Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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583 of 586 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
At last... wireless sound worth bragging about, November 30, 2005
Audio choices are obviously very personal, so I hesitate to recommend anything too strongly here. Tastes and tolerances differ so greatly, and wireless audio products really seem to push those differences. Maybe some of my needs and wants will match yours, maybe not, but please consider my thoughts here in light of the many personal qualifiers that I add. Those qualifiers may or may not relate well to your own situation. By the way, my apologies in advance for such a long review, but I really appreciate details when researching audio gear. I thought you might, too.
BACKGROUND
I'm about as picky as they come when sound is the issue. I have a small home recording studio, with 30 years of experience as a semi-pro musician (jazz, rock, classical, country). That said, I approach every musical equipment purchase with thorough research and comparison. Since I already have good wired phones (Senn 280s, Audio Technica M50s, and others) in my studio, I wanted some wireless cans mostly for moving around the house and yard while listening to music from my home stereo system, kind of a self-indulgent luxury. I've read enough to know that any wireless models using a radio signal (the best type of signal if you'll be in a different room than the transmitter) will produce some hiss and pop on occasion. I accepted this fact before buying. Still, I decided I would not accept something else: poor sound quality, in a musical sense. Two of the sub-$200 phones with rather consistently high reviews (in magazines and online) were the Senn 130 and 140 models. So I ordered both models to compare them in the privacy of my home. (I paid about $115 for the RS-130 and $135 for the RS-140; be patient because the prices here fluctuate often.)
TEST EQUIPMENT
A 100-watt/channel JVC receiver and JVC CD player--both typical (low-end) home stereo components. To suit my personal tastes for EQ, I boosted some at 16 kHz (to add air to the highs) and at 60 Hz (to add depth to the lows).
FOR MUSIC NOT TV
I've used these cans mostly for listening to music, which usually masks any low-grade background noise. TV use, with its emphasis on dialogue, would be demanding in other ways, so I'd defer to other reviewers for feedback concerning that application.
POINT OF REFERENCE
The entry-level price for a decent set of wired (corded) cans is roughly $100. The price of these wireless Senns, especially the 130s, isn't much more.
LIKES
Musically, both models sound as good as I'd hoped except for their shy response at the extremes (see Test Equipment above). Still, when I've been wearing them while working outside, I sometimes have to stop what I'm doing, raise the volume, and just listen for a while. They sound that good. I wouldn't use them in my studio, but considering the low price and mobility, I'm very satisfied. As I'd read, the open-back 130s sound (and look) a bit like Senn's popular 580 audiophile (wired) model--open, smooth, warm, and most of all, pretty well balanced. The closed-back 140s have a similar sound, maybe a bit boxier, overall, as is typical of closed cans. I think that some folks (such as heavy rock n' rollers, rappers, computer gamers, the hearing impaired, and even office workers) might prefer the 140s for their enhanced isolation, but I found the 130s, which offer the spacious open-back sound that made Senn famous, to provide the flatest, truest sound, overall. After a lot of back and forth listening to verify my impressions, I kept the 130s. The 140s would be a perfectly acceptable alternative, though. The differences are minor.
Both models are cushy comfortable, and the features and controls are top-notch. I've never liked surround-sound simulations and the like, so I can't comment on that feature (130s). But I find everything very simple to use, and all works fine. Like easy? Hang these Senns up and they turn off and charge automatically. Press a button and they tune their reception and then memorize it, also automatically. The reception's very good, too, after I improved it significantly by moving the transmitter unit to a slightly higher shelf and trying the different freq-channel options. Remember this if you buy. Also remember to boost the source volume plenty so that the phones receive a strong signal. (By the way, I've read that you may experience greater interference noise if you live in a congested area. I don't.)
