Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Review
Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Introduction
In this article, we delve into a detailed analysis of 242,226 user reviews from various languages worldwide to examine the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro. This analysis is performed by the RR artificial intelligence and updated daily with newly submitted reviews. The RR AI utilizes a complex algorithm to first scrutinize user reviews for credibility, filtering out unreliable ones. It then proceeds to dissect and evaluate the valuable insights within these reviews, providing users with ratings regarding the features of this product. Based on these assessments, users can make informed decisions about whether this product is suitable for them or not.
Ratings Based on Features
These results are a summary of user reviews of the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro. For example, 90% of 96,111 users who have commented on the Sound quality of the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro have given positive feedback.
Highlighted Customer Reviews
Showing 21 to 40 of 480 Reviews
Good bang for the buck
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed by Garan F. on B&H Photo Video
I'm powering these headphones through my Focusrite Saffire white face FireWire audio interface and they work pretty darn well. Good all-rounders that don't color the sound too much.Pros - cheap, clear, rugged, replaceable cushioning/wire, left cup only wired, big ear padding, fold up several ways for easy storage. Even when played loud and repeatedly, very little ear fatigue.Cons - grab my head a bit tight but no pain on ears, just able to hear my pulse. Need to be given lots of juice to work properly, so probably not the greatest for iPods.I also have a pair of HD 201s and the comparison is remarkable. The 280s are much clearer and can be driven harder with zero distortion. Also, in terms of construction, the 280s are beyond compare. Solid chord, solid headset. My round town headphones are a $30 pair of in-ear Sonys. Again, no comparison. The Sonys are super bassy and quite muddy in the mids. However, they block out a fair bit of outside sound and are easy to stow, so they've got the portability angle. I don't think I'll be lugging my 280s around town. Maybe the 201s though.Rated 4 because of the 650s and 800s... Tall about amazing... ... More
There is nothing you need more
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Let's start by saying these headphones are amazingly comfortable. As soon as you put them on, you feel the foam adjust to your head and it sounds like your in a studio. The audio quality...Just wow. I can't get the speakers to clip or even distort. Music and sounds that used to make audio fuzzy and distorted now come in crystal clear. These headphones make even 44.1k audio sound like a beast. Construction...no complaints. You are wearing these for the audio, not the fashion. It is indeed plastic and not the thickest or strongest, so don't expect them to take the abuse some people put headphones through when they travel. Finally, the overall wow factor. You just don't need to spend more on headphones than these right here. I have used headphones from the $10 budget to the $700 budget and these are all you need. If you want the alloy coating and steel construction, then sure. Spend more. But if you plan to keep your headphones in a studio or somewhere else safe, these will make your setup feel perfect. ... More
My second pair
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed by Trevor W. on B&H Photo Video
I am a video professional who needs a good pair of headphones to hear the audio that's being recorded by my camera. I need flat audio. I am not listening to music or for enjoyment. Even for editing, I want to hear a flat signal.That being said, these are really comfortable, over the ear headphones that perform well for the price. My first pair lasted 8 or 9 years.I think the only thing I don't love is that they are a tad tight. The ear foam is not too hard and not too soft. And the size of the ear piece fits around my ear perfectly and just presses on my head. However, the stiffness of the head arc piece puts a tiny bit more pressure between the ear pieces that I'd really like.I can wear these headphone for hours without discomfort, but that's not to say they are the most comfortable headphones available.I'd highly recommend these to anyone for eng or documentary film production or even for video editing. ... More
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro rule!
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed by Eric on B&H Photo Video
Always been a fan of Sennheiser. Their mics are outstanding and got my first pair of these headphones for everyday video and audio editing about 7 or 8 years ago. The sound quality is excellent, comfort is great can wear all day with no issues, and durability is solid. The material on the top pad part wore away after using my first pair everyday for 5+ years, so gaff taped it and used them for field work, and got a new pair for studio. Still using the gaffed pair for field and they work perfectly. The new pair have an improved top pad design with a gap in the middle. This is exactly where the pad cover wore down, so to Sennheiser's credit, they improved the design and this 2nd pair will likely last even longer. I have nothing but good things to say about the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro headphones, especially for the price. I have tried a few other professional headphones, some more expensive, and these Sennheisers beat them all in quality, durability, and price! Going forward I'm not even bothering with anything else for all my headphone needs. ... More
Sennheiser got the timbre right.
