The Sennheiser HD 280 Pro 2016 are closed-back around-ears designed as durable, workhorse headphones suited for professional applications. They feature a collapsible frame with rotating ear cups, which is great for saving desk real estate in the studio. Furthermore, they have a modular design, with replacement parts that can be easily acquired and swapped in.
Our Verdict
The Sennheiser HD 280 Pro are good for neutral sound. They have a well-balanced sound with a balanced bass and mid-range, though they're hampered by a veiled treble range. This results in a warm sound profile that lacks some high-end brilliance. While their soundstage performance isn't bad for closed-back headphones, they still lack the open, immersive quality of open-back over-ears. Their mediocre frequency response consistency also means that the sound profile will vary quite a bit between different users and listening sessions.
- Decent build quality.
- Decently comfortable.
- Struggle to deliver audio consistently.
The Sennheiser HD 280 Pro are poor for commuting. Their passive isolation isn't sufficient for loud environments, and they struggle to block out low-frequency noises, like bus engines. They're also bulky, not very portable, and have no control scheme to use with your mobile phone.
- Decent build quality.
- Decently comfortable.
- Poor noise isolation.
- Bulky, unstable design.
- Struggle to deliver audio consistently.
The Sennheiser HD 280 Pro are poor for sports, as they're not designed for this purpose. These headphones are not stable enough to exercise or jog with, and they have a bulky design that will hinder your movements during more strenuous physical activity. Their non-detachable cable can also easily get hooked on objects while you're in motion.
- Decent build quality.
- Poor noise isolation.
- Bulky, unstable design.
- Struggle to deliver audio consistently.
The Sennheiser HD 280 Pro are poor for office use. Their disappointing noise isolation won't do much to block the chatter of a busy office, and while they don't leak as much as some of the other closed-back over-ears, you'll still distract your colleagues at higher volumes. Unfortunately, they fit quite tight on the head and aren't very breathable, which isn't ideal if you're looking for a good pair of headphones to wear during your entire shift.
- Decent build quality.
- Poor noise isolation.
- Bulky, unstable design.
- Struggle to deliver audio consistently.
The Sennheiser HD 280 Pro are wired-only headphones, so they're not suitable for wireless gaming.
The Sennheiser HD 280 Pro are mediocre for gaming. They have a balanced sound, with plenty of bass to give life to sounds like explosions and gunshots. They also have a low latency wired connection, so you won't encounter many issues with lag between your audio and visuals. However, they lack an immersive soundstage that can aid you in locating audio cues and effects in the stereo field. They also don't have an integrated microphone, so you'll need to purchase a separate mic to communicate with teammates.
- Decent build quality.
- Struggle to deliver audio consistently.
The Sennheiser HD 280 Pro don't have an integrated mic and aren't suitable for phone calls.
Changelog
- Updated Apr 10, 2024: We've updated this review to bring the text in line with other reviews of similar headphones and have added relevant side-by-sides with comparable products.
- Updated Mar 25, 2024: This review was updated to compare the Leakage results to the AIAIAI TMA-2 DJ.
- Updated Jun 29, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Feb 20, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sennheiser HD 280 Pro come in one color variant: Black. The manufacturer also produced a 'Silver' variant for a limited time, which has since been discontinued.
If you encounter another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Sennheiser HD 280 Pro are utilitarian closed-back over-ears. They have a plasticky design with a low enough impedance that they can be driven by a range of mobile and professional devices. Their feature set puts them in competition with the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO—another pair of studio-oriented closed-backs offering some passive noise isolation. Though the Beyerdynamic are more expensive, this additional outlay is justified, as you'll get better build quality and a more comfortable fit, and their sound profile is more balanced in relation to our target curve. Their plasticky build quality and price point also warrant comparisons with the Sony MDR-7506. The Sony headphones have a more excited sound profile and a more comfortable fit, though they don't attenuate as much ambient noise as the Sennheiser.
See our recommendations for the best studio headphones, the best audiophile headphones, and the best closed-back headphones.
The Sony MDR-7506 are slightly better headphones than the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro 2016. Both headphones have a plastic-heavy construction and feature coiled, non-detachable cables. While the Sennheiser provide more passive isolation, they deliver audio more inconsistently. Meanwhile, the Sony are also more comfortable and more portable.
The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x are better headphones than the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro 2016 for most uses. The Audio-Technica are better built and noticeably more comfortable with spare cables included in the box. The Sennheiser also get very hot and aren't particularly breathable. Overall, the Audio-Technica offer better value, even at their higher price point.
The Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO are better headphones for neutral sound than the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro 2016. The Beyerdynamic have a more balanced sound profile overall, although some people find the peak in their treble slightly sharp. By contrast, the Sennheiser have a veiled treble response that can make your mixes sound a little muffled and lacking in high-end detail. The Beyerdynamic are also much more comfortable than the Sennheiser, and their build quality is noticeably superior. The Sennheiser leak less audio, so they'll be better suited for quiet office environments.
The Audio-Technica ATH-M40x and the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro 2016 are both closed-back headphones with reasonably balanced sound profiles. The Audio-Technica are more comfortable, which makes them better suited for long listening sessions. Still, their exaggerated bass and treble ranges can sound quite boomy and even piercing at times. However, they deliver audio more consistently, with less deviation in the bass and treble ranges between listening sessions. The Sennheiser have a much more balanced bass and smoother overall sound but aren't as comfortable.
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You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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