Fostex TH900mk2 Limited Edition vs Sennheiser HD 490 PRO

The Fostex TH900mk2 Limited Edition and Sennheiser HD 490 PRO are both high-end headphones. While they have very similar balanced sound profiles with de-emphasis in the high-mid and low-treble, each headphone has a different enclosure type. The Sennheiser's is open while the Fostex's is closed. Despite this, the closed Fostex aren't much better at attenuating environmental noise, meaning the choice of enclosure comes down to which you prefer, rather than a meaningful functional difference. Ergonomically, the Sennheiser are more comfortable with better stability and come with a second set of different pads, though they don't feature as premium a build or finish as the Fostex. Still, the artisanal lacquered ear cups of the Fostex come with quite the price tag compared to the Sennheiser.