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List Price: $249.95
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- Lightweight at only5 ounces
- The capsule is rotatable for one-ear listening
- Capable of handling very high sound pressure levels
- Offers high attenuation of background noise
- Ideal monitoring headphones for cameramen and DJs
- Item Weight: 5 ounces
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First off, I've been researching on getting a high quality set of headphones for a long time, looking at reviews all over forums and sites, and testing them out at stores that carried the ones I was interested in, mostly for DJ use. (Sony MDR V700, Pioneer HDJ-1000&2000, Allen&Heath XD53, Ultrasone DJ-1, Technics RP-DH1200, etc etc, and even the Monster Dre. Beats Pro, even though after the Beats Studios I've grown to sway away from those overpriced-bandwagon-moneymaking headphones) If you're looking for a set of 'cool' headphones that look flashy and deliver mad bass for casual listening (with hopes that you will be noticed by people around you wearing your super cool headphones) and are thinking of getting these, look elsewhere. However, if you want studio-level quality headphones that deliver excellent noise isolation while maintaining superb sounds with crisp highs and tight, punchy bass, (and aren't buying them for sex appeal) you cannot go wrong with these. I might also mention that I bought these for mainly DJ use as well as listening on-the-go for I am a hobbyist, and I have to say it serve my purpose extremely well.
One reason why these are far superior than other headphones in the price range is its isolation. Although it is technically not a 'closed' system, it blocks out sound better than any closed headphones I've tried. Next time you're watching ESPN and look at what headphones the commentators are using, you'll quickly realize that these are EVERYWHERE. This is because of the superior isolation it provides, since commentators need to be able to block out the loud noise of the crowds & whatnot in the environment they are in. If you go to a club/music festivals where DJ's are present (for Electronic Dance Music), you will quickly notice that many of your favorite DJ's are sporting these. I recently went to the Electric Daisy Carnival in Vegas this year, and found myself being amazed at how many DJ's there were using these headphones during their sets, and although it might be the wrong reason for getting these headphones, just the fact that so many of the DJ's I looked up to had these, I wanted the same headphones as them. As a DJ playing in front of a massive crowd and monitors and speakers at ear-piercing levels, you need to be able to block out those extra noises and hear the track you're cueing up. Don't take my word for how well these do just that, just take a look at how many professional DJs choose these when they play their live sets.
Next feature to mention is its durability and comfort. Yes, they are made of plastic. But don't be fooled; because of the simplicity of the design, these will seriously last forever. They've been bent, tossed around, sat on, pulled, anything you can name it by plenty of traveling DJ's and if you check the forums they all say these have withheld stress the best. Also, every part of the headphone is replaceable, making it easy to buy parts that wear out or break unlike other headphones which become utterly useless if you mess with the wrong cord.
As far as comfort goes, although at first they may seem a little tight on your head, after you give them some time to 'break in' and mold to your head, you will find yourself forgetting they are even on your head at times. They're super light, with minimal baggage that other headphones slap on to make their brand look more appealing than others. You're getting 100% efficiency with these and 0% of the tacky features of other headphones. Like I said, if you're looking to stand out and be that guy with the super-cool-headphones-that-aren't-Dre.Beats-since-everyone-has-those-and-you-want-to-be-different, these will not suit your intentions for they aren't the most appealing of headphones. However it has a minimalist design that has the simple aesthetics that grows on you. To add, I've actually taken them apart completely (and they do come apart) and decided to customize the pieces by spray painting certain parts to transform them into white and black. And yes this is possible and there are actually many customized HD-25's on the web if you google it.
