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Sennheiser HD 414's...

TimF

pfm Member
What is the closest thing these days to a pair of these phones? Maybe a silly question, but boy do I wish I had kept my pair. There is something that is just right about them, the comfort, fit, weight and overall sound of them that I miss. Maybe not the last word on detail and overall bass response, but one I could use for hours on end and not feel fatigued after a bit of time.

I had bought a pair of HD 580's years ago, and gave the 414's to a friend that had no phones, so it was a good thing, but find after all these years, I wish I had a pair of them again. Thanks all for any of your thoughts!
 
My first 'HiFi' headphones were the HD414, after many years of service the ear pads started to disintegrate, but whilst wandering through Bath shopping center I found a small TV/HiFi shop who had a drawer full of new old stock headphone pads for sale, including the HD 414. They were still good and kept mine serviceable for many years more!

I now have a couple of closed back designs, Oppo and Sony but I prefer the sound of my open back Stax L700's.
 
Koss Porta-Pro (Amazon) are about the closest that come to my mind. They are a heck of a lot easier to drive than HD-414s too. I actually have both, so could compare, but I’m not sure where the Porta-Pro are at present! They are in a box somewhere, but where exactly is anyone’s guess. I remember them being light, fairly comfortable (not as good as 414s, but nothing is) and sounding pretty good in a fairly crisp and bass-light way. They would certainly be fine on a smartphone whereas you need more than that to get anything much out of the 600 Ohm 414s.
 
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My first 'HiFi' headphones were the HD414, after many years of service the ear pads started to disintegrate, but whilst wandering through Bath shopping center I found a small TV/HiFi shop who had a drawer full of new old stock headphone pads for sale, including the HD 414. They were still good and kept mine serviceable for many years more!

I now have a couple of closed back designs, Oppo and Sony but I prefer the sound of my open back Stax L700's.

HD414's were my first "Hi-Fi" phones too, had them quite a few years and enjoyed them. I think replacement ear pads are still available, or were from Sennheiser not all that long ago. Time flies though...

@Tony L , those Koss are funky looking things, I have never seen a pair before!
 
HD414's were my first "Hi-Fi" phones too, had them quite a few years and enjoyed them. I think replacement ear pads are still available, or were from Sennheiser not all that long ago. Time flies though...

Yes, you can still buy earpads today, and the cable is the standard Sennheiser fitting (just like a HD-600, HD-25 etc). As such if you can find a working pair at a reasonable price they can be restored. I say ‘working pair’ as I’m pretty sure the drivers are no longer available. The problem is they have become very collectable of late and the second hand price has rocketed. I kind of cringed a bit paying about £40 for my boxed pair with manual around 10 years ago thinking that was excessive for a bit of nostalgia, but since then people are often asking crazy money, e.g. these in Japan (eBay).
 
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I recall early Sennheiser on ear headphones had very high impedance voice coils (something like 2000 ohms) and they came fitted with 2 pin din plugs, one for each channel which you had to plug directly in to the 2 pin speaker sockets that lots of amps used back in the 60's.

A very unusual arrangement when most headphone companies at the time were using 8 ohm dynamic drivers that looked like cheap transistor radio loudspeakers. Thank goodness for progress, but 'fair do' to Sennheiser who at least brought new thinking to the topic.
 
Thanks all for the recommendations, I am going to have to try and see if I can get a listen to a few of these soonish. In the meantime, will continue to enjoy my HD660S in the main system for now.
 
These were also my first set of headphones. I really didn't know much at time of purchase & didn't own much at the time. I believe they were bought in a local hifi store known as Cheesmans. Money wasn't exactly rolling back then (or now lol!) so price must have been a factor in choosing.

I used these almost primarily with my dads Pioneer receiver which had a headphone output. Many friends & acquaintances at the time whom heard them thought they were a great sounding pair of phones. I thought they were okay. Don't think those whom heard them were particularly into music in any serious way, well not that I was but perhaps more serious than they.

I still have these parked in the garage & I was going to resurrect them a while ago due to some interest on here but brain being what it is these days remain unearthed! So shall go and seek them out tonight, should I not forget when I arrive home! Well I say I still have them, I've seen the box!


EDIT: I stand corrected. Fished out my headphones and they are HD424X model
 
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