Sennheiser HD 598 Headphones (Burl Wood Accents)

Sennheiser HD 598 Headphones (Burl Wood Accents)..

Special Price Sennheiser HD 598 Headphones (Burl Wood Accents) By Sennheiser

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373 of 387 people found the following review helpful.
Review of Reviews
By Russ
Having looked through the other reviews for these headphones, there seems to be a general lack of understanding with regards to what you're getting with Sennheiser's HD598.

1. Sound Isolation: These headphones are not at all designed to be sound isolating. They are completely open - any other sound in your listening environment will come in, and anyone else around you will be able to hear what you're listening to. That being said, they are not intended to be used on the city bus or subway, or in a library, or in your cubicle at work. These headphones are for listening to music and movies in the quiet seclusion of your home or studio. The openness is what gives these headphones the unmatched sound stage they have. No closed set can even come close, on any price range.

2. The 1/4" Plug: On the end of the HD598 comes a plug size that may not be familiar to many. This is not a set of headphones for your iPod or your laptop's headphone jack. Will it work with the included adapter? Sure. By doing so are you missing out on what these headphones have to offer? Absolutely. If you don't have one already, get yourself a headphone amp with the HD598. You need a good source to bring these headphones to life, and with one you won't have to turn the volume way up to hear the finer nuances.

3. The Bass: Sennheiser is not known for their hard hitting bass. Think of their HD5XX line like German sports cars. Some might think they're boring or soulless, but those looking for a consistent, predictable, and balanced performance get exactly what they want out of them. They are designed to give the same output levels across their entire functional range, and the HD598 leads the group. Bassheads should look elsewhere.

As one last note, there is a bit of concern about the cracking on the band that people saw with the older HD555. I can't speak for Sennheiser's official policy on the matter, but every case I've heard of owners contacting Sennheiser about theirs breaking has resulted in a free exchange. The newer ones are supposed to be tougher, and I can certainly speak for that. After several months of daily (ab)use and moving from house to house, mine look as they did when they were new. No cracks, no scuffs, no dings.

These are damn good headphones, and they're comfortable on my big head, to boot. In a few years when it's time to get something new, I'll be going to Sennheiser again.

----
Three year update (2014/04/15): I still use these every day, and they look, sound, and feel exactly as good as they did the day I bought them. They show zero signs of wear, despite *thousands* of hours of music, movies, and gaming. My five star review stands - these headphones are exceptional. Keep doing what you're doing, Sennheiser.

369 of 399 people found the following review helpful.
Bravo Sennheiser! New Verified owner. A happy one at that!
By Timothy Bennett
If you're reading this review, it's probably because you've either stumbled upon the HD 598's while looking for headphones on Amazon, or you've been to head-fi.org which is a website where you can read all about the legacy of all different headphones wether each headphone has been criticized negatively, has awesome reviews or some, both. In the case of the 598, there has only been awesome reviews.
For those of you who have just stumbled upon this headphone, i will spare you the time it takes to read about headphones becuase you will get hooked. Simply put, these are AMAZING headphones. Let me first off say that what drew me into liking these headphones was their ability to sonically reproduce anything i threw at them accurately and without distortion. I absolutely love acoustic recordings. These headphones will make you feel like you're actually getting a personal perfomance from any performer. If there are any other performers in the mix then there is an attribute of the headphone called soundstage that helps seperate the instruments or different sounds anyways. This helps create a mental image needed to feel the capability of a headphone. These headphones excell with soundstage and mental imaging. As for bass, it's tight and well controlled. There really isn't a focal point on the bass if through electronic music it's kind of like just there. With bass from an instrument, there is a very good focal point that adds to the headphones imagining. Brilliant.
These headphones do need a minimal 40 hours of burn in and they sound good through an mp3 player. I do suggest highest bitrate possible such as 320kbps or FLAC and cd's because the 598's are so good at reproducing what is given to them. Also a better digital to analog converter (DAC) will really help these headphones come to life. I personally use the headphone amp on my home theater receiver on the 598's and it really does help but from what i've read, a really expensive amplifier is unecessary with these headphones. I do always suggest an amplifier though.
I really think anyone will be happy with these headphones no matter what genre they listen to. Between their sparkly highs (really quite beautiful and even the best audiophiles have noted the truly magical highs and how they can't believe it,) the amazing soundstage and imaging all without having to buy an expensive headphone amplifier.
PLEASE RATE THIS REVIEW!!!

355 of 398 people found the following review helpful.
An Owner of the HD555, HD558 and HD598
By Sam
In a hurry so I will try to be quick, but thorough. Forgive the lack of proper structure but I think you will find the review quite informative.

