Wedemark, April 21, 2026 – With the HD 480 PRO, Sennheiser today launches its top-of-the-range closed-back headphones for studio and live environments. Designed with the utmost care and precision, they eliminate the two most-cited pain points of closed-back headphones by delivering a tight, accurate bass reproduction and ensuring supreme comfort for audio professionals tasked with recording, tracking, or monitoring in the studio, in live audio environments or on the move.
Delivering where other closed-backs fail
With closed-back headphones, a good reproduction of the low-end is usually difficult to achieve. “This is where the HD 480 PRO excel. Compared to other closed-back headphones, they are a lot tighter on the bass, their low-end is super-accurate and realistic,” notes Jimmy R. Landry, Category Market Manager, Music Industry at Sennheiser.
“Comfort is of paramount importance when headphones are a work tool,” adds Gunnar Dirks, Senior Product Manager for professional headphones. “Engineers often spend hours on end in their sessions. They need a lightweight, ergonomically designed pair of headphones to keep focus and concentration up. The HD 480 PRO eliminate any pressure points and fit every head precisely and comfortably – even if you’re wearing glasses.”
\nPurpose-built for professional audio work
Whether used in the studio by producers, mixers, musicians, recording engineers, and creators, in live environments by FoH engineers and monitor engineers, or again on the move, the HD 480 PRO are an ideal choice for monitoring, producing, and recording, but also for mixing, which makes them Sennheiser’s most versatile professional headphones to date. Their absolute accuracy, uncolored frequency response and honest low-end ensure that the audio translates reliably to any listening situation from home speakers to automobile use and PA systems.
“Nothing but the truth”
To enable the user to fully concentrate on the audio and hear all detail, the HD 480 PRO feature multiple stages of passive sound shielding, while comfortable ear pads with soft grooves for the temples of glasses ensure the precise seal that is required for good audio reproduction. A series of design measures – subsumed under the term “Vibration Attenuation System” – eliminate unwanted vibration, reflections and distortion, preserving the clarity of the signal. The ultralight voice coils of the HD 480 PRO ensure a remarkably authentic and dynamic reproduction.
\nPatents for comfort, precision fit and noise decoupling
Like its open-back counterpart, the HD 490 PRO, the HD 480 PRO benefit from several Sennheiser-patented features.
For daily professional use
To adapt to different set-ups, the detachable cable can be worn on the left or right side of the HD 480 PRO. This flexible cable routing is ideal for solo recording of instruments, for example, as it keeps the cable out of the way. To ensure accessibility, the left and right earcups are braille-marked. Engineered by Sennheiser’s experienced professional development team, the HD 480 PRO have been designed to last and deliver consistent results over time.
\nHD 490 PRO or HD 480 PRO – which one to choose?
The open-back HD 490 PRO and closed-back HD 480 PRO are at the top of the 400 series of purpose-built professional audio headphones. So which one is best for which application?
“Our developers have been working painstakingly to bring the sound of the closed HD 480 PRO as closely as possible to that of the open HD 490 PRO. Which model is the better choice for you really depends on how you work,” explains Gunnar Dirks. “The open HD 490 PRO will be ideal for mixing in quiet environments, while I would recommend the closed HD 480 PRO for applications where you need isolation, for example when you’re tracking vocals in the room, when monitoring or using them as an FoH reference, or simply when you’re working in the same space as others.”
The HD 480 PRO retails at USD $479 (MSRP). It features recording earpads and a 9 foot coiled cable and is delivered complete with a carrying bag. Instead of the bag, the HD 480 PRO Plus comes with a travel case, and retails at USD $519 (MSRP).
HD 480 PRO technical data
Acoustic principle: closed
\u200bEar coupling: circumaural
\u200bTransducer principle: dynamic
\u200bTransducer diameter: 38 mm
\u200bFrequency response: 3 to 28,700 Hz (-10 dB)
\u200bSensitivity: 107 dB SPL (at 1 kHz/1Vrms); 98 dB (at 1 kHz, 1 mW)
\u200bMax. SPL: 130 dB (1 kHz, 5% THD)
\u200bTHD: <0.5% (at 1 kHz, 100 dB SPL)
\u200bImpedance: 130 ohms (1 kHz)
\u200bPower rating: 300 mW (100 h, noise as per IEC 60268)
\u200bTemperature range: 0°C to +50°C for operation; -25°C to +70°C for storage
\u200bRelative humidity: 10 to 80%, non-condensing for operation; 10 to 90% for storage
\u200bWeight: 272 g (w/o cable)
Available accessories
Replacement recording ear pads, replacement coiled cable (3 m), 1.8 m straight cable, 3 m straight cable, balanced cable, (replacement) travel case, (storage) case, (replacement) bag.
\n(Ends)
The high-resolution images accompanying this media release as well as additional photos can be downloaded here.