HD 490 PRO Plus – Openback Professional Headphone w/Extra Cable, Earpads and Carry Case
- Open-back design with an extremely wide, dimensional sound stage and ultra-precise localization
- Uncolored frequency response for honest, dynamic sound reproduction across the full spectrum
- Sustainability-inspired with washable, replaceable pads and FSC-certified, forest-friendly packaging
- Includes Dear Reality dearVR MIX-SE plugin, turning your DAW into an ultimate virtual mixing environment via advanced spatial audio technology
- Two unique sets of ear pads for producing or mixing help eliminate ear fatigue and pinpoint frequencies
HD 490 PRO Plus – Openback Professional Headphone w/Extra Cable, Earpads and Carry Case
$479.00
Additional information
Specification: HD 490 PRO Plus – Openback Professional Headphone w/Extra Cable, Earpads and Carry Case
|
Reviews (6)
6 reviews for HD 490 PRO Plus – Openback Professional Headphone w/Extra Cable, Earpads and Carry Case
Show all
Most Helpful
Highest Rating
Lowest Rating
BP –
These medium priced headphones shoot above their class in the quality of sound they deliver. While everyone has their own taste (and very subjective) in what they like to hear – these have a great balance, presents all the little details and a stage presentation that so immersive you will fall into total bliss.
I have these paired up with a RME ADI-2 DAC FS (overkill) but being able to listen to volumes lower than others and still pick up the fidelity is something that sold me.
You cant go wrong with these.
Daniel –
In the last couple months I’ve tried a lot of headphones with gaming and music as my focus I wanted a headphone that could do both, DT 1990 pro, Sen HD 650, Audeze Maxwell, Corsair Virtuoso pro and even a Blackshark v2 pro 2023 edition. I’ve tested different amps, dacs separate sources like Tidal, apple music, youtube music, spotify with varrying bitrates.
Here is what I’ve landed on and I’m finally happy with the HD 490 PRO Plus as a good all arounder headphone that has enough detail and imaging for FPS games and Balanced enough for listening to a variety of music. This headphone handles vocals beautifully and the soundstage is wide enough to get you immersed while not being the widest, overall this headphone doesn’t do anything bad but doesn’t really excel in anything specifically aside from maybe imaging, I don’t say this as a negative if you want one pair of great headphones this is it.
These aren’t that hard to drive, I could drive them directly from my PC and my laptop, but they did not really allow the 490’s to shine, I paired them with the Schiit Vali 2+ tube amp for additonal warmth and some harmonics, then swapped to the analytical pads and added dolby atmos for headphones and what can I saw but these sound brilliant like this.
I would not recommend atmos with the valour pads or using the analytical pads with no EQ as the mids felt recessed, for some reason the combination of the tube amp, atmos and the analytical pads just reached a magic spot for me.
for gamers out there, the Sennheiser GSX 100 dac/amp powered these just fine and it sounded great with the music EQ preset, but I still preferred the tube amp.
The Stretch –
I really like this headphone! It’s extremely comfortable, clear, and has top-notch vocals. More bass than stock HD650. With the ZMF pads the HD650 are too close to warrant the cost, but if I didn’t already own headphones, these or HD660s2 would be the Sennheiser I buy.
Not my real name –
Building a mix that translates well to various listening environments is always a bit of an educated guess. These headphones are a great tool to help us make good decisions and achieve the desired end result. Quickly and comfortably I might add.
Over three decades of abuse my hearing has been damaged. Loud volume brings distortion and pain. I understand my disability and try very hard not to over compensate. These wonderful headphones allow me to work below the threshold of pain. The tonal balance is even and the detail is clear. The separation between bass guitar and bass drum is remarkable.
The included DearVR Mix software is a useful tool. It simulates different listening environments so we can check our mixes without physically going anywhere. Helps eliminate some of the guesswork.
Again allow me emphasize this pair of headphones won’t magically make everything sound good. Actually they will reveal defects of poorly mixed material. If you are an audiophile or gamer these are not intended for you. Get something else.
This Is Not –
I have been getting more into video editing while making my own music in Garageband. Nothing too much, just background stuff that I don’t need to pay a license or website to use. I’ve been relying on my 16″ MacBook Pro for this work, but only had Bluetooth headphones. My AirPods Max were fine for this work when I plugged them in since I didn’t want to experience a delay when trying to synchronize up narrations in my videos or music cues.
But my AirPods Max plugged in are a hassle due to Apple not adding a 2.5/3.5mm input. Finding a long enough cable to go from the 3.5mm output of my MacBook Pro to my AirPods Max’s Lightning input was daunting. Not every cable work and I just wanted something that was open-back for more accuracy. Some of my songs had too much bass or not enough highs.
I decided to try these paired with a FiiO USB C DAC. I initially plugged them into my MacBook Pro’s 3.5mm output, but it wasn’t quite enough to fully drive these. Overall, Sennheiser has a hit. I’ve listened to their HD 6xx headphones before and liked what I heard. But these are closer to reference, and I like that Sennheiser has a single cable running to them. You can hook them up to 3.5mm sources as well as 4.4mm.
Sennheiser included two types of earcups and head bads. One set is more felt like, and the other is fabric like the AirPods Max. I think both are comfortable, I prefer the fabric for longer listening sessions due to better ventilation.
Sennheiser also includes a flat, rigid travel case that fits the headphones and cables. The open-back design allows for a wide soundstage. These are the flattest headphones I have used, more accurate than anything my ears have heard. Lows, mids, and highs are all equally represented without the ranges blending between each other.
With these being open-backed, outside noise easily flows in. These aren’t made for isolation listening. You need a quiet room. However, when you find the right conditions, the details flow out of these headphones. I have enjoyed using these headphones professionally and started using them with my iPhone. I use the same FiiO DAC with my iPhone and have started listening to lossless audio due to the added detail the HD 490 Pro Plus have. Standard Apple Music quality (256kbps AAC) just wasn’t cutting it after training my ears on what to listen for.
Really, I don’t think you can go wrong with these if you need professional headphones or want one of Sennheiser’s best pair of headphones. These are made by Sennheiser themselves, not the company they sold their consumer division to. These are their latest professional headphones that are easy to recommend. Ever since getting these and the DAC, I haven’t touched my earbuds or AirPods Max aside from travel cases when I want ANC.
Chris Muir –
This headphone is quite accurate. It lets good mixes sound good, and bad mixes sound bad.
Audiophiles want a headphone that makes everything sound good. This headphone does not do that, and it shouldn’t.
It’s super comfortable, and I find it non-fatiguing for long sessions.