Short answer: the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro. It ranks #191 of 481 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.7/5, at $423. The Sennheiser HD 480 Pro ranks #228, rated 3.6/5, at $399, $24 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
What the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro does well: Across 12 hobbyist measurements on squig.link it earns a preference score of 75.1 with a smooth 2.0 dB spread around the target, so nothing in the response jumps out as harsh or hollow. The catch: Low mids run about 2.3 dB hot while the upper mids sit 1.7 dB low, which thickens vocals and guitars and pushes them slightly behind the bass.
What the Sennheiser HD 480 Pro does well: The median of 5 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 72 with a 2.08 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural. The catch: Presence sits about 3.8 dB low with a 7 dB dip near 4.1 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Buy the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $24 you would save on the Sennheiser HD 480 Pro does not close the gap.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Across 12 hobbyist measurements on squig.link it earns a preference score of 75.1 with a smooth 2.0 dB spread around the target, so nothing in the response jumps out as harsh or hollow.
Amazon $423.00 Lowest Sennheiser $429.00 eBay
The median of 5 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 72 with a 2.08 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Sennheiser HD 490 Pro | Sennheiser HD 480 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $423.00 | $399.00 |
| Ranked | #191 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones | #228 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 75 (median of 12 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 72 (median of 5 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.00 dB standard deviation | 2.08 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.84 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.00 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-3.9 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Open | Closed |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 38mm dynamic | 1 x 38mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 130 ohms | 130 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 105 dB SPL/V | 107 dB/Vrms |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (260 g) | 0.6 lbs (272 g) |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 36kHz (-10 dB, Manufacturer specified) | 3Hz - 28.7kHz |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
Frequency Response Compared
Both headphones’ measurements overlaid on the Harman target. Above the target sounds louder in that range, below it quieter. Each curve is the median of several independent measurements, shifted so its 500 Hz to 2 kHz average sits at 0 dB, so only the tuning is compared.
Measurement data: the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro from boizoff, cammyfi, daemonxar, filk, gadgetrytech, hadoe, iemworld, kr0mka, listener, sai, superreview and vsg; the Sennheiser HD 480 Pro from daemonxar, elrics, listener, sai and superreview, all via squig.link.
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