Short answer: the ThieAudio Cypher. It ranks #201 of 481 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.7/5, at $429. The Sennheiser HD 480 Pro ranks #228, rated 3.6/5, at $399, $30 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
What the ThieAudio Cypher does well: An open-back over-ear headphone with a 50mm dynamic driver and treble right on the Harman target, scoring 75. Watch for: Bass sits about 2.1 dB below target, so it sounds lean.
The case for the Sennheiser HD 480 Pro: 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 tradeoff: 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 ThieAudio Cypher. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $30 with the Sennheiser HD 480 Pro does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
An open-back over-ear headphone with a 50mm dynamic driver and treble right on the Harman target, scoring 75.
Amazon $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.
Amazon $399.00 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| ThieAudio Cypher | Sennheiser HD 480 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $429.00 | $399.00 |
| Ranked | #201 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones | #228 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Back | Open | Closed |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 50mm dynamic | 1 x 38mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 32 ohms | 130 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 96 dB/mW | 107 dB/Vrms |
| Harman Preference Score | 75 (median of 4 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 72 (median of 5 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.59 dB standard deviation | 2.08 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.36 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.00 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-5.0 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Frequency Response | - | 3Hz - 28.7kHz |
| Weight | - | 0.6 lbs (272 g) |
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 ThieAudio Cypher from aden, audioamigo, dl and superreview; the Sennheiser HD 480 Pro from daemonxar, elrics, listener, sai and superreview, all via squig.link.
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