since they are open.

Pros:

Comfortable

Full range of sounds

Headphone stand

Price

Comparitive style

Neutral:

Long cord

Bulky

Cons:

Takes time to break them in and develop a richer/fuller range of sounds

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Bundles

Nice headphones holder and 1/4, 1/8 mini-jack connection with installation manual.

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Design and Durability:

they have a stylish and solid construction, long and thick wire and firm attached components, unbreakable easily with low weight. they can last long with you.

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Comfortability:

Wearing these headphones doesn't hurt or bother you, especialy around your two ears but above arc in your head can cause a pressure in you head so you have to adjust it properly to fit in your head without causing too much pressure upon your head. And if for long wearing if you are not setting in cool room you will be bothered by these headphones because it made your head and ears hotter.

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Testing System:

Platform : PC
Audio Device : Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi XtremeMusic
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Objective Quality :

Frequency Response 16-24,000 Hz, THD < 0.2% which is not that bad taking it from Average high quality listening. The rated impedance = 32 Ohm , the ideal power for portable players and computer sound cards with no need for external Amplifier, you can get an ample loudness of 110 db as good as you wish.

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Subjective Quality:

High-Freq: Average flat high, the treble is not crisp to the high-freq fans

Mid-Freq : It play Mids pretty good for its class

Low-Freq : Excellent Lows punch, that's the best you can find in these headphones

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Entertainment Fields:

Music : they play pop music pretty good and bass & drums' music outstandingly with nice and detailed stereo separation since it is connected to exceptional Audio card. On the other hand, Rock and jazz music needs other headphones to handle these types clearly of music and also for classical or NewAge (Orchestral) music which is more demanding for wider sound stage and imaging it is not suited for me since I listen to many NewAge genre.

Movies : with nice stereo separation between Right & left Channels you'll be pleased with this headphone movie effects and vocals are handled good for its class in home entertainment.

Gaming : As I mentioned, with nice stereo separation between Right & left Channels, the audio card SoundBlaster X-Fi XtremeMusic enabled a new technology for gaming which is CMSS-3D surround in headphone listening. You'll expect to reach to a good 3D surround around your head with different game titles: Battlefield2, Oblivion, F.E.A.R & Prince of Persia Warrior Within - you'll be immersed inside the game atmosphere even better imaging and feeling of the rear sounds.

Creation Monitoring:
These are an Open headphones types which doesn't isolate you from background noise comparing it to professional headphones so monitoring with this is not appropriate.

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Verdict :
They are good headphones with nice construction, comfort & quality and low Impedance make it possible to drive it ipod player.The diameter of holder jack plug is thick bothering users of PC in sound card out-jack and other line-in mic-jack.
However, people who like the genre of music (especially pop music with a lot of bass) Where this headphone shines he will love this headphone and will gave it 5 out 5, but for those people who like Orchestral and a lot of treble music won't be satisfied for its price and must look for first for low rating reviews in order to gather much information about it rather than high rating reviews of users with different tastes & preferences to their types of music.
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These are great sounding headphones. They're very comfortable and soft on the ears. But they are warm: I have to take them off every half hour to let my ears cool off. This is great in the middle of winter, and I want to use them as ear warmers when snowboarding.

The bass on the headphones is awesome, overall excellent sound. I use a video ipod and find that I need to tweak the eq to "treble booster" to get the best sound. I am rediscovering many of my old cd's: little nuances like instruments in the background and counter melodies. With some cd's, you can close your eyes and picture where each instrument is playing in front of you: these headphones have a great soundstage, in my opinion.
The person next to you on the bus will hate you if you got your I-Pod set really loudly. All sound from the headphones leak out. I can use the headphones as mini-speakers with my I-Pod, they're that loud. They're very big and make a bold fashion statement when going out in public. But at least they don't look like something from Star Wars, other headphones have shiny metallic sides (like the HD-515)which I think look too busy. These headphones are simple, and a nice change from the usual black headphones you see everywhere. But they're big.

