Sennheiser HD-424

[Multicore]

Really just an excuse to get nostalgic and post this cool picture. Who knows who and what that is in the pic? If you do, please post it with spoiler

formatting so others can have a go.

If Sennheiser reissued these and HD-414, what would you be willing to pay?

Personally, I never owned HD-424 but I got a lot of use from my HD-414 with a variety of Walkman-type devices.

 

[solderdude]

Who knows who and what that is in the pic?

You already stated the type number in the thread title
It was an early version though, the later version lacked the chrome faceplate.

I would not buy a HD414 nor HD424.
While popular in the days they do not stand a chance against modern headphones.
They all lack bass (extension) and are very mid centric.
The HD420 and HD424 were better sounding than the most sold and very popular HD414

 

[Berwhale]

Spoiler: My Answer

Looks like Space 1999.

Ahah!

 

[DSJR]

Back in the late 70s, I regarded the HD424 as a harsh sound, irrespective of the headphone socket they were playing into. I actually felt the bass-less HD414 was better in this respect.

I do retain an original HD414 set in grey. The original blue ear-pads are now recent official yellow replacements and they're wonderful for TV speech/dialogue when actors are prone these days to mumbling and sound mixers don't always get it right - the very high impedance helps keep max levels down when the TV is used as headphone source. No good really for music as like many others I've seen using these, we press the modules harder onto our ears to boost the bass....

I think the HD400 and HD40? is when Sennheiser started to get a more neutral sound. The fancy foo mega models were still decades away. To check if I have my memories right, check the old UK HiFi Choice mags (cartridges and headphones usually) from the late 70s and early 80s (worldradiohistory site UK page).

 

[Multicore]

Perhaps Koss has done better in this part of the market. Porta Pro and KPH31i and both quite enjoyable. But these yellow and black Sennheiser models just look so good.

It was an early version though, the later version lacked the chrome faceplate.

Good catch!

 

[beeface]

The Koss Porta Pro is so cool, it featured on a Caroline Polachek album cover a couple of years ago: