Sennheiser HD 490 Pro Headphone Review

[SeasButter]

The drivers are angled 6 degrees and also at a different position (lower on the baffle)
HD560S is angled at 9 degrees so angled a bit more.

One could consider that speakers in a room would be angled at 60 degrees comparatively.
Not many headphones can reach those angles and even if they did it would not be the same.

60 degrees may cause some other problems, very terrible treble response, for example. 60 degree is not the most ideal set, but 6 degrees can do nothing with sound stage performance. In addition, this 38mm driver tend to increase the peak frequency, shifting from 3000 to 4000-5000, which can result in strange sound in mid-treble.

 

[johny_2000]

From what I can see, the driver is tilted and lowered more than the HD650 and definitely sounds as good, if not better.

 

[MayaTlab]

The 490 Pro has higher sensitivity, less harmonic distortion, better bass extension, and a better cable.

And a different design ! Which alone could make them more or less preferable than the alternatives.

The distortion audibility threshold graph you posted only applies to single sine waves. The moment there are two or more sine waves that occupy inharmonic frequencies, you get intermodulation distortion.

Distortion performance matters. The headphones/speakers are the weakest link in chain, distortion matters especially to producers which these headphones are aimed at. Sure, there are great headphones with mediocore or even subpar distortion levels, but anybody who tried Stax omega headphones will attest to valuability of ultra low distortion.

But we don't know the IMD of the 490 pro, do we ?
Among other articles, Harman themselves tried to evaluate the impact of various forms of non-linear distortion on listener preferences, the main article being this one (includes a Stax) : https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=17441
In that test IM did not seem to have a particularly significant impact on preferences. Generally speaking for most of the headphones that were recorded and then played back non-linear distortions were low enough to have little impact on preferences.

I'm all in for more perceptually relevant non-linear distortion metrics, but I am not certain that focusing on IMD is the best bet to make.

60 degrees may cause some other problems, very terrible treble response, for example. 60 degree is not the most ideal set, but 6 degrees can do nothing with sound stage performance. In addition, this 38mm driver tend to increase the peak frequency, shifting from 3000 to 4000-5000, which can result in strange sound in mid-treble.

The idea that angling the driver is more conductive to improve whatever individuals call "sound stage" remains an untested hypothesis, and if what we mean by "sound stage" is "it is more likely to produce for a given set of wearers a frequency response in situ that's closer to their respective x reference sound field's HRTF (example DF HRTF)", then we have very little available data on that subject.

 

[martin900]

Biggest issue is going to be the bass which I think will be hard to EQ to Harman without running into issues with distortion, but, then again, it's kind of at the low end of the Sennheiser line, so you're getting what you paid for. I personally think full Harman compliance in terms of pinnae gain is just a little to far forward, so dropping the peak down around 3-4 db seems to work best for me, but YMMV. They do look pretty nice for being at the low end of the Sennheiser line. Given their limitations, IDK if they are truly suited for studio work. I would think not, others may have differing opinions.

You have got to be JOKING, right? Have we gone insane calling a 399 dollar headphone "kind of the low end"? That's more than the 600/650's!
There is zero excuse for a headphone not to be target compliant no matter the price, unless the manufacturer deliberately chooses not to follow the Harman curve.
What we're seeing in the graphs is simply a rather broken headphone in the lower regions that will be very bass shy and may produce very bass heavy mixes...

 

[johny_2000]

You have got to be JOKING, right? Have we gone insane calling a 399 dollar headphone "kind of the low end"? That's more than the 600/650's!
There is zero excuse for a headphone not to be target compliant no matter the price, unless the manufacturer deliberately chooses not to follow the Harman curve.
What we're seeing in the graphs is simply a rather broken headphone in the lower regions that will be very bass shy and may produce very bass heavy mixes...

I think they tried to carefully fit its FR into a U-shape compared to the "HD600" series. That's how I see and hear it.

 

[pavuol]

I cranked up the volume and I could detect no hard limit setting in which is good.

[amir's 123,5 dB eq-ued ]

 

[solderdude]

Yep, all newer Sennheisers have a little less 'presence' in the earcanal-gain area (2-4kHz) on purpose. Makes the sound a bit more 'relaxed'.

HD600 vs HD490 mixer

 

[SeasButter]

And a different design ! Which alone could make them more or less preferable than the alternatives.



But we don't know the IMD of the 490 pro, do we ?
Among other articles, Harman themselves tried to evaluate the impact of various forms of non-linear distortion on listener preferences, the main article being this one (includes a Stax) : https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=17441
In that test IM did not seem to have a particularly significant impact on preferences. Generally speaking for most of the headphones that were recorded and then played back non-linear distortions were low enough to have little impact on preferences.

I'm all in for more perceptually relevant non-linear distortion metrics, but I am not certain that focusing on IMD is the best bet to make.



The idea that angling the driver is more conductive to improve whatever individuals call "sound stage" remains an untested hypothesis, and if what we mean by "sound stage" is "it is more likely to produce for a given set of wearers a frequency response in situ that's closer to their respective x reference sound field's HRTF (example DF HRTF)", then we have very little available data on that subject.

The relationship between angled driver and sound stage is hard to measure, because the FR curve is also different. It is also hard to find different headphones with same FR curve while only one had angled driver. In addition, sound stage may be influenced by tons of parameters, driver angle, driver size, FR curve, THD , even resonances. But if two headphons' FR curves are similar, I prefer angled driver.

 

[martijn86]

Many also have the deficiency in lower treble which I guess goes with the lower bass level.

