Customer Reviews

Sennheiser PXC300 Foldable Noise Canceling Supra-Aural Stereo Headphones

5 star:		(78)
4 star:		(66)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

Pros:

-Excellent noise cancelling capability
-Extremely comfortable for extended periods of time
-Great battery life
-Good audio quality (see qualification below)
-Fold up into a relatively compact space

Cons:

-Like all noise cancelling headphones, only works on lower frequencies
-Like all noise cancelling headphones, adds a low-level hiss of white noise to the background when on
-The electronics unit on the cord gets in the way
-Will not cut out as much noise as in-ear units
-Origami-like folding requires some patience

IF you are one of the lucky few who can tolerate in-ear buds (the headphones that stick into your ear canal like earplugs) AND find buds that seal off your ear canals adequately, you'll get much better noise reduction than noise cancelling headphones provide. Earbuds also provide noise reduction over a wider spectrum and do passively in the same way those little foam earplugs do. This is also, obviously, the most portable option, as these units often fit in small cases a little larger than a silver dollar in diameter.

For the rest of us, there's the noise cancelling option. So about 2 years ago I decided to go this route. I was doing a lot of traveling by plane and found the general cabin noise and engine drone to be distracting when listening to music. I went by an in-airport electronics store and tried out all of the noise cancelling headphones they had (including the highest end Bose units). I found the Sennheiser PXC 250 provided significantly higher quality audio than any of the others (including the Bose Quiet Comfort series), with a smaller package, with better noise cancelling ability, and at a lower cost. I was able to test all headsets in a side-by-side comparison with and without music in a busy airport terminal (Atlanta) and with and without noise cancelling. Let's just say the difference is impressive.

I just purchased the PXC 300 model and have found them to be even better, just as you would expect. This review applies equally to the PXC 250 model except where noted. A comparison of the two is at the bottom.

That said, all noise cancelling headphones have limitations.

First, they all are better at low-frequency noise reduction. I've heard several explanations for this ranging from technological limitations to safety reasons. Suffice it to say that they all reduce engine noise, repetitive noise (such as fans), and most ambient noise significantly. They will reduce the volume of surrounding conversations less (though still some). So this means, though you will not be put on an island of tranquility, you will have a noticeable reduction in ambient noise. The easiest way to prove this to yourself is to turn the noise cancelling circuit off and notice how much louder you tend to listen to your music in the same environment.

Second, in a quiet environment with no music playing through the headphones, you will notice a faint hiss added when noise cancelling is turned on. Most people won't notice this if they are listening to music (although some can). The amount of this noise varies from headphone to headphone and has no relationship to the quality of noise cancelling. In good quality headphones, the hiss is several orders of magnitude quieter than ambient noise in even moderately noisy environments.

Third, the noise cancelling requires circuitry and batteries to be placed somewhere. In the larger headphones (like most Bose Quiet Comfort series), they have enough room to put it in the headphones themselves. In smaller ones, like the Sennheiser units, they have a separate "wand" with the electronics in it. Neither of these is an ideal solution.

Considering all of the above, I have found the Sennheiser PXC 250 & 300 models to be the best compromise. The amount of hiss added in the background is minimal and is easily ignored in most situations. If you are an audiophile, you'll probably notice it, so you are better off in quiet places using a more traditional headset. If you are traveling, though, the hiss is such a small sacrafice compared to the ambient noise you're losing, that it's an easy trade. Of all the models I tried, the Sennheiser units were among the quietest.

When compared to the Bose Quiet Comfort 2, I find the sound quality to be superior in the Sennheiser units. The Sennheisers don't muddy the sound as much as the Bose units and the instruments on the soundstage are more distinct. Don't get me wrong. None of these units are studio reference-quality headphones. Considering the price, though, the Sennheiser units sound about as good as comparably priced non-noise cancelling headphones, if not a little better (the PXC 250 being cheaper). Besides, if you're so picky about sound quality, why aren't you listening to your music at home instead of on a plane?

