Sennheiser HD 485 Review
The Sennheiser HD 485 belongs to the sub $200-semi-audiophile segment, which means balance between price and performance is key. The greater the sound per dollar invested, the better these cans rank among the competition. Sennheiser earned our respect from the HD 555, at right about the same price as these.
The 485s cover the entire ear fully, so don’t be mistaken by the photos, especially if you think the ear cups are like that of those from the HD 202—a nightmare in comfort. To sum it up, people with large ears might feel a slight “touch” inside the cups, but will not pose any problems for the average-sized-ear man.
These cans have very low impedance (32 ohms) which make them easy to pair with any “iPod.” It might be a little to big for them though, and you might not look at all that “portable.”
The box includes a nice metal screw-on 1-inch jack adapter, detachable cord, and some leather-looking headphone stand which we found little to no use for.
The overall balance of the sound is quite impressive. It does not have earth-shaking bass as say that of the 527, but ample for most bass-demanding music types. The higher frequencies are quite boosted—upon opening, we felt the need to tame via equalizer that above 630 Hz. Detail was excellent, revealing most articles that we’ve accustomed as “revealed only by the high-end.”
Just remember what you’re buying if you choose to decide to add the 485 to your list. These are open, and are best used in silent environments. These are quite bulky, which means if portability is issue, cross them out. Other than that, if you want excellent sound and are the type who listens at home every now and then, these might be a good option as a back-up audiophile reference, and a back-up for portable use.
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