Sennheiser sold off its consumer audio business - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Black Phoenix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2021, 02:02:50 pm
content: https://www.forbes.com/sites/marksparrow/2021/05/07/sennheiser-finds-a-buyer-for-its-consumer-audio-business/?sh=5a6a39856bb0QuoteQuoteSo the gaming division was sold to Demant A/S in 2019, and now the consumer division to Sonova Holdings AG in 2021. Sennheiser will focus in the professional market from now on. So the HD5**/6**/7**/8** line up is considered consumer.I don't know how much the consumer line up counts in terms of revenue at the end of the year but I hope that this doesn't come later on to bite Sennheiser ass. At least is not a conglomerate or company that picks up a brand and releases all kind of products using that brand (Anyone remembers Blaupunkt?).The headphone world sure is changing:AKG was acquired by Samsung, gutted, and the talent left to form Austrian Audio.The genius behind Sennheiser’s most acclaimed products (Axel Grell) left the company and formed Grell Audio. Now Sennheiser has sold its entire consumer audio business.Top talent from B&W was poached by Apple, helping Apple to ascend into the audiophile space while Bowers is no longer what it was.Oh, and there are all the big players that came out of nowhere, like Meze and Audeze. Even Hifiman and Focal are still pretty new to the scene.The only constant through all of this seems to be Grado. But John is getting up there in years and we don’t yet know how well Jonathan will carry the mantle. It would be hilarious if this tiny family-run company out of Brooklyn manages to outlive all the massive global audio companies.Of course not forgetting Beyerdynamic, family owned since 1924.

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2021, 02:44:45 pm
content: sennheiser always seem to be buying into various company's only to drop them a few years later,along with any support.

author: duckduck
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2021, 09:24:29 pm
content: Quote from: Black Phoenix on May 07, 2021, 02:02:50 pmA doggone shame. I remember the first time I heard a pair of Bowers & Wilkins speakers. Oh, joy! Those silk dome tweeters were so smooth! No ear-hole icepick at all, even when they were cranked up! Like the first time drinking a glass of 15 year old Scotch, it was eye(ear?)-opening. In October of 2020, B&W was purchased by Sound United, a division of DEI Holdings, Inc. I'll just leave a little quotation from Wikipedia about Darrell Issa, DEI's first CEO ( fromhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darrell_Issa#Quantum/Steal_Stopper):QuoteAnother great company turned into a zombie brand.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2021, 10:34:33 pm
content: Aw man! I really like their headphones, have a whole collection of them, including an about 20 year old HD600. Replaced the cables and the pads, and it's like new. Maybe I should quickly buy that HD800s I always wanted, before anyone touches the design.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2021, 07:03:26 pm
content: Quote from: themadhippy on May 07, 2021, 02:44:45 pmBut headphones isn’t something they bought and dropped, never mind after a few years.At least they should be in good hands with Sonova.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2021, 07:07:33 pm
content: Quote from: Black Phoenix on May 07, 2021, 02:02:50 pmAnd Etymotic, sold to a big audiology store chain...Quote from: Black Phoenix on May 07, 2021, 02:02:50 pmThere’s just one problem with Grado: they don’t make a product most people would want to use. Some friends of mine have, over the years, bought them at the recommendation of audiophile friends, but stopped using them after not too long. I’ve tried them out and just wasn’t impressed.My favorite cans overall are Beyerdynamic. My Sennheisers have sat unused ever since I got the Beyerdynamic. For travel, I have Audio-Technica.

author: Black Phoenix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2021, 01:45:36 am
content: Quote from: tooki on May 13, 2021, 07:07:33 pmThat one too, I didn't remember it.Ohh and I forgot Japanese Stax, bought by Edifier.In terms of audio I own a substantial collection, more than I'm able to use, although I try to make a rotation between all of them, with 2 having special use cases:Audio Technica ATH-A900X and Audio Technica ATH-AD900X for Music/Movie/Gaming on the PC;Audio Technica ATH-EM7x for Portable Gaming use on the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo GameBoy Advance;AKG K845BT for Wireless use around the house or when going outside;Sennheiser Momentum On Ear V1 currently gaining dust inside their carrying case. My wife doesn't use them since for her are too bulky to be used on transportation (not really but ok) and a little hot for the Southern China climate. Probably the ones I don't know what to do with them because all the other ones outshine them in every aspect.Possible interests to check in the future - Buy the Fostex TH900MK2 and T909 (my brother in law own them and I want them so bad in terms of design and sound signature, Try some Focal, mostly the entry now discontinue line of the Elear and Elegia and probably also try the Beyerdynamic DT1770 Pro and DT1900Pro.

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2021, 06:36:08 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on May 13, 2021, 07:07:33 pmBeing a live-sound mix person (at least until the shit hit the fan), I've got quite the collection of headphones: the usual 7506, Sennheiser HD280, Pioneer HD-5 that I bought at the venue because I left the 280s at home, AT M40x, Grado SR125e.I think the Grados sound the best. I can't use them for live cuing because they're not closed-back. And they get too uncomfortable to wear after a short time, as they press against your head to stay in place and the foam isn't all that thick.The 7506 is fine, they're comfortable, they can take some SPL, and at $100 a pair, they're great. My wife uses them for her online stuff, although now I think she just uses the AirPods.The Pioneers are fine for live cuing -- they don't fart out on kick drum and they have good isolation and can get loud. They don't fold up as nicely as the 7506 and I'm afraid they'll get broken in my backpack. The cable is not captive, which I like, but I think the connector is kinda crappy compared with the AT.The 280s are darker sounding than the 7506 and they don't like loud PFL on kick drum. They're comfortable to wear and my kid uses them for online classes.I think the MTH-40x sound great and are the most comfortable of all of them. I haven't used them on a show because we haven't had any. They fold up nicely so they'll fit in the kit.My basic rule for headphones: never pay more than about $125 for something that's basically a consumable.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2021, 11:07:04 pm
content: Quote from: Bassman59 on May 14, 2021, 06:36:08 pmI agree with the Grado’s discomfort, but I don’t care for their sound either, so for me they bring nothing to the table.Have you tried the Beyerdynamic DT-770 series? They’re superb and don’t cost a bajillion dollars. They’re also not fragile BS. (I have the MMX 300, which is basically a DT-770 with a boom mike, in a housing originally designed for airplane pilots, so durable.) They are the only headphones I’ve ever used that sound natural with zero acclimation period (unlike others, which all have a personality that takes a few moments of listening to no longer notice).I have the ATH-M50x. They’re my second favorite after the Beyerdynamic. They’re almost as immediately natural as the Beyerdynamic.