If you're reading this review, chances are you're thinking of buying these extremely expensive headphones. I'm not going to try to convince you one way or the other, but I do think this review will help people who are on the fence decide whether or not the HD8 DJ's are for them.
Allow me to begin with the following statement: I am not an audiophile, and I think these headphones are fantastic. However, I ultimately ended up returning them.
The build quality is EXTREMELY good. The hinge system is the most robust-feeling one I've ever seen on a pair of headphones. The ear pads are insanely plush and comfortable even for someone with a large head like myself, and they even include the option to choose between a velour material (which turned these into the most comfortable headphones I had ever worn), or leather. The metal cups that house the drivers feel like they could be dropped onto concrete and be fine, perhaps with just a minor ding. You can run the cable to either the left or right ear cup, and it has a secure locking mechanism to prevent it from just slipping out. The cables also have nice, thick shielding that doesn't get stiff in the cold, and should resist shorting.
They also look fantastic. They sit remarkably low-profile on the head for how large they seem in pictures, because the ear pads compress so much. The blue accents on the outside of the earcups is absolutely stunning against the gunmetal color of the shell, and is mirrored with some very nice attention to detail on the cables. They manage to look good, without being too overtly flashy, which is pretty hard to find in a pair of headphones.
On top of the additional set of ear pads, these headphones also come with a 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter that screw onto the plug securely, and a very robust travel case with handle that holds one cable, the headphones, and the extra set of ear cushions.
I have very few complaints in terms of the physical nature of the HD8. Changing out the ear pads is not a terribly robust system at all -- they're held in by small plastic clips that could break fairly easily if you like to swap pads out often. The padding on the headband doesn't span the entirety of the underside, either vertically or horizontally, so if you've shaved your head or a especially curved skull, I could see there being some complaints with pressure build-up. It's also a bit disappointing that all of the included cables are so long/heavy, it would have been nice to see an option that works better in a home environment, as not everybody who buys these will be using them for DJ purposes. It is worth mentioning that the clamping force of the cups is fairly high, so the leather pads will make your ears heat decently quickly. The cloth ones lose a bit of noise isolation, so that is a trade-off you'll have to consider.
I just want to say it again, because it cannot be overstated: These are the most solid, nice-looking headphones I've ever held in my hands. There's a certain amount of gratification that comes from buying a premium product, and having it ACTUALLY look and feel like a premium product. These nail it.
It's also worth stating, that these are decently high impedance headphones. They take a lot of juice to drive -- while you'll be able to easily get them up to comfortable listening volumes through a smartphone, and they will sound nice that way, an amp is pretty much required to actually get the full bass extension out of them. In my testing, even a borrowed Fiio e6 was enough to help get the head-rattling bass some people will be looking for. You can literally feel these headphones vibrate at higher volumes, and yet the sound will not at all distort. It's pretty stellar.
However, the sound profile of these headphones and I just couldn't be made to get along, which is heartbreaking. They don't sound BAD by any means, but I feel that it's absolutely worth describing in depth exactly how these sounded to me, because I've not yet heard anybody who DIDN'T like the sound profile talk about them in detail. I apologize if I end up using non-standard terminology, I am not an audiophile, I simply want to describe how they sounded to me.
The bass is the big selling point of the HD8 DJ's, so I'll talk about that first -- it is absurdly deep and detailed. If you listen to a song that has several bass instruments playing, say, two bass guitars running opposite chord progressions from one another, you WILL be able to pick them out individually, even at low volumes. It's very impressive, and these things are an absolute dream for any electronica, dubstep, chiptunes, orchestral music with lots of large strings and low brass, trance, techno, or really anything that benefits from having good bass separation. Most acoustic instruments sound amazing to my untrained ear.
However, this bass is also VERY pronounced, and for me, it was a problem. The bass isn't just emphasized on the low-end as most people seem to suggest, but it creeps up onto the higher reaches of what people will consider 'bass'. It's a very important distinction to make, as it means the sound signature ends up sounding pretty unbalanced. The bass and the low edges of mid-range sit forward in prominence, which is part of what makes them absolutely stellar for any kind of electronic tunes. However, this also gives the actual mid-range, such as male vocals in Rock songs, a more recessed, soft kind of quality to them. I've heard the term 'listening through a cardboard tube' used to describe listening to vocals in some songs with these headphones, and while I think that's pretty harsh because it implies the sound quality is bad, I also don't think it's entirely inaccurate. It can be helped with an equalizer, but not fixed entirely. I did give the headphones a few days to 'burn in', as well -- pink noise when not listening to my own music -- and the sound signature stayed largely the same.
I do NOT think the HD8's are bad. They're entirely capable of reproducing pretty much anything you can put through them extremely well, there's an awful lot of detail hiding in there, but...it's just that. It's hidden by how much the bass is emphasized, at least in my experience. The upper ranges of music sound just fine, and the actual sound stage of the headphones is incredibly open for being closed headphones, but the midrange is just so pushed back that I couldn't use them to listen to all of the genres I like to.