Oh, if you have a Nintendo DS or Sony PSP, these headphones will make your games sound much, much better. Try these headphones with "Elite Beat Agents" on the Nintendo DS and you'll hear what I mean!

Only wear these headphones in public if you are very confident in yourself and non-conformist. I have to admit that the size of them made them impractical for portable use. I use PX100's for on-the-go listening, and they're a good compromise: not quite as full-sounding as the HD485's but much smaller and easier to carry around. When I'm stationary, though, I love my HD485's.

I did a ton of careful homework before ordering this pair of earphones. I have always had a pair of earphones, but never really thought about sound quality until I started realizing what I was hearing on my surround sound system was not what I heard on my current pair of earphones. When I first tried on these earphones, I thought I was not going to truly notice a difference, but WOW, talk about a change! The open style of these earphones don't make the music sound like it is being crammed into your head, so it really lets me enjoy my work while treating my ears to smooth crisp highs and great lows. I hear more, feel more and my ears do not feel sore afterwards. Much better than earbuds when working at a desk, or simply watching a great movie! I definitely recommend these to anyone!

The Sennheiser HD 485's are a tremendous quality headphone for the cost. I was blown away by the sound quality of these headphones, compared to similarly priced headphones I've owned.

As others have mentioned, these headphones do warm up with use and it's well worth the short time wait for that. But up-front quality is extremely high.

I noticed a lot of subtleties in music that I've listened to for years on low-end and mediocre quality equipment.

If you're looking at headphones for a portable music player, you'd better test them out with your player and make sure it can drive your headphones. My several year-old Cowon M3 mp3 player did not have enough power to drive these headphones very well. The sound was murky and too quiet. But my LG Voyager surprising drove these with amazing sound quality and the volume was on par.

Obviously, these are an open headphones, so you'll be letting everyone nearby in on your loud listening habits! That being said, being open, they allow you to feel like you're surrounded by the sound. The sound doesn't feel like it's being driven directly into your ears, so they don't hurt your ears after extended periods of use.

I've been able to sample many headphones including Sennheiser's higher-end models and they are well worth the money if you're in the market for something on the professional end. But for those of us that don't need or want to spend $500+ for a great listening experience, these sub $100 headphones are a great buy.

Pros:
-Great Sound quality
-Replaceable cord. Pops right off and you can replace with longer/shorter/better quality cord.
-Very comfortable fit.
-Ear cups are big enough to fit the entire ear in, and not put pressure on your earlobes.
-Low price

Cons (very subjective):
-very large size (not really for the iPod crowd!)
-Plastic construction is solid, but may not be great for those who are rough with their equipment
-Open design leaks sound to those around you

I purchased these as a midrange, mid price option to use at home while I work.

When I got them, I realized that I got a bit more than I expected; well put together, comfortable padding that isn't vinyl so it won't stick to your face while you are listening (or peel off as in the case of my old headsets.)

As for the sound, everyone is always going to have different opinions because everyone hears at different levels. For me, these headsets brought forward notes that were otherwise muddled in my old ones. Voices are rich and clearer, even the little breathe drawn in at the end a line is noticeable. The bass is solid but not overwhelming giving a pleasurable experience rather than a deafening pound throughout my head.

I can't say they keep out all the sound from the outside world, but really, I don't think any headset can truly offer that to a good ear. These make a good attempt at giving you a bit of one on one with your favorite artists.

all i can say is wow these are great phones. the clarity is beyond what i would expect from headphones, and everything is so crisp. i am no audiophile however i have a nice bose setup and i prefer the sound of these to my bose speakers.

i have seen some people saying how the bass is too loud and "muddy" sounding in this and similar models, these are people who did not break them in. like most things built well it takes some time for them to get broke in and be at thier best.

i use these for gaming as well. and let me say they are incredible. so far i use them with games like farcry and doom and its better than any pair of monitor speakers your going to find.

