Sennheiser CX300-B In-Ear Stereo Headphone
by Sennheiser
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Sennheiser CX300-B In-Ear Stereo Headphone
Customer Review: Wonderful headphones
Summary: 5 Stars
I am not a avid audio equipment buyer, and I am on a rather strict budget. I do love music however, and decided that perhaps I should invest in something that I could listen to it in higher quality. After careful consideration of all the Sennheiser headphones ~< 50$ on this website, I had ended up buying these. I read a couple good reviews for these (and had seen the rest), and then looked up at all the negative ones. Here are all the negative traits and positive feedback (or negative feedback) I've noticed after buying this product and throughly reading reviews..
1) -The design-
Pros:
The right earphone cord was longer than the left, and it was most likely designed using behind the head style. I wasn't sure if I would like this, and thought this would be the greatest drawback, as I had seen the same design be terribly wrong.
However! These headphones are actually quite easy to wear, and actually somewhat stylish. They're not quite as messy because of the cord design, and for me they get snagged on things less and I am less likely to rip them out, because there is essentially only one cord to handle.
I have never used an In Ear Monitor(IEM) before, but these things are MUCH better and comfortable than just about all the previous headphones I have used. Not only are they rather comfortable and don't seem to leave any pain or impression in your ears, they stay in amazingly well. I went for a jog and I didn't have any of the problems I have had with previous earbud headphones in the past.
Also, I think it's useful to note that the connector is a 90 degree connector. I have found these to be more fragile on occasion, but I can only wait and see, I have yet to have problems (and hopefully won't for a long long time).
They give you three different sizes of tips for your ears. I myself had to change to the larger ones when I got them, and it's nice that they give you a choice. I feel like I am getting a good seal with the current size, but perhaps I could get a better one? If you are afraid of this or find that you can't do any of the three sizes that come with it, you can go and buy you're own earbud tips, I hear this works well (and cheaply), and can increase sound quality.
Possible negative:
The cord length could be a problem for some people... I am an average sized person and can put my arm out all the way and there's still a decent amount of slack, however the cords are a little stiff, and perhaps it might not give some people the freedom they want. I personally am fine with it, these are fine for walking, running, and going about daily business in your jean or coat pockets.
Conclusion: The design is rock solid, if you don't mind an average length cord and a seemless behind the head wire style.
2) -The sound-
Pros:
Where do I begin? I listen to every genre, and everything from Verdi's Aida to Devin Townsend Band's Synchestra sound absolutely amazing. From the quietest of quiet to the loudest of loud, these headphones are the best I've ever owned in sound quality. I am just afraid that if I turn it up too much I may just go deaf :X.
Luckily for me their noise isolating technology works wonderfully. I took a walk and it seemed almost dream-like as the cars seemed to be gliding by, making a very soft and ambient noise. You can play your music very softly, at a low volume setting, and still hear it very clearly. No longer will you be bothered by people who have muffler problems, crazy construction noise, and the general bustle of the things around you. It's almost eerie to pause your music and feel the sweet silence that these headphones give you.
These headphones are obviously closed ear earbuds, which makes really nice for if you're going into a library, office, or home and do not want to disturb anyone with you're music, which is precisely what I was looking for considering headphone noise is considered the number one most obnoxious noise in public areas.
Possible negatives:
Well, if you don't get a good seal, then you can invest 10 more bucks for better eartips and it'll sound pretty good.
I can't imagine how good these are in the professional market, but then also if someone is buying these headphones for ~50$ coming down from equipment that is ~>300$ (not that price always makes the headphone), then perhaps it is obvious that these headphones will not be able to hold up as well to them. However, I think that they can hold their own as a satisfactory competitor to even the most powerful of Bose audio equipment.
Definite negatives:
Just because they sound good and have good isolation from noise, a big problem is cord noise. Any physical movement at all touching these cords, or even walking gives the impression that you're very very lightly tapping a drum to the beat of your footsteps. I have to say that it's very easy to overlook when you have music playing, but when running or jogging this can be somewhat more noticeable. I have gotten over it, but if you are looking for something that has a much more seemless experience you may want to try open air headphones, as noise isolation is probably causing the problem but giving you such good sound quality, but you'll sacrifice the privacy of listening to your music and not broadcasting your music.
