Senal SMH-1200 Review
Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones
Highlighted Customer Reviews
Showing 1 to 20 of 126 Reviews
Almost three years later, THEY STILL IMPRESS ME!
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Ramon on B&H Photo Video
I'll start with the obvious: These are studio monitors headphones, not Hi-Fi headphones. IF YOU WANT A HEAVY SOUND, steer away from these. They excel in clarity, not musical weight. Having said that, these headphones have as much detail retrieval as my pricier Hi-Fi headphones (beyerdynamic Amiron home/T90 Jubilee/DT 880 Edition 600 ohm, AudioQuest NightHawk Carbon, Sennheiser HD 6XX, Panasonic RP-HD10). I ordered two pairs of the SMH-1200 for $60 each (DealZone) back in September 20, 2017...right as Hurricane Maria started hitting the island of Puerto Rico and my power/cellphone service went out! I was expecting them to sound like my Sony MDR-7506, but they are totally different-sounding. The Sony are bass and midrange heavy, and are shoutier. The Senals are clearer and flatter from lows to highs, and the bass, although detailed, is very light. The SMH-1200 don't hit hard at all no matter the type of kick or bass used in a production. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED! Unless you under-power them, these do not sound cuppy or boxy. I have to mention it: THEY NEED POWER TO SOUND GOOD. Forget their low impedance or sensitivity; the SMH-1200 need as much clean power as you can give them to sound their best. Your smartphone won't do the job, not even the powerful LG phones with the ES9218P Hi-Fi Quad DAC. My old V35 and my current G8 have that chipset, and it sounds fantastic, but the headphones just don't sound lively or big. For being closed headphones, the aural image projects outside of the headphones and extends outside of the ears, as if listening to speakers. That depends on the DAC and headphone amp used, though. In my case, the portable MIYO DAC, Tascam UH-7000 and Denon DA-300USB do that, and if I use the Schiit Asgard on the Denon, even more. These Senals scale up the better the listening equipment is. The instrument separation is smile-inducingly good, too. Everything sounds in its own layer of depth. Build quality-wise, the pleather on the headband started peeling off after a year and a half even though I babied them and wiped them off with a microfiber towel. Same with the ear pads. I replaced them with the Auray Extra Deep Earpads B&H sells (BH #AUEDMDR7506). Those fit just fine and look the same. The foam is firmer than the stock pads, which felt more marshmallowy, so the bass hits noticeably harder with these pads. The stock pads had really light bass impact. Even at their original price, I opine the Senal SMH-1200 are worth it. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEM. Thanks for reading and God bless! ... More
Not bad, but....
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Cheuk Fang Rich on B&H Photo Video
Received these headphones about a week ago from B&H, have only tested them for 2 days so they might sound better after properly run-in. They are well made, light and feels good and comfortable. The lows are nice and solid, but not overwhelming. There's a bit too much highs for my liking but it does not sound bad. What is really missing is the nice mid-range, or low-mids. This is so important in a studio or mixing environment for me. I won't mind if the highs and lows are not perfect but the mids are so important, it defines the instruments or the character of vocals, drums etc. Yes I would recommend these for casual listening, or walking around on noisy streets when you need the extra highs and lows, but NO I will not recommend these for critical studio monitoring or mixing or balancing, since I could not tell what's going on tin the mid-range. I would give it 4 stars if they do not list it as Studio monitor headphones. I hope they will sound better after the burning-in period, but I'm writing this on how I feel so far. ... More
Recessed, weak bass but IMPRESSIVE detail retrieval
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Ramon on B&H Photo Video
I expected these to sound around the same neighborhood of my Sony MDR-7506 with their solid, impressive sub-bass...but they sound nothing like them. I was disappointed at such anemic bass. The SMH-1200 have bass as flat as a ruler, less than even budget or entry level headphones: but the highs are very smooth and defined, and the mids are impressively revealing. I smiled so wide. They rival my more expensive headphones. These are not airy or sharp like my Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro 250, but are on the same level sound quality-wise (not sound presentation, obviously). They will reveal imperfections that you might've missed with your other headphones regardless of price. At $150, I say they are a deal, but at $60 that I paid for them, they are a gift for sure! Such impressive sound quality and great comfort! I recommend these highly if you can forgive their flat bass; it's there and it's very detailed, more than in other headphones, but there is no thump or boom whatsoever. It takes some getting used to for sure! God bless you and thanks for reading! PS: I bought two pairs; on the first pair I opened, the coiled cable made their bass sound even weaker. I opened the other pair and they sounded bassier. I swapped coiled cables after suspecting, and the bass sounded equal to the other pair. I really thought I had a defective pair, but it was the coiled cable from the first pair that has something wrong with it. But I'm not going to bother B&H for that. I got a great deal at $120 for two; I'll keep one boxed for the future since I value these at higher than $150 each based on the sound alone. The straight cable with the mic makes them sound better on portable equipment, but out of my iMac's output, the volume is much lower probably due to the resistance of the mic. With the coiled cable, the volume is way louder. Lacking an adapter, I have not tested the straight cable out my Denon DA-300USB to compare against the coiled one to see if the case is different here. ... More
