Review: The Sennheiser HD820

The newly released HD820 do an awful lot right, so come on down and demo them now!

Aesthetics, Build Quality and Accessories:

The HD820 are a really good-looking pair of headphones, you can easily tell they belong in the HD8xx series due to their space age, angular design. Where they differ is the fact they are now closed back, with a concave Gorilla Glass plate. The black and silver colour scheme screams luxury, not in a bling way but in a sophisticated and technological way. Overall the HD820 definitely looks the part.

Build quality is much the same as the other HD8xx headphones, with a mainly plastic build to keep the weight down, but without sacrificing durability. If the HD800 in our demo room are anything to go by, these will last a long time and all parts are quite easily replaceable if they wear out or break. The earpads are now half velour for comfort, with leatherette on the outer part to minimise leakage. The cable is much the same as you get with the rest of the range, which uses high purity OCC copper. The Gorilla glass should be relatively scratch proof too, so overall the design is solid and well throughout whilst remaining lightweight.

Accessory wise you get a nice display box that the headphones come in, 3 cables (6.3mm 3m, 4.4mm balanced 3m, 4-pin XLR balanced 3m), manual, microfibre cleaning cloth and a USB stick with the frequency graph for that particular pair. Sennheiser really pay attention to detail with the accessories here, and you will find everything you need, and you can tell from the cable choices that these are still geared more towards home listening.

Comfort and Isolation:

The HD820 are light, with good weight distribution, this means you can comfortably wear them for a long time. The cups are spacious and your ears don’t ever touch the driver, the pads are soft as is the headband. Even though they are closed back, I do not fine my ears heating up as quickly as other closed headphones. I think this is due to the earpads being able to breathe a little along with the amount of space there is around your ears in the cups.

Just a quick note, these are very dependent on the fit and seal, so getting them to sit right on your head is really important otherwise they may sound thin and lacking bass.

Isolation is actually very average, these are closed back but they do not block out a lot of outside noise. They also leak at moderate to loud volumes, but they leak a lot less than the HD800s. Again, these are not designed for portable use, but would be fine in an office environment or at home when you don’t want to disturb people around you with fully open headphones.

Sound:

Bass: The HD8xx series are never going to be known for their thunderous bass response, but what they do have is accuracy. And the HD820 are still fuller sounding than the HD800s, with a bit more body and warmth to the sound. They are still extremely well controlled down low, but the mid-bass has a little extra presence and fullness to make them sound less analytical. They decay is still well controlled, and extension is never an issue. There is a slight mid-bass hump on these, but it is carefully executed to not interfere with the lower midrange. The bass is not the hardest hitting, but there is excellent layering and separation., not for bass heads but it should satisfy most listeners.

Midrange: The midrange is where I find the HD820 to really stand out, they are incredible clean and articulate. But they are also very accurate in tonality, the bass doesn’t affect the lower midrange leaving vocals to come across in a neutral and natural way. The separation between layers and the overall resolution is really impressive in the midrange. They handle all genres here with ease, they have the delicacy to bring out the finer detail in acoustic and jazz, yet have the power to render distorted guitars in metal pitch perfectly. The transient response is excellent meaning they never sound congested.

Treble: The treble response is very linear on the HD820, it does not have any sharp peaks like the original HD800, and is never overbearing or fatiguing. The transition from the midrange to the treble is quite smooth, and sibilance is only a problem if the recording has it. Overall resolution up top does not quite match that of the HD800s, but the overall tonality is much more pleasing to my ears. The HD820 are not a bright headphone, but they do bring out plenty of detail up top and have plenty of extension and sparkle. I don’t think anyone would ever find the HD820 lacking in treble response, the main standout quality up top really is the tonality.

Sennheiser have done an amazing job at creating a closed headphone that sounds open, the imaging is pinpoint accurate and the soundstage is wide and deep. They sound much more like an open headphone, so colour me impressed here.

Conclusion:

When I first tested the HD820, I wasn’t that impressed, they sounded a bit dull and lifeless. I then spent some time with them, swapping between a couple of amps and found myself really enjoying what they had to offer. I wanted to find some design flaws somewhere, I didn’t want to like them as much as I do. The HD820 really nail the balanced sound signature with convincing tonality and outstanding resolution. They truly are the best closed headphones I have had the pleasure of spending some time with. Curse you Sennheiser for doing such a great job of making a closed headphone without the typical drawbacks of this design.

