Home >> MP3 Player Accessories >> Headphones
Sennheiser PXC 450 NoiseGard Active Noise-Canceling Headphones | List Price: $399.95
Discount Price: $305.00
|
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
great set of noise cancelling cans [Posted on 2008-04-22]
I bought these at London Heathrow just before embarking on an 11hr direct flight back to LA. Despite the hefty price - these were the perfect companion for a long haul flight with Virgin Atlantic's awesome in-flight entertainment system.
Really comfortable - I had these on almost the entire time and they were snug, cosy fit. None of the "ear-hotness" that other 'phones have given me. Build quality is superb - really top notch materials and construction. Noise cancellation and sound performance were above expectations. Usually I have to blast the volume up to compete with the engines - but with these puppies on I was able to have them on *much* lower levels and get treated to crystal clear sound and subtle noises that would just have been lost with ordinary 'phones.
The "talk through" button is a great feature and means you can clearly hear cabin crew talking to you without having to either turn them off (or remove them completly).
Sound Redefined [Posted on 2008-05-29]
My first impression with this headphone was one of diassapointment. I had just received my 450s as a gift and was expecting superior audio quality to that of my former sennheiser cx-300s. Upon listening to some audio on my ipod touch i found that the 450s lacked the crisp and detailed sound that the cx 300s had and that many of the frequencies sounded muddy. I planned on using my normal cx300s but faith intervened and i left them by my freinds house leaving me with my 450s as my only audiophile headphone. a week or so passed and i forcefully learned to accept to appreciate my 450s. then the day came when i decieded to run the headphones on my computer system which is equipped with a sound blaster xfi extreme sound card. my impressions of this device instantly changed. never on a headphone have i ever experienced such crisp, detailed, resonating, full bodied, transient, responsive and toned sound. upper and lower frequency extremities tapered off gradually and gracefully and i could not possibly describe the device of brightening any of the freqency ranges. noise attenuation on bypass mode is second to none and on electronic noise cancellation it is even better. i did however notice some very slight electronic interference and frequency bundling when the noiseguard was on. the headphone is also very comfortable to wear and surprising lightweight. yet it does hurt after wearing it for a while if you have big ears like me.Also be prepared to take the headphones off every once in a while to wipe the sweat accumulating on your ear lobes! This device is indeed clumsy to walk around with in public, but if you want to enjoy music and have sometime for yourself or frag some games and get true audiophile sound, this is for you. the one major complaint i have about this device is that the bass response is somewhat dissapointing when compared to that of my cx300 in terms of low frequency extension--- not response or accuray though. Regardless this is an excellent product that is definately worth the money and comes from a reputable brand of headphone manufacturers.
Good Noise Control, Simple Operation [Posted on 2008-07-17]
I am very pleased with this purchase. I like the volume controls on the headsets and the center button that allows one to switch-off the noise-cancelling function to communicate with others. The noise cancelling feature is much improved over my old Panasonic RP-HC300 headphones. The headphones are also very light and well-cushioned. I never noticed them even on a long 10-hour flight.
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 !!
Click here for more details and discount information...
|
){kind=link}