Review: Sennheiser Headphones

HD 25-1 II for studio ($199 street)

HD 25-SP II for DJ ($129 street)

By Jon Chappell

Sennheiser is known for its microphones and headphones, so when they release a new model, or pair of models in this case, you have to sit up and take notice—especially if the paradigm deviates from the norm. That’s the case with the HD 25-1 II and the HD 25-SP II, both of which can be used in live, mobile, and studio applications. The 25-1s are more at home in a recording studio (they have better fidelity) while the 25-SPs, with their lower price and swiveling earcups, will appeal to the DJ crowd. What’s unusual is that these incarnations don’t look like other studio headphones in the same price range: the 25s lack the thick padded headband and the large padded earcups so common to competitive units from other popular manufacturers.

Light Headed

But that’s precisely the point. The Sennheisers are incredibly light weight (140 grams, or just under 5 ounces), coming in at about half the weight of similarly performing competitors. And the weightlessness is because the drivers and surrounding earcups are smaller. The Sennheisers feature what’s known as a supra-aural design, meaning the cups fit on top of and against the pinnae (outer ear). But because they are light weight, they don’t require a lot of pressure from the headband to keep them in place, and thus don’t make your ears sore when wearing them for an extended period of time.

On the 25-1s, the headband itself is not just a thin strip of metal with a yarn-width’s bit of padding: it splits apart. This already thin band separates into two hinged micro-bands that can be placed across the top of the head in two places, sort of like the chin strap on a football helmet (except these are adjustable). This allows for the weight to be distributed across two points instead of one, and the grip is more secure because it provides a triangulated hold. This is great for the mobile recordist who might be moving or bending down or turning his head a lot, and needs to keep constant contact with his headphones. But it’s also good for the DJ, who intentionally thrashes around (if he’s any good) as part of the performance aspect of DJ’ing. The cable, though seemingly thinner, has about the same mass as a braided copper cable, but this one is steel. It’s reportedly tougher, and the insulation is not overly thick, so the advantage of your lightweight headgear isn’t undone by a heavy cord.

Spare Parts

The HD 25-1 IIs offer excellent sound, a lightweight design that includes a split headband, and easily replaceable parts. Another feature of the Sennheisers, other than their light weight, is the fact that they are modularly constructed: every element of the headphones can be easily switched out, should it become damaged. The key word here is easily: the cups, the headband, the cable, all of it, comes apart using just the fingers or a screwdriver. There’s no soldering required. Replacing a blown driver in seconds is huge. Because if you haven’t blown a driver using headphones, then you haven’t used headphones very much. And even though the Sennheisers’ drivers are quite heavy duty, they’re not indestructible. Another plus is that the earcups actually come completely off of the headband just by tugging them sharply, so if you need to do some single-ear listening, it takes seconds to remove the cup from the headband and unplug the cable to the unused earcup.

A Ringing in My Ears

The budget-oriented HD 25-SP IIs have swiveling cups for easy single-ear listening.

Because of their snug fit, excellent cup padding, and supra-aural design, these Sennheisers offer 25 dB of passive isolation—just by wearing the things. This will be good news to mobile recordists who often have to stand in and amongst the ambient noise they’re trying to ignore while monitoring the recorded signal. It’s less of an issue with DJ’s, except that it means you don’t have to cue your material so loud, which risks fatiguing or even damaging your hearing over time.

The specs list the 25-1’s SPL at 120 dB, which is quite a bit higher than most other headphones of the same ilk. The maximum input power is rated at 200 mW, meaning it’s an efficient system, relative to other models. The driver diameter and material are not given, but the voice coil is a lightweight aluminum and handles high SPLs with ease.

I tested the phones through different types of program material including a Mahler symphony (with prominent brass and percussion—both drums and metallic instruments), an acoustic ensemble (Alison Krauss and Union Station) and some rock (Green Day, Nickelback, Toad the Wet Sprocket). The sound of both models is loud, bright, and clear throughout, and the 25-1’s really put the bass out front. But it was never humpy or muddy—just in your face. I did get a better balance of the transients coming from the acoustic bass of the Alison Krauss music from the 25-1’s, and it seemed more in balance with the rest of the ensemble. Both sets were transparent through the high end, and perhaps a little bright at the very top, but not in a harsh or unpleasant way. The sound was present, and especially in the 25-1’s, strong in bass content, but never to the point where I felt the drivers were being overwhelmed. The phones felt like they were in control the entire time, even to the point where I pushed them—for my ears—to an almost uncomfortable level.

Conclusions

The 25-1s come with an extra set of earpads in velour, plus a carrying pouch. This photo shows that the cups can be easily disconnected and removed.

The Sennheisers are very lightweight, robust, and handle high SPL despite their small size. They have an excellent, tight bass sound that damps and reproduces transients well. Because the earcups don’t collapse on a hinge, the phones may not as seem as portable as some headphones, but the earcups do detach from the headband easily. The only other potential drawback is the relatively short cord (4.8 feet) on the 25-1s (the 25-SP has the more typical 10-foot cord), but this might not even be an issue with mobile recordists (who like their cords shorter). And you could always order the longer cable from Sennheiser. The replaceable nature of the components ensure the headphones’ longevity as a system, and they feel quite comfortable, especially with the options provided by the 25-1’s splittable headband and extra earpads included in the package. The sound is excellent overall, both in clarity and transparency, and in their ability to withstand high SPL and manage aggressive bass material. The 25-1’s at $199, and for less critical or live situations the 25-SP’s for $129, are both excellent values.