MX4 is here, and got it, but I think pxc550-ii is on sale now too and I'm considering that instead. But I dunno I'm going nuts of which to choose, and I'd be crazier to get both!
Just want to point out that I contacted Sennheiser costumer service. First off, they said that the PXC 550-II should still get updates and that the app doesn't have all the features yet (I know, kinda weid for a released headphone). According to them, a fully adjustable EQ will be coming soon. I also asked them about the ambient mode. According to Sennheiser they got asked about this a lot, and they have notified the development team to see if they can put an ambient mode on these headphones nonetheless.
@@ToonHermans18 how about the smart pause? Anyone have issue with their smart pause? At times, the smart pause doesn't work well. Not sure if the unit or the function. Any idea where they place the sensor in the cup?
I'm the one person who thinks the 550 ii's are perfect. I'm an audiophile and put sound above everything else, and while these aren't exactly audiophile cans, they seem to come very close. And besides, I need a companion to my Sennheiser CX 400BT's because I need a break from sticking things in my ears. Also, I was wondering - since it's been a while since you have reviewed offerings from Bose, Sony, and Sennheiser, have you thought about doing a follow-up for 2021? All the major headphone/earbud offerings from the aforementioned companies have updated their software and added features since they first came out so it would be nice to know if you think these cans are still worth getting for 2021 and if the software updates have made them better in some way. Or worse. Anyway, keep up the good work. Enjoy the content.
After checking out the latest models from other brands, particularly listening to them at the store, I went with PXC. Hands down best neutral/natural sound. As per micro-USB I got cables which are universal at both ends micro/Type-C, don't see any or problems there. Just wish it had quick charge, and couple more notches for volume when used wirelessly, as via wire+DAC they are loud - but not a deal breaker.
You would have been served just as well in sound with the 3-year-older original version. This one is a disappointment and 3 years down the line they haven’t even made a proper upgrade.
I returned them, they honestly did not live up to my expectations, especially considering it's not a big upgrade from the 1st gen - which now costs half price!
One pro this review misses is that the headphones can be used while charging, which other sets don't support. It supports audio over the usb cable too. Useful if you're wearing these all day for work and don't want to sit there waiting for your headphones to charge. I don't see this pair as being enough of an improvement over the original though, which can now be purchased at a discount.
After checking out the latest models from other brands, particularly listening to them at the store, I went with PXC. Hands down best neutral/natural sound. As per micro-USB I got cables which are universal at both ends micro/Type-C, don't see any or problems there. Just wish it had quick charge, and couple more notches for volume when used wirelessly, as via wire+DAC they are loud - but not a deal breaker.
it has quick charge. 10 mins for 1.5 hours. although its probably a lie since I have to charge these things overnight to get the dam light to stop blinking. and 30 hours my ass. more like 10 lol.
@@evcanada1451 Bose qc 35 ii sounds more muffled and narrow when it comes to music on the phone and pc. But when it comes to movies it has more depth and better instrument separation for better spatial audio with harder hitting bass and drums for more immersive cinematic experience. I prefer the bose when connected to bluetooth on my tv. And prefer the senns when listening to music on my phone or gaming on my pc.
Ambient mode isn't necessary. you here enough as it is. Just be more aware of the space around you. And it's good to take off the headphones every once in a while so your ears can breathe.
Enjoyed the review, might buy them. I don't have stock in Sennheiser, I am not bothered if people don't like their products. But, it just seems a little inappropriate to describe the materials or construction as low quality or lesser quality. I'm guessing of course but I suspect you don't actually know if the materials are good quality or not or how they were made. A subjective opinion is OK but asserting that they are poor quality seems wrong.
This guy is a Sony fanboy, don't listen to him. I have the PXC 550 ii and the build, audio and just overall quality is wayyy better tthan the XM3 and XM4 :D
Most value sennheiser NC headphones are the HD 4.50s for decent price and noise canceling, pretty good sound quality which personally I find better than the sony and bose flagships for nearly half the price
Blocking out high frequency sounds is far more important than lower ones. The key is to block chatter. It's to block loud human voices. that is really hard but that shows how well active noise cancelling works. Locking low frequencies se easy. It's an easy sell. So now that you said that it's better with the higher frequencies, which actually thought it wasn't that good, I will look into it more.
actually its the opposite. Low frequencies go right through things. right through walls even. High frequencies are easier to drown out with passive blocking and sounds.
