New Sennheiser HD490 Pro

[SlothRock]

Well, well! Look at this:

Interested to see if we can get some measurements on this bad boy up in here

 

[Metrallaroja]

Yes, looks very interesting!
Rumor is that it will be around the same price as the HD650s
From the video:

 

[Metrallaroja]

Maybe related? hahaha

 

[solderdude]

The XLR 4-pin is a departure of the 2.5mm TRRS plug and the familiar 2-pin plug.

 

[WhyNotHad]

Maybe related? hahaha

Is this Sennheiser's comment on HD490PRO?

Brightish version of HD650? sounds so attractive

 

[Metrallaroja]

Is this Sennheiser's comment on HD490PRO?

Brightish version of HD650? sounds so attractive

Sennheiser comment on the posted HD660s2 video 10 months ago.

 

[spigot]

I wouldn't consider buying a Sennheiser with a number less than 600.

 

[jean-benoit]

this is a great overview and interview with one of the people who worked on these new headphones.
there is also a frequency response comparison to the HD600.
spiler: looks like they are have some bass

i never liked the HD650, they were sounding very boring to me with no sub bass.
but because they are very comfortable, i will give the 490 pro a try.

 

[IAtaman]

The XLR 4-pin is a departure of the 2.5mm TRRS plug and the familiar 2-pin plug.

Your friend was in consumer audio no? Any friends in professional audio who can send you a sample for review maybe?

They have an official product page now:

HD 490 PRO: Precision-Engineered Studio Headphones - Sennheiser

Backed by decades of engineering, HD 490 PRO studio headphones deliver world-class clarity and comfort. Handle the complexities of today's music production.

www.sennheiser.com

At the core of each HD 490 PRO earcup is a state-of-the-art neodymium magnet and an innovative low-frequency cylinder. These components synchronize and work together to deliver full, accurate, and clearly defined bass, helping you pinpoint and resolve troublesome low-end frequencies that can hinder the achievement of meticulously clear mixes and masters.

And some YT teasers

 

[IAtaman]

 

[staticV3]

View attachment 344282

Thanks for sharing!
But man what kind of amateur show are those FR graphs? And from Sennheiser of all brands?

 

[isostasy]

this is a great overview and interview with one of the people who worked on these new headphones.
there is also a frequency response comparison to the HD600.
spiler: looks like they are have some bass

i never liked the HD650, they were sounding very boring to me with no sub bass.
but because they are very comfortable, i will give the 490 pro a try.

Thanks for sharing, these are the points I found most interesting from the video:


On HD600 and 650:

"...when you take a look at the hd600 and 650, which are products that are commonly used among the professional users, people really love the audio response of those products but when you ask them 'hey what do you expect from a product?' they say 'I want a really neutral flat acoustic response.' But in difference to the hd600 and 650, they [HD600 and 650] are not let's say the most neutral as it can get, so it's one thing that they say they want and it's another thing that they go for."



"I would not 100% agree to that [the HD490 having significantly more bottom end] even though on the frequency chart it looks like that. I would say that the HD600 is a headphone that was designed for audiophiles and also audiophiles like to listen into the details. And HD600 is also a product that is vastly used among the professionals so it also has a really good point in working with the details of the mix. But we've seen that there are also some points where you can like improve when you want to judge the details on
the lower end of the frequency spectrum."

Odd that he says this when the better bass extension seems to be the major improvement. Not sure it's entirely true that the HD600 was designed for audiophiles?

"What I really like about the the HD 490 Pro [compared with HD600 and HD650] on the top end is that I can really hear the details of different instruments played placed next to each other so for me it was very easy to identify what I've done and what I want or if the work that I'm doing is really up to what my idea of it was. And this is way more easy with the HD 490 Pros than it was with different headphones."


On measurements:

"We're measuring on a Bruel [and Kjaer] head and [for the] first time ever we will also share the testing and the frequency response curve that we did with those testings."

This is not entirely true: Sennheiser has shared frequency response curves in the past.

"I would recommend not to put too much interpretation into the curves. This is also the reason why we really hesitated to publish them in the past, because we somehow fear a little bit that people will take them as the only reference and we really want the people to listen to the product and then make their their judgment on their own."


On Harman headphone research:

"No, that's not irrelevant at all. It [the Harman research] has been part of the journey that we've been through in part of the acoustic design but we think that the best approach that we did is take that also as part of the overall thing that we are judging and not going with a theory and just following a theory. So yes we considered that it was part of the overall design but it was not the only principle that we followed."

 

[IAtaman]

Thanks for sharing!
But man what kind of amateur show are those FR graphs? And from Sennheiser of all brands?

Yeah. No titles on the axis, no info on the rig used. I think it is just supposed to me a marketing image and nothing more.

In the other video, there was a HATS though, which I think was a 5128 so hopefully better graphs should emerge soon. Also I believe I saw some graphs on the packaging.

 

[isostasy]

Thanks for sharing!
But man what kind of amateur show are those FR graphs? And from Sennheiser of all brands?

Probably just to look nice in the promo video. Better ones in the release briefing:

Still no mention of device used or compensation. Assuming B&K 5128 based on above interview and use of 5128 measurements for recent HD660S2 and IE200, though those are shown uncompensated.

 

[Soria Moria]

Probably just to look nice in the promo video. Better ones in the release briefing:

Still no mention of device used or compensation. Assuming B&K 5128 based on above interview and use of 5128 measurements for recent HD660S2 and IE200, though those are shown uncompensated.

Velour seems a bit muddy.

 

[isostasy]

Well, well! Look at this:

Interested to see if we can get some measurements on this bad boy up in here

Not a fan of all the different layers of thin-looking plastics held together by screws. I love the simplicity of the HD580 design that's followed through the HD600 to HD660S2. Just a baffle with the pads clipping on one side and the driver and grille on the other. All thick durable plastic.

 

[isostasy]

Velour seems a bit muddy.

Impossible to tell as they don't tell us what compensation is used.

Custom Cans EarsDSP measurement shows near-identical bass response to HD600 (source), though I find these measurements less useful than simple flat plate coupler measurements. Also not sure if that HD600 is a modded one with no foam which would increase bass.

Whatevever Sonic State is using (looks like non-standard dummy head with who knows what microphones installed) shows very different bass response.

 

[solderdude]

Your friend was in consumer audio no? Any friends in professional audio who can send you a sample for review maybe?

Yep, these are separate companies.
I was thinking about ordering one from Sennheiser, measure it and return them but they only seem to sell through their pro-channels.
Maybe I'll misuse Thomann ...

 

[Count Arthur]

These look promising.

I like the cleaner, sharper aesthetic, the single sided cable and the move to mini XLR.

 

[RoA]

I wouldn't consider buying a Sennheiser with a number less than 600.

?