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Best Headphones Under £150

Koss PortaPro

Most portable headphones understandably are closed back so that they can isolate you from your surroundings – the Koss PortaPro is a great open backed option if you want a wide, open sound and want to be able to hear what’s going on around you. The headphone’s lightweight and comfortable design makes them a good sports option too.

Thomson WHP3001BK

The Thomson’s are currently our lowest priced wireless headphones – but don’t let that put you off. They fit over the ear, they are closed back and thanks to their floating headband design they are very comfortable – perfect for long listening sessions. Their sound is ideally suited for TV and radio.

Sennheiser Urbanite

The Urbanite was Sennheiser’s answer to the popular Beats headphone movement and they have done a great job for a fraction of the price. These headphones have a warm sound with great bass that doesn’t clutter the midrange and smooth, engaging detail. They also fold up and are very comfortable – great for listening on the move.

Grado SR80e

Grado’s SR80e is quite possibly the best open back headphone you can get for under £100. Being open backed you wouldn’t want to use them in public – unless you want others to hear your guilty pleasures, but their lightweight build and exciting, detailed sound makes them a great option for home use.

Lindy Cromo NCX-100

Lindy is still fairly unknown as a brand but they produce extremely good headphones at a low price. The Cromo NCX-100 is their noise cancelling model and it challenges higher priced offerings from bigger brands. They have superb build quality and comfort with a fun and engaging sound.

Fostex T20RP, T40RP, T50RP

Fostex’s recent RP series of headphones give a lot of bang for the buck. They come as either closed, open or semi-open which means there is one to suit all scenarios. They are tough to drive so may need an amp, but will sound superb with a smooth richness and clear detail. The range also boasts replaceable cables and a great comfort.

SoundMAGIC HP150

SoundMAGIC has dominated the low priced earphone market for a few years now thanks to the E10 and the HP150 is currently their flagship full sized wired headphone. The HP150’s superb build quality, comfort and fold up design combined with their clear and punchy sound makes them ideal for portable, home or studio use.

Beyerdynamic DT770

From one favourite to another – the DT770 can be seen in nearly every recording studio worldwide. This is due to their extremely tough build, great isolation and comfort. In terms of sound they are a superb all rounders with excellent bass and treble emphasis.

Sennheiser HD25 II

The HD25 has been around for ever and they still have enough unique points to be current. They are extremely popular, especially with DJs and recording studios. Most of all they deliver great sound, deep bass, isolation, durability and pretty much every part on them can be replaced thanks to the amount of spares available.

KEF M400

Finally KEF’s entry level portable offers everything you would want from your headphone on the move. First of all they fold up, have a replaceable cable, are smartphone compatible and come in a range of colours. In addition they also sound great with a well balanced sound that is very enjoyable and easy to listen to.

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Verdict

The Full-size Sennheiser Momentum is the big brother to the smaller on-ear Momentum; the last word in luxurious, portable listening with sumptuous earpads made from real leather. These headphones are fantastic for separation, and they have a very wide soundstage which belies their closed back design. Sound isolation is high; the leather pads excel in keeping unwanted noises out, while social isolation is low due to the handy Apple mic and controls.

Pros

• Comfy Earpads

• Smart/Stylish

• Rich Bass

• 5 year warranty

Cons

• Top end detail

• Relatively unforgiving headband

Key Features

• Coupling: Over Ear

• Transducer principle: Dynamic, closed

• Frequency response: 16Hz – 22kHz

• Impedance: 18?

• Weight: 190g

• Cables: (no mic) 1.4m, (Apple mic) 1.3m

First Impressions

The Momentum headphones have a solid feel with a steel and leather construction. At the same time they are quite light to wear; I don’t imagine being fatigued with these during extended periods of use. They have a style reminiscent of Aviator sunglasses; rounded, tinted and very cool with a touch of 80s chic.

As well as the 1.3m Apple-compatible cable, there’s a spare 1.4m cable (without mic) and a semi-solid case for keeping them in good condition whilst on the go. The headband pad could do with plumping up a little, but the earpads are very comfy indeed. For an ‘over-ear’ design however, the spaces in the earpads are limited so comfort may be dependent on an individual’s own ear shape and size.

Sound Quality

The Sennheiser Momentum excels at bass warmth without being bloated, and the soundstage appeared to be shoulder-wide; the ‘breadth’ of the music far exceeds the physical size of the headphones. Separation is very good also with each instrument in its own space. Mid range is involving and enjoyable, but there is a slight lack of high-end detail which some may prefer to keep. I’d summarise the frequency response as akin to the design; very comfortable indeed but not likely to send you to sleep in a hurry!

