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: The Best Earbud Speakers I Have Ever Heard
Summary: 5 Stars
Sennheiser CX 300 black B
Verses
Klipsch Image S2 Comfort-Fit Noise-Isolating Earphones
First I ordered the Sennheiser CX300-B Earbuds (Black). I chose a slow mode of delivery, which is always a mistake, only if you're not patient, like me. It ended up that I received the Klipsch headphones first since I paid for a faster shipping method. My setup is a Nokia 5530 phone which has an sd memory card inside where is the place the music files end up, normally when I burn a CD into a file. I use the best quality below lossless since lossless would eat up to much space. I normally burn a CD and then the phone software transfers the music files over. I then have a little Nokia blue tooth control that I clip on my shirt. With that little device I can connect to the phone through Bluetooth. I can fast forward, fast reverse, go back a song, go forward a song, pause it, change the volume up and down and I can do this both with a sound file like mp3 or a movie in mp4. For instance I have Batman Begins and the Devil's Advocate and I can do all this without going near the phone. I believe it is more than a phone. I believe it is a phone plus PDA. You can play on the internet with your wireless router through the house. Now back to the headphones. The best part of the Bluetooth Nokia Device is that I can plug any mini plug headphone into it that I want. I had a Sony headphone sitting around that I decided to try first. The sound quality was not very good. It was dull and lifeless. Then I tried the Klipsch the most expensive of the bunch. Their claim to fame is their clarity of sound and they claim their so comfortable that you can't even feel them in your ears. First I would like to address the sound quality. It's not bad. I would say ten times better than the Sony. I hear clarity and accuracy of sound but unfortunately not much else. The bass is lacking completely. There is clarity but there is too much tininess, as for the comfort of the headphones. The Klipsch is good in that respect, but like every earbud headphone it is a chore to get it perfectly right. Klipsh recommends twisting them a little bit inward and then pulling them out a small amount to create a vacuum. That method seems to work well for that headphone, but it doesn't really work well on others. Finally the Sennheiser CX300-B Earbuds (Black) almost half the price of the Klipsch..I first put them in my ears and they popped out. I tried again and pushed harder with the same result. Finally I went to get the extra ear plugs that Sennheiser provides which were smaller and put the ones that were a step down in size. They stayed in my ears and to me felt just as comfortable as the Klipsch.I tried a variety of music, from classical to popular to some jazz. I was blown away. I had never heard sound like that from an earbud headphone. It was rich and full and just enough bass, not too much and the bass did not sound muddy or unclear. The highs were just as good and there was a richness of sound that I have never hears in earbud headphones. Now I am not saying the Sennheiser CX 300 black can reach the quality of a full sized expensive Pro Unit, but it comes very close. The richness of sound of these headphones is excellent and unsurpassed by similar costing units.
Customer Review: Great earbud for the money.
Summary: 5 Stars
I just purchased the Sennheiser CX300s (for approx $59) to replace my broken Sennheiser MX550s (paid about $25). I also own a pair of Westone UM2s ($250±), Shure E2Cs (paid $40±), and Ipod buds (free with promotional Shuffle).
I listen to a wide variety of music, usually at volume settings below 7 (out of 28) and often around 2. I love my music, and my hearing. Since I don't have my player "cranked", I can't comment on how the earbuds perform at 100+db. What I want is full bodied sound at low and moderate volume levels.
For reference, the Ipod buds are the bottom of the bucket. Low quality, low efficiency, low comfort. Next up from the bottom was the MX550s. My only disappointment in these was the sound quality. Too bad that's their main function. I did like the in-line volume control and the nifty plastic case was nice. They were also comfortable when sleeping.
The Shure E2Cs are generally higher priced than the CX300s but have significantly inferior tone quality (mostly lacking low end punch), are larger, and have a thicker and less pliable cord. They do have a variety of "tips" available, most of which have superior sound isolation capability compared to the CX300s.
The CX300s are very comfortable but like with all in-ear-monitors (IEMs), the sound quality is dependent upon a good seal in the ear canal. For some, it takes a little practice to properly insert the earbuds. The big secret is that you don't jam them into your ears. When properly inserted, the CX300s produced every bit as much (or more) bass and mid-range response as the dual driver UM2s.
While walking on a very windy day, I did notice a significant amount of wind noise transmitted through the CX300s' thin rubber ear-shell. The cord is pliable but due to the connection method at the earbud, a significant amount of cord vibration (rubbing against clothes) is also transmitted into the ear. Once inserted, the CX300s stayed put with very little need of adjustment.
