Sennheiser HD448 Closed Circumaural Hi-Fi Headphone

by Sennheiser

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 3.7 x 9.3 inches ; 6.9 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B002DGTGO0
• Item model number: HD448
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (163 customer reviews)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The HD 448 allows you to get closer to your music and movies without distractions. Using specially tuned acoustic transducers, the HD 448 reproduces clean, intimate sound waves directly into your ears for a lifelike sound that helps you rediscover your music all over again. The leatherette earpads block out ambient noise, allowing you to listen at safer levels with a much greater attention to the enhanced detail this headphone provides. The included cable extension adds length on-demand for listening on-the-move or at home.

Features

• Closed, around-the-ear design blocks outside noise
  
• Good attenuation of ambient noise
  
• Lifelike stereo sound experience
  
• Ergonimic design provides comfortable fit
  
• Includes a storage pouch and extension cable for added length and protection
  
• Rich crisp bass response and faithful dynamic audio reproduction
  
• Advanced acoustic system with powerful neodymium magnets and lightweight diaphragms
  
• Powerful bass and increased signal levels for modern rhythm-driven music
• Gold Plated plugs and 6.3mm stereo adaptor allows for excellent connectivity
  
• 2-year warranty

IE6 Dynamic In-Ear Headphones MX 471 In-Ear Stereo Headphones HD 218 Closed Back Headphones iPhone/iPod/mP3 Compatible

	HD 201	HD 202	RS 120	HD 428	HD 438
Frequency	21-18,000 Hz	18-21,000 Hz	22-19,500 Hz	18-22,000 Hz	17-22,500 Hz
THD	< 0.7%	< 0.5%	< 0.7%	<0.1% (1 kHz/100dB)	<0.1% (1 kHz/100dB)
Transducer Priciple	Dynamic	Dynamic, Closed	Dynamic, Open	Dynamic, Closed	Dynamic, Closed
Weight	165g	130g	230g	390g	394g
Wireless	No	No	Yes	No	No
Sound Pressure Level	108 dB (1 kHz, 1 V)	115 dB (1 kHz, 1 V)	106 dB	110 dB	112 dB (1 kHz/1 V)
Warranty	2 yrs	2 yrs	2 yrs	2 yrs	2 yrs

Product Description

In general, the sound of the Sennheiser HD448 is excellent. The levels have mellowed out some with use, but still keep a small harshness to the sound, but not to the point of distraction when listening to music. The bass is tight for headphones in this price bracket and you do not ever find that they are lacking bass. The sound is satisfying, even for long sessions and you don’t find yourself suffering from listening exhaustion with the Sennheiser HD448 frequently. These cans are becoming a sanctuary for this touring musician. Each of the components are there for reproducing recorded music superbly. Slip them on and the outside sounds slightly go away. Put on the music and the outside noises and distractions are gone, leaving only you and your tunes. The music sounds tight throughout the spectrum. You can use these cans both with and without an amplifier. If you use with an amp, it improves the volume and some key frequencies. The iPod volume has to be pretty near to %90 to have a healthy listening level without the amp. Obviously, the original volume level of the MP4 offers quite a bit to do with the output volume of the iPod. In comparison to the PXC350, the Sennheiser HD448 really blocks much more noise passively; however once you put some batteries and turn on the active cancelling of the PXC350 it much surpasses the HD448, but thats rather obvious. With no batteries however, the HD448 blocks more noise.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

109 of 120 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Impressive, September 22, 2009

By 

David Keppel (Bloomington, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sennheiser HD448 Closed Circumaural Hi-Fi Headphone (Electronics)

I bought these headphones after returning the Bose Triports Bose® around-ear headphones, for personal and portable listening, which have good sound but are flimsy. Even out of the box, without time for break-in, they are stunning. The sound is precise, clear, and natural. Listening to Mozart's Clarinet Quintet, I hear each instrument beautifully and in surprising detail.

You can buy these with great confidence. An audiophile vendor not associated with Amazon gives these headphones 5/5, and that company has ears trained on equipment costing thousands of dollars. Of course, if you are prepared to buy Sennheiser HD 600 Sennheiser HD600 Over-Ear Open Dynamic Hi-Fi Professional Stereo Headphones (Black) or HD 650 Sennheiser HD650 Audiophile Open Dynamic Stereo Headphone, you will hear something else again, a magical liquidity - but only if you couple them with a dedicated headphone amplifier. If you use headphones to listen to music, rather than music to listen to headphones, you will be very happy with the 448 for portables and home listening.

