Headphone review: Sennheiser HD 205-II

[iDharma]

I travel quite a bit and wanted some over-the-ear headphones with good background noise attenuation and sound quality and under $100. That ruled out the noise-canceling kind. So I did some research and ordered a pair of Sennheiser HD 205-II headphones.

They are comfortable, for me—with my woman's head (small enough I can wear youth-sized ball caps)—but if you're a guy with a big head (hat size, not ego ) you might find them a bit tight. Soft leather padding, both on the earpieces and under the headband. Cord only on left side (DJ feature).

Sound quality is great considering the price ($49.99 at HeadRoom). Good, smooth (not tinny) highs and deep (not thick) lows, excellent detail. I'm right now listening to an Iron Maiden live album \m/ (Up the Irons!) and I can hear all the live-performance nuances—mutilayered variation in crowd singing voices, feedback & echos, extra half-riffs here and there. Vocals sound true to life.

I will have to hear more of my audio library, which varies from classical Spanish guitar, jazz, Armenian doudouk, techno/ambient and classic 70s album rock. Different musical styles have different auditory characteristics & may not sound as great with a given headset. But, so far, so good.

Downsides observed so far:

- No noise-cancellation (duh), only noise attenuation
- No case
- Somewhat tight fit around ears (which means it forms a good seal—there's no free lunch in the world of audio gear)
- Swiveling earpieces do not fold back for easy stowage

All that said, these are in my view definitely worth the $50, and will come in handy both at home and while traveling.

 

[RobotRock]

I'm always buying headphones, but I've only ever bought one pair of Sennheiser's and found them to be the most uncomfortable headphones I've ever had. I can't remember what model they were, I'd imagine not the same ones as you have as your review of them is good. My fav pair right now is my Skullcandy skullcrushers, simply because I love my heavy bass music

 

[iDharma]

R/R, I think headphone fit is a very, very personal thing. Each person has unique biogeometry (my word) so headphones that feel OK to me might be downright painful for someone else. That's why I mentioned my pinhead size in my review. I almost went for the Skullcrushers but I didn't want the bass sound to eclipse other sounds, so I went for the more balanced Sennheisers.

Thanks for reading my post.

 

[RobotRock]

I change headphones whenever I can depending to what music I'm listening too, the good thing about the skullcrushers is there is an in line Bass control switch. I'm looking for a generic pair for flying soon, so I might give Sennheiser another chance! The ones I had were on ear, which is maybe why they weren't comfortable to wear for long periods of time. I even use the Apple iPod headphones when I'm outside walking, it's the only earphones I have that I can also hear what's going on around me as well as listening to music

 

[gentlefury]

I have Bose Quiet Comfort 3 headphones...I've had them for a couple years and they are just amazing...sound quality is fantastic with nice none ear piercing highs and really deep lows. The noise cancellation is insane....if someone is talking next to me they don't exist...it's great. Sure they are $350 but they are worth every penny. I use them every day and have for a couple years and they are still perfect. Def recommended.

 

[RobotRock]

I have Bose Quiet Comfort 3 headphones...I've had them for a couple years and they are just amazing...sound quality is fantastic with nice none ear piercing highs and really deep lows. The noise cancellation is insane....if someone is talking next to me they don't exist...it's great. Sure they are $350 but they are worth every penny. I use them every day and have for a couple years and they are still perfect. Def recommended.

I have a Bose sound dock and the quality is amazing! I don't like to spend too much on headphones because I'm outside and active quite a lot, and go through quite a few pairs. One of the features I look for when buying headphones is lifetime warranty!

 

[gentlefury]

I have Bose Quiet Comfort 3 headphones...I've had them for a couple years and they are just amazing...sound quality is fantastic with nice none ear piercing highs and really deep lows. The noise cancellation is insane....if someone is talking next to me they don't exist...it's great. Sure they are $350 but they are worth every penny. I use them every day and have for a couple years and they are still perfect. Def recommended.

I have a Bose sound dock and the quality is amazing! I don't like to spend too much on headphones because I'm outside and active quite a lot, and go through quite a few pairs. One of the features I look for when buying headphones is lifetime warranty!

All Bose products feature a lifetime warranty.

 

[Temp40]

Very nice in-depth review, and it's true when it comes to headphones everyone has their own unique preference, they have to fit and sound just right. It can be tedious sometimes finding the perfect pair but worth the extra effort in the end instead of just grabbing some random set of headphones only to find out they are not comfortable for you!!

Enjoyed reading this post, also added you on twitter by the way!