Great studio monitor / music headphone
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Toan on B&H Photo Video
Pros * 2 removable cords, one spiral cord stretchable 10 feet and one short cable. Please note that the connector is 2.5mm and it has proprietary lock mechanism. So for replacement you'll need you need to buy the cable from Senal. However, I have a spare 2.5mm male to 3.5mm female adapter and the adapter is small enough and it fits perfectly, that opens up for any 3.5mm cable and even a v-moda boom pro mic. * Sound quality is so clear at mid and high. You can still hear some bass that is still enjoyable for music, don't expect it to do Beats bass. It's better that way so you can focus on all of the sound clarity and not having the bass overpowering all the surrounding. * The leather earpad is comfy. You can still hear the surround muffling a bit, but should be sealed enough so you can focus on the music track. It's over the ear, however, my ear barely fit inside the earpad, if you have large ear, it can touch the inside rim a bit, but it's still comfortable. Since this is a closed headphone with leather cup, your ear gets warm after a long session. * Lightweight, foldable, come with travel bag * Clamp force is about right, not too tight Cons * The speaker cable is hanging outside, it just bugged me a bit, afraid that i might accidentally pulled it one day. I definitely enjoyed the headphone for providing great sound quality. For comparing sound quality to other headphones I have * Comparing to Senheiser HD 558, senheiser is warmer and bassier than Senal, however Senal can produce certain sounds that I can barely hear from Senheiser. * Comparing to Phillips SPH9500s, bass is abound similar to Senal, mid and high is close to Senal but Senal still have more clarity. Since Senal is closed headphone, sound stage is not as wide as open can headphone. ... More
The Senal SMH-1200 headphones are music to my ears
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by madams1925 on B&H Photo Video
As soon as you pull them out of the box you're greeted with beautiful extra deep earcups and an adjustable, squishy headband. The Black Onyx version has beautiful grey stitching that goes the entire length of the headband on the front and the back. The Senal SMH-1200's are Studio Monitors first and foremost. You can tell with these headphones that Senal tried to walk the line of accurate sound while giving a little extra punch in the low end. The mids are a joy to listen to, but the lows are where the SMH-1200's really shine. Let me say again these are Studio Monitors, so don't go in expecting Beats level bass. The goal (in my opinion) of these headphones were to provide a studio-quality sound with a slightly punched up low, and Senal nailed it. I'm not an audiophile. I absolutely love listening to music, but I just haven't ascended to the next level. But, these headphones certainly make me feel like I'm close. These headphones were provided by B&H for a fair and unbiased review. ... More
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BEST HEADPHONES FOR THE PRICE!
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
So my name is Travis Jacques AKA The Raw View. I have a lot of headphones in this $150 price range and I have to say that theses headphones tower over them all. M-50x SMH1200 They have a great sound and are over all flat and that slight bumb in the bass is very very slight, it less than the M-50x. I A/B theses headphones against the m50x, Sony MDR-7506, akg 553 pros, brainwavs hm5, Senhiser HD 598 and even some higher end headphones. All that to say for $150 headphones you can not beat these.
Great Sound and Comfort!
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Starling on B&H Photo Video
I am a music LOVER! While I myself am not a musician or producer, yet, many of my loved ones are. My life is rich in music! My wasband is a DJ and my adult children are very creative with music - I've preferred professional studio headphones for decades. During my planning a major (for me) purchase with B&H , I happened upon a review of these headphones while visiting a website I greatly appreciate and admire to click through the author's affiliate link before buying. What sold me (after feeling confident from research they would sound just as good as my previous pair of Sony headphones and they do) on these headphones was the deep earpads and flexibility offerered with two sturdy cords - while using the one with a mic I switched from great sounds from a favorite station to having a nice long talk with my Mama on the phone while preparing dinner. The noise cancelling quality is superb. I look forward to enjoying these for years to come! I noticed on the product information in the package that one of the accessories available to buy is a Bluetooth adapter, which is something I'd put to good use, a future purchase I'd consider. Noteworthy: I have a small head (hat size 6 3/4), and have had many challenges in the past with any type of headgear because of this. Earbuds rarely fit, and are just plain uncomfortable for me. Adjusted all the way down, these are a perfect fit! No slipping or wobbling. I had one of my Suns try them on (he's a large in hats) and they fit him fine after adjusting. A sound investment! ... More
Love these!
