Like wine, only better: 30 years of the Sennheiser HD 25
5.4.2018
Translation: machine translated
Certain wines get better with age. But at some point, even they become undrinkable. Something that cannot happen to the Sennheiser HD 25. A declaration of love on its 30th birthday.
"Soweto" by "Hieroglyphics" boomed over my speakers at a deafening volume. I hardly noticed anything through my headphones. The next track - "Hip Hop" by "Dead Prez" - was playing clearly and distinctly. The bass was crisp and the drums were perfectly audible. A completely new world of sound opened up to me while DJing. At that moment, I fell in love with the Sennheiser HD 25.
That was in the early 2000s. I tried my hand at DJing. More bad than good, because I have the musical talent of a lindworm: I couldn't and still can't play an instrument, let alone read music or sing! When I open my mouth, the birds voluntarily fly into the next disc before a note even comes out. After all, my sense of time is not the worst. But never mind, you should do what you enjoy. And that's what I did.
DJing is an expensive hobby, especially if you do it the classic way with turntables. Fortunately, I was able to buy two Technics SL 1210 MK II turntables and a mixing console from a friend for 1000 francs. Not a bad price, especially as the devices were only a year old. But even ten years is not old for an MK II. Just like the HD 25. Be that as it may, after spending 1000 francs on the set, my measly student budget was exhausted. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough left for headphones. A mistake, as it turned out later.
Sound quality and a bit of history
There are several reviews on the sound quality of the Sennheiser HD 25. That's why I don't want to write a novel here. As already mentioned, the bass is crisp and clear. The mids are well-balanced and combine with the bass to create a nice sound image. The HD 25 only shows a slight weakness in the treble. They sometimes sound a little grainy and are not as balanced as the bass. Regardless, the HD 25 is not designed for hi-fi use, but was originally intended for the film and television industry. Good attenuation of external noise was and is a must for headphones in these professions. The on-ear headphones are perfect for this thanks to their closed, dynamic design.
Ergonomics and a little more history
The same requirements also apply to DJing. Four-time DMC champion DJ QBert, for example, uses the headphones because of their clear sound. The music is unadulterated. As a co-founder of the American turntablism scene, he should know. The HD 25 went on to become one of the most popular on-ear headphones for DJs and still is today. You could say they are the industry standard.
Little has changed in the on-ear headphones over the years. Although there have always been new models, the changes have tended to be cosmetic. The design also met the demands of DJs, because the really great thing about the HD 25 is that all parts are replaceable. The HD 25 doesn't want to hide its inner workings (and by that I mean the cables). And that's the right thing to do. This way, the cables can be replaced within minutes. The same applies to the brackets and pads. So if something breaks, I don't have to buy new headphones, just replace the necessary parts. But this is rarely necessary. These things are practically indestructible.
I'm not much of a fan of marketing platitudes. But I can't help but describe the HD 25 as timeless. The purist design stands out from today's "lifestyle" beats and "hipster" marshalls. Understatement is the name of the game at Sennheiser. The HD 25 can still be personalised a little. The cable is available in a straight or twisted form and the pads are available in different colours. Speaking of upholstery: if you're like me and don't like artificial leather/leather upholstery, you'll be pleased to know that most of the upholstery comes in velour.
I can't feel the HD 25 even after wearing it for a long time. They don't pinch anywhere, even when I have my glasses on. That's not a given with on-ear headphones. Thanks to the splayed earpieces, they can be adapted to practically any head shape and even fit my son's head. The left ear cup can be swivelled away, which is particularly useful for beatmatching (if you're still doing it the old school way).
HD 25 in use
As mentioned, the HD 25 really shines when used live. After DJing with cheap headphones for a while in my early days, the HD 25 was a revelation. Even in very loud environments, they dampen well and the sound comes across clearly.
During my time as a VJ for television, I also used an HD 25. It always served me well, especially when conducting interviews. The sound is also very clear when connected to the VJ camera. I had to conduct several interviews at concerts or other very loud venues. Once, when I didn't have the HD 25 with me and had to use the headphones in the VJ set, I completely misadjusted the sound settings on the camera. My interview was (almost) unusable. With the HD 25, bad sound was never a topic. I also always used it for editing TV articles. On the sometimes very noisy editorial team, the attenuation was worth its weight in gold and thanks to the accurate sound reproduction, I didn't miss even the slightest noise.
Conclusion
Today I have finally buried my DJing project because unfortunately I don't have the time and my limited skills were no longer developing. I also sold my equipment again, except for the one record player. I still own an HD 25. But unfortunately not the one from back then. I lost it/it was stolen from me. I don't remember exactly. Just this much: since that day, I no longer take headphones with me when I go out. A few years ago, I got myself a new pair for work at the TV.
Nowadays, I mainly use them for listening to music, gaming and watching films on the train. Thanks to the good cushioning, I sometimes even forget that I'm in commuter traffic and the journey of just over an hour flies by. There are certainly headphones that are better suited to listening to music, gaming and watching films. But I've got so used to the sound of the HD 25 that I'm not prepared to swap them for another pair. And if something breaks, I can simply replace the individual parts. At the latest when we live in a completely wireless world, I'll probably be ready to give it away. But no, not even then! With this in mind: Happy 30th birthday Sennheiser HD 25.
Kevin Hofer
Senior Editor
kevin.hofer@digitecgalaxus.chFrom big data to big brother, Cyborgs to Sci-Fi. All aspects of technology and society fascinate me.
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