Mixing on Sennheiser HD490 PRO Headphones (New for 2024!)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.ค. 2024
- Let's talk about the all-new HD 490 PRO headphones from Sennheiser. Just released and claiming to be their best headphones for music production. Can you trust them for mixing music?
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Buy the HD 490 PRO:
Thomann (EU) thmn.to/thoprod/581283?partne...
Sweetwater (US) sweetwater.sjv.io/y2Q542
Buy the HD 490 PRO PLUS:
Thomann (EU) thmn.to/thoprod/579086?partne...
Sweetwater (US) sweetwater.sjv.io/m5VBoX
@sennheiser www.sennheiser.com/en-gb/prod...
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======================== CHAPTERS:=============================
00:00 - Intro
01:48 - Pros and Cons of mixing on headphones
08:09 - HD 490 PRO Review
14:33 - How do the HD 490 Pro’s sound?
25:22 - Summary
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Which headphones do you use for mixing music and do the HD 490 PRO interest you? Let me know!
Hi Sara! I use the OLLO S4X headphones for mixing. I find them to be really "transparent," and well made. I like the fact that the company is very eco-friendly and invests more $$$ in R&D than in marketing.
Also, I would like to thank you for your excellent course on Mix Fundamentals/Essentials. I purchased the course about a month ago and I'm still working through it slowly. You have such a calm, focused manner and I am finding your course very informative and enjoyable. All the best!
@@j_wah3084 Yes, I am aware of those and was interested in trying them.
Everyone is using them it seems, so its a tad embarrassing, lets just say the HP's I'm currently getting to grips with is by a company who's name starts with S and their system begins with a V and ends in an X 😂
I use HD 650's with a Sonarworks calibration profile. These are great, but a little pricey. One thing I find with mixing on headphones is that the low frequencies and subs are more of a feeling than something you hear and headphones just don't vibrate your spine the way monitors do. I've tried haptic cushions which do actually work quite well, but I've not found one that is well made and easy to travel with for a reasonable price. Ollo did one years ago, but it looked like something some kid knocked up in his basement (badly) and wasn't very good.
I have the HD 400 pro. I was looking at the HD 490 pro. I also had my eyes on the Audeze mm-100, but not sure.. i really want as flat as possible.
Your review was literally a breath of fresh air in the world of audiophile headgear reviews! You should do more of these, especially since your expertise in my limited understanding is into live instruments.
Great review Sara!! I appreciate all the help you give all of us and your honesty! Thank you!
You are so welcome!
One of the most thorough reviews of any headphones I’ve ever watched. Good job!
Wow, thanks!
Thank you for the comprehensive review and for your excellent content in general!
My pleasure!
Great vid and review. I've used alot of cans over the years for music production. I recently bought a pair of byerdynamics dt1990 pro..blown away by them.
Very cool! I'd like to hear those
Wonderful review Sara 😊x
Thank you!! 😊
Good to see you Sara!!! I hope you are doing well!
Hi! Yes thank you!
I learned something new from this video. Great Review. Subscribed.
Awesome, thank you!
Loved your review...your quality of your mic, and the video quality.
Thanks so much!
Thanks.. subscribed!
Thanks for the sub!
Thx Sara. Enjoy your channel
Thanks for watching!
Hi Sara - great review.
I'm using Ollo S5X headphones in conjunction with dSoniq RealPhone 2.0 room emulator software. Very happy with the results and the Ollos are now my main go-to headphones.
Thanks for sharing!
You said you don't do product reviews often. But you've done this one very well. Clear explanations and very good pronunciation. As well as not spoken to fast. I ordered a pair of these headphones and they will arrive tomorrow. So I'm excited to give them a try. Thank you very much for giving us your thoughts and impressions on these headphones. Greetings from Hamburg in Germany, Mario.
I hope you’re liking them!
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Hi Sara - this is unrelated but I work with pro audio companies and plugin makers, and I'd love to talk to you... I sent you an email and a DM, so I hope to hear from you. Thanks!