I think it would be quite helpful to do a comparison. In contrast to the 598s, the HD555 are quite affordable to most for a beg head fi headphone, and they do sound good. Also, yes the foam mod "works" when done on the 555 in that it opens up the headphones, bass is more prominent but still remain tight (this is a popular mod that is well known in the head-fi community).
The 558 mod (foam removal) will NOT make the 558 like the 598. It will make the bass somewhat heavier/looser (slightly overlapping the mids) which some may find as a negative.

The casings where the drivers sit are different and the drivers are tuned differently.

The sound on the 555 is laid back and the 555 is not as airy and open as the hd558 or the 598. The 558 is also laid back and darker than the 598s.
The 558s and 598 are more refined and the frequency is smoother throughout relative to the 555s; the 598s are undoubtedly more refined than both the 555 AND the 558.

The 598s are brighter than the 558, the 598 are awesome for vocals, that is, the vocals are more up front and pleasant (especially awesome when listening to female vocals, I love my Adele :)and piano (awesome with piano), the 598s definitely shine with classical music as well. The 598 also excel in a wide genera of music including pop, jazz, classical, jrock, jpop, acoustics.
Bass is weightier on the 558s and tighter on the 598s (tighter bass is what I prefer, I like the tight punch). Not only is the 598 relatively bright when compared to the Senn signature, but it is funner to listen to as its mids are more forward than both the 555 and the 558.
The 598s have a Grado approach without the treble being overly sharp.

Like others have said, and I concur, the 598s def open up/come alive when coupled with an amp/ decent DAC. But at 50ohms, an amp is not necessary to drive these babies.

A number of audiophiles have stated that: The sound from the hd598 are UNMATCHED by ANY other headphone. AGAIN, that doesn't mean they are better than, for instance, the hd800s but rather that they are unique, nonetheless, a notion is to be taken in a positive way.

Comfort is great on both the 558 and 598. BETTER than the 555/595. If you call Senn they will tell you that the clamping force is the same BUT I as well as a couple of others I know all agree that these are MORE comfortable, you pretty much forget that they are on your head (that says a lot especially because I wear glasses and I'm really sensitive to the pressure in that area).

If you are going to be playing electronic, house, metal then these headphones may be a bit slow for you, they could use some speed. If you want that, then I recommend the HD 25 1 ii. DO NOT get the hd25SP (easily mistaken since the picture is incorrect on amazon.com). The hd 25s are closed back, awesome for portable use and the no.1 DJ headphones in the world. They are also used by the broadcaster in NBA, NEWS etc (their version has a special mic attached of course).

If you were to do a AB testing bw all 3 like I did, you would definitely notice the difference, the HD598 is the clear winner in my estimation.

ALSO VERY IMPORTANT and thus should be noted, as stated by another reviewer there has been incidents in the past where there has been cracks that have been formed on the headbands of the 5xx series. Although Sennheiser essentially ignored the problem for several years they have INDEED taken corrective steps in manufacturing as of last year to prevent this. Further, they come w/ a two year warranty replacement and Ive heard pretty good things about the CSRs there.

Lastly, is it just me or do you guys also cringe when people/"reviewers" complain about sound leakage when reviewing an OPEN BACK HEADPHONE.

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Sennheiser HD201 Lightweight Over-Ear Binaural Headphones

Sennheiser HD201 Lightweight Over-Ear Binaural Headphones..

Special Price Sennheiser HD201 Lightweight Over-Ear Binaural Headphones By Sennheiser

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1190 of 1239 people found the following review helpful.
Great sound, and the price is a steal!
By D. Edwards
This product is one of the best bang for the buck items I have ever owned. They may end up costing me a bundle, however.

The HD201 came to my attention after reading a little debate on headphones on a bulletin board I frequent. Someone recommended the HD201s as being phenomenal for the money.

I'm not an audiophile, but I do enjoy music and computer games where sound is important, so I thought I'd give them a try. The only other "cans" I've used have been the cheapos that come with portable CD players and a pair of Coby CV-200s that I bought seeking something cheap that would be better than the poor quality phones I have had in the past. The Coby units were a minor improvement, but bass rumbled like crazy.

Enter the HD201s. These closed phones (they cover the ear with a foam pad instead of sitting on top of them) have a padded plastic headband, a long 10' cord that terminates in a mini jack (it comes with a 1/4" adapter). The earpieces have some swivel to them, and they fit my rather large head and ears just fine. Comfort level was as good as any headphone I was used to. I plugged them in to my computer (with a decidedly basic 5.1 soundcard) and began to listen.

