I just got a set of Sennheiser CX300 earbuds. When I originally got my iPod, I ditched the Apple earbuds for some better Sony earbuds. The Apple earbuds are disappointing. But those Sony earbuds recently died after a long life which predated my iPod. Being a bit picky about sound quality (yes, uncompressed cd’s would be ideal on an iPod if memory were unlimited) I decided to try these Sennheiser earbuds. I am pleased!
It appears that the list price is in transition from $89 to $49. But I found them on Amazon for $30, and there are other suppliers that carry them at various discounts.
They sound better and are more comfortable than my old pair of $30 Sony earbuds, and leave the Apple earbuds in the dust. These are a definite step up from the usual consumer earbuds, but are still at a consumer price. They have a sound that I would describe as full, detailed, clear, and pleasant. The box advertises “bass-driven sound” and I do find that the bass is almost too much. On my other earbuds I used to run the iPod EQ as “Bass Booster”, but with the Sennheisers I put the iPod EQ as “Bass Reducer” to keep it flat, or as “Off” if I want the bass to kick. The bass, lack of a tinny sound, and presence is very dependent on a sealing fit. The earbuds come with 3 different sizes of rings for the earbuds for your ear canal. Sometimes on a big yawn an earbud can come unsealed and the bass drops off dramatically. I haven’t tried any strenuous physical activity with them yet, but they fit me well. Because of the seal effect, they do offer good isolation from ambient sound. In fact, my family has taking up to sneaking up on me from behind while I’m listening at my desk because they like to see me jump. One good tip with the asymmetric cord is for the cord section from the split to the right ear to be worn behind your neck – it is less apt to get tangled on something near you. The cord is made of a strange rubber that never wants to get completely unkinked, but that is just a nit.
I definitely like these earbuds, especially at this price point. Read the comments below for some caveats.
marcelk responded on 09 Aug 2008 at 9:25 pm #
I did go out for a jog earlier this week, and the earbuds fell out of my ear in about 15 seconds. Repeatedly. But before they did, The sound of my breathing and joint impact was amplified greatly inside my head, obviously because of the seal. So these are not earbuds for activity.
Additionally, being outdoors in a breeze, the wind caused a whistle sound as it ran past the small holes on the outside of the earbuds, which didn’t completely drown out the content, but was noticeable in a bad way.
So it sounds like they are best used indoors while being mostly still. Hmm. I’ll need to keep my old Sony earbuds for jogging.
marcelk responded on 14 Aug 2008 at 2:16 pm #
I was forced to try another ring size for the earbuds (after one of my kids pulled the original rings off and lost them). I went for a jog with the small rings, and they didn’t fall out, but the left earbud that bears the cord weight did come loose every few minutes. But also the bass was less pronounced since the seal was less tight than with the original ring size. Still have the whistling from the wind. If the left earbud didn’t come loose occasionally, I would jog with these.