Sennheiser RS120 926 MHz Wireless RF Headphones with Charging Cradle
by Sennheiser
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Sennheiser RS120 926 MHz Wireless RF Headphones with Charging Cradle
Customer Review: Excellent Product
Summary: 5 Stars
I own a pair of Sennheiser 170's and they are really excellent headphones but @ over $200 I didn't want to spend as much since major use of these 120's was my bedroom TV. PS, if you're buying a tv these days, be careful to check the back before buying. Most decent size LCDs/plasma's don't have headphone jacks, many do not have RCA audio outputs, and some cheap models don't even have optical outputs. I'm not sure how optical to RCA converters worked, so, I wanted one with RCA audio out in addition to optical, and second choice would be headphone jack. In my humble opinion, RCA-output is the best because there is constant output level and you then control the TV speakers with the mute button on your remote. If you are limited to a headphone jack, the speakers usually are cut out when the phones are plugged in making it necessary to be plugging and unplugging whenever you use the phones and then want to go back to the speakers. Back to the 120's. First of all - sound quality is excellent, tho I don't use them primarily for music, I'd have no hesitation to do so. Unlike the 170 and 180's they don't have features like base boost nor do they have the surround sound simulation that the 170/180's have. PS: this feature on the 170's is really cool and I love using them on my family room tv for action movies. But, back to the 120's: even without these features, the sound is great. Next, reception: unbelievable. I've been all over my house to test them and they work great, even on different floors. Next: comfort. I actually really like the "on the ear" fit for my purposes. Soft pads, no irritation, but haven't yet worn for hours. I can say that, since I have both, there is one advantage of these compared with "over the ear" fit that is a feature of the 170's. With over the ear, if your head is resting on a cushion/pillow such that the cushion/pillow pushes on the earpiece, it causes the earpiece to put pressure on the back of your ear and actually can cause irritation. It's my one complaint (albeit minor) about my 170's. The one problem wiht the "on ear" fit of the 120's is that it is not "secure" - i.e, because they fit lightly and comfortably, if you want to wear them while you're say doing a project that requires bending over, they'll tend to slip off your head/ears. If you're sitting, at your computer, lying down for a nap, no problem. But if you''re going to be active with them - like working in the garage or cleaning the house while wearing them, might consider the more secure fit of over the ear. Since they're not over the ear, they're not as noise isolating, but that can be an advantage if you want to know what's going on around you - like hearing your wife calling you or the doorbell, etc. Finally, as for some of the criticisms of others that I've seen posted on these reviews, here's my take:
1. Hiss: non existent. none. I'm using these with RCA outputs on my tv that have constant output and in this mode 0 hiss at any volume even with total silence on the source. If you're using headphone jack output, probably should have the component volume up enough (normal listening level) so you don't have to crank the phones - but I've pushed the volume on these during silence on screen without any hiss!!
2. Unable to charge with earpieces extended. Huh? Maybe they've changed the design of base unit, but this is simply NOT true. I've extended them all the way and set on the base to charge. No problemo.
3. Volume control on same side as tuning wheel. Please.
4. Auto on/off. So far no problem while watching TV. I suppose if you're pausing dvd's frequently, this could be a minor annoyance, but if you're wearing wireless headphones the need to pause should be minimal, since you can keep listening while you grab a beer in the kitchen or take care of business in the bathroom! Here's the bottom line on this: I TURNED THE TV OFF AND CLOCKED THE TIME-TO-AUTO-SHUTOFF: 3 minutes exactly. So.. how can this be a problem listening to music: suggest if this a problem you are using a headphone jack and the component volume is set incredibly low, turn it up a bit! Oh, yeah, when the base is off, then turn the tv on, the time between tv volume "on" and base unit auto on is virtually instantaneous. Again if, not getting this performance, suspect it is headphone jack and component volume problem.
Overall: this is a great set of wireless headphones at a reasonable price (less than $100 on amazon) and the problems noted by others have either been engineered out of the product over the years (some of the negative reviews are years old), or the folks with problems haven't set them up correctly (using headphone jack with component volume turned too low). For best results, try the rca audio outputs and if you're going to buy a new tv, look for and get a tv that has this feature!