Last and most importantly, the sound. Crystal clear highs, projectile mids, and excellent bass. Since most people seem to care a lot about the BASS, considering the prominence of Dre. Beats and their infamous bass, these aren't as deep or 'booming' sounding as the Beats which completely overpowers/drowns out every other spectrum of sound in my honest opinion. These sound much tighter, and punchier. It's like comparing that too-loud, vibrating (almost fart sounding), overdriven subwoofer you've had the misfortune of experiencing in your friend's car to a well-tuned and balanced clear, punchy bass thump coming from a kick drum mic'ed through a nice PA system at a concert you've been to. Okay, maybe that was a little over exaggerated but you get my drift. But some people just seem to enjoy that loud, floor rattling bass so if you ARE that kind of person, do not buy these. Now that we've got that clear, the rest of the sound spectra considering the highs and mids are substantial, really bringing out the clarity and phenomenal sound quality that Sennheiser is known for. The sound separations between the bass kicks and hi hats and mid range vocals and melodies are definitely present, which is another reason why DJ's use them.
The only thing I say they somewhat 'lack' is that the sound presence isn't necessarily the best. Some headphones give you that experience where if you put them on and play your favorite track and close your eyes, it seems like you are right there with the music and have that '360 degree' feel (like the Ultrasone DJ-1's). These don't necessarily provide that type of presence but it's not such a negative feature to sway people away from these headphones. Think of it as a bonus feature that some headphones have.
Overall, there's a reason why these are recommended by nearly every DJ if you read the forum threads of people looking for headphones. There's a reason why every commentator you see on TV is wearing these. However, these aren't for everyone and definitely not for the average consumer with the average ear that listens specifically for how much bass the headphones can put out. I may also add you can, and I suggest, buy a headphone amplifier if you want to reach the full potential of this high-end headhpone. Anyway, I think this review was extensive enough for people seriously interested in considering these headphones and if they aren't, they probably stopped reading this review by now so I'll end it with this question. If they did 'suck' and really were a waste of money as some reviews state, why would so many PROFESSIONALS that care about audio quality (compared to the also prominent Dre. Beats seen on NBA players and spoiled kids with no real ear for quality sound) resort to these and choose to use this specific model when there are plenty of products?
Hope this helps you make a decision and I'm sorry if I've wasted your valuable time while you were sitting bored at home or work browsing through Amazon. Cheers :)
Buy Sennheiser HD25-1 II Closed-Back Headphones Now
Looks ugly and cheap. So I bought the V-Moda M80, which looks AWESOME and COOL!! Taught me to not judge a book by its cover. Let me explain.
The V-Moda looked good, sounded ok, but the QC was terrible. The set I got had channel imbalance (right side noticeably louder than the left) and creaky construction at the metal hinges where the headband connects to the cups. I sold the V-Moda.
Next, I bought the highly recommended ATH M50. Sounded ok, bassy (definitely for bassheads) and isolation was good. BUT the long cord and size didn't make it as portable as I'd liked it to be, so it was relegated to home use for watching movies and playing games.
So my search for a sub $200 (unamped) portable headphone continued. I looked at Grado and other brands. Scoured forums and more forums for recommendations and whatnot. Annoyingly, people kept recommending this pair of headphones which led me to think that everybody on head-fi and other audio forums are all fashion-blind audiophiles/retards. However, logic dictates that if a bunch of monkeys are gong "ooh ooh ahh ahh" and pointing at something behind you, they all can't be wrong, so there might actually be something behind you that's worth looking at (a tiger mayhaps). So going against my better judgement, I ordered a pair. Best mistake I've ever done in my life, I must say.
The box was simple. Too simple. After the likes of the fancy schmancy case that came with the V-Moda, the Sennheiser box looked blasphemously cheap for the price that I paid for the headphones. And when I opened up the box, I was greeted with a flimsy looking plastic pair of headphones that has "Made in Ireland" printed on it. Oh golly, they might as well have made it green, white and orange with three leaf clover shaped headphone cups to go along with the Irish theme. I was slightly disappointed, but that was short lived.
And then, by leprechaun magic, everything changed when I put on the headphones. I could hear every note, every high and every low. Music came to live and all was good in the world. It already sounded great before the burn in. Channel was balanced (unlike the V-Moda). Isolation was great, especially for subway travel. I finally understood why it came highly recommended. And after a few hours of burn in, it got even better!!!