Think I'll be buying a pair of these. Thanks for the review, great news for glasses wearers with the pads.
That's a great review! I wish you reviewed audiophile headphones too!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I have the Neumann NDH 30s for mixing and have the Beyerdynamic 770 for rough and gain staging of mixing because they are light. They have a rough sound and are not something you want to listen to for long periods of time. I may be interested in the Sennheisers to fill that role especially with the software.
By the I bought your comprehensive courses in the PLAP Academy explaining compression, EQs, delays and etc., and it is absolutely fantastic as I have learned plenty. Thank you Sara for your work and contributions. You certainly excel at teaching.
Thank you!
Great video, Sara. Thank you. I use the HD 650's for recording and mixing on a regular basis. I'd love to try out the HD490 Pro's to hear the differences.
My audio memory isn’t long enough to properly remember the 650’s but I think you’ll find the 490’s brighter and fuller
Are these better than the HD600 for mixing vocals? 😊
Nice review . I don't mix or record but my daily drivers are my AKG K361 Wired . I broke my Audeze Maxwell's . I almost cried 😹😹😹 . I find myself always going back to the k361's . I love them . They eq well they resolve really well and they scale really well . I found a great app to eq all my cans n earbuds . New Subscriber n looking forward to more content
17:24 Regarding the pads, interestingly, in a another TH-cam interview with Sennheiser product manager Gunnar Dirks, he said that when they asked professionals for what they want in headphones, they received conflicting answers: professionals said they want a flat neutral response but in practice chose non-flat headphone like HD600, so the pads is an attempt to satisfy both!
Hello Folks. I can totally agree to your review Sara. I ordered both. Neumann NDH30 and compaired them to the 490 Pro. In the beginning, I thought the NDH30 are better. After a while I realized that the sound is not as clear as the Sennheiser are. Even if you try with Filter changes, HD490 build up better, and you can hear the changes directly. For me it wasn't an easy choice. At the end, I will keep the Sennheisers.
What was it that you liked the NDH-30 more at first? Are you happy with your decision? I‘m torn between the two.
Not a musician, never been inside a studio. I just love music, always try to make as many live performances as possible and when not, I'm listening on my home speakers or one of my many headphone/DAP combos. That said, your professional perspective was a really enjoyable and learning experience. Always a great running across people with passion and purpose. Thanks!
Thank you!
The cable being thicker is great. I've had so many headphone jacks become faulty where the signal disappears on one side.
Danke!
Thank you so much, much appreciated
Good review 👍interesting headphones, curious how these new 38mm drivers do, and i am very glad they moved away from the 3.5 mm twist/push/pull system they had on their 500 series. I use an Audio-Technica ATH-R70x Suuuuuuper confortable 👍
Thanks! 👍
currently using HD600s in conjunction with a pair of Auratone 5Cs for the bulk of the mix. Translation is good. I'm not sure spending another $400 on these will improve things significantly, but I'd like to give them a listen.
HD600 are the same price normally - sometimes on sale fro 300. Which in time the 490s will be as well. HD600 is thr bigger brotehr - higher numbers mean higher class in Senn.
Great review! Really enjoyed it. I wonder how the compare to the NDH-30?!
Good question!
Thanks for sharing this honest review ... i've been following some of your work on the net of your priceless audio engineer feedback & i like the way you treat subjects ... objectivity. I've been using these cans for weeks & one thing to mention is the neutrality & the result in the final delivery of the mix ... accuracy ... but now, one question, about the cons of mixing with headphones & the stereo imaging ... i always find that the stereo imaging is somehow way exaggerated when using headphones ... we got tools nowadays to stay in this 60 degrees listening triangle but even that i often struggle with the stereo imaging of a mix ... for the rest, i find my way on mixing with headphone ... any advice for a good translation of the stereo imaging of a mix ? ... that being said, the DR VR mixing software doesn't speak to me at all ... i don't know why, but i just can't see any advantage to use this plugin ... any tip ?
