Has the Sennheiser Pro family finally caught on with the industry’s worst kept secret?
The Sennheiser HD 600s (and more recently the 650s) have been a hack for studio engineers since the late 90’s. Marketed as “Audiophile” headphones, there’s scarcely an engineer in the world who hasn’t secretly mixed dozens of sessions with these cans.
Enter the HD 490 PRO! So… has the Sennheiser Pro family finally caught on with the industry’s best worst kept secret? What we have here is a versatile solution catering to the needs of modern-day producers, mixers, and mastering engineers.
Unboxing the HD 490 PRO Plus reveals a 1.8m mini XLR to 3.5mm jack cable accompanied by a 6.5mm adapter. Additionally, there’s a set of robust ear pads, as well as the pre-fitted velour ones (which by the way, are a personal favourite), and a sturdy carry case. However, if you opt for the standard model instead of the plus version, you’ll only receive the cable, adapter, and extra pads.
What struck us immediately was the lightweight design of these headphones. Making them almost forgettable when wearing during a long editing session. Excitement took over as we pulled up some of our favourite mixes to reveal nuances that only our favourite aforementioned 600’s were capable of.
The HD 490 PRO revealed a fresh perspective on some well-worn productions of ours. We’ll have to give credit to the fantastic mid-range and vast soundstage that let us hear a direction we hadn’t thought to go. Accompanied by a crystal clear top and bottom end, the details are all there – you just have to go looking!
For those serious about referencing their studio work, these headphones are a worthy investment. The ability to carry a high-quality headphone to sessions or use it at home is a game-changer. Personally, knowing that I could step into any studio without worrying about adapting to new monitors or questioning the room’s acoustics was a significant relief and meant I could just focus on the music!
The HD 490 PRO Plus is suitable for everyone – from beginners to advanced engineers. It’s a perfect addition to your workflow.
To learn more about these headphones, head over to the Sennheiser website!
