Sennheiser have just released a new pair of studio headphones, intended specifically for mixing and mastering, called the HD 400 Pro. The new “reference” headphones are an open-backed design boasting a frequency response from 6Hz-38kHz, and distortion as low as 0.05 percent (at 1kHz, 90dB SPL).
Physically, the large circumaural earpads house the transducers at a slight angle to the wearer's ears, which Sennheiser say accurately recreates the sensation of sitting at the sweet spot between a pair of monitors. The transducers themselves are made from a polymer blend, and are powered by strong magnets, yielding a “totally clear and well-defined bass”.
As well as their sound, Sennheiser are touting their new headphones as being exceptionally comfortable — an important consideration for long mixing sessions! To that end, the earpads are made from a soft velour, while the earcups are said to be well ventilated, thus avoiding 'sweaty ear syndrome'.
The Sennheiser HD 400 Pro ships with two mini-jack cables (a 3m coily cable and a 1.8m straight affair), and a 'big to small' jack adaptor. They're available now, priced at €249, and we'll be bringing you an in-depth review in SOS very soon...
