Sennheiser is a well-known brand associated with high-quality headphones for a long time. Their headphones are well-regarded by both audiophiles and professionals for their excellent design and balanced sound. Recently, Sennheiser introduced the HD 490 Pro series to improve the brand’s reputation further. Among the series, the HD 490 Pro Plus is a top-of-the-line product that claims to offer excellent sound quality, comfort, and reliability. But, does it deliver? Let’s find it in our Sennheiser HD 490 Pro Plus review.
Design and Build:
The HD 490 Pro Plus headphones are stylish and built to last. The open-mesh grille not only looks good but also helps with ventilation, ensuring comfort during long listening sessions. The solid construction and attention to detail are evident in every component, from the sleek exterior to the swivelling ear cups that provide flexibility and convenience.
One of the standout features of the HD 490 Pro Plus is its swappable fabric and velour ear pads, allowing users to tailor their listening experience to their preferences. However, the process of swapping ear pads may require some effort.
Let me explain. Sennheiser HD 490 Pro features swappable fabric and velour ear pads, and switching between the two sets of ear pads wasn’t as easy as I expected. Instead of magnets, the ear pads use plastic parts to latch onto the headphones, which requires some force to remove and reattach them. During my usage, I was a bit concerned that the plastic clasps might eventually break. However, despite my fear that the plastic lock might break, the locking mechanism worked perfectly.
The Sennheiser HD 490 Pro headphones have an interesting feature of a mini XLR input on both ear cups. This allows you to connect the cable to either the right or left ear cup, depending on the location of your interface in your studio setup. Additionally, a small coil near the top of the cable ensures no issues arise due to cable tugging or noise caused by the cable moving against your desk or body.
Comfort:
I found both ear pads on these headphones very comfortable to wear, even for extended periods. However, the velour pads stood out in comfort, making it one of the most comfortable headphones I have worn in a while. Moreover, the Sennheiser HD 490 PRO headphones have machine-washable ear pads, which makes them durable and long-lasting. This is good not only for hygiene but also for your wallet.
Sound Quality:
HD 490 Pro Plus headphones offer a balanced sound signature with exceptional detail and clarity across the Frequency spectrum. The correct word would be neutral Sound Signature!
To understand a music professional’s opinion, I shared the headphones with a friend who is a budding music composer. He said, “Whether you’re mixing tracks or simply enjoying your favourite music, these headphones reproduce sound accurately across the frequency spectrum. The open-back design creates a natural soundstage, allowing for an immersive listening experience.”
Coming back to views, while using the Sennheiser HD 490 PRO, I noticed that they don’t passively isolate environmental noise. This is because they are open-back headphones, meaning they are not designed to block out external sounds. The open design of the headphones creates a more natural sound that allows you to hear almost everything going on around you while wearing them. However, this means that anyone sitting next to you can also hear what you are listening to.
Velour ear pads retain lower frequencies than fabric ear pads, which creates a noticeable difference in sound, depending on which ones you use. Fabric ear pads are suitable for mixing, as they follow a more traditional open-back frequency response that allows you to discern issues in your tracks’ mid and upper frequencies easily. On the other hand, velour ear pads are suitable for producing music and even podcasts. We used them extensively for editing our podcasts and interviews, and we could see the difference in the output.
Moreover, Sennheiser includes a license for the dearVR Mix SE plug-in, providing mixing engineers with additional tools for sound simulation.
Connectivity:
While the headphones have an impedance of 130 ohms, they deliver ample volume when plugged directly into a laptop. Additionally, Sennheiser has included a 3.5mm to 6.3mm jack adapter that ensures compatibility with a wide range of devices, from professional interfaces to mobiles. While these headphones do not support wireless connectivity, the included accessories and convenient cable management options make them suitable for studio use and everyday listening.
Value:
Priced competitively, the HD 490 Pro Plus offers exceptional value for money, considering its professional build quality and impressive sound performance. Whether you opt for the Pro Plus or the standard Pro version, you can expect the same level of excellence, with the main difference lying in the included accessories.
If you’re having difficulty choosing between the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro Plus and the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro, let me help you out. The only difference between the two models is the accessories that they come with. You can decide which accessories you prefer. The Sennheiser HD 490 Pro Plus is priced at ₹41,300, while the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro is priced at ₹34,500.
The accessories that come with the Plus headphones include an additional headband pad, a longer cable, and a semi-hard travel case with a plush, well-padded interior. This travel case is handy when you need to move your headphones from one place to another, as they are not small.