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Sennheiser HD 25

Pedro83

pfm Member
Anyone else using these 'phones? I'm mighty impressed, at first I tried them with the new Audioquest Red DAC and my iPhone 6S. A nice, albeit small improvement. More detail, soundstage, more volume (which I need) add in the size of the thing and IMO its just about justified @ £169.

Anyway, I came home tonight and plugged them into my main headphone rig - Mac Pro, Audirvana 2.0, Schiit Wyrd, Hugo then Mojo with the iPhone and these things are probably the best £130 I have spent on audio. I am shocked how much detail is coming through. Note the Mac trounces the iPhone but an improvement is there.

I initially bought them for EDM and the SPL but have since realised they are fine for everything I throw at them. I've had mid and top end Beyers not too long ago and I cannot believe how good these are.

Recommended !

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-II-Closed-Headphone-headband/dp/B000TDZOXG/ref=pd_sim_sbs_23_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=414Drxv9w5L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=1MJA53EYFGB3B1K3EQN3
 
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Although I haven't hear these headphone I have thought about purchasing these as over time I have been thinking of tying something from the pro audio world - which I believe is where these headphone are from - as I have been becoming increasingly frustrated at how worse the hifi world is getting. Also, it seems to me that with normal headphones you have to play it out too louder volume to hear any detail, which of course is not good for the ears.
You mention EDM which i assume is Electronic Dance Music? if so this again is interesting to me as this should mean that you like you music to be portrayed honestly with all impact and warmth that is in the program material.
I wonder is there a a place i could get a demo of Pro headphones in the U.K.(?)
Has anyone else compared pro headphones especially for modern music ( not fuddy duddy laid back music)?
Will be good to know how you get on with them.
 
I use my 25s all the time. Totally ignored by most hifi bods but a standard in broadcasting. Superb. I've heard better but not even remotely close to the price. Plus, every single part can be replaced easily so you don't have to treat them with kid gloves. Brilliant.
 
They are great and I take them everywhere. Its a good idea to specify that we're talking about the 25 I-II (with the double head band), because they are quite a bit better.
 
Although I haven't hear these headphone I have thought about purchasing these as over time I have been thinking of tying something from the pro audio world - which I believe is where these headphone are from - as I have been becoming increasingly frustrated at how worse the hifi world is getting. Also, it seems to me that with normal headphones you have to play it out too louder volume to hear any detail, which of course is not good for the ears.
You mention EDM which i assume is Electronic Dance Music? if so this again is interesting to me as this should mean that you like you music to be portrayed honestly with all impact and warmth that is in the program material.
I wonder is there a a place i could get a demo of Pro headphones in the U.K.(?)
Has anyone else compared pro headphones especially for modern music ( not fuddy duddy laid back music)?
Will be good to know how you get on with them.

You are correct in that EDM is Electronic Dance Music. Last night I was spinning Eva Cassidy, Steely Dan and all sorts, not once did I feel they weren't up to the task.

These things are yet to break in and I am lost for words. Yes, they are that good. I appreciate I can spend a grand and get better but these are very convenient, and as the post above implies, every component is replaceable.

I had high hopes after reading good reviews but feed them with a decent source and they really shine.

I would highly recommend them for monitoring too, it actually says so on the box in addition to DJ use. They're closed and leakage is much better than previous closed backs I have had.


For the money, if you're considering a decent pair of headphones, which I add are very light, I wouldn't hesitate.
 
I had a pair and didn't like them much at all; ridiculously clampy and uncomfortable headband and a rather sibilant nature that never went even after leaving them running-in for days. I'm not anti-Sennheiser at all, I love my HD-600s, but the HD25s were not for me.
 
I find them comfortable. Perhaps your head design is incompatible, Tony? I like HD 600s too and I thought they had the same family sound. I think I'd go for 650s though if I ever used headphones at home (which I don't).
 
I had a pair and didn't like them much at all; ridiculously clampy and uncomfortable headband and a rather sibilant nature that never went even after leaving them running-in for days. I'm not anti-Sennheiser at all, I love my HD-600s, but the HD25s were not for me.

You're not the first person to complain about the clamping, Tony, they do loosen up after time, and a lot at that but it sounds like they're not for you anyway. Perhaps the HD600 are so good, they make the HD25 sound a little sibilant.

I started the thread as for £130 or so, I think people would struggle to find better. I am fully aware there are a lot of very good headphones at this price point, most of which i've tried but the HD25 stand out as being fantastic VFM, IMO.
 
I find them comfortable. Perhaps your head design is incompatible, Tony? I like HD 600s too and I thought they had the same family sound. I think I'd go for 650s though if I ever used headphones at home (which I don't).

I had the HD650 many years ago with an MDAC, maybe it was the MDAC but I found them very veiled. At times it was nice as they never became tiring but my personal description of them would be they're too veiled for my liking. I may have had one of the 'not so good' MDACs.

I was bored at an airport a few weeks ago so took the opportunity to listen to all the mainstream headphones, namely beats and B&O. I could not believe how bad they sounded. That said there is a guy on HeadFi rating the 2nd gen of the B&O H6 'phones above Audeze (including the SINE model) and headphones costing 3 times the price.
 