I found the PXC 250's level of noise cancellation to be better than the Bose units'. The PXC 300 is even better. This may surprise some people due to the fact that the Bose QC2 unit covers the whole outside of the ear, pressing firmly against the side of the skull with the leather covered foam pads whereas the Sennheisers only press up against the ear itself. Thus, there are a lot more gaps for sound to creep into your ear canal with the smaller Sennheisers. So, as counterintuitive as it may seem, the Sennheisers still do a significantly better job of cancelling noise than do the Bose units. This may be due, in part, to the whole nature of noise cancelling and the fact that the headphones are actively cancelling out noise rather than relying on passive measures.

PXC 250 vs. PXC 300

So, comparing the PXC 250 to the 300 is the final task. Both units have the same form factor, the same "wand" containing two AAA batteries, and essentially the same look. Both are extremely comfortable for long periods of time (both are traditional over-the-head designs), though can get warm from body heat against the leather headphone cushions. Also, both fold into a smaller area in exactly the same way. The headphones have extra hinges that essentially allow the units to fold into about half the space and loosely lock in place. It's a little challenging, though, for some people to get the hang of it in the same way that a lot of people have trouble folding up car maps.

According to the company, the PXC 300 is supposed to be superior in regards to noise cancelling. This is probably provable in a laboratory setting, but is much less noticeable in the real world. Thus, in this regard, the PXC 250 is the better deal.

Sound quality is also very similar between the two. Bearing in mind that you're listening to these in noisy environments, the PXC 300 probably doesn't warrant the extra money.

Finally, and somewhat strangely, the two units come with two different carrying cases. The PXC 300 comes with a semi-hard ballistic nylon type case that opens like a clamshell with a zipper. It provides a reasonable amount of protection to the headphones. Unfortunately, I like the PXC 250 case better. It is a soft case made of ballistic nylon. However, it has a belt loop and an extra zippered pocket on the outside. Thus, you can separate your spare batteries and plug adapters from your headphones. In addition, the soft case is perfect for also carrying around an iPod in. The PXC 300 hard case has no belt loops, no extra pocket, and is a little more of a chore to carry around along with all your luggage. I'm actually swapping it out for the PXC 250 case.

In summation, the PXC 250 and 300 are both noticeably superior to their noise cancelling competitors in their intended purpose, both in sound quality and in noise reduction. They will not compete against high end non-noise cancelling units in a quiet environment, nor will they compete with in-ear buds with a comfortable fit and a complete ear canal seal (which I find uncomfortable). They will, however, provide a marked increase in comfort and quiet on those long plane, bus, and car trips, and will likely become a faithful traveling companion.

Of the two, the PXC 250 is probably the better deal. The differences in noise cancelling and sound quality between the models are minimal, especially when considering the intended environment, but the price difference is not.

If you're expecting to buy these and cancel ALL outside noises, then you need NOT apply. The PXC300 like all (Bose, previous Sennheisers, Sony's, etc.) are designed to cancel out certain frequency ranges that prove to be the most annoying to commuters/travellers. These range in the 300hz - 1Khz band. Most sounds outside this range are unaffected. The positive is that for travellers looking to drown out that annoying aircraft cabin noise, these will work wonders for you. They'll also work well in auto's, trains, etc. What they are not as good for is cancelling out conversations (although they will mute it somewhat) and other higher frequency sounds around you.

Sound quality is good but not quite in the excellent category. IMO, they are better than the Bose since I find the Bose to sound very colored (sound is not the same as the source - typical Bose), the Bose seems to bottom out the bass driver when playing certain types of music, and finally the Bose noise cancellation circuit introduces more hiss than these Sennheisers.

Ergonomically the Sennheisers will travel well with you. The carry case fits the headphones, battery stick and adapters very well. The Bose, on the other hand, is a huge monster that takes up half your carry luggage.

If you're looking for a true sound isolation headphone you'd need to look at something like the Shure E4C or the Etymotic ER4P. These truly sound great and accurate while virtually eliminating ALL outside sound. The downside is that they are in ear headphones and many find them uncomfortable and difficult to wear on an airplane, especially when cabin pressure changes and your ears can't equalize the pressure as easily.

This is my first noise-canceling headphone. So I was very curious to see how it worked. And how good its sound was. I must say I'm very satisfied - the phones are well worth the price.

