Australian HiFi - March-April 2016_

avhub.com.au 41

Sennheiser HD 471i Headphones ON TEST

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SENNHEISER HD 471i

HEADPHONES

Brand:4FOOIFJTFS

Model:)% J

Category:$JSDVNBVSBM )FBEQIPOFT

RRP:

Warranty:5XP :FBST 3FQMBDFNFOU

Distributor:4FOOIFJTFS "VTUSBMJB

Address:6OJU   (JCCFT 4USFFU

$IBUTXPPE /48 

1800 648 628

(02) 9910 6700

[email protected]

http://www.sennheiser.com.au

PERFORMANCE
The HD 471i headphones do not have Blue-
tooth. 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 un-
der the earcups of the HD 471is. Their sound
is instantly ‘right’—no bonkers bass emphasis
to shake your skull, rather a solid lift of sup-
port in the lower frequencies, a natural mid-
range 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 higher-
end 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, high-
quality 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 over-

come 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 reasonably-

priced 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 recommenda-

tion, but they’re also award-winners into the

bargain. Jez Ford