They are absolutely amazing! Excellent for binaural reproduction after eq correction (inaccuracies in FR of mic and headphone combined). The imaging and soundstage is faithful to source. And that incredible bass reproduction is something I have never experienced in terms of speed and accuracy.
Thanks for sharing your experience! I would say Sennheiser has delivered on their promise for these headphones, and I agree, reproduction in terms of imaging and soundstage is very faithful to the source (better than most at this price point).
@@askdrtk It is amazing how tiny differences in FR can completely alter the imaging and stereo representation. I eq corrected by ear by comparing with the actual source and using a minimum phase parametric equalizer, since I want to preserve the original imaging and staging.
I agree 100%. EQ is so often used without considering phase which can completely degrade the experience. Making adjustments by ear is the only way to go imo as the relative position (distance / angle) of the drivers and the unique physical shape of our ears has so much influence on spatial awareness. I like to think of FR as being near the beginning as opposed to the end of how we create great audio.
@@askdrtk With a background as a mixing engineer, I am experienced enough to eq correct extremely precisely by ear.. I listen for tonality, timbre, and phase changes while sweeping frequencies, amplitude, and bandwidth. Once I have the tonality in the ballpark, I pay attention to the phase as I am making minor adjustments. What I listen for in terms of phase changes when I eq correct is a sense of clarity as opposed to more detail or definition.
I really appreciate you taking the time to share details about your process and I like that you always refer back to "I listen" and "by ear." With so much attention being placed on visual interfaces for production it is important to remember what we are doing - audio is for listening... I believe many in the community will be interested in what actually goes into producing quality audio. IMO learning about the details provides the opportunity for all to become more critical listeners and to appreciate quality mixes. Thanks again!
👏🏻Excellent Review👏🏻 FYI My contact at Sennheiser/Neumann in Germany told me that the driver in the HD400 is the same as the driver in the HD600, just repackaged for the Pro Audio market. They are definitely excellent for mixing/referencing, and general listening, as intended, but definitely not going to work for tracking. I too, am a Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro die-hard. (Actually, I love most things Beyerdynamic.) In my experience, the DT 880s are dead neutral, where the HD400s are a slight bit brighter in the upper midrange. Remember: the driver is the same as the HD600, which is intended as a hi-fi headphone, hence the slightly more open or "pleasing" sound. I have found most Sennheiser Hi-Fi headphones to be quite bright, with very little bass. The HD400/600 is excellent for mixing, nonetheless. Something I've done before that works quite well, is mix more or less entirely on the DT 880 Pro, and then compare on the HD400/600. Works pretty good; especially if you don't have monitors to work with.
Much appreciated! When I think about it, after spending time on both, it does make sense based on tone and dynamic bias that the 600/400 share drivers...thanks for the heads up! When it comes to the 880s, I almost feel like I should store away a spare pair "just in case..." and I agree, I also find most Sennheiser headphones to have reduced dynamics in the lower frequencies with some emphasis in the upper mids. I do find this helpful for picking out a number of instruments in a "busy" mix. 100% - mix from scratch on 880s and then check with other playback devices is a great headphone mixing workflow!
Planning ahead, I like it! All kidding aside, your experience with replacing the pads after 5 years really brings home the DT880 Pro's value.👍 I haven't had to change mine yet, but its getting to be time. Other than normal wear and tear, I can't see anything seriously going wrong with them.
Thanks! The 560s and 400 pro are the same headphones, the only difference being the cables each include. If either is your choice, I generally recommend picking up whichever is available at a better price (unless having a coiled cable is a deal-breaker).
Fit is different for everyone, but I wish this design from Sennheiser had a wider pivot range on the earcups. I find the clamping force to be higher on the bottom of the earcup vs the top...that's just me though...
@@askdrtk YES! I thought that was what I was feeling. So odd feeling the tightness on the lower end of the ear cup than the top. I have never felt that before. THX!
