Sennheiser MX W1 Audio Headphones Price and Features: Sennheiser introduces the future of wireless audio, the Sennheiser MX W1 wireless earphone. The MX W1 is Sennheiser’s first portable and completely wireless stereo earphone system that features Kleer Technology, which delivers excellent high-fidelity stereo sound and uncompromised digital wireless connection; you won’t be able to tell the difference than when using wired earphones/headphones. It features two separate earphones for the left and right ear with comfortable ear pads that you just twist to fit and you’re ready to listen to your music without the hassles of cords. With powerful transmitters, you can even use two pairs of MX W1 to listen to music or videos, enabling two people to listen to the same sound at the same time.

The components—a transmitter that connects to a sound source and two earpieces—could have been clumsy, but the design is sensible and sleek. The two earpieces fit into a charging cradle that can be charged via USB or an AC power adapter. The transmitter is surprisingly large and makes one wonder how much of the RCA Jet Stream’s body was devoted to housing this thing. Regardless, it’s light as air, and Sennheiser wisely provides a bunch of special rubber bands that fasten to the transmitter and allow it to sit flush against the sound source (which in my case was an iPod). The transmitter also charges via the same USB cable, which splits into a Y to power up the earpieces as well. Sennheiser estimates about 3 hours of wireless playback per full charge of all the components. Everything fits into a good-looking black leather pouch, easily small enough for a purse or briefcase.

These aren’t the most comfortable earphones I’ve worn, and some people will notice that there is a significant increase in low-end (bass) when they press on the earpieces. This is true of most earphones, but especially with the MX W1, which doesn’t create a seal in the ear and tends to lose some of the bass that its drivers create on the way to the eardrum. This is a shame, but how much bass is lost will vary from ear to ear, depending on fit. The part of the earphone that actually fits into your ear is one-size-fits-all. There is, however, a stabilizer that rests above the in-ear portion and has customizable tips, so you can find the best fit for your ears.

The Sennheiser MX W1 opens a new world of clutter and hassle free entertainment. The use of Kleer technology delivers excellent sound quality and allows it to be more energy efficient than those with Bluetooth technology. Its innovative looking wireless earphones are light as air and very easy to use—just plug and play. Simply fix on the transmitter to your personal audio/video player, put on the earphones, turn it on then you’re good to go!

The PMX 680 is the latest evolution of neckband fit headphones from Sennheiser, and for this version they have co-branded the product with Adidas. The styling is mostly black in color and is accentuated by bright green striping along the neckband along with a bright green cable. The “behind the head” neckband fit is traditionally used for providing extra support to the ear pieces in order to keep them from falling out while exercising, and the same is used for the PMX 680. A unique feature called the “neckband vertical transducer system” is the highlight of this set of headphones, as it is intended to absorb the impact of running/exercising and to keep the headphones firmly in place regardless of how hard you are exercising. The neckband also offers a universal fit – no adjustments are needed to accommodate different head sizes or head shapes.

One set of black foam ear pads is included to soften the feel of the plastic earpieces. The earpieces house drivers that fit inside your ears in the same way that earbuds fit. They do not fit directly into your ear canal, but rather sit inside your ear to allow some external environment noise. For anyone who exercises outdoors, this is a safety feature that helps to keep awareness of your surroundings.

Only wraparounds are foolproof stay-putters, so as the PMX 680s adopt the design, and throw in sweat-proofing to boot. They’re an open-back design that lets in the din of the world – a pro or a con, depending on how aware of your surroundings you prefer to be.

The behind-the-head, wraparound design isn’t a new one, but the PMX 680 has a few flourishes that are. The arches that sit on top of the ear are stretchy rubber, and the back of the neckband has a reflective strip for safer night running.

The CX 95 are high quality, noise-isolating ear-canal-headphones with a very balanced sound and the highest possible sound resolution. They feature a short cable, perfect for using with a mobile phone or MP3 player with a remote-control and/or microphone. With the included 1 m extension cable the CX 95 can also be used with a player carried in your pocket. The unique shape of the housing ensures that these ear-canal-headphones are always positioned optimally in the ear.

