Customer Reviews

Sennheiser MM 50 iP High Dynamic Soud Earbud Headset Compatible with iPhone & MP3 Players

5 star:		(45)
4 star:		(65)
3 star:		(41)
2 star:		(57)
1 star:		(40)

 

 

In preparation for the new iPhone coming out in July, I needed to get a new set of headphones that included an inline mic/answer-end/pause button. After a week or so of research, I decided to try this pair, even though there is very little info or reviews regarding actual sound quality.

I switched from Sony EX-51/EX-71 headphones to the mm 50. The MM 50 iP headphones sound similar to the EX headphones I've used, with balanced sound throughout, but even better and clearer. I switched the included ear cuffs from the MM 50s for the ones I used on my Sonys, as the MM 50 set is a bit tacky and had little bits of crap stuck to them just by taking them out of the box. Ick.

The MM 50 wires are very thin, and the whole set is extremely lightweight. They are even more comfortable than the Sonys. Also, the longer I wear and use them, the more I like them.

The cord is shorter than usual, which I like because I tend to catch the wires on stuff if there is too much extra. I put the Nano/iPhone in my right back pocket, and run the headphones up to my left ear, and the length is perfect. From where the phones split (note these are "J-shaped" headphones, where the cord for the right ear goes behind your neck) to the jack that plugs into the iPhone, the cord is just over 36" long.

Currently I'm using them with a Nano, but will be switching to the new iPhone when it is released. The answer/end/ff button works fine with my current 2G iPhone, but there is a noticeable hiss at low volumes sometimes. Also, I can not get the volume from the iPhone to go low enough (I listen at the office and need to be able to hear through them) but I think this is on the iPhone side, as the Sonys don't get as quiet as they do on the Nano either.

Overall, I like the headphones, and like them more after a day of use. As long as they don't break after regular use, or have some weird problem with the new iPhone, I'll continue to use these as a replacement for my old Sony EX-51 and EX-71 sets.

Edit July 13: I got a new iPhone 3G this week, which has a redesigned headphone port. These headphones still work correctly with the new iPhone, the plug fits fine and the answer/end button works. Plus, the annoying hiss is gone!

Edit one year after purchase: These are still my daily (and only) headphones for my iPhone 3G. The play/pause/ff button still works perfectly, sound from the mic and headphones is still good, and I haven't seen any signs of wear around any connections.

Like everyone else...I'm always on the lookout for the perfect pair of earbuds for my listening habits. I'm mostly a hip hop fan, so obviously this review will tend to lean in that direction.

For years, I always thought iPods just were crap when it came to sound quality. My problem was that I didn't find the earbuds that suited my listening style. It really wasn't the iPods fault...it was my fault. I didn't test out different brands of earbuds. I came across a pair of Sennheiser CX300s that were highly recommended by a buddy of mine. I was in love. No matter what MP3 player I hooked them up to, I enjoyed every minute of my listening experience.

Fast forward two years to this weekend. I was listening to my trusty CX300s when a call came in my iPhone. I couldn't answer it. I had to pull out my plugs, pull my iPhone out of my pocket and answer it. That's just not going to work going forward. So I set out to find out if Sennheiser made a pair of CX300s with a mic and a play/pause/answer/end button on it. Turns out they do. They come in the form of the MM50 iP (be SURE it comes with iP at the end of the model number as the MM50 regulars have the 2.5mm plug for regular cell phones). These are basically exactly the same as my CX300s when it comes to the listening experience, which in my book, is excellent.

Build Quality:

It seems to me, most of the complaints from the aftermarket headphones is that they break to easily, or one ear stops working, etc. Like I said, I've had my CX300s for about 2 years and they have been flawless to this day. Hell, I still will go on using them at the gym with my tiny Creative player I carry there. The cords are relatively thin so the cord noise is minimal although not completely eliminated. They come with three sizes of ear buds but no carrying case whatsover, which is kind of disappointing seeing as how the competitors mostly do.

Sound:

This is where I love the Sennheiser MM50 iPs. They are one of the only earbuds I found where I'm completely satisfied with the low end. They are very loud and very clear when it comes to the bass. They definitely won't blow you away with the midrange and highs, but they are pretty clear and distinctive. From an overall sound standpoint, I don't feel these can be beat...especially under 100 bucks. Some headphones will have better highs and mids, but they will fade out when it comes to bass (hello Etynomic, Shure & Ultimate Ears)...and others will be very good from a bass perspective, but fall flat on the high/mid end (hello Bose and Vmoda). These are a perfect balance in my eyes.

