A Great Replacement for Standard iPod Earphones (Sennheiser CX 300)

Member Name: Hishyeness

Product:	Sennheiser CX 300
Date:	21/06/09 (281 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very comfortable, sound great, excellent value for money

Disadvantages: The in-ear style may put some people off. Not suitable for vigorous exercise

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INTRODUCTION
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Having recently acquired an iPod Nano, I just could not get on with Apple's standard issue white earphones. I found them quite painful to wear for any length of time and they kept falling out of my ears, so, I went looking for a suitable alternative.

Having had a very good pair of Sony's Fontopia earphones ("ear canal" type earphones with swappable rubber buds much like the ones on these) a few years ago, I found the form factor very comfortable and user-friendly, so after a quick look at similar options on-line, I decided to plump for the Sennheiser CX300.

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PRICE & PACKAGING
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I ordered mine from Amazon for £16.99, opting for a version with "eco-friendly" packaging. They are offered in silver and black, and I opted for the latter (for some reason the DooYoo illustration shows a pink version, which I have never seen).

The eco packaging was novel (to say the least), being made up of successive layers of corrugated cardboard, cut to fit around the ear buds and cables, and held together by a promotional sleeve with Sennheiser's product details on it, and a special eco-friendly pin badge made of recycled materials.

The packaging is 78% recycled cardboard with no glue or plastics used in its construction. To be frank, it was all very nice, but I'd be a hypocrite for pretending to push a green agenda - I opted for this version of packaging because it was a few quid cheaper than the alternative (ironically, this is no longer the case - the standard packaged version is now slightly cheaper).

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USE
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These small, discreet and lightweight earphones come with three different sized buds, so you can choose which ones are most appropriate for your ear. They are a snug fit and do a very good job of blocking out outside noise.

The "noise-cancelling" effect is almost too good, as the few near misses I have had with quieter road traffic would attest. To give you some idea, I often use them when walking in high noise, high traffic areas and can usually listen to music at medium volume without any problem.

The downside is that this type of earphone amplifies your heartbeat and your footfall and you can audibly hear yourself swallowing when listening to softer music. As such, it's probably not suited for activities such as jogging, or any other rigorous exercise (they would probably fall out anyway), however it seems fine for light, normal walking, and after a while, I didn't really notice this effect.

Despite looking fragile, the build quality is excellent and, as such, these earphones have proven to be quite durable. The 1.2m flexible "Y" cable is asymmetric, with the left side much shorter than the right, allowing them to be worn either behind the neck, or as I prefer them, in front. The standard phono jack finishes in an L-shape, which is convenient, as it minimises the protrusion from small devices like my iPod. My one niggle is that the thin cables are forever getting tangled!

They are very comfortable to wear, and I had none of the noticeable "ear fatigue" I have had with similar "hard" in-ear headphones. It is very easy to forget you have these on sometimes.

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SOUND
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In terms of performance, they are a definite improvement on the bog standard iPod earphones. With the ear plugs properly fitted (you need an airtight seal with your ear canal), the bass is deep, rich and clear, and the treble manages to be sharp without being painful or distorted. I have an eclectic taste in music, and it seems to perform just as well with Linkin Park, as it does with Stan Getz, the Gladiator soundtrack, or spoken word.

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VERDICT
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All in all, these are superb, value for money alternatives to the pre-packaged earphones provided with most MP3 players, and will help you get the most out of your music. However, some people may not like the in-ear experience, and the blockage of ambient noise and the rustling evident when the wires are jostled make this a no-no for sports use.

© Hishyeness 2009 - previously published (in part) on ciao.co.uk under the same user name.

Summary: A very good upgrade from pre-packaged MP3 earphones.

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