Back to the construction and the looks. The construction looks flimsy but it is not. After using it for the past couple of months everywhere I go, on the plane/train/wherever, and throwing it around without care, I appreciate the extremely understated but robust construction. It seems to take whatever I throw at it. With the V-Moda's I felt that I needed to baby it more than I do with the HD-25s. And the pictures online doesn't really do it justice. It actually looks great in real life. Or maybe the whole rugged industrial look grew on me. I am definitely a HD-25 convert. I wasted time and money buying other headphones before I bought these, but you have the choice to not make the same mistake. Just buy these and be done with it.
Read Best Reviews of Sennheiser HD25-1 II Closed-Back Headphones Here
the hd25-1-ii is a classy looking pair of closed headphones that combines great sound with functionality. i use them on my commute and they serve as a nice complement to the hd600 for home use.
the hd25-1-ii sounded awesome to my ears right out of the box. if you already like the balanced, non-fatiguing, relaxing, slightly warm sennheiser house sound, then you will be pleased by the sound quality of the hd25-1-ii. the sennheiser hd600 is my reference pair of headphones and delivers what i consider neutral sound. as such, my ears were already acclimated and no adjustment period was needed for the similar sounding hd25-1-ii. compared to the hd600, the hd25-1-ii has a noticeably stronger but muddier bass, and a more intimate smaller soundstage. the fine treble details are quite nice on the hd25-1-ii, but obviously not as clear as on the hd600. however, the differences here won't be noticed on your commute anyway if you were considering the hd25-1-ii for public use. some would even consider the stronger bass on the hd25-1-ii a plus for commutes since the bass is one of the first things to get drowned out by ambient noise. note that the hd600 is in another tier entirely, so these comparisons are not meant as negatives against the hd25-1-ii at all. i merely wish to give the reader some standard reference point for my comments in this review.
one of the strengths of the sennheiser sound in general is that it works well with all genres of music, in my opinion. the hd600 has never disappointed me with anything i've thrown at it. now, the hd25-1-ii definitely shows more love for some genres than others because of the differences outlined in the previous paragraph, but nevertheless the hd25-1-ii never sounds downright terrible either. the relatively small soundstage and increased bass quantity makes the hd25-1-ii shine in particular when it comes to aggressive music. heavy metal and harsh industrial music comes alive on the hd25-1-ii. in the case of say thrash and death metal, the loss of some of the high frequency details is more than made up for by the greater sense of energy compared to listening to metal on the hd600. on the other hand, the hd25-1-ii gives its weakest performance when it comes to classical music. the same characteristics that made the hd25-1-ii amazing for metal has the opposite effect with classical. symphonies require a larger soundstage to sound just right, for example. fortunately, loud aggressive music is more suitable for public transportation in new york city so i don't really mind the slight weakness when it comes to classical.
the sound isolation will disappoint you if you are used to iems. headphones in general will never be able to compete with iems in that department. having said that, the hd25-1-ii does a pretty good job at sound isolation. most of the time the ambient noise becomes tolerably drowned out by the music without having to raise the volume to dangerous levels. keep in mind that i mostly listen to harsh music on my commute and your mileage might vary depending on your musical preferences.
the stock pleather ear pads will give you the strongest bass performance and sound isolation, but they will also make your ears sweat. yuck. it's almost inconceivable to me to use the pleather pads during the summer. switching to the velour ear pads leads to a huge boost in comfort, but also an initial drop in bass that might be a deal breaker for some. however, the velour pads flatten a bit with use and the lost bass does return somewhat during the ear pads' break-in process. a little patience will pay off here. i switched to the velour pads after a couple of days with the stock pleather pads and haven't looked back since. also, the bass sounds more neutral with the broken-in velour pads, in my opinion.
comfort was just awful at the beginning. my ears were red and sore from the first hour of usage! however, things get better after a few weeks as the headband loosens up. these days, i can wear the hd25-1-ii on my hour long commutes without the terrible pain experienced on day one. on the other hand, i doubt any amount of break-in will make these headphones suitable for marathon listening sessions. the strong clamping force is a necessary evil to ensure decent sound isolation.