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed by Wen Yih on B&H Photo Video
I am a musician working in a symphony orchestra. This is the second HD 280 pro I purchased and I am very happy with it. I bought my first one long time ago when it just came out. It broke because someone in the house accidentally stepped on it, and snap the plastic on the head band linkage. I replaced with a pair of Sony MDR 7506 based on the reviews. I feel that the 7506 is comfortable to wear but not necessarily comfortable to listen to. Its lower treble band stands out to a degree that I can't bear to turn up the headphone to a realistic volume. 7506 made me miss the Sennheisser sound. I purchased a pair of HD 650 afterwards, hooked it up with my stereo system through a Musical Fidelity X can v3. The 7506 was hooked up with my desktop through an audioengine D1 dac. I compare this new version of HD 280 pro with the MDR 7506 through the audioengine D1, I think it still has the Senheisser house sound that I like. The timbre just feels right. I am very glad about my decision of this purchase. ... More
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No better bang for buck
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed by Brad YRLK on B&H Photo Video
Several of my friends and I own these headphones and use them in a variety of environments all the time. For around 100 dollars, I don't know of any better headphones for recording, monitoring, etc. They sound pretty balanced--no overtly hyped highs or lows like many others in this price range (or higher). The only set back is the same as all the rest in this price range and higher--they leak out a bit of sound (such as metronomes) at higher volumes. But unless you want to use HN 7605 Sony based drivers with aircraft grade enclosures or smaller sounding in-ears (both of which can cost far more in comparison to achieve an improvement in dampening leakage), again, Im confident that there isn't much better you can do for the price. For higher output/volume, better isolation than most, and balanced sound in the 100 dollar range, these are definitely among the top pick for me, and I've owned and used many other brands and models. ... More
Good product (but not for everyone)
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed by massimo006 on B&H Photo Video
I think the HD 280 are good headpjones. They have limits as well, but here we are talking about headphones that cost less than 100 euros/dollars. So, you expect limits. The good: nice and flat frequency response (although not below 80/100-Hz). Incredible ambient noise reduction (Sennheiser claims -32-dB, I don't know whether this is true but they certainly reduce the noise a lot). Very nice sound in general. The bad: a bit unconfortable if you wear them for long times (remember they are closed-back). Perhaps, someone would complain about the absence of bass below 80-Hz (but this is not my case). In conclusion, good (if not even perfect) if you need to work with sounds in a noisy environment. Otherwise, look for an open headphone that may give you extra-bass response and that could be more confortable to wear. The 5 stars are because they are exactly what I was looking for (I work in a noisy environment). ... More
Junk
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed by Angus on B&H Photo Video
I bought these a little over two years ago but I hardly used them. Probably just a few hours total. They sounded nice but they are failing. I'm just out of warranty by a couple weeks and now they've developed a problem where the right speaker is losing sound. A quick search reveals that this is a known issue with this model and I'm not the only one to have had it. If Sennheiser decides to help me out with this I'll revise this review. So far I'm very disappointed.
Fantastic headphones, no amp needed
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed by Kevin Boy Of Destiny on B&H Photo Video
I use this for: Video editing Field monitoring music travel PROS: First off I bought these in march 2012, and judging by the other comments many issues have been addressed from earlier versions. I have a very fat head (my friends dont lend me sunglasses anymore because my head bends them) and huge ears, but these fit around them comfortably and are not overly tight. The passive NR is fantastic. the sound quality is superb. Some people say you need an amp for this, i guess that was for earlier versions because i have had no issues listening to this on low powered devices. CONS: Build quality is solidish...but not solid enough that i would knock them around or put them in the bottom of my suitcase. They also dont fold up very well. Extending the headphones is a little weird. But these are small complaints for such a great cheap pair of headphones. ... More
Just returned these, despite being industry standard
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
I am a filmmaker who was looking for a pair of headphones to use in the field and in my editing studio. These headphones squeeze my temples and make my head ache enough that I have needed to return them after only using them twice. Comfort is paramount when I have to wear headphones for hours, and even trying to stretch these out would only result in a minor decrease in the pressure.
Great for mixing and live monitoring
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
This is the second pair of Sennheiser HD 280 I owned. This cans are great for mixing any style of music, due to their flat and accurate response. Their -32db attenuation of external sound, possible by its closed design, allows you to use them in live recordings and in noisy environments. Very comfortable on large sessions. I transport them in a tupperware to keep them safe when I'm in rigs, but it will be great if they come with their own travel bag or something.Highly recommended for a low budget setup, and with the expected high quality of this brand. The only con I can find, is that when wearing them, you can be confused with an astronaut, but if you can live with that, there's no other negative side in them. ... More
Pro/Home Studio user great price point
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed by @ on B&H Photo Video
Purchased at $ many years ago for freq response. broke them in properly and they never failed to provide a linear response in many types of music and even live recording applications. Attenuation is not anywhere near 32db in any freq range.... (I compare them to those 24db ear muffs and they are much quieter without music playing into your ears. Aside from that, excellent for mixing, bass response is linear not enhanced or dull in any way. Durable unless you spread them to wide to fit on a big head. Mine snapped a bit years ago and pieces actually fall off when i put them on but they still remain in one piece and retain flexibility and ear pressure. So even though they are missing many pieces, they still stay on my head just as well. I guess thats a big plus. They do hurt after 15 mins of wearing. Every time. and I used to wear those airplane earmuffs on a job for hours without this kind of pain. ... More
Great headphones!