Overall conclusion:
If you are looking for good sound quality, noise reduction, and design; and you can also get over the fact that cord noise is there, these headphones might just be what you're looking for. I certainly think they were what I was looking for, and I give these 5 stars regardless of cord noise.
Customer Review: Excellent headphones
Summary: 5 Stars
The Sennheiser CX300's are a steal for the price. Let's start with the build quality:
-The CX300's are small compared to other in-ear headphones. Each piece is very small and will not stick out very much. My Skullcandy Ink'd in-ear headphones are larger and every thing is just bulkier. The audio jack is small, and shaped with a curve so it doesn't stick out of your player like the iPod headphones or the Ink'd phones. The cord is thinner than others but still strong. Sennheiser did a good job on compaction.
-The materials are of high quality and the finish is very shiny on the inserts (If you have a LEGIT product, buy from J&R, they buy directly from Sennheiser).
-There are three sizes the headphones come with, like most in-ear headphones, from small, to medium, to large.
-Some one on Youtube said that she thinks the little rubber sleeves are of low quality and flimsy; well my Skullcandy Ink'd headphones have more durable rubber and are less comfortable. The CX300's have almost the exact same size rubber sleeves, but since they are softer and more "flimsy" they are MUCH more comfortable. The comfort is extremely amazing and the CX300's feel almost as welcoming as iPod headphones.
Now the sound quality:
First of all, to get the full experience you have to break into the headphones. It wont be a few hours of use until they are performing the best they can. I am writing this next section on the pre-break in period and then a post-break in period review after.
-The bass is stronger than any earbuds (such as the iPod earbuds) naturally because they make a tighter fit directing more music to the canal. But when comparing to other in-ear (canal) headphones, these make a tighter, cleaner, sounding bass. The bass is not out of control, and though still enjoyable, again not like many other in-ear headphones which may or may not make people happy about them.
- The mid range at pre-break is similar or possibly a bit better than the Skullcandy Ink'd ($15.99) in-ear headphones. I am guessing by the time I break these in enough it will improve and become more vibrant and clear.
-The high range does stand out like mentioned in other reviews, and provides you very clear high tones. Even at pre-break the high range beats the Skullcandy Ink'd phones by a lot. The Skullcandy headphones can get a bit degraded or distorted up there, but the Sennheisers do not.
-Overall, at the pre-break in period, every thing is sounding superb, fresh and clean. The comfort only adds to the enjoyment and listening experience.
Coming soon: post-break in period (I will be comparing the CX300's to the Skullcandy headphones again)
*UPDATE* Post-break in period review:
It is amazing how easy it is to notice the difference between the Sennheiser head phones and the Skull Candy headphones. Here is a quick summary of the post break in results:
Playing "Scream" by Avenged Sevenfold, it is very easy to notice that the Senneheiser's have a MUCH more vibrant, full sound. The actual bit rate sounds degraded with the SkullCandy's, and the bass is also well over done with the SkullCandy's. The Sennheiser headphones are more comfortable, sound more vibrant, and sound is more balanced.
Playing "Boom Boom Pow" by the Black Eyed Peas, the sound is also more balanced and the sound quality is more vibrant and realistic. Because the SkullCandy's have more bass, the Black Eyed Peas sound more "pumped" with them, but that still doesn't diminish the fact that the Sennheiser's have better overall sound quality.
In a short conclusion, the Sennheiser headphones did in fact improve over the month period of listening, and I would definitely recommend them over the Skullcandy INK'D headphones. The price seemed to lower on amazon, but just for the example, five bucks extra over the Skullcandy headphones is the best deal you can ever get for in-ear headphones for the quality. If you are going to buy ANY in-ear headphones within the $30 dollar range, these are the absolute BEST that exist. Post a comment if you disagree or have an opinion.
Note: These headphones are extremely good for the price. I am not comparing these to 100-300 dollar headphones when I say "excellent." The CX300's are currently priced at around $20.00 online, and I am comparing them with my $15.00 Skullcandy headphones which are the closest I have in price.
Customer Review: Very very impressive
Summary: 5 Stars
A friend at work has a set of these, and I was blown away by the comfort and depth of sound.
I own a number of other Sennheiser headphones for my home stereo, television, etc., so I was very anxious to get these. I've always been very pleased with the acoustic quality and mechanical construction of Sennheiser products.