So how do they compare overall to the much more expensive UM2s? If sound quality were the only issue, I'd take the CX300s every time. The UM2s like other upper end IEMs have a variety of tips available. If you need extreme sound isolation (with good sound), you'll want the UM2s or equivalent.
Although originally developed for musicians for on-stage use, strong isolation earbuds are great for any situation where you'd otherwise be using earplugs. I use mine while running a backpack leaf blower, log splitter, lawn mower, chain saw, and my personal favorite, long airline flights with the screaming baby seating directly behind me. Although the CX300s would be helpful in these situations, their isolation ability is probably about half that of the UM2s. They'd be very good in moderatly noisy environments (bus, busy restaraunt, etc). Their isolation is strong enough that I would not wear them while biking (but walking or jogging might be OK).
The UM2s also have the best cord I've ever seen. Extremely pliable and transmits very little cord noise.
In general, if you're looking for a great sounding pair of earbuds at a reasonable price, and would like moderate isolation ability, the CX300s should definitely be on your short list.
Customer Review: Great Headphones for the price
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm not an expert professional DJ or anything that needs top notch perfect sound, but these earbuds are great. I bought these almost 2 years ago. I use them when I'm walking to class, working out, and when I want to block some outside noise. These aren't the best noise canceling earbuds I've tried, but they're good enough to the point where I can't hear it when people are having a casual conversation nearby. As far as the build of the earbuds, they're very durable. Like I said before, I use them pretty often. These are also the only earbuds that actually feel comfy in my ears. The only problem I get sometimes is that if you plan on working out with these (and you sweat a lot), the buds can actually slip out pretty easily which can get annoying. Also, the cord can be a little noisy when rubbed against clothing etc., but it's minimal and you don't really notice it unless you have your music on really low. The cord is uneven so you can put it behind your neck and keep it out of your way. I find that useful when I'm working out.
The bass and sound quality are fantastic when used with the right device. I use these mostly with my ipod. Sometimes on other mp3 players or devices, I don't get the same quality... For instance, when I use my laptop, I sometimes have to adjust the equalizer on my media player.
Acoustics and treble sound incredible. The range of these buds are awesome for what I listen to. Just to give an idea, I listen to a lot of Jack Johnson, Pop, Hip-Hop, Classical and Jazz music. I find that Acoustic, Jazz, and Classical music sound the best on these (not saying that the pop and hip-hop music sound bad) but it's just that you can really hear the clarity between the different instruments. When it comes to Pop, and Hip Hop, if you like bass, these are pretty powerful. You hear a lot of clarity, but not as good with Jazz or Classical music. Also, if you like increasing the bass through an equalizer, you might experience some distortion (but then again, this could happen to any headphone).
Overall for under $30, these are high quality. I own Sennheiser and Shure over the head earphones that I think sound better than these earbuds (but then again it's not fair to compare earbuds to over the head earphones). Plus I sometimes think it's a little obnoxious when you have huge headphones on when you're just casually walkin' around town.
I bought these on Amazon for $23ish so I know they are legit since Amazon is authorized to sell Sennheiser products. Watch out for other online vendors who sell fake Sennheiser products for cheap!! My roomie bought a pair from an eBay seller for like $12 and they were crappy quality. They were made out of cheap plastic, the sound sucked, and the left bud blew out in only 2 weeks! The Sennheiser logo also faded after I gently rubbed on it. After all the sweat and use that I have put my earbuds through, they work perfectly fine and the logo has not faded one bit.
I highly recommend this for the average user who isn't too picky with their earbuds, and those who want quality sound for a good price.
Customer Review: Compared to the Etymotic Research ER-4Ps...
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had Etymotic Research's ER-4Ps for about five years now, and absolutely love love love them. Terrific product. I sent them out to www.fixup.net (back when that site did this swap) to swap out the cable to something not as bad microphonically, and after that the ER-4Ps haven't gone more than three or four days without use in the course of those five years.
Well, excepting once. When the right transducer experienced a fatigue failure while in my ear canal. Was rather embarassing for me to ask my then-girlfriend to take a set of tweezers and remove the darn thing, but she did a fine job. And despite the fact that they were about six months out of warranty, the Etymotic folks did a better-than-fine job of replacing/repairing (I couldn't tell which) the broken unit for only the price of shipping. And that excellent service included direct email communication with the technician who actually carried out the servicing. Top-notch service, and enough to make me a vocal Etymotic supporter.