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
I work sound at church. Our worship team is generally made up of drums, keys, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass and 3 or 4 vocalists. We rehearse on Mondays and make a recording for the musicians to use throughout the week as they prepare for the Sunday worship service. These headphones are a major upgrade from the Sony MDR-V600 headphones that the church has. I purchased these myself after reading many reviews and I have not been disappointed! They have an excellent flat response and the isolation is incredible. We generally run between 85 and 95 dB in our sanctuary and these allow me to listen and blend the musicians without interference from the sound in the sanctuary. The quality is very good and the price can not be beat! ... More
Great bang for the bucks!
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
I've been reading a lot of reviews on this particular pair headphones and wonder if we are listening to the same model. Some people say that it doesn't have enough bass and some say it's bulky....etc. In my experience, it sounded GREAT for the price. I'm on my 10hrs breaking it in. It sounded better and better as I break it in. The imaging is amazing for the price. The only thing I complain about is that it's heavy. It's very close to my HD598 in sound imaging. Not as comfortable and clear though. BUT the HD598 cost more and a totally different pair of heaphones. To be fair, I use the HD280 PRO with a DAC and a Headphones AMP. With the DAC and AMP along with good audio file, you get plenty of lows (Bass). Overall, I am glad that I bought this pair of headphones. As for it being heavy and bulky, I've come to accept it. ... More
Video Production and Editing Use
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed by Case on B&H Photo Video
I have several of this headphone for use in video editing and on-location. I have been very satisfied. In fact, I'm about to buy another one. I like the high isolation performance, which enables me to hear the actual audio signal, even in high noise environments. I also think that the accuracy of the audio produced is very satisfactory. My one concern, born out by about five years usage, is that they are not as robustly built as they could be. I think every set I have has had some piece of plastic break off. So far, none of the breakage has caused a failure. I've learned to wrap the head bands on each side of the padding with black gaffers tape. This aside, I think these headphones perform very well, and are a good value. I recommend them. ... More
Quality but not what I was looking for
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
First, the pros: These are quality headphones. They are made well, fit tight to prevent sound leaking, but not too tight. Are relatively lightweight and reproduce sound well. However, the cons: when I compare them to my Shure SRH-440's they seem bright and lacking a tad bit of detail. For my purposes, despite my reasons for wanting to change, I will continue using the Shures. Apparently, just like a good microphone every set of headphones have their own character and may not be suited to what you need or to your ears. For reference, the majority of what I use studio headphones for is editing and mastering audiobooks. ... More
The headphones I wanted, gifted instead
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed by ocvagabond on B&H Photo Video
I've heard nothing but great things from my sister who received this gift from me. One thing to note, if you use these headphones on poor quality audio equipment (like your iPhone or iPod), then they will not sound great. You might even think they sound bad because you are hearing just how bad the audio drivers on those devices really are. If you instead plug these into your computer or home stereo system (it doesn't have to be highend), then you will begin to realize just how poor the sound of that mini player really is. The sound is crisp and clear without overdriving the bass to pretend like you're an athlete. ... More
Great Headphones For The Price!
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
I use these for critical listening and they work great! The sound is crisp and I can hear details in the music I've missed for years. For the price, they can't be beat! I got them on Cyber Monday for $ and I can honestly say there isn't a better set of headphones for that price out there! After 24 hours or so of burning them in, they opened up even more. They are a little tight on the head at first, but after the first 5 hours or so I didn't even notice them on my head. Sennheiser gives you a 2 Year Warranty for broken parts, and even after the warranty expires, its really easy to find/replace parts (like the ear cushions). I would recommend these to anybody on a budget that wants really nice and detailed sounding cans. They might not compete with the $400-$500 sets, but I could NEVER shell out that much money in the first place for headphones. ... More
Great product for the price
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed by Edmund W on B&H Photo Video
For decades I have heard of Sennheiser headphones from my audiophiles friends, so when I wanted to upgrade my headphones that I was using to monitor the audio feed for an on line church service, I researched this model. The specs were close to what I was currently using, but better. The first time that I used them, I was not disappointed with the audio quality, though because I wear eye glasses, I do not enjoy the total sound isolation that the ear cups provide, but they produce a great sound and are not uncomfortable to wear for an hour plus. The value package that B&H offers with it just adds to it. It definitely produces wonderful audio at a reasonable price. I was able to hear issues that I was missing with my other set and correct the mix for a better feed. ... More
Can't Beat them for Drums...
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Circumaural Closed-Back Monitor Headphones
Reviewed by SlateEd on B&H Photo Video
... and other loud environments! I monitor my drums while recording through these. They cut outside sound so well that I can hear the click-track without cranking the volume to absurd levels. I use them just for hearing safety without any audio playing through them while practicing also! On the street for boom mic handling, for mixing a live recording in a noisy club, or anytime you need great sound with maximum isolation these ROCK! The frequency response is pretty accurate - not as pleasing to listen to (sweet sounding) for extended sessions as, say a nice set of open-backs. If you need to monitor these are exactly what you need... If you listen for pleasure in quiet environments you should check out Senn's open-backs also. ... More
