Most of the headphones that I review are made for consumers. They are tuned to provide a dynamic bass and wide soundstage. While this can be impressive, it’s not always an accurate reproduction of the sound that the recording engineer or producer of a piece of music intended. And how a piece of music is recorded and mixed matters. That’s where these new Sennheiser HD490 Pro headphones come in.
Announced at NAMM 2024, the Sennheiser HD490 PRO are over-the-ear (circumaural), open-back, dynamic headphones that have been created by Sennheiser’s professional audio division and made with recording engineers and producers in mind. These are the ultimate headphones for an extended mixing session, ensuring that the final mix is pristine.
The Sennheiser HD490 PRO is available in a basic version with one set of ear pads and a 1.8m cable. There’s also a Pro Plus version that comes with two different sets of ear pads; one for mixing and the other for producing. They are made from different materials but both offer comfort during extended sessions and with the open back design, there’s plenty of ventilation to keep ears feeling fresh.
The rationale behind the new design of the HD490 PRO is down to the fact that the music industry has changed significantly in the past decade or so. Producers and engineers have massive amounts of computing power that they can use to sculpt sounds on a recording. The result is that sometimes, mixes can be crowded with complexity and competing frequencies can muddy the soundstage, creating audio blind spots.
To produce a clean mix and create a first-class mix, you need a pair of headphones that can unpick all those sounds so that an ordered mix with all instruments being heard clearly can be fashioned to give the kind of result that might win a Grammy.
To tackle this issue, Sennheiser’s audio engineers set about creating the ultimate pair of headphones designed for the perfect mix. The HD 490 PRO headphones have a wide sound stage that’s ideal for precisely localizing all the components of a dynamic mix. Sennheiser’s engineers specified ultralight voice coils that are fast enough to produce an authentic reproduction of a complex mix. The dynamic 38mm drivers have an impedance of 130Ω and are ideal for plugging into a mixing desk or professional amplifier.
The HD490 Pro are some of the most uncolored-sounding headphones I’ve ever tested and they are probably one of the best pairs of headphones at reproducing the complete audio spectrum while still defining a natural and full-bodied bass that is produced by a special low-frequency cylinder.
Sennheiser’s Open-frame Architecture minimizes the resonances and distortion from the driver and creates a clean and uncolored sound that’s ideal for lengthy listening sessions and that won’t tire your ears. Lots of headphones are tuned to grab your attention when you first put them on but they end up giving you a headache after 30 minutes. The transducers in the HD 490 PRO are set at a slight angle to reproduce the positioning of a typical monitor loudspeaker setup.
Sound quality is only half the battle if you’re wearing headphones all through a working day. To make the HD 490 Pro as comfortable as possible for professional use, Sennheiser created a lightweight and ergonomic design that would eliminate any pressure points on the wearer’s head. The headphones weigh in at 260g and the headband doesn’t press on the sensitive apex point of the skull. You will see there is a notch cut out of the padded headband for that purpose.
The circumaural ear pads have patented soft comfort zones around the temples where the arms of eyeglasses might cause a problem. The soft comfort zones ensure that there is a good acoustic seal even if the wearer has glasses. Sennheiser has also applied for a patent for the special axes geometry of the HD 490 PRO. This design makes sure that the headphones adapt optimally to the wearer’s head when they are put on, maintaining an equal contact pressure no matter what the shape of the user’s head.
Before designing the HD 490 PRO, Sennheiser carried out the biggest professional headphone survey the company has ever undertaken. The survey discovered that professional users said neutral and flat reference audio was the most important feature they looked for in studio headphones.
However, Sennheiser looked further into the survey, it discovered that a slightly warmer sound was preferred over a 100% neutral response. To please its customers, Sennheiser opted to provide its customers with two pairs of headphones in one by providing two different sets of ear pads that were carefully designed to shape the sound differently.
The HD 490 PRO has two sets of ear pads. The producing pads are made with velour and produce a slightly warmer response that creates perspective and helps users judge the overall sound of a mix. Meanwhile, the mixing ear pads are made with fabric and produce a very flat and neutral sound that dives into the details when a sound reference is needed in finishing off a mix. Both sets of ear pads are washable which is both hygienic and sustainable.
There’s something else that comes with the HD 490 PRO headphones: a free license for the dearVR MIX-SE plugin from Dear Reality. The plugin turns a DAW into a virtual mixing environment, simulating the carefully designed acoustics of ideal mixing helping to create a balanced and consistent translation of a mix on different systems.
One feature I like about the HD 490 PRO is how the detachable headphone cable can be plugged into the right or left earpiece for different recording setups and user preferences. The connector has a lock and it’s a very secure plug design. A patented cable coil structure reduces the vibrations or microphonics. If the cable rubs against the mixing desk or some clothing, it won’t transmit that sound to the headphones. There are clear left and right designations on the inside dust covers of each driver, while the headband fork carries braille information.
Although the Sennheiser HD 490 PRO are designed for mixing and producing, I think these are one of the most satisfying pairs of open-back headphones for music lovers. The neutral sound balance is close to perfection, but unlike a lot of flat-response headphones, the HD 490 PRO have just enough warmth and bass extension to make them superb for listening to well-recorded music.
Trying them out with some early Blue Note recordings or some of Ella Fitzgerald’s songbooks, and the delicacy and articulation of the HD 490 PRO are there to hear. These headphones are a delight. They sound superb throughout the frequency range plus they are a dream to wear.
The open-back design means your ears never overheat. Of course, as an open-back design, you do need to use them somewhere quiet as outside noises can reach your ears. Likewise, sound leaks from the HD 490 PRO like a proverbial sieve so I wouldn’t recommend them for the daily commute.
Verdict: Whether you are producing your music or mixing a recording for someone else, the new Sennheiser HD 490 PRO are about the best you can get in terms of clean sound and dynamic soundstage. Despite their neutral-sounding profile, the HD 490 PRO don’t sound dry or flat. They have enough warmth to make for a great mix and are simply sublime with well-recorded music. The goodness doesn’t stop with the sound; these are some of the most comfortable over-the-ear headphones you are ever likely to wear. The lightweight design means they can be worn for hours on end. Overall, the Sennheiser HD 490 PRO are probably the best pair of professional open-back headphones on the market.
Pricing & Availability: The HD 490 PRO is delivered complete with two different sets of ear pads (mixing and producing) plus a 1.8 m headphone cable and a dearVR MIX-SE license. The Price is $399 / £399 / €399. The HD 490 PRO Plus headphones are priced at $479 / £479 / €479 and includes a 3m cable, a transport case, plus an extra fabric headband pad in addition to the standard velour headband. All the extras that ship with the Plus model are also available as individual accessories if you want to upgrade later. A balanced headphone cable is available as an optional extra for $39 / £39 / €39.
More info: sennheiser.com
Tech Specs:
- Ear coupling: Circumaural.
- Transducer principle: Dynamic.
- Transducer diameter: 38mm.
- Frequency response: 5 – 36,000Hz, 100Hz (-10 dB).
- Sensitivity: 105dB SPL (1 kHz/1 Vrms); 96 dB SPL (1 kHz/1 mW).
- Max. sound pressure level: 128 dB SPL (1 kHz, 5% THD).
- THD: <0.2% (1 kHz, 100 dB SPL).
- Impedance: 130Ω (1 kHz)
- Power rating: 300mW (100h, noise IEC 60268).
- Weight (w/o cable): 260g.