The sound is jaw-dropping if you are used to the garbage that ships with portable music devices. I popped in some CDs, from classical to metal, and the lack of rumble in the bass and the clear highs were a treat. Remember, I'm no audiophile (yet) but even to my tin and uneducated ear, the difference was easy to hear. Violins in "Adagio for Strings" were strong and clear, gone was the low rumble in the deep bass of Zep, and I even began to truly note the shortcomings of the audio in some MP3 and "oldies" recordings. Sound in games was great, and I caught some nuances in first person shooters that improved my play.

I was now aware of the shortcomings of all the other cheapo headphones I had used, including the Coby unit, that until now I had considered "good enough". They just flat out sound better across the full range of sound, from low to high.

I was a bit surprised that I could max out the volume on my computer without making the HD201s too painful...perhaps they are designed with more power in mind than my system delivers. My portable CD player drives them to about the same volume levels, loud, but not ear shattering. They might not satisfy those looking for super booming bass or earsplitting volume, but perhaps an amplifier might change this.

I can't give your an expert review of the HD201s, nor translate what the tech specs on the box mean. I can tell you that for the price, I am deeply impressed with the quality of sound. I would be impressed if they cost a few times as much.

A true bargain, but I worry that this might be the launching point in to a world of audio gear that I can scarce afford. If these things sound this good, perhaps I really need headphones made by Grado or the high end Sennhieser stuff, a new soundcard, probably an amp, and about the system in the living room.....

847 of 923 people found the following review helpful.
Not loud enough, sibilant, slightly bright
By Raul Saavedra
In summary this headphone has one general strength:
1) Decent sounding depending on your tastes and needs, given the price, and given the kind of sound you get from most other closed headphones of similar price.

However, the Sennheiser HD201 has 4 important weaknesses:
1) Has very low sensitivity: it takes a lot of volume/power to bring them to satisfactory or normal loudness levels.
2) It's a bit bright, bass is slightly lacking, making them sound slightly thin or "weak".
3) Has a tendency to be SSSSSSSibilant with some female vocals.
4) For a closed headphone, doesn't isolate that much.

Weakness #1 is critical if you are considering these headphones for listening to music from your laptop or portable players. If that's the case, it's very likely you won't be happy with the sound even at max volume. These headphones are REALLY hard to bring up to normal loudness levels. If you will use them with the headphone out of a receiver, or maybe with an electric piano (as I am), then you are probably ok.

Weakness #2 is very important if you are what's called a "bass-head". These headphones won't give you slamming rich bass. Bass is (slightly) on the weak side.

Weakness #3 is critical if you listen to a lot of female vocals, and you find it particularly annoying when your playback system enhances the letter "S" as in SSSSSSSay, SSSSSSilver, SSSSSSpoon, preCCCCCiSSSSSe, etc.

Weakness #4 is important if you are expecting these headphones to block all noises around you, you might be slightly dissapointed, it does block a bit but not too much.

If you don't care about isolation I would highly recommend the Koss KSC-75 instead of these Sennheisers. If you do want a closed headphone (either you want some isolation from outside noise, or you don't want to bother anyone around you with your music), and are willing to spend a little more, you should consider the Sennheiser HD280 or maybe the Audio Technica AT500.

The above sounds like a massive critique, and I'm giving it 3 stars because really for music these are not that great sounding headphones to me. However, these headphones sound relatively OK compared to how boomy or treble-happy are most other cheap headphones, whether open or closed. Compared to that trend, these are relatively decent. Yet, compared to other very inexpensive headphones known for surprisingly good sound (e.g. Koss KSC-75) these are not that great really.

PS. Another suggestion in general, if you are looking for any headphone related information you must check [...] it's really the place online for anything headphone-related.

281 of 308 people found the following review helpful.
The S in Sennheiser Stands for Superb
By E. Rivas
Basically, I needed a new pair of headphones after I got tired of the Sony MDR-V150s that my roommate lent me. I did not like the idea of having the "cups" right ON my ear, and honestly, they did not sound all that great so I decided to do some searching. I looked at Koss(I did not like any of their models) AKG( I love them, but, for $100, I did not get involved with them.) So, I decided to search some more..

I totally forgot about Sennheiser headphones. I heard them once at an ultra high end home stereo shop in Tampa, Florida and they sounded damn good. So when I saw these for less than $20, I decided to buy them..

First of all, they arrived sooner than usual. I put them on and I noticed something...I could not hear any outside noise. These "cans" really kept outside sound out. They sat comfortably on my head and the "cups" covered my ears. Score!! Now, for the sound..

I listen to a lot of music that I have on my pc. I have a Dell Dimension E310 with the ORIGINAL sound card and I have the Mp3s on Musicmatch WITHOUT any equalization. First of all, I chose tracks at random, all kinds and I heard things that I never heard before. I noticed tiny "cracks" on Avenged Sevenfold's "Seciond Heartbeat." Something I did not notice with the Sony's. I listened to all types of music and found the sound TOTALLY clean. No hissing, no muddy or "sour" midrange. Female vocals sounded great. Even the low end sounded great, specially with house and trance music that have a lot of heavy bottom end to them.