I think it's a fair review. These retailed for $350 and we should expect them to be better than anything under that price point and they're not. If they were sold at $200 at launch, which is what they're priced at now, then I'd say they're perfect. I bought them at the lower price because that's how much I think it's worth. Excellent sound and ANC. Pretty happy with the purchase.
Got a pair based on my 2 main requirements of 1. Comfort...and these are just so light and fit so well... and 2. sound quality...for me these are near perfect, just a tad light on bass... but overall fab phones that keep getting updates, so am sure some of the other issues around ANC will get sorted. Overall worth it, especially now they are available on discount...
1. Carrying case is not very important as long as everything else is dynamite. 2. Build quality is irrelevant as long as comfort is top notch and they don't break easily. 3. Micro USB is indeed irritating but not quite a deal breaker, as long as they sound great and are comfortable. Personally I wouldn't get them over the momentums as the latter sounds phenomenal and are of acceptable comfort.
@@coffeebreakhero3743 literally every device uses USB C. Imagine your laptop, iPad, phone, battery bank, earbuds etc all use one cable. But then this 350$ product comes alone and you need a seperate cable for it. No thanks 🤦🏻♂️😂
@@dylanwhisnant6772 I agree that's an issue but it's so minor. why do all of you care about it so much. the sound quality and comfort are the real things to care about
@@coffeebreakhero3743 it's not a small issue. This is a $350 product. It's a huge deal for me. It used to not be. I used to bring around all 3 major cables, but ever since I sold everything but USB C products and replaced with USB C it's quite literally life changing in the tech world. Literally only needing to bring a type c to type C and 45W brick with me everywhere is great. If you haven't tried it you wouldn't understand
@@dylanwhisnant6772 I don't bring things with me. I charge them at home, and leave the charges at the same place. so for me it's a none-issue. but I understand. the battery for the headphones is more than enough for a full day though (I think) so why do you need to charge it on the road? do you have a flying job?
more like 11 lol. and thats if you don't have battery problems like many people do. Thats really the big defect with these. No different then the first ones.
@@franciscobutte it's 2019, with wh1000m3, n900xb and nc700 on the market, why even bother with this I know not everyone cares about the charging port but sennheiser are gonna lose the people who cares for sure. Personally, I don't buy anything that's not type c charging anymore
@@franciscobutte yea just like boom said. I own a pair of XM2's but always preferred the looks of the sennheisers. I was really hoping that this generation of PCX was gonna be great. I like all of the features on the momentums but just not a huge fan of their design. And for $400 I want a pair of headphones that I'm not self-conscious abt wearing. Just really hoping that these where gonna be the ones. Guess I'm still gonna be waiting for the XM4's
@@franciscobutte Yes not a deal breaker but not consistent since their momentum true wireless is usb-...I still have devices with microusb but my last smartphone is the first with usb-c
The Solo Pro's did better than these at ANC? Man that changed my perspective big time especially since the Solo Pro's are selling at $249.00 right now.
I think Sennheiser is about to discontinue this last model and just focus on the momentum future models with better noise cancelling then Sony and Bose without cabin pressure and without sacrificing sound quality for better noise cancelling....
There is nothing peculiar about this pair.They are the most natural sounding BTNC cans under 300 bucks. They sound a lot cleaner than XM3s/ much more resolving compared to Bose 700. They can even be used for tracking and mixing music (impossible with XM3), the ANC is above average and the micro USB is the only true annoyance. When the battery runs out, use them passively with a good DAC/ amp, they scale extremely well showing the real quality of the drivers ( practically identical to HD598, of course not open back) After all these are headphones, and at the end of the day, it is the quality of sound that matters the most. Not the DSP corrections/ ANC etc.
I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed my original PXC 550's before I passed them on to a family member. Their touchpad is more responsive & reliable than that of my XM3's that I have held on to. Sonically, I also thought that they were better. I gave the PXC 550 away in anticipation of these. I will say that I am disappointed that they kept the Micro USB port. I am assuming that it's a cost saving step or a leftover parts situation. It could also be that they didn't want to make so good as to steal sales away from the Momentum since there is only a $50 price difference. Be that as it may, they should have offered these at about the $250 level just based on the port alone. That would've made them a good value worth jumping on. They'll be going for that by next year anyways......