The phones are very light, and very soft to wear. They fit tight and their very good cushioning provide already an excellent sound insulation from the ambient. It is possible to wear the phones for hours without getting tired or your ears sore.

Without noise-canceling, the phones present a clear sound, with crisp treble e strong bass. Being closed, there is some problem with building a "natural" sound image, specially with pop music where stereo separation is artificially increased. Otherwise, sound quality is hi-fi class.

Turning noise-canceling on has in fact two effects. There is some amplification of the signal. In my case, that's great given my laptop has a somewhat low output. The amplification is coupled with a sort of "loudness" effect. There is a clear reinforcement of bass and treble. What might disturb purists actually works great for noisy environments. What about the noise-canceling effect itself? Well, it's quite amazing given you don't expect miracles. Basically, the "oooossshhh" sound generated by air conditioning, plane engines, or the bus rolling on the road disappears, or is greatly reduced. This is enough for a much greater enjoyment of your music.

My only disappointment was that the noise-canceling unit is not detachable as I expected. So, even if you don't intend to use noise reduction you have to carry the unit, that is a little larger than a fountain pen. Alas.

I have used the Sennheiser PXC 300 and the Bose QC2 on domestic U.S. and trans-Pacific flights to/from Australia. Here are the relative strengths and weaknesses:

PXC 300
- smaller & lighter
- takes up less room in carry-on
- plays without active noise cancelling feature turned on

Bose QC2
- fully cover the ears to shield maximum sound in-leakage
- somewhat more comfortable on long flights
- will not play without noise cancelling feature turned on

I like the Bose but must tip in favor of the Sennheiser's given the substantial price difference. Wake up Bose... think "value priced smart design".

For the price, you simply won't find a better set of noise-cancelling headphones. Believe me, I've looked and compared. I have read reviews stating that these are not as comfortable on long flights as the Bose QuietComfort 2 (which, by the way, cost over $100 more), but I find that hard to believe. I have worn these for several hours without the slightest bit of discomfort. The sound is amazing, as well. I have a rather good home theater system, and these sound better than it. The noise-cancelling works wonders at eliminating low-frequency droning noises, such as airplane engines, air conditioning and the like, with virtually no coloring of the music.

At prices ranging from $150 to more than $200 for a set (Amazon's is the best price of the major online retailers), these are not for everyone. However, if you want a pair of noise-cancelling headphones that actually work, and you demand excellent audio reproduction, you won't find any better than these. Included when you buy a set are two adapters (one for airplane audio jacks and one for larger stereo systems), batteries (for powering the noise-cancelling feature), and a very nice case that the headphones fold down into for compact storage and travelling. All-in-all, a terrific package.

I have been a headphone aficionado of sorts for going on four decades. Among my favorites at present are the HD-580 and the Sony MDR-V6. In the past, I've owned the classic Sennheiser models HD-414 and HD-424, as well as a pair or two of AKG, etc. You get the idea.

I have to begin with a short discussion of noise reduction. Except for a couple of really cheap off-brand models that I have listened to in stores, all of the noise canceling headphones that I have listened to are roughly equal in terms of their active noise cancellation ability. Of the ones that genuinely work, they are effective only over the lower 2/3 or so of the audio spectrum. The reason is that in order for active noise cancellation to work, the waveform produced by the headphone must arrive at the eardrum with the proper phase relative to the original waveform. At 20 kHz, the wavelength is about one-half inch, so the microphone would have to be placed essentially against the eardrum in order for the ambient noise that it "hears" to be the same as what the ear hears. Taking into account the need to place the microphone at the outside of the headphone in order to receive the ambient noise at a much higher level than the sound emitted from the speaker, it is easy to see that at higher frequencies, it isn't possible for the microphone to hear the same ambient noise waveform that the ear hears. Headphones that are effective at reducing ambient noise in the upper octaves do it the old-fashioned way: they acoustically isolate the eardrum, either by forming a tight seal around the outside of the ear, or by inserting into the ear canal and forming a tight seal there. Headphones that rest on the ear, such as the PXC300, are simply incapable of any useful amount of passive attenuation of higher frequency sounds, and that means that they are inherently incapable of any significant reduction of high-frequency noise.