BUT, I decided to try them on my Panasonic SA-XR55, which is a digital receiver, and I decided to "crank" it up. As I reached the higher volumes, the bass was lost, it sounded weak and muddy, but that WAS when I was pushing the receiver to its limits.

These "cans" are great for listening to music at REGULAR volumes. If you want a pair of headphones that you can crank them up loud so they can sound like a car audio bass challenge, go for something like the AKGs.

Great "cans" for the money, I TOTALLY recommend them.

So here we go:

Pros:

They fit great, with even a leatherret piece on the top band of the headphones to keep things cushy.

Great sound isolation. I can't hear squat once I put them on WITHOUT music.

Gorgeous sound at "normal" levels. I do not care if you listen to Rap, Christian, House or Trance, you will get a great sound out of these.

Built very well. They look like they do not move or swivel in the picture, but they do, and are very comfortable.

Cons:

NOT made for LOUD listening.

Not really digging the double cord that comes out of the headphones. Single sided would be better, but that is just me.

And to be honest, I cannot find anything else wrong with them.

So, if you just want to get some "cans" that are great sounding, without breaking your wallet, get these.

Trust me.

You will thank me later.

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Sennheiser RS 170 Digital Wireless Headphone with Dynamic Bass and Surround Sound

Sennheiser RS 170 Digital Wireless Headphone with Dynamic Bass and Surround Sound..

Buy Sennheiser RS 170 Digital Wireless Headphone with Dynamic Bass and Surround Sound By Sennheiser

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786 of 829 people found the following review helpful.
Pity about the echo ...
By Paul Bishop
I've only had the RS 170 phones for a few days. I had expected to rate them 10 stars because of the excellent crystal-clear sound; but I believe they have a flaw that may render them unacceptable for some people (see CONS, below). I'm giving them 4 stars because they are so good - I should probably rate them either excellent or "not acceptable".
Here is my take - you may not have the same experience or have the same needs or expectations.

TYPES OF WIRELESS HEADPHONES: For those that don't know, there are broadly 3 ways by which wireless headphones receive their signal:

IR (infrared) -- these use a line-of-sight signal and avoid radio interference. They have the disadvantages of short range and reduced mobility (you have to remain within sight of the base station), but they usually do produce a clean sound.

900 MHz -- these are analogue radio headphones. The main disadvantage is susceptibility to hiss and other noise, especially when you move your head or move to another room.

2.4 GHz -- these are digital radio headphones, like the RS 170, and are more likely to be free from hiss and noise.

I bought the RS 170 phones to replace cheap ones I've been using for late-night TV, and which operate on 900 MHz, providing constant hiss, much worse when I move about.
The RS 170 sound brilliant. I've used them for late night TV and movies, and for music (radio and CDs) allowing me to move to other rooms in the house. They're comfortable to wear and I'm sure they'd be great for use on a treadmill or working out. All over my home, and in most of the garden, the sound is crystal clear with no hiss or extraneous noise. Except, that is, for the echo ...

CONS: Having read scores of reviews of wireless headphones, it seems that some people buy them to listen to movies/ music without disturbing other people. For that these phones are brilliant.
But some people buy wireless headphones because they have hearing loss (or just want the clarity that headphones provide) and use them to watch TV while their spouse listens through the TV speakers. The RS 170 phones seem to operate with a slight time shift (delay). If the loudspeakers are also on, albeit at low volume, the effect of the time shift is to produce an ECHO - this is very noticeable with dialogue, and is really annoying.

It might mean that if you listen to movies/ TV, and have the sound coming through the TV speakers as well, the RS 170 phones may not be acceptable.
If you turn the TV speakers down (or "mute") you won't notice the effect, but then no-one else in the room will be able to hear anything unless they have headphones as well.

The RS 170 are of a "closed" design, which means that sound is not supposed to leak out, and in combination with the comfortable ear-pads, they greatly attenuate ambient noise - but they don't eliminate ambient noise completely (they are not "noise-cancelling"). I wrote to SennheiserUSA yesterday morning, and received this prompt response:

"The RS 170 should block out the sound of the TV speakers. Check to
see that you have them on correctly so that there is a nice seal to
block out ambient noise.
Let me know if you have any additional questions."
Eric Palonen
Sennheiser Headphones + Headsets
1 Enterprise Drive
Old Lyme, CT 06371"

It's true that the ear-pad seal does greatly attenuate ambient sound, but it does not eliminate it. The problem is so serious that I cannot use the phones to watch TV if my girlfriend is watching also.
The more expensive model RS 180 is an "open" design - the echo problem is likely to be even worse. The more I think about this, the more I am torn -- if you have hearing loss, you might not notice, or care about, the echo.

