Sennheiser HD 380 Pro Headphones

D

dexterbydesign

New member
Hi all,

Does anybody have a review on the Sennheiser HD 380 Pro Headphones, or even an opinion? Will be used mostly for tracking. If they're completely in the wrong direction can anybody suggest a nice set for under AU$300?

Cheers,
Dex
 
well, seeing as nobody else has commented:

I haven't actually used the 380's but going on Sennheiser's track record with the HD series, I'd probably take a punt on getting a pair.
Of course the obvious solution is to go find a shop which stocks them and try some out.

Sorry can't be more helpful
 
From my own research, it seems the HD280s might be a better studio choice due to their flatter response curve. However, if only for tracking, that might be a bit moot. I watched a series of videos on YouTube of a guy who was comparing a load of headphones against the same pink noise source, looking for the flattest response - might be worth searching for that (sorry, don't have a link where I am right now).
 
jonny deep said:
From my own research, it seems the HD280s might be a better studio choice due to their flatter response curve. However, if only for tracking, that might be a bit moot. I watched a series of videos on YouTube of a guy who was comparing a load of headphones against the same pink noise source, looking for the flattest response - might be worth searching for that (sorry, don't have a link where I am right now).
Click to expand...

response curves may not tell the whole story of course. A pair of headphones or monitors might appear 'flat' but sound pants. Looking at curves doesn't compare to listening with your own two lug'oles
pink noise is slightly better i guess - but you'd be much better off listening to a piece of music that you know really really well. In fact, two or three different pieces of music would be ideal.

Also, you might not actually want something that sounds 'flat' for studio monitoring. I know it sounds daft, but depending on what you're recording something that has a bit less low end and maybe a gentle presence boost can make it easier to follow singers / guitars etc for overdubbing, rather than being swamped in bass.

mmmmmmmm... bass. everybody loves bass.
 
cobaltaudio said:
response curves may not tell the whole story of course. A pair of headphones or monitors might appear 'flat' but sound pants. Looking at curves doesn't compare to listening with your own two lug'oles
pink noise is slightly better i guess - but you'd be much better off listening to a piece of music that you know really really well. In fact, two or three different pieces of music would be ideal.

Also, you might not actually want something that sounds 'flat' for studio monitoring. I know it sounds daft, but depending on what you're recording something that has a bit less low end and maybe a gentle presence boost can make it easier to follow singers / guitars etc for overdubbing, rather than being swamped in bass.

mmmmmmmm... bass. everybody loves bass.
Click to expand...

Indeed. I'm thinking of some HD280s for mixing, however for tracking you might prefer something with a more flattering sound. I've yet to see a pair in the shops to try out, though!
 
In my opinion, it kind of depends on what you are tracking, and what you hope to accomplish with the headphones. I personally think that the 380's would be overkill for tracking. If you're trying to isolate the sound for tracking, the 280's would be a good choice. If you're talking about using them for mixing (OK, let's not even have that discussion guys), I would go with Beyer DT 700's, much flatter. If you're trying to tell exactly what the source is going to sound like recorded as you're tracking it, well, good luck with that one.
 
notCardio said:
OK, let's not even have that discussion guys
Click to expand...

Lol, I'm not intending to mix solely on headphones - I'll still use my monitors, but could do with decent headphones for listening to detail and to allow me to work once our baby arrives and it's asleep (and I have time/energy for studio work again!).

Thanks for the tip - I'll check out those Beyers.
 
Headphones are a matter of personal taste. A lot of the ones other people seem to go for, I find too hyped. The Beyers are the most neutral that I've heard, not that I'm any sort of expert on this subject. I use the 280's for playing guitar and bass, mostly for their isolation. They sound good for listening on a ipod, too, for the same reason that they don't make good mixing phones - they're too hyped in both the bass and the high end. Scooped is what I'd call them.

The Beyers, imo, are great for detail work. And though they're closed-back, they're not so isolating that you wouldn't hear the baby cry.

Come to think of it, maybe you'd better get both. ;)
 
I've used the HD280 for a number of years for mixing. They're not what I would describe as a flat curve, very rich bass. They're actually very accurate all around with good bass, which probably makes them seem bass heavy. Recently got a set of Shure SRH440 (another $100-ish entry level over the ear), which have a truly flat response curve. Maybe a little too flat. There's definitely more mid details with the Shure. I'm tempted to keep my HD280 as my primary mixing and tracking headphones, and use the Shure as a second opinion for fine tuning a mix. I also have cheap BX5a studio monitors, but it's not always convenient to play thing son them at the hours I sometimes work on music.

If given the option (for the price) I would buy and use the HD280. Overall I don't think there's a better $100 headphone. Very comfortable too!
 
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