The PXC300 will play without batteries or when turned off, but when used that way, they don't sound any better than cheap, run of the mill, over-the-ear headphones. But the active circuitry in the PXC300 transforms these headphones like a caterpillar metamorphosing into a butterfly. The improvement in sound quality between when it is turned on vs. not turned on, and as compared to the PXC250, is so enormous that I am inclined to think that the new circuitry includes active equalization. Yet, even though the sound quality is excellent overall, no amount of equalization can compensate for a diaphragm that is too small to produce deep bass. This limitation is revealed not only in the musical listening, but is revealed as well when the ambient noise includes low-frequency noise, in the lowest couple of octaves. It is incapable of producing adequate acoustic output at lower frequencies to cancel any moderately loud low frequency noise. On the recent plane trip that I took on a 777, the PXC300 was able to eliminate most of the engine sound, but the lowest-frequency components of the engine noise were essentially unaffected. In place of the bass that should have come with the music, the low-frequency rumble of the engines accompanied the music. They were effective at lowering the volume level of the conversation of nearby passengers, but the predominant effect was to make male voices sound more like female voices, with little effect on female and child voices.

Notwithstanding the inadequacies of the PXC300 at noise reduction in most environments, I still feel that there is much positive to say about the PXC300. I tend to be critical of music reproduction systems, and have never heard a loudspeaker or headphone that didn't have obvious anomalies in the frequency response, as well as audible levels of harmonic distortion to boot. Keeping that in mind, so as to put my criticisms into a meaningful perspective, I will mention that the active circuitry adds a very slight, barely perceptible amount of white noise to the white noise that is already present in the source amplifier, which I do not consider bothersome in the least, and mention only for completeness. An emphasis at the higher frequencies exacerbates the weakness in the bass, and there is a perceptible resonance at the very highest frequencies, which few people are likely to notice, much less find bothersome. These anomalies are minor compared to the anomalies that are typical of most speakers and headphones. All in all, the PXC300 is excellent at faithful, accurate reproduction of music, as long as the active circuitry is turned on. During my comparative listening, I noted a strong resemblance to the Sennheiser HD570. The HD570 was favorably reviewed and recommended by Consumer Reports, and I similarly recommend them to anyone who does not object to some weakness in the bass and who either likes a little emphasis in the treble or else doesn't object to using the treble control in the source component to achieve a little correction.

Because the PXC300 is shy in the bass, I thought it would be interesting to compare it to the Koss PortaPro, which is an inexpensive small headphone of similar size and weight, and which is regarded favorably among some headphone aficionados because of the unusually strong bass for a small over-the-ear headphone. The PortaPro accomplishes that feat via the method that is ubiquitous in cheap "boom-boxes" and many custom auto setups nowadays. Introducing a pronounced resonance in the bass will increase the overall bass output, but the predominance of the specific frequency where that resonance occurs becomes quickly tiring, and the lack of damping lends to a sound quality that is often described as "muddy". The PXC-300 has none of that. Given a choice between bass of that sort vs. a clean, accurate sound, I'll take the accurate sound of the PXC300 any day. While listening to the PXC300, I was thoroughly engaged in the music. I found myself perusing my CD collection and reluctant to put them down.

The best choice for you depends on your priorities. If portability, light weight, comfort and excellent sound quality are given the greater priority, and neither the weakness in the bass nor the lack of passive attenuation of higher frequencies is important, then the PXC300 is an excellent headphone. But after my recent experience on a flight of roughly two hours duration, I just don't feel that the PXC300 is a good choice for someone looking for sanctuary from noise pollution on longer flights. Either the QC2 or the Sony MDR-NC50 would be a better choice if bass response and passive attenuation of higher frequencies matter more than lightness and portability. The NC50 would be the better value, with the QC2 remaining the choice for anyone who doesn't want to be encumbered by the considerable heft of the NC50 and who doesn't object to the price of admission. Both of these headphones sound quite good, but neither of them is especially portable, with the Sony being downright heavy and uncomfortable. The ear cups on the QC2 rotate so that the whole thing will lay flat, but other than that, the headband does not fold. The Sony is similar, which I find peculiar given that Sony makes many other headphones that fold into a small compact package.

