Sennheiser PX 100 Lightweight Collapsible Headphones
by Sennheiser
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List Price: Category: CE See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Sennheiser PX 100 Lightweight Collapsible Headphones
Customer Review: Some of the best portable headphones I've tried
Summary: 4 Stars
I looked at this product in the need for a good pair of headphones I can bring going to work and back. I didn't feel like leaving my full size headphones at work, and wanted to carry these with me (although not use them while walking anywhere.
I wanted to split this review into a few chunks to describe better what you may want to compare against.
PORTABILITY:
These headphones are very portable, they aren't full size headphones by any means (if you're not sure what full sized looks like, look up the Sennheiser 650, or Beyerdynamics DT 880), but these are *not* as portable as IEM (In Ear Monitors - think ipod headphones). With that in mind, if you're like me and quickly grab out an ipod or something, and a pair of IEMs to listen while walking/running/exercising, then these will likely disappoint unless you prepare, at home, before going. The build quality doesn't feel near as good for these types of situations either. On the other hand...if you're doing light working out and prepare before hand, these work. These are really well suited when sitting somewhere - say at work or something, which is my main reason for buying these.
SOUND QUALITY:
The sound quality, at this price, is really quite good. So far I've only compared them to an unamped ipod and between these headphones and my IEMs (v-moda vibes). The isolation of this headphone is non-existent, so if you work in a noisy office then this is probably a bad idea. The sound quality itself is really good. The soundstage is as good as my DT 880 (although lacking in sound quality in crispness and all), but beats out my v-moda vibes. The bass in the v-modas are a little better as well, as far as punch is concerned. I think this headphone better represents the sound though. All in all, the sound quality was extremely impressive, and something I didn't expect.
BUILD QUALITY:
The comfort of these headphones is really good. I haven't listened to them longer than about 30m so far, but they are comfortable. WIth that in mind, it's worth noting the strength of the headphones itself. They feel very lightweight, and potentially easy to break. If you're hard on stuff, these headphones may not last you very long. Also, one person explained here that getting it in the case is kinda a problem. It's not that long of a process, but you should use the case. I suggest these as well as IEMs if you're really active like I am. The IEMs can be used everywhere you're moving around a lot - and these all other times.
OVERALL:
Overall I think these headphones are definitely worth the money. They are fairly cheap for really good sound. I was really surprised from the first bit I used them, and many times headphones require a little "burn in" to really loosen up even more. The sound does feel aggressive to a degree right now, so that might change later. These headphones definitely do not replace a good setup at home, but they are good for some on-the-go and at work/couch/java place/etc. If you have this as your own primary headphones, I urge you to treat them really carefully, as I can see how they can break fairly easily if not careful.
Customer Review: Sennheiser PX100s vs AKG K26P
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a musician that already owns high-end Sennheiser headphones for use in my studio. However, I needed some inexpensive headphones for use with my iPod. After much research I found the best reviews for the AKG K26Ps and the Sennheiser PX100s. I couldn't decide so I bought both knowing that my wife needed a new pair of headphones too. Using my iPod and listening to the same songs through both headphones I compared a variety of music styles. The PX100s are promoted as having "natural sound" and I would say that is exactly what they have. They have amazing clarity and you can hear every note. Despite sounding incredible, I did notice that the sound seemed a little "distant". They have an air to them that somewhat mimics surround sound and makes for a very pleasant listening experience. The earpieces have open backs so people sitting close by will probably be enjoying the same music. These headphones are incredibly light; the earpieces are very comfortable, and I could definitely see wearing these for hours at a time. The way that they fold up is ingenious but takes some practice and they come in a sturdy plastic case that protects the headphones and allows you to wind the cable up very neatly. The K26Ps are quite different. Like the PX100s they have surprising clarity for such inexpensive headphones. Every time I plugged them in after having listened through the PX100s and I had to turn the volume down quite a bit because they are so much louder. Where the PX100 present a distant sound, the acoustics of the K26Ps are up front and right at your ear. This is the sound that I prefer. At the right volume the K26P sound just blew me away. Being a musician I'm picky about being able to hear everything, and while both provide that, the K26Ps are my top choice for audio quality. The K26Ps are little heavier than the PX100s; the earpieces have a vinyl-like covering over the foam and, while comfortable, tend to push on the ears a little harder than the PX100s. One of the biggest complaints I read about the K26Ps is that the headband is quite tight and I have to agree. While I could imagine this getting tiring on my ears, I also don't plan to wear these for extended periods so for me it doesn't matter much. However, I also found the headband to be less comfortable. Where the PX100s have some nice covered foam the length of the headband that comes in contact with the top of your head, the K26Ps have no cover at all. In fact, the glide adapters that allow for the adjustment of the headbands actually annoy me a bit if I have them too tight on my head. The K26Ps also have a wonderful method for folding up but they come with a light material bag as their case and you just have to wind the chord around the phones. Not as graceful and well executed as the PX100s, but still convenient. They both provide a two year warranty. Despite the PX100s being more comfortable, the audio quality lead me to chose the K26Ps for my use and I gave the PX100s to my wife (which she actually like better any way). In my opinion you can't go wrong with either of them and I can't imagine there being better headphones available for the money.Customer Review: Portability, Comfort, and Sound Quality for Cheap
Summary: 5 Stars
I am comparing these headphones to other products people may be interested in.
