This is a short review of the Sennheiser HD202 which is a portable dynamic driver closed-back headphone with a very affordable sub $100 price.
Disclaimer: This unit is user-owned and not a sample supplied by any company. Headfonics is an independent website with no affiliate links or status. If you wish to find out more about the company you can do so by visiting the Sennheiser website.
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If anyone wants a cheap closed can that’s actually decent, the Sennheiser HD202s are great. I just got a pair and the sound reminds me of my old Audio Technica A900 for a tenth of the price.
There might even be things about the 202s that better the A900. These guys have replacement pads available online to boot and I was told there might be compatible pads at cdrking also.
To give you guys an idea of the value of these I’ll just say that I prefer them to the AT es7, AT esw9, the AKG K81DJ, Ultrasone Proline 750s, Shure 840s, Sennheiser HD25s, and ATH-M50s.
Some of the cans I mentioned might do some things technically better but overall I’d say these are the winner even if I wasn’t including the price in the equation.
Sound Impressions
The sound signature on the HD202 in case one hasn’t heard the a900 is bassy with a good soundstage presentation. I would say the soundstage is better than the a900 too.
The HD202s are also similar to the A900 and K81DJs for example and lots of other closed cans in that they have a dip in the upper bass region making the sound more focused on the mid and low bass.
The highs on these have enough bite to match with the bass but are not as complete sounding as the highs of open cans like the HD558 for example. The treble has some dips typical of closed headphones with pleather pads but I wouldn’t worry so much because even 200-dollar closed cans have these problems.
These even sound better to me than the beyerdynamic DT150 when using the stock pleathers. As for the mids, they are very decent and have a good presence without being honky or shouty.
Our Verdict
For $20, I don’t think there is a closed headphone out there with more quality per dollar than the Sennheiser HD202. The HD201 is more balanced sounding with less bass but is also less sensitive and useable with portable devices than these. For portable use, I think the bass on these are just right because anything less would be drowned out by outside noise.
Oh, In case I didn’t mention it, the isolation on these is great! As for the fit… My ears just fit in them exactly so that they are totally circumaural.
They will be supraaural on larger ears so maybe the sound quality will be different if you have big ears. I tried them on supraaural and they didn’t sound that good until I got a perfect seal.
Sennheiser HD202 Specifications
- Frequency Response: 18-18,000 Hz.
- Sensitivity: 115dB.
- Nominal Impedance: 32 Ohm.
- Cord Length: 9.8 ft. (3 m)
- Cable Type: Straight.
- Plug Size: 1/8″ (3.5mm) and 1/4″ (6.3mm) adapter.
- Weight (without cable): 4.6 oz (130g)
- Total harmonic distortion (THD): <0.5%
