Sennheiser PXC 450 NoiseGard Active Noise-Canceling Headphones | List Price: $399.95
Discount Price: $300.00
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Brand: Sennheiser
Binding: Electronics
Features: - Outstanding sound thanks to adaptive baffle damping and patented Duofol diaphragm
- Best possible protection from outside noise (up to 90%) with NoiseGard technology
- Talk through function allows you to talk undisturbed while wearing headphones
- Full accessories: soft case, 2 audio adapters (in-flight entertainment and 6.3mm/1/4"), batteries
- Audio always works, even in passive mode and without batteries
The new Gold Standard [Posted on 2008-08-27]
In a nutshell, you get what you pay for. The trophy has been passed and Sennheiser has taken the lead from Bose in the realm of noise canceling headphones.
A few years ago I purchased a set of the Bose Quiet Comfort. Those worked very well until the shoddy Bose quality led them to start generating a loud vibration. This happened just outside of warranty despite being well cared for and infrequently used.
In the interim I tried a variety of less expensive alternatives. Those were all OK but still far from the Bose (when they worked). I also tried out an expensive Sony set but was not impressed. I thus decided to give the PXC 450 a shot and could not be happier.
Noise cancelling is as good or better than the Bose. I guess you really do get what you paid for. The pass through feature is very handy as well.
Sound quality is better than the Bose. Music simply sounds cleaner and less processed. Comfort gets an A+ as well.
Time will tell, but these seem to be much better constructed than the Bose. They are a little bulkier but fold up well in their case. If you travel once a year to see Grandma, then these are probably overkill, just pick up a $50 alternative. If you are a frequent flyer, these are well worth the investment. If you are considering the QuietComfort, be sure to give these a try first.
Sennheiser PXC 450...listen to the best !! [Posted on 2008-08-30]
These are absolutely the most comfortable, best made, best sounding noise-cancelling headphones on the planet. I listen to my iPods a lot, and take a few long airline flights a year...but the stock iPod earbuds are terrible in terms of sound. So, I bought Shure and M-Audio earbuds, which are fantastic in terms of sound and isolation from external sound(i.e. airplane engines)...but, they hurt my ear canals after 30 minutes or so. So, I bought a pair of Sony noise-reduction headphones...they worked pretty well, but they are flimsy, and they sit on the ear, not around it. Next, a trip to the Apple store to try out the BOSE units (QC2 and QC3)...I actually preferred the QC2 sound and comfort to the QC3, although I felt that it was more flimsy...this was due to the fact that the QC2 goes around the whole ear, wheras the more expensive QC3 sits on the ear itself.
Which brought me to the Sennheiser PXC 450...I usually don't buy stuff untried, but a LOT of internet searching led me to believe that this is the best pair of NR earphones on the planet. Well, I was definitely NOT dissappointed...in a nutshell, WOW. Pricey, but definitely worth every penny, especially with the low price that I got on Amazon.com. The bass response is really excellant, but not boomy...the high end is smooth and strong without being shrill...and the response seems to be pretty flat to my ears (meaning that you can EQ to your hearts content...the iPods are really good about that). And they are comfortable for HOURS on end (I just wore them for 3 hours straight with no discomfort whatsoever). They will also work when the battery goes dead sans the N.R. (something the QC3 will not do), and they have a button on the end which allows you to hear outside conversation from your wife, the flight attendant, etc...very cool. And finally, they are made like a expensive headphone...a thick cord, not the flimsy thin cord of the Sonys/Boses. TRES COOL !!
Finally, I decided to go back to the Apple store, and A/B my new Sennheiser with the Bose QC2 and QC3. Overall, I thought that the QC2 came close soundwise, but was lacking in the midrange slightly compared to the Sennheiser. Perhaps due to the fit on the ear, I felt that the QC3 didn't come close...the noise reduction didn't work nearly as well in that noisy store. I came away from the store convinced absolutely that I made the right choice.
So, in conclusion, if you don't mind spending a little more, go with the Sennheiser PXC 450...you sure won't regret it, especially if you are a audiophile like me (actually, a musician). If money is a deciding factor, check out the Bose QC2...it also gives excellant sound, albeit being more inexpensively made as well. ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND, THOUGH...for some odd reason, I found that the Sennheiser could be purchased on Amazon.com or eBay with a better discount than the Bose...so I didn't pay that much more for the Sennheiser...very strange.
Sennheiser PXC 450...listen to the best !!
Great Headphones in Loud Situations [Posted on 2008-09-24]
Great Build Quality - Strong joints, tough sturdy plastics, good passive noise reduction, excellent active noise reduction
Sound - Boxed in feel without active noise reduction, sound somewhat thins out with active noise reduction (esp. low freq), active sound processing bypass switch is not perfect (clicking sound with battery in and active noise reduction off- workaround is to take the battery out)
Comfort - EXCELLENT, 9 oz never felt so light
Accessories - All I require with gold plated plugs (1 for airplane, 1 for sound system, 1 for mp3 player), case seems to be made out of some sort of lightweight plastic wrapped in rugged cloth (I expected leather).
Overall - not for the audiophile but great headphones nonetheless especially if you require active noise cancellation (the best I think). These headphones are for those who dont like the "canal" earphone with noise reduction (although a few earphones are better at noise reduction than these).
Not comfortable [Posted on 2008-10-09]
I bought these cans to punish Bose for their shoddy construction of my Triports that snapped into pieces repeatedly. I need a pair of headphones to get me through long transatlantic flights. These are my first impressions.
The sound quality is good, I don't dispute those reviews.
I am surprised, though, that nobody has mentioned some comfort issues. The interior of each earpiece has a piece of hard mesh that projects out and rubs uncomfortably against my ear. Also, they are not light, and the weight of them on the crest of my head becomes quite noticeable.
I guess I am used to the Triports, which are basically weightless, incredibly comfortable, and sound great. As for the active sound cancellation, I don't find it necessary. The natural shielding from having Triports over my ears for ten hours is enough. The Sennheiser's can't help me with noise if I have to take them off due to discomfort.
I will try these for a while longer and then decide whether to sell them and buy a new pair of Triports every year.
Wasted effort [Posted on 2008-11-18]
After searching online reviews I settled on the PXC 450 headphones. Spent extra to express mail these headphones so I would have them on a cross country flight Florida to Seattle in two days. Opened the box tonight and found the headphones do not work - even used new batteries other than the ones included in the kit. Hopefully I can get another set overnight - otherwise all the music in my Iphone not be heard on this trip.
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