Hi Sara! I just picked up a set of Senn HD 650's - perhaps bad timing - but they were open box and very reasonably priced for essentially unused cans. I was watching one of your videos and literally couldn't hear the move that you had made and re-listened on the 650's and was actually able to hear it. First set of open-back cans for me - I have a set of DT 770's for tracking and complete isolation. Investing in better headphones for now as my listening environment isn't fixable until I move (likely in a few years). HD 490's look interesting but I'll wait to see additional reviews before I worry too much about it - they don't make my 650's sound worse anyway, so I'm sure I'll be fine. :) Also eval'ing SoundID per your recommendation so with that combo I think I'm set.
I'm going to comment because I have something to say about SoundID, and also just in case there's a reply that says there's a REASON to *upgrade from 650🙃 I have SoundID and the difference really is pretty stunning! Once the room was calibrated, it was like I could actually hear what I was trying to hear and _expecting_ to hear if that makes sense. Like it turned my room down a little lol. I also use it on headphones and the difference is also better-but not as night and day as the monitors. I only use the generic averages (not a pre-calibrated model) though so 🤷♂️✌️
Edit: *upgrade might have been the wrong word lol
@@els1f thanks for the comment. I might eventually go for the mic/speaker calibration approach as well and see if that helps me a bit, especially if I pull the trigger on the software itself. I've seen a lot of discussion about it and as a midde-ground between getting my room treated (which likely won't happen for a long while) and/or a monitor upgrade, this seems like a pretty affordable approach to get some percentage quality increase.
I've been finding my HD 600s lacking in bass accuracy and transient response when mixing, but I think you've persuaded me to take the plunge with the 490s. Thanks!
Glad I could help!
Thank you for a great video and review!
15:52 When working in a studio without a sub, do you think that these headphones may fill the gap and provide a reliable way to master sub frequencies? Thank you!
Yes, absolutely, along with comparing to a reference track in the cans
Wow, Sara. Great explaination. After watching I now understand what makes a good pro headphone, so thanks for that. I’m now intrigued to know what casual headphone you have that you say sounds WIDER than this? I’m thinking the HD800S maybe? It would be good to know for a reference.
I have been using the Focal Clear Pro's for the last 2-3 years which are not in the same price bracket. They have a more expansive soundstage to my ears, as you would expect from something 4 times the price! Apples and oranges...
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Oooo that IS interesting. I’ve been trying a lot of headphones recently - I’ll take a headphone with great soundstage that have to EQ over one with a suitable FR and a mediocre soundstage any day. Thanks again for the great info
Nice video and it sounds like these headphones are worth checking out. How do they compare with your Focal Clear Pro. I know it's not the same price range but I would be interested to know. I use the Verum1 headphones at the moment and they sound fantastic.
You're correct, the Focals (where) 4 times the price when I bought them. I feel as though I can listen to the Focals for longer without getting as fatigued around the mids but if you want to hear the details, these cans are great for that.
Sara, quick (dumb?) question. Does a headphone with a more intimate soundstage help to correct issues when mixing? I'm asking because a few of the "pro" headphones I've tried didn't have a large soundstage so I wondered if this was a feature and therefore a reason for me to avoid pro headphones in general (apart from the 490 which everyone says is wide, at least)
❤❤
Hello Sara! How do you feel about the cans from an enjoyment/audiophile perspective?
For me, the soundstage isn't as wide and I feel I could listen for longer periods to my more audiophile cans as they aren't as punchy in the mids. These really get into the details, which I loved.
Great review, Sara! I have my eyes on the rather pricier Audeeze headphones. This seems to be a qood alternative. At the moment I'm mixing only my remote drum tracks, would you say, that high end headphones ain't that crucial for this type of mixing?
Audeze have a great reputation but I've not heard them first hand. They are a different type of headphone, planar I think, that offer a faster transient response (again, I think!). Mixing remote drum tracks, for what purpose? Remixing later?
