Sennheiser Headphones Buying Guide
Which Sennheiser headphones are right for me?
Sennheiser offers a wide range of headphones for various applications, from critical audio tasks to simple listening. While they all sound great, it's important to choose the right headphones for the right purpose - a drummer monitoring their performance in your studio has different sonic needs than you do when mixing the song. Below, you'll find out which Sennheiser headphones are best suited for four different applications.
Headphones for Studio Recording
If you're recording vocals and instruments in your studio, you don't want your microphones picking up the monitor mix or tracks leaking from the artist's headphones. And headphones with higher output levels help overcome loud guitar amps and drums. Sennheiser's closed-back HD 280 Pro headphones are among the most popular because they stand out for their accurate sound quality, excellent isolation, and comfortable fit.
The closed-back HD 380 Pro monitoring headphones offer an impressive acoustic isolation of 32 dB for clean recordings and are capable of handling extremely high SPLs - perfect for drummers. And for outfitting your studio with a great value, the price and performance of the closed-back HD 200 headphones are hard to beat.
Suitable Studio Headphones
HD 280 Pro - Excellent isolation and balanced, extended frequency response
HD 200 Pro - affordable performance, ideal for equipping a studio on a budget
Headphones for Live Performance
Sennheiser offers a wide range of in-ear headphones for musicians and DJs to use with their wireless products. However, we know that electronic musicians and DJs often prefer traditional headphones for live performances.
You need high SPL handling to hear over a loud club and powerful bass reproduction so you never lose the groove. Thanks to excellent acoustic isolation and powerful sound, the HD 380 headphones are a great choice that also fits very well.
For DJs and electronic musicians who prefer single-ear monitoring, the HD 25 and HD 25 Light headphones with rotating ear cup and high SPL handling for noisy environments are equipped.
Suitable DJ and Performance Headphones
HD 25 - Rotating ear cup, acoustic isolation, and high sound pressure levels, ideal for drummers and DJs
HD 25 Light - Rotating ear cup, closed design, and reduced weight
Headphones for Mixing and Mastering
While closed-back headphones provide the isolation you need for studio recordings, open-back headphones offer the sonic precision and detail accuracy required for critical audio analyses. Since air freely flows around the speakers, there is no distortion due to air compression, as is the case with most closed housings.
The HD 800 headphones feature the largest drivers ever used for headphones, and many experienced engineers are amazed by the fidelity to detail and realism they offer. The larger chassis ensures exceptional detail accuracy in the midrange and exceptional low-end performance.
HD 600 headphones offer many similar features at a more affordable price and are also an ideal solution for precise mixing and mastering. For situations where you need the improved isolation of a closed headphone design, the HD6 Mix headphones are used to provide you with a balanced, expansive sound quality while simultaneously reducing external noise.
Suitable Mixing/Mastering Headphones
HD 800 - Largest drivers ever used for headphones. These are Sennheiser's most precise and detailed headphones.
HD 600 - Extremely natural, spatial sound with high color fidelity
HD6 Mix - Balanced frequency response and good isolation due to closed design
Headphones for Listening to Music
If you simply want to enjoy great music, you don't necessarily need a flat, precise frequency response or the most transparent sound possible; you just want a great listening experience. The HD 800 headphones compete with many world-class HiFi systems, while the Sennheiser HD 630VB headphones, with their stylish design, offer a vibrant sound more suitable for city travel.
If you want wireless freedom while listening to music around the house, with the RS 160 wireless headphones you can roam up to 20 meters away and still enjoy Sennheiser's excellent audio quality.
Popular Sennheiser Headphones for Recreational Listening
HD 800 - Sennheiser's ultimate headphones offer an unparalleled listening experience
HD 630VB - Elegant audiophile headphones with leather ear cups, available in black or brown
RS 160 - High-quality sound with wireless convenience, up to 20 meters thanks to wireless technology
Sennheiser has been at the forefront of transducer technology for over half a century, and it's immediately evident when you listen to the headphones. Whether you're working with audio or listening for pure pleasure, Sennheiser has developed solutions for nearly every application you find yourself in. With this buying guide and anticipating your listening needs, you'll find the right headphones.