Customer Reviews

Sennheiser PX200 Collapsible High-Performance Closed Headphones (Black)

5 star:		(119)
4 star:		(78)
3 star:		(34)
2 star:		(21)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

Ok, so I purchased both the px-100 and the px-200 by Sennheiser because the reviews for both were similar but some where saying that the px-100s were better. My first reaction to them is that they are both remarkably similar in build and quality. Nice case, sturdy, and comfortable. Now the sound, after listening to both I found that the px-100 does have better speaker drivers,...but not much better. The bass on the px-200 is a little bit stronger. The real difference between the two really comes from the closed ear design of the px-200 vs. the open px-100. With the open px-100 the bass isn't as strong, you can hear everything around you still, and others around you can hear what you are listening to even if the music is only moderatly loud. While the px-200 losses high end sound quality in its design, the px-200 makes it so you will only hear music (almost) and nothing else. Also the px-200 is silent to those around you even if you have it cranked up.

Conclusion: Both are amazing headphones but the real decision comes down to the person who is using them and where. If you don't mind being able to hear things around to get better sound quality get the px-100s. If you want to just hear the music and not bother others around you get the px-200. I choose the px-200 in the end because I use them at work and I don't want to disturb others around me also I don't enjoy hearing everything around me.
*as an important side note the differences in both in high and low end sound can be fixed just by using an equalizer. You can't beat these headphones for quality along with portability.

Deryk

Just got these from Amazon.com today in time to test out with my brand new 30 GB iPod. I'm not particularly thrilled with Apple's earbud style headphones since they become uncomfortable after only 10 minutes in the ear and the bass, though surprisingly strong, overwhelms the middle ranges and creates an overall "muddiness" to the audio quality.

The sound of the PX 200, on the other hand, is strong, vibrant, crystal clear, and encompasses a more full tonal range. To put them to the test I first listened to Van Halen's "Atomic Punk" -- the sonic power of Eddie's guitar was fully displayed but the bass was diminished. But I don't miss the heavy bass on these portable headphones...the sound actually seems more clear and authentic without it.

Previously I was using the Koss KTX-PRO but despite the good sound relative to their cheap price, they're cheaply made and the wires have come loose a more than one pair -- rendering them useless. The Sennheisers, on the other hand, are of superior quality. They obviously put some design effort into these and it clearly shows: the head band is metal, not cheap plastic so it has a good "grip," the padding is not cheapo foam but instead a thin padded vinyl material, and they fold up small and come with a handy plastic storage case.

Very comfortable to wear continuously for, well, hours (lots of tunes on my iPod!). Highly recommended headphones.

5/08/2003 - Update: I mentioned above about the weak bass of these headphones. I read somewhere that Sennheinsers may need time to "break in," whatever that means. Well, to my surprise the bass has since become more apparent...much stronger now than when fresh out of the box. Either that or I'm blowing a hole in my eardrum from iPod overuse. These are absolutely the most comfortable portable headphones I've ever owned. The PX-200's have it all...what a great buy!

I truly wanted some pretty decent portable headphones for my MP3 player. Most headphones that come with music players are a joke, so it was back into the piggy bank again to find something worthy to listen to my collection. Before buying the Px 200's, I was using a pair of Koss KSC-55 behind the ear headphones. Lots of bass, pretty reasonable for the price, but they developed a small crackle with lower quality music, so going to a forum ... gave me some insight into what the veterans of music recommend for portable headphones.

To be honest, my first impressions were of disappointment after receiving them. No bass, kind of tinny and only a small amount better at driving my mp3 player than the Koss headphones. I don't know how much scientific truth comes with breaking in a pair of headphones, but letting these run for a few hours has already loosened them up to the point that my initial 'I'm going to send these things back' has changed to 'wow, let me give this break in thing a chance'. The Sennheisers are better balanced at sound than the Koss 55's. The Koss's are bass heavy, but lack midrange but are still commendable for the price. The sennheisers are very stylish and very comfortable to wear. They require good positioning to get the correct bass and sound out of them, but to me it's not difficult to do and once they are on, they stay on. Price through [Amazon.com] ... is reasonable considering they aren't easy to get in retail stores and seem to be backordered online. I'm not super experienced with headphones and with so many options out there I came to the conclusion I wanted to keep the price [down] didn't want in the ear headphones, didn't want phones that made me look like I was a DJ in the making, so narrowing that down, the Sennheiser Px200's are off to a good start. I'm hoping for even more sound off them when they are truly broken in ( that is if there is such a thing, or it could be just a tiny bit psychological ). I've only used them for a couple of hours, so it's time to shut down the computer and get back to the music. Thanks for listening...

