One of the most gratifying pleasures there is comes in the elixir that the ears can capture. This of course is only possible when one has proper audio equipment. Sometimes we want deep thick rich bass, sometimes a light and precise clarity, and there are few headphones that do both well. The Sennheiser HD 360 PRO is a set of headphones that delivers superb audio quality in a surprisingly small body. However, there are a few steps that must be taken in order to get the most out of these headphones. The details are below.
First, these headphones are "monitoring" and in my experience monitoring speakers can be a double edge sword. These monitoring devices usually are more "honest" than consumer audio equipment. If the music/audio has "shortcomings" due to various reasons the monitor speakers will "spit" those details out and sometimes what you thought was pleasurable audio will sound like crap. Consumer devices are more forgiving, Bose headphones are usually good at diminishing these small unpleasures. The final version of a music piece must be edited/mastered correctly for monitoring equipment, otherwise it can hinder the experience.
Back of the box.
The HD 360 PRO look similar to the MM 550-X, PXC 360, and PX 360. The MM 550-X and PXC 360 support bluetooth. The HD 360 PRO and PX 360 do NOT support BT. The HD 360 PRO inherits the body of the previously mentioned headphones but according to Sennheiser it possesses elements from the HD 280 PRO and HD 380 PRO (these latter two headphones have very positive ratings on many websites). If Sennheiser can deliver the audio quality from bigger headphones and do it in a more portable size then they have accomplished a great feat. We can definitely argue that the audio would not be identical as audio can change based on the HD 360 PRO's different body--audiophiles may be able to notice the differences.
Sealed ear cups do prevent a good amount of sound leakage; it will require you to up the volume considerably for others to notice what you are hearing. This seal also blocks many exterior sounds, which is obviously not on par with "noise cancelling" headphones, but for the most part the seal provides enough noise isolation that your mind can focus on what you are hearing.
While you can find most of Sennheiser's headphones online you may not be able to find the HD 360 PRO. Because of this reason the HD 360 PRO may be nicknamed as a "360 Best Buy edition." But if you are interested you can purchase them from Sennheiser's website.
The packaging.
The box contents: HD 360 PRO unit, a bag, and a 1/4 (3.6mm) adapter. I have not used the bag... but I bet some people will.
The earcups are the same as many other headphones by Sennheiser. They are meant to be "around ear" and if you have small to average ears then these should work well. However, if you have large ears then the cups may not provide the seal that you need. If the size of the cups are insufficient then you may have to get larger headphones such as the HD 280 and 380 PRO.
Perhaps one of the biggest reasons why I bought these headphones is due to the construction quality of the cups. I often see headphones with some comfy materials that will definitely attract dust, and absorb sweat and other nasty stuff. The leatherette in comparison is gentle on the ears but is considerably more clean. The padding of the the cups allows the use of the headphones for many hours. The material is seen in headphones such as the Bose Triport Around Ear, the Bose AE2, and other very comfortable headphones. In my opinion the HD 360 PRO are very close to what Bose offers, although slightly less comfortable.
Overall a very well constructed headphone set.
The HD 360 PRO does collapse and as such allows you to more easily carry them on trips.
In my opinion... the cable is quite cheap. Many headphones within this price range allow you to unhook the cable, and the cables are often thicker which gives you greater peace of mind. If I smash the cable on the HD 360 PRO I will have to manually fix it. The cord's length is 9.8' and is ok for most uses... however it's too bad that the cable is not removable as it would allow me to connect a shorter more "out of the way" cable. The cord uses a 1/8" (3.5mm) stereo plug but the package includes a 1/4" (6.3mm) adapter.
Sennheiser HD 360 PRO vs Technics RP-DH1200
Size comparison of the HD 360 PRO and the Technics RP-DH1200. The HD 360 PRO is more portable.
The HD 360 PRO offers a flexible steel frame, the Technics have a very rigid plastic frame. In my opinion the HD 360 PRO is better.