In retrospect, it was probably a bit silly to expect these headphones to be able to handle every genre particularly well, when they're very much marketed at the club scene. They work EXTREMELY well for that kind of music, and if that's your jam, jump on these and run with them. You will not regret it, they are absolutely amazing for everything that doesn't ask them to reproduce accurate bass and forward vocals simultaneously. But I, unfortunately, like to listen to too many wide varieties of music to keep them.
I hope this review helped some of the folks out there who were considering these. I can't emphasize enough that these are not bad headphones, and if they sound like they'll be your cup of tea, you will fall absolutely in love with them. I'll be monitoring the comments from time to time, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask!
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
From the manufacturer
DJ headphones that face the music — and perform.
About Sennheiser
Sennheiser is shaping the Future of Audio – a vision built on a 70-year history of innovation and a continued drive for excellence that is woven into our company’s DNA and culture. Around the world, our employees share this passion in the pursuit of the perfect sound, creating products that exceed expectations and set new benchmarks in audio.
Inspired by the Legend.
Sennheiser HD Series
The Pro DJ series carries a legendary sound into a new decade. Everything that DJs love about the HD 25 lives on in specialized versions for live or studio environments — with a slightly extended bass line and even clearer highs. What we reinvented is the design: unmatched exterior shielding and attenuation. A resonance-absorbing frame. Circumaural ear pads that pump your mix directly into your ear. And its wearing comfort allows you to drive the crowd for hours and hours.
Sennheiser is the favorite choice of many great DJs. Because our headphones have a built-in understanding of how DJs work. They are sturdy, intelligently designed, and provide outstanding sound - they are guaranteed to become an integral part of your set.
- Two year warranty
- Excellent sound reproduction
- Crafted from durable, high quality parts to guarantee years of use
HD8 DJ - Developed with DJs. Built with passion.
Its iconic metal pivot rings allows the user to swivel the ear cups up to 210° for easy one-ear monitoring at the turntable.
Circumaural design
Protective, hard shell case
Qty: 2 cables included
Velour earpads
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
| HD 6 Mix (Closed pro mixing headphones) | HD 8 DJ (Closed DJ headphones) | |
|
|
|
|
| Impedance | 150 Ohm | 95 Ohm |
| Frequency response | 8 – 30,000 Hz | 8 – 30,000 Hz |
| Sound pressure level (SPL) | 112 dB | 115 dB |
| THD, total harmonic distortion | <0.1% | <0.1% |
| Transducer principle | dynamic, closed | dynamic, closed |
| Ear coupling | circumaural | circumaural |
| Jack plug | 3.5mm straight | 3.5mm straight |
| Cable length | coiled 1.5m-3.0m, straight 3.0m | coiled 1.5m-3.0m, straight 3.0m |
| Weight w/o cable | 9.3 Ounces | 10 Ounces |
| Warranty | 2 Years | 2 Years |
From the brand
-
At Sennheiser, we aim to shape the future of audio by creating unique sound experiences for our customers. As a third-generation family-run business, we are equally proud of our over 75-year history and past accomplishments and innovations in the world of audio as of our ambition to shape its future.
-
-
-
Solutions for Audio Challenges
From a wireless microphone to capture amazing audio quality for your film projects to performing in front of thousands of fans.
-
-
-
Our Mission
Microphones, professional headphones and wireless systems built to stay true to the sound and soul the music was given by its artist.
-
-
-
Professional Audio
From the fragile intimacy of a whispered word to the deep dark punch of an attacking bassline, we deliver pure emotion and excitement.
-
Founded in 1945
We remain a family-owned company and look back with pride on a history full of ideas, innovations, challenging projects and successes.
Compare with similar items
This Item  Sennheiser HD 8 DJ Headphones |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | Currently unavailable. | -10% $224.41 List: $249.95 | -6% $122.86 Typical price: $130.88 | -26% $148.50 List Price: $199.95 | $299.00 | -26% $94.99 List: $129.00 |
| Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Monday, May 13 | Get it May 15 - 28 | Get it May 15 - 28 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 15 | Get it as soon as Monday, May 13 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Sound quality | ||||||
| Noise cancellation | ||||||
| Quality of material | ||||||
| Sold By | — | Amazon.com | Amazon Japan | Amazon Japan | Amazon.com | Robert`s Fojjer |
| connectivity tech | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wireless | Bluetooth | Wired |
| headphones form factor | Over Ear | On Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | closed-back | Over Ear |
| connector type | 3 5mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack |
| noise control | sound isolation | — | — | active noise cancellation | — | sound isolation |
| headphones jack | 3.5 mm Jack | — | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack |
| cable feature | Retractable | Detachable | Retractable | Detachable | Retractable | Fixed |
| control type | — | Volume Control | — | Volume Control | — | Noise Control |
| material | Metal | Plastic | プラスチック | Aluminum | — | Faux Leather |
Reviews with images
All as expected
Awesome sound quality (i use it for DJing). I read some bad reviews about this seller so i was scared but i didn't have any issues at all. All as expected, it arrived earlier and i saved a significant amount of money compared to if i buy it at the local music shop.
Top reviews from other countries
Andrew Janosi
they are brilliant! I've owned many pairs of headphones in the ...
Reviewed in Canada on June 2, 2017
Carlos Zea
Muy cómodos para tocar en sesiones prongadas
Reviewed in Mexico on November 17, 2018