Customer Review: Best Headset I have ever bought
Summary: 5 Stars
Being a Senior Citizen, and not hearing too well, for more years than I can remember, I never had luck with headsets on my TV. (this is, I think, my FIRST time writing a review, so bear with me please. And Only just used it, but had to write a review.)
My wife has her own TV, and even when I play my TV loud, I still can't make out words, so many years ago, my best guest would be in the 1990's, I bought my first Headset. Not knowing if I should say where I bought them, a well known store, I won't mention them.
I bought so many from that store that I lost count. I can't remember if they were 30 days or 90 days warranty. All I remember was that right after the Warranty they just didn't work. This went on for years and years, until in one of my magazines I get, I saw a re-conditioned headset, a Sony, and for $49.95 I bought that. It had 2 year warranty, and for $2.00 more I bought another 2 year warranty. I bought the Sony Headset, and reason I bought this new headset from Amazon was because the Sony one was starting to go. By the way, the Sony headset lasted 7, at least 7 years. If I had to put a downside to the Sony Headset, it was the cost of the batteries, they were expensive, but for 7 plus years I never had to replace those rechargeable batteries that only can be gotton from Sony. Other than that, this particular Sony Headset WAS my best. When I needed another headset after the 7 plus years, I went to Sony site first, looking for same one, but they don't make them anymore, and in short, the reviews were awful. I checked Amazon on headsets I thought maybe were good, and even Amazon had terrible reviews.
Needless to say it took me a month or two to figure out the best headset for me. When I came across the one I got, the Sennheiser Cordless RS-120, the reviews were good,at least for me. Another reason I thought they were best for me was because they were always out of stock when I tried to buy it at Amazon, and thought maybe these were good.
I received headset yesterday, April 17, 2010. I charged, as per directions, the batteries for 24 hours. Even though I am just trying it, so far I can honestly say that this headset IS DEFINATELY the best, even better than the very old Sony I had, which is a good backup in case something happens to the Sennheiser RS120.
I was curious in reading the low reviews, meaning the distance. I connected everything to my TV, and tested distance, and believe it or not, at least for me, I went outside, walked half way up the block and the signal was GREAT. I would never need that distance, but good to know it goes far.
Because of my health condition, I'm limited on what I can do, which is watch TV, and DVD movies, and of course my computer, which is the 2nd reason I needed the headset. 1st reason, before getting headset years ago, was my wife yelling "turn down the TV please".
I am extremely pleased and happy with the purchase of Sennheiser RS120. In reading the 1 or 2 or whatever low stars, I'm only guessing that people expected much more, whether battery or distance, I just didn't understand why there were low ratings. RS120 has on/off switch, and even though for most people it could be a hassle turning it off when not in use for a while, but that's okay for me. RS120, it says, 20 hours of battery use, my old Sony was 18 hours, but DID last longer. For me, though, and I'm only talking about myself, the RS120 is, by far, the best headset I've head since early 1990's.
Even though I was spoiled spending the $49.95 for re-conditioned Sony that lasted so long, the price for RS120 was a little steep for me, but IT WAS WORTH IT. Once one reaches Senior Citizen, and especially the economy the way it is, I couldn't buy the headset that is maybe one step above in price.
Amazon, for me at least, is the best place to check all products out, and of course to buy products too. I haven't found any place, other than Amazon, that I can buy products like books, products for our dogs', DVD's, etc. etc., than buying it from Amazon.
I hope my review is clear, and my review is based from 1990's on headsets, and at least for me, the RS120 is awesome.
I know it's only one day I've used RS120, but I don't think I'll have any problems at all. Main thing is I can return it because of warranty. Last point, in all the products I've bought, no matter what they were, from Amazon, we have never, ever, had to return anything we bought.
I thing that is saying something about Amazon.
Thank you all for reading my first review.
Customer Review: 5 stars for apples compared to apples.
