Sennheiser headphones... Any opinions?

[JonW]

I'm currently in the market for a new pair of headphones, probably Sennheiser. There are three models that I am interested in as mentioned over in the bargin forum. These are:

Sennheiser HD495 (£34.99)
Sennheiser HD500 (£39.95)
Sennheiser HD580 (£79.95)

Now I know the more expensive the thing is, chances are the better it will be. What I would like to know is, is it worth paying more? Will the difference be noticable? Also, altough I know it is not ideal (lack of surrounds and all), how will these work when listening to DVD's - the same quality as CD's etc I'm guessing? If anyone has any experience with any of the above models or any opinions in general I would very much like to hear from you. Cheers ;) .

[gz5ztg]

I got a pair of second hand HD475s from eBay. I am very pleased with them, they are very comfortable and sound great.

[nigel_williams]

Check out this thread:

http://www.thedvdforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46160

[Way_2_FAT]

Sennheiser produces some of the best headphones on the market, the difference between the headphones will vary depending on what kind of hardware you are going to use it with and the quality of the units internal headphone amplifier.

If you are gonna plug it into a high-end Hifi separates system then the difference between the cheapest and more expensive pairs will be quite noticable.

If you are just using it on a budget dvd player (£100-200) then the HD500 should be overkill considering the quality of most budget dvd players headphone output is pretty cr*p.

I've got a HD470 (£35) connected to my portable MD player and it sounds great considering it's one of the cheaper Sennheiser's.

Even my old £80 Sony pair couldn't match my cheapo Sennheiser for sound quality :)

Beyerdynamic headphones is another top quality headphone brand to consider...

Hope this helps

Mike :D

[stranger]

richer sounds usually have some of the top senheisers in at low prices.

[SimonInd]

I picked up a pair of 580s for about 70 quid a few months ago and they're fantastic. I'm not a huge user of headphones but as they were a bargain I thought I'd invest in a 'pair for life' and I haven't regretted it. They're a bit big for portable use but for home-listening they're the best I've heard. According to http://www.price-guide.co.uk Harrow Audio are selling them for £79.95 with free delivery.

Simon

[puddleduck]

I picked up some Sennheiser HD495 (£34.99) after seeing the Maplins thread in the Bargain Forum.

I'm not overly impressed - there's not much in the way of bass, and they sound a bit "light" when connected directly to a PC soundcard.

There's a bit more bass and detail when connected up to an amplifier.

[nigel_williams]

I preferred the Beyer Dynamic 231s. They have plenty of bass when connected to a PC (for MP3s) and a portable DVD.

What Hi-Fi highly recommended them in their annual awards 2 years running. They can be bought on-line for £30-£35. Try empiredirect.co.uk

[Just]

I have had my 535s for seven years now and they still amaze me when I use them (compared to the £000s worth of AV :rolleyes: )!

They were 100 quid back in those days and worth every penny, so I can imagine that for 70 quid a pair of 580s would be a bargain and then some!

I also have a pair of 435s for 'lighter' duties such as on long train journeys and PC use - they are equally impressive for the £18 they cost three years ago.

Just remember that 4xx series will be somewhat less weighty on the bass end than their 5xx stable mates. This is because the 4xx are designed to be cheaper/lighter use headphones. The 5xx series are the real HIFI range.

[sideshowbob]

I've got some 495s and they sound great with an amp and separates ... but volume levels can be a bit low when listening to portables. Comfy lightweight design, but lots of sound leakage (due to open design) make them unsuitable for using on trains etc. Use mine mostly for late night game playing etc. I wouldn't agree that they are light on the bass ... thought they were very well balanced with nice taut bass.