Sennheiser HD 280 Pro

Every once in a great while somebody makes a small "mistake" of sorts that somehow gets things more right than they perhaps ought to be .... Well, CRASH!BOOM!BAM!BING!SPLAT!... These headphones sound terrific for sealed-earcup, full-size cans priced under $100! Although maybe missing just a bit of audio detail at the extreme edges of the frequency range, the 280Pro remains a very well-balanced and even-toned closed-earcup headphone that manages to get plenty of clear, punchy sonics going from low to high. A very enjoyable pair of headphones for all the things you normally want sealed (closed-earcup) headphones for: noise-blocking for commuting on planes, trains, automobiles, watching movies in bed, or listening in quiet workplaces or in noisy environments. They remain efficient enough to be well-driven by most portable audio players and laptop computers BUT will definitely sonically bloom big-time when mated with any dedicated headphone amp. The HD280Pro has also become the headphone choice of audio, film, and field recording/mixing professionals due to its clear tonal presentation, very effective ambient noise attenuation properties, and durable build quality. A true workhorse of a sealed-earcup headphone at a really hard-to-beat price.

Despite its somewhat bulky-looking headband, the HD280 Pro is a comfortable wear for the majority of listeners. The circumaural, sealed earcups are covered in a deep glove-soft pleather padding surrounding the ear which also helps to improve the strong ambient noise attenuation characteristics of the headphone. Adjustment rails move in and out of the headband to change the fit; we found it a bit creaky for quick adjustments, but quite secure & comfortable in the end. The earcups on the HD 280Pro fold up & in via hinges in the headband, allowing the headphone to be stowed away in a compact (albeit lumpy) bundle for transit or storage. The headband can also be gently bent (gently!) to better accomodate those preferring less clamping force. HANDY TIP: Letting the headphones stretch while clamped over a thick stack of books or a basketball for several days will help to slightly loosen the headband for big-melon owners. The HD280Pro cord is a coiled cable design that stretches to around three meters (approximately +/- 9ft) and the cable comes terminated to a 1/8" [3.5mm] plug with a handy threaded 1/4" full-size plug adapter included in the package. A superb 2-year product warranty remains standard with all Sennheiser headphones.