However, now the left-bud is exhibiting some very serious attenuation, and I can see another mailing off to Illinois is in order. But based on my last experience, I can't live without having something in the interim, and so a quick Amazon Prime-prompted purchase of the CX 300Bs was in order. While I only expected them to carry me through a brief black-out period while my ER-4Ps are being serviced, I have the feeling that they're going to be seeing some fairly regular usage. Believe me, no one is more surprised by that than me.
The ER-4Ps have top-notch sound. But where they lack is in the convenience factor. I use the foam ear-tips (that expand in the ear-canal) which are somewhat of a PITA to put in and take out. The Sennheiser buds, on the other hand, go in and out with the greatest of ease. If I'm in an environment where I may need to pause the music, the CX 300Bs are going to be my first choice.
Where the ER-4Ps still excel are environments where outside noise is an issue (think air travel), or where cable microphonics may be an issue (exercising). The CX 300Bs are the choice if I'm to be resting in bed (P. Kowalsky's wiki article at the bottom of the page is spot-on), if they may have to go in-and-out of the ears with any regularity (I'm listening at home with my wife and/or daughter around, or I'm at work), or if I need to be cognizant of say the telephone (work, again).
Clearly the ER-4Ps provide a truer response than the CX 300Bs, but the CX 300Bs do not make me cringe or otherwise distort the output to any bothersome degree. Honestly, depending on the music you're listening to, the low-frequency boost may be a welcome change after listening to the flat response of a more precision transducer.
An unqualified recommendation for the CX 300Bs. And FWIW I do not give out unqualified recommendations for those (I always have to warn potential buyers of the PITA involved with fitting them in your ears, and basically shutting off your sense of sound to the world around you once they're in).
Customer Review: Excellent replacements for low-end earbuds on a budget
Summary: 5 Stars
Over the years I've used a bunch of different cheap earbuds, the last few I've used a modified set of Koss "The Plug" with some adjustments to the dampening, replaced the spongies with earplugs, etc.. I loved them honestly, and they were easy to maintain, just drill out a hole once a month and replace the foam dirt cheap. A bit boomy, but EQ could take care of that, but they got lost somehow.
I finally decided it was time to spring for some decent buds, but I couldn't spend >$50 so I went with these. In reality I wish I'd went for the 400 or 500's but these are really great earbuds. I'm no audiophile, but I can hear a distinct difference in my music with these earbuds. I hear nuances I never noticed before, and the sound stage seems much wider, especially noticed this listening to some of my Pink Floyd which already utilized a lot of channel-specific instrumentation.
These fit just great, don't fall out, they don't hurt.. I've even slept in them several times. I often have a lot of trouble with ear pain using earbuds, but these with the smallest bud fit just perfectly.
The cord really should be a foot longer, as I have to be careful with where I put my Creative Zen MP3 player.. Just putting it in a pocket usually doesn't work if I'm moving around a lot. The rubbery cord doesn't bother me, although I have yanked a bud out once or twice because of the tackiness of the cabling but overall I like it and I understand it holds up better than the harder plastic cords.
These won't do for replacing high end earbuds unless you want a good set that is more likely to get damaged, but they are a great upgrade from cheap earbuds. I love them, and hope they last.
I can't get quite get the 'boom' out of them that I did out of my previous earbuds, but my old pair were admittedly boomy. I've read a few times that the fit affects this, but either the bud is in your ear canal or it isn't, I've fiddled around with different size buds and different positions and they all sound alike so I'm pretty sure I have them in my ear properly, these are my fourth pair of in-ear buds.
Biggest complaints are really that they do not isolate sound as well as my old earbuds did, so doing loud activities I have to crank up the volume a little more. They do a pretty good job at it overall, but I got spoiled on my old earbuds basically silencing all external noise. And the cord noise is pretty bad, if I'm moving them around it is actually pretty loud and irritating, and not something I'd ever noticed on previous earbuds. Wind noise is obvious too, but turning up the volume a bit when in wind etc pretty much covers that up.
BTW, mine were genuine, but I've read some reviews saying theirs were not. Amazon sells from a lot of vendors, so I'd google the issue and look at yours when you get them just to make sure.
I've only had them about a month so I can't speak to durability, but the Poop quality of them is 5 stars. Seriously, why is there a rating for "Poop"?