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing The client is getting the individual drum tracks so he/she can mix it her/himself into their music. But I'm working the tracks with EQ, compression etc., everything except reverb. I mix it the way I want my drums to be heard, as long as the client wants something completely different. Mind you, I'm just starting out with it... ;-)
Love the look and the sound of this reviewer. As an American I can’t sort her accent 100%. Not sure if Irish, Scottish, welsh or other? Also wondering based on her background if she is a fan of the cranberries? If so if she heard their last album “something else” and what she thought it the mix/production of that album?
Sounds like some type of northern English accent.
I have Sennheiser HD650. and Closed back 80 ohm Beyer DT770
That's a great pairing for studio work. You might find the HD 490 Pro have more highs and lows than the HD650's from memory.
Yes, I can see how that could be the case. Good question!
Please , I am just a person that enjoys to listen to music like Hans Zimmer work , would hd 490 pro help me enjoy that ?
or I should seek another better alternative
I'm really really interested in these. Do you have any experience with the ATH R70x and if so, how do they compare?
I don't I'm afraid, sorry!
@SaraCarterSimplyMixing just curious if you have ever considered mixing using In Ear Monitors vs. over the ear headphones. I am talking about the custom versions most notably. Would be great to get your perspective. As you noted having the weight of headphones on all day is exhausting. I've been using in ear monitors for audio editing although the universal version from Sennheiser. Thanks for your thoughts in advance and all of your great content.
That's a good point but not something I have considered trying. In the past, wearing in-ears, I have found them uncomfortable which might be why.
Thank you very much Sarah for this interesting video. I have switched to openback headphones from closedback headphones a year ago. And indeed it helps a lot to get good translation of your mix. But with that change, came a problem that I did not expect : I am disturbed in my detailed listening, by the noise of my computer, that I could not hear with closedbacked headphones ! Nobody seems to talk about that. Would you have any recommandation to deal with the noise of your laptop ?
I use a Macbook Air M2 without fan :) no noise in my studio
have a search for noctua super low-profile fans! amazingly quiet and amazing build quality.
Glad it was helpful! Fan noise is an issue for open back cans I'm afraid
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing So I understand your computer has no fans also like @davidhabegger ?
No mention of High end / treble ???
Can I use 4.4mm balanced cable plug into both cups?
Mixing pads all the way
Time will tell for me, I'll keep swapping them around to find my favourite
Great review! Can I ask how is HD490 for the voice work? Is it a good headphone to monitor the micro accents and nuances, etc?
I would say so, yes. They offer very focused listening in the vocal range.
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing thanks for the response!
Slight bit of nasal honk at 1.5k, boosted by about 4dB with the mixing pads, upper mids are scooped on the producing pads
@@CammyFi Looks like you review headphones too! Any suggestion for the best headphone to monitor the spoken voice? I care most about the micro accents and detecting the movement of the lips.
@klaymoon1 Honestly, Hd600 is the vocal king
why do you bring portability when these headphones are not about ... being portable?! :x
A better way to assess this HP is to compare it against the "reference" HP you normally use, compare and contrast between these 2 HPs will bring out the positives and negatives or Pros and Cons.
The "older" models of Sennheiser are weak in the bass region and now the current models, HD 660S2, 560S etc the new designs add some compensation in the bass region.
A little long for a review of single headphone.
My reference headphones are not in the same price bracket so I didn't feel that would be a fair comparison in my case.
You should still compare, Sennheiser says boldly its for mixing and production, they didnt say based on price.
I think you really dont care to let people know, so we can keep asking questions. thanks more videos from others will come out, or take this comment as feedback and do proper video that is focued on the headphone. NS10 didnt cost a fortune yet its being used for mixing.
So your not comparing is really an excuse or laziness, sitting and just talking about a produce people want to use to work.
inshort thanks.
