Sennheiser Electronic Corp. launched the HD 480 PRO closed-back headphones at NAB 2026. Designed for studio and live environments, the top-of-the-range headphones address bass reproduction and comfort for audio professionals tasked with recording, tracking or monitoring.
Jimmy R. Landry, Category Market Manager, Music Industry at Sennheiser, said the low-end is super-accurate compared to other closed-back headphones. Gunnar Dirks, Senior Product Manager for professional headphones, noted comfort is paramount for engineers spending hours in sessions. The HD 480 PRO headphones eliminate pressure points and fit every head precisely, even for glasses wearers.
The headphones feature multiple stages of passive sound shielding and a Vibration Attenuation System to eliminate unwanted vibration and distortion. Ear pads include soft grooves for the temples of glasses to ensure a precise seal. The detachable cable can be worn on the left or right side, and earcups are braille-marked for accessibility. Acoiled part near the earcup connector prevents cable noise from reaching the earcups.
Sennheiser-patented features include Special Axes Geometry to adapt to the head and maintain equal contact pressure. The comfort zone for glasses ensures good sealing and high comfort.
The HD 480 PRO retails at $479 MSRP and includes recording earpads, a 9-foot coiled cable and a carrying bag. The HD 480 PRO Plus comes with a travel case and retails at $519 MSRP.
Dirks said the open HD 490 PRO is ideal for mixing in quiet environments, while the closed HD 480 PRO is recommended for applications requiring isolation, such as tracking vocals or monitoring.
Industry professionals provided feedback on the launch. Jim Kaufman, producer, said knowing you can rely on what you are hearing is everything. Will Brierre, mix engineer, said having this level of quality and accuracy in a closed-back headphone is amazing. Young Chencs, artist and producer, said every detail is important when wearing the headphones. Nao Yoshioka, singer and songwriter, noted the spatial quality of the sound makes it easier to understand where everything sits in a mix.
Technical specifications include a frequency response of 3 to 28,700 Hz and sensitivity of 107 dB SPL at 1 kHz/1Vrms. The transducer diameter is 38 mm. The acoustic principle is closed with circumaural ear coupling. Max SPL is 130 dB at 1 kHz, 5% THD.
Sennheiser’s professional development team designed the HD 480 PRO to last and deliver consistent results over time. The headphones are part of the 400 series of purpose-built professional audio headphones.
For more information, visit sennheiser.com.