2:12 fantastic cable. Is this called, coil cable ? 6:16 it's so nice to get a better understanding, of the representation of the recordings 7:47 very useful for all podcast creators 8:17 as for an action - fps game, I would suggest either the Battlefield 1 or the PUBG :-) 12:20 I' m a huge fan of AirPods Max build quality, with aluminium cover and stainless steel body, but ... it's heavy. Wish the same quality, but more lightweight. Quality of beyerdynamic, Sennheiser and so on, is not that top level, but at least they are lighter
Thanks for sharing some of the highlights for you - really helps me understand the value viewers are looking for. Both cables (Coiled at 2:12) feel well made in terms of materials and connectors. Durability is of course subject to time, but I can't say I've had many issues with cables (outside of my own fault - chair wheels or stepping on connectors...) Battlefield 1 and PUBG - nice! I agree, the AirPods Max have solid build quality - maybe some of the newer lightweight titanium and magnesium alloys will start to find greater adoption as we can then have ultra lightweight and high strength durability even if we need to bump up the price point. I find both Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic (even the Focals in the lower price range) to be better than many mainstream sets in terms of performance and value, but you can definitely up the game. I am interested to hear how your new 900 Pro X's are performing as you get more hours on them. I'm just about to open my new Discord server - maybe we can chat about them if you're interested in joining. Have a great weekend!
Thanks for this review. I have a set of these that I use during musical Zoom sessions. I can play along with my musical instrument and the open-back design of this headphone is very transparent. I can clearly hear the instrument I am playing.
@@nadtorus M50x reviews have been overdone dude. I had them as a starter. They are for people who don't really have a good use case besides gaming 🤣 At this point there are way better headphones for the price. It's like getting a sph9500 in 2023 I guess if ur broke but don't think it's the best at anything
Looks like these are good enough for the price. Of course, I ask for open, detailed, neutral, AND good (enough) deep bass response. A lot to ask, and most companies do not make models around 200 dollars that do all. In b4 Z Review.
I agree, I'm looking for open, detailed, neutral, bass, etc...lol - all at a reasonable (not cheap) price and I have come to expect a lot from Sennheiser for the price over the years... It is not necessarily about being "the best" but rather "what does the performance to price" look like. When they advertise "reference headphones" and "mixing" it makes me curious to review. Thanks for weighing in!
I've been using the 400 pros for a few months now for mixing. Very neutral sound and comfortable. Run OK on my Redmi note mobile phone but not as loud as lower impedence phones. The Sennheisers run great thru my Mackie 2+2 producer and my audio system.
I enjoy a wide range of music from Steely Dan to prof rock and classical. If the headphone can play the range of sounds in these types of music high hats to bass guitar these are what I need.
Yes, a source at Sennheiser has confirmed they are the same. The 400s come with two cables (straight and coiled) whereas the 560s include only a straight cable. In my area, they are about $40 difference (price of the coiled cable). For my workflow I prefer coiled cables, but in terms of sound no difference. I have used HD 600 for a long time and another interesting note is the drivers in the 400 Pro and 560S are the same as the 600, again confirmed by a source at Sennheiser...
Have you tried to compare this headphone with Sony Mdr 7506? I’m considering moving from that to the 400pro for studio work, because the high frequency hash just make me uncomfortable for long time listening, but I’m worried if sennheiser failed to reproduce the clear and crispy sound as Sony can do. Can you give me some advice on that part? Thank you!
Yes, I have the 7506 in my studio space (we have a few different sets and the 7506 get used mostly for tracking). The 400 pro does not have that harsh fatiguing high end like the 7506 (and DT990) have. The 400 pro are a very natural sounding headphone and do not over boost lows, mids, or highs. I find the 400 pro to be very honest headphones with a similar sound profile to my Genelec 8040B monitors and they are one of the sets I use to check my mixes.. The 400 pro do not make your mixes sound "better" (subjective) as I find with some headphones that boost certain frequency ranges. I do find my HD600 to have a bit more high and low end extension, but this doesn't necessarily translate to better mixes in the studio. In my experience, mixes that sound balanced on the 400 pro will generally translate well to other playback devices and environments. Hope this helps out.
Yes, I can confirm I have tested both and the response/dynamics are identical within accuracy of manufacture / testing. The 560s includes 1 straight cable whereas the 400 pro includes both a straight and a coiled cable. Both are selling for the same price in my area and I prefer a coiled cable for my workflow, but if the price for the 560s is significantly less in some regions I would recommend that model (unless the coiled cable was a deal breaker...lol). Thanks for sharing.
@@askdrtk in my country the difference between the hd400 pro and hd 560s is about 60-70 bucks, so basically i should get the 560s since i also noticed there is almost no difference except for the coiled cable
@@askdrtkThere are murmurs that the HD 560S sound profile was changed beyond unit variation with the 2023 revision. Did the pair you tested have the fabric headband padding and shorter cable of the 400 Pro or was it an original with velour headband padding and a 3 meter cable? I am really curious about the difference and which sounds better between the original HD 560S/HD 400 Pro and the revised HD 560S.