DISLIKES
No review would be complete without some criticism and warning, so here's mine. Above all, choosing musical equipment involves personal tastes, which vary greatly, so try to listen before buying. Trust your own ears. If you do buy either Senn wireless model, you should expect some hiss and pop and hum at times, usually just when you move around, but almost certainly if you head outside or into another room far from the base unit. (The stated spec of "up to 150 meters" seems laughable.) You may even notice the sound strengthen and weaken on occasion. In this price range, at least, I think you'll need to accept such reception problems or else stay with wired cans. Period. Wireless freedom is never perfect, is it? Beyond that, I wish these cans were as snug-fitting as my Senn 280s, which grip my head tightly. These wireless phones are like light pillows, very comfortable since they sit 'around' the ears (not 'on' the ears), but I'd bet that some folks with smaller heads could find them to be a bit loose when walking around. And finally, another obvious point--bad or good, depending on your situation--is that the 130s (which I prefer in terms of smoother, truer sound) are open-air cans, meaning that you'll hear your family if in the same room. That's good for staying in contact but bad if you want to get away from outside noise. The closed 140s are certainly better for blocking out a barking dog or not disturbing a nearby loved one.
COMMENT ABOUT INTERFERENCE PROBLEMS
If you're not already totally sick of me, you can check out my reaction to the interference problems that some users report here. (Click on 'Comments' below.)
OVERALL
All in all, both models of these phones admirably meet my picky expectations although being realistic about the limits of low-cost wireless sound was a necessary starting point. Nah, these wireless phones aren't perfect, and they're certainly no match for good wired cans, but I think they offer impressive overall performance for $100 plus change. An enthusiastic '4 and a 1/2 stars' and a lot of brag from me. Well done, Senn. Happy listening, all.
P.S. TO ANYONE WITH HEARING LOSS
If you have reduced hearing, particularly in one ear, you should probably choose the RS-140 model. The addition of the closed back (for isolation), L-R balance control, and compression switch (to equalize the overall volume) could be helpful.
NEED MORE RESEARCH?
Head over to "Consumer Search" online for a master summary of pro and consumer reviews of wireless headphones, including these. (The Senns do very well.)
UPDATE
A quick 2009 update, more than three years of almost daily use later: no surprises, no regrets, and the original batteries are still kicking. I stand by my review fully. I did find one time that the headphones didn't work, but a quick jiggle of the audio input in the base unit brought them back to life. True, as some folks have noted, there is indeed annoying interference at times but usually just when moving around in another room or outdoors. That's only a minor limitation for me but clearly a deal-breaker for some people (although some of them, I suspect, haven't boosted the source volume enough). But the surprisingly good music quality and thoughtful design at this low price point is the real story here for me and my primarily musical needs. If you eventually decide to give the Senns a try, just be sure that you can easily return them if they don't fit your own needs and limits. I typically return about half of the audio equipment I buy, even after thorough research, and have learned the value of a simple return policy. Good luck to you.
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492 of 498 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Walkabout Headphones, September 25, 2005
Wireless RF (radio frequency--think cordless phones) headphones allow you to move from room to room while listening to your favorite audio. Sennheiser is one of the top-rated manufacturers of headphones and after considering wireless headphones by Accoustic Research, Sony and Sennheiser I settled on the RS-130 by Sennheiser.
If you have a cordless phone then you have a good understanding of how wireless headphones that use RF work. Just like cordless phones these headphones work best when you are close to the base/transmitter station. Initially I had a bit of static but once I moved the transmitter away from my TV about 2' then the static went away. I found that within about 50' of the base (even in adjoining rooms) there was little-to-no deterioration in sound quality which was, by the way, on par with a really good set of wired headphones. Moving farther away I began to get a bit of fade-in/out with a bit of static but this was easily overcome by just a slight turn of my head--a lot like what you might have noticed when using your cordless phone. I have a detached workshop that is about 120' from my headphone transmitter; even in the workshop I get reception on the RS-130 headphones although at that location they are very picky about position: If I turn my head the wrong way the reception goes completely away but will come right back with a 90 degree repositioning of my body/head. If I close the 16' wide metal workshop garage door then reception gets really lousy. Again, they work about the same as I've found my 2.4 GHz cordless phone so if you wonder if you'll be able to use the headphones in a particular location then check out how well your cordless phone works there and you'll probably have a good idea (assuming you've got your cordless phone base station in a decent location).
