i noticed that when listening to my old mixes (done with my dynaudio's and my 280's) they sound less spacious and wide on the 600's as well as on other playback systems. Back in 2015, I had next to no experience with headphones outside of the MDR-7506 and Audio Technica ATH-M50.

So, while orchestral tracks like this one may not pack the excitement they do on a pair like the Yamaha PRO 500, they are conveyed cleanly and accurately, so the mastering engineer can get a handle on what the actual stereo recording sounds like. However it’s a difference only seen on the graph, regardless of calibration being engaged or not, no audible distortion artefacts were spotted in listening tests. In addition to updating the look and padding of the headband, Sennheiser added their new logos to it.I really don't think burn in is real, but these tended to just open up a little after playing for a few nights at medium level. If I'm gushing, it's because I truly have come to rely on the HD 280 Pros for creating and mixing music in my own home studio. The Audio-Technica are more comfortable, which makes them better-suited for long critical listening sessions, but they can sound quite boomy and even piercing at times. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a passionate audiophile, join us in unraveling the secrets of this renowned product, including a closer look at any potential drawbacks that may have eluded the spotlight.

The Sennheiser HD280 Pro circumaural headphones are closed-back, designed for professional monitoring applications. The Sennheiser have a much more neutral bass and smoother overall sound but aren’t very comfortable. Never felt such pleasure from listening to the music, even on decent stereo speakers and much more expensive headphones than the listed above. Of course you all know this is probably the best produced album ever, and this is a great bass tester.Unfortunately, they're very tight on the head and don't have a breathable design, so they will get more uncomfortable during long listening sessions compared to some of the other critical listening closed-back headphones below. After a good week of burn in, the cans sound very warm, it is easy to pickup reverb on guitar and vocals. The sound of the headphones at first before they're broken in is rather harsh and very mid-forward, but after a good dozen hours they mellow out and become more smooth, still with a good mid-presence which really emphasizes vocals, and is real useful for vocal tracking. Unless you want to fall asleep from pure boredom and are okay with jarring cuts and dips in the frequency response, I’d stay away from these. Comfort here is about average, maybe slightly below due to them clamping rather tight on your melon.

Like you said, it strikes that perfect balance between being great for reference but also as a casual listener as well. In the studio, on the stage, or behind the camera — there’s a reason professionals have turned to Sennheiser microphones and headphones for more than 75 years. For me, their tight-fit is very comfortable, but you'll need to take them off and let your ears 'breathe' every now and then. However, put on some Bill Evans Trio, close your eyes, and you'll be surprised how convincing the experience of sitting in some smoke-filled jazz club in New York is! While the MDR-7506 have held their place as an industry standard for some time, they aren’t without their flaws.

The isolation also comes in handy when micing up instruments for placement and finding the 'sweet spot' by listening through the mic. My other set of cans are the Sennheiser HD 555's which weren't cutting it at work being completely open headphones.

If you want something that sounds similar to the HD 280 Pro, but offers more features, like a detachable cable, the slightly more expensive Shure SRH1440 is an excellent studio option. So I'm not a huge headphone amplifier guy, I don't know, I've never been able to tell a huge difference; combined with the fact I'm a poor college student equals me having a cheaper DAC/Amplifier.The plastic frame of the headband is a touch more sleek than in the older 280 Pro, and the padding now has a big cutout in the center to avoid creating a hotspot in the middle of your head. However, the ear cup joints are the weak points where these headphones are most likely to get damaged. Not bad as a throw around pair, would recommend Athm50x or Beyer (low Ohm) over these for alittle more loot.