The HD 438 is fairly no-frills when it comes to packaging. There’s no case and very few extras. Inside the box, there’s a 6.3mm adapter plug and a 9.8-foot cable, in case the unit’s standard 4.5 feet doesn’t provide enough freedom. Either cable can be firmly connected on the left earphone. It’s actually such a tight fit that it took multiple tries to free the cable, along with a lot of fear that something would snap. That said, it’s refreshing to see a set where the cable doesn’t come free with every twist and turn.

The actual unit is also pretty barebones. It has the left and right earphones clearly marked, with no volume controls or other extras. The ear padding on the HD 438 fits nicely over your ears, snug as a bug. In fact, it’s so snug, it’s almost like having a pair of earmuffs that blast out music. It also gets a little warm, which makes the set not so great for portable use—unless you are walking around in arctic temperatures. According to Sennheiser’s website, other earpads should be available soon, in fabric or leatherette. Regardless, we can’t complain too much because the set feels very comfortable, even during long use.

Now let’s talk about the elephant in the room: The headphones’ style. Sennheiser has pimped the HD 438, by giving it glossy metallic “wheel spokes” around both ear cups. They claim this design is “reminiscent of the alloy wheels on luxury sports cars.” That could be true—if Hot Wheels were a luxury line. Actually, these things don’t stand up to Mattel’s craftsmanship. They look a little cheap and feel just as slapdash.

At $129.95, however, the HD 438s lie somewhere in the middle of what’s considered cheap when it comes to decent headphones. They are certainly affordable, but no one wants to throw down a C-note to have a hunk of junk strapped to their head. Mind you, the HD 438 unit is a far cry from junk, but Sennheiser could have made the package a bit more sturdy in our opinion.