So many headphones to choose from. In ideal situation the one will have 3/4 headphones to reference from. That said, what headphones , in this price range,will you recommend for a (first ones out of many, I hope) bedroom producer with poorly treated room. The music that I produce is bass heawy electronic, technoish...Thanks. ps love your honest rewiws.
Glad you are enjoying my reviews! Since your room isn’t treated and background noise may be an issue, I would recommend starting with a closed-back design. Many producers I know prefer the Audio-Technica M50x for EDM as the low end response can help with mixing decisions. Some find them bass-heavy, but the truth is that you need to “learn” the sound profile of whatever headphones you are using to produce music that translates well across a variety of playback devices. If you go with the M50x, a good way to start is to listen to a variety of well mixed and mastered EDM, techno, etc. so you will recognize the “sound” when you dial in your own mixes. Once you learn your first production headphones, you can start adding others as references to check your mixes. Hope this helps out!
I have had a lot of requrest for a full review on the dt770 pro 250 ohm and I will be posting it this week. For bass heavy content I would give the edge to M50x, but the dt770 are a very good all-round headphone - they are relatively easy to work with in my experience, comfortable, and durable.
@@askdrtk Looking forward to see your reviwe on the dt770's... Just one more question if you don't mind, this two( m50's & 770's) beeing closed back headphones, if I would go for open back ones, which one would you recommend to me? Thanks.
The dt770 review will be up today. As you produce bass-heavy genres it is important to consider most open-back headphones will not deliver the same low-end punch as m50x or DT770 pro. You often need to spend a lot more on open-back to get strong bass response such as Sennheiser HD820 or Focal Utopia (both are far too expensive / unrealistic imo) , but the Philips FidelioX2HR are a good more affordable option. Hope this helps out!
This may be a stupid question, but I got these and I am confused how they are supposed to fit since the cups are so much longer than any headphone I have used. Is my earlobe supposed to touch the inside of the ear-pad at all or do I wear them low enough that they don’t touch at all? When I do that, I can feel the ear-pad touching my neck. Is that how these are supposed to fit?
Not at all, the angle of the earcups on this design from Sennheiser (many of the models are similar) can be problematic. I find they place too much pressure near my jawbone / neck if I position them too low. I personally wear the 400 Pro and other Senns of this design with the bottom of the earpad in contact with my earlobe and have seen many others do the same.
@@askdrtk Thank you for letting me know! I bought them today, and I checked them out, and they sound way better than headphones I used in the past like Sennheiser's own HD200. I am satisfied with my purchase. 🙂
Detail is similar, but the 400 pro have a more neutral sound signature. If you work with EDM or HH, the 900 pro x have superior low end extension with very good detail, even in sub-bass. Imaging is comparable and I would give a slight edge to the 400 pro for soundstage being more expansive. Hope this helps out. Cheers!
I use log as well as it represents the way we hear things. That said, linear graphs provide more detail in upper frequencies and are often used for scientific analysis (hi-res audio modelling) of higher frequencies above the human hearing range that are produced by some headphones and monitors. I include both for completeness, but log is what matters to most of us from a listening perspective. Thanks for asking!
No, I upgraded to the Sennheiser MKE2 capsules in the ear canals of my binaural mic beginning with my M50x review. The new Sennheisers have been used on the M50x, SRH840A, HD280pro, M30x, K240ii, and HDJ-S7. Everything prior is using AKG. I made the upgrade as the MKE2 have less variability in transient response when placed in the ear canals of my binaural mic. I am working on adding all of my reviews to my website (big undertaking) and will be updating the frequency response measurements using the MKE2s for easier cross comparison, although I have found the measured difference across the 20-20000Hz range to be generally less than 4%. Thanks for asking!
@@askdrtk Nice. The new mic does seem to be much better. I now wonder how the sound demos of the hd 400 pro comes out with the newer senn mic. I am getting the k240s because of your review but was underwhelmed by the mic captures of these 400 pros. Hopefully, they are actually better than the p170 mics show them to be.
Yes, have been pleased with the upgrade. In ongoing testing I have found the 400 pros to reliably represent mixes that translate well. The k240s are a solid choice and I do highly recommend them. Their overall ability to reproduce accurate, yet pleasing sound without being fatiguing during lengthy sessions is a combination that has proven successful for a long time. Enjoy your new k240s!
Thanks for the suggestion! Definitely going to review some Shure headphones. I was wondering if Shure might be releasing a refresh of the 1840s since they launched the new "a" versions of the 840, 440... Not in the same league as the 1840, but the 1840 has been available for some time... In any case, 1840 and others are on my list.
