Headphone pricing has sky-rocketed over the last few years. Not so long ago $300 would have been considered quite a price for headphones, but new price plateaux have been created and surpassed since then, past $299, then $499… The demand for higherpriced (and hopefully higher-quality) designs has grown so fast that $799 is fast becoming the mid-point of the pricing range for audiophile headgear. What a delight, then, for Sennheiser to remind us that you don’t need a second mortgage to enjoy a good pair of headphones.
THE EQUIPMENT
Sennheiser’s HD 471i is a full-sized circumaural (circumaural being the correct technical term to describe a headphone cup that completely encloses the external ear) design, with the ‘i’ indicating that the in-line remote control with integrated microphone on the 1.4-metre cable is made for connection with Apple devices (a ‘G’ version is available for Android users—that’s G for Galaxy). Because these are circumaural designs, they keep their sound in as well as deliver a certain amount of passive isolation to help keep surrounding environmental noise out. The non-tangle cable is detachable, cleverly separated with a right-angled moulded plug at the earcup, and a longer three-metre cable is also provided (without the in-line remote), that’s more suitable for using at home into a hi-fi headphone socket. The usual minijack-to-quarter-inch adaptor is provided.
PERFORMANCE
The HD 471i headphones do not have Bluetooth. They don’t have noise cancellation. They are not loaded with active circuits and a cartload of equalisation options. Nor are they individually 3D printed, built from magically exotic materials, or adorned with natural leather made from the skin of sheep that were raised on the slopes of Mount Olympus. They will not (to the best of my knowledge) be donated en-masse to trendy sports and music stars who will tweet pictures of them wearing them on social media.
Instead you will just have to put up with them doing what Sennheiser has always done best—delivering the best possible quality sound at the best possible price. I literally sighed with relief as I spent my fi rst hours under the earcups of the HD 471is. Their sound is instantly ‘right’—no bonkers bass emphasis to shake your skull, rather a solid lift of support in the lower frequencies, a natural midrange with no hint of peakiness or distortion, and a clean if not overly bright treble which delivers plenty of high frequency detail.
At top whack I could hear the tape hiss behind AC/DC’s ‘Hell’s Bells’ and then taste the metal as the giant clangs spread into both channels; a solid centre bass and edgy twinned guitars made for a fi ne time between the headshells of the HD 471s. Spoken word was just slightly thickened in tone, and there aren’t the sparkling open highs that higherend transducers or a supra-aural (open) design would deliver; you could usefully spend more if you’re looking for long-term listening at home. But these are perfect for the offi ce and the commute to and fro, highquality closed headphones delivering music with clarity and gusto, and with no shortage of level.
Indeed with regard to maximum potential volume level, Sennheiser rates these 32Ω designs to deliver sound pressure levels of 114dB (1kHz/1Vrms)—and in practical terms that proved plenty for my iPod touch to overcome the signifi cant ambience of a bus commute, though not, of course, with the background rumble removal I always enjoy when commuting with noise-cancellers. So you’re likely to listen at higher levels to overcome ambient noise, but that’s as it always has been, and in comfort terms they hold up well, kept light by their predominantly plastic (but rugged plastic) structure. There’s no folding for storage here, but they’re not monster-size things, and I just shoved them in a pocket of my day bag with no ill effects to show after three weeks of daily grind. I didn’t even bother to use the carry pouch that comes standard with the headphones, but you may care to if you want the security of the added protection.
CONCLUSION
So what a delight—here is a reasonablypriced headphone to which I can give my full recommendation. Hip hip hooray! And if you were wondering how they compare to other similarly-priced headphones, you’ll be reassured to learn that the Sennheiser HD471 won the 2016 award for the Best Headphones of the Year (Under $500) from Sound + Image magazine. So they’re not only affordable, and come with my personal recommendation, but they’re also award-winners into the bargain. Jez Ford