The Sennheisers sound very, very good and are comfortable to wear. They're a little larger than I'd like for travel, but I really can't give up quality sound. One word of negativity; they only sound good when the noise cancelling circuit is turned on. Yes they still work without it, but they lose a great deal of sound quality. I don't have enough experience with them yet to know how long the batteries will last, but on longer trips to Europe I'll carry spares just in case.

These come with a nice carry case and a couple of adapters to use with home systems and the Delta Airlines double plug. Pricey yes, but I've already spent more than double what these cost trying to find something good. I think these could be the ones.

The battery compartment is a little bulky, but can clip onto your belt. The cord could be a little more substantial, but there is a two year warranty should it break. The headphones adjust to your head very nicely, and the ear pads are thick and comfy. These don't totally enclose the ear, rather they sit on the outside. Not the smallest or easiest to carry around, but if you want high quality sound without the discomfort of ear buds, these are the way to go. The noise cancellation is decent, but the sound quality with the noise reduction circuit engaged is the prize.


The Best Noise Cancelling Headphones I've Heard   January 28, 2005
 30 out of 31 found this review helpful

I tried everything. My last attempt at a decent headphone for use in a noisy gym was the Shure E3C "in-ear" headphones. You can see my review for those in the Sure E3C section. Before trying those out I had been using the Sony MDR-NC20's for the last 6 months. They did cancel the noise out pretty well but the sound was terribly muffled (no highs) the mids seemed squashed to me almost like they were compressed and while the lows were there, they were very mushy. For a while I just figured that this was the price one pays for using noise canceling technology. Then I went on a hunt again and read some good reviews for the Sennheiser PXC250's so I went and purchased a pair. I first just put the batteries in and tried them at home. They sounded great! Rich low-end, brilliant but not harsh highs. Overall a very pleasant EQ curve. But the real test would be at the gym.

The ambient noise in this gym is the constant roar of treadmills, stair machines, stationary bikes, etc. Overall these cover a fairly broad frequency spectrum. I put the headphones on and started the music. Oooops! I forgot to turn the noise canceling on. After doing so I couldn't believe my ears. With the music on (and not even too loud) I felt isolated in the room. The sound was absolutely top-notch and turning on the noise cancellation circuitry actually improved the sound quality! While I have tried the Bose noise canceling headphones it was around 6 months ago so I don't feel qualified to do a direct comparison. However, I do not remember them blowing me away like these Sennheisers did.

I think it's also important to know what kind of music I used to judge these phones as someone into classical music might looking for a different sound than someone into rock. I have been either a professional musician or otherwise involved in the music industry for the last 40 years. My music types of choice and the genres I used to judge these phones were progressive rock, rock, and fusion jazz. My reference headphones are the Sony MDR-7506's which, to me, are some of the best sounding headphones one can purchase without completely breaking the bank. They are also some of the most used headphones in the studios I worked in and visited. These Sony phones can produce a very low yet articulate bass and smooth mids and highs that are never over bearing. While the PXC250's are not as rich sounding as the Sony MDR-7506's, to me they are just as pleasant sounding. There are no frequencies I miss when listening to these.


Silence IS golden when flying or at the gym...   May 15, 2007
 29 out of 29 found this review helpful

When I was shopping for a noise cancelling headphones, the first one I considered immediately was the Bose Comfort 2. I had used them before on plane trips & absolutely loved them. The only 2 problems I had with the Bose was that when the battery died, so did the silence/music/movie & that they were a lot more than I was willing/able to pay. So I did some research & found that Sennheiser was also good brand name & much cheaper than Bose. All the reviews (Consumer Reports, C-Net, other Amazon reviews to name a few) I read gave these Sennheiser headphones a thumbs up; & the price was more than within my price range of what I wanted to spend. So thanks to Amazon, I bought them.

I have now had them for over a month, & I am thrilled with my decision on buying these headphones. I have used them several times, & they work perfectly with my 5.5 generation Ipod, while on my computer playing Oblivion & other video games, & on the plane. It definitely helped in tuning out the crying babies, loud speaking people near me, as well as some overhead announcements by the Captain & Stewarts. Although I will admit that turning up the volume on my Ipod also contributed in tuning out all the noises on the plane.

The sound quality is crisp, clear, & sharp. I felt there was some depth to the sound effects while watching "Batman Begins" on my Ipod. With the noise cancelling feature turned on, my favorite songs & movies sounded even better. The bass & treble were at the perfect levels for my needs. There is no built-in volume on the headphones or 'battery wand,' but I don't really need one since I use my Ipod's or computer volume controls.

