Sennheiser HD6 Mix – Affordable Studio Headphones

November 20, 2016 3:23 pm

SENNHEISER HD6 MIX – AFFORDABLE STUDIO HEADPHONES

I recently found myself in the market for a new pair of headphones for home studio mixing and being a former Sennheiser user I decided to check out the HD6 Mix which claims to be optimized for mixing and mastering. If you’re like me you tend to get a quality pair of headphones and use them for many years until you’ve thoroughly worn them out. I previously used the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro which is a comparable headphone in size, price and application and I was happy with the quality and durability. So it only makes sense to give the Sennheiser HD6 Mix and see how it compares.

DESIGN

The design of the HD6 Mix is incredibly similar to the HD 280 Pro with some interesting and welcome changes. First, the HD6 Mix is a closed over-ear design featuring leather padding for the earcups (with optional velour pads included) as well as the headband which is similar to the HD 280 Pro. The change however comes when you check out the detachable cables included with the HD6 Mix. It comes with both straight and coiled detachable cables. This means if you end up wearing it out, you only need to replace the cable. Additionally the cable has a special twist and pull plug so it locks in place and can’t easily be pulled out. The only bad thing about that is it’s a proprietary cable and will always need to be replaced with a Sennheiser cable. Secondly I noticed the Sennheiser HD6 Mix does not fold up for easy transport. Instead Sennheiser has opted for a sturdy yet adjustable design with less moving parts and included a carrying case. I actually like this because these are not DJ headphones and the extra folding parts can get annoying after a while.

SOUND

The sound of the Sennheiser HD6 Mix is quite comparable to the HD 280 Pro. The closed design keeps the music in and unwanted background noise out. This is essential for a city based audio engineer who typically mixes at home in an apartment exposed to all kinds of atmospheric city sounds. Both headphones however, tend to be a bit muddy at times boosting the low mids a bit and seem stingy on higher freqencies.

PRICE

When the HD6 Mix headphones first came out on the market they cost quite a bit more than the original buying price of the HD 280 Pro. Currently however, you can snag a pair anywhere from $150 – $200 dollars because they’ve been on the market for some time. Definitely within the affordable range considering the prices for some of the high end mixing headphones out there.

OVERALL COMPARISON

Looking at the Sennheiser HD6 Mix compared to the HD 280 Pro as a suitable replacement for home studio mixing headphones I’d say it’s a decent product. The drop in price of the HD6 Mix and significant improvements in design and comfort mean you’ll get more bang for your buck. Plus they come with a 2 year manufacturer’s warranty. All in all the Sennheiser HD6 Mix are a quality pair of studio mixing headphones for not too much money.