a unique feature of the hd25-1-ii is the splittable headband, which splits in two to allow for greater control. the more you split apart the headband, the tighter and more secure the headphones will become on your head. as a superficial benefit, so-called "headphone hair" is less noticeable with the hd25-1-ii since two thin headphone bands make less of a groove in your hair than one thicker headphone band.
the one-sided stock steel cable is stiff and runs down the right side, which is annoying since i'm right-handed. wearing the headphone the other way around will fix that, but will also reverse the left and right channels in the process. fortunately, the hd25-1-ii uses the same connectors as the hd600, allowing for an easy cable swap. i quickly switched to the more flexible hd600 copper cable and properly ran the cable down the left side instead. the stock cable is asymmetrical with the extra length of wire hidden in a groove in the headband. the hd600 cable is symmetrical though, so if you plan on using that hidden groove to store your cable, then you will have some excess wire to take care off. i wrapped the excess on the outside of the left cup and tied it neatly together with a cable tie.
the hd25-1-ii is made of very sturdy plastic and gets stored in my backpack daily without worry. the cable connectors point upwards, minimizing the risk of accidental damage. i generously covered the connectors with some black electrical tape for some added rain resistance and a more minimalist all black look. i just love the final plain and functional appearance that says to onlookers, "hey, don't look at me, nothing to see here." it's perfect for the commute.
overall, the hd25-1-ii sounds wonderful, but has its quirks. with some break-in and modding, it has grown into a beloved pair of headphones in my collection.
Want Sennheiser HD25-1 II Closed-Back Headphones Discount?
It was my 2nd year in college when I bought my first big headphone purchase. They were a pair of Grado Labs SR-80's, and at the time spending $100 on headphones was unheard of within my circle of friends. From that point on I was hooked on headphones. Now, I'm not a 'true' audiophile that will spend thousands on an amp (I use a custom MisterX HPDAC), or buy the top of the line (Senn's HD 800 will set you back about 1.5k), but I do know what I like, and I try a lot of headphones. Over the last few years I have owned...
Grado Labs SR-80
Ultimate Ears SuperFi5 Pro
Sennheiser HD 595
Beyerdynamic DT 770
Ultrasone Pro 650
Audio Technica ATH-700
AKG K701
...and a few more lower end cans not worth mentioning. My point being, I've tried a lot of headphones.
Even with several of these headphones still around from the years, I was looking into a pair of closed, portable cans that could be driven of an iPod, or at home off my HPDAC. Something that wouldn't break the bank, but wasn't cheap and would break if I used them often. My search led me to the Sennheiser HD 25-1 ii. After a lot of research I decided these would be my next purchase.
My first impression out of the box. "These tiny plain looking headphones are the same ones receiving all this hype?". At first they almost seem like a toy. They are much smaller than most cans I use, and they look so plain that if you didn't see the Sennheiser name on the top of the headphones you wouldn't know who made them. They lack a lot of the flair some headphones like to add (cough-Beats-cough). BUT, if you handle them you realize very soon that these super light small headphones are rock solid. Despite their lack of weight, they feel sturdy, the plastic is hard enough to take abuse and avoid scratches, and the industrial design makes a lot of sense considering these are marketed to DJ's and working professionals.
Okay, okay. Let's get to what you really want to know. How do they sound? A big influence in my decision to buy these was that I love the Sennheiser sound signature (warm, clean, sharp), and that these cans have a little bit of a high end push that lends a little to Grado Labs. I have these headphones on right now as I'm writing this, and I am very, very happy with my purchase.
Let's start with the lows. The bass is punchy and sharp. Now, if you want 'bassy' cans, these are not for you. The bass is clean, but sometimes gets swallowed by the mids depending on the song, so the bass will never rattle your head like a pair of Ultrasones or Audio Technicas. This is more about sound reproduction, and these do it very well. You will be able to follow the bass line, and really, if you wanted to FEEL bass, headphones aren't the right medium.