Summary: 5 Stars
It is certainly possible to get poor performance out of these.
You can use them with the batteries half charged, when you will get either low volume and hiss or loud volume in one speaker and low volume out of the other.
You can also tune them slightly off channel or fail to select a clear/free channel on the base. Again you will get hiss and some crackling and popping noises as you move around.
You can also combine some of the above and go behind a building or two and walk around a lot.
You can also put in a weak audio signal to the base, which gives similar results.
I have done all of the above and got back poor performance.
And its easily done, I nearly took them back. Such is the current nature of wireless devices, including headphones. Sadly the human ear does not and these (analogue) headphones cannot realistically correct for interruption of transmission as some digital devices can.
But used correctly these headphones give excellent results for wireless headphones. Clear crisp signals and, in my case, I can happily walk anywhere in my house without significant interference. However as per the other reviews, if you want absolutely perfect uninterrupted sound either do not leave the room the amp is in or buy a set of corded phones - in which case you cannot leave the room the amp is in anyway.
I have also had a pair of logitec wireless headphones valued, at the time, at a similar price. The Sennheisers beat the logitec headphones hands down, absolutely no contest. The logitec (bluetooth) phones had a nasty compressed, closed in and restricted sound. A sound that you only fully notice after a while of listening. But enough for me to want to take them off after half an hour or less.
In contrast the Sennheisers can be worn for long periods giving comfortable, crisp and clear sound and I tend to forget Im wearing and listening to them rather than wanting to take them off.
Some reviewers rightly question why all the 5 star reviews. And I hesitated to give 5 stars. Why ? Well because if I compare these with a set of Sennheiser 555s, for example, well the sound from the latter is superior. Its as simple as that. Fuller. Clearer. Crisper. More defined. Dollar for sound quality, the 555s are better at achieving a great sound.
But if I compare these with other wireless headphones currently available these headphones are simply excellent. In fact I have not found any viable contenders with which to compare. Plus if I compare these to a set of Sennheisers in a similar to slightly lower price range, they sound just as good if not better - the difference is small and so highly subective. So if these 120s were not available I would not be buying wireless headphones at all - it wouldnt be worth it.
So when I give 5 stars I am bearing in mind that these headphones actually work very well as a wireless headset. They also have excellent sound for your average to moderately discerning listener. You can only currently improve on one of these attributes - ie the sound may be improved by getting a set of expensive corded headphones. Certainly the 555s, and possibly some cheaper Sennheisers.
But also be careful, these headphones do sound very good in their own right so you will not get better sound from a significantly cheaper headset and I dare guess not from another cheaper brand (But I confess I havent tried since I regard Sennheiser as the leader here). However dollar for sound you may get better value without the wireless feature, but to fail to do so would be to expect the wireless for free would it not ?
So take into account I wanted a pair of wireless headphones that actually work as a wireless audio device, are comfortable to wear and sound at least as good as my last Sennheisers and preferably as good as other Sennheisers in a similar to lower price range. I believe I have achieved all of these, and that's why I give 5 stars. And that's the context they should be taken in.
Customer Review: Excellent RF wireless headphones
Summary: 5 Stars
I've gone through several pair of Koss HB70 IR headphones, purposefully avoiding RF headphones. So this is my first pair of RF headphones.
The bad stuff:
- There are two knobs on the right speaker. One is volume, and the other is a tuner. You may hit the tuner a few times before adapting to the intended ergonomics. This is nothing less than a SCREWBALL design decision. The tuner knob should have been placed on the front or top, completely away from the volume knob. There is absolutely no excuse for this design (other than profit margin, I mean).
- There are three channels on the device. If everyone in your dorm has a pair, there is going to be massive overlap. The tuner has a "sweet spot", where the audio is cleanest and loudest. Channel 2 seems to be the clearest in a low-interference area.
- The inductive charger puts out 100ma or less. The batteries will never fully charge unless you don't use the thing for an entire day. NiMH batteries do crystalize, they just do it much slower than nickel-cadmium. Plan on having a second set of batteries and a charger so you can fully run down the batteries once a month.
