Sennheiser HD 280 Pro review

The HD 280 Pro is the isolation specialist here. Sennheiser lists ambient noise attenuation of up to 32 dB, which matters when you track drums, record next to a loud amp or work in a noisy apartment. Sennheiser calls it an industry workhorse with over 2 million units sold and positions it for tracking, monitoring and voiceover work. The listed response is 8 Hz to 25 kHz, it weighs 285 g without the cable, and the polycarbonate build folds down compactly. Earpads are soft and replaceable, and a single-sided coiled cable ends in a 3.5 mm plug with a 6.3 mm adapter. The cable is fixed, and the documented specs trail newer closed-back models such as the MDR-M1 and DT 700 Pro X. Sennheiser's US product page showed no price when we checked, so we could not verify one and scored value conservatively. It is a sound choice for loud tracking work rather than a primary mixing headphone. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test it.

Who it is for

Drummers and loud rooms where you need strong passive isolation while tracking.

Price

See vendor pricing (USD check pending).

US price check pending. See the vendor pricing page.

Key features

• Ambient noise attenuation up to 32 dB
• 8 Hz to 25 kHz frequency response
• Collapsible, foldable polycarbonate build
• Single-sided coiled cable with 3.5 mm plug and 6.3 mm adapter
• Soft, replaceable earpads

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Highest documented isolation figure on this list
• Strength: Sennheiser reports over 2 million units sold
• Strength: Folds compactly for transport
• Weakness: US price was not shown on Sennheiser's page, so value is scored conservatively
• Weakness: Coiled cable is fixed
• Weakness: Narrower listed range than the newer Sony and Beyerdynamic models

Key facts

• Design: Closed-back, circumaural
• Noise attenuation: Up to 32 dB
• Frequency response: 8 Hz to 25 kHz
• Weight: 285 g without cable
• Max SPL: 113 dB

Where it ranks

Sennheiser HD 280 Pro is No. 10 in our Best Studio Headphones verdict.