NHD: Sennheiser HD 490 Pro

[laxu]

I've been using the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 250 Ohm as my everyday headphones for years now. They are very comfortable, but they are not accurate. They have disgusting amounts of high end emphasis, which makes anything guitar sound pretty harsh.

I use Sound Source on MacOS to apply AutoEQ correction to them, and on modelers used global EQ. That works well enough. I used Sonarworks Reference ID's IR-based solution before, but got so frustrated with its bugs (crashing on wake from sleep, crashing whenever another audio interface or modeler got turned on, correction not working without restarting the app...) that I requested a refund.

My other headphones have been the Sennheiser HD 6XX 300 Ohm (that's the actual model name, 6XX). They're a variant of the HD 650 afaik. Great headphones for modelers especially, but they press on my head a bit too much to be comfortable for long time use, and the ear cups could be a tad larger. They sound really good out of the box though and I'll recommend them any day for use with modelers that can drive them.

I found an open box Sennheiser HD 490 Pro (these were released at the start of 2024) for a bit less money and ordered them. They are exactly what I was looking for: Reasonably accurate headphones without correction, that are also very comfortable. They feel a good chunk lighter than the HD6XX. Being able to swap the cable to either side is a nice plus as my DT990 Pros had it on the wrong side and the HD6XX has cables coming from both sides.

Their novelty feature is that they come with "Producer" and "Mixing" earpads. The Producer earpads are a comfy velour type you find on most Sennheisers. The Mixing earpads are more of a cloth material and unfortunately nowhere near as comfortable. The mounting system for these also makes it cumbersome to switch them, it takes just enough time to not be something you swap regularly. But apparently the Producer ones give a bit better overall results while the Mixing ones are more lean on the low end.

They definitely do make the headphones have a different character. The Mixing ones are more "airy" to my ears, probably due to less low end and maybe some treble or high mids emphasis. I think I will stick with the Producer ones just because they are more comfortable. I was surprised that they made a very noticeable difference so they are not a total gimmick! With faster switching I could see these being useful.

Overall the sound is very similar to the HD 6XX, but I think the HD 490 Pros manage to sound more "3D" and "open". It's early days, but I definitely like them so far and they'll be my new main headphones!

 

[MirrorProfiles]

I’ve heard good things about these and heard they compare favourably to the 650’s. Keen to try them especially as someone who doesn’t really like headphones, especially because of comfort. What headphone amp are you driving them with?

 

[laxu]

What headphone amp are you driving them with?

I'm just using the one on my Audient EVO 8 audio interface.

When I was using the Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 2nd gen, I compared its headphone amp to an old Marantz receiver, and the Fractal FM3 (which has a great headphone amp). Other than max volume on tap, I could not tell any real difference with 250 or 300 ohm headphones. 6i6 vs EVO 8 was also pretty much the same.

The HD 490 Pros are 150 ohm headphones so a bit easier to drive.

 

[bikescene]

How is the low end on these HD 490s compared to your HD6XX?

 

[laxu]

How is the low end on these HD 490s compared to your HD6XX?

I think the 490s are clearer in the low end. But you definitely have to compare to notice the difference.

The price difference of the HD 490 Pro vs HD 6XX on Amazon US is about $60, and with that price difference I'd take the 490 definitely.

It's hard to explain but there's something more natural about the sound of the HD 490 Pro and that could entirely be nothing more than because they are more comfortable on my head.

Neither are good tracking headphones because of their open back nature. The HD 490 probably leaks sound even more than the HD 6XX.

 

[bikescene]

I think the 490s are clearer in the low end. But you definitely have to compare to notice the difference.

The price difference of the HD 490 Pro vs HD 6XX on Amazon US is about $60, and with that price difference I'd take the 490 definitely.

It's hard to explain but there's something more natural about the sound of the HD 490 Pro and that could entirely be nothing more than because they are more comfortable on my head.

Neither are good tracking headphones because of their open back nature. The HD 490 probably leaks sound even more than the HD 6XX.

Thanks. I was looking into the HD6XX a few months back and noticed that the HD490 had come out this year. There wasn't much online feedback at that point.

I currently use the HD58X for listening, and may look into upgrading in the future. From reading online, the HD6XX has a little clearer bass than the HD58X, which is why I was wondering

 

[laxu]

Update after a few months.

I found out that you can get the Dear Reality dearVR MIX-SE plugin for these. My box was just missing the activation code, so I requested one from Dear Reality.

This plugin is similar to e.g Slate VSX where it emulates different rooms ranging from mixing studios to cars, living rooms and whatnot for checking how your mix might sound on shittier gear.

It has a list of compatible headsets so you aren't limited to only one maker's headphones. The headphone compensation seems to be basically just flattening the frequency response via IRs similar to Sonarworks. I didn't feel the headphones truly needed it, but hey, every little bit helps, right? It even supports the different HD 490 earpads.