My choice of headphones depended largely on the reviews available at Amazon.com and I had shortlisted 2 products, the Bose and the Sennheiser. I had a chance to visit the Bose Showroom and they gave me a demo of the noise reduction headphones. Quality of sound was definately very good but they were bulky, real bulky and it would be a pain carrying them in your hand luggage. I took a chance and opted for the Sennheiser. They are smart, come with a compact carrying case, excellent sound and the noise reduction is really good. I would say maybe the Bose are about 20% as far as NOISE REDUCTION is concerned, mainly because thier ear pads cup the whole year, so automatically some external sound is blocked. However considering that the quality of sound is the same and that these are much sleeker and cheaper, nearly 1/2 the price, I think it is a great buy. In fact even if the Bose were the same price, I would opt for the Sennheiser since in my case price was NOT a criteria; Convenience while travelling was and of course the quality of sound.

I travel once to twice every month and I want to buy a pair of good noise-cancelling headphones so that I can listen to my iPod or get some rest.

First, I tried a Sony NC50 at a Sony Style store. The NC50 put out so much accoustic pressure to my ears and it really hurt. Then, I tried Sennheiser PXC-250, PXC-300, and Bose QuietComfort 2 extensively. First time, I brought both PXC-250 and PXC-300 to a trip from San Diego to Newark. There is no significant performance difference in terms of noise cancelling. The PXC-300 has a better case. Then, on my next trip, I borrowed a Bose QuietComfort 2 from a colleague of mine and compared it with PXC-300. After extensively testing (with and without music, with and without background people talking, and etc.), I found it is about 20-30% less of noise with Bose. Also, my ears felt warm and uncomfortable after 30 min with PXC-300 because of the over-the-ear style.

I understand everyone else's comment on Bose being over-priced, but if you are looking for the best noise-cancelling performance on an airplane, unfortunately there is no other way around it. Bose is certainly the best.

I've been in the market for a good pair of noise cancelling headphones for a while, and after trying out a pair of Bose noise cancelling headphones, decided not to buy them, mostly because of the outrageous price. I wanted to try out a pair of Sennheiser's but couldn't find a store that would sell them so based on the excellent reviews, I put them on my X-mas list. My dh bought them on Amazon for a very good price for me. Also, someone else accidently bought me a pair of Sony Noise Cancelling headphones for Christmas, so I got to try those out too. Well, my final verdict is that the Sennheiser's are the best noise cancelling headphones out of the three. They have some drawbacks, but I think the sound quality more than makes up for those. Here's how they stack up.

1. Noise cancelling: I wanted a pair of noise cancelling headphones because the gym I work out at is very noisy and also plays loud annoying music over an antiquated speaker system. I had to turn up my regular headphones almost to the maximum volume to hear my own music. It also didn't help that along with the music I had to listen to clinking, grunting, yapping, and the endless loud droning of the HVAC system. As far as noise cancelling goes, these headphones are not the best, but they are very adequate. They probably cancel out about 75 percent of the noise, which is a big help. Without the music, the sound of the HVAC is gone, so is the grunting. The yapping sounds like barely audible whispers. You can hear the clinking and the gym's music still, but the volume is somewhat reduced. With the music on, you really can't hear anything, unless you're in between songs or listening to the music really low, then you can hear the gym's music. They're not as good as the Bose headphones, which block out about 90 percent of the outside sounds, even with no music on, but they are adequate--for half the price, too. Now, if you want noise cancelling headphones mostly to block sounds and NOT listen to music, I'd recommend the Bose over these guys. But, if you're getting them to listen to music and sound quality is important, then I would recommend these wholeheartedly. Now, how to they compare to the even cheaper Sony's as far as noise cancelling goes? Truth to tell, there's no comparison, really. I wasn't expecting much from the Sony's because I think overall, that brand of headphones has really poor sound quality, but my expectations fell even lower when I tried on these noise cancelling ones. The noise cancelling is very poor. They blocked out MAYBE 25 percent of the noise. With the Sony's on, I couldn't hear the HVAC system, but that was about it. I could still hear the gym's music, the yapping, grunting and clicking clear as day. So, if you're in the market for noise cancelling headphones, don't bother with the Sony's. Even for the low price, they aren't worth it at all.