The SRH1840 review just went up. To my ears, the 1840 has the edge over the 400 pros on accuracy, but more so on audio image and soundstage. I'd be interested to know what you think...
@@askdrtk Thanks for doing a review on these headphones. I agree 100% with your assessment. I think they provide a natural sound image without trying too hard on the extremes of the frequency response. Sound foley is so accurate sometimes I forget I'm wearing headphones. Can't wait to see what you review next!
My pleasure. Thanks for the recommendation and for sharing your take on the SRH1840. To say you can forget you are wearing headphones is an excellent way to describe them and I believe Shure did an exceptional job. I would highly recommend the SRH1840 for critical listening tasks, particularly for imaging / soundstage, and for anyone looking for natural listening experience without a hyped environment being forced upon their ears.
Why do I get the impression Sennheiser put a gun to your head to say these things?!?! Because judging from the graphs and the sounds heard, the AKG 240 mk2 and the OneOdio M80 sound and perform way better than these for a fraction of the price!! Or am I a novice/cheapskate?!?!
lol, You aren't a novice and there is nothing wrong with being cheap imo... The K240 and even the M80 both deliver great sound and value with either being very capable of supporting mix decisions. All of these headphone reviews are not sponsored , but my reviews of both the K240 and M80 were completed with my upgraded (and expensive because it needed to be done and I had to pay for it myself) binaural microphone which does a much better job of translating image and soundstage whereas the HD400 pro review was using my previous rig using two SDC's. What you are hearing is the difference in the performance of my test rig. I decided from the beginning that I was going to make the most accurate and objective headphones reviews I could afford to and so the test rig upgrade took some time... That said, I wouldn't recommend the HD400 pro as an upgrade over the others as it simply doesn't bring enough difference to justify the price. If anyone is interested in the HD400, i recommend checking out the HD560s as they are identical (except for the cables) and usually less expensive vs the HD400. I know this is a bit of a ramble, but the last thing I will say is that the M80 really surprised me. Sure their build isn't premium, but their sound profile competes with some far more expensive and widely used cans... Thanks for taking the time to look at the graphs and listen carefully to the headphone audio, it makes the work I put into these reviews worthwhile. Cheers!
@@askdrtk well, you have a great channel and very through way of testing, i just ordered the m80's based on your info! truthfully, i have beef with senn.....other sound tests that i've heard online don't inspire hope for me either! haha. i heard about the HD560s, but still remain quite expensive in my area. maybe one day i'll get a chance to physically test top-tier senn's, but until then i'll just enjoy your content (and budget hp's) instead. thanks 4 the work you put in!
Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed my review. Mixes done on the 400 Pro (and the 560S) generally translate very well. These are among the most neutral option I have found in this price range. Cheers!
Your review and test methods are so refreshingly objective and technical. This is great stuff!
Thanks! I'm trying to share what I can along the way...hope it helps out. Cheers!
Hello Ted . Can you tell us are you planning make review of Sennheiser HD 490 Pro ? Just wanna know how well they are ?
They are absolutely amazing! Excellent for binaural reproduction after eq correction (inaccuracies in FR of mic and headphone combined). The imaging and soundstage is faithful to source. And that incredible bass reproduction is something I have never experienced in terms of speed and accuracy.
Thanks for sharing your experience! I would say Sennheiser has delivered on their promise for these headphones, and I agree, reproduction in terms of imaging and soundstage is very faithful to the source (better than most at this price point).
@@askdrtk It is amazing how tiny differences in FR can completely alter the imaging and stereo representation. I eq corrected by ear by comparing with the actual source and using a minimum phase parametric equalizer, since I want to preserve the original imaging and staging.
I agree 100%. EQ is so often used without considering phase which can completely degrade the experience. Making adjustments by ear is the only way to go imo as the relative position (distance / angle) of the drivers and the unique physical shape of our ears has so much influence on spatial awareness. I like to think of FR as being near the beginning as opposed to the end of how we create great audio.
@@askdrtk With a background as a mixing engineer, I am experienced enough to eq correct extremely precisely by ear.. I listen for tonality, timbre, and phase changes while sweeping frequencies, amplitude, and bandwidth. Once I have the tonality in the ballpark, I pay attention to the phase as I am making minor adjustments. What I listen for in terms of phase changes when I eq correct is a sense of clarity as opposed to more detail or definition.