Introduction:

For those who have never owned a decent pair of headphones, this set is a great introduction and you're not likely to regret this relatively low cost experiment in high quality sound. Despite serious music training and a love of music, I have not much enjoyed listening to music over the years because I didn't like the quality of low cost radios, sound systems, and mass market headphones and I didn't want to put a lot of effort and expense to getting a really good sound system. But then someone told me you could get really good headphones for less than $100 from Grado or Sennheiser. After some research, I decided to try the HD 485 first, though I think experiments with other sub $100 headphones such as the Grado SR80 and the Sennheiser HD 555 are in my future.

Initial Impressions (first month):

I was blown away by the great detail (you can hear coughs, fingers sliding on strings, etc.), very crisp/deep/realistic bass, and with eyes closed - the sense of being 10 to 15 feet back from the performance stage. At the same time, the middle frequencies were okay, while the treble was weird - kind of tinny and not like the instruments really sound - violins were especially bad. I think part of what makes the inferior treble so noticeable was the contrast with the terrifically delivered bass - on cheaper mass market headphone I've used, everything sounds lackluster so nothing really stands out as bad.

The detail is especially good for 1-5 instruments/voices, but orchestral music from my small CD collection sounds more muddled. However I suspect this may be due to my orchestra CDs mostly being old recordings ported onto the CD format. And there are many other faults you can hear on poorly recorded CDs as well. The worst is that some CDs have poor sound staging, so it can feel very odd like you're actually on the stage with a guitarist playing a few feet to your right, a singer a few feet to your left, a drummer 20 feet diagonally behind you and to your left, etc. So one result of having a higher quality headphone like this is that I refuse to listen to most of my CDs now because most of them have recording faults.

Later (months 2-7):

Conventional wisdom has it that headphones with higher quality take something like 20-40 hours to break in - and that is what I experienced with these headphones. As time wore on, the treble much improved (no longer tinny, and no longer standing out as being vastly lower quality than bass). The overall sound has also integrated better and sounds more "natural." However, these headphones continue to be better for bass-heavy music than those with lots of treble; it is very easy for me to imagine improvement in treble but I have no desire for improvement on bass. I have owned these for 7 months and I still get blown away by the quality of recorded music that is heavy on bass (most jazz, world music, etc.); the music sounds so alive and vibrant as if I'm really there.

Best applications: TV, movies, bass heavy music (jazz, pop, world music)

Worst applications: treble-intensive music, orchestra, chamber music - violins are the worst.

Other comments:

* These headphones are incredibly comfortable despite pressing against my ear (supra-aural), and despite my wearing glasses. That is the main reason I chose to try these first over the Grado SR80.
* These headphones work terrifically with mp3 players, GPS units, cell phones (including my Blackberry Curve 8320 cell phone), etc. These headphones have 32 Ohm resistance so not much power is needed to drive them (with most headphones costing over $100, you'll need more power than an mp3 player or cell phone can deliver in order to fully appreciate the headphones).
* These headphones worked well with several Windows XP computers and one iMac I've used them with, but my Dell e510 (which has a Sound Blaster® Audigy® ADVANCED HD Audio sound card) causes these head phones to have a low level crackling/hiss that is distracting and unpleasant during pauses or quiet passages. I don't know what caused that problem and haven't tried to solve it. Other headphones do not have this same issue with my Dell e510.
* Like most headphones of this sort, these are pretty big and bulky. It is not possible to put them in your pocket. But I do I sometimes use them with my Blackberry to play mp3's while walking dogs on cool days, and to do that I have to stuff a lot of the 10' cord in my jacket pocket. You won't want to use these while walking on hot summer days as your ears will get hot and sweaty - but on sub 60 degree days they're fine.
* I sometimes watch TV or DVDs using these headphones (on PCs) and they are spectacular for that purpose, as it seems many TV programs and movies have bass heavy background music.

Conclusion:

After 7 months with the Sennheiser HD 485, I have to say that I'm very impressed with what I got for the price: Great detail, strong on bass, reasonable on middle frequencies, and weakest on treble. For many applications - TV, DVDs, bass heavy music - these are ideal. If you want high quality listening for music that features treble (violins, soprano singers, etc.) you'll be happier with a different pair of headphones. Given the price of these headphones, and the way I'm using them, I am completely satisfied.