2. Sound Quality: As for sound quality, I was very impressed with these headphones. The sound is clear, with the bass being strong but not overwhelming. As far as sound goes, they are far superior to the Bose headphones. The Bose had good bass, but it was overpowering and the music sounded muddy. That, along with the price tag, made me decide not to buy them. How do the Sennheiser's compare with the Sony's as far as sound goes? Again, not even in the same category. The Sony's were even lousier sounding than I expected. The sound was muddy AND there was no bass. Basically, every song sounded like you were listening to it on a static filled AM radio station. It was extremely poor. The Sennheiser's definitely won this category, hands down.

3. Other features: As far as comfort goes, I believe the Sennheiser's are the most comfortable headphones of the three. The Bose's were very comfortable, even though they didn't look it, but I noticed if I wore them long enough, my ears would get a little sweaty. The Sennheiser's are very light, with soft padding along the edge of earpieces and even along the top of the headband. I haven't had a problem with sweaty ears with these, and they were much more comfortable than the Sony's which had thin scratchy pads that made my ears sore after a while.

The only category the Sennheiser's lose out on is ease of storage. They come with a hard carrying case about the same shape and a little bit bigger than a sunglass case, but good luck getting them in there. Maybe if you're good at origami you could do it. I followed the instructions to a tee and I still couldn't figure out how to fold them properly, so now I just don't bother and throw them in the gym bag. The Bose on the other hand, comes with a very nice hard case about the size of a small handbag and it's very easy to store. Even the Sony's are easier to store too, though the cheesy vinyl drawstring bag offers little, if any, protection.

As far as the battery pack goes, it takes second place. It looks very heavy and bulky in the picture, but in real life, it's not that bad. It's fairly lightweight, and it comes with a metal clip so it doesn't have to dangle in midair. Though I must admit, if you wear a fanny pack to carry your CD player (like I do) having the battery pack clipped on the side with it's red light glowing makes you looking like you're in training to be a suicide bomber and you may get a couple of curious glances. The Bose comes with it's own type of rechargable battery that fits into the earpiece, but you only get one and getting an extra one from Bose is tres expensive. At least the Sony's got this part right--the battery pack is built into the earphones and virtually unnoticable, and takes regular AAA batteries. Another plus of the Sennheiser's over the Bose's is that you can listen to the music without the noise cancelling on, whereas with the Bose you have no choice.

I must admit that the Sennheiser's have some minor drawbacks, but overall I'm very satisfied with this pair of headphones and highly recommend them.

I had been a relatively happy owner of the previous model in this series (PXC 250)--noise reduction and small folded-size relative to price. Rating the PXC 250 a 4-star product and motivated by my expectation for an improved version + the comments here at Amazon, I decided to buy the PXC 300 (the current model). I can only speak for the use of both models during air-travel. This being the context of my comment here, I see ZERO improvement of PXC 300 over the PXC 250. Needless to say, I may save you some money in case you decide to buy the PXC 250, based on this review.

To make it complete, for the curious ones, here's what I commented on the PXC 250:

There seems to be a couple of uses for PXC 250. I will speak only in reference to their noise canceling function in airplanes. To really come and appreciate these headphones one has to use them during a flight overseas. I would estimate the noise reduction to about 60%, of which 50% is due to electronics and 10% to the small pads that apply on your ears. I wrote 'small pads' for they do not cover completely one's ears. Battery life seems decent and sound quality is top considering the circumstances--jazz and classical music will come through just right. Their being foldable is a neat and space-saving feature!

Could PXC 250 be better? They surely can--though I'm not 100% clear on how much improvement ought to be expected from electronics vs. the geometry of the ear-pads.

Not having tried Bose QuietComfort II headphones in flight it is hard for me to draw any comparisons. However, if one travels often by plane, the price concerns associated with Bose QuietComfort II headphones shouldn't be an obstacle, especially for trying them. Otherwise, PXC 250 is a safe buy!

Addendum: I checked the PXC-300 version and failed to notice any improvement. Supposedly, the 300-series has better Bass or something. Even if that were the case, how can one discern that in a flying airplane? Buy/Stay with the 250!