In working on figuring out my own target preference, I found the eargain effect (3Khz) to create natural imaging when it's spot on or widen the soundstage when it is reduced. When it's increased too much it almost feels like a mono source with all the sound coming from the front. So it could be a tuning choice to make it easier to listen to for an entire workday and have it feel spacious and mellow to counteract the otherwise lean tuning.

Edit: I highly recommend that everyone spends some time, finding their own target curve though. It's a long time process but you'll eventually know end up learning what something will sound like to YOU when you see frequency response curves. Helps with making purchasing decision in this era of online shopping.

 

[amirm]

But we don't know the IMD of the 490 pro, do we ?
Among other articles, Harman themselves tried to evaluate the impact of various forms of non-linear distortion on listener preferences, the main article being this one (includes a Stax) : https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=17441
In that test IM did not seem to have a particularly significant impact on preferences. Generally speaking for most of the headphones that were recorded and then played back non-linear distortions were low enough to have little impact on preferences.

Harman uses standardized playback levels which are pretty low. In my book anyway. Distortion rises exponentially in transducers so I would not generalize their findings to distortion not being important. Further, the content they use doesn't necessarily bring out distortion characteristics.

 

[amirm]

When it's increased too much it almost feels like a mono source with all the sound coming from the front.

I never get any sensation of imaging forward of my face. So we must be different in this regard. My comments are about instrument separation around my ear.

 

[martijn86]

I never get any sensation of imaging forward of my face. So we must be different in this regard. My comments are about instrument separation around my ear.

Speakers are so much easier in this regard. Flat slope good

 

[MayaTlab]

Harman uses standardized playback levels which are pretty low. In my book anyway. Distortion rises exponentially in transducers so I would not generalize their findings to distortion not being important. Further, the content they use doesn't necessarily bring out distortion characteristics.

I probably am a more "Harman playback level" kind of person I guess. I have seen ASR's recommended playlist, are there tracks in it that you think are more conductive to assess non-linear distortion ?

It's still my opinion that harmonic distortion, for most reasonably well engineered headphones and most playback levels, tend to draw too much attention on ASR compared to more perceptually relevant issues, the chief one being the in-situ frequency response (which in the case of the HD490 is likely to be rather well described for most people by measurements on a fixture up to several kHz).

You had the project back in 2021 to try to emulate leakage arising from wearing glasses : https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...ing-glasses-for-headphone-measurements.26103/ I get that it's difficult to do so in a standardised format (and that the question of whether or not it's better to measure with a constant leak, or introduce a glasses' arm and see how the pads deform to more or less compensate for it - which will make the leakage inconsistent but may better reflect how the HP's design effectively solves that problem - is a bit arbitrary), but do you think that it would be appropriate to try to revive it ?

Interestingly the 490's pads make the claim that they have some cutouts in the foam to allow the pads to better deform around a wearer's glasses. Of all types of headphones these open ones probably don't need to see that problem solved quite as much as others but it's nice to see that some thoughts were given to it.

 

[johny_2000]

Yep, all newer Sennheisers have a little less 'presence' in the earcanal-gain area (2-4kHz) on purpose. Makes the sound a bit more 'relaxed'.

That's what I like about them compared to the HD650, which I was forced to turn down in this frequency range using EQs.
And I'm just an audiophile, not a sound engineer.
I'm looking forward to the new Fostex TH-808.

 

[delta76]

ASR - it's like a box of chocolate. You find pleasant surprise and your find bitter truth.
This headphone was in my watch list. No more I guess

 

[johny_2000]

This headphone was in my watch list. No more I guess

It is too rash to draw such conclusions based on a review. Without personally listening to your favorite tracks and equalizer settings it is impossible to judge.

 

[amirm]

That's because you listen in mono.

You are trying to be funny? If so, it is not working.

 

[solderdude]

That's what I like about them compared to the HD650, which I was forced to turn down in this frequency range using EQs.
And I'm just an audiophile, not a sound engineer.
I'm looking forward to the new Fostex TH-808.

HD650 vs HD490Pro Mixer

and below HD650 vs HD490Pro Producer

and for completeness... HD560S (>2022) vs HD490Pro Producer

and HD560S (>2022) vs HD490Pro Mixer

 

[ZolaIII]

Harman uses standardized playback levels which are pretty low. In my book anyway. Distortion rises exponentially in transducers so I would not generalize their findings to distortion not being important. Further, the content they use doesn't necessarily bring out distortion characteristics.

To which so called bass boost should be equal loudness compensation and nothing more. Even that they did wrong regarding transition delta and impact above it or simply said they did tone controls bad. When you do comparation to in room measured speakers you come to this conclusion. Somehow Oratory1990s low self shelf 100 Hz Q 0.71 (Butterwort) translate much better. Rest is HATS and ear shell and chenel differences that will be hard to average even in times to come. Tho at least there Olive thanks to resources he has have a great opportunity to accelerate research. To me second treble peak (5 KHz one) influenced by outer ear shell should be let a bit above average (of multiple models) so that it fits better to most still not being too bright even to those where it's less pronounced and in most cases giving a perception of little wider sound stage.
Take a look at;

It's long and starting at 38 min to the end will be fine.
I voted fine regarding HD 490 Pro as that's what they are for what they are (open back's) with good quality cable and better quality overall to similar non pro one's disregarding pads nonsense and based on velour ones.

 

[uwotm8]

Thanks Amir!
After all the hype I honestly expected a lot more from these