MiltyG565 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 I've just been to my local music shop, and decided to put their selection of headphones to the test. They had 3 different Sennheiser headphones, One ultra-budget option at £20 (i believe, not 100%), another at £35, and then the HD205's at £45. I got the £45 ones (i just sold my car, and the cash was burning a hole in my pocket ). Got them home, and i am currently putting them through their paces. Listening to a range of things (Currently LostProphets), and so far, they are quite good. They don't do that fakey bass thing, which i kind of missed (i.e. they haven't bumped the EQ in the lower frequency to make it appear bassy). Ok, so in a bit more detail, They are pretty clear and even across the entire spectrum. The higher register is clean and clear, and not fuzzy, and the lower frequencies are clear, and not muddied up by a bad EQ. The mid range is the same story, not adversely affected by the low or high frequencies or EQing. So there we are, even-ness, mmm One bad point though, and this is probably just a bit oh my chintziness showing through, but they don't have a great punch from the bass on them. My Marley headphones were great for that, you could really feel the bass, it moved the air inside [my] head. The Sennheisers seem altogether too dignified for something like that, a bit like the difference between a fiesta and a merc on a rough road, one will be right, and one will be either hilarious, or copious amounts of fun. (i think we know which is which.) Ok, so i have covered how they perform musically.... kind of.... well, never mind, on to the aesthetics and comfort of them. Looking at them, they are more your kind of typical looking headphones now, although the cups aren't round, they are more the oval shape of an ear, which is good. I'm wearing them right now, and i can say that they are 10 times more comfortable than the Marleys. The padding around the ear and head is really good and spongy, so for a while, you kind of forget you are even wearing them, because they foam just hugs you so nice (like a-momma a-used to!). When i first put them on, i was worried about breaking the frame, which is plastic, because it was quite tight, (steady on) and hard to separate, but i can completely see why now, the springyness of the frame provides excellent attenuation, so even wearing them now, not listening to my music at any great level, all the external sounds (there are a lot around here) are perfectly well kept at arms length, and the music stays good at a low volume, and your ears stay good . The cups rotate left and right too, for some reason, don't know the exact function of that yet though. Probably just a bit of a gimmick. So, in essence- -Very clear and even response across the range (as far as i can tell) -Good EQ which hasn't adversely affected other frequency ranges -It's not a 'bass boost' kind of set of headphones, so if that is what you want, don't get them. -They are styled to be appealing to the trendy ones... whoever they are... not me anyway. -Very comfortable wearing, with a certain floatiness to them. -Great external noise attenuation, which is due to the very springy frame. All in all, a great set of headphones. Being far from an expert, i would give them a provisional 8/10, which i might revise when i'm a bit better at reviewing headphones. I would recommend these if i was asked, for the price, they are a great bit of kit. Hope you enjoyed reading my review, and that it has helped you make a choice about your next set of headphones. Thanks. Milton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 You can read a bit more, and see the frequency response charts at this site- http://www.headphone.com/headphones/sennheiser-hd-205-ii.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtimefred Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 the thing i have found with the differences between "listener" headphones and potential "studio" headphones is a lot of this eq spectrum you talk of. Every pair of cans i have listened through in various recording studios have a totally different sound to what people listen to on their ipods etc. I would imagine the Sennheisers are aimed more at studios so you can hear an even range across the spectrum so you can tell what you have recorded and mixed. I love a decent pair of headphones but all these trendy ones that are coming out with their own signature eq's make me cringe a little. I have a pair of Beats which sound great but its like someone just pressed the "loud" button on a car stereo. still not sure if its a good thing or not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Don't judge the Sennheisers too soon Milton , they need a good amount of use to break in . The diaphragm in the earpieces of most headphones slacken off with use , usually allowing the bass to get a bit more generous and the overall sound to get better all round . I have used some Sennheiser HD485 phones as my main headphone for about three years now and they are superb , especially considering that they only cost about £45 when I bought them . I prefer them to my much more expensive AKGs . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mentalextra Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 [sub]Well done for buying the Sennheiser's. My 14yr old daugher has been banging on about JB's for over a year now! I walked into curries and told her to plug her blackberry into both and tell me what one was better! Suffice to say she isnt so keen on the JB's any more! [/sub] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 [quote name='longtimefred' timestamp='1358183871' post='1934454'] the thing i have found with the differences between "listener" headphones and potential "studio" headphones is a lot of this eq spectrum you talk of. Every pair of cans i have listened through in various recording studios have a totally different sound to what people listen to on their ipods etc. I would imagine the Sennheisers are aimed more at studios so you can hear an even range across the spectrum so you can tell what you have recorded and mixed. I love a decent pair of headphones but all these trendy ones that are coming out with their own signature eq's make me cringe a little. I have a pair of Beats which sound great but its like someone just pressed the "loud" button on a car stereo. still not sure if its a good thing or not [/quote] Oh, they definitely sound like they should be used in the studio. They are actually aimed at DJ's, so the EQ can't be anything that will distort the true sound that is being produced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 [quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1358184156' post='1934464'] Don't judge the Sennheisers too soon Milton , they need a good amount of use to break in . The diaphragm in the earpieces of most headphones slacken off with use , usually allowing the bass to get a bit more generous and the overall sound to get better all round . I have used some Sennheiser HD485 phones as my main headphone for about three years now and they are superb , especially considering that they only cost about £45 when I bought them . I prefer them to my much more expensive AKGs . [/quote] Oh really? i have a pair of £35 Sennheiser in ear earphones which are t'rrbull. All cloudy and muddy, no really sound to them, not even very loud. Don't know what model they are though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 [quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1358184642' post='1934478'] [sub]Well done for buying the Sennheiser's. My 14yr old daugher has been banging on about JB's for over a year now! I walked into curries and told her to plug her blackberry into both and tell me what one was better! Suffice to say she isnt so keen on the JB's any more! [/sub] [/quote] What the heck are JB's? I am just not down with the kids at all. and here's how we know- Currently listening to ABBA. Apparently i'm not down with anybody! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 [quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1358184996' post='1934485'] What the heck are JB's? I am just not down with the kids at all. and here's how we know- Currently listening to ABBA. Apparently i'm not down with anybody! [/quote] I got told I look like a down- and -out recently . Does that count ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 I'm a big fan of my cheapo HD202 Sennies. They fit nice and sound great. they've also withstood some good droppings, kickings and squashings and are still fine and dandy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 [quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1358189296' post='1934578'] I got told I look like a down- and -out recently . Does that count ? [/quote] Nope, that's daily life for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 [quote name='bigjohn' timestamp='1358190605' post='1934611'] I'm a big fan of my cheapo HD202 Sennies. They fit nice and sound great. they've also withstood some good droppings, kickings and squashings and are still fine and dandy. [/quote] They have a good reputation for durability, that is for sure! There's just certain things we expect from german companies though, and durability is one of them, so tick there. Still, they don't get everything right. They are a major player in the consumer audio market (i.e. audio products for regular folk like you and me) and yes, they have some brilliant products, but i think that some of the glory from that gets reflected on to some of their other, maybe less deserving products. Some people insist that they make the best earphones ever, and i always regale them with the misadventures of my trip into HMV (who are on the rocks btw, and need serious amounts of support!) where i spent £35 on a pair of sennheiser earphones (which is a lot for me) and was sorely disappointed at how wrong they had gotten it. A terrific company, but don't assume everything they churn out is incredible, because it won't be. I try to keep an open mind, and was actually looking to be proved wrong today when i went in to the shop, and i was quite surprised, and i have been proved wrong to a certain degree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomBass Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Ive been using a pair of HD480's for the past 30 years or so. Still going strong, and all others just sound coloured and unnatural. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 [quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1358209775' post='1935083'] Ive been using a pair of HD480's for the past 30 years or so. Still going strong, and all others just sound coloured and unnatural. [/quote] 30 years? wow, i'll be surprised if these are still going after 3! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomBass Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 [quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1358239534' post='1935182'] 30 years? wow, i'll be surprised if these are still going after 3! [/quote] I was tempted to reply with something like 'yeah but like Trigger's Broom, they've had 3 new cables & plugs, a new headband, a new pair of transducers and 4 sets of foam pads' lol. Alas, just one set of replacement ear pads in all that time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Just as this is a relevant thread, I thought I'd share my experience. I've had Etymotic ER4 headphones for the last seven years, until I lost them recently :-( I always thought that they were very good, but maybe a bit overpriced. Looking for a replacement, I did my research and decided that I'd go for Shure SE215. Recieved this morning, tested on various songs I know very well. They are being returned. Apart from being fiddly to get into place, both the foam and rubber tips are inferior to the ER ones, meaning that it's more difficult to get the necessary isolation. The best description I can give to the sound is artificial, especially on the low end, a bit lacking in the mids, and a bit harsh on the top end. I guess I'd been taking the quality of the ERs for granted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 As you said, the ERs were expensive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 Just noticed that the top end of mine can be a little harsh, but we are talking well up the range before it gets harsh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 I picked up a pair of HD201's through Amazon when my last pair of (not Sennheiser) phones fell apart. They were under £20 delivered and I find them absolutely fine for general use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesBass Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Good to see others using Sennheisers, I'm currently trying to buy a pair of the HD25-SPii headphones however, my local Curry's are sold out, the nearest Curry's that have them in stock is the Chichester one, gonna have to ring up and see if they can get them delivered to my local store for ease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomBass Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 We need a Headphones thread. Perhaps this is it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 [quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1358275674' post='1936185'] We need a Headphones thread. Perhaps this is it... [/quote] This isn't it, but i shall start one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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