Shure SE110
Apple Ear Buds
Seinnheiser HD280s
Sony EX71
Skullcandy Ink'd
Pros:
More comfortable than ear buds or closed headsets
Extremely portable
Inexpensive
Excellent sound quality (recessed mids but excellent balance and richness for the most part)
Can hear the outside world
Cons:
Can hear the outside world, and they can hear you
Really need to be broken in for the sound quality to go from amazing to exquisite
On their own, the PX 100 headphones are extremely comfortable, fit well, collapse for portability, and sound amazing. They are relatively inexpensive and have a beautiful warm, boomy sound that was absolutely shocking when I first put them on. They are the best sounding headphones I have that I can wear comfortably.
These headphones have very similar sound quality to the HD280s but tend to make music more enjoyable. While the 280s are more analytical and balanced, the px 100s are more colorful and have more bass. They also do not highlight the highs so much that poor quality audio files are impossible to listen to. These headphones have half the impedance of the 280s which means you are getting richer sound in a more portable package for half the cost- with increased battery life on portables.
SE110s are slightly clearer and allow individual instrumentation to be heard better, but their sound quality does not create a balance (favoring the highs) that makes music enjoyable. They are also not comfortable. Both are good for classical music but I think the PX 100s are better because of their warm sound and deep lows, which really brings crescendos to a climactic finish where SE110s always leave the listener feeling cheated out of the final hit.
These have the same depth of bass response as the Sony 71s, but are more clear and are not as muddy in the mids and highs.
They are about as clear in the highs as apple ear buds (they are better than most people want to think) but also allow for clear bass and do not sound tinny and like someone pushed the right side of an equalizer to max.
The Ink'd ear buds are the closest in terms of overall sound to these and cost only a third of what the the PX 100s cost, but are less comfortable, do not stay in your ear, translate the sound of the cord, and only sometimes sound right (you have to have a perfect fit, which is nigh impossible)
These are my favorite pair and I only put them away when I *must* be isolated from my environment. They have an amazingly rich, warm sound which adequately plays any music I can throw at it. The clarity in the upper range with older music can lend to the bass overpowering some music. It isn't as noticeable as it is when my Klipsch 2.1 system plays the same song.
These are a no-brainer and I liked them more than the KSC75s, portapros, and bose triports I tried.
Customer Review: Excellent portable headphones for the money.
Summary: 4 Stars
The Sennheiser PX100s are the entry end of Senn's PX line (which includes the open-aire PX100, the closed PX200, and the noise-cancelling PX250). They retail for $39.99.
The PX100s are small, unobstrusive phones. They're suited to portable music players (portable CD and MP3 players), as they are relatively efficient and drive well for the most part. They are small and thin, so you won't look like a complete geek or goofball wearing them in public, and they fold up cleanly and could easily fit in a shirt or pant pocket. They also include a carrying case. The build feels flimsy, but they are actually far more durable than one would imagine. The cord is thin, so beware snagging it too sharply, and short (these are not for use with a home system). They are also extremely comfortable, with a large "sweet spot" and light weight.
