HD438

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published: Jul-9-2013

NO SMOOTHING is applied to the shown plots. Most measurement sites have some smoothing applied which ‘irons flat’ sharp peaks and ‘wiggles’. I do not use smoothing because some info about sound quality is lost when plots are smoothed.

Aside from a small correction of the microphone itself also some correction in the lowest frequencies is applied to the plots to compensate for the perceived loss of bass when using headphones. This is described HERE in more detail.
A ‘horizontal‘ frequency response curve on the shown frequency response plots on this website thus indicates a perceived ‘flat’ tonal signature.

ALL measurements are made with a good SEAL on a flatbed measurement rig.
The shape of your head, bone structure, pad size, pad ‘softness,  (compliance), hair or no hair and or wearing glasses may (drastically) change the frequency response of some headphones, so… your personal experience may differ substantially from these plots.

Frequency response (tonal balance) is the most sound-determining aspect of headphones. A horizontal line shows audible neutral response in the plots on this website. Deviations in different severities at different frequency bands have an effect on the sound character.
The bigger the deviation the stronger the effect.
Below an aid to help determining the sound character of headphones with relation to the frequency response.

Sennheiser HD438

It’s bigger nephew is the over-the ear (circumaural) Sennheiser HD438. Also modified in this case as I didn’t like it in stock form. How this is done is described HERE. The HD438 also has a rather sharp roll-off above 14kHz but is more noticeable because the highs are not peaked. The 5dB drop between 2kHz and 5kHz takes a bit of the ‘details’ of voices and instruments away but not in a way it is annoying. Extension in the lows and the slight lift give it a good bottom end.

CSD behaviour is MUCH better than from it’s little nephew the HD238 (above). Not completely free of resonances/ringing though.

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