The Sennheiser HD 480 PRO are over-ears designed for professional audio use. Their closed-back seal positions them well for studio applications like tracking and monitoring that benefit from the headphones' passively isolating properties. While they lack the swappable ear pad design of their open-back sibling, the Sennheiser HD 490 PRO, this model features velour-covered ear padding for all-day comfort, along with studio-ready touches, like a coiled TRS cable that can be plugged into either ear cup.
Our Verdict
The Sennheiser HD 480 PRO aren't designed for sports and fitness. Their cumbersome over-ear frame and wired design can get in the way while you're doing burpees or push-ups, plus their velour-like ear pad material can easily trap heat and sweat during exercise.
Lightweight design.
Plastic hinges seem like a weak point.
The Sennheiser HD 480 PRO are okay for travel use in a pinch. They have a very comfortable design that won't cause any fatigue over long journeys, and their lightweight build means they don't apply much pressure on the head. While they aren't equipped with an ANC system, their closed-back design passively attenuates some mid and treble-range noise, like background conversations. Just don't expect them to block out much in the way of engine rumble. The closed-back seal does help mitigate some leakage, though, so you're unlikely to bother anyone around you with your tunes. They come with a basic carrying pouch for on-the-go use, but it's best to baby them somewhat on the road as their plastic hinges seem like a weak point in their construction.
Lightweight design.
Solid noise isolation for non-ANC headphones.
Plastic hinges seem like a weak point.
Not very portable.
The Sennheiser HD 480 PRO are poor for office work. While they're very comfortable to wear over long days in the office, thanks to their velour-like earpads and lightweight design, they lack a dedicated ANC system. As a result, while they can passively attenuate some mid and treble-range sounds, like whirring AC units and water cooler talk, they aren't able to totally isolate you from your background. They also lack a built-in mic for taking calls, so you'll need to switch over to different headphones or use a standalone mic for calls.
Very comfortable fit with minimal clamping force.
No built-in microphone.
Plastic hinges seem like a weak point.
Not very portable.
The Sennheiser HD 480 PRO can't be used wirelessly, so they're not suitable for this use.
The Sennheiser HD 480 PRO are okay for wired gaming. They have a balanced sound profile that's well-aligned with our target curve, which lends itself well to immersive single-player games and frenetic first-person shooters alike. The very comfortable fit means you can wear them for long gaming marathons without any pain or pressure to your head or ears, and the high-quality, coiled cable ensures a latency and tangle-free gaming experience. Still, there are compromises compared to dedicated gaming headsets: if you play with teammates online, you'll need to pick up a separate mic to input audio, and there's no companion app where you can tweak the sound.
Very comfortable fit with minimal clamping force.
Solid noise isolation for non-ANC headphones.
No built-in microphone.
Plastic hinges seem like a weak point.
The Sennheiser HD 480 PRO are impressive for audio reproduction accuracy. Their frequency response closely follows their balanced sound profile, which itself is closely aligned with our own in-house target. There's a touch of extra warmth in the bass-range to bring out thudding kick drums, with balanced mids, and a slightly rolled-off treble range that can help combat ear fatigue over long sessions. The L/R drivers exhibit excellent matching in terms of phase and amplitude, too, for an accurate stereo image with no obvious holes.
The Sennheiser HD 480 PRO provide some passive attenuation via their closed-back design, but it can be disappointing if you're used to ANC-equipped headphones. That said, their over-ear seal is able to attenuate a solid amount of treble-range noise, and even some mid-range frequencies, though it struggles more with bassy sounds, like kick drums and bass guitars. So if you're tracking a drum kit, you'll be spared from some harsh cymbal noise and snare thwacks, though the kick and floor tom will still come through. They don't leak much audio either, which is great if you're tracking quiet instruments, like violins, and want to avoid audio bleed from your cue mix.
The Sennheiser HD 480 PRO don't have a microphone.