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Jeremy on B&H Photo Video
These headphones are pretty dam amazing. Everything is super clear and crisp. Lows have a clear ooomph to them without being distorted or too boosted. Mids are super smooth and I think the highs are where these sound best. Everything is just pleasurably noticable. I am a novice in the audio arena, but I can see why people become audiophiles after listening to these. I listen to a lot of podcasts, music, and watch a bunch of videos on Youtube, Vimeo, and even Twitch streaming. I am starting to learn video and audio editing as well. So basically, I have these on all day long. I have had them for about a month and haven't noticed any issues at all as far as comfort goes. I love the cords and adapter that come with em. I do though, wish that the headphone cord had a mute button. Its just a single button that does play and pause, and sometimes I want to just mute the audio. I do like that it does start Ok Google if you hold the button down for a second. I tested out the audio with my friend calling me and the mic sounds clear. I can't stress how sweet and sharp these sound. Definitely check em out. ... More
Fantastic Headphones!
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by EzTech231 on B&H Photo Video
I find these to be a very good pair of headphones for all sorts of uses. I mainly use these to monitor the audio of my YouTube videos while I edit them, they're great with an electric keyboard, they're great for watching movies and just general music listening sessions! The audio that these things pump out is very clear, clean and accurate! Bass isn't overpowering, but it's still there while the highs and mids are nice, crisp and clear as well. As far as comfort goes, these destroy my other sets of headphones. The earcups are nice and soft, and my ears don't get irritated after using them for extended amounts of time. The headphones also come with some nice add-ons like a coiled cable and carrying case. Overall, fantastic pair of headphones and I can definitely recommend these! ... More
Pretty comfortable, not too overpowering.
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
I've had these for close to a year now. I like the long coiled cable and the fact that it is detachable. The earpieces are pretty comfortable, the headphones themselves do not fit too snugly so I don't mind wearing them for longer periods. They have a pretty flat sound overall, could use a bit more bass but I do understand they are meant more as a studio reference monitor than general playback. I wouldn't mix exclusively on these but the overall sound doesn't cause fatigue as they aren't overly hyped up. Could be a little much on the high end for some people but I tend to like more high end as long as it isn't too harsh. As with anything it really depends on the sound you're looking for. These do not over color your music in my opinion. ... More
Most comfortable headphones for work. Period.
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Zane on B&H Photo Video
These have become my favorite headphones. I've tried many brands, many makes and many models of over-ear headphones. Most of them have disappointed me. They're either far too expensive to use for work, too uncomfortable to wear for more than an hour, or simply cheaply or poorly built. These Senal headphones are: Phenomenally comfortable, I've worn these for up to 10-12 hours at a time with small breaks and my ears don't hurt AT ALL. Really well built for the price, not overly tough but tough enough to throw in a bag or case after a long day or mixing audio or editing. Well-balanced EQ response (flat) and's practically a reference-grade audio monitoring option. I wear these for mixing. AFFORDABLE. I cannot shout this loud enough. I've spent 2-5x more on headphones only to have them short out in the middle of a take (Audio-Technica) or *completely disintegrate* (Pioneer) and leave me high and dry. These are great. And hey, if they were to break- I can afford to just buy another pair. STRONGLY RECOMMEND ... More
Lackluster
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Matt on B&H Photo Video
I only paid $59.99 for these on sale, and even then they are not remotely worth the money. The regular $129.99 asking price is insane. Sound quality is fine, I guess. It's hard to tell because there is absolutely zero way to adjust the tension in the headband or really anything on these headphones. That problem is compounded by the fact that they have virtually no grip. So when you put them on, they are not remotely held firm against your ears - there's just nothing in the design to make them do that (and the headband itself is simply WAY too flexible). These are supposed to be closed-back headphones and yet they didn't even do the one thing that would make the closed-back feature meaningful - or even noticeable since ambient sound pours into your ears from every direction through the finger-width gap between the cushions and your head. These are bad even for regular, normal use headphones, making it insanely laughable to dare to call these studio monitor headphones. I'd be infinitely better off using AirPods instead of these If I was mixing audio on a film shoot. ... More
great headphones
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by gabak on B&H Photo Video
I use them mainly for video edition in final cut and i had Bose q25 and this headphone senal, have a much better audio. I can feel the sound more clear and closer to my ear. Also it feels very sturdy and the comes with a couple of cables one for your cellphone and other for the computer!! I can wear it for hours and it is light and very conformable.
