Living in London sometimes all you want is a bit of isolation from the constant noise, the traffic, the over enthusiastic driver on the underground announcing the next station, the boisterous teenagers, the complimentary drunk person who sits down next to you when the entire carriage is empty and proceeds sing to you at the top of their voice… sometimes all you want is quiet. Finding that in London is unusually difficult, despite its vastness, with the pattern of going to university or work daily to find a sanctuary away from the comfort of home is hard. So I decided to investigate and a find a way that would mean sanctuary on the go.
The first thing I decided on was to buy some new headphones (as my old ones were a pair I had for over five years- a wee bit old and tatty) and then the real investigation began. With so many to choose from the problem lay in reading between the lines of the advertising material and working out which ones really were worth purchasing. I already knew that I like Sennheiser as a manufacturer, with a pair of HD 650 (not portable but great for those evenings when everyone is asleep
and you really want to watch a film in surround sound) I thought why not. And as much as I have always admired Bose and Shure on their skill at creating great headphones the price tag on them was, as a student, one my overdraft would not stretch to. So with the plan to spend about £30 and £50 with the hope that they would last until after I finished my degree or at least until the next student loan came in!
· Powerful bass-driven stereo sound · Perfect fit in the ear canal due to ear adapters in different sizes (included in the delivery) · Excellent attenuation of ambient noise · Extremely small and lightweight · Ideal for use with all MP3, CD, DVD, MD players and portable game systems with 3.5mm headphone sockets · Asymmetrical cable · 2-year warranty
(www.sennheiserusa.com)
After a lot of research and despite a few concerns about the clarity and openness of the sound produced by the headphones, I finally decided to purchase a pair of black (they come in both black and white) Sennheiser CX-300 from dealgatesuk for £39. With the promise of a discreet pair of headphones, in a colour that wouldn't show up dirt (especially useful for when they have been in my bag with a sketch book or charcoal), noise cancellation, a two year warranty and with the promise of headphones that really do wonders for bass I couldn't wait for them to arrive.
I was on my way out of the house when the postman came running with a parcel for me. On the tube I opened the packaging and decided to give them a go.
The first problem I encountered was with the silicon ear tips (SM/M/L - which I find contour to the ear a lot better than foam but tend to be a little less comfortable). I had started with the medium and on first listening I struggled to pick up much bass. After a little experimentation I decided on using the small ear tips which fit perfectly. The lack of bass was no longer an issue, clarity and crisper mids and highs make it perfect for almost all types of music. However the upper highs can get spoilt, losing themselves slightly. One additional quality about these headphones is that Sennheiser have cleverly utilised screens to block out any dirt/earwax etc to cover the drivers, making them a lot less receptive to dirt.
As for sound isolation, once a good seal is made in the ear it was fantastic, a great noise blocker. I no longer had to hike up the volume on my Mp3 player and kill my ears; instead a medium volume worked perfectly and made ambient noise dissolve away. An additional plus is that they are rather efficient and won't eat away at your battery as much as other headphones tend to, presumably due to low levels of volume required... I'm not sure but I love the quality :)
(Please note, due to the ability of these headphones to isolate sound they are not recommended for joggers).
The CX-300 have a soft and flexible Y cable (49 inches - R510mm, L-170mm:) and for some this may not be ideal, as whilst moving etc the earphones may become dislodged and the sound quality can vary immensely as a result. I have only encountered this a handful of times whilst on the go and the length of the cable tends to help this issue a lot due to the amount of give (I keep my MP3 player in over the shoulder bag and the CX-300's cable has enough give to earphones becoming dislodged isn't really a problem. One thing that I did notice however was that I could hear the wires rubbing against my clothing when I moved about which is one reason why companies like sure have designed headphones with wire at the back.
On the negative, the silicon ear tips come of quite easily and if you're anything like me, losing ear tips in the morning when you're late enough as it is, is incredibly annoying and frustrating. Also I wish they came with a travel pouch or some sort of travel accessories. Quite useful for when you're packing for holiday and you don't want to use them straight away… it also avoids the tangles!
So, despite models like Shure's EC2 and Etymotic's ER6i offering earphones that beat the CX-300 on the sound quality level, the Sennheiser CX-300's good sound quality, passive sound isolation, ultraweight design, the varying sizes of silicon ear tip and the insane bass, the affordable price tag makes them an excellent alternative to the included ear plugs that come with various players and for those who don't want to spend over £60 on earphones.
In my opinion Sennheiser have taken a step in the right direction and further developments will make them a far greater threat to other headphone designers in the in-ear headphone market.
Price on writing this review: (min) £17.99 + plus P&P
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
The Sennheiser CX 300 black are high-quality stereo ear-canal headphones with powerful, ... more
bass-driven stereo sound for listening 'on the move'. Ear adapters in three different sizes ensure a perfect fit, high wearing comfort and an excellent attenuation ...
Postage & Packaging: £4.39 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Very comfortable, sound great, excellent value for money. Disadvantages: The in-ear style may put some people off. Not suitable for vigorous exercise.
Hishyeness 12.03.2009 (12.03.2009)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Sennheiser CX 300
Advantages: Excellent sound quality, comfort and value for money Disadvantages: Some people may think they are overpriced for earphones but they are well worth it.
Dec 1st, 2006
exceptional by (4%):
very helpful by (96%):