These are ordinary Sennheisers, which means way better than the usual junk by Sony, Aiwa, etc or worse yet Coby and Maxell. Midrange is strongest, with trebles being muted. These sound fine with pop, a little bit worse with jazz, and pretty unimpressive with classical.

The black mark here is the odd concept of a small closed headphone design. The smallish cups will not cover all or even most of a normal ear, so the noise isolation is minimal, and the bass is far thinner than might be expected. These phones do fold up into a tiny bundle, but that is not such a big selling point especially given the price.

Impedance is 32 Ohms, so these do work fine with an Ipod, and sound much better than the standard Apple buds. I would recommend the PX 100 much more highly though; similar design, cheaper, and the open backs give the sound a much more vibrant effect even bass, which is unexpected. The open design of the PX 100s though makes it easier to hear outside noise (and for those outside to hear your noise!) so if you need a closed headphone design, try the Sennhesier HD 202s, a larger design though one that sounds very good and delivers acceptable isolation, and one which is also cheaper than either PX model. (You are paying for portability I suppose!)

I have read many reviews from a broad cross section of people regarding the Sennheiser and Koss Models of headphones. I used to be in the camp of "Koss is Boss" but Sennheiser products such as the PX-100 and PX-200 as well as the research I have done on other Senns I hope to purchase soon have led me to believe that Sennheiser is just as Boss as Koss. In regards to the PX-200's, I have to say that there was one review in particular that was so inaccurate that I had to write my own review. Others have commented about a very severe reviewer who said that the PX-200's are great as long as you don't listen to music with them. I must say that this is absolute nonsense and should not be taken seriously by anyone. I first bought the 100's and was blown away by them and then the 200's arrived. (I had also received a pair of the Koss KTXPRO1's before the 200's arrived and they are a wonderful pair of headphones--highly recommended as well.) I tested out the PX-200's and was amazed at how well they played everything I could throw at them, including television, DVDS, video games and yes, Music. I found myself almost in tears as I played Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. I had never heard my favourite Adagio with such clarity as I did with the PX-200's as well as the 100's and the Koss KTXPRO1's. As the weeks have worn on, I have found that the 100's have remained unused while I use the 200's a lot. I recently acquired a pair of Koss PortaPro headphones and I think these might actually be a tad better (but less comfortable) but for overall clarity, comfort and quality, you can't beat the PX-200's. They do block out some ambient sounds (I'm pleased and surprised because of their size) but they aren't designed to be noise cancellers as compared to some of Sennheiser and Koss' other larger or specific products. Don't believe the reviews that say the PX-200's have poor musical quality or are uncomfortable. I have a very large head and these phones are great and don't bother me in the least; I've fallen asleep with them on. [...] has great information on all their different products and would be helpful to use for research. I think I'll conclude by saying that like all new things, you need to give these headphones just a little time to get used to and you surely will not regret it!

I want to counter some of the negative reviews you might read on these headphones.

Yes, there are technical calculations and specifications to quantify any aspect of sound that you want, but when it comes right down to listening to music, sound is largely a matter of taste. I've owned many sets of portable headphones over the years, and these are just about the best I've ever heard. It might be helpful for you if I mention that I listen to many different genres, from jazz to classical to rock to pop-standard vocals to opera, and these Sennies render them all admirably and accurately. I purchased these primarily to listen to music ripped at a relatively high bitrate (192) on an MP3 player. The sound on these headphones is warm, natural, and uncolored, without over-emphasis on any segment of the audio range. They also happen to be quite comfortable to wear; they look darn good, too. And don't be put off by other reviewers' remarking that they're difficult to fold back into their carrying case: look at the diagram, and with a little practice, you'll get the hang of it, no problem.