Great sound
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by John on B&H Photo Video
I've bought three pairs of these over the past two or three years, and I think they are great. They sound great and are comfortable. Like the one reviewer said one time: just like camera lenses, after a certain point, only lab instruments can detect the differences between brands. I think these cans are up there with those that reach that point. A few of the reviewers give low ratings for these cans because they say the cable doesn't connect tightly. My experience is that the cables connect nice and tightly when they're inserted properly; meaning they should be twisted after insertion. It takes a little extra force than you think you need, but once clicked into place the cable is nice and tight. Overall, a great product, especially when on sale. ... More
Nice cans but I prefer the SMH-500
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Richard on B&H Photo Video
I received this product as a part of a Zoom H6 kit my organization purchased recently-https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/997461-REG/zoom_zoom_h6_portable_recorder_field.html. Though the B&H page says the kit includes the SMH-1000, they sent the SMH-1200. The headphones sound good but the ear cushions are less comfortable for me than the less expensive SMH-500. The cushions are too mushy for my taste and make my ears warm. The SMH-500 don't have that effect on me. I also don't like that way the headphones fold up. I don't travel with these. They stay in the studio. So it is an unwelcome feature, which causes me trouble when putting them on. They always want to fold up rather than just go on my head. However, apart from my personal qualms with the build's features and materials, the cans sound great. They are quite good for my audio editing, providing faithful reproduction of the sounds I record. ... More
Overpriced Trash, Even Discounted
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Joshua on B&H Photo Video
These headphones are mostly terrible. They sound okay with a cellphone, but only if your cellphone has headphone enhancements. I read some reviews saying these have great low end response. They don't. They're terrible there too. On low volume, these already distort with any bottom end when connected to a studio interface. I also saw a lot of comparisons to the famous Sony MDR7506s. No. Just no. These feel flimsy, and don't even remotely compare in sound quality, range, or neutrality. The one and only thing I think that might be comparable, is that the earpads feel like junk and like they'll eventually peel and need to be replaced...like every 7506 ever made. These are very flimsy and poorly quality. Some reviewer mentioned a lack of mids. There's a lack of everything, mostly depending on how they fit your head. If you want any kind of full range experience with these, you need to squeeze them onto your head with both hands. The headband simply can't hold them on right. Don't buy these. Just don't. Maybe for $20 they'd be worth it. But not a penny more. ... More
Don't bother.
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Douglas on B&H Photo Video
I ordered these because of the fantastic price point (on sale). They look cool, and seemed pretty and good sounding. The issue I had was the cord. The connection between the cord and the headset was loose, and caused shorting or sound degradation when i moved my head. I immediately returned them but had B&H send a replacement pair to give it one more chance. Same deal with the second set, so those two went back; i'm done with these headphones and will have to splurge for something better.
Meh...
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Christopher on B&H Photo Video
I agree with several reviews I read here before purchasing these headphones. 1. The port where the cable connects to the headphones is weak. These are brand new! My first time using them, I turned my head slightly and the audio cuts in and out. 2. Sound quality: Meh, its okay. Sounds a bit "tinny." The bass is not so good. 3. I saw them in the BH Deal Zone three times! I paid $60 for them. If I had paid retail: $150, I would be returning them. I will keep them as a spare pair and they will live in my audio bag for productions. Three stars because: - Very comfortable - Build quality seems good (aside from the cable port) - Block out ambient noise very well - Price! BH deal zone $60 (not $150) ... More
Worked until they didn't
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Jason on B&H Photo Video
These worked great for editing narration and weren't too expensive. They did a nice job blocking out noise and picking up details on my audio. Unfortunately, I lost sound on one side. After trying a replacement cable with no luck, I discovered it was an issue with jack in the headphones. If I pushed the jack on the cord hard to one side, it would start working. I had never pulled on the cords or dropped the headphones, so I'm not sure why it happened.
Sound Good, Durability Bad. Never take on the go.
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Thomas on B&H Photo Video
I have had a pair of these head phones for approximately 6 weeks. I have used them very lightly, I may have used them 4 times. I used them for editing videos and twice I used them for monitoring sound on a shoot. To their credit they sound good and would be useful if they could stand up to travel. Unfortunately I have a short in the left ear now, my guess is it's Achilles heel is the wire that conspicuously protrudes from the phone to the head band. I think they may be good if you just hang them up next to a computer and never move them, put them away, or travel with them. Mine broke down right outside the return period. I'll update with Senal's response to my issue, when I get the time to contact them. ... More
