Sennheiser HD203 Closed-Back DJ Headphones

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The HD 203 studio stereo headphones are the ideal partner for home recording. The rugged lightweight headphones have a secure fit that blocks out ambient noise and keeps your music and monitoring cues from leaking out to adjacent microphones or other people. This headphone is versatile enough for use with portable audio devices like MP3 players but also the latest audio interfaces and home recording gear.

Ideal for Many Applications

These closed, semi-around-the-ear dynamic headphones provide excellent attenuation of ambient noise. Powerful neodymium magnets and lightweight diaphragms capable of high SPL's make the HD 203 ideal for everything from casual music listening and gaming to studio applications. The HD 203 is compatible (listen only) with the latest generation of tablets, from the iPad to Android tablets to the Blackberry Playbook. They're extremely comfortable to wear for extended tracking or monitoring sessions, with an innovative headband design that's flexible for any size or shape head, and the HD 203 comes with replaceable leatherette ear pads and a 10-foot cable.

About Sennheiser

For more than 60 years the name Sennheiser has stood for the highest quality products and customised solutions across all areas of sound recording, transmission and reproduction. As one of the world’s leading providers of integrated solutions for electro-acoustic products, systems and services, Sennheiser constantly meets the challenges of developing creative answers which satisfy the requests and requirements of customers.

What's in the Box?

Sennheiser HD 558 Audiophile Headphones, 6.3mm plug adapter, warranty.

Technical Specifications

• Transducer type: Dynamic, closed


• Headphone type: Circumaural


• Frequency response: 18 – 18,000 Hz


• Total harmonic distortion: < 0.5% (1 kHz/100 dB SPL)


• Sound pressure level (SPL): 115 dB


• Impedance: 32 Ohms


• Jack plug: 3.5mm


• Weight: 12.7 oz

The HD 203 studio stereo headphones are the ideal partner for home recording. The rugged lightweight headphones have a secure fit that blocks out ambient noise and keeps your music and monitoring cues from leaking out to adjacent microphones or other people. This headphone is versatile enough for use with portable audio devices like MP3 players but also the latest audio interfaces and home recording gear.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.7 x 3 inches ; 4.6 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B003LRN53I
• Item model number: HD203
  

Price : $41.87
You Save : $8.08 (16%)

List Price : $49.95

Technical Details

• Closed, semi-around-the-ear dynamic headphones
• Excellent attenuation of ambient noise
• Powerful neodymium magnets and lightweight diaphragms capable of high SPLs
• Extremely comfortable to wear for extended tracking or monitoring sessions
• Replaceable leatherette ear pads
• Sennheiser HD203 DJ-Style Closed Lightweight Headphones

Customer Reviews

Ive listened to these for a week already and tested these with various genres of music, including Rap, 80's Rock, Rock, Trance, House, Electro, Hardstyle, and Jazz. For reference purposes Ive hooked them up into my laptop with and without a 10 dollar portable amp purchased from Amazon. I also tried these on my Palm Pre Phone.

Basically on all these sources these headphones reached very good volume levels with and without a portable headphone amp. Of course these sound better with a headphone amp because youll reach much louder volume levels, but with these headphones an amp is simply an option and not a necessity(thank goodness).

Ive tried the bass capablities of these headphones with songs such as Snoop Dogg- Gangsta Luv, David Banner- Like a Pimp, Justice- Phantom, Moby- Thousand, and Les Petits Pilous- Wake Up. The Bass is truly amazing because it sounds clear, deep, and handles any bass thrown at it very well. The bass also never distorted on me even with the Amp connected and at full volume. The bass capabilities of these remind me of the Eh-150's performance except these are slightly stronger. Of course these do not thump like a subwoofer is inside but instead thumps good enough that its mighty impressive and is a good balance between the lows and highs.

The highs/Vocals of these are awesome as well. With these you may even hear things that you may have never heard in your songs.

These headphones sound quality are rich, deep, and satisfying. They are light and easily adjustable. The cord is a standard flat and long headphone cable with the connector being made up of regular sliver like metal so don't expect gold.

These headphones fit snugly much like the EH-150's and the HD 202's. You'll also need to give your ears a break for a minute usually every hour. But these do not fit so tight that it becomes unbearable though. But the advantage of this snug fit is that it effectively isolates outdoor sounds, which is very convenient if you are just trying to listen to your music and not be distracted by others loud conversations. Also unless you are BLASTING these they pretty much do not leak much sound, so you wont annoy the people around you either.

Simply put these continued to sound very good whether it was Miles Davis, Benny Goodman, Justice, Snoop Dogg, The Cure, Lady Gaga, and everything else in between.

Finally if you were looking between the Sennheiser HD202's, Sennheiser Eh-150s, or these Sennheiser HD203's. I would recommend these ones. Simply because the overall these sound clearer than the Sennheiser HD202's and these have a slightly better amount of bass than the EH-150's(hey every little counts). In my opinion this is a perfect mixture of two top rated headphones which results in one heck of a great new headphone product. I would definitely recommend these to friends and family, believe me Ive purchased both the 202's and 150's and I wouldn't think of going back to either of them.

These headphones cost me about $35 to $40 and I was honestly excited but quickly disappointed. The sound has lots of bass, strong loud mids too but lack in the highs; the highs are not as crisp or clear as the HD 202's. You will still hear details in your music that you might have not noticed before, especially if you've never owned a good pair of headphones. However, as I mentioned, they sound a bit muffled when compared to the HD 202's and therefore sound a bit unbalanced to me. These would have been an excellent set of phones if the highs had more definition, crispness or clarity.

The one thing that the HD 203's do have better than the HD 202's is the imaging (i.e. the 3D spatial sound). Instruments in the mids have a more 3D sound than that of the HD 202's. I still prefer the HD 202's especially for the price which is about $20 cheaper than the 203's I bought both of these models at the same time to compare. I gave the 202's as a gift to my brother (he thinks they are the most amazing headphones ever!) and the 203's I sold.

I honestly don't know why the HD 203's are labeled as studio monitor headphones as those type are usually very balanced, clear and don't alter the music. These sound like they are trying hard to accentuate the imaging but lack clarity! I own and love a pair of the famous HD 497's (which unfortunately are no longer available) which are better monitor headphones than these HD 203's

The HD 203's did not feel as tight around my head as the HD 202's, which I thought was interesting since its the same design but just a different color. If the tightness of the headband bothers you, they will loosen up as you break them in or you can loosen them by stretching them around a stack of books. Just carefully remove the ear pads (they snap off) before you place them around the books so the pads won't lose their cushioned feel while being smashed by the books! And you don't want to break the headband so use some common sense! Don't use too many books that the headband breaks!

Hope this review was helpful. I would definitely recommend the HD 202's over the HD 203's!