OTHER FEATURES:

-- sound: The quality of the sound is better than I'd expected.
Listening to movies, I hear subtle sounds that I can't hear with loudspeakers. I can only describe the sound as crisp and clean with adequate, but not booming, bass.
I listened to some classical music CDs (Elgar) with delicate sounds as well as a full orchestra and timpani. The detail is excellent; even when I walk up my driveway the sound eventually cuts out, but there is no hiss as far as I can tell. My previous headphones were all hiss and crackle as I moved away from the base.

-- price. These are expensive, and may not be discounted for quite some time.

-- buttons. Lots of people criticised the prior design (RS 130/ 140) because the rotating volume control could catch on a pillow and move. The RS 170 has buttons for volume, mode, plus bass and [faux] surround sound. The disadvantage of buttons is that they're hard to find by touch alone. I think a lot of people will wind up taking the phones off to press the buttons. One advantage of the design is that the volume-up button is closest to the front and it doesn't take much practice to find it with your right thumb or finger. The BASS and SURROUND controls can be activated from the base unit.

-- bass. The bass is not intrusive, even with the "bass boost" engaged. Fine for me, but some people like exaggerated bass for rock-N-roll, and they may find the bass to be light.

-- surround sound. It's simlated surround sound, and I haven't used it enough to have an opinion. I think I shall wind up not using it (just like the CNET reviewers who tested the prior model RS 130).

-- charging batteries - yes they need 16 hours for first charge, but it only takes a moment to slip in standard alkaline batteries (just don't leave them in when you put the headset on the charger).

-- connecting - connecting is very easy - I took the time to route the wires through the coiled conduit. Some people will want to connect to a TV set. I connected to an AV receiver (I used "tape monitor out") so I can quickly switch between TV, radio and CD player. I also connected them to my iPod, but somehow that seems like a tautology.

-- range - Sennheiser claim 260 feet range. My house was built to defeat cell phone signals and may not be a good test. They work all over the house and in some of the garden and the driveway, but they do cut out at much less than 260 feet. That may just be a feature of my house. I didn't buy them for extreme range and I'm very satisfied.

In summary I think these phones are great - they so enhance the experience of watching a movie that I'm not sure I want to forgo them when watching movies with my girlfriend. The echo problem may be a deal breaker for some.

129 of 134 people found the following review helpful.
Amazing sound
By Robt W. Eggerichs
First off let me say that I thought long and hard before deciding to spend $280 on headphones. I can't hear as clearly as I once could. Even with the sound turned up, I sometimes have trouble understanding what is being said. My wife has no trouble hearing the TV so we are constantly at odds on how loud to keep the volume. If she is reading a book in another room she is always asking me to turn the TV down. So I decided headphones were more practical and less expensive than a surround sound system that would have provided a speaker close to me. I figured good set of headphones should make the sound more understandable. I plan to use these for TV, DVDs and CDs played through my DVD player.

I did a lot of comparison of brands and models before deciding. Ultimately the key deciding points to my choosing the Sennheiser RS170 were (in order of importance to me): 4-1/2 star rating by consumers, digital audio transmission, closed back on earphones, charging/storage stand, reported performance, number of years this model has been sold, well rated high & mid-range sound, frequency response 18Hz - 21,000 Hz, simulated Surround Sound, ability to add on another headphone set if my wife ever needs a set, quality appearance, battery life up to 24 hours.

Quality: The 4-1/2 star rating on the RS170 on Amazon was the highest rating of all the brands and models of headphones that Amazon sold during March 2012.

Price: I paid $279.95 on Amazon mid March 2012. I looked up the price history of RS170 by googling "price history of RS170" then I clicked on the link to "Sennheiser RS 170 Prices (headphones) - CNET Marketplace" then clicked on "Price History" and found if I would be willing to wait until October - December I could probably buy them for considerable less but I wanted to use them during spring / summer of 2012 so I paid "through the nose" .

Brand: I choose Sennheiser because they seemed like the best value and selection for the money. They also make studio-quality headphones so I figured the wireless models might be engineered well. Most reviewers gave the brand high marks for performance, appearance, durability and use.