I really appreciate you taking the time to share details about your process and I like that you always refer back to "I listen" and "by ear." With so much attention being placed on visual interfaces for production it is important to remember what we are doing - audio is for listening... I believe many in the community will be interested in what actually goes into producing quality audio. IMO learning about the details provides the opportunity for all to become more critical listeners and to appreciate quality mixes. Thanks again!
👏🏻Excellent Review👏🏻
FYI
My contact at Sennheiser/Neumann in Germany told me that the driver in the HD400 is the same as the driver in the HD600, just repackaged for the Pro Audio market.
They are definitely excellent for mixing/referencing, and general listening, as intended, but definitely not going to work for tracking.
I too, am a Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro die-hard. (Actually, I love most things Beyerdynamic.) In my experience, the DT 880s are dead neutral, where the HD400s are a slight bit brighter in the upper midrange. Remember: the driver is the same as the HD600, which is intended as a hi-fi headphone, hence the slightly more open or "pleasing" sound. I have found most Sennheiser Hi-Fi headphones to be quite bright, with very little bass.
The HD400/600 is excellent for mixing, nonetheless. Something I've done before that works quite well, is mix more or less entirely on the DT 880 Pro, and then compare on the HD400/600. Works pretty good; especially if you don't have monitors to work with.
Much appreciated! When I think about it, after spending time on both, it does make sense based on tone and dynamic bias that the 600/400 share drivers...thanks for the heads up!
When it comes to the 880s, I almost feel like I should store away a spare pair "just in case..." and I agree, I also find most Sennheiser headphones to have reduced dynamics in the lower frequencies with some emphasis in the upper mids. I do find this helpful for picking out a number of instruments in a "busy" mix.
100% - mix from scratch on 880s and then check with other playback devices is a great headphone mixing workflow!
@@askdrtk I have a second unopened set of DT 880s, and I finally replaced the pads on my work pair after 5 years or so.
Planning ahead, I like it! All kidding aside, your experience with replacing the pads after 5 years really brings home the DT880 Pro's value.👍 I haven't had to change mine yet, but its getting to be time. Other than normal wear and tear, I can't see anything seriously going wrong with them.
Great videos. These seem like they might be exactly the same headphones as the Sennheiser's HS560s just marketed for different markets.
Thanks! The 560s and 400 pro are the same headphones, the only difference being the cables each include. If either is your choice, I generally recommend picking up whichever is available at a better price (unless having a coiled cable is a deal-breaker).
Got the 560s for $175 vs the 400's at $250 and then I can get a coil cable for $15. Thanks for the reply. @@askdrtk
Also, I thought they were gonna be comfortable though. @@askdrtk
Fit is different for everyone, but I wish this design from Sennheiser had a wider pivot range on the earcups. I find the clamping force to be higher on the bottom of the earcup vs the top...that's just me though...
@@askdrtk YES! I thought that was what I was feeling. So odd feeling the tightness on the lower end of the ear cup than the top. I have never felt that before. THX!
Thats the kind of reviews im into, thanks man.
Much appreciated, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Wow, you sir need WAY more subscribers.
Much appreciated and I’m glad you enjoyed my review!
@@askdrtk bought mine earlier this week, just waiting for it to arrive :)
Great to hear, enjoy your new headphones!
2:12 fantastic cable. Is this called, coil cable ?
6:16 it's so nice to get a better understanding, of the representation of the recordings
7:47 very useful for all podcast creators
8:17 as for an action - fps game, I would suggest either the Battlefield 1 or the PUBG :-)
12:20 I' m a huge fan of AirPods Max build quality, with aluminium cover and stainless steel body, but ... it's heavy.
Wish the same quality, but more lightweight. Quality of beyerdynamic, Sennheiser and so on, is not that top level, but
at least they are lighter
Thanks for sharing some of the highlights for you - really helps me understand the value viewers are looking for.
Both cables (Coiled at 2:12) feel well made in terms of materials and connectors. Durability is of course subject to time, but I can't say I've had many issues with cables (outside of my own fault - chair wheels or stepping on connectors...) Battlefield 1 and PUBG - nice! I agree, the AirPods Max have solid build quality - maybe some of the newer lightweight titanium and magnesium alloys will start to find greater adoption as we can then have ultra lightweight and high strength durability even if we need to bump up the price point. I find both Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic (even the Focals in the lower price range) to be better than many mainstream sets in terms of performance and value, but you can definitely up the game. I am interested to hear how your new 900 Pro X's are performing as you get more hours on them. I'm just about to open my new Discord server - maybe we can chat about them if you're interested in joining. Have a great weekend!