It seems to work well, I even slapped it on SoundSource (it can load AU plugins) to use it all the time in desktop use when using headphones, even though I had to raise its latency a bit to avoid pops and clicks.

Neat little extra for sure.

As for the headphones themselves, I use them every day and they are nice and comfortable. The DT990 Pros are still the comfort king, but the HD 490 Pros are second.

The stock 1.8m cable is annoyingly short, even just making it 2m would help. Sennheiser has a 3m cable but I can't seem to find one for sale locally or at Thomann.

 

[newholland]

interesting! i'm still using 6xx and beyer 880s to check mixes-- but i'd seen these and been curious about em! I just threw a set on my head at GC one day for shits and grins, and they seemed a little bit brighter than my 6xx, but not in any obtrusive way, for sure, and the music they play to test them sure isn't my taste

 

[laxu]

ithey seemed a little bit brighter than my 6xx, but not in any obtrusive way, for sure, and the music they play to test them sure isn't my taste

Yeah that's pretty much it. I think if you like your 6XX then you don't have any massive need to buy these. I find the 490 Pros work better for "on my head all day long" headphones because they are more comfortable, with the "producer" pads at least.

 

[newholland]

Yeah that's pretty much it. I think if you like your 6XX then you don't have any massive need to buy these. I find the 490 Pros work better for "on my head all day long" headphones because they are more comfortable, with the "producer" pads at least.

l totally get that! i wonder if it's the same driver as the 660s with a different form factor? i kinda felt similarly about that can-- clearly related, mebbe a little brighter, but kinda more of a taste scenario.

 

[Jarick]

I picked up a pair of these a few weeks ago, really happy with them!

Compared to the HD600 that I've been using the last couple years, the 490 have a brighter and more open sound with a less forward midrange and stronger low end. They are also much more comfortable, feeling lighter weight with less clamp and softer ear pads. They are nowhere near as bright as Beyer headphones. And they sound cleaner and less harsh than the HD560 headphones.

 

[newholland]

I picked up a pair of these a few weeks ago, really happy with them!

Compared to the HD600 that I've been using the last couple years, the 490 have a brighter and more open sound with a less forward midrange and stronger low end. They are also much more comfortable, feeling lighter weight with less clamp and softer ear pads. They are nowhere near as bright as Beyer headphones. And they sound cleaner and less harsh than the HD560 headphones.

see.. the joy of beyers is, you cut a piece of toilet paper and put it behind the foam perfect. not even sorta kidding! works great on 770s and 990s. 880s are surgical tools and to be left alone

 

[Jarick]

see.. the joy of beyers is, you cut a piece of toilet paper and put it behind the foam perfect. not even sorta kidding! works great on 770s and 990s. 880s are surgical tools and to be left alone

I've done that for sure, it's not a great solution and doesn't fully help. Beyers are not bad when you only use them and adjust to the sound but they could be better for sure.

I was looking at the Beyer DT 900 Pro X as well but I've always been happy with Sennheiser stuff.

 

[Orvillain]

I loathe those DT770's. Absolute bowel.

My Senny 599's are great. I really like them for mixing, and unlike a lot of headphones, they don't sound hyped and "impressive" which results in making loads of moves that you end up having to redo later on, on monitors.

 

[newholland]

I've done that for sure, it's not a great solution and doesn't fully help. Beyers are not bad when you only use them and adjust to the sound but they could be better for sure.

I was looking at the Beyer DT 900 Pro X as well but I've always been happy with Sennheiser stuff.

i totally get that. my ears go either way- but i know tons of folks who have strong preferences- but i also think most of it also depends on whats driving them. sennheisers (especially 600/650s) seem to live a big throttley amp, where beyers are a little less fussy. but man when you have something capable of mustering some voltage, sennheisers are amazing. 770s are fantastic for live tracking cause its impossible to miss the kick drum and bass. i have mix checked with em.. and even run sound with them, but beyond quiet... they can get a little bright.

I loathe those DT770's. Absolute bowel.

My Senny 599's are great. I really like them for mixing, and unlike a lot of headphones, they don't sound hyped and "impressive" which results in making loads of moves that you end up having to redo later on, on monitors.

see... but theyre tools with a purpose. i wouldnt mix on 770s except for live, where its loud and you cant hear treble in a can and you cant always get a great read on the bass. as a monitoring can in a live room, you can hear everything. i think folks forget theyre engineered with design goals in mind... but companies dont really make those super apparent in efforts to just throw stuff at a wall and see if it sells to general consumers

 

[László]

Here's what I discovered a couple years ago about headphones: The amplifier you drive them with makes an incredible difference in how they sound. I installed an SPL Phonitor One. Not terribly expensive, will drive any phones.

My main headphones are Audeze LCD-Xs, the most recent model. They were good, with or without Sonarworks. The Phonitor made them incredible sounding. For tracking I use Beyer DT-1770s (not 770s). They were a significant step up from the 770s, and with the Phonitor they sound very close to the LCD-Xs, which I found shocking, though in my case, pleasantly so.

