Sennhesier Amperior: Did the HD-25 fall in a vat of Molten Metal?
<Image Source: Sennheiser>
I recently managed to snag a set of the Sennheiser Amperiors for a rather tasty price. As a satisfied HD-25 owner for about 4 years now, I was quite interested to see what the hell they could do to improve these things. A quick look on the head-fi forums tells me that the noise isolation is so good you will get run over by a speeding truck. That comment alone made me pull the trigger.
From the initial unboxing, they come in a far fancier box than the HD-25. It folds open like a door, revealing the immaculately presented shiny metal bits they have stuck onto it. You can tell from the get go this was geared towards the hipsters and DJ’s who decided to turn their “Broadcasting Headphones” into their daily commute weapon of choice. The Aluminium cups seem immaculately finished, adding a touch of class without wrecking the minimalist style of the HD-25.
The supplied cables (conventional 3.5mm and one with a smartphone remote) are nowhere as chunky as on the HD-25, which is good for everyday use, but not so great as the chunky HD-25 cable from a durability perspective. Luckily the cord is now easily swapped due to a chunky 3.5mm plug hanging off one side of the headphone (Why don’t all manufacturers do this!). This means you can even keep a few spare 3.5mm extension cables in the DJ bag in case it fails.
In terms of the sound, I’m going to have to deviate from these audiophiles who state some sort of difference in sound quality. Having spent time comparing them between my well used HD-25’s with both the pleather and velour earpads, apart from some minor “crispness” at the high end, I can’t pick any difference in the sound when using them out.
<Image Source: Sennheiser>
This certainly doesn’t surprise me, given that they are very similar to each other in design, appearance and apart from the change in material for the earcup, should behave very similarly as a result. The main takeaway point is they haven’t wrecked the sound. The HD-25 is a popular headphone for a reason, with tight reproduction across the whole frequency range, and the signature emphasis on the midrange and high’s typical of Sennheiser. They aren’t completely flat sounding, but they are analytical and predictable. This is one of the main reasons they are seen very often in many a studio/ DJ Booth, since it helps you figure out small changes in gains and EQ’s that are required.
The other big point is that they still isolate from ambient noise brilliantly, which is great when you want to dodge that guy requesting “some gangster shit” at your next bar/restaurant gig, or when you are travelling on a busy Sydney train filled with schoolkids.
In any case, at the price I bought them I have no qualms about recommending these. They sound true and responsive to the subtleties of the production techniques of the music maker, isolate from external noise well and the easily swapped cable makes it more convenient to switch between professional and DJ use for myself.
Sennheiser have now discontinued this model, replaced with the “Sennheiser HD-25 Aluminium Edition” which looks quite similar apart from the name on the surface. I will post my thoughts on those at some point in the future, as well as a comparison between these, the Pioneer HDJ-2000, and a few others.
Lachlanlikesathing manages a great review of the HD-25 and some comparisons with the Amperior, and explains many of the reasons why these are a mainstay after 25 years since their introduction. You can find that over here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5ayGrPDNBU
Hope this helps you headphone hunters out there!