- The unit requires a certain amount of signal to keep the channel open. If there is a very quiet segment of a movie, or the top menu has no audio, the channel will drop and a full-volume blast of white-noise will emit from the speakers. It's a bit imprecise, too. Turn off your amp, and the green LED (indicating an open channel) may stay lit for 3 or 4 minutes. But 2 minutes of a DVD menu without audio, and the channel drops.
- If you lean forward, these are going to slide right off your head. They're little more than hanging. You'll have to rig something up if you're going to be moving around with these, or just remove them from your head.
- Is going to be subject to RF interference. In a high population density area (i.e. New York apartment), there's going to be all kinds of interference from modulators and mixers. If you live downtown, or in dorms, these may very well be unusable.
The good stuff:
- The SNR is significantly better than the Koss IR models. Background hiss is attenuated very well, but the audio has less dynamic range and clarity in comparison to corded headphones (naturally). Probably in the low 70dB range, but without the hiss. You have to crank the volume up to 90% of its maximum setting to hear the carrier hiss.
- The speakers are far behind the cushion, so sweat isn't likely to corrode anything.
- Batteries are very easy to swap out from the left speaker. The earpiece cushion just rotates 30 degrees, and you have unfettered access to the two AAA slots. Really excellent design. Well, you know, until the little plastic tabs break...
- Metal cradle holds the headset in just the right place for inductive charging. There's not going to be any long-term issues unless the metal brackets break from the housing.
- Ships with a switching power adapter instead of a linear tap.
Summary: Everything I needed, minus the RF induced brain cancer. A++, would buy again.
Customer Review: Set-up Makes or Breaks Your Experience
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had the headphones for about 3 weeks now, primarily for TV watching. Once I got the set-up right (more on that later), I couldn't believe the clarity on these. I have a hearing problem and always used closed-caption to help. Now I don't need it. They are crystal clear, with no pops or crackling sounds. My kids agreed the dialog was much clearer than just listening to the tv speakers.
SET-UP ISSUES: My only knock is the lack of set-up help in the instructions. It shows a small picture and mentions using RCA jacks to hook up to an output source. However, the front of my TV has only input jacks and an HPJ hole (Head Phone Jack). The back of my TV was inaccessible without moving some of the wall unit, so I tried with the front HPJ first. I plugged the two RCA jacks into the smaller adapter and placed it into the hole. Well, the headphones worked, but the tv speakers automatically shut off. Also, not only did I hear the dreaded pops and cracks as well as the beeping for a lost signal sometimes, but the sound would shut off every 3 minutes for about 3 seconds, causing me to rewind (luckily I have a DVR) each time. I used it like this for 2 weeks before I decided to call Sennhieser and Panasonic (TV).
They basically said I should try to find the outputs on the back of my TV. After I finally got back there, I saw tons of wires. Some going to a VCR, some to my Cable box/dvr some going to my stereo. The only two output jacks were being used to go into the back of the cable box. I unplugged one of the inputs and put one of the headphone inputs in. I was now able to hear one side of the tv speakers and one side of the headphones. Not what I wanted. I figured out that a splitter might work and went to radioshack.
I bought one splitter (single male with two females) for the red input and same for the black input (about $4.50 each). I plugged the male end from the tv into one of the female ends of the splitter. I then plugged the male end from the headphone base into the other female. Then I plugged the single male from the splitter into the female of the cable box. Then did the same for the other side. Now, the TV AND the headphones both worked at the same time and all the crackling, pops and lost signal went away! Then I had to go to the audio set-up of my TV and saw there were two options that shut down the TV speakers. When I choose either one, it allows the sound to come from the headphones only (which I use at night when no-one is in the room). When I want to listen to the headphones with the TV (family watching together), I just change the setting to speakers on and they can hear the tv and I can independently change the volume on my headphones.
Bottom line for me is that these worked beyond my expectations, once I had the set-up correct. Highly recommended as long as you set it up the right way.