Features: I compared the RS170 ($279.95) to the RS160 ($199.95) and the RS180 ($329.95) on Amazon plus I looked at the specs on the Sennheiser website at [...] All three models use 2.4 GHz digital 'Kleer' wireless technology which is reportedly superior to the brands and models that use 900 MHz analog RF technology which is more susceptible to hiss, noise, and interference. I preferred the convenience of having a charging /storage stand that comes with the RS170 and RS180 over the plug-in charging on the RS160. I preferred the closed-back earphone design of the RS160 and RS170 over the open-back design of the RS180 because the open-back design would allow an 'echo effect' from the 'lag-time' sound if my wife had the TV speakers turned up. The RS170 was the only model of the three with selectable simulated Surround Sound and Bass Boost. So the $80 up-charge from the RS160 to the RS170 got me the 'easy charge' cradle and docking station with function indicator LEDs, 1/4 inch and RCA adapters in case I would ever need them in lieu of the 3.5mm jack, up to 200 feet more transmitting distance, 4 dB more Sound Pressure Level (perceived loudness), simulated Surround Sound and Bass Boost controlled at the transmitter or at the headset.

Shipping: Yesterday I received my headphones (only took 4 days using Amazon Super Saver Shipping - yeah!). Both the shipping carton and the headphone box inside were in pristine condition. Like a kid with a new toy, I had to try them out right away. Since the rechargeable batteries take up to 16 hours to for initial charge (mine only took 8), I put in 2 AAA Alkaline batteries (one per headphone). Connecting the transmitter up was easy - I have a "line-out" 3.5mm jack on the TV so I just used the jumper that came in the package that had the 3.5mm jack on both ends. The transmitter/charging stand has 4 LEDs - orange shows when headphones are charging, blue to choose surround sound on/off, another blue one to choose Bass Boost on/off, and green to choose transmitter on/off. The headset right earphone has buttons for headphone on/off, volume up/down, bass boost on/off and surround sound on/off. I am sure that with practice that I'll be able to "feel" where these buttons are so I won't have to take the headset off to adjust these controls. The headset is well padded and comfortable although as some others have pointed out I can see where these "earmuffs" might be a little warm with extended wear.

Performance: Now comes the really cool part...the sound quality is amazing. I have never been so impressed with any product I have purchased. The stereo separation is noticeable distinct and really enhances the enjoyment of listening. I can't hear any hiss, background noise or cut-out. The voices are clear and seem to be louder than the background sounds so the words are easy to understand. My acid test for how well these headphones performed was to try a DVD called "The Devil's Own" where Brad Pit plays a character with a heavy Irish brogue. The first time I watched it using the TV speakers I had to strain to understand his dialog but when I watched it again using the headphones he was easy to understand. The engineering that has gone into these headphones is really impressive with the way they handle voices, background sound and separation.

Surround Sound: The simulated surround sound isn't that impressive. It does add a bit more depth to the sound but nothing like having real surround sound. I'm sure it is limited by only having one speaker per earphone. True surround sound would need two sound sources per earphone plus some fancy separation engineering. I'll probably use this feature for some of our 5.1 DTS stereo DVDs and music CDs.

Bass Boost: This works pretty well. It isn't overwhelming but adds richer bass to the sound without taking away from the clarity of the spoken words. I'll probably use this feature for some TV show, 5.1 DTS stereo DVDs and music CDs.

134 of 141 people found the following review helpful.
much better then expected
By busy dad
Let me say that the main reason I bought these headphones was for watching movies with out hearing lip for having my home theater too loud.

I enjoy using the surround feature and the Bass boost for movies. I have a high end home theater and I do not miss it as much as I thought I would. Does the Bass feel like my two 1,000 watt powered subs. Of course not, but the bass is very good.

The main time I would use the headphones is times when I have my system very low so the headphones sound much better then my system when it is played at a low decibel level. While I have a movie in I can walk all over my house and it never breaks up. The sound is crystal clear all over the house.

The closed headphones are a nice feature so you can shut out most noise but you can still hear someone calling you if needed.

The only problem I have so far is an occasional sound dropout. I moved the transmitter and manually paired the headphones. Since then I have had no problems but it is too soon to be sure if it worked.

I highly recommend these headphones for watching movies. I am not a music guy so I could not comment on that.

7/14/10 I would like to give a quick update. The sound from the headphones for movies is still great. I do not get any sound dropout when I am close to the unit. I do tend to agree with a previous post that the range is not great. My house is decent size and when I go to some rooms the sound does drop out.

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Sennheiser CX 685 Adidas Sports In-Ear Headphones

Sennheiser CX 685 Adidas Sports In-Ear Headphones..

Buy Sennheiser CX 685 Adidas Sports In-Ear Headphones By Sennheiser

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111 of 123 people found the following review helpful.
Better Fins: An Improvement on the CX 680s - UPDATE
By Alex Hills
I had previously owned the Sennheiser CX 680 Earfin Sports Earbuds. I wrote a lengthy review of these earbuds, which is the "Most Helpful" review of this product on Amazon.com. I used my CX 680s several times a week at the gym and they performed well; they had a good run (so to speak). After about two years the plastic piece that connected one of the earbuds to its wire came loose, but it was easily fixed with superglue. About six months later, however, the sound gave out in one earbud, forcing me to trash them.

