Our Verdict
The Sennheiser HD1 Over-Ear are decent everyday headphones. They're passive and won't be as versatile as the noise-canceling wireless version, but they have a good sound and a sturdy, durable design. They also do not leak much which makes them a bit more suitable for use in quieter conditions like being at the office. Unfortunately, they're not the most comfortable, stable or breathable over-ears for sports and really long listening sessions.
- Great audio reproduction.
- Sturdy and durable design.
- Minimal sound leakage.
- Poor isolation.
- Lacking comfortable padding.
Above-average for neutral listening. They have a decent sound quality but a poor soundstage due to their closed back design. They also sound a bit dark overall because of their slightly recessed treble range, but on the upside, they should be fine for most casual listeners and pack enough bass, with a sufficiently balanced mid-range to sound good enough with most genres and tracks.
Average-at-best for commuting. They have a decent control scheme, and they're moderately comfortable, but the noise isolation is too weak for noisy commutes. They're also a bit bulky and won't be the most comfortable headphones to wear on really long trips.
Average for sports use. They're comfortable and have a good control scheme, but they're unstable for intense exercises. They're also not very breathable, so they will make you sweat more than usual if you use them for your workouts and for running.
Average for office use. They do not isolate well enough for a noisy office environment but on the upside, they also do not leak much so you can play your music at higher volumes to mask some of the noise without distracting your colleagues.
Average for gaming. The Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 have a decent sound and a low latency wired connection, but are not as convenient or as customizable as most wireless gaming headsets. They also have a mediocre at best microphone and an iOS specific audio cable that is only compatible with the PS4 controller and not the Xbox one.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Oct 02, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Sennheiser HD1 Over-Ear are stylish, well-crafted headphones with a sturdy and durable build quality. They sound decent with most music genres, delivering a powerful bass and a well-balanced midrange but a slightly recessed treble that makes them sound slightly dark overall. They're a bit stiff on the head, which won't be as comfortable as some of the headphones they are often compared to from other brands like Bose. They're also not noise canceling like the HD1 wireless so they do worse in loud environments but on the upside, they barely leak so you can mask some of the ambient noise that seeps into your audio by playing your music a little louder. See our recommendations for the best headphones for music, the best noise cancelling headphones and the best bass headphones.
The Oppo PM-3 are a better headset overall than the Sennheiser Momentum 2.0. The Oppos have a better build quality and a more comfortable over-ear fit that most will prefer over the Sennheiser. They also sound a bit better balanced in the bass mid and treble ranges, although the Oppos do tend to sound a bit sharp at times. This means that some people may prefer the darker sound of the Sennheiser. The Sennheiser also have a slightly more compact and portable design, thanks to the folding joints, and their iOS-specific audio cable has mic support with the PS4 controller, unlike the Oppos.
The Sony MDR-1A are a slightly better headphone than the Sennheiser Momentum 2.0. The Sonys have a much more comfortable over-ear fit than the Sennheisers. They're also a bit better built with durable materials that are a lot lighter than the Sennheisers' build quality. They also have a better sound quality that's more balanced with the higher frequencies and does not sound as dark. On the upside, the Sennheisers leak a lot less which make them a bit more suitable for noise sensitive environments like the office.
The Sony WH-1000XM2 are a much better headphone than the Sennheiser Momentum 2.0, but they're also wireless and noise canceling which is not as comparable. The WH-1000XM2 are more suitable for commuting and traveling than the HD1 Over-Ear, since they are noise cancelling and the HD1 are not. The Sonys also have a lot more features like a customizable EQ, codec options, and room effects. On the other hand, since the HD1 over-ear are wired, they have no latency when watching videos.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018 are much better headphones than the Sennheiser Momentum 2.0/HD1 Over-Ear. The Bose are a lot more suitable for commuting and traveling thanks to their excellent ANC feature. The Bose are also much more comfortable and have a much better-balanced sound profile. On the other hand, since the Sennheisers are wired, you don't have to worry about keeping a battery charged or latency when watching videos.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
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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