Noise cancelling headphones test

Sennheiser PXC 250

Sensitivity: 106dB
Impedence: 30ohms
Response bandwidth: 10-21,000Hz

Price: £73.47

The Sennheisers are clearly very different from the previous two sets of headphones, being a lot smaller. Rather than the chunky, ear-enveloping look of the Sony and the Acoustic Authority, these are more delicate and more precise, characteristics we'll see reflected in the audio later.

These headphones are designed for travel - they fold up and come with a carry bag for great portability. These can easily be stashed in a flight bag, unlike the other two (more bulky and awkward) headphones.

The specs reflect the fact that we expect more expensive headphones to sound better. They have the greatest range of response bandwidth, whilst maintaining the same sensitivity rating as the Sony set.


Feel and fit: In our opinion, these are the most comfortable headphones to wear. The padding around the outside of the earpiece is a very soft leather and rather than fitting around the ear, the earpieces its on top of it. Because the headphones are far smaller and lighter, this really feels comfortable for long periods of time. The smaller earpiece size is also more suitable for those wearing glasses, since they don't press against the top of the ears so much.

The headband has the same cushioned leather as the earpieces, and the shape of the band and this cushioning works well to make the top of the headphones as comfortable and snug as the sides.

Noise cancelling: Given that the size of the earpieces is so much smaller, we were surprised to find the noise cancelling properties almost as strong as those on the Sonys, and far better than the AAs. The trademark hiss was also far less offensive on these, with perhaps the maximum cancelling-to-hiss ratio of all three pairs.


However, the one major downside these headphones have is that the circuitry is in a separate unit which you have to carry around with you. This is the tradeoff for having smaller headphones. Some people in the office found this too much of a compromise, and thought the unit - which houses two AAA batteries, as opposed to just one in the other sets - was bulky enough to really send these headphones packing. However, I found that there was very little hassle in just slipping this in my pocket along with my iPod on trips out and about. It's not a heavy unit, and the combination with an iPod Nano is not going to create a major sag in your pocket. Of course, if you're listening at a desk or in a chair then the point is rather moot, since it's no hassle just to have this next to you.