What Hi Fi Sound and Vision 04 NOV 2009

Sennheiser HD 380 Pro

£ 110 4

* * * *

Seriously good headphones for the listener who wants to keep their music private, but rivals have caught up

For
Punch powerful sound; great design; very portable
Against
The Grado SR60i is a touch more revealing – and it's a bit cheaper; lack some refinement

Closed-back headphones have their pros and cons.

On the plus side, there’s very little noise leakage (ideal if you don’t want to distract others), but on the downside, enclosure vibration can impact on clarity and dynamics.

These HD 380s have a powerful, vibrant sound. Eminem’s We Made You has pace and rhythm: detail is good, although they’re not the most refined.

The folding design makes these a good travel companion, too. It’s only the excellence of new rivals that sees these drop to four stars

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