Sennheiser Launches Closed-Back HD 480 PRO Headphones

	The mechanical design makes sure that the headphones optimally adapt to the head and maintain an equal contact pressure, the company says.

With the HD 480 PRO, Sennheiser launches its closed-back headphones for studio and live environments. As the company notes, with closed-back headphones, good low-end reproduction is usually difficult to achieve. "This is where the HD 480 PRO excels," says Jimmy R. Landry, category market manager, music industry. Compared to other closed-back headphones, they are a lot tighter on the bass; their low-end is super-accurate and realistic."

"Comfort is of paramount importance when headphones are a work tool," adds Gunnar Dirks, senior product manager for professional headphones. "Engineers often spend hours on end in their sessions. They need a lightweight, ergonomically designed pair of headphones to keep focus and concentration up. The HD 480 PRO eliminates any pressure points and fits every head precisely and comfortably, even if you're wearing glasses."

The product has already racked up numerous endorsements. "Knowing that you can rely on what you're hearing is everything; that's what you get with the HD 480 PRO," says producer Jim Kaufman.

"When I'm going to be mixing on headphones outside my studio, it's imperative I have a pair that I trust," says mix engineer Will Brierre. "With the HD 480 PRO, to have this level of quality and accuracy in a closed-back headphone is amazing."

"As producers, we have to receive the best sound to our ears that we can," says artist and producer Young Chencs. "Every detail is important. When you're wearing the 480s, you're immersed in the sound, completely undistracted by the outside world."

"The ear cushions. Incredibly soft, right away," says singer-songwriter Nao Yoshioka. "And then the dimensionality of the sound. It felt like the music had depth and space around it. Two things stood out immediately. The spatial quality of the sound makes it so much easier to understand where everything sits in a mix. And while recording, I could hear my own voice with this real clarity and dimension. It actually made singing feel more natural and easier."

To enable the user to fully concentrate on the audio and hear all details, the HD 480 PRO features multiple stages of passive sound shielding, while comfortable ear pads with soft grooves for the temples of glasses ensure the precise seal required for good audio reproduction. A series of design measures -- subsumed under the term "Vibration Attenuation System" -- eliminate unwanted vibration, reflections, and distortion, preserving the clarity of the signal. The ultralight voice coils of the HD 480 PRO ensure a remarkably authentic and dynamic reproduction.

Like its open-back counterpart, the HD 490 PRO, the HD 480 PRO benefits from several Sennheiser-patented features. The mechanical design makes sure that the headphones optimally adapt to the head and maintain an equal contact pressure. The ear pads do not press on the temples of glasses but have a soft zone, which ensures good sealing and high comfort at the same time. Near the earcup, the connection cable features a coiled portion, which effectively decouples the HD 480 PRO from any structure-borne or handling noise, such as that transmitted when the cable hits the desk, for example.

To adapt to different setups, the detachable cable can be worn on the left or right side of the HD 480 PRO. The flexible cable routing is suitable for solo recording instruments, keeping the cable out of the way. To ensure accessibility, the left and right earcups are braille-marked.

Our developers have been working painstakingly to bring the sound of the closed HD 480 PRO as closely as possible to that of the open HD 490 PRO. Which model is the better choice for you really depends on how you work," Dirks says. "The open HD 490 PRO will be ideal for mixing in quiet environments, while I would recommend the closed HD 480 PRO for applications where you need isolation, for example, when you're tracking vocals in the room, when monitoring or using them as a front-of-house reference, or simply when you're working in the same space as others."

The HD 480 PRO features recording earpads and a 9' coiled cable and is delivered complete with a carrying bag. Instead of the bag, the HD 480 PRO Plus comes with a travel case.

Available accessories include replacement recording ear pads, replacement coiled cable (9.84'), 5.9' straight cable, 9.84' straight cable, balanced cable, replacement travel case, storage case, and replacement bag.