Part of The Audiophile Rabbit Hole Series!
This series takes a look back on my experiences with headphones dating back to 2010. Enjoy!
Who is the HD25 for specifically? What about it stands out? How Will It Change YOUR Life? Is it worth a snap purchase? All of these answers and more, comin’ up…
Greetings Friend-0 bass head, Stuart Charles here, HomeStudioBasics.com helping YOU make sound decisions leading to a beautiful audio experience that will make you fall in love with music (NOT gear), all over again, so…
All specs, box contents, and pricing toward the end!
Who is the HD25 for specifically?
If you’re a metalhead, look no further.
Out of 140+ headphones demoed at the time of this writing, the HD25 is by far the best for metal and it’s not even close.
I firmly believe the folks at Sennheiser sat down one day and were like,
“You know, we should make a metalhead homie headphone. Those headbanger bros don’t get enough love. We should make it so good in fact that they may need a neck brace after the track is over.”
Simply put, the HD25 has one of the most lively, exciting, and engaging sound signatures you’ll likely ever come across.
I remember vividly the first time I put it on. I was visiting my Mom and Dad and sitting on the couch about to fire up a track.
Mom and I had just returned from Sam Ashe/Guitar Center, and, after a quick purchase without thinking, I had the HD25s in my possession. Finally.
I could hardly contain my excitement because I had heard so many great things about them.
In all honesty, I was a bit worried and skeptical that the sound would deliver on all the hype.
WORRY NO MORE.
I was floored and then some. My jaw dropped.
I couldn’t believe how amazing they sounded, especially being that they are closed-back, on-ear headphones.
- Related: Closed Back vs. Open Back Headphones
The closed-back sound is something I would say 99.9% of people will experience first in their headphone journey, but closed-backs are also incredibly difficult to recommend above the entry-level price range.
There just aren’t that many out there that I’d personally invest in, but the HD25 is certainly an exception.
Listening to one is like the anticipation of dropping into the dunk tank, getting a bucket of water poured over your head, or getting hit with 50 water balloons in your face at once.
Oh yeah, give it to me!
It’s like a cold water splash in the morning if the water is 30 below zero.
The sound is crisp, detailed, lively, engaging, and exciting all at once.
To be honest, it can be overwhelming.
I remember thinking to myself “There’s no other headphone I’ve heard quite like this”, but I also knew that I would remember the moment for as long as I lived.
It excited me in ways that few headphones have ever been able to achieve.
It combines everything about a fun, bass-oriented headphone experience without sounding cheap or artificial in the slightest.
Yes, this is an almost perfect sound signature, and I’ll outline why.
Bass
The first thing that jumps out at you is how well the bass is handled. Put simply, this is one of the best low-end responses you’ll find in audio, as it follows one of a few preferred bass curves:
There’s an emphasis on the all-important 60-90Hz regions, a mud cut at 200-300Hz, and a slightly boosted sub-bass area. This works perfectly for hip-hop, EDM, and any genre with pronounced bass emphasis. It’s exactly how bass should be tuned and Sennheiser understands this well.
Bass notes have impact and slam, but not at the expense of the rest of the sound signature. There’s also no bleed, bloat, hum, fuzz, or anything else that would hinder the listening experience. Instead, the bass is articulate, well-defined, and clear. This is one of the main reasons why the HD25 is and will always be relevant to me.
Mid-Range & Treble
Furthermore, the mid-range is almost perfectly handled, with a subtle 2.5dB rise from around 1-4kHz, and about a 5dB boost in the treble.
Yes, the treble can get hot and sizzly, but I think the “sibilant” claims are completely exaggerated, especially when looking at a really solid graph like the one pictured toward the end. That graph represents exactly how it sounds: bright, but in no way over the top as some would have you believe.
- Related: What does Sibilant mean?
Both the mid-bass and treble are surely emphasized, but it doesn’t sound like the headphones are going out of their way to try and impress you.
Vocals and instruments stand out perfectly, delivering just the right amount of presence while not being overshadowed by the low end.
This is a near-perfect headphone, and there’s really only one thing to keep in mind:
It will get pretty uncomfortable after about 45 min. – 1 hr.
Adjust accordingly, but also plan to use this baby in short bursts.
Clamping force is mostly fine, but the on-ear fit means they’ll start to dig into your lobes fairly quickly and also can get rather hot/sweaty.