Dance music is particularly suitable, and although the Momentum can be used straight from a portable device they respond really well to amplification. Sub bass is plentiful, indeed awesome with the Fiio E12‘s bass boost. The Momentums really respond well to EQing.

Summary

If you like to relax in the bath with a box of chocolates, these are the headphones for you! This is not to say that these headphones are suitable for relaxing music only of course. Dance, rap and R&B all come across really well; acoustic music will be good due to the midrange but may lose a little something at the top end. Soundstage and separation will make up for this however; any performance will not feel any less real.

Score – 9/10

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We are a big fan of Sennheiser headphones here at HiFi Headphones. Sennheiser are the without doubt the headphone & earphone company with the largest market share. Their range covers everything from humble ear buds that replace the standard issue Apple earphones, to sports headphones for jogging and cycling, right through to high end full size Hi-Fi models. With a headphone business that includes supplying specialist headphones to helicopter and jet pilots, they really do have it all covered. If you read Sennheiser’s marketing blurb they are quite partial to the term ‘electroacoustics’ to explain what they do.

So, Sennheiser are market leaders, but are their headphones and earphones any good? Well, yes! In our experience Sennheiser’s headphones and earphone are always well made and the sound quality if often excellent, even with the cheaper models. It was once said in the IT industry that you could never be fired for buying IBM computer equipment, well we think that phrase fits well for Sennheiser. If your job depended on it you couldn’t go wrong with a Sennheiser headphone purchase!

One word of warning. Beware of cheap fake Sennheiser headphones! We have seen (and have even been offered) very cheap Sennheiser headphones. These are always fake. Often these rip-off headphones are of the lower end (e.g. CX300 ear bud headphones) and are offered at bargain prices.  These are not genuine Sennheiser’s and the quality is very poor.  They can look almost identical to the real thing, but it’s not until you actually plug these headphones in and hear how bad the sound quality is that you will realise they are fake.  As always you don’t get something for nothing!

For a wide selection of competitively priced genuine Sennheiser Headphones take a look at the HiFi Headphones store.

Sennhesier HD 465 Full Size Hifi Headphones

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Sennheiser are one of the biggest and well known headphone manufacturers with a massive range covering all categories, including wireless headphones, noise cancelling headphones, full size headphones and ever popular in ear sound isolating headphones.

Sennheiser have a long history in the audio industry making headphones and microphones, but more recently have also become involved in making aircraft systems and telecom’s equipment.

This blog entry provides a brief summary of some of the best Sennheiser headphones on offer from each of the major headphone types.

The HiFi Headphones store stock a broad range of Sennheiser headphones.

Sennheiser Full Size Headphones

Sennheiser HD650 – One of the most highly regarded consumer headphones available at an affordable price is the super smooth sounding Sennheiser HD650. The Sennheiser HD650’s are superbly balanced and are perfect for listening to high quality audio sources at home. The open back design and relatively large size means it’s not really practical to use the HD650’s on the move, but we have heard of HD650’s being used mobile with an iPod!

Sennheiser HD650

Sennheiser In Ear Headphones

Sennheiser CX300 – The Sennheiser CX300 is an excellent first step into the area of sound isolating ear canal headphones. Ear canal headphones generally seal inside the ear canal to keep out external noises, meaning you hear the audio better and can listen at safer volumes.

The CX300’s do not push completely into the ear canal like more expensive models (such as the Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 Studio or Shure SE110), but do seal over the entrance to the the inner ear. This makes fitting the CX300 a little easier than the real deal.

Sennheiser CX300

Sennheiser Wireless Headphones

Sennheiser RS130 – The Sennheiser RS130 wireless headphones are currently one of the best sounding wireless headsets under £100. The Sennheiser RS140’s are more expensive, and come with closed back earcups to keep noise out and prevent sound leakage. The RS140’s closed back earcups can be handy if you don’t want to annoy people nearby, but the earcups add their own problems with sound reflections.

The Sennheiser RS130 headset is definitely the best of the Sennheiser wireless RS range and definitely worth the extra money over the RS120’s. The RS130 feels slightly better constructed than the RS120, has ‘over the ear pads’ which are more comfortable and also have an easy to use auto tune feature (the RS120’s have to be tuned manually).

It is truly liberating to be able to listen to your music without wires, it has to be said that audio quality is not as good as an equivalent wired headphone. For example you may notice a background hiss during quiet passages of music. So while it’s not possible to claim any of the RS range are audiophile quality sound, but the convenience more than makes up for it!

Sennheiser RS130 Headphones

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