I bought the least-costly set from a third-party vendor, which turned out to be a mistake. Although the CX300 earphones arrived promptly, the sound was simply awful. The sound was dull; the bass was muddy; and the midrange honked (audiophiles know what I mean here). The quality of construction also seemed to be poor, and the earphones were larger than my colleagues.
I contacted Sennheiser almost immediately and sent my earphones to them for inspection. Within a week, I received a new set of CX300 earphones. I noticed that the packaging was markedly different. I didn't receive a diagnosis on the other set.
The sound from these was all that I expected and more. You have to pick the correct foam cushion when using them. That makes a big difference in how they sound. The actual earphone is a bit tiny, so I often use my fingertips to gently rotate them in my ear slightly to get them seated correctly. Don't push too hard, because it can create a vacuum, which is uncomfortable, especially when you remove them.
As far as sound quality, they are ever-so-slightly bright but not over the top. Bass is deep and reasonably well controlled without becoming tubby -- no small feat considering that these earphones are roughly the size of the tip of your pinkie finger. Midrange seems to be very nice.
A true test of a speaker (whether it be a headphone, earphone or big box on the bookshelf) is its ability to reproduce piano and women singing. In both cases, the CX300 performs excellently -- restrained and on target.
Try these with anything from Bruce Hornsby to Elton John or perhaps the Lord of the Rings soundtrack. Listen to "The Breaking of the Fellowship" and "May It Be." I've found this particular piece to be one of the most challenging songs for any set of speakers to reproduce accurately. With lesser headphones, you'll get chalkiness in Enya's voice, especially toward the end of the song.
Also, the drum riff in Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" is simply something that you have to hear for yourself. Lyle Mays' solo in "James" on Pat Metheny Group's "Offramp" sounds terrific.
Listening to the Police "Every Breath You Take," you can hear the gentle swipe of the cymbals. So far, these have handled any music that I've put through them.
Depending on your MP3 player (B&0 BeoSound 2), the volume can be extremely loud so be mindful of that. A song such as Patti Smith's "So You Wanna Be (a Rock 'n Roll Star)" can really hurt.
My friend says he sometimes gets cord noise -- which was mentioned by another reviewer here. He said when the cord rubs against his short collar, he'll sometimes hear it. I haven't noticed that, and I generally wear them while walking from the bus stop (roughly eight city blocks) or parking lot (15 city blocks). But I usually keep my MP3 player in my shirt pocket and the cord coiled, so possibly that is either reducing or eliminating cord noise.
I have no problem recommending these. Plus, they come with a two-year warranty, which I've not seen before with these type of earphones.
Sennheiser's customer service is first rate. A real person replies quickly to inquiries. I've had to use them twice, and turnaround time in both cases was about a week.
So sit back in your favorite chair, throw on Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" and enjoy.
Customer Review: It's the FIT, stupid!
Summary: 5 Stars
Count me a recent convert. I briefly tried these when a friend of mine bought a pair, hated them, had me listen to them in passing, and I agreed. Later on, looking for something cheap but ok-ish for listening at the office, I decided what the hell, and ordered a pair anyway after shopping around. Nothing else in this ballpark of comparable quality it seems.
Now that I've had a chance to really play with these, I'm convinced that the people who are complaining about the sound quality of these earbuds simply didn't choose the correct rubber ear pieces. These come with a small, medium, and large --- the mediums are the ones on when you take them out of the box (IF you can take them out of the box---more on that later). I experimented with all 3 and found that the small allowed the buds to fit deeper in my ear and resulted in much deeper bass and a generally richer, fuller listening experience. The medium and esp. the large ear pieces made the sound much thinner and weaker.
Now, as for "brightness"---yes I'd concede that these are less than "neutral" audiophile earbuds, but they are not PAINFULLY bright---at least not unless you are blasting your music through them, which is a very bad idea to begin with. (Certainly they are clearly better than cheaper mass market brands in this price range, like Phillips and Sony and Panasonic.) These in-ear designs are great in that you can play music at a much lower volume, sparing your eardrums and avoiding long-term hearing loss...I had my MP3 player at about 40% of the volume level I use when listening to my over-the-ear open-air phones, and due to the exceptional clarity/detail as well as the solid 15db of noise-reduction, still enjoyed it greatly. Very quick, outstanding attack and decay. Yes, the open-air phones are even richer and certainly more balanced tonally, but they are not very useful in an office environment or on a noisy commuter plane/train.