In hindsight, and in light of my recent purchase of the CX 685s, I would give the CX 680s 3 stars. The thing that bothered me the most about them was that with a lot of movement and sweating (e.g., running) the earfins sometimes became squishy and dislodged from my ear, thereby causing the earbud to come out. This was annoying and kind of defeated the purpose of these types of earbuds. By comparison, I will say that the PMX 70s (also reviewed) stayed in much better than the CX 680s during exercise. The downside to them for me was that they were the neckband type and were not noise-isolating. Those things and the sound starting to cut out due to issue with the wiring within several months of use (I just sent them to Sennheiser hoping they will repair or replace them) forced me to look for new earbuds.

Again I spent many hours searching for and reading reviews about earbuds designed to be noise-isolating and stay in place during activities like running. I narrowed my search to Monster iSport LIVESTRONG In-Ear Headphones - Yellow and Bose SIE2 Sport Headphones - Green. All had comparable features and reviews (actually the Bose may be slightly higher rated), but I decided the SIEs were too pricey for me. The Monsters and Sennheisers were at the same price point. Between the iSports and CX 685s, I chose the latter b/c of Sennheiser's 2-year warranty vs. Monster's 1-yr warranty (always make sure you buy Sennheisers from an authorized dealer...Amazon is but some sellers on Amazon are not) and my experience with the CX 680s. I paid $58 which I thought was reasonable and was comparable to what I paid for the CX 680s 3 years ago.

I have used the CX 685 several times this past week for up to an hour of working up a sweaty lather while pounding the treadmill. The earbuds don't budge, are comfortable, and are unobtrusive. Obviously, for me, the ability of earbuds to stay in place while running and sweating is my #1 priority. Fit and comfort are #2 (these deliver in this category, too). Sound is #3 and I would say that these are as good as the CX 680s (which I thought were good, not great), but definitely not audiophile material. They block out surrounding noise very well but seem kind of lacking in the bass department. The change of the earfin design from a flexible fin to firmer, but still flexible, hook was a great improvement. Time will tell if they continue to stay in place over longer, even sweatier workouts (hence only the 4, maybe 4 1/2, stars instead of 5), but for now I'm very satisfied.

For those interested in such things, the packaging is minimal/no frills but nice. Along with the earbuds (fitted with the medium earbud covers) are small and large earbud covers, a pouch with velcro seal (I love these pouches: they are just the right size and are very durable), a quick guide and a safety guide, a cleaning tool (I never used this with my CX 680s), and a clip. I would highly recommend using this last item to clip the wires to your clothing to reduce slack and avoid having the wires rub against your clothing and transfer sound. I do not know if either the CX 685 or CX 680 are prone to this b/c I always use the clip. The wire is 48", symmetrical, and the perfect length for me at 5'8". I use an iPod shuffle clipped to my waistband or shorts pocket and clip the wires to the back of my shirt collar. I miss having the option for a shorter wire (clipping iPod to - usually cut-off - shirt sleeve is my preferred setup) as with the CX 680, but I do not miss the clunky volume control on the extension. If there were one thing they could improve on the CX 685 it would be to provide a volume control like they have on the OCX, PMX, and PX 685i. It's a mystery to me why they would put this feature on some of the models but not on others.

Overall, better fins make this a better product than its predecessor and a recommended buy for those looking for sweat/water resistant/proof noise-isolating in-ear earbuds with decent sound that will stay in your ears while performing strenuous activity.

Update 12/25/13: I should have updated this months ago. As I alluded to in my reply to a question, with repeated, sweaty use, these started slipping from my ears. I tried all combos of earbuds and positions of the (adjustable) hook, but still had problems. Finally, I found a solution that helped: Use 2 clips to attach each of the wires to the collar of my shirt to balance/lessen the tension on the wires. For running this does help, and I find I usually only have to push them back in place a few times. Definitely not a perfect earbud, but overall OK.