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing compare with ANY HP you are familiar with within the same price range would be more worthwhile.
I disagree. This video is meant to be a review of how she feels about this headphones for studio mixing. She lays out the pros and cons of using headphones for studio mixing and then reviews the headphones based on her experience with mixing. Comparing to other headphones does not add any value to the review. And what headphones should she compare to? The ones she uses but that I may not have? a $6K Hifiman Susvara? An HD 650 (or Drop 6XX)? A ZMF Caldera? Audeze? Focal? Sony? Beyerdynamic? ATH? Get my point?
@@DeepSpaceus
What interface or DAC are you using to mix?
UAD Apollo Twin X
Immediate Like at the moment the cat ran through the picture.
Complete amateur using AKG K702, with plugins to compensate for eq and crosstalk. I think I'll be sticking with the devil i know, but DearVR is something I'll take from this video and look into. Thanks.
Glad to have helped!
Not a pro, also low budget.
Running on Linux so the derVR mix SE would be of no use.
I have the AKG K702, lots of detail, but little emphasis on low end.
In the monitoring section I have x-feed plugin, plus a param. EQ tuned to the settings of the K702 in the AutoEQ DB (on the web in sone github)
Occasionally I add a very very tiny portion of room reverb - but not often.
In addition I check on as many consumer systems I can, from mobile phone to boom box. (Only a minority of users today has medium to high quality listening equipment)
HD600 + Realphones dSoniq
Hello! I have a volt2 interface, can I use it with Sennheiser HD490 Pro or do I need to upgrade or buy something to get the full potential of the Sennheiser HD490 Pro? Thanks!
The volt2 has an output impedance of 100 Ohms, which in comparison with the 490 Pro’s impedance of 130 Ohms might seem like quite a difference… however when matching headphone impedance, using a higher impedance headphone into a lower impedance output such as that of an audio interface, the high into low transfer rate won’t affect much of your resulting sound, if you were to have a hypothetical impedance on the volt2 of 130 and the headphones were instead 100 Ohms, you might have a weaker signal due to impedance laws. Check out some sound electronics handbooks like the sound reinforcement handbook for some helpful information on all of this.
@@Pfonyx amazing, thank you so much
at 399, Ananda Stealth blown any Sehn..
But a headphones review is nothing, when there is no comparision, or actually mix a song with it and show us the result and thoughts if it compares to your other systems, speakers or headphones, too. Jezzzzz people just dont understand, all these general infomation is not necessary especially when the main comparison or at least real world usage is not done to show us.
Just talking doesnt do anything.
If i had something in hand everyone will understand if they need buy it or not. but most people just are awful when it comes to communicating, they leave out the very most important.
this is Video platform where you coould show test speak and lets your viewers see.
Sometimes the viewers is more important than the companies who making products and never let the people know how good it really is.
Looks like sennheiser are copying steven slates headphones but that's interesting.
They do look similar...
It is sponsorship. One can't do an honest review when they give one a product IMHO. It is a bit of a con when TH-cam channels say they didn't get funding to cover a product.
That’s simply not true and you shouldn’t impinge someone’s character based on your preconceptions.
@@matthewblue7839 TH-camrs are spinning on getting free products for free promo and "reviews" all the time. If is was a legit review, it would be compared and transparently contrasted against like-for-like product. It is no coincidence that getting the 'free' X (whatever) comes with a "review" with a subscriber base of '000. Well worth the promotions, don't you think? I am just calling it for what it is.
This isn't a criticism of Sara's skill. It is conflating the issue. I have purchased one of Sara's courses and I do recommend them. The course provide a great, good, solid foundation to take one's capacity in audio mixing a step further, up. And she does provide excellent knowledge on her channel. Personally I feel these "reviews" should never be allowed. But YT is a free-for-all for this type of thing.
How is buying a product and reviewing it a con? You're reaching and it's obvious.
I really like the scientific - thesis - antithesis approach here! Few people do that. Congrats.
Thanks!