Senal SMH-1200 Review
Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones
Highlighted Customer Reviews
Showing 21 to 40 of 126 Reviews
Solid for the price
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Philip on B&H Photo Video
I've had these nearly two years. I like them a lot: they are comfortable to wear and sound nice. I use them for daily tele-commuting and on occasion to block out sound while on a plane. I don't pretend I am going to make money off these, I imagine if it matter that much to you, you'd spend more than a C note. My only complaint is the coiled cable kinda came apart at the 2.5mm jack. I would baby that connection as I probably wasn't the most careful. I wish they didn't make it a weird notched cable because now I either have to shell out the $15 to replace it or just use the cloth line. The ear pads have shown wear but using daily for years, and for hours at a time, I wouldn't expect any other material at this price point would hold up. In short, ignore the haters and those that pretend to be professionals but just make pointless tiktok vids. Pros: comfortable and sturdy enough for desk use Cons: proprietary cable jack ... More
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
Great Headphones, with a minor flaw
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Matt on B&H Photo Video
I got these on a B&H flash deal to replace my old AT Mk2s that were falling apart. I was very pleased with the sound quality as it was similar to the ATs with a little more a flat response. However, my only beef is with the cable. Im used to the ATs which solidly thread lock into place, as opposed to these which use a 2.5mm click in lock. I dont know if its the design or what, but both cables short out if I turn my head a certain way, and I have to fiddle with the cable to get one side or another from doing it. Its a real annoyance, and if there were no issues with it I would gladly give 5 stars. Maybe its just my version. ... More
does not meet expectation
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by tt on B&H Photo Video
Nice headphone, comfortable to wear but not comfortable to hear music. Good bass but quite harsh treble and lack of mid tone. Turn up volume to get the mid then the high will be too bright that displeases the ears. My close back Phillips Fidelio F1 pair have much better low, high and mid. Even my cheaper, non-studio JVC HARX-700 gives pleasant and balanced sound than this studio SMH-1200.
Competative headphones
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Tim on B&H Photo Video
These headphones are very comfortable, and sound good. Not quite a Sony MDR 7506 in Freq response but still a nice sounding phone. Sony earpads fall apart after a period of time and these look like they'll hold up much better, and seal the ear better. Being an ex recording engineer with a high freq hearing loss, I have to EQ the high end more than I would the Sony but all in all, I'm very satisfied with the sound, comfort, quality of build, and the locking interchangeable cable options. I highly recommend.
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Good Sound but Quality not so much
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Gary on B&H Photo Video
The construction of the electronics and sound performance are good but overall durability of the headphones is only fair. After a years use small pieces of the earpads began to flake off. Even more concerning, the earpads will produce a stain if placed on any paper. I contacted the company regarding both of these issues and their response was that the earpads are an accessory (even that the headphone cannot be used without them) and are not supported like the headphone electronics. Senal did not address the paper staining, or provide any information on recommended earpad replacement. Since I use headphones for hours at a time I do not feel safe wearing headphones that are leaching something. I've tested other headphone earpads and they did not have these issues. So I will not continue using these headphones. ... More
This is my second pair for a reason
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by David on B&H Photo Video
When shooting long videos of public meetings, being able to monitor the audio is critical- and these get the job done. The feature I love is that you can switch cords- from a long headphone cable- to a short one to hook into the camera- so it's not dragging on the floor. It also has the adapter for mini or phone jack. Handy. I'm not going to talk about audio quality- or compare them to the Sony's that they look just like- because I used to sell super high end hi fi- and I know that's a worms nest. But, for what I got this pair on during a deal zone sale- these are the bomb diggity. The reason for the 2nd pair- is because my employees are using them constantly while working- and I wanted a pair to keep in the camera bag for the run and gun shoots. ... More
Comfortable, cool looking, but a little off on the bass
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Nick on B&H Photo Video
Bought these after my cat ate the wire on my MDR-7506s and I decided I'd need a pair with a detachable cable. Pros: - Cable is detachable, and it comes with two - a short one more suitable for portable use and a long one more suitable for studio use - Deep bass. I tested it at 10hz and it does indeed respond that low. - Very comfortable. I could wear these for many hours without discomfort Cons: - The first thing I noticed is the recessed mids and overpowering bass. Ran a test and it became very clear that 10-70hz is just fine, but 80-100hz is disproportionately boomy. I'm using these on a laptop without an amp. This was easily solved - using an EQ to drop 100hz by 1.5db brought everything else out more and reminded me more of the clarity that I'm used to from my 7506s. ... More
EDIT FROM MY LAST REVIEW
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Matt on B&H Photo Video
So Im changing my review (not sure how to edit a current review on B&H) Senals customer service is fantastic, which is why Im giving them five stars. They reached out to me regarding the connection issue I was having, and since these headphones were under warranty, I gladly sent them in to be serviced. It turns out that there wasnt an issue with the headphones, I just never read the user manual that tells you one important detail...its not just a click in lock, its a click and TWIST. Lo and behold, when I got them back, no more shorting out! Id still give the headphones 4.5 stars, because the lock design should be more intuitive. But that customer service makes up the last .5 star :) ... More
Bad Connection, Can't be Trust
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Tim on B&H Photo Video
I put these to work doing location sound recording for broadcast. I purchased these to replace a pair of Sony MDR-7506 cans. They give you 2 cables with this set, curly and a non-curly with a built in mic. This means there is a port to plug into on the headset side, and that's the problem - the cable will get pulled or tugged and lose connection. You can't rely on them because signal will cut in and out unless you hold your finger to the connection point. Also, coming from flat response mdr7506, the bass boost adds too much color, makes some voices sound deeper than what's being recorded. Took a chance on Senal, but I can't trust these in a professional setting. ... More
Worked well for a few minutes
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Hector on B&H Photo Video
The headphones came with two cables. I connected the (longer) coiled cable and, as I listened facing forward for a few minutes, the headphones seemed excellent. When i turned my head, the sound cut out. I faced forward again, and the sound returned. Turned my head again, it cut out again. Tried the shorter cable, the sound works fine. I believe the plug into the headphone jack is proprietary, so it's a pain if they break. I certainly didn't expect a cable to be bad out of the box. It's a small part of the purchase, but if Senal can't make these correctly, it's a bad sign. Will write or call for an RMA after B&H opens. ... More
Great Headphones but exposed wire will probably fail
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Brian on B&H Photo Video
Speedy delivery from east coast to me on the west coast without charging extra fees. Love the headphones for the comfort. Yes they go around the ears. Great sound and I have lost some of my hearing in the high-end so others wrote that there was too much high-end but it is perfect for me. I should give these a 5 star rating but I suspect that the exposed wire at the hinged part, right where I would grab them to take off of my head will probably fail long before anything else. I understand why they were designed with an external wire there to allow the ear parts to fold up, but that thin little wire's days are numbered at the get go. If I didn't know any better I would suspect a case of planned obsolescence. I predict maybe a year. We'll see. ... More
Love the burgundy and Senal support!