I had the HD650 and now use HD600. I prefer the more balanced sound of the HD600. The HD600 gives better midrange. They really work well with a Schiit Valhalla valve headphone amp.
 
I find them comfortable. Perhaps your head design is incompatible, Tony? I like HD 600s too and I thought they had the same family sound. I think I'd go for 650s though if I ever used headphones at home (which I don't).

My giant Mekon head does exaggerate the clampiness, the HD-600s were terrible too, though having metal slide bits each side it is possible to carefully bend them out and reduce the tension somewhat. They are fine now, but still a bit much for more than an hour or so as they are heavy and rather warm. Comfort wise I much prefer my little travel pair of AKG K450s, which I actually preferred sonically to the 25s in most respects, hence not keeping them long. I really wanted to like the HD25s as they are pro-grade, bullet-proof, efficient and block a lot of background out so ideal for commuting.

The most comfortable cans ever are the vintage Sennheiser HD-414s IMO, the ones with the bright yellow ear-pads - they weigh nothing, don't clamp, yet stay on fine. I could wear these things all day. I bought a second hand pair recently to revisit them as I loved a pair I had back in the late '70s. They sound very decent, not the last word at the extremes, but nicely balanced and no nasties though are woefully inefficient. Way more so than the HD-600s, which really surprised me. Forget driving them from an iPhone etc. May be age-related I guess, though they seem balanced so I don't think they are actually damaged.
 
My giant Mekon head does exaggerate the clampiness, the HD-600s were terrible too, though having metal slide bits each side it is possible to carefully bend them out and reduce the tension somewhat. They are fine now, but still a bit much for more than an hour or so as they are heavy and rather warm. Comfort wise I much prefer my little travel pair of AKG K450s, which I actually preferred sonically to the 25s in most respects, hence not keeping them long. I really wanted to like the HD25s as they are pro-grade, bullet-proof, efficient and block a lot of background out so ideal for commuting.

The most comfortable cans ever are the vintage Sennheiser HD-414s IMO, the ones with the bright yellow ear-pads - they weigh nothing, don't clamp, yet stay on fine. I could wear these things all day. I bought a second hand pair recently to revisit them as I loved a pair I had back in the late '70s. They sound very decent, not the last word at the extremes, but nicely balanced and no nasties though are woefully inefficient. Way more so than the HD-600s, which really surprised me. Forget driving them from an iPhone etc. May be age-related I guess, though they seem balanced so I don't think they are actually damaged.

I don't think enough people recognise the importance of amping headphones. Even those < 80 ohm. The HD25 work "ok" with a bare iPhone, but add a Mac Pro and Mojo or Hugo into the mix and they are almost a different headphone. Much more solidity comes to mind which the iPhone suffered with a little, bass became a little loose which was a shock. I thought it was the cans until I had them wired up in my main headphone rig.
 
I've never tried the DT-150 but know the similar DT-100 well enough; sweat/tantrum-proof studio closed cans with very little spill that you give to vocalists before plonking a mic in front of them. Rudimentary sound quality, but plenty good enough for that role and you get very little headphone-bleed on the tape. They are astonishingly strong, you can fling them in a big tub of tangled studio leads and they'll still work years later. I'd never recommend them to an audiophile, especially when things like the DT-990 are available for a tenner or so more. That's probably the best tenner you'll ever spend on headphones!
 
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Tony, do you still have the pair of 25s? If so could you give me an example of when you hear the irritating sibilance, so that I can listen to the same on Spotify? I'm just interested to know whether it's something I'm simply not that sensitive too, or if it's an issue with very specific musical examples.
 
No, I sold them here several years back. FWIW I'm not the only person to criticise them for sibilance, I read some similar comments over on HeadFi - unfortunately I did my research after buying, not before! I was really expecting to like them so was surprised when I didn't. I wasn't expecting them to beat the HD-600s, which I love, but was hoping they were a good step up from the AKG K450s and would become my travel cans. I preferred the 450s at a third of the price!
 
They're in Vancouver today Tony. Rogers Arena

the user of this pair must have the head the size akin to that of a pea.

mine are getting better with time. whilst I have said this too many times before, they're going nowhere. certainly not for the price. I cannot report of any sibilance at all. I use Spotify, Tidal and Audirvana for the "critical stuff" - I had some initial bass problems early on but they have gone. why, I have no idea but not only have they gone, the bass has come on a treat. Now I understand why DJs use them, the isolation is awesome.
 
I notice there is a new HD-25 with alloy ear-cups (link). The ear-wonks over on Head-Fi seem to like them and suggest they are a little smoother and more refined than the standard 25s. The other thing with regards to my criticism of the 25s I had, which also seem to have been replaced with a Plus model, is I was specifically looking for a pair of cans for my iPhone 4S, which I don't think has as good a headphone amp as my current 6S, let alone a fancy high-power audiophile type. I'm rather curious as to what good easy to drive closed on-ear portable cans are out there. I'm very happy with the AKG K450s, but I've had them for years now and surely there is some competition?
 
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You need to replace the steel cable with copper to smooth out the sound. Still doesn't stop them from being uncomfortable though.

Thought they had a very direct sound, especially in the midrange. Bass lacked a bit of depth but apart from that, they were great.
 


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