Rating: 
Summary: Good phones but false advertising.
Review: I bought the HD-280's two weeks ago. The sound quality is very good considering the spec'ed 5 dB variation (almost a 400% percent response variation across theaudio band). Also the headphones are quite comfortable and relatively light. I am rating these headphones at just 3 stars in protest of the blatantly false claim that the headphones provide "up to 32 dB" of ambient noise attenuation. I actually own pair of Peltor noise mufflers which are rated at 29 dB and which do perform to spec. The HD-280 provides at best 10 dB of attenuation, no comparison at all. So if ambient sound suppression is important to you as well as decent sound fidelity, beware of Sennheiser's false claim. By the way, these phones are packaged in a heavy shrink wrapped container so you won't be able to test drive them first unless you go to a dealer that happens to have a pair on display.
Rating: 
Summary: mediocre bass, but good otherwise
Review: I'm no audiophile, but I like good sound.First, the other reviewers are right, they need about 48 hours of burn-in. Originially, the bass was non-existant and the mids were "muddy". Play music loud on them for two days and that mostly clears up. Second, the bass is weak at very low registers. If you have an equalizer (like in WinAMP), you should check the headphones' manuals to see how to adjust it for the best sound. Third, the mids and upper registers are amazingly precise. I have them plugged into my machine at work and I can hear the static coming through the sound card. I had them plugged into the speaker's headphone jack, but that static was way too much, and had to plug them directly into the sound card. I listened to a Dave Matthews' studio album and I can hear talk from the soundbooth as well as the band members conversing during the jam session. They're that precise. Fourth, sound from the outside is heavily damped, especially in the mid and higher registers. I don't hear any computer fans. I don't hear my officemate's conversations. I still hear footsteps in the hallway, so some bass does get through. At this time, I haven't tried them on a plane. Fifth and last, they are noticable. The weight is not too bad, because of a padded strap on top. They do press a little too tightly on the side of my head. (Some pressure is necessary to get a good seal to block outside noise, but these headphones have more than seems necessary and no good adjustment to releave it.) So, good sound (if you don't need deep bass or have a equalizer) and good outside-noise damping. They are tight on the head.
Rating: 
Summary: Very satisfied
Review: For the (...) or so I paid on amazon for these headphones, I am well impressed. I consider myself an mild audiophile. When purchasing headphones, I was looking primarily at these and the Bose Triport and Quiet Comfort headphones. The sound quality of the Bose headphones was on par with these. I personally have never listened to headphones that have impressed me with regard to bass, but these do as well as any others. The mids and highs, however, are great. Therefore, these were a steal for half the price of the Triport. I was drawn toward the Quiet Comfort because of the noise-cancelling; however, if you have ever listened to the Quiet Comfort, they don't sound great unless you have the sound-cancelling on. All of the air chambers sound like you have a shell up to your ear when the noise-cancelling is off: awful! So if you're fine with chewing through batteries even when you have no ambient noise to drown out, then they are a great headphone set. I decided to write an amazon.com review of these headphones--I've never written one before--only after taking them with me on an airplane for the first time. I was disappointed the last time I brought my earbuds with me: I couldn't hear the movie on my laptop even though it was turned all the way up. These headphones don't disappoint. The primary thing to know about them before you buy them is that they grip you head quite well. Positive consequence: the screaming baby who was sitting one row behind me (literally) was virtually drowned out, not to mention the drone of the jet engines. Because they grip your head so strongly, they block out the ambient noise and let you listen to what you want to listen to. Negative consequence: they're somewhat uncomfortable for longer periods. The fatigue is due to the physical structure, though, not because of harshness of the speakers. The upshot: if you're willing to sacrifice a little comfort for a great sounding alternative to noise-cancelling, these are your headphones. I paid less than eighty bucks and I'd take these over competitors that cost twice that price.
Rating:
Summary: Pure Listening Pleasure
Review: Every sound is produced to ENHANCE the listening pleasure. Crystal clarity with serious fluid quality. Die Form to D Product and Roni Size to DJ Krush and Andreas Scholl to The Fat Lady Sings are all brought to you the way each artist would have wanted it only for you. Adjust them and they will fit. Crank up the volume and you will slowly but surely crank it down. They will knock your socks off -twice. Black Headphones from Germany -get the message and get some -twice.
Rating:
Summary: Pass: Better value available elsewhere
Review: The Sennheiser HD-280 is a prime example of an overpriced headphone. Though the price which amazon.com is currently offering them at is reasonable, they retail for nearly three times that price. This is easily the worst value I've seen in a headphone. The HD-280, by itself, isn't a terrible piece of equipment. The sound is reproduced very clearly. The mid-range, like many Sennheiser headphones, is the strongest aspect of the HD-280. The highs are also reproduced acceptably, if a little harshly. However, this is where my praise for the HD-280 stops. The bass is very deficient, especially when plugged into a portable such as a discman. They also look exceptionally awkward and large, and squeeze your head like a vice. My biggest problem with the HD-280, the problem which makes me shake my head at all the five-star reviews, is the plasticness of the sound. They are the most mechanical and unmusical headphones I've ever listened to. They may be suitable for voice, or analyzing recordings, but as far as getting enjoyment out of your music goes, these won't do the best job for the price. The Sennheiser PX200, in my view, is still the best value in this price range.
Rating:
Summary: Primo Cans!
Review: Fantastic buy. Easily hold their own against my Grado SR80s. I like the circum-aural fit vs the supra-aural of the Grados. A bit heavier than I expected but not so much to be a problem. Easy to wear for many hours of listening. Good isolation and excellent build quality - absolutely no creaks from the moving parts. Recommended - especially at Amazon's low price!
Rating:
Summary: No regrets
Review: I bought these cans from amazon to replace ear buds that I used for my computer. This is a well made product, but my only gripe is the plastic construction. However there is a 2 year warranty so I don't think I should worry too much! Before buying these cans, I had a long, long decision on whether to get these or the Grado SR85. A slightly lower price and these being circum-aural and closed, I went with these. I have no regrets buying these. One person mentioned that there is weak bass for these cans and I will have to agree right now. I haven't allowed mine to be broken in yet. Despite this, you can increase the bass in the sound properties which I find to promptly fix this problem! I suspect that I'll be using these cans more than my desktop speakers!
Rating:
Summary: Nice Phone!
Review: I use these phones with my computer. I plug them straight into my soundcard (Epox 8rda+ w/Soundstorm audio) and they sound very good. Theere are only 2 negatives about these phones. One is they are a little bit tight for me. They have loosened up alot though and feel pretty good. Secondly, they needed to burn in for about 30 hours before they were acceptable. Other than that, they sound great for listening to mp3's and playing games. The isolation is great also (I can't hear my girlfriend yelling at me at all)! These are great for the price. Pick em up!
Rating: 
Summary: YUCK!
Review: I was sent a pair of the HD280 headphones to try out. At first I was impressed by the look and quality of the Sennheisers, but after compairing them to my FOH engineers Sony MDR-V700 Headphones... well, the sound quality of the HD-280's are just plain terrible. Everyone who listened to them, crew, band, all thought the same... the Sonys sounded better. The HD-280's mid range seemed cut and the high end is brutal. Stick with the Sonys...
Rating:
Summary: Great Sound... Great Price...
Review: For the money, you cannot beat these cans. Great highs, rich deep lows and everything in between. It took me about a month to properly break them in and the sound just continues to get better and better. They are very comfortable and easy to wear for long periods of time - I wear mine 5 to 6 hours a day with no problem. Get these headphones - you will not be dissapointed!
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