Sennheiser HD 280 Pro vs C.Crane Senta Forty headphones

[nanZor]

For you hi-fi fans -

I reviewed these elsewhere for swl / dx ing use, but this is a more appropriate place for hi-fi.

If you are a fan of the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro studio monitor headphones, then you might be instantly comfortable sonically with the 'Crane Senta Forty's. I use the 280's at work a lot.

But instead of having an over-the-ear cup, the Senta's are on-the-ear. Not painful! The squeeze is tight enough to hold them on your head, but not so tight that if you shake your head, they won't come off. They are the most comfortable lightweight on-ear over-the-head headphones I have ever used.

The corded y-cord, which is easily replaceable by the end user, was unexpected in this price range. Aesthetics are awesome, and somebody put their heart into it - you can tell, because they really didn't have to go this far.

Getting to the point: HOW DO THEY SOUND?

Anyone in a studio will find the Sennheiser 280's all over the place. Just like finding Sony MDR-7506 cans. And sometimes Audio-Technica ATH-M50X.

Each tries not to colorize the sound too much, so that recording / editing won't get totally skewed - the aim is to be somewhat on the flat side, but no headphone is perfect, and each has a "signature sound".

For example, the Sennheiser 280's have what some audiophiles call a "warm soundstage". Think mellow high end. Not dull, but some want more excitement.

The Sony 7506, are bright - they sound well detailed, and somewhat "bright" for my tastes. My issue is that they sometimes seem sibilant, or essss too much on occasion.

So given the choice, I wear the Sennheisers when available.

At home, I had a weird bit of trouble properly evaluating the C.Crane Senta Forty's. The sound signature is similar, but not exact enough to the Sennheiser 280's, that I kept thinking "what is wrong these headphones - something is out of place".

And I think that was the issue - my brain being so used to the Sennheiser was picking up on small differences between the two, when in fact there is nothing wrong! The 'Senta's are just a *little* bit different.

So I lived in them for the past few days, and have no qualms recommending them, if a "mellow" high end is your preference. Note that I do NOT mean dull, lacking detail, muffled and the like. It is just a sound-signature effect of tuning. The lack of sibilance is very welcome!

The audio nerd in me wants to start modding them, like one does to Sennheiser HD-600's, but I can't bring myself to hack up the nice light wooden surrounds. I think I'll leave them be and enjoy them for what they are.

Normally I don't EQ my sound at home either, but if one wants to play, I suppose they could put some minor touches on these with an equalizer and dial it in to taste.

No, they do not sound like the HE1 / Orpheus, and never will. But in the real world, these will put a smile on any audiophiles face - no matter the price.

 

[nanZor]

MOD #1 complete!

So simple - positioning was key.

The ample bass response was just a hair too over-extended for my tastes at times.

This seems due to the natural inclination to position the cups so that when you first put them on, they form an air-tight seal with your ears.

The solution for me was to simply break that seal by just moving the pads slightly off-kilter forward a little bit. No more resonance down low, and the bass is much more detailed and satisfying.

Not only did this improve the bass, but the whole "balance" of the system has improved. The mid range and high end is a bit more detailed and lively.

And to think, my first mod was going to be replacing the existing pads for the old trick of using HD-414 yellow foam pads.

 

[nanZor]

Mod #2

Actually a slightly different version of mod #1 - wear a pair of glasses with frames thick enough to break the seal to tighten up that bass - without having to do the slight offset trick.

This provides the most quality response, and now the Senta's are singing properly!

Classical is mostly what I listen to, but right now Metallica's "Enter Sandman" is as head-rockin as ever. Tight yet still scary bass without a lot of boom.

If you really want to fly your audiophile flag, and you don't wear glasses, get some anyway and poke the lenses out. When friends look at you and wonder why the lenses are out - tell them it is an audiophile thing.

Being an audiophile is NOT just a rich-man's hobby. Doing something like this, much like making the best of what you've got, is what matters.

 

[nanZor]

Controversial "burn-in" test

I don't believe in "burn-in". Never have.

Still don't - being a psycholigical placebo for the most part. BUT, I believe in *some cases* , it might help.

I've been living in these things for a few more days, with the ear-tight seal broken by alterations in wear as described above.

What has happened is that the monotonic-bass cup-resonant thump is GONE when placed back into the usual ear-sealing natural position! And the bass-distortion that accompanied that when even brought up to a moderate level of volume is gone too as you heard the waves refelecting into the cup and back to the element itself causing a slight mess.

Essentially I agreed with a pc-review of the phones, but perhaps they, like me, are evaluating a stiff new pair of shoes - to use that poor analogy.

While the phones are still just a *tad* bit bass-heavy for my tastes, it is WAAAY under control now.

What I *think*, but cannot prove:

Running with the phones in an open altered position, (and listening to bass-heavy R&B / Blues for the last 3 days straight - thanks KHUG), allowed the transducers to get some exercise, without beating themself to death with resonance, and *possibly* the entire surface, rather than perhaps an irregular spot, loosened up so that the whole surface is properly vibrating.

There are those that swear by break-in who use a magic-potion of frequencies to do the job, but in this case, some R&B / Blues seemed to do the trick just as well.

Besides, If I ever wore my 'Sentas to CanJam with the lenses poked out of a pair of thick-framed glasses, I'd be either arrested or stoned on the spot by the participants.

I STILL don't believe that "burn-in" is a magic cure-all or needs be applied to every headphone ever made. But in this case, it doesn't seem to be a subjective "I think the resonance is gone" - it IS gone.

I was getting worried, since to anyone from my era will testify, the beauty of DiscWashers (originals, not later fakes with crappy wood) is not lost on my senses.

Lookin' good - feelin' good - and now soundin' good!

 

[nanZor]

TUNE the bass ports!

FOUND IT! An easy way to "tune" the bass response to your liking!

At the top of the wooden earcups, are 5 small holes drilled into them. You won't see them unless you swivel them inside the u-shaped yokes.

You can now tune the bass response to your liking by covering up one or more of these holes - on both drivers of course. We're just tightening up the "box" so to speak to limit cone travel.

The temporary tool of choice here is blue painter's-tape so you don't leave a gummy residue on the beautiful wooden backs.

Just cut a length of blue painter's-tape long enough to cover the holes on the top half of the drivers. Now split it in half down the middle lengthwise so that when swiveling the drives back in place it doesn't get all bent up. Place on head and listen to the difference!

Covering ALL the holes is a little too much of an extreme loss of bass for me, so I'll have to play with just how many holes I want to cover up for my tastes. I also noted that you have to do this to both sides at the same time - it can be hard to discern the change if you only do it on one ear.

Of course blue painter's tape is only a temporary solution until I find a material that won't be such an eyesore to these beauties.

I recommend that BEFORE you do this, you give these phones a bit of burn-in to allow the bass response of the drivers to get tamed as described above.

Yeah man!