Open back or closed back? The Sennheiser HD 490 vs HD 480

Headphones are a necessary evil in record production. When tracking, they give you a solid reference to perform to. When mixing, they let you work into the night without winding up your neighbours, and they give you a different reference from your monitors.

The short answer is that open-back headphones are for mixing and critical listening. They sound wider and more natural but leak sound, so they are not ideal for tracking near microphones. Closed-back headphones are for tracking, because they seal sound in and the room out, at the cost of a slightly more coloured, bass-forward sound. Sennheiser's HD 490 (open) and HD 480 (closed) are a neat example of each, built on the same platform.

Where does an industry standard evolve to?

The Sennheiser HD 600 and HD 650 have been industry-standard headphones for mixing, and in some cases tracking, for a couple of decades. Both are open back. More recently, Sennheiser has extended the idea and simplified the choice, with two headphones built on the same platform, one open and one closed. The HD 490 and the HD 480.

We have been testing both the HD 490 open back and the HD 480 closed back for the last two months, and we cannot get over the comfort and the audio reproduction. I have been using them in the studio, at my desk, and for reference mixes at work and at home.

The cable I have been using is a coiled one with a mini-XLR connector. A nice touch is the few extra coils near the ear cup. For those of us who track guitars, that is a really useful bit of extra slack, whether you are sat down or stood up.

When should you use open-back headphones?

Reach for open-back headphones when you are mixing or listening critically in a quiet room. They give a wider, more natural, more linear sound and less fatigue, but they leak, so they are not ideal for tracking near microphones.

The first time I used a set of open-back headphones, I was struck by how open and linear they sounded. Working in a quiet environment, I found that decisions on panning and EQing below 200 Hz were not a guessing game the way they were on some closed-back designs. The catch with open backs is that they leak a lot of what you are listening to out of the cups, and you can hear the outside world coming in. That means that when tracking, open backs will often cause bleed into the microphones around them. Sometimes that is not a big issue, if there is no click track and the performer monitors at a relatively low volume. Open backs can also help with tuning when tracking vocals, because you can hear your natural tone in the room. Another plus is that they don't feel isolating while you work. They often run a little cooler around the ear and a little lighter, which is a nice relief on the headband.

When should you use closed-back headphones?

Reach for closed-back headphones when you are tracking. They seal sound in and the room out, which keeps headphone bleed out of your mics, at the cost of a slightly more bass-forward, coloured sound.

Closed-back headphones are more common in the recording environment, for a few good reasons. The most obvious is that, being sealed, they attenuate the outside world from your listening. If you are playing drums, they bring down the volume of the kit. They also seal what you are listening to away from the outside world, so if you are tracking to a click, bleed becomes less of an issue. That makes them ideal for tracking. It is worth saying that bleed can still happen, of course. It takes care, and both the performer and the engineer need good communication about levels and the balance between elements in the mix.

Closed backs do have some limitations in audio reproduction, because of the sealed cups. There is naturally higher pressure behind the voice coil, since the air cannot escape easily from behind the driver, and this often makes the frequency response a little more pronounced in the bottom end. For tracking, musicians tend to enjoy that, because the mix feels fuller and more punchy. For mixing, it can lead to mixes translating a little light in the low mids and bass, as you compensate for what you are hearing. Some manufacturers calibrate their open and closed models to reduce that difference.

How do the Sennheiser HD 490 and HD 480 sound?

The open HD 490 leans airy, wide and neutral, which suits mixing. The closed HD 480 is punchier and more isolated, which suits tracking. Both are tightly pair-matched, so they respond predictably to correction software.

In practice, the listening experience leans more open and airy on the HD 490, while the HD 480 is slightly more punchy and isolated.

Both are hand built, and the pair-matching tolerance is always within 3 dB per pair. That makes their response to corrective software like Sonarworks SoundID Reference very predictable.

From our in-house testing, the headphones presented themselves well. A balanced tone that did not make the high frequencies too painful on the ears, and a midrange that is a little pronounced around 700 Hz, which makes critical midrange decisions easy. The bottom end on the closed-back HD 480 made tracking drums, vocals and acoustic guitar a breeze, without click bleed getting in the way.

What are the HD 490 and HD 480 like to live with?

Light, comfortable and thoughtfully built. The highlights include the 490's two swappable pad sets, dual-sided cable entry, washable pads, braille markings and a removable mini-XLR cable.

When I took the headphones to Kempston to work with a band called Honey Motel, the lead vocalist immediately commented on how comfortable they were. I noticed that even when he used only one cup, they caused no issues.

I wear glasses daily, and the depth of the cushions does not push my glasses around my face. The lightweight construction lets me work for hours, here in the office or while mixing, without the fatigue that heavier headphones bring.

On the HD 490 you also get two sets of ear pads, one voiced for mixing and one for producing. Swapping them is not only about comfort, it genuinely shifts the tone. The mixing pads sit leaner and more neutral for critical decisions, while the producing pads feel fuller and more engaging when you are tracking or writing. Having two voicings in one headphone is a real perk, and it lets the 490 move between a reference tool and something more fun to create on.

Little touches, like the braille on the left cup that helps visually impaired users identify which side is which, or the washable cushions, make the day-to-day use of these headphones disappear into my workflow, so I can focus on the task at hand.

Another convenience is that you can plug the mini-XLR into either cup. For those of us who are left handed, that means the cable won't trail over your notepad while you take notes, or get in the way while you track guitars.

Because the cable is removable, you can easily buy a custom cable to match your taste or your use case. With the Pro versions of either headphone, you also get a solid case that protects them while you are on the move.

So which one should you pick?

Pick the HD 490 (open) for mixing and critical listening, and the HD 480 (closed) for tracking. If you do both, many studios simply keep a pair of each.

Sennheiser is in the fortunate position of already having two industry standards in the open-back HD 600 and HD 650. The HD 480 and HD 490 feel like a step forward sonically, and the option of closed or open back lets you pick the headphone that best suits your work environment.

One thing I would have liked in the Pro version is a straight 2 m cable with a little coil near the ear cup, for some tension relief when tracking. Other than that, these could well turn into the next industry standard.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between open-back and closed-back headphones?

Open-back headphones let air and sound pass through the earcups, giving a wider, more natural sound but leaking audio. Closed-back headphones seal the earcups, isolating sound in and out, which suits tracking but can sound a little more bass-forward.

Are open or closed-back headphones better for mixing?

Open-back are usually preferred for mixing, because the wider, more linear sound makes panning and low-end decisions easier and causes less fatigue over long sessions. A quiet room helps, since they do not isolate.

Why are closed-back headphones better for tracking?

They seal sound in, so the click and backing track do not bleed into the microphones, and they seal the room out, so a loud source like a drum kit is easier to monitor over.

What is the difference between the Sennheiser HD 490 and HD 480?

They share the same 38 mm driver and build, but the HD 490 is open back and the HD 480 is closed back. The 490 sounds wider and airier for mixing, while the 480 is punchier and isolated for tracking.

Can you use one headphone for both tracking and mixing?

You can, but each design has a sweet spot. Many engineers keep a closed-back pair for tracking and an open-back pair for mixing, which is exactly what the HD 480 and HD 490 pairing is built for.

If you have any questions about which headphones might be right for you, feel free to get in touch.

Alec Brits
alec@studiocare.com