The folks at Sennheiser’s labs have been hard at work. Last year, we got the HD 505, HD 550 and HD 500 BAM, and the impressive HDB 630. Now, they’ve spat out yet another set of cans called the HD 480 Pro. These are wired closed-back over-ear headphones aimed at the folks responsible for the music you enjoy. But that doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to play with them, too.
High Definition 680 Professional
“A perfect balance of accuracy, comfort, and versatility, HD 480 PRO studio headphones empower you to create with focus and confidence in the studio and on the move,” says Sennheiser.
Sennheiser had a very specific idea when it set about designing these. It wanted to address two major complaints that anyone who has used closed-back headphones will probably understand. They can get rather uncomfortable over long sessions, and their bass reproduction is usually somewhat lacking.
To address the former, Sennheiser has pulled out all the stops for comfort. They use a similar design to the older open-back HD 490 Pro, including a divet in the headband to spread the pressure equally over your noggin. They also only weigh 272g.
As for the accurate bass reproduction, Senny have used what it calls a “Vibration Attenuation System”, which “works continuously to reduce distortion and eliminate reflected sounds, providing you with unparalleled clarity,” according to the company.
There are other nice-to-have features that audio professionals will appreciate. The removable 3-metre cable uses a ‘patented coil structure’ to block cable noise and can be plugged into either earcup. They come with a carry bag, but if you’d rather have a hard travel case, you’ll have to go for the HD 480 Pro Plus.
While we await local info, Sennheiser’s US website says these will start at $400, or around R6,570 and reach $440, or about R7,230 for the HD 480 Pro Plus.
