What Hi Fi Sound and Vision
Fri, Sep 25 2009, 10:00AM
Sennheiser HD 218
£
40
After some closed-back cans to use on the commute? These Sennheisers are well worth an audition
Write your own reviewFor
Leak minimal noise; weighty, clear delivery
Against
Lack the spaciousness of open headphones; bit more detail and tighter bass would be nice
As far as affordable on-ear headphones go, it may seem iGrados are the de facto choice. Not so; their open-back design means they leak noise badly, making them an inconsiderate choice for commuters.
That's where closed-back headphones like the Sennheiser HD 218s come in. They may lack the spaciousness of open models, but at least you won't fall out with a stranger on the train.
What they offer is a weighty, clear and refined delivery that'll flatter heavily compressed music and tame a bright-sounding MP3 player.
We would like greater detail and attack, and bass – though deep – could be tighter, but they're good by the standards of affordable closed-back cans.
See all our five-star headphone reviews