The Sennheiser HD 280 Pro headphones are an excellent value and should be considered a top choice for electronic drummers. These headphones offer up to 32 db of passive noise reduction and a have a great sound when used with drum modules. They also work great for mixing/monitoring in the studio.
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Sound Quality
Let’s get into the sound quality of these headphones. Why do people like the sound of these headphones? They produce a fairly flat frequency range but also have nice presence in the lows and highs, without overly pushing either the low or high end.
The lows are present but not overpowering. Music that is designed to have heavy bass will sound accurate. Music that doesn’t have a lot of low end will not sound like low end is being forcefully added, so for that reason they are good for hearing an accurate representation of the low end without going too weak like some studio monitor headphones will do.
The mids are clear and detailed enough for studio mixing applications. Vocals come through with great detail and these can work well to help pick apart overlapping sounds during mixing.
The highs are clear and crisp and higher frequencies come through with great detail. There are a couple spots in the high end where frequencies can sound slightly hollow, but nothing that overly drags down the sound.
The stereo field is quite wide for closed back headphones, and it’s easy to hear where sounds are sitting in the sound stage.
When plugged into an electronic drum kit, these headphones sound great.
The kick drums have good punch and sub bass response. Snares and toms cut right through and don’t lack any presence. Cymbals sound smooth and accurate without any added harshness, even at higher volumes.
The stereo field comes through very well and it’s easy to setup a nice left to right sound stage that matches the position of your pads – if you take some time to adjust the panning of the sounds in your module.
Closed Back Design
These are closed-back headphones and they offer around 32 db of noise reduction. This is a pretty good amount of passive noise reduction for closed-back headphones. For this reason they are popular with people who are seeking out more noise reduction.
What are some good reasons for more noise reduction?
If you are an electronic drummer, you probably like to hear the sound of the drum module over the sound of your sticks hitting the pads. These headphones will do a great job of helping you focus on the module sounds.
If you are a studio engineer, isolating the studio environment from your listening field can help with consistency in sound. If you work in a lot of different studios with different acoustic properties, you might find it useful to have a familiar sounding pair of noise isolating headphones to fall back on.
Comfort
These headphones are designed to be comfortable for longer sessions and people that use them agree. They have large, soft ear cup pads and the padding on the headband is also soft. They have a wide fit, so they will work well for heads of all sizes. They don’t clamp too hard or too soft, it feels just right for most people.
I noticed that they felt much more comfortable after the ear cups broke in a bit. I can wear these headphones for a long time without feeling uncomfortable. Hour long drum sessions are no problem with these.
The only complaint some users have is that these can get a little warm after longer sessions, and that was my experience as well. This is mostly due to the closed-back design trapping more heat during use. To be fair, most closed back headphones that fit a nice seal around your ears will probably get warm when playing drums. A fan pointed at you when playing can help if you play longer sessions.
Build Quality
These headphones are built well enough for their price range. People who own them say that they have dropped them or banged them around accidentally and they held up well to the abuse. They fold up so they are less likely to get mangled during transport.
They are made with daily use in mind, and they will hold up well over time if you take care of them. The headband pad and the ear cup pads can be replaced and replacement parts can be purchased from Sennheiser support.
The Cable
These headphones come with a 3 meter coiled cable. The cable has a 3.5mm plug and a 1/4″ adapter. The cable can be removed and replaced, but the headphones need to be partially disassembled to do so – so it’s not truly a detachable cable.
The length of the cable is a little deceiving due to the coiled design. It feels much shorter in practice, more like 4-6 feet unless you really stretch it out. For this reason, I use a headphone extension cable with these when plugged into my drum kit. I’d recommend the same for anybody picking up a pair of these for drumming. You’ll need the extra few feet of length to keep the cable out of the way effectively when playing.
Technical Specifications
Mixing, Reference, Casual Listening
Closed-back, over ear
40 mm
113 dB
500 mW
64 ohms
8 – 25000 Hz
Yes
Yes
3 m coiled cable
Pros
- High level of environmental noise reduction
- Collapsible and foldable
- Soft and comfortable padding
- Good sound throughout the spectrum
Cons
- No removable cable
- Can feel warm during longer sessions
Overall Rating
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Sound Quality
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Spaciousness
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Clarity
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Comfort
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Construction
3.5 out of 5.0 stars
Value
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
The Verdict
Overall, we really like the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro headphones for electronic drumming. They have a good amount of passive noise reduction and will help you hear the module more than the pads.
The sound is fairly flat but also has nice sounding lows and highs. The stereo field is great for closed back headphones. They are comfortable enough for longer sessions, but drummers may find them a little warm if you get hot while you play. They provide a clean, clear and detailed sound for studio usage as well. All of this while being around $100 in price is hard to beat.
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