The mids are where these shine. Sennheiser has always put out headphones with very clear mids. Guitar solos, vocals, aux percussion. They're so clean you will hear small nuances you never heard before. This is one of my favorite parts of good cans. You realize all these new little sections of music you didn't know existed. The HD 25-1 ii excel here. Senns have a warm sound, and these headphones bring it to you in a wonderful way that will make your music collection seem new.
The highs are very clean as well. And as I said, they have a little bit of a Grado feel in that they are a little more prominent that most Senns would have. It adds to the sound stage (that I'll get to), and it really benefits rock, grunge, and not bass heavy techno. Overall, the sound package is very solid, and this all comes from a small pair of headphones that weigh almost nothing.
Alright, the sound stage. Well, my AKG 701's made it seem like you were 20 feet from the band, and separation of the sounds was very clear. That's not the case here. These cans make you feel like you are in the middle of every member jamming/rocking/etc.. Now, depending on your needs this may be a great thing, or could ruin your musical experience. These cans will not work for classical. Jazz sounds good, but most 'real' audiophiles will want something more spacious. I love these, but then again I love rock and techno (not dubstep so much). These headphones are in your face, so if you like it clean, loud, and just awesome these are for you.
The technical aspects, well you can get that anywhere. These come with a cheap bag, vinyl pads (that feel good but sounds bad) and a 3.5 mm headphone adapter. No frills. Just a pair of cans that could survive a third world war, sound fantastic, and have been on my head for this entire write-up. If you are on the edge of buying these, consider this the push over! You will be very happy with your purchase. And if not, there are tons of other options. Welcome to the world of quality headphones! :)
Edit/Update (because you miss things at times): A few things I should have mentioned but didn't...
Comfort: I enjoy wearing these headphones for long periods. As others have mentioned, there is a certain amount of clamping force, but these were designed for mobile use so you need a little tightness. The split headphone design lets you determine the amount of clamp though. The farther apart they are, the tighter they get. Larger over-the-ear headphones will always be more comfortable, but they're designed to be used at home so they don't need to hold onto your head as tightly.
Amping: I enjoy my music loud. My iPod touch can get these very loud, but I need to get the volume fairly high. I would imagine for 95% of people, they will be happy with the volume you can get with portable devise. I have had several pairs of cans that couldn't be driven with an iPod, but that's not the case here. With my HPDAC at home I can get these to volumes that would drive you deaf, and an amp/DAC combo will give a little extra push to the sound, but it's not something that you will need.
This is the page for the HD25-1 MkII although I'm not quite sure how they differ from the original HD25-1's.
These are very good headphones, with powerful bass and crisp trebles and they are reasonably portable. I think these were mainly designed to be DJ-ing monitor like headphones but they are an excellent choice for portable use too. For example, I use them with my MP3 player for my daily commute and the sound is wonderful you'll need a decent player though with a good internal amp like the Cowon's Iaudio range as it takes a bit to drive the HD25's.
They also do a good job of blocking out external noise, you'll still be able to hear the underground rumbling but it will be way in the background if you are listening to louder music.
They're not perfect though. Quite uncomfortable initially they have a vice like grip and my ears started to get a little painful after less than an hour but I've been told they do stretch slightly and become a lot more comfortable. I also find the bass a little boomy and lacking slightly in detail at times and can sometimes feel the `cans' vibrating slightly. The bass has also at times caused a slight sensation of my ears `popping' like when a plane takes off but it's nothing major. Also, sound quality although generally excellent across all types of music, is not the very best in this price range. I have noticed a few instances where some more subtle details, although quite clearly present, are not as clear and separated as they could be. In that respect, these are not the best headphones for classical / orchestral music where you want to hear clear separation of the different instruments and feel like you are on or near the stage; the HD25's don't really provide that type of soundstage effect. I suppose this is the trade-off for being a lot more portable than full sized over the ear phones.
Still, extremely pleased and impressed with them.