Fit:

This is an interesting one. They come with three sets of sleeves (small, medium and large). My CX300s fit perfectly with the middle sized sleeves. These new ones fit perfectly with the small sleeves. Weird. Not a big deal at all, but it's weird since the sleeves are all the same size...I just got a better seal with the small ones on the new MM50 iPs. If they are anything like the CX300s, I'll be able to wear them for hours at a time without fatigue. They are just a heckova set of earbuds when it comes to comfort.

Conclusion:

Anyway...all in all, I'm extremely happy with these buds. Sennheiser hasn't let me down yet when it comes to SQ on the iPod/iPhone line of Mp3 players. I want to reiterate, since I'm sure someone will do it...MAKE SURE YOU GET THE IP VERSION OF THE MM50s...they are the ones with the 3.5mm jack (as well as the slim plug for the first generation iPhone's recessed jack).

Having spent $400 on the original iphone, I wanted headphones to match the aesthetic and functionality of the device. I am a big fan of the earbuds so initially I went with the V-Moda headphones. I had to replace the first set fairly quickly, and the second set lasted me about 6 months before they started cutting in and out on one side. The V-Moda sounded good, but they really weren't built to be durable.

When I got the new iphone 3G, I debated sending that second set of V-Moda headphones in. That seemed like too much trouble though, so I decided to just try something new. I had heard of the Sennheiser brand and the reviews on here were positive, so I gave it a shot. And I was impressed with what I got.

The headphones sound great and seem quite durable. I've had them now for two months and haven't had any issues with them. They're designed so that the cord goes around the back of your head, which is actually nice because it makes it easy to take them off without dropping them; they just sort of hang on your shoulders. I walk around NYC a lot, and I can hear my music fine whether on the street or in the subway. They also do good job on planes. They don't completely cancel out background noise though, so you can still have a sense of stuff going on around you. I've also had no problems talking on them through the built-in mic.

Overall, I feel like good iphone headphones could cost a little less than they do, but I feel completely satisfied with what I got for the price I paid. These aren't top of the line headphones, but they're a huge step up from what Apple gives you and worth the price.

After going through two standard issue Apple headphones, I decided to upgrade. I was sure that there must be more durable and higher quality sound available through headsets that also provide the mic feature needed for the iPhone. These earbuds have great sound clarity for music and phone use. Let me say here that I am one of those who believes that the sound quality of iPods, iPhones, et.al. is not close to the sound provided via a CD or (clean) album, so beware. Nonetheless, these buds are clear and reproduce highs and mid-ranges quite well but seriously lack the bass definition that I would prefer. Of course, this will be a limitation of any earbud as it is only so large, but I found the bass to be under-whelming.

These buds are very good at blocking out external noise so beware: you may lose track of the rest of the world around you! This isn't very good when driving and talking on the phone. They fit well in my ears and have a selection of different sized earpieces which is important because the Apple phones were not at all comfortable and didn't stay in place.

I'm not quite sure why the company designs the headset so that the right ear bud is on a longer wire than the left. I would rather it be the other way around because when driving, I'd prefer the mic to be further away from the window. Why not just center the mic as on the Apple product? The design also seems to cause unnecessary contact with my shirt or jacket collar, creating unwanted noise.

All in all, I'd have to say that I'm quite satisfied with the product and would recommend them to others. They do far more than the basic job.

As a lot of people, I don't like the standard headset delivered with the iPhone, so I was on the look for the perfect fit.

I did quite some investigation and came to the conclusion that the Sennheiser MM50 iP would be very good value for the price tag. I was able to listen to Ultimate Ear super.fi 3 and super.fi 5 and came to the conclusion, that the sound quality wasn't much better than Sennheiser's. Especially compared to the price tag my decision was very easy.

Quality:
Overall the quality is pretty good, but if I would redesign the earbuds I would certainly take different cable. The cable is just like the 90ies headphone cable's and I know that Sennheiser could do better. In addition I would personally prefer a slightly longer cable. The earbuds itself and the microphone including button look slick and work very well.

Audio:
I manly listen to electronic music and was first disappointed by the boomy bass. This changed pretty quickly as I got used to it and appreciated it very much. The noise cancellation is working great, I was driving with a really noisy vintage Volvo and didn't have to crank up the volume at all.

