Sennheiser HD 490 LIVE

26 reviews

May, 2013

Positive
Sound (21)
Bass quality (14)
Value for money (10)
Comfort (9)

Negative
Portability (6)
Treble quality (1)

General overview
Price comparison
Product Specifications

alaTest has collected and analyzed 26 reviews from magazines and websites. Reviewers are impressed by the comfort and value for money. The bass quality and sound are also appreciated, but the treble quality and portability get critical reviews.

sound, bass quality, value for money, comfort

portability, treble quality

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other Headphones the Sennheiser HD 490 is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 63/100 = Good quality.

Review analysis

(Based on 26 reviews)

User Reviews

Review Ratings

(27% of reviews)
Show all 5 star reviews (38% of reviews)
Show all 4 star reviews (15% of reviews)
Show all 3 star reviews (15% of reviews)
Show all 2 star reviews (4% of reviews)
Show all 1 star reviews

Features

Sound
Show positive (36%)Show negative (13%)(Show all)

Bass quality
Show positive (39%)Show negative (4%)(Show all)

Value for money
Show positive (43%)None yet(Show all)

Comfort
Show positive (50%)None yet(Show all)

Portability
Show positive (13%)Show negative (25%)(Show all)

More features

Showing 18 review(s)

Expert Reviews User Reviews

Showing 1 - 10 of 18 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (9)

Consumer review by: (amazon.com)

Amazon review summary for the Sennheiser HD 490

alaTest has collected and analyzed 18 user reviews of the Sennheiser HD 490 from Amazon.com. The average user rating for this product is 3.5/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.0/5 for other products on Amazon.com.

61% of reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

May, 2013

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Consumer review by: Sarah Thompson (amazon.com)

Tinny and Scratchy

I really dislike these headphones... They are very tinny and scratchy. Also, they are very tight and hurt my ears - and I have a tiny head (I can wear child size hats), so I can't imagine how tight they must be on a person with a big head! I wish I...

Jun, 2005

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Consumer review by: (amazon.com)

Great sound for live performance

A great value for $60. Excellent sound reproduction and a good bass response. Perfect for listeners who enjoy powerful rock or pop music and enjoy the atmosphere of a live performance (me!). Compare with my friend's Beyerdynamic DT 831, I feel that the...

Oct, 2003

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Consumer review by: Edward Torpy (amazon.com)

Too much bass

Yes, these are very comfortable headphones. And, yes, they're pretty good. But Sennheiser has really pumped up the bass on these. If you love bass, you'll love these headphones. But the bass in unnaturally strong, and headphones or speakers should...

Aug, 2002

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Consumer review by: (amazon.com)

Very comfortable, but mediocre sound

After breaking these in these headphones still did not sound very good at all. They are, however, very comfortable, but feel like they would fly off my head at the slightest movement. Going back to the sound, in general most of it is pretty clear,...

Aug, 2002

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Consumer review by: Philippe WOLFF (amazon.com)

the more you listen to them, the more you will enjoy

I decided to buy these headphones after reading many reviews. Some were good, other were really hard. \nThe first time I plugged the Senn's on my portable cd player I was a little bit disappointed, because they didn't sound very loud and sound quality...

May, 2002

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Consumer review by: Philippe WOLFF (amazon.com)

the more you listen to them, the more you will enjoy

I decided to buy these headphones after reading many reviews. Some were good, other were really hard. The first time I plugged the Senn's on my portable cd player I was a little bit disappointed, because they didn't sound very loud and sound quality...

May, 2002

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Consumer review by: Tay F (amazon.com)

BEST Portable Headphones Around... and other advice

I bought this pair of HD490's because of their: low (32 Ohms) impedance, low price, comfort, and sound quality. I would grade these as the best headphones for portable audio. Some recommend against it but I purchased them for that exact reason. They...

Mar, 2002

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Consumer review by: Tay F (amazon.com)

BEST Portable Headphones Around... and other advice

Mar, 2002

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Consumer review by: (amazon.com)

These are by far the best headphones for the price

These headphones are a true demonstration of what quality sound should be. It's as if your listening to a 7.1 surround system with 300 watt subwoofer. The sound is very clear in all aspects, as if there are more speakers than 2. I highly recommend this...

Mar, 2002

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Product Specifications

The HD490 Live's acoustic properties create superb sound reproduction with powerful bass. With its ultra-light BioNetic design and a new dampening technique, the HD490 Live is an ideal choice for the most discerning music lover.Very comfortable, ultra-light BioNetic design allows these headphones to adapt to the shape of your head. New Sennheiser patented dampening element is included for controlling diaphragm oscillation. The HD490 Live provide detailed sound reproduction with powerful bass and are suitable for all types of hi-fi equipment, especially digital sound sources.