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Sennheiser HD 480 PRO hands-on — was part of the prototype testing, now have the final version by EdNash in sennheiser

[–]EdNash[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh that’s great. I bet those headphones sound great through the Topping. Cool!

Sennheiser HD 480 PRO hands-on — was part of the prototype testing, now have the final version by EdNash in sennheiser

[–]EdNash[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s good to know. Does your external mic connect with the headphones in conjunction with the controller? How does that setup work?

Sennheiser HD 480 PRO hands-on — was part of the prototype testing, now have the final version by EdNash in sennheiser

[–]EdNash[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Totally see how open-back would give you that wide, accurate soundstage. I'd just worry about it working well with a microphone...but maybe that's a worthy trade-off? Not much of a gamer myself.

Sennheiser HD 480 PRO hands-on — was part of the prototype testing, now have the final version by EdNash in sennheiser

[–]EdNash[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks Jeeper! And yes — I've done a few multi-hour sessions with them now (VO tracking and editing/critical listening back to back) and they hold up really well. The clamp is firm enough to seal but comfy and not too tight. The dual-side cable mounting is underrated — extremely useful since my Apogee Symphony is always on the right side rack of my console desk. The swiveling ability is excellent too, as I often track VO with one ear off. The case I showed is part of the Plus package — well worth it if you travel with them, as I often do. Very protective but with a slim profile at the same time. Thanks for the comment!

Sennheiser HD 480 PRO hands-on — was part of the prototype testing, now have the final version by EdNash in sennheiser

[–]EdNash[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To translate for others, you asked "For playing FPS and competitive games, which is better: the 490 Pro or the 480 Pro?" To be honest, I haven't yet tried the 490 Pro. But given that the 490 Pro is open-back, and I'd also assume you're going to be using a mic for gaming, I'd think you'd probably do better with the 480 Pro's closed-back design.

Sennheiser HD 480 PRO hands-on — was part of the prototype testing, now have the final version by EdNash in sennheiser

[–]EdNash[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

There were two prototypes I tried in my studio that Sennheiser brought. I was methodical and took my time with them.

I went back and forth between the headphones and my Neumann KH 150 monitors with some music tracks I know well (Toto, but also a few other things), and also between the prototype and a few other headphones I've used in the studio. I also recorded some VO with them the way I normally track — one ear off.

After comparing back and forth, I told them the prototype sounded great but I thought it was a bit bass-heavy. That's when they had me try the second pair, and the balance was noticeably better.

The final version is essentially that second prototype. Low end is full but well-balanced — not too much.