The ear pads are comfortable & the headset is quite light. Although, I will say that they sit right on your ear (not around your ear, like the Bose Comfort 2) to which could be a little uncomfortable for those who don't like any pressure placed directly on their ears. I'm one of those types of people, but these headsets didn't bother me at all. I liked the sleek compact look of the carrying case, & love the fact that the headphones fold neatly away when not in use. The inclusion of the plane & stereo/computer plug adapters was a very nice extra as well.

I was concerned that the 'battery wand' would get in my way, but to my surprise it wasn't really a problem. There is a built in 'belt clip' on the wand which works perfectly whether I was on the plane. Plus the cord between the headphone & 'battery wand' is more than long enough to able to move around without it ('battery wand') getting in the way. The headphones works superbly with my ipod & didn't shift or fall off while I was on the treadmill. The carrying case that came with the headphones has a belt loop on the back & a small zippered pocket on the front. That came in really handy since I used it to keep my Ipod & 'battery wand' protected while walking & jogging. And, yes, the Ipod fits in the bag along with the folded headphones, 'battery wand', & cord with no problems whatsoever.

The other feature I really love about these headphones is that they still work as headphones even when the 2 AAA batteries die. The battery life can go pretty quickly if you use the noise cancelling feature for a long period of time. However, now that Energizer AAA lithium batteries are now on the shelves, I haven't found any problems with prolonged use. I just have to remember to turn the noise cancelling switch off when I finally done using the headphones for the evening.

All in all, I'm very satisfied with this purchase & very happy with the headphones. I hope that this review helps others in their decision making process on whether to buy these headphones or not.


Great sound - sucky ergonomics   November 24, 2006
 28 out of 34 found this review helpful

I received a pair of these headphones AND a pair of SkullCandy Prolitariat NCs for my birthday. It's nice to get a choice of gifts!

I opened both pair and tested them to give each a fair shake. Here's the short version:

I reluctantly kept the Sennheisers and returned the SkullCandys. The SkullCandys caused an echo effect that I found unacceptable and the Sennheisers were crystal clear. I'm a bit of an audio-snob.

The long version:

I was excited to get the headphones because I work in a distraction-full environment at a University. Headphones are a must-have if I'm ever going to get my dissertation written.

I used three songs to compare the headphones:

1. An acoustic version of Janis Joplin singing "Me and Bobby Mcgee"
2. "500 Pound Cat" by Living Daylights (fast Jazz fusion)
3. "Bitches Brew" by Miles Davis (well... yeah...)

Both headphones fit me comfortably. The SkullCandy (SC) felt like they were hugging my head. The Senns felt like they were just perched up there but still comfortably - like a really nice pair of the classic Walkman style headphones. The SC completely covered my ears and made me feel thoroughly separated from my environment.

On all three recordings, the Senns sounded beautifully. On Janis, I noticed this wierd echoing sound that turned out to be the soundcard in my laptop! The SCs showed the same problem. A friend who's into digital recording said that laptop soundcards generally suck. Now I have my own evidence.

On all three recordings the SCs with the noise cancellation turned on created a tinny effect as though I was listening through a pipe. Turning off the NC made it go away. I listened long and hard but finally decided that despite the ergonomic issues, I would keep the Senns and I couldn't stand the SCs. But that was only deciding that I would only be using these headphones in about one place and could deal with the pain in the arse external NC device.

So what are the problems with the Senns? I sure wish the engineers at Sennheiser would look at the SCs and put their electonics in the SC formfactor. The SCs have the entire NC circuitry buit into the headphones. They firmly hug the head and feel like they would stay on even if I was bouncing on a trampoline. They have one _DETACHABLE_ cord leading to one side of the headphones.

So back to the Senns... The basic formfactor is the "old skool" 80s Walkman small things that press on the ears with a band going overhead. I guess the SCs are even more "old skool" as they are similar to the old FM radio headphones I had when I was 9 (1978). Like the good ol' Walkman headphones, there are separate cords leading from each speaker driver to a device about the size of a small flashlight (the kind that use two AAs) that contains the NC circuitry and two AAA batteries. This thing has an on-off switch and a clip for your belt. Then there is a cord leading from this thing to the 1.5mm plug. The cords are all just long enough that I can plug into the front of my laptop, set the NC device a little to the side and still move a little bit around my desk. Of course, with three separate cords running around, I'm likely to get tangled... By contrast, the NCs have one cord running straight to the headphones that you can even change out for a longer one if you want!

Sennheiser would have done well if they did two simple things:

1. Make a single cord run from the NC device to the headphones.
2. Make all the cords detachable.

Neither of these changes would have affected the production cost at all and would have made them so much nicer. In fact, once the warranty expires, I may just mod them myself in this fashion. The other benefit of these mods is that I could use the great headphones without the NC circuit if I wanted!