Sennheiser PX 200 Professional Headphones

For the first three years I used an iPod, I used the little white earbuds that Apple bundled with it. I never used my iPod very often, and never for more than half an hour or so at a time at the gym. When my old iPod died and I got my new 30 GB iPod with Video, I downloaded every available episode of Lost and Desperate Housewives from the iTunes Music Store, and spent the better part of a week recuperating from a bad cold in bed while I watched TV on my laptop and iPod. After a couple of days, I noticed something weird: hours after I removed my earbuds from my ears, I had this creepy phantom sensation that they were still in there.

I set out to find new headphones, and I had four basic expectations:

1. They must sit on my ears, and not poke into them even a little.

2. They should have a traditional over-the-head headband, not one of those behind-the-neck ones.

3. They should be compact. I know a guy who lugs gorgeous, expensive Bose noise-canceling headphones around with him. A bowling ball is portable too, but I wouldn't want to travel with one. Small small small.

4. They must be white to match my iPod. Why wreck the aesthetic?

I found my Sennheiser PX 200 Headphones online at amazon.com, and had them in my hands within a week.

Sennheiser PX 200 Headphones, at a glance
From the manufacturer:


Product Features

* Fold and Flip: registered design allows the earcups to be turned through 90 degrees and fold the headphones closed
* Fits into the shirt pocket :rugged transport case with cord take-up
* Excellent sound quality for mobile sources
* Crisp and fast bass response
* Easily replaceable ear pads and headband padding

Technical Details

* component_type: Headphones
* Specific Uses For Product: Portable audio system
* remote_control_description: None
* audio_output_type: Headphones
* headphones_technology: Binaural
* headphones_form_factor: Semi-open
* connectivity_technology: Wired
* audio_output_mode: Stereo
* Warranty: 2 years warranty

Sound Quality

I'm not an audiophile-- just a casual listener. That said, the sound from these is definitely superior to the sound from my old ear buds. It's richer and fuller in the midrange, and there's no distortion at higher frequencies. In some of the reviews I read of these before I bought them, hardcore audiophiles complained that low frequency sound gets lost through these. It may, but to my ear, the bass is there.

For the sound quality I expect, I give these a solid five stars.

Comfort

This was a big one for me. Now that I use my iPod for more than thirty minutes at a stretch, comfort was very important. These are the Goldilocks of headphones. Not so big they swallow your ears, not so small they put pressure on the ear. They rest gently on the ears, not in them or around them. The cups and band are both covered in a very soft, light gray pleather-like material. Don't be put off by the pleather; it feels neither cheap nor hot/sticky. It feels soft, smooth, and cool against skin.

The ultimate test for me was when I took these headphones with me on a red-eye from Portland to New York. I listened to music for five straight hours in total conflict.

Five stars for comfort. Definitely!

Portability

Here's the rub. I've had these headphones for almost a year, and I still struggle to fold them correctly and get them into their case. When it finally works, it looks so simple. The case is durable, compact, and functional... but it's also a cruel test of IQ, and I score below average every time.

For being so damn non-intuitive to put away, these headphones get 2.5 stars for portability.

Color
They match my iPod. I'm a happy camper. If you're looking for black or silver, they're available in those colors as well.

Price and Availability

I bought my Sennheiser PX 200 headphones from Amazon in early 2006 for about $50, and they're still available for that price. J&R Music has them for about $5 less.

Final Thoughts

I love my headphones. They're the most comfortable ones I've ever owned, and the sound quality more than meets my expectations. As a casual music lover, why spend hundreds more for headphones when the difference, to my ear, would be marginal? I'm thrilled.

Now, if only I could figure out how to get them into their storage case.