Thinking of getting some Sennheiser HD485s

D_Brasted · 22 Dec 2007 at 02:56

Hi,

I'm thinking of getting some Sennheiser HD 485s, and wondered whether peeps here think they're a good choice...

I am going to be wearing them for lengthy periods, so comfort is a big concern. I also wear glasses. Regarding the sound quality, I mainly listen to what's known as "contemporary Christian music" (I'm not good at describing music, but I suppose CCM's something like "soft rock"), as well as some softer acoustic stuff - so I like a crisp, clean sound (for the vocals, acoustic guitars, etc), with a good degree of punchy (but not overwhelming) bass.

Are the 485s a good choice? I can get them for a little under £40 inc p&p. Any other suggestions? I don't really want to spend more than £55.

Thanks.

D_Brasted · 22 Dec 2007 at 11:40

The 555s are cool, but I wanted 32ohm headphones as I'm mainly going to be using them with my personal CD player.

D_Brasted · 22 Dec 2007 at 22:56

Having looked some more, the HD555s' frequency response seems more even than that of the 485s (various reviewers, professional and layman, complain of too much bass and not enough mids), and the price of the HD555s is low enough for me to be very interested...

I'm a little concerned about the higher impedance though - I've read/heard that running a device with too high impedance headphones can damage the output (e.g. of a PC soundcard/portable CD player). Is this true? The 555s are rated at 50 ohms rather than the usual 64, but that's still higher than the 32 of the 485s. I can't afford a headphone amp, unfortunately.

D_Brasted · 22 Dec 2007 at 23:12

Thanks. Another thing - do the 555s have a detachable cable? HeadRoom say no, but the official British Sennheiser product sheet says it does. I ask because if they do, and I choose to buy them, then I can also just buy a replacement cable with a 3.5mm jack, rather than purchase (for example) the Grado 6.3mm-3.5mm adapter.

D_Brasted · 22 Dec 2007 at 23:38

Thanks. I guess the best thing to do is to try each pair and see which I prefer...

I'm going into central London on Monday - any recommendations for shops that are likely to sell/let me try them? (providing they're not a competitor...

)

D_Brasted · 26 Dec 2007 at 01:45

Hi again,

After doing some more research, I'm still unsure which headphones to go for, and my choice has just widened...

I was intending to get circumaural headphones, but having briefly tried a set of supra-aural Sennheiser HD 25s I'm not so sure... or in other words, I'm considering both types.

I was also not worried about whether they were open or closed - and quite liked the thought of the more "airy" sound of open headphones. However, I'm not so sure now - I don't want to be disturbing everyone around me (e.g. at home, when I'm at my computer and my family's watching the TV in my room) - so maybe I would prefer semi-open/closed headphones.

Just how open are the 485s and 555s?

So... any more suggestions? I'm looking for clarity and evenness of tone over bass "punch", but still like some depth to the bass... My budget's around £55, and I'll most likely buy them online - but not from the bay.

Thanks.