Sennheiser HD 490 Pro vs HD 490 Pro Plus

What published reviews say about each, where the two differ, and who each one suits.

Summed up from 16 published reviews

Sennheiser

HD 490 Pro

The HD 490 Pro is a comfortable, detailed open-back monitor best suited to mixing and mastering, with swappable pad voicings but limited isolation.

Best for: Professional mixing and mastering in a quiet, controlled studio
Skip it if: You need strong isolation, low price, or bass-heavy tuning

PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon

What reviewers say about the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro

Sennheiser

HD 490 Pro Plus

The Sennheiser HD 490 Pro Plus delivers comfortable, neutral studio monitoring with versatile pad tuning and a spatial audio plugin, but its open-back design limits isolation and portability.

Best for: Studio mixing, mastering, and critical listening
Skip it if: You need isolation, portability, or wireless use

PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon

What reviewers say about the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro Plus

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Specs side by side

Spec	Sennheiser HD 490 Pro	Sennheiser HD 490 Pro Plus
Fit	Over-ear	Over-ear
Connection	Wired	Wired
Noise cancelling	No	No
Best for	Studio, Music	Studio, Music
Microphone	No mic	No mic
Ear cups	Open-back	Open-back

Rows where the two differ come first.

What reviewers like, and what they don't

Sennheiser HD 490 Pro

Neutral, detailed sound supports mixing and mastering 1 2 3 6
Lightweight, comfortable fit suits long studio sessions 1 2 3 5
Open-back design delivers spacious, precise stereo imaging 1 2 3 5
Swappable pads tailor tonal character to different tasks 2 3 7 8
Durable construction includes replaceable, washable ear pads 1 2 3 5
Open-back leakage and weak isolation suit quiet rooms 1 2 3 6
Premium pricing offers weaker value than cheaper alternatives 2 3 5 7
High impedance may require a capable amplifier for full output 2 7
Pad-dependent voicing may require EQ for consistent monitoring 2 3 7

Sennheiser HD 490 Pro Plus

Comfortable, lightweight design for extended sessions 1 2 3 4
Wide, accurate soundstage with precise imaging 1 2 3 4
Interchangeable pads tailor sound for mixing or producing 1 2 3 4
Neutral, detailed sound ideal for studio work 1 2 3 4
Includes dearVR MIX-SE plugin for spatial audio 1 7
Open-back leaks sound, unsuitable for recording or noisy spaces 1 3 4 5
Non-foldable, bulky case hinders portability 5 8
Pad swapping inconvenient and significantly changes sound signature 3 7
Treble recession above 7kHz may require EQ 2

Ranked in our guides

Guide	HD 490 Pro	HD 490 Pro Plus
Best wired headphones and earbuds	#6	–
Best studio headphones	#4	–
Best open-back headphones	#4	–

Sources

We don't test products ourselves. This page sums up 16 published reviews, read on October 23, 2026; each point above links to the reviews that make it.