The split headband, while a nice design, can also become a bit uncomfortable though you can adjust it to suit your head shape which is a plus.
What truly sets the HD25 apart from other bass-head pretenders is the fact that, while it may be super intense, it still doesn’t feel out of control or overdone like your mom’s meatloaf.
You hungry?
For metal, hip-hop, EDM, and generally harder genres, the HD25 is perhaps the best headphone you could ever invest in.
- Required Reading: The BEST Headphones For Hip-Hop & Bass [Definitive Guide]
It’s built like a tank, it’s extremely fast, it’s very efficient (meaning it doesn’t need an amp), and it sits at an almost perfect price point.
- Recommended: How to Choose a Headphone Amp [Definitive Guide]
When I say fast, I simply mean that the HD25 handles the fast-paced nature of the metal genre with absolute ease.
Its transient response is simply perfect for crunchy guitars and deep bass notes, and overall, it delivers incredible weight and impact without the bloat.
Imaging and Soundstage are also quite good; especially for a closed-back on-ear.
It was astounding to me how “out of my head” the sound felt at times, another aspect of the experience that made me pop a stiffy.
Build
The build is fantastic overall, and the headband actually splits in 2.
As just alluded to, I believe this helps to get a good fit depending on the size and shape of your head.
The headphones aren’t really foldable per se, but they do move and contort rather freely like Mr. McFeely.
The headband adjustment is also quite interesting in that it’s a thin piece of plastic that slides through the earcup; a stark contrast to the vast majority of more traditional adjustment mechanisms like the one seen here on my HD600:
The real issue is the pads which we’ll discuss in a bit. It comes with a short, detachable cable that terminates in a 3.5mm jack and a supplied 1/4″ adapter.
If you remember my stress test, I really threw this one around quite a bit to see if it could take the abuse.
The result?
It takes a lickin’, and keeps on tickin’.
Competitors here include the M50x and DT770.
While I would take the 770 for comfort, I’d still rank the HD25 above both in terms of sound.
It’s like a V-shape for connoisseurs.
The HD25 is like a pinky-out type of headphone. It’s classy in the way it delivers the bass head experience.
It knows it’s not neutral and flaunts it proudly and flamboyantly.
The difference is that, unlike other headphones, the HD25 pulls it off with an understated elegance that’s hard to argue with.
This is in large part because Sennheiser really knows how to tune headphones properly.
Not that Audio Technica and Beyer don’t, but I think the HD25 really nails what most people actually crave in that type of intense experience whether they’re aware of it or not.
In other words, people may think they like low-grade dog food such as Beats or some other no-name company that butchers the bass horribly, but in reality, they don’t actually like those things.
What they crave is what the HD25 provides, much like you crave an actual relationship with a pretty lady and not a one-night stand with a trashy hooker.
Is it worth a snap purchase?
No, the hooker is not worth your cash.
The HD25?
Final Verdict
Absolutely. Sennheiser’s HD25 is a robust, incredible-sounding headphone with almost perfect tuning.
It’s the go-to headphone for Metal and a close second behind the DT990 when it comes to The Best Headphones For Hip-Hop.
There are absolutely no headphones out there (that I’ve tried) that represent better the core of what Metal is about.
It’s like the HD25 was made specifically for people who listen to the genre.
I don’t personally listen to it as much as other genres, but that’s the great thing about it; you can use the HD25 for a variety of music and it will likely sound excellent.
Comfort does hold this one back a bit, so plan accordingly.
The on-ear fit means it will start to dig into your ear lobes after a while, and for that, some points will be docked.
Even so, this is a headphone I believe everyone should have in their cabinet.
It’s rugged and durable, sounds amazing, and outclasses both the 770 and M50x in my opinion. This would actually be a perfect complement to the open-back DT990!
Learn More:
Ready to venture further down the rabbit hole?
At A Glance
Sennheiser HD25
Price: Check Amazon! | Check Sweetwater! | Check B&H!
In The Box
Sennheiser HD 25 Monitor Headphones
Straight Cable
Limited 2-Year Warranty
Specs/Graph
Shoutout to Crinacle for the graph.
- Color: Black with some Red.
- Frequency Response: 16Hz-22kHz.
- Type: Closed-back. Closed back vs. Open back headphones.
- Fit: Supra-aural (On-ear).
- Plug: 3.5/6.35mm (1/4″) stereo.
