Brilliantly designed and executed for the audiophile business traveler or commuter.
In the world of affordable headphones, the $49 Sennheiser PX100
mini stereo headphones stand out. Their fold-and-flip design allows you to turn
the earpieces 90 degrees. You can then collapse them and
hide them inside your coat or put them back inside the provided sturdy
transport case. As cases go, it is one of the best out there. Everyone in the office wanted to know why other manufacturers do not offer similar cases for their products.
The PX100s have a number of other features that make them unique. The metal joints on the padded-steel headband guarantee that the PX100 will be durable. The PX100 feel substantial for the asking price. The drivers use neodymium magnets which are designed to
produce low-distortion sound. The four-foot
oxygen-free copper span is very easy to bend. It is fitted with a standard 1/4-inch stereo minijack plug. The ear
pads are replaceable, and Sennheiser provides a two-year warranty.
It sounded very smooth with Ruth Gerson's folk/blues-infused CD, Wake to Echo. I
would have liked a bit more treble detail with more-aggressive music; Green
Day's funky and hard sound was a touch too mellow. On the upside, the PX100 can
play loudly without having the sound fall apart. Very rare at this price point. While not nearly as detailed sounding or as resolute in the bass as the Grado SR60s. Using an iPod Shuffle and a fifth generation iPod, we were quite pleased with the overall resolution of the PX100.
While I wish they were slightly cleaner sounding in the midrange, and had some additional sparkle in the treble, they are one of the best options available for travelers and commuters looking for sound quality and portability.
The Verdict