These noise-isolating stylish audiophile delights have been designed to fit snugly in your ears and block out external sounds. Mission accomplished we’d say. With three sizes of silicone earbud, it doesn’t matter if you’ve got lugholes the size of our future King’s. Out in the real world they do a grand job cutting out ambient noise (although not the voices in your head), and provide some top-class audio to boot. The bass response is effective but tightly controlled, so you don’t get the overabundance of unrealistic, flabby bass. We hate it when that happens.

Technical Details

Great design makes the Sennheiser MX-90-VC Style Stereo Earphones a real inspiration. The innovative holding systems not only look extremely elegant, they’re comfortable to wear, too. High-quality materials and the specially tuned damping system with its detailed sound reproduction complete the picture. Ear adapter set and rubber buds for individually matching different ears 1.2m symmetrical connecting cable Audio connector – 3.5 mm right-angled stereo mini-jack plug in gold Dynamic Transducer Frequency response – 18-22,000 Hz 64-Ohms Impedance Less than 0.1% THD 117 dB SPL (1 kHz, 1 Vrms) Weight – 12 grams

The MX90 VC is another of Sennheiser’s new pairs of earbuds. Sporting their innovative winged design, they hold firmly in your ears and provide audio that is well above the quality of a typical earbud. While we still recommend over the ear models for true high quality listening, the MX90 won’t disappoint the average listener.

As with the MX55 which we looked at recently, the MX90s are designed with a special wing that extends from the tip of the earbud. This wing is covered with a rubber seal, and slips comfortably into one of the top grooves of your ear. Sennheiser’s intent here was to lock the earbuds in place, as a typical earbud design doesn’t sit firmly in your ear. The end result is a pair of headphones that are great for fast paced activities like jogging or cycling.

The design is reasonably comfortable, although it takes a little getting used to. After an hour we barely noticed the wings were there. The buds themselves are comfortable as well, with interchangeable pads of different sizes and textures, allowing you to achieve the best fit for you. As usual, Sennheiser do not disappoint with regards to sound quality either. While we still feel an over the ear model like the Koss or Sennheiser’s own is a better choice if the quality of the audio is your top priority, the size, convenience and price of earbuds often make them an attractive option.
Technical Details

• Includes earphones, volume control, and carrying case
• Convenient accessories such as volume controls and stylish carrying cases
• Specially tuned damping system ensures detailed sound reproduction
• High-quality materials accentuate the unique design
• Innovative holding design (Twist-to-fit system) ensures best possible fit

It’s hardly surprising considering that, while the budget end of the headphone market is swamped with companies, Sennheiser’s main competitors in the high-end space number only three or four. And most of these are hardly household names – AKG, Grado and Stax are the main ones that come to mind, certainly for on- or over-the-ear headphones.

This is where the firm’s latest product unashamedly sits – firmly at the high end of the market – and with a price to match. Its PXC 450 noise-cancelling cans will set you back anything between £180 and £300.

They’ve certainly got a quality feel to them. As soon as you open up the box with its posh, magnetised flap, you know that you’ve purchased some serious gear. The headband and circumaural earcups (the kind that sit over and around your ears) are wrapped in luxurious soft leather and are beautifully softly padded. The chunky hinges and headband, underneath their luxurious cladding, are constructed of hard-wearing steel and aluminium. The cable feels thick and hard-wearing and can even be replaced should you ever trap it in a closing car door. The whole set has a pleasing, industrial feel to it, like a pair of luxury, high-tech ear defenders.

The PXC 450 is a large headphone set, but it folds up into a fairly compact shape for travel, and it comes in a slim, easy-to-pack black zipper case a bit larger than the Bose carrying case. It also looks similar to the QuietComforts—silver plastics and a heavily cushioned black headband and earpieces. Volume, Power, and “Talk Through” controls rest on the right earpiece. Although it’s great to have these options, you can’t see the buttons when you’re wearing the headphones, and most of them (except Talk Through) feel the same—which makes it hard to know what you’re pressing even if you memorize the layout. I think most folks are likely to keep the volume setting on the headphones constant and adjust levels on their sound source instead. The right earcup also holds the single AAA battery used to power the unit, just like the QuietComfort 2 (the QuietComfort 3 has a more convenient rechargeable battery). The left earcup houses the detachable audio cable connection and the normal/bypass switch (more on that later). The cable itself is 55.1 inches long and of a substantial thickness more like Grado’s cabling than Bose’s. There is a double-mono airplane adapter included, as well.