The sound is so clear that I've heard details in the music I haven't noticed with other phones or even on my really great home speakers. These Sennheisers may just become my home headphones, as well as my portables. They're really that good.

Note that I don't listen to hip-hop, dance music, or any genre whose listeners tend to prefer heavy, thumpy, booming bass. The bass on these phones is clean and accurate, completely audible, and I don't hear any "holes," but these are not phones that accentuate bass at the expense of the rest of the tonal range. They're just very well balanced across the range. If you're a "bass junkie," you might want something else.

The combination of exceptional sound, the convenience of the protective hard-plastic case, and reasonable price makes these an excellent choice overall. I'm very, very pleased, and I'd say these are definitely worth a try.

I, as well as many other customers i think, have spent much time reading reviews and deciding between the px100s and px200s, and i decided to go with the 200s.

It seemed consistant that the 100s had better sound, especially in the bass area, and fit more people better than the 200s, but they also made listening to music less private and allowed alot of ambient noise to be heard (a good or bad thing depending on your use). The 200s on the other hand sounded less crisp and most people couldn't get a very good seal so the bass sounds worse. On the other hand, though, they are more private and block out more noise than the 100s.

They both feature a neat folding design and comfortable fit, as well as a nifty carrying case (don't be fooled by the pictures though, the case is leather, not plastic).

So here is a summary;
If you want better sound quality and less risk: px100s.
If you want still good sound, more privacy, and less ambient noise: px200s

I opted for the 200s and have not been dissapointed. After a few minutes of adjusting, I found a way to comfortably wear the phones and also maintain a good seal. It is helpful that they put an L and an R on the side of the respective earpone, it makes for a better fit than if you have them on backwards. Also, I sound tested them against the standard apple earphones and the 200s are certainly an upgrade; the mids and highs are slightly better, amd the bass is waaay better (as long as you have a good seal).

As far as comfort, I forgot i was wearing them after a few minutes, until I rolled over and bumped them. I can listen to them for hours unlike the apple phones, which I can listen too for only like 30 minutes before I have to start alternating ears.

I was also impressed at how much ambient noise they block. I was talking to my sister and she asked why I was talking so loud and I realized why old people who can't hear talk so loud! In fact, I can hear the songs on my ipod while i am mowing the lawn at about 2/5 volume with the 200s as well as i can with the apple phones at 2/3 volume! Highly impressive.

I think they look cool too, and the portability is an added bonus. All the people who have trouble folding them must be special edd or something because there are only like three steps and there are only two ways to mess up. As long as you fold the top half in before the bottom half (you'll understand if you have them) its no problem.

I hope this review helped you because it sure would have helped me and I spent like half an hour writing it.

#######

A few months later I agree with my earlier review and would like to add that they do seem to slip off your ears slowly making it quieter, but it is easy to adjust. It gets a bit annoying, however.

Unfortunately they cracked but the warranty worked out and the replacements are like new, but the service was slow and took a lot of effort.

On that note, I had to wear my apple phones for a month and here is my conclusion. THEY SUCK AND HURT MY EARS!!!! The 200s are far more comfortable and have better sound, esp. for the price. I did, though pick up some fifteen dollar skull candy buds that sounded bad (about the same as the apple) but were far more comfortable, so you might wanna look into those.