@@askdrtk I would gladly join your new Discord server
That's great - I will keep you up to date...
Thanks for this review. I have a set of these that I use during musical Zoom sessions. I can play along with my musical instrument and the open-back design of this headphone is very transparent. I can clearly hear the instrument I am playing.
Another great review! Still waiting for M50X review from you
Much appreciated. Next up are the AKG K361's and then the M50X's...
@@askdrtk great. AKG K371 would be nice addition to the list too.
@@nadtorus M50x reviews have been overdone dude. I had them as a starter. They are for people who don't really have a good use case besides gaming 🤣 At this point there are way better headphones for the price. It's like getting a sph9500 in 2023 I guess if ur broke but don't think it's the best at anything
Hey Todd! Would be nice to redo the sweep and listening test on these using uour new methodology, I feel like this one isn't really representative
Looks like these are good enough for the price. Of course, I ask for open, detailed, neutral, AND good (enough) deep bass response. A lot to ask, and most companies do not make models around 200 dollars that do all.
In b4 Z Review.
I agree, I'm looking for open, detailed, neutral, bass, etc...lol - all at a reasonable (not cheap) price and I have come to expect a lot from Sennheiser for the price over the years... It is not necessarily about being "the best" but rather "what does the performance to price" look like. When they advertise "reference headphones" and "mixing" it makes me curious to review. Thanks for weighing in!
I've been using the 400 pros for a few months now for mixing. Very neutral sound and comfortable. Run OK on my Redmi note mobile phone but not as loud as lower impedence phones. The Sennheisers run great thru my Mackie 2+2 producer and my audio system.
Another headphone that would be really nice to review with your testing method is the Audio Technica R70x
On my list...
I enjoy a wide range of music from Steely Dan to
prof rock and classical. If the headphone can play the range of sounds in these types of music high hats to bass guitar these are what I need.
Thanks for the great reviews. Would be interested in a review of Beyerdynamic Dt 900 Pro X and Sony MDR-M1ST
Thanks, I'm glad to help out and I appreciate the recommendations - I will make sure they are on my list!
Excelente video. Muchas gracias!
Thanks, I am glad to help out!
@@askdrtk Btw aren't these hd 560s with a paint job and a new cable? That makes no sense for about $100+ dollars more
Yes, a source at Sennheiser has confirmed they are the same. The 400s come with two cables (straight and coiled) whereas the 560s include only a straight cable. In my area, they are about $40 difference (price of the coiled cable). For my workflow I prefer coiled cables, but in terms of sound no difference. I have used HD 600 for a long time and another interesting note is the drivers in the 400 Pro and 560S are the same as the 600, again confirmed by a source at Sennheiser...
Have you tried to compare this headphone with Sony Mdr 7506? I’m considering moving from that to the 400pro for studio work, because the high frequency hash just make me uncomfortable for long time listening, but I’m worried if sennheiser failed to reproduce the clear and crispy sound as Sony can do. Can you give me some advice on that part? Thank you!
Yes, I have the 7506 in my studio space (we have a few different sets and the 7506 get used mostly for tracking). The 400 pro does not have that harsh fatiguing high end like the 7506 (and DT990) have. The 400 pro are a very natural sounding headphone and do not over boost lows, mids, or highs. I find the 400 pro to be very honest headphones with a similar sound profile to my Genelec 8040B monitors and they are one of the sets I use to check my mixes.. The 400 pro do not make your mixes sound "better" (subjective) as I find with some headphones that boost certain frequency ranges. I do find my HD600 to have a bit more high and low end extension, but this doesn't necessarily translate to better mixes in the studio. In my experience, mixes that sound balanced on the 400 pro will generally translate well to other playback devices and environments. Hope this helps out.
It is the same as the HD560s just marketed at pro users.
Yes, I can confirm I have tested both and the response/dynamics are identical within accuracy of manufacture / testing. The 560s includes 1 straight cable whereas the 400 pro includes both a straight and a coiled cable. Both are selling for the same price in my area and I prefer a coiled cable for my workflow, but if the price for the 560s is significantly less in some regions I would recommend that model (unless the coiled cable was a deal breaker...lol). Thanks for sharing.
@@askdrtk in my country the difference between the hd400 pro and hd 560s is about 60-70 bucks, so basically i should get the 560s since i also noticed there is almost no difference except for the coiled cable
Definitely. I like the coiled cable for my setup, but it is not worth an extra 60-70... I would go with the 560s and save some cash!
I guess 560s may be discontinued. From the beginning, considering its quality, its low price was not explained.
