NAMM 2024: Esteemed audio brand Sennheiser has released its latest studio monitoring headphones, the HD 490 Pro and HD 490 Pro Plus. The open-back headphones are designed for producing, mixing and mastering, and offer “superior accuracy,” according to the German brand.

READ MORE: With Sennheiser’s HD 490 Pro, mixing on headphones has never been better

Unveiled at The NAMM Show 2024, the headphones build on Sennheiser’s revered HD headphone design, such as the HD 650s and HD 300s.

But the HD 490 Pros are more than just headphones — these ol’ reliables come packaged with the dearVR Mix SE plugin, which gives you access to a multitude of virtual listening environments to check your mix in. You can now do the car check without even getting in your car — in theory, anyway.

They’re also capable of spatial audio mixing. According to Sennheiser, the HD 490 Pros boast “an extremely wide, dimensional sound stage for precisely localising the components of a mix.” They also feature Ultralight voice coils for “fast and authentic sound reproduction”, while the frequency response is touted as “uncoloured and honest across the entire audio spectrum.”

Sennheiser says it understands how important comfort is when mixing and mastering. So, the HD 490 Pros sport a lightweight, ergonomic design that “eliminates any pressure points”, with soft comfort zones on the ear pads. The open-mesh ear cups also minimise resonance and distortion thanks to Sennheiser’s Open-Frame Architecture.

What’s the difference between HD 490 Pro and HD 490 Pro Plus, you ask? A bunch of accessories. The HD 490 Pro Plus includes a 3m cable, a transport case, and an extra fabric headband pad in addition to the standard velour headband. If you want to buy these at a later date, though, you can do so from Sennheiser’s website.

In our review of the HD 490 Pro, we said: “Mixing and mastering on headphones is an essential part of any producer’s skill set these days…The HD 490 Pros more than get the job done, with a brilliantly balanced, neutral sound, comfortable fit for long sessions and optionally, the room simulation plugin should you want to use it. Considering the quality of the results they can help you achieve, they’re arguably even a bit of a bargain too.”

Sennheiser’s HD 490 Pro is available for  $399/€399, and the HD 490 Pro Plus, is $479/€470.

Learn more at sennheiser.com.

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