Setup was easy. The unit has a small pyramid-shape base that does triple duty as a transmitter, storage rack and charging station. Two AAA nickel metal hydride batteries go into the headphones and the base station plugs into a 120VAC outlet. An 8' long audio cable connects the base station with your audio source. The audio cable has right/left RCA jack connectors as standard with two adapters being included to hook these to either 1/8" mini or 1/4" standard stereo headphone jack. The unit works best if you let it charge the batteries overnight but if you are anxious to get started you could substitute any good set of AAA batteries until you have time to charge the others. I cheated and tried-out mine with the "uncharged" batteries that came with it and it did work well enough to test it. After an overnight charge the unit worked even better (less static, better range). The batteries are supposed to last 22 hours on a single charge but I've not tested this.
Sound quality is excellent. The unit is comfortable to wear and the velour covered (not leather or plastic) earcups are large enough to enclose even larger-than-average ears. These are an open design so that you can hear normal conversations and background noise while wearing them. I could converse on my speaker phone with them playing but could not hear the phone handset with the headphones on my ears. The surround mode (SRS) function seems to add a nice rich quality to the sound and unlike some reviewers, I did not notice any echo with the SRS switched on. The volume control is easy enough to adjust and although I'd read lots of negative comments about its location being too close to the tuning button, I didn't find this to be a problem. There is no hiss or clicking as long as you are within a decent (50') range of the transmitter.
Some differences between this unit (RS-130) and the RS-120 (besides the price) are that the RS-130 has automatic tuning vs. having to rotate a tuning wheel on the headphones and the RS-130 has the surround mode enhancement. Also, the RS-130 is a 900 MHz RF design which gives clearer reception over a longer range (again, think current cordless phones vs. those of 5 years ago). If you are going to be using the headphones in the same room as your base/transmitter unit then save yourself some money and buy the RS-120. You won't get the surround mode but with most audio systems you can adjust the bass & treble output that goes to the headphone jack. If you are using a headphone jack from a CD player(no bass/treble adjustment) then you might want the surround mode that comes with the RS-130.
Warranty on the RS-130 is two years.
Be careful that what you buy is a complete unit and not just an additional set of headphones (without the base/transmitter). Lots of lowest price search engines come up with low price hits on the "extra" set of headphones that can be purchased for use with the complete system.
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42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Wireless Head Set!, July 6, 2006
To begin with I live in a very busy area in NYC and in my home I have a 3 system wireless computer network, 2 wireless phones, wireless PS2 controllers, wireless Xbox360 controllers, 3 cellular phones and now I have added 2 Sennheiser RS 130 headsets. You can imagine I was concerned with interference, popping and static especially after reading some of the reviews of the 130's on this site.
To be very honest it was anything but the case. Amongst all the wireless items in my house I get crystal clear sound with little to no problems. The signal strength on the head phones is phenomenal as I can even take the trash out and not miss a word from my TV shows. The sound quality is just as good as my wired headphones and the head phones all though large are very comfortable and after hours of wearing them I hardly notice there still on.
I have had the headsets for close to two months now and on the very rare occasion that I hear static all I do is hit the scan button and the problem is solved. The only technical issue I had with the headsets was during the initial setup. When using both headsets at the same time the set in my basement entertainment room was picking up some of the signal from the head set a floor above in my bedroom. This only occurred when I had the head sets on channel 1 and channel 2. To resolve this issue I set the basement set to channel 1 and the bedroom set to channel 3 and I have had no issues since.
My only other issue besides that is just as others stated with the poorly placed volume knob that occasionally gets moved when I shift my pillow in bed. It doesn't occur enough to put tape over the knob but if it did that would be my solution as it's a small inconvenience and doesn't justify not purchasing a great wireless headset.
Overall I love the headphones! They are a phenomenal buy and at around half the cost of the Best Buy price you can't go wrong buying them off Amazon. I never write reviews but ive been so happy with my two 130 headsets that I felt I needed to share so others could also join the wonderfull experience.
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