Sennheiser HD205 II, Closed over ear headphone with rotatable earcup

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Highs are noticeably sharper, crisper and brighter in the HD 215. This is not to suggest that the HD 205 is muffled or closed-in, but the HD 215 clearly reproduces more of the top end since the HD 205 rolls-off sooner.

If you are an audiophile in the market for a pair of closed circumaurals for casual listening on-the-go, that can take a beating and sound alright doing it, I would consider these a viable option. The HD 205 and HD 215 can be considered "brothers" in Sennheiser's DJ line-up in more ways than one. They share the same basic design. They have somewhat similar sound signatures. And they are relatively close in terms of pricing (at least when compared to HD 25s). The HD 215 is even-tempered, well-balanced, and (dare I say it?) flat with little coloration, leaning just a tad towards the bright side.But a few weeks ago, TheDeliveryMan (Eric @ Sennheiser) announced that they would be re-releasing the HD 215 shortly: "we are re-launching this clean & natural sounding, comfortable DJ headphone into the US. In our opinion it reverses the trend that DJ headphones that are perceived as having too-muddy-of-a-bass-response-for-Hi Fi-use and uncomfortable with poor spatial imaging." Whereas the HD 205's right ear cup could only swing forward/aft by 60 degrees, the HD 215's right ear cup has over 90 degrees of swing from the center detent! This is a HUGE improvement because a 60-degree swing is not enough to clear most ears (including mine). As a result, using the HD 215 in a one-eared configuration for extended periods is far more comfortable than the HD 205 ever was. Yes it's true that cinches but I happened to work with computer music for more than 4 hours and there are more comfortable it is good but it all depends on the use ... what is the proportion people remaining 4 hours in a row with headphones on? In conclusion these more affordable cans from Sennheiser are good for several things such as home listening and DJing. The only significant issue with these headphones is they would not be recommended for portable uses considering the length of the cord and their overall size. If I had to rate this headphone 1-10 it would get a solid 8.3. Of course, this also means that the highs are not particularly clear - or clean. In fact, if there were any portion of the HD 215's range that I would describe as being a little warm, it would be the highs.

The audio quality of the headphones you she looks good (serious overall balance, mid, treble, stereo)? Maybe in a future revision (like the aforementioned HD 215 Pro, or HD 215-II, or HD 215-1, or HD 215-1-II, or whatever Sennheiser is going to call it), they can apply some rubberization on the ear cups' external surfaces. That might be worth a few more dBs in isolation. Just a thought.And while I would not describe the sound as warm or rich, I wouldn't exactly label it as being clinical either. It's very much middle-of-the-road, neither truly flattering, nor giving offense. And it is precisely because of this balance that the HD 215's mids are unexpectedly pleasant on multiple levels.

If you would like to know my impressions of the HD 215 vs. something else in my inventory, just ask. =D The HD 215's highs are also sufficiently bright for everyday casual listening, but you should know that there isn't any of that magical sparkle (sonic fairy dust) at the very top. These are closed DJ cans after all, so that's not a demerit, just an observation. So if you've always liked the HD 428's sound signature, but wished that it had deeper bass and brighter highs, then the HD 215 might just be what you've been looking for. It's not as comfortable as the HD 428, but hey we can't have everything we want. I listened to a lot of other models in this range and in a range somewhat higher (up to 150 €): frankly, the HD 205 does not have to turn pale at slightly more expensive models. I wouldn't call it a glaring or outstanding flaw though, it's more like a curious sensation. As long as you intend to use the HD 215 for casual listening, your ears may easily gloss over it on a fairly consistent basis. And if you're a DJ in a working environment, I seriously doubt this will ever get in your way, so you needn't even pay attention to what I just said. But if you're looking to use these for critical listening, be advised that it is noticeable enough as to warrant a pointing out.

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For HD 400 series (except HD 435, HD 445, HD 455, HD 465, HD 475, HD 477 and HD 497), HD 250, HD 520, HD 530, HD 540 and HD 560 (oxygen-free copper) 37974BSF In reading on, I learned that Sennheiser USA was lending out a limited number of these to Head-Fiers for our impressions. Having spent quite a bit of ear time with the HD 215's little brother, the HD 205, I was naturally curious on several fronts. So of course, I jumped at the chance (you know, as you do) to spend some decent ear time with these as well.

Like many of it's Sennheiser bretheren (and unlike many V-shaped DJ cans available today) the HD 215 offers a favorable mid-range presentation. Especially very sensitive headphones maniac my material articulation and after 2 years the death headphone level and yet I am What you'll hear is fast, punchy, tight, controlled, precise, and even bass. In other words, the HD 215's bass is very German.All testing was done with using my Zune 30 in an un-amped configuration. In this case, the output of the Zune was more than enough for my tastes, so no amp was necessary. Environments and surroundings include home, work (a quiet office), a commuter train, and public streets throughout Southern California.