I began my search for better quality headphones for my Creative Zen Touch after hearing a set of Bose $149 headphones at Target. They excited me, so I began my research at Amazon.com. I was immediately disappointed to learn how poorly the Bose held up under normal usage. I also became educated on some important decisions one must make before buying more expensive headphones: do you want open or closed design? Do you want more sensitive, and therefore possibly heavier, headphones that will almost certainly detect any compression of your audio files to mp3, for example? Or will you be using these with your home-based stereo system? I was looking for a set of closed headphones that were light weight and would not be terribly affected by mp3 compression, yet be responsive and accurate across the sound spectrum. The criticism of the poor bass response of the Sennheiser PX 200s, and the difficulty some folks were having stuffing them back into their carrying case, frightened me. However, on balance the reviews seemed good and, more than any other headphones I considered, seemed to fit the bill of what I was looking for. So, I purchased these headphones, burned them in steadily for a period of five days straight, and now would not part with them for any reason. I am completely pleased with these, my first Sennheiser headphone experience. As most reviewers have said, the design and quality of this product are impressive. When I looked at the diagram on how to return them to their carrying case, I was able to accomplish the task the first time around, and in under a minute. As for the lack of a bass response: nonsense. It is true that you do not get the booming bass that you might expect if you're a fan of Hip Hop, however, I found the sound of these phones to be more realistic across the spectrum and easily adjustable by changing the Equalizer Settings on my Creative Zen Touch. These phones are sensitive enough to pick up the annoying artifacts of compression, but I found that this was only the case with those downloads or burns that had not been done at a high enough ratio. To sum it all up, I am very pleasantly surprised with the Sennheiser PX 200s, in light of the criticisms I read which, I have concluded, are simply a matter of taste and fit. So, if you're looking for quality, balance, and accuracy in your listening experience with a portable audio device, you need not worry about investing in these pleasing, comfortable, and very handy headphones.

As an aside, I want to mention one negative element in my headphone purchasing experience. I discovered online that the Sennheiser PX 200s are also sold at Best Buy. So I decided to go there and try them out before buying a pair. At Best Buy they have these headphones displayed in their box and do not have a demo pair that you can try on. When I asked if I could open the box and give them a test drive, I was told no. The sales person suggested that I buy them and, if I didn't like them, I could bring them back within 30 days for a refund. How inconvenient! I would suggest to anyone reading this who may be in a supervisory position at Best Buy - change your policy!

I've had some good, even great portable headphones: PX 100, AKG K26, Shure E5c. But for walking around NYC, these are the best.

- They sound detailed and full. At first, comparing them to the K26, I thought for sure the K26 was better. But after living with them both for a few days, the K26 sounded unnaturally boomy and murky. The PX 200, when seated properly, has plenty of bass punch if you like your sound accurate. After several hours of play, the PX 200 no longer sounded harsh.

- They offer a nice balance of convenience and noise control. For a long while the E5c were my out-and-about phones of choice - they're marvelous at sealing out the world - but sometimes (like when crossing the street) they seal out a bit too much for safety or convenience, and taking them off temporarily isn't convenient either - they don't hang round your neck securely, and then you have these dangly bits with earwax rubbing on your clothes :) The PX200 is definitely better than the PX100 in sealing out sound. K26 - they seal better, but the springy headband is very tight and tends to change size too easily--it often becomes a "choker" around your neck.

- They look good (in my opinion) because they're retro like a Walkman headphone but not big like some circumaural job.

My advice: order these from Amazon, plug them into your stereo and "burn in" for say, 24-48 hours before listening, and experiment with locations on your ears(I've found pushing them a bit towards the back of my ear, even to where the rear of the cup extends over the rear of my ear, gives me the best seal, in contrast to advice on Headroom that suggests wearing them forward). Return them if you can't get decent bass--but with a little experimentation, I bet you'll be able to.

I spent a lot of time online researching headphones and ultimately settled on these. My feeling after having used them for about a month is:

If you're prepared to pay $60 for headphones, you might as well spend just a bit more and get a better pair.

The best thing about these headphones is their design. They are very portable, and I've taken on them airplane trips easily. They fold in a clever manner, and they are VERY comfortable. By far the most comfortable headphones I've worn. Sometimes you almost forget they're on your head.

But the actual sound that comes out of them leaves a lot to be desired. This was the first pair of headphones that I had purchased alone, rather than with a stereo or a keyboard. I was expecting a sizeable upgrade in sound and didn't get it. Music still ultimately just sounds flat -- as if it's coming from one source, rather than the greater dispersal you get with higher end 'phones. And my biggest problem with the iPod phones, which is their muddy quality, doesn't go away with these. It's like the difference between AM and FM radio (only more subtle, obviously.) More expensive headphones give you a much crisper sound than these.

So BOTTOM LINE: If your overwhelming concern is comfort, and you don't care a lot about sound quality, these headphones are for you. But if you want crisp, clean sound, you're not going to get it here.