Designed for producing, mixing and mastering music, Sennheiser has launched its circumaural, dynamic HD 490 Pro reference studio headphones.
‘If you compare today’s music productions with that of ten, 20 years ago, you will notice how the massively increased computing power and complex parameter automation have changed the way in which music is made,’ says Sennheiser Category Market Manager for MI, Jimmy Landry. ‘In every genre, engineers and music creators are continuously pushing boundaries, creating extremely complex mixes that can be prone to so-called audio blind spots. Mixes can be crowded and muddy, with too many instruments sitting at the same position and their frequencies competing. For the engineer or musician, it becomes difficult to hear each individual instrument or voice distinctly. This goes to show the importance of a good pair of studio headphones.’
To address this complexity, the Sennheiser has given the HD 490 Pro a wide, dimensional sound stage for localising the components of a mix. Ultralight voice coils ensure a fast and authentic sound reproduction. The open-mesh ear cup covers reveal Sennheiser’s Open-frame Architecture, which minimises resonances and distortion. For an optimal listening experience, the transducers sit at a slight angle, thereby emulating a typical monitor loudspeaker set-up.
The lightweight, ergonomic design of the HD 490 Pro eliminates pressure points, as the headband does not press on the sensitive parts of the head. Also, the circumaural ear pads feature a patented soft comfort zone for the temples of glasses while maintaining good sealing.
A patent has also been applied for regarding the special axes geometry of the HD 490 Pro. This design makes sure that the headphones optimally adapt to the head when they are put on, and maintain an equal contact pressure no matter what the shape of the user’s head.
‘The development of the HD 490 Pro was preceded by the biggest professional headphone survey we have ever done, where users voted neutral and flat reference audio as the most important feature,’ says Sennheiser Product Manager, Gunnar Dirks. ‘However, when we took a look at market figures, we discovered that a slightly warmer sound was preferred over a fully neutral response. Therefore, we decided to give our customers two headphones in one – by providing two different sets of ear pads that were carefully designed to shape the sound differently.’
The producing ear pads (velour) of the HD 490 Pro have a response intended to create perspective and help users make a holistic judgement of the sound. The mixing ear pads (fabric), on the other hand, encourage a flat, neutral sound. Both ear pads are washable – a solution that is both hygienic and sustainable.
The headphone cable can be plugged into the right or left earpiece of the HD 490 Pro for different studio set-ups and preferences. A patented cable coil structure ensures that the headphone cable does not transmit any noise when it hits the desk or rubs against the clothing. The left/right designation is clearly visible on the inside dust covers of the transducers, while for the visually impaired, the headband fork carries braille information.
The HD 490 Pro includes a free licence for the dearVR Mix-SE plug-in from Dear Reality. The plug-in turns a DAW into a virtual mixing environment, simulating the acoustics of ideal mixing studios.
Each HD 490 Pro is delivered with two different sets of ear pads (mixing and producing) plus a 1.8m headphone cable and a dearVR Mix-SE licence, and retails at €399 (MSRP) or US$399 (MAP). The HD 490 Pro Plus, priced at €479 (MSRP) or US$479 (MAP), additionally includes a 3m cable, a transport case, and an extra fabric headband pad in addition to the standard velour headband. All Plus extras are also available as individual accessories. A balanced headphone cable (€39 MSRP, US$39 MAP) is available as an optional accessory.
More: www.sennheiser.com
