Superb value (Sennheiser CX 300-S)

Member Name: Aardvarks

Product:	Sennheiser CX 300-S
Date:	28/12/06 (411 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Strong bass and great attenuation of ambient noise

Disadvantages: None at the price

The CX300 are ear canal or IEM (Inner Ear Monitor). They were originally released by Sennheiser as pro equipment and are related in design to both the Creative EP630s and an earlier Sharp model. Sennheiser whilst using similar molds ensure that the drivers inside are made to their exacting standards. The drivers are not speakers as such but they are armatures and so unlike most speaker type headphones work their best straight out of the box with no need to burn them in.

This was my first pair of IEM as I was not sure that I could cope with something in my ear canal. I find with the medium silicone tips that I can wear them for many hours at a siting and can even use them in bed with my head on one side.

Sound, they do attenuate external noise very well and it is possible to still run them at medium volume settings when in a room full of people talking and a surround sound TV with active subwoofer working.

Quality of Sound

I have compared them with pro monitor full sized headphones suchas the HD280 pro, noise cancelling travel headphones CXP150 and my own GRado SR60.

Bass is very easy to follow, they are more bass forward than any of the refference cans. Vocals are just a bit back in the mix and the very top end treble such as cymbals lacks the sparkle of my Grado SR60s. That said, I now use these CX300 even at home in quiet environments. They are a bargain for the price asked and will eat alive any stock buds that come with ipods etc.


You can even run,cycle or work out in them, but beware, you may not hear traffic approaching and you will have to run the cord under a vest or tape it to your skin in order to stop it banging against your body. Cord or cable noise will transfer directly to your ears by microphonic vibration through the cable, just like a Tin-can telephone unless you take this precaution.

Summary: If you have not tried IEMs, this is the place to start

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