@@askdrtkThere are murmurs that the HD 560S sound profile was changed beyond unit variation with the 2023 revision. Did the pair you tested have the fabric headband padding and shorter cable of the 400 Pro or was it an original with velour headband padding and a 3 meter cable? I am really curious about the difference and which sounds better between the original HD 560S/HD 400 Pro and the revised HD 560S.
So many headphones to choose from. In ideal situation the one will have 3/4 headphones to reference from. That said, what headphones , in this price range,will you recommend for a (first ones out of many, I hope) bedroom producer with poorly treated room. The music that I produce is bass heawy electronic, technoish...Thanks. ps love your honest rewiws.
Glad you are enjoying my reviews! Since your room isn’t treated and background noise may be an issue, I would recommend starting with a closed-back design. Many producers I know prefer the Audio-Technica M50x for EDM as the low end response can help with mixing decisions. Some find them bass-heavy, but the truth is that you need to “learn” the sound profile of whatever headphones you are using to produce music that translates well across a variety of playback devices. If you go with the M50x, a good way to start is to listen to a variety of well mixed and mastered EDM, techno, etc. so you will recognize the “sound” when you dial in your own mixes. Once you learn your first production headphones, you can start adding others as references to check your mixes. Hope this helps out!
@@askdrtk What about dt 770 pro?
I have had a lot of requrest for a full review on the dt770 pro 250 ohm and I will be posting it this week. For bass heavy content I would give the edge to M50x, but the dt770 are a very good all-round headphone - they are relatively easy to work with in my experience, comfortable, and durable.
@@askdrtk Looking forward to see your reviwe on the dt770's... Just one more question if you don't mind, this two( m50's & 770's) beeing closed back headphones, if I would go for open back ones, which one would you recommend to me? Thanks.
The dt770 review will be up today. As you produce bass-heavy genres it is important to consider most open-back headphones will not deliver the same low-end punch as m50x or DT770 pro. You often need to spend a lot more on open-back to get strong bass response such as Sennheiser HD820 or Focal Utopia (both are far too expensive / unrealistic imo) , but the Philips FidelioX2HR are a good more affordable option. Hope this helps out!
This may be a stupid question, but I got these and I am confused how they are supposed to fit since the cups are so much longer than any headphone I have used. Is my earlobe supposed to touch the inside of the ear-pad at all or do I wear them low enough that they don’t touch at all? When I do that, I can feel the ear-pad touching my neck. Is that how these are supposed to fit?
Not at all, the angle of the earcups on this design from Sennheiser (many of the models are similar) can be problematic. I find they place too much pressure near my jawbone / neck if I position them too low. I personally wear the 400 Pro and other Senns of this design with the bottom of the earpad in contact with my earlobe and have seen many others do the same.
I'm wondering whether I'll be able to use them with my audio interface (Steinberg UR-22C) which states max headphones output 1.5mw.
Yes, your interface headphone amplifier has plenty of power to drive them, even to listening levels louder than are recommended.
@@askdrtk Thank you for letting me know! I bought them today, and I checked them out, and they sound way better than headphones I used in the past like Sennheiser's own HD200. I am satisfied with my purchase. 🙂
Glad to hear! Enjoy your new headphones!
Dt 900 pro x or hd 400 pro
Which one is better for showing detail in mixing and mastering ?
Detail is similar, but the 400 pro have a more neutral sound signature. If you work with EDM or HH, the 900 pro x have superior low end extension with very good detail, even in sub-bass. Imaging is comparable and I would give a slight edge to the 400 pro for soundstage being more expansive. Hope this helps out. Cheers!
@@askdrtktnx 🤘🏻
for what reasons linear graphs could be used? for me only log ones make sense
I use log as well as it represents the way we hear things. That said, linear graphs provide more detail in upper frequencies and are often used for scientific analysis (hi-res audio modelling) of higher frequencies above the human hearing range that are produced by some headphones and monitors. I include both for completeness, but log is what matters to most of us from a listening perspective. Thanks for asking!
@@askdrtk thanks for answer!
DT880s accurate?! Come on ...
Is this p170 the same mic used on the k240ii review?
No, I upgraded to the Sennheiser MKE2 capsules in the ear canals of my binaural mic beginning with my M50x review. The new Sennheisers have been used on the M50x, SRH840A, HD280pro, M30x, K240ii, and HDJ-S7. Everything prior is using AKG. I made the upgrade as the MKE2 have less variability in transient response when placed in the ear canals of my binaural mic. I am working on adding all of my reviews to my website (big undertaking) and will be updating the frequency response measurements using the MKE2s for easier cross comparison, although I have found the measured difference across the 20-20000Hz range to be generally less than 4%. Thanks for asking!