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful.
Great headphones
By Dan
Just got these headphones and am very satisfied. A few years ago I bought some sennheiser headphones (twist to fit, orange. Model no longer being made) and was very happy with the sound quality and fit during workout. The wire recently wore out after 3 + years of 3-4 times/week usage. The sound quality was great and they fit very well, never slipped during a workout (moving and slipping during workout was my main complaint before buying them). I had bought the CX 680 recently but sent it back, as the earfins did not hold them securely in my ear(plastic not hard enough to keep them in ear w sweat and moving).
These headphones have excellent sound quality across all music, from oldies to led zeppelin to new R&B(great bass). They fit well in the ear and stay there, as the plastic is firmer. The 3 size adjustments are also nice. They are in-ear models, so have a slightly different feel from most others that have foam-like padding on the headphones that sits outside the ear canal. These almost feel like having small earplugs in, which can be good or bad depending on your needs. They definitely block out more outside noise, so you don't hear the music at the gym that you don't want to. However, if you plan on using them to workout with a partner(or anywhere you want to have conversation while working out), you may have to take them out to hear somebody else talk. My old ones I could just pause my music and keep the headphones in, but these block out much more sound. This may also be dangerous if you use them jogging in an urban environment where you can't hear cars or people yelling. These are also water proof so you can rinse w water after your workout to keep them from getting buildup.
Overall, I think they're a great buy. I am loyal to this brand after my previous purchase, and will hopefully get good use out of these.

25 of 30 people found the following review helpful.
Awesome
By Dom
These are probably the best workout headphones I have ever used. I've used Nixon Whip, Koss PortaPro, Skullcandy FMJs and a few others and these are hands down the best. They fit nicely in your ear and have a cool extension and the tip that lightly presses against the inside of your ear to keep them in place. Very good sound cancellation and fit. You might want to take them out every 1/2 hour or so if you like to wear them tightly. There is no mic or in-line control which doesn't bother me and the cord is very light. These don't have much booming bass but the sound is great and these can get really loud without any distortion. I highly recommend them.

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Sennheiser RS 180 Digital Wireless Headphone System

Sennheiser RS 180 Digital Wireless Headphone System..

Buy Sennheiser RS 180 Digital Wireless Headphone System By Sennheiser

Most helpful customer reviews

230 of 238 people found the following review helpful.
Finally Audiophile Wireless Headphones
By HA Hacky
Wow, I have been waiting literally years for a quality set of wireless headphones. I listened to many including the previous generation of Sennheiser's. All of them had some low level of hiss and less than audiophile sound quality. The wait is over. These cans utilize Kleer technology and an open design. I always preferred open headphones for the more natural bass response and to my 50 year old ears these sound great. The headphones are comfortable though I would like a bit more padding spanning the entire headband. The buttons on the headphones that control power, volume and balance (handy if you have asymmetrical hearing deficits) are too small and flat but I can now control the volume without removing the headphones. The range is listed as being up to 100 meters and practically speaking, as I can walk on either floor of my house and even outside in my yard without any noticeable effect. Every 30-40 minutes I may get a brief 1 second or so loss of sound but it is infrequent enough to not bother me. Expensive and surely not equivalent sound to an equally or more expensive pair of cans but they are very close in terms of sound and the wireless performance makes them the real deal, totally worth it.

117 of 123 people found the following review helpful.
Simply excellent
By N. Shahid
I bought and returned two other pairs of wireless headphones in the sub-$200 price range before springing for these, and simply put they are worth the extra money. There's no interference, the sound quality is excellent throughout the range (bass, mids, highs) and the hiss that plagues most other wireless headphones doesn't exist. Range is also excellent. The only thing to note is that the base station does not have optical audio input, only a standard 1/8th jack.

159 of 170 people found the following review helpful.
WORTH THE MONEY!
By KARAOKEJUNKIE
I have used the Sennheiser RS-130 for the past 4 years, and the surround sound was incredible and delicious, but I was looking for an upgrade, the next generation from a high quality manufacturer. My main uses are for blu-ray movies and late night TV viewing as to not disturb any neighbors, plus it's an intimate experience without any street noise. When I decided on the RS-180 I bought it from J & R because their customer service is outstanding. The DVD product guide estimated an initial charge of up to 16 hours, but mine was ready for blastoff in about 7. I was immediately blown away, swept into a cinematic oasis, a sound panorama that disintegrated any assumptions about how a movie should leave a lasting impression! They are exceptionally comfortable and well worth the price, and you will not be disappointed!!! Without a sound system hooked up to my Samsung 1920 X 1080 HD-LCD TV, I realize now I haven't totally appreciated the blu-ray player and movies until this wireless headphone purchase. Thanks to Kleer's uncompressed audio transmission technology another journey began via listening to some of my favorite blu-rays like Oliver Stones "The Doors". WOW!!! The bass sounds are outstanding and precise. You will venture forth into a new world of audio pleasure. If the Sennheiser RS-180 was a painting it would be a masterpiece by Kandinsky or Dali; a sculpture, La Pieta via Michelangelo, a song, something by Lennon & McCartney. Remember this: escape is not a luxury, it is a necessity if you want to get an advanced degree in sound and mind travel. Now get out and buy these phones!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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