Out of the box, the PX100s sound extremely "sweet." They're remarkably soft and smooth sounding, and this will initially sound somewhat disappointing, unless you listen exclusively to jazz. Never fear, however. After about one week of normal use, the highs and lows open and sharpen up, and the headphones become well suited to more aggressive, harsher sounding music (such as metal, hip-hop and hard rock) as well as natural and smooth melodies. Overall, there is a slight emphasis on the low-end; there is pronouced bass without any "bass boost" or EQ needed. However, the highs and mids are never drowned out, so the PX100s never sound muddy. The midrange is strong, and while the highs come in weakest of the three, they still sound better than any other phones I've heard in this price/weight class (the Koss PortaPros, the PX200s, the Bose TriPorts).
It should be noted that the PX100s are open-aire headphones, meaning they offer close to zero isolation. What this means is that they block out very little outside sound, and at high volumes in a quiet area (such as a library) your music will most likely be audible to those in your immediate vicinity. If you MUST have closed phones, the PX200s are the best choice, though it should be noted that they are very finicky in terms of their "sweet spot." It's occassionally hard to get the PX200s in exactly the right spot of ear and can result in disappointing sound, one of the reasons I ended up choosing the PX100s over the PX200s (as the 100s feature a much broader sweet spot on the ear).
I highly recommend the PX100s to those looking for alternatives to the "stock" phones that come with most MP3 and CD players. For those seeking high-quality sound performance on the go, and don't wish to carry monstruous DJ-style headphones (or "sound support systems" as my father refers to them), the PX100s are an excellent choice. They sound great, they don't look bad, and perform well without the need for any external amplification. They might drain the battery a bit more than the stock ear buds, but the difference is negligable and definitely worth it when you hear the difference in sound.
Customer Review: Comparing headphones: Sennheiser PX 100; Sony MDR-023; Radio Shack 33-1162; various earbuds
Summary: 5 Stars
So you know where I'm coming from: I listen to jazz, classical, and some pop, but pop to me means Sinatra and Streisand, not Michael Jackson. I never listen to rock, hip-hop, rap, or the sounds of train wrecks. "Good bass" to me means tight, deep, well-articulated bass, not boomy, toneless mud. I "play around" with piano, bass, and acoustic guitar. I have measurable high-end hearing roll-off, but I don't seem to notice it when it comes to headphones.
I've been using the Radio Shack 33-1162 headphones at my office for several years. I'm not sure you can still buy them. Main attraction for me was comfort and a 16-foot (5-meter) cord with a volume control. The bass is okay, the clarity is okay, they've served me well for years. I'll continue to use them at work because of the long cord.
Then I got a pair of Sony MDR-023 headphones. Considerable sound improvement over the Radio Shack 33-1162 headphones. Much better bass response, although perhaps a tad muddy by comparison, but still better. Clearer, cleaner highs. Also a very comfortable headphone. Short cord, though, barely over 3-feet (1 meter). I'll use these at home with my laptop, where I don't need a long cord.
Saw rave reviews for the Sennheiser PX 100 headphones and wondered what I was missing, so I tried a pair. Considerable sound improvement again over the Sony MDR-023 headphones. Clearer, tighter bass. Clearer, cleaner highs. Also very comfortable headphone. Cord is a little longer than the Sony MDR-023 phones, about 4-feet (1.25 meters) which does make a difference. Also, unlike the Sonys, these fold up into a hard plastic case. This looked like it was going to be a hassle, but it's not. A very common-sense fold and the cord wraps around quickly; case closes easily. Easily done in half a minute--much easier than folding a road map. I'll carry these in my laptop case, which goes everywhere I go, and I'll use them at home on occasions where I've just got to have the best sound.
Overall impression: For me, any headphone sounds great if it's better than what I'm currently used to. The Sennheisers sounded better than the Sonys, which sounded better than the Radio Shacks. (That is the descending order of price, too, of course.) All three of these headphones cost me $[...]. All three are much superior to any of the Sony, Sennheiser, or Koss ear buds I've tried, which either were uncomfortable plugs with good sound (Koss) or comfortable hanging buds that wouldn't stay aimed at my ear canal well (Sony, Sennheiser). But also, when you're not A-B comparing them, the difference fades away a lot. (Ever notice that after a few plays you get into a football game as much on a 19-inch TV set as on a 60-inch? Same principle.)
I can't give you much of a review as to sturdiness because I'm not hard on headphones. I've always been conscious that headphones are pretty delicate items, so I don't toss them around. No kids and my dog doesn't chew. Gotta go.