@@askdrtk Nice. The new mic does seem to be much better. I now wonder how the sound demos of the hd 400 pro comes out with the newer senn mic. I am getting the k240s because of your review but was underwhelmed by the mic captures of these 400 pros. Hopefully, they are actually better than the p170 mics show them to be.
Yes, have been pleased with the upgrade. In ongoing testing I have found the 400 pros to reliably represent mixes that translate well. The k240s are a solid choice and I do highly recommend them. Their overall ability to reproduce accurate, yet pleasing sound without being fatiguing during lengthy sessions is a combination that has proven successful for a long time. Enjoy your new k240s!
You should try the SRH1840. Curious how they compare to the 400 Pro!
Thanks for the suggestion! Definitely going to review some Shure headphones. I was wondering if Shure might be releasing a refresh of the 1840s since they launched the new "a" versions of the 840, 440... Not in the same league as the 1840, but the 1840 has been available for some time... In any case, 1840 and others are on my list.
The SRH1840 review just went up. To my ears, the 1840 has the edge over the 400 pros on accuracy, but more so on audio image and soundstage. I'd be interested to know what you think...
@@askdrtk Thanks for doing a review on these headphones. I agree 100% with your assessment. I think they provide a natural sound image without trying too hard on the extremes of the frequency response. Sound foley is so accurate sometimes I forget I'm wearing headphones. Can't wait to see what you review next!
My pleasure. Thanks for the recommendation and for sharing your take on the SRH1840. To say you can forget you are wearing headphones is an excellent way to describe them and I believe Shure did an exceptional job. I would highly recommend the SRH1840 for critical listening tasks, particularly for imaging / soundstage, and for anyone looking for natural listening experience without a hyped environment being forced upon their ears.
Like
Not so hot. Did you ever test the HD 600? Everyone raves about them.
The HD600 have been my goto mixing headphones for years. I will be posting a review soon.
@@askdrtk They're also expensive as fuck. How do AKG 702s compare to them?
That's funny. I found this all-plastic build quality total crap to the point I didn't consider them.
Why do I get the impression Sennheiser put a gun to your head to say these things?!?!
Because judging from the graphs and the sounds heard, the AKG 240 mk2 and the OneOdio M80 sound and perform way better than these for a fraction of the price!! Or am I a novice/cheapskate?!?!
lol, You aren't a novice and there is nothing wrong with being cheap imo... The K240 and even the M80 both deliver great sound and value with either being very capable of supporting mix decisions. All of these headphone reviews are not sponsored , but my reviews of both the K240 and M80 were completed with my upgraded (and expensive because it needed to be done and I had to pay for it myself) binaural microphone which does a much better job of translating image and soundstage whereas the HD400 pro review was using my previous rig using two SDC's. What you are hearing is the difference in the performance of my test rig. I decided from the beginning that I was going to make the most accurate and objective headphones reviews I could afford to and so the test rig upgrade took some time... That said, I wouldn't recommend the HD400 pro as an upgrade over the others as it simply doesn't bring enough difference to justify the price. If anyone is interested in the HD400, i recommend checking out the HD560s as they are identical (except for the cables) and usually less expensive vs the HD400. I know this is a bit of a ramble, but the last thing I will say is that the M80 really surprised me. Sure their build isn't premium, but their sound profile competes with some far more expensive and widely used cans... Thanks for taking the time to look at the graphs and listen carefully to the headphone audio, it makes the work I put into these reviews worthwhile. Cheers!
@@askdrtk well, you have a great channel and very through way of testing, i just ordered the m80's based on your info! truthfully, i have beef with senn.....other sound tests that i've heard online don't inspire hope for me either! haha. i heard about the HD560s, but still remain quite expensive in my area. maybe one day i'll get a chance to physically test top-tier senn's, but until then i'll just enjoy your content (and budget hp's) instead. thanks 4 the work you put in!
Thanks, and I’m glad to help out! Enjoy your new headphones and let me know how they work out!
You think you can get a good mixing that would translate? Great video by the way ! Keep doing what u do we appreciate u. 🫡👍🏽
Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed my review. Mixes done on the 400 Pro (and the 560S) generally translate very well. These are among the most neutral option I have found in this price range. Cheers!
@@askdrtk thanks ur awesome have a great day!