PS: It's a year since I posted this review, and I have just made a surprising discovery (surprising to me, at any rate). I knew these were good headphones without an amplifier. What I did not realize is that with a headphone amplifier, they are in another league. I have a small headphone amplifier, and I was getting only fair results with my high impedance headphones (which are outstanding on my other, larger amplifier). So just as an experiment, when frankly I was ready to buy a better amplifier, I asked myself what would happen if I took out the Sennheiser HD 530 (300 ohm impedance) and tried the HD 448. They're stunning. I thought it wouldn't be necessary, because the HD 448 has just a 32 ohm impedance. And it isn't necessary, but it certainly makes a huge difference. Put the HD 448 together with -- say -- a Headroom Airhead or Bithead and you have an excellent little rig.

44 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing headphones!, February 23, 2010

By 

Matt Horning "drevil55" (Wichita, Kansas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sennheiser HD448 Closed Circumaural Hi-Fi Headphone (Electronics)

I bought these headphones to replace a pair of old Pioneer headphones that I inherited from my family. I wanted something better than earbuds to listen to when I was creating music. I also live in an apartment, and since the walls aren't that thick, with cheap headphones, I can sometimes hear outside noise (like the TV from the front room). I chose a pair of closed headphones to hopefully mitigate some of this noise.

Pros:
*Amazing sound quality! When I first started listening to my music in these headphones, I started hearing instruments and riffs that I had never noticed before. I don't know how much of that is the placebo effect, but it's amazing.
*When you put them on and you don't have any audio coming in, you can hear what is going on around you, and they don't cancel a lot of noise, but as soon as you start playing music through them, all the outside noise goes away. I had several of my friends try them on and I talked to them at a normal volume, and every single one of them insisted that I wasn't really talking, just moving my lips. They are that good.
*Very comfortable. They fit nicely on my head, and even after wearing them for hours, they aren't uncomfortable in the slightest.
*They come with an extension cord and adapter for a larger plug style. I thought the short cord along with the longer extension was a nice touch, and adding the adapter was really nice also.

Cons:
*I can't think of any downsides, I'm absolutely thrilled with my purchase.


Summary:
A wonderful pair of closed headphones made by one of the premier manufacturers of headphones. You absolutely can't go wrong with these.

57 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Professional musician approved..., November 19, 2009

By 

B. Leeper - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sennheiser HD448 Closed Circumaural Hi-Fi Headphone (Electronics)

These cans have become a sanctuary for this touring musician... All of the elements are there for reproducing recorded music superbly. Slip them on and the outside noises slightly go away. Put on the music and the outside noises and distractions are gone, leaving only you and your tunes. The music sounds tight throughout the spectrum. I have used these cans both with and without an amp (the Fii0 3) and I prefer the amp since it boosts the volume and some key frequencies. The iPod volume has to be pretty close to %90 to have a healthy listening level without the amp. Of course, the original volume level of the MP4 has a lot to do with the output volume of the iPod.
Right out of the box, they sound great great but are a little bright sounding. I have been burning them in for around 24 hours and they are mellowing quite nicely... m-e-l-l-o-w

To me, its heaven to lay down on my bunk and put these babys on and listen to my library in HI-FI while riding down the highway (then usually falling fast asleep with them on). That is another great point... you can lay on your back and sleep with these on since they are light weight and the pleather ear pad covers are friendly and comfortable. They also ship with an o.k. drawstring bag and a gold plated extension cord (great idea!)

My only complaint is that they seem a little fragile since they are constructed out of plastic and designed to be light weight (we all know what happens to plastic over time.) I would rather have had a longer lasting frame and more weight. If you sit on them, they are goners! And the cord is thin like a set of portable phone would have. Maybe they have to do this to keep the ohms low enough for an iPod to push the speakers? I think they were trying to keep a lot of the features of these cans similar to a portable while still being super hi-fi. They also look super sharp either on or off.

I guess I am not what some refer to as an audiophile (I don't know any audiophiles that prefer headphones unless they are traveling or DJing live) but I do make my living playing music and equally enjoy listening to it. These phones do color some frequencies, but all consumer audio gear does that. You would be crazy to want to listen to totally flat studio headphones or speakers for leisure, leave that to audio mastering engineers. These cans do not over emphasize the bass, which is great if you like a wide range of music, not just rap, etc. If you are into heavy bass, pick some cans that are geared for that. It personally drives me nuts when listening to boomy upright jazz bass. These cans don't do that!

Bottom line: I LOVE these!

And for $100 you can't loose!