Headset:
I do a lot of conference calls (1-2 hours a day) with my headset and was really pleased with the audio quality. I didn't have any complains about the microphone quality and was able to make calls even in noisy environments. With all in ear headset's, you have to get used to not hear yourself while talking. This can be a challenge for some people.
If you wear the headset the "official" way the microphone is on the left side. This is annoying, especially while driving where I placed my phone on the middle console of the car. All I did is just switched the earbuds which worked without any loss of comfort or audio quality.

Annoying part:
The main annoying part is the whistling of the earbuds as soon as you have some wind. This is especially annoying when riding a bike or skiing where you have a lot of airflow. Since I'm doing a lot of activities which involve airflow, I had to return my Sennheiser's.

Conclusion:
The MM50 iP are very good earbuds and I love the sound as well as the noise canceling. Sennheiser might have put some additional effort in the product design (mainly cable) to have an even superior product.
Unfortunately the annoying whistling of the earbuds when being in any kind of airstream made me return them. I want to point out that this might not be of relevance for you at all.

Decent enough headphones, while they lasted. It took the better part of 6 months, but there is now no sound in the left channel, thanks to a problem where the wire meets the base of the jack. It is very frustrating to have to replace them already. They didn't stay in my ear all that well, either. UPDATE: returned them to manufacturer under warranty and Sennheiser claimed that they were counterfeit - they would only offer me a small price break on a new pair. However, Amazon quickly gave me a full refund when I notified them about Sennheiser's claim.

Short and simple:

1. Precise sound with high quality Low, Mid, High range for all of your iPhone music, and Yes the Bass is truly impressive.
2. The in-ear buds fit very snug, without any need of adjustment for clear sound ambient noise cancellation.
3. The headset is lightweight, sturdy, and delivers clear sound through it's mic.
4. A chord perfectly measured for a phone attached to the waist belt.
5. The chord is very lightweight, although it will require care when handling since it is very thin.
6. You know you are getting a good product with a Sennheiser product, and it's under $100 (barely).

When I bought these headphones I was a little worried that they wouldn't work with my 3GS, but they do. Microphone works fine, as well as the little clicky button. I've only had them a day, so I can't say anything about durability. The sound quality is fine, if lacking in bass just a little.

Overall, very good deal for what I paid for them (I would not pay the $100 that most sellers are charging... I got mine for less than half that.)

UPDATE--These things crapped out on me in four months. I believe it's due to the wiring around the plug, but I can't be sure. Very disappointing. Do not buy unless you want them as a throw-away pair.

I own Bose, Etymotics and other higher-end headphones, and had fairly low expectations for these Sennheisers. I just needed something with a mic to fit more comfortably than the 'phones that came with my new iPhone.

The MM 50 IPs are quite good. Once you find the best size rubber cushion (included) for your ears, and you seal them with a bit of moisture (eg, spit), they are very comfortable, provide a very sufficient amount of bass, and are very lightweight. Boosting the bass using the EQ on the iPhone helps. I think anyone who thinks these things are tinny doesn't know how to get a good seal when inserting them into the ears. They do provide a significant degree of isolation and are great on planes or other noisy environments.

The only thing I don't like is the fact that they're quite small and sometimes hard to grip to insert them into the ear but that's a byproduct of their smallness and light weight. Not a big deal.

Also, these things do not distort. Ever. So you've got to be a bit careful not to damage your ears at high volume.

People I speak with on the phone have no problem hearing me clearly. A nice side feature is that clicking the mic button twice rapidly advances to the next song if you're in iPod mode.

I think they're ideal for iPhone use or any pure audio application.

I have been looking for a pair of in-ear head phones for awhile. After owning the MM50 for about a month, I am very happy with the durability and sound quality which is most important to me. However, I have not been overly impressed with the bass that everyone brags about because I want more. That will very person to person and their personal preferences. Additionally, the fit is very comfortable unlike the stock iPhone earphones.

The sound isolation is good. They are just like the Bose Quite over the ear head phones. The sound isolation only enhances the sound quality for the audiophiles. I especially like the sound isolation while riding the motorcycle. They keep the wind noise to a tolerable level. On the other hand, I can still hear the engine running and emergency vehicles when needed. Most important is that they don't protrude out of the ear which making putting on a helmet easier.

There are a couple issues which I have had. First, I don't like hearing myself sing or talk which is a problem of the sound isolation. Second, sometimes I have to hold the microphone close to my mouth so the person on the other end can hear. Lastly, there is sound transfer with movement of the cord. I have found a solution by clipping the cord on my collar. That creates a buffer in the tension of the cord which dramatically decreases this unwanted noise transfer.

Overall, I am very pleased with my purchase and have already recommended these earbuds to others.