The HD 360 PRO offers a more comfortable grip on your head... and will not mess up your hair as much. ;-)
The padding on the HD 360 PRO is superior than of the thin padding of the RP-DH1200. While I enjoy the great audio quality of the RP-DH1200 I knew that there had to be something that delivered similar audio quality with greater comfort. I can have the DH-1200 on for about 30 minutes and then I have to give my ears a rest. With the HD 360 PRO my ears do not receive the same pressure, the pressure is not on the ears, and as such I can keep them on for many hours--they are great in comfort. Keep in mind though that people with different head size will voice differing opinion regarding comfort... if you have a "big head" these may not be the right headphones for you.
Now, there are important differences regarding audio quality. For the absolute best audio quality both of these headphones require some help.
TIPS
My simple setup. Note: the Pac Sound Isolator is better used when it goes from the amplifier to the headphones... the image above shows it from the system to the amp.
Configurations:
- Technics RP-DH1200
- Audio card: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi 5.1
- Amplifier: Rolls HA43 Pro
- Noise Filter Pac Sound Isolator
- Sennheiser HD 360 PRO
- Audio card: none
- Amplifier: Rolls HA43 Pro
- Noise Filter Pac Sound Isolator
Audio Card
Based on the configuration above you can see that the HD 360 PRO does not have the Creative Sound Blaster. When I tested the HD 360 PRO for the first time, in which I had the audio card hooked, I noticed that the highs (such as high hats and cymbals) were way too sharp. The highs were in a way "ear piercing" like sticking a needle in your ear drum. In comparison the Technics RP-DH1200 benefit greatly from the audio card. When I removed the audio card the highs of the HD 360 were right "on spot."
Amplifier
A while ago I had the Sennheiser MM 550-X, a headphone set that sold for about $500, and they had a major problem of being "too quiet." This volume problem let many people to return the MM 550-X. The HD 360 PRO is similar, although not as bad, to the MM 550-X; and as such it needs some help to raise that volume. I use a Rolls HA43 Pro to increase the volume to proper levels; If the Rolls has features that you don't need then consider an amp from FiiO.
Noise Filter
If your audio source (computer/laptop, tablet, tv, etc) or the amplifier cause a "humm" or other noise then you may consider getting a noise isolator. I use a Pac Sound Isolator to remove those annoying issues. The result is a superb clarity.
HD 360 PRO AUDIO QUALITY AND CONCLUSION
If you thought that I forgot about the most essential details then think again! When used in combination with the above configuration the HD 360 PRO will be an absolutely superb headphone set. The bass achieved by the HD 360 PRO is rich voluminous and very gratifying. This deep bass, which can be observed in headphones like the Beats by Dre, can really hurt the clarity of the mids and highs, however in the case of the HD 360 PRO it does NOT hinder them--it greatly compliments the experience achieved by the smooth mids and clear highs. If you use these headphones when watching movies then you will have a great "cinematic" experience.
When I switched from the Bose AE2 to the Technics RP-DH1200 I got superior audio quality. In a way the Bose AE2 delivered too much bass and did diminish clarity. However, this change led to painfully sore ears due to the poor padding which reduced overall happiness. The HD 360 PRO in the other hand are comfortable, deliver rich bass, and are almost as good with mids and highs as the DH1200. Yes, not as good on the mids and highs but just shy of what DH1200 can achieve. The DH1200 are still better for audio monitoring tasks, but considering the wide spectrum of consumer uses along with minor audio monitoring usage, at least on my end, I have to say that the HD 360 PRO are a more suitable fit and were definitely worth it.
Measurements of the inner part of the cup; it does not include surface area.
Depth from 1.7 cm to 2.4 cm (there is a slope present, and the measurement is taken from the surface of the speaker to the top of the leatherette [without compressing]).
About 4.0 cm (minor axis) to 5.3 cm (major axis). [axis info]
Official Sennheiser page of the HD 360 PRO.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteThanks for this great review. I recently bought Sennheiser HD 360 Pro and I think it was a very good purchase. However, I cant get a good equalization for this headphone (I am using sansa clip + with rockbox). Could you suggest me a 10 band equalization for Sennheiser HD 360?
You'll have to ask an audiophile type fellow. Currently I cannot give you a proper recommendation.
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