Sennheiser's HD 480 Pro Are Its Best Closed-Back Headphones

This time, adding “pro” to a product name actually indicates that a product is meant for professionals. Sennheiser has announced the HD 480 Pro studio headphones designed as the top-of-the-range closed-back monitors for studio and live production environments.

The selling point of these headphones is that Sennheiser says they address and eliminate two of the most complained about issues with other closed-back cans: proper low-end reproduction and comfort for long sessions.

Sennheiser says that with closed-backed headphones, good reproduction of lows is hard to achieve.

“This is where the HD 480 Pro excel. Compared to other closed-back headphones, they are a lot tighter on the bass, their low-end is super-accurate and realistic,” Jimmy R. Landry, Category Market Manager, Music Industry at Sennheiser, claims.

As far as comfort is concerned, Sennheiser says it designed the HD 480 Pro headphones to be light and well balanced, making it easier to wear them for hours without fatigue.

“Comfort is of paramount importance when headphones are a work tool,” Gunnar Dirks, Senior Product Manager for professional headphones at Sennheiser, says. “Engineers often spend hours on end in their sessions. They need a lightweight, ergonomically designed pair of headphones to keep focus and concentration up. The HD 480 Pro eliminate any pressure points and fit every head precisely and comfortably – even if you’re wearing glasses.”

Designing these as closed-back headphones gave Sennheiser the ability to target noise isolation, and the company says it uses multiple stages of passive sound shielding and its “Vibration Attenuation System” to eliminate vibration which can cause reflections and distortions, altering the sound profile.

In that same vein, the connection cable features a coiled segment just below the attachment point which Sennheiser says effectively decouples the HD 480 Pro headphones from any structure-borne or handling noise. If the cable hits a desk, a camera, or an arm, it shouldn’t transmit that noise to the headphones. That cable can be attached to either the right or left side.

Independent filmmakers who use over-ear headphones to monitor audio will likely find a lot to like about these headphones given their passive noise isolation, promise of excellent sound reproduction, and the steps Sennheiser has taken to keep vibration and distortion to a minimum, allowing them to focus on capturing a scene — both visuals and sound. Video editors will also likely be interested in what Sennheiser is offering here.

The Sennheiser HD 480 Pro will cost $479 and includes a nine-foot coiled cable and a carrying case (which includes a separate travel case). Sennheiser will also stock replacement parts for the HD 480 Pro, such as ear pads and various types and lengths of cables.

I don’t often find that closed-backs have poor bass reproduction like Sennheiser seems to broadly indicate in its press release. Actually, it tends to be the opposite as open-backed monitors often lose the strength of the lows out the backs, giving them more of what audiophiles describe as “clarity” or neutrality. They also contribute to a wider sound stage, while closed-backs tend to be more focused and intimate. But Sennheiser’s surrounding language indicates that it isn’t necessarily the “boom” of the lows that is being specifically addressed, but the precision of the lows which, I agree, can often get muddy or overpowered in many closed-back headphones.

Comfort is definitely an issue, though. Closed-backed headphones trap heat and can often feel itchy and leave ears feeling sweaty after extended use. That might not be addressed here beyond the promise of soft ear cups, but the other issue with comfort is the head band and how the headphones manage weight. Better components typically means heavier cans, so Sennheiser’s promise of light, comfortable headphones that don’t pinch while at the same time deliver high-quality sound reproduction would be welcome.

Image credits: Sennheiser