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Sennheiser HD 25
by JennieJones
Being an audiophile with no nearby music store, it took a lot of research before I concluded that I was best depleting my bank account and purchasing the Sennheiser's HD-25-1 II. I'm a very critical vocalist, who is forever playing about during the day in my home studio with the aim of achieving perfection, so I needed something that ... was comfortable to wear for long periods and allowed me to hear every nuance and inflection in my voice. Their reputation preceded them, known as the industry standard and priced around the £125-£145 mark, so when I parted with my cash they had a lot of reputation to live up to.
When they arrived, the first thing I did was plug them into my Ipod, and find one of the few music tracks on there. The sound quality was superb, clear and articulate with a high output in the mids and trebles and a strong bass that doesn't overpower or muddy the sound. In the studio, I found the backing tracks and vocals became more tactile and present creating a fullness and clarity, which in turn made it easier to seek out perfection in the overall sound. Dense textures became penetrable, and I could fully appreciate the overall sound. Being closed back also means that the ambient sound isolation is superb.
For long periods of use, they are exceptionally comfortable, previous headphones have left me with headaches as they clasp desperately onto you head in an attempt not to slip off. The sennheisers are not only light weight but also fully adjustable and the ability to split the headband make them more secure for the more mobile worker. However, being particularly fond of rocking out in my studio, I did find that the lead connecting the headphone to the desk was rather short, at 1.5m it's overkill to a portable device in a pocket, but to a Stars in Your Eyes wannabe, who isn't stood in front of a microphone stand and is opting to freestyle or just move around the room without removing her headphones, I do find that quite often gets pulled taught.
The good news is I ever do reach that little too far and break the lead, which hasn't happened in the three years I've had them, all the parts are replaceable, making this a product for life.
Living in small flat with neighbours on three sides, I'm fully aware that the noise I create can be a nuisance, so it's a bonus that one of the ear pieces can be swivelled both backwards and forwards so I can hear the volume of any non amplified instruments in the room quickly without disrupting the recording. It also makes them ideal for professional DJ's who want to cue the next track using a monitor.
To paraphrase Spinal Tap, these head phones do go up to volume 11, with only some distortion at the very top end, to protect your ears it isn't advisable to have them this loud, but it's always reassuring to know you have more room to play with when you are listening to music, in the studio or in a busy nightclub environment.
Sound wise, and longevity wise they are worth every penny, I'd highly recommend them to anyone who is serious about sound reproduction.
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Urbanears Plattan
by KabyemelaJ
I bought these headphones as they were on special offer at HMV for Twenty Five Pounds, and I have been very pleased with them. I am not too sure about the variety of technologies used in the headphones, and with a very generic design there sure aren't any gimmicks, and it isn't a fashion statement, just high quality headphones at a ... reasonable price.
I listen to quite a lot of music, and use in ear earphones for when I'm out, but I'm finding them quite uncomfortable, and the sound quality not as good as on ear headphones. I knew I must find a pair that would have good sound quality, for a cheap price, without being to flashy or gimmicky for outside wear and use. When I found these very generic, cheap but sturdy and high quality headphones I took the plunge and I definitely haven't regretted it.
They have quite hard ear padding, but it is still very comfortable, sitting on a sweet spot, just on your ear instead of surrounding it. It provides clear, crisp, with beautiful high notes, and incredible, head vibrating bass, sound quality, and can run very high quality files on my mobile phone with ease. I have had no trouble with leaking, even at very high volumes, and the quality doesn't decrease at high volumes either.
I would recommend these headphones to anybody, as they are simple, beautiful, good quality and cheap.
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