I wouldn't pay fifty or sixty bucks for them (MSRP) but for thirty clams, I can live with the subtle flaws.
* Now, my biggest gripe: the god-awful PACKAGING...you practically have to use a blowtorch or hacksaw to open the damn plastic box, it seems built to protect a nuclear weapon or something! What is up with that, Sennheiser?
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UPDATE 1/21/2010 --- after further break-in (left them on for 2 days straight) and using these phones on 4 different sources (my work desktop PC, home laptop, Sony MP3 player, and Cowon MP3 player) I think what has become apparent is that these are highly REVEALING headphones...they don't create their own "sound" as much as they simply communicate the quality of the source player and source material. What this means is that if you play them on a crappy machine (my office PC) they will not sound very good. My Sony has great SQ but is a bit bass-heavy...with the Senns the bass finally becomes just right. Their detail and speed is consistent across the board, though...very dynamic.
UPDATE 3/7/2010 --- after buying a NuForce Icon mDAC (external soundcard + headphone amp) I am now 100% convinced that these earbuds are simply TOO REVEALING of their source material. With the mDAC, even my crappy office computer now puts out amazingly rich and beautiful tunes through these Senns! I plugged my previous el cheapo $6 random-Chinese-made headphones in, and they still sound bad. So once again: garbage in, garbage out---if you have a crappy rig, maybe you should avoid these fine earbuds.
Customer Review: Superb in-ear phones for the money
Summary: 5 Stars
Let me preface by saying that I own several pairs of dramatically pricier earbuds by different manufacturers; the one I'm glaring at as I write this were manufactured by a company who's name begins with an 'S' and rhymes with 'bony', dusty and neglected on my desk. Another pair I'm 'shure' are inferior, especially considering their nearly 4x higher price-point. In none of these have I found anything that can approach the quality and clarity of a half-decent pair of cans (enclosed, over-ear speakers).
Enter the Sennheiser CX300-B. For the entry-level price, I wasn't expecting much from them, despite the reputable Sennheiser brand name. When I first threw them into my MP3 player, I was proven pleasantly unprepared for the clear and even highs and lows which emanated from these lightweight, comfortable headphones. I gladly put them to the test early on with a wide and varied array of music, from Vivaldi and Pachelbel to Miles Davis and Ahmad Jamal, Clash, Billy Bragg and Buzzcocks (and nearly everything in-between). These speakers were well-balanced enough to cope with the most driving and arrogant Bad Religion to the softest and most subdued piano bar splashes.
Some owners complained about them sounding to bright or too bassy. I'm sure these people are not exaggerating, for any speakers which must be inserted into the ear-canals are a matter of some precision. Too far in, and you may feel that your brain is being drilled out by rabid chipmunks. Not far enough and the bass leaks out, leaving your music sounding less than engaging. These problems are common to any 'earbud' type phones, and may be further exacerbated by the natural design of your own ear canal. In my own experience with the CX300-B, they were the perfect fit when using the largest of the three sets of removable gaskets provided in the retail packaging. Being a white male (we have the widest ear canals), the largest were the only ones which sealed properly. Even so, they feel much more comfortable than any of the other models I've used to date. As for the sound, I found the sweet spot of perfect bass and tone was very easily and naturally achieved without much invasive ear-probing, which I can certainly live without. Your ears being unique creations, your own milage may vary on both of these critical points.
If you have hundreds to spend and want the convenience of in-ear speakers, you undoubtedly will be able to find what you're seeking among the pricey and high-end of the well known brands. For those of us who have not the luxury (or inclination) to spend so much on the most portable of headphones, these are exceedingly difficult to defeat in the arena of bang for your buck.
EDIT: Since I wrote this review, I had two different friends pickup CX-300's on my recommendation. Both opted for the < $20 retailers, and both ended up with fakes.
Generally speaking, if you bought them for a similar price new, you can bet that they're counterfeit, which I've begun calling "Fakeheisers". These are good knockoffs; unless you had a pair of real Sennheisers to compare them with it'd be hard to tell the difference in appearance without disassembly. The sound though, is far, *far* inferior to the real thing. If you want Sennheiser quality, buy from a reputable dealer. If you try to get the lowball deal, you might as well continue using the cheap ones that came with your MP3 player.