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Charles on B&H Photo Video
I plugged this in to the CA speakers on my desktop PC and contacted Senal support as I could not hear vocals in videos. Senal replied quickly and after I plugged the SMH-1200 into the PC's headphone jack, all was good. When I reported back to Senal, their agent and I were both happy, and he likes the burgundy, too. Please note the frequency response curves are posted on the manufacturer's web site before purchasing any headphones. Each Senal model is slightly different, but geared toward sound engineers striving to produce good levels without ringing. Thank you Senal and B&H!
Unreliable as others have noted
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Andrew on B&H Photo Video
I read the other reviews noting build quality issues, but I decided to give it a try because of the Daily Deal price (which I have since seen these headphone are regularly on daily deal). After a few months of use, I am experiencing the issue with a loose connection where the cable plugs into the headphones. I am also noticing the earpads are starting to show significant signs of wear and peeling, again only after a few months of once to twice a week use. Initially the sound was good and they worked well for monitoring live stream audio, but it looks like they will soon be in the trash pile. I would look elsewhere. (Note: I shipped these headphones overseas, so I cannot comment on warranty coverage as it is not worth the cost or effort getting them back to the USA.) ... More
Great headphones
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Eileen on B&H Photo Video
These are a great pair of headphones , very crisp clear sound with enough bass.The detachable cord from headphone body is a plus and so is the stretch cable . They come with a storage pouch as well which keeps them clean a bit of a phobia for me is a creepy crawly getting in the earcup and they're easily portable .
Very Nice
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Jason on B&H Photo Video
These Senal SMH 1200 are a replacement headphone for my 13 year old Sonys. I am very happy with my choice in these headphones (especially not having any experience with Senal products and only going off Customer Reviews). The sound quality is easily as good if not better than my Sonys and the ear cups (though not noise canceling) do provide a nice seal around the ear preventing exterior ambient noise to bleed through. I give this product 4 stars out if 5 for these reasons... 1.) The wire going to each ear cup is exposed and not enclosed which could be a potential vulnerability for damage or possible severing. 2.) These headphones came with a very nice vinyl protective bag but in my opinion, the bag is just slightly too small...it takes some tetris skills to get the headphones in the bag. ... More
Good sound, but room for improvement on other areas
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by Zita on B&H Photo Video
Pros: Good quality headphones: both sound and build. Excellent passive noise cancelling and very comfortable. It would get 5 stars if it didn't have issues with the connector (see below). Cons: It has propitiatory cable connection to the headphone. That's a big minus because adding a Bluetooth receiver make is almost impossible, however doable if you dont mind carving a similar connector head like the original. Propitiatory connection is not 100% fit. Sometimes i miss sounds and when i wiggle the cable it comes back. Unplugging and plugging in cable from headset after turning connector 180 degrees solves the problem most of the time. Still annoying at this price range. ... More
I would buy the product again.
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by L Gregory on B&H Photo Video
I use the product for music from my iPhone and also for audio on video productions that I create. A bonus is the microphone that allows me to make phone calls. The product works well for my needs.
Very good value
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
The Senal SMH-1200 headphones are very well built. I especially like the removable, lockable cable and the replaceable ear cushions. They are very comfortable. As far as the sound quality is concerned I give four stars. A little too much base for me and a little mushy in the mid-tones but still, very good.
They are just Okay!
Senal SMH-1200 Enhanced Studio Monitor Headphones (Onyx)
Reviewed by VICTOR on B&H Photo Video
I got this headset as a gift and they sound like Yamaha headphones. I have a recording studio, and I've had several brands of cans. I have to say that the OneOdio A71 headset beats the quality of sound of this this model by a lot, for a fraction of the cost. This set might be a tad more durable, but the quality of the sound is not the best. I know they will last me forever I will rarely use them. Sorry Senal, I hope you are working on a new model with a better sound quality.