The real revelation was the DT-770s that I have here for talent. With a very good headphone amp like the SPL, they were transformed from something I wouldn't want to spend much time with, into very good headphones.

I've had a lot of very good gear I've used with headphones that supposedly had excellent headphone amps. Compared to the SPL they are garbage, and turn audio into junk. This includes the Neve summing mixer's headphone outputs, and those on the Apollo. Useful only if you have nothing else on hand.

Sennheiser makes very good sounding cans; I had a pair, but they were the ones priced similar to the Beyer DT-770, and they fell apart within a short time, so I fixed them a couple of times, but wound up tossing them out. The 770s last forever, which is one reason you see them in so many studios. I'm sure the higher priced ones are more robust, and I'd give them a shot if I needed another set.

Incidentally, my son produced a gold record on a pair of DT770s with no special headphone amp. He loves good gear, but that's what he had available on a tour, so that's what he used. Goes to show that the point is still the music, and not the gear - I say this as a confirmed gear Wh*re.

 

[newholland]

Here's what I discovered a couple years ago about headphones: The amplifier you drive them with makes an incredible difference in how they sound. I installed an SPL Phonitor One. Not terribly expensive, will drive any phones.

My main headphones are Audeze LCD-Xs, the most recent model. They were good, with or without Sonarworks. The Phonitor made them incredible sounding. For tracking I use Beyer DT-1770s (not 770s). They were a significant step up from the 770s, and with the Phonitor they sound very close to the LCD-Xs, which I found shocking, though in my case, pleasantly so.

The real revelation was the DT-770s that I have here for talent. With a very good headphone amp like the SPL, they were transformed from something I wouldn't want to spend much time with, into very good headphones.

I've had a lot of very good gear I've used with headphones that supposedly had excellent headphone amps. Compared to the SPL they are garbage, and turn audio into junk. This includes the Neve summing mixer's headphone outputs, and those on the Apollo. Useful only if you have nothing else on hand.

Sennheiser makes very good sounding cans; I had a pair, but they were the ones priced similar to the Beyer DT-770, and they fell apart within a short time, so I fixed them a couple of times, but wound up tossing them out. The 770s last forever, which is one reason you see them in so many studios. I'm sure the higher priced ones are more robust, and I'd give them a shot if I needed another set.

Incidentally, my son produced a gold record on a pair of DT770s with no special headphone amp. He loves good gear, but that's what he had available on a tour, so that's what he used. Goes to show that the point is still the music, and not the gear - I say this as a confirmed gear Wh*re.

yuuuup. people often hating 770s arent driving them well- same with hd650s. both are super capable.. but you can use 770s as a weapon.


can only reiterate alll these truths. get a real amplifier and there'll be differences, but theyll be far less apparent than folks make them out to be. i think i have eight pairs, i use all of them for different things- but i use a lotta beyers on burly amps upwards of five watts. i still use 770s even with better ones in the arsenal just cause theyre a known quantity sonically and theyre comfortable. i feel spoiled at home cause i can control that and its lovely to hear... if only every studio had great amps. sigh.

 

[Jarick]

What amps are you using where you hear a big difference compared to a quality interface? The only one I tried was a Schiit just to see if there was a sonic difference. It sounded much better obviously than running off say an iPad headphone output but with my UAD Twin the output sounds pretty good as well. I like the analog volume knob more than anything.

 

[newholland]

What amps are you using where you hear a big difference compared to a quality interface? The only one I tried was a Schiit just to see if there was a sonic difference. It sounded much better obviously than running off say an iPad headphone output but with my UAD Twin the output sounds pretty good as well. I like the analog volume knob more than anything.

I have three that ive used regularly- one was a very basic smsl chip amp. id tote it recording and it was something like $79 and sounded fine. Ive used an ifi IDSD micro for hifi rigs, which was similar power, but these days i use a lake people g111, which has no issues with 600ohm beyers to headsplittingly loud volumes.

the schiits are okay but pretty much vanilla and chip amps. if you end up with burly power sections, things get noticeably grippier in my experience... like above 2w output.

 

[László]

What amps are you using where you hear a big difference compared to a quality interface?

I use, and love, the SPL Phonitor One. It sounds great. The difference is night and day (just my two cents). If you can, go listen through one to a good set of cans. It's revelatory.

However, after 31 years using a superb Rupert Neve-designed focusrite Red preamp/controller (bought when multitrack recording meant tape and focusrite gear was very expensive), I find that either it's aged a bit, or for some other reason could use more headroom with today's converters.

So I'm planning to get the bigger Phonitor 3 model that's also a preamp able to switch between and control a few sets of studio monitors. It runs on 120V rails, so there's tons of headroom.

I'll keep the Focusrite and use it as a source for connected CD players, etc., where I don't have to be mixing and listening so critically.