Sennheiser HD 202

Although just one number separates Sennheiser's HD 202 headphones from the HD 201, they're actually much closer to the enormously popular HD 212 Pro.  These two models come from the same generation and share a similar style, amongst other things.

Handling: plastic fantastic

Plastic is the first thing that comes to mind when you see the HD 202s is how much plastic has been used.  From the packaging down to the cable reel, everything is made from plastic.  Fortunately, though, Sennheiser has abandoned the cheap grey paint job applied to the 212 Pros for a much more refined black finish, and although these headphones are made of not much other than plastic, they're still well-made.

The HD 202s sit firmly on your head, and might even be a little tight for some people: they can really begin to squeeze your skull after a little while.

We liked the cable wheel, which allows you to roll out more or less of the cable depending on how much you need.

Audio: sound in the centre

Sennheiser claims that the 202s are DJ-stnadard headphones, so we weren't surprised to hear plenty of bass.  That's all well and good, but we were left asking questions when we moved further up the spectrum to discover that the mid-range and treble were both very weak.  It's a real shame, and a step back from the 212s, but the complete opposite to the 201s.

Another problem became quickly obvious: the stereo soundscape isn't very wide.  Mixing will be fine, but for more traditional users, different sources get very confused.

In general, the sound is less clear than on the HD 212 Pros.

Behind the HD 212 Pros, it's difficult for the 202s to carve out a niche of their own.  At the end of the day, they're all too ordinary, neither exceptionally good nor exceptionally bad.  Although the sound produced is the exact opposite of what you get form the HD 201s, both pairs of headphones share a common feature: they're fine for occasional use, but can't cut it for anything more intense.