- Weight: 140g.
- Impedance: 70 Ohm. What is Headphone Impedance?
- Sensitivity: 120dB. What is Sensitivity in Headphones?
- Load Rating: 200 mW.
Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this Sennheiser HD25 Review & Discussion, and came away with some valuable insight.
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Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
Would YOU purchase an HD25 for the genres outlined? I would love to hear from you. Until next time…
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
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Photos
Sennheiser HD25
Pros
- Insane bass head slam
- Insane detail and clarity; incredibly revealing
- Highly portable
- No need for an amp, but does well with one
Cons
- Comfort is below average
14 comments
Stu, i need help asap. this is my 3rd comment on your site. can these headphones outclass the hd 6xx and the akg 702? i want my music to feel like i am there. i want every genre that i play to feel 10/10( just saying i know it can’t be like that). if the answer is the hd 25 will then the dragonfly quest make the sound 11/10? i care about the best sound. thanks.
Bro I’ve responded to every comment. Please read my responses to the CB-1 and HD600 article.
Your question: It’s not a matter of outclassing. It’s just a different type of sound. HD25 is more lively and energetic, K702 is flatter and more neutral. 6XX the same. DACS don’t make headphones sound any better than they are. They can add flavor, but for the most part it’s how the song itself was recorded, mixed, and mastered.
Thanks and sorry if i became an annoyance. I hadn’t seen the replies.
No worries my friend! Keep me posted on everything 🙂
I’ve tried and owned Sennheisers HD600, HD660S, HD599, Momentum Wireless 3, HD 2.30, Grado SR80e, Grado SR325i, Sony MDR 1MA2, and many others, and I must say that the HD25 are the best headphones period. They are easy to move (70 ohms), can be easily EQ to your taste, they’re light, relatively cheap and durable. They sound way more dynamic than my trusted HD600, and they sound great with any sound source. Sometimes I even wondered if I should sell all of my other headphones and just keep these. They’re that good. I listen from classical to rock music.
That’s exactly right man! The HD25 is one of those headphones that puzzles you because you’re like, “Why are these so good?” They really shouldn’t be considering the underwhelming reaction you’ll likely have when you open the package. They look and feel kinda.. meh. I don’t know. But the minute you put them on your head and play some music it’s like Homer when he smokes weed lol.
I almost purchased this headphone few weeks ago but every review I had read said that this has extremely narrow soundstage. As someone coming from a DT 770, I needed a wide soundstage but those reviews put me off of it. Now this is the first review which says it has a good soundstage. I am confused. Do these really have a comparable soundstage with the 770s? And you mention some open backs like the 660S here, which should have like infinitely better stage, but you still say HD25 is one of your favourite. I am even more confused.
I am currently using a K361, while I love its neutral sound, but it really lacks the stage. I am a CS Go player and I watch a lot of movies, the lack of immersiveness is really putting me off, otherwise the tonality of this headphone is pretty solid.
Hey man!
I think for a closed-back ON-ear headphone, they have way better Soundstage than people say, that’s for sure. Very out of your head and definitely not a narrow image. I sometimes wonder what people are listening to but perhaps I was overexcited about them back in 2016. Still, I remember vividly that they weren’t closed in sounding but it also may have been the specific track in question. In other words, I think Soundstage has more to do with how the song was recorded but certainly there are exceptions to this (AKG K702 is almost always going to provide the widest and most out-of-your-head sound regardless of the track).
That said, no, I wouldn’t buy these for what you specified in your email but I def wouldn’t complain if it was the only thing I had lying around. I think a K702 or SHP9500 is what you’re actually looking for to be honest.
Could’ve done without the misogyny.
I’m not sure you understand the definition of misogyny.
Excluding the bass are these livelier than grados?
Hey Roberto,
I would say yes and part of it is due to their closed nature – but I also just believe they slam harder without the annoying overemphasis at 2kHz as you’ll find in all Grado models.
Hi Stuart, i know i may be late to the party and happen to pass by your write-up regarding the HD25, but just want to say the cable is detachable, somewhat similar how the HD600 attaches. I just bought one from Amazon and assuming what you’re reviewing is one of the recent versions.
Steven,
Thank you for stopping by! Yeah, I think someone told me that on another article but I can’t find it. I’ve been meaning to update this review actually. I will fix that! Thank you for the heads up.
-Stu