Sennheiser HD 25-1 II Closed Headphone for ENG/DJ use with split headband, 1.5m steel cable/70 ohms right angle

If you've come to this page then chances are you already know these headphones are pretty special. I just thought I'd add my views after owning these for a week. For comparison I also own Senn HD250ii linears (now discontinued), HD650s and Shure SE530 in ears. All of these are very high-quality, and expensive headphones, so the benchmark is set pretty high....
The HD25s 2 ii (these are NOT the SP version, which are slightly lower sound quality, slightly cheaper versions) are tough, and businesslike. They aren't "fashion" headphones (I'm looking at you Dr Dre), which means while they aren't quite as pretty as Dre's Monster Beats, they sound rather better. If you also happen to be considering buying the Dr Dre 'phones then, having tested them, I found that they had very big bass but just average sound quality (the Pro's are pretty good to be fair, but the bass is still over-emphasized to my ears). If what you're after is very boomy, but flabby basslines that rattle your teeth, and the hell with the rest of the music, then the Dre's might well be for you. But if you want to hear your tracks the way they are supposed to sound...then the HD25's are light-years ahead.
The bass on the HD25s is big enough to tickle your eyeballs if you crank it, but it's not over emphasized, so is always tight and well-defined, with a nice tone and great punch. The mids are lush and well presented (though there is a very slight hole somewhere in there to my ears), and the highs are smooth and sweet although occasionally I find myself wishing the high frequencies were pushed a bit further back like in the HD650s. I personally like a slightly rolled-off sound in headphones, as it's the high frequencies that can really damage your ears, and these things can get damn loud!! Despite this there are no problems with nasty sibilance with these cans, and the highs really sparkle well on most tracks. Be aware though that these cans can go VERY loud, if you want bleeding ears then they can certainly be cranked to painful volumes.
The sound isolation is good. Not as good as my in-ear phones in my view, but as good as it gets for the supra-aural design. In most circumstances, including on my commute on the the train, it's still all too easy to forget where you are and escape into the music.
The soundstage is pretty narrow, even for closed cans, but not terribly so...each instrument is still easy to follow from left to right. The separation between instruments is surprisingly distinct. The soundstage would really only be a problem if you plan on listening just to classical music, or very sparse edm; in those cases the Sennheiser HD650 area a way better option, with a fantastic open and spacious sound. But you can't wear HD650s outside the house, and they cost almost double what these do! But there are other options that might suit classical music slightly better...
The cable is steel, so it won't break (unlike the cable on my shure se530s). Some people like to change the cable for expensive copper ones. I don't personally believe it's worth the bother, even if it does marginally widen the soundstage. The cable on these is tough as nails, yet the sound is still much more than adequate. And tough means they're perfect for travelling. The components are all replaceable too...bonus.
I'm going to use these next time I DJ, and I also use them for some dance music production. As reference headphones go they are great, very clear and revealing, so a good choice for budding bedroom producers...especially for the more dance-oriented genres.
All in all, I'd highly recommend these to pretty much everyone. 5 stars.
HD650>HD250>HD25>SE530

After extensive research into buying a suitable pair of headphones for an avid lover of Drum & Bass/Dance music in general, I can firmly say that these headphones are quite frankly superb. Where do I start? Bear in mind I'm using these headphones for on the go or simply at home, the clarity of these headphones is frankly second to none. So much so, half the time I seem to find myself drifting off to another planet completely endorsed in the music. I am able hear notes in songs which I have never been able to hear before and the bass, well, is extremely sharp and powerful, just as it should be - It is like having your own giant subwoofer plugged into your ears! The trebles too are extremely clear, the list could go on forever.

Some people complain about the headphones being too tight on the ears, but after 20 minutes you completely forget they're on your head. They're extremely stylish, I personally am a fan of having the wires popping out of the cans themselves. On this topic, it should be noted that almost all of the main parts of the headphones are individually replaceable which in the long run should save your wallet several hundred squids. Although the headphones are indeed made of plastic, they are extremely robust, considerably more so than the Beats Monsters which apparently are rubbish. It's not just dance music too, my old man has played a few of his more favourite classical songs and they sound excellent as well.

The only downside (albeit substantially minor) is that if anything these can be too loud. They are capable of playing music deafeningly loud, and after playing a song sometimes a slight ring of tinnitus echoes out so for this I recommend taking breaks every now and again to let your ears recover!

These headphones are also used by numerous Professional Dj's ( Andy C swear's by his!) and many broadcasting reporters for their exceptional blocking of external noise. Its worth pointing out that you need to be careful when out and about because genuinely you can't heard anything other than whats being played through the headphones.

All I can say is you won't know until you hear for yourself why so many people love the HD25's.

These are quite simply amazing. Personally I think they are better than 'beats' which I find horrible for all types of music. I currently own a pair of PXC450s which are fantastic for flying but as a day to day pair of cans on the ground, these can not be 'beaten'! Straight out of the box they sound fantastic and I'm sure they'll get even better once they're broken in. It's no wonder that these are the first choice of the sound engineer. I listen to a huge range of music from Post Hardcore to Rock to Jazz to Blues to House and I find that they handle this wide range extremely well. Headphones are extremely subjective though so I would recommend that you try a pair of these out at first. Overall I could not be happier. Another thing to quickly mention would be comfort, I personally find that these are very comfortable, even with glasses but again I would recommend that you try them out for yourself.