The Sennheiser HD 480 PRO have disappointing frequency response consistency. While their over-ear design doesn't clamp your head too hard, the seal can be easily disrupted by the arms of glasses and long hair, causing deviations in bass delivery. If you don't have either of these (and have a normal-sized head), you won't experience any bass drop-offs, but others will have to get used to carefully adjusting the fit to optimize the seal.
Performance Usages
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sennheiser HD 480 PRO come in one color variant: 'Black,' and we took a photo of our unit's label. You can also purchase the Sennheiser HD 480 PRO Plus which come bundled with a more durable travel case.
If you encounter another variant of these headphones, let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Sennheiser HD 480 PRO are wired closed-back over-ears designed for studio applications, like tracking and monitoring. Given the ubiquity of the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO and the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x in studios worldwide, these two over-ears will be the yardstick by which the Sennheiser are measured. While the Sennheiser are more expensive than either of these headphones, they do bring a lot to the table to justify their price. Their sound is among the most balanced we've tested for closed-back over-ears, they're very comfortable, and they're able to passively isolate you more against external noise. Those looking for an open-back alternative with a similar design pedigree will likely enjoy the Sennheiser HD 490 PRO, which feature a similarly comfortable fit and solid build quality, while sporting a swappable ear-pad design that caters to both mixing and production work. Their design doesn't provide much noise isolation at all, but their open-back enclosure is able to better simulate the spatial qualities of stereo monitors in a room.
Scoping out the competition? See our recommendations for the best DJ headphones, the best headphones for studio, and the best headphones for music.
The Sennheiser HD 620S are closed-back over-ears from the Sennheiser Consumer Hearing division, while the Sennheiser HD 480 PRO are a product of the brand's professional division. While they're technically products from different companies, both headphones are very comfortable professional tools that can provide a good amount of passive isolation without ANC. The HD 480 PRO have a sound profile that's well-aligned with our target, while the HD 620S rolls off same bass and can't render the mid-range with as much detail. They have similar weaknesses too, as glasses and long hair tend to disrupt the seal created by both headphones, resulting in some deviations in bass delivery. Ultimately, choosing between them will come down to whether the HD 480 PRO's sound is worth the additional outlay.
The Sennheiser HD 490 PRO are the open-back version of the Sennheiser HD 480 PRO. While the two are similarly comfortable and well-built, the trade-offs between them are emblematic of the differences between open-back and closed-back headphones. The HD 480 Pro do a better job of isolating you from your surroundings, attenuating treble-range noise especially well. They also have a bit more bass on tap, which can be useful for hearing the full low-end of kick drums and sub-bass wobbles. That said, the HD 490 PRO come with dual, swappable ear pads that allow you to subtly alter the response and feel depending on whether you're producing or mixing. They also better simulate the spatial properties of monitors in a mixing room, due to how their design allows for more interaction between the audio and your outer ear (pinna).
The Sennheiser HD 480 PRO and the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x are both wired, closed-back over-ears, but the Sennheiser are better suited for professional applications. They have a more comfortable fit, are able to isolate you more against external noise, and their frequency response is extremely well-aligned with our house target curve. That said, the Audio-Technica are better-built, with stronger hinges that are more likely to stand up to some abuse. Given you can likely buy two of the Audio-Technica for the same price as a single Sennheiser, choosing between them will come down to how much you value the fit and extra isolation, as well as if you prefer the sound profile.
The Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO are well-established closed-back over-ears that are a fixture in studios. That said, the Sennheiser HD 480 PRO have some clear advantages that can justify their slightly higher price and make them a better choice for studio applications. The Sennheiser are more comfortable, have better passive isolation, and their sound profile is better aligned with our house target. Their gentler treble response is well-suited to long listening sessions, whereas the Beyerdynamic feature a peak in the low-treble that can be fatiguing in the long term. That said, the Beyerdynamic are better-built and deliver audio more consistently, plus they come in at a much more competitive price point.
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