@@GYMCADDY that's true. They fit me perfectly on the shortest setting. I don't have to adjust them I just push them all the way in and put them on and they fit like a glove, I have small ears too lol. I can definitely see bigger people having issues though.
So, I just got the PXC 550II for my home office and have a question. When I have ANC activated (maximum setting) and no music is playing I know that I can activate pass through mode by tapping twice on the right earcup. It works like it should but it makes a strange electric beep sound when activating it and also when disabling it with another double tap. This might be intentional of course but I feel like this sound...well does sound strange and not like for example when changing the volume etc. I also don't hear this sound when ANC is completely off. Then, activating/deactivating the pass through mode via a double tap is done without this strange little sound. Long story short: Do others have/hear it as well or is it just on mine? Thanks in advance! Edit: I can also hear it when I switch the button from position 1 (adaptive ANC) to position 2 (full ANC) without activating pass through mode!
I have a very strange bug with them. During the first week, mine was playing music with ambient mode on!! And the smart pause was extremely sensitive ( pausing music with head movements) so I turned it off. Now ambient mode stops music ( as it should be according to the reviews) and the smart pause has stopped working completely. Followed the instructions very carefully. Reset the headphones, even reinstalled the app, but it's just not working anymore with both android and iOS. Was thinking of visiting the service center. But decided against it. Must be some software issue and the smart pause was buggy anyways. But I love these headphones simply because of the sound and pretty decent microphones. Can't tolerate the sound and microphone quality of XM3. Plus the usb audio is just awesome... absolutely stellar for a wireless BTNC headphone. Love the comfort also. Also despite the apparent poor build, these can really take lot more beating compared to XM3 and Bose 700.
Hey. I'm thinking of getting these (currently selling @ Rs. 17k on Amazon). Are you still using these? Any specific issues I need to look out for? Would you recommend these? I have seen this auto turn off issue bug reported by several users. They say it stops working. I even saw that this is due to a magnet mechanism being used on the right earcup. I don't mind not using auto turn off feature. But is there a specific turn on/off switch? If yes, then this wouldn't be a big deal to me. Are there any hissing issues? I ruled out the XM3 because of highly reported hissing issues and muddy sound quality. For me, sound quality is top priority.
I think that dropping support for NFC on these is a bit of a step backwards. Blutooth 5.0 is a plus especially for iphone and TV viewers with good BT5.0 transmitter. Alexa support is just cumbersome as it is a pain to use and having to re connect to alexa app every time you pair with another device and then return. Comfort not as good as the Momentum series....for my head.....as everyone will be different when it comes to comfort. Micro USB.....WTF?
Great headphones with great follow up support! In the Australia service centers anyway. Not much difference between first generation PXC550 and PXC550 ii if using android. SAVE yourself $ if you use android.
They don't seem to be any different from the original PXC 550 that I have. Besides maybe improved ANC, everything else looks the same. Even the micro USB port is still there and the design is totally the same except for the color of the ring around the touch pad which used to be silver and is now black.
I'm not sure why everybody is making such a fuzz about the ambient mode. Just be aware of your surroundings. And if I want to talk with someone, I find it impolite to keep my headphones on.
Hi, I bought the pxc 550 ii because they were on sale. Do you hear a static noise when the headphone is powered on? I heard of something called the noise floor.
Could you please tell me about the size of these headphones for small heads? I have audio téchnica ath-50bt and i feel them a little bit wide for me when I walk
I have a problem. My new PXC 550-II is on pairing mode and I open Smart Control app. The app says looking a device and connecting PXC550-II or LE-PXC550-II, my headphone is restarting. This steps is looping.
Hi, I was wondering if I should buy the Sony wh1000xm3 during Black Friday or wait for the new model coming in 2020. The only thing I was concerned about the wh1000xm3 is that it’s using Bluetooth 4.2 instead of 5.0. Is there any big latency between them.
What a let down...these are way to small! Granted I have a big head, size 64/65 for my motorcycle helmet for example. But what's wrong, well clamping force is a bit high. Also they can't be extended far enough, my ears will not fit. My ear lobes are between the cushion. And because of that the head band presses down on the top of your head which is uncomfortable. If they could be extended more they would be okay-ish....the clamping force remains. I send them back an got a QC35-II, indeed super comfortable and much better fit.
@@evcanada1451 the sound is on par, for me it was just the size and clamping force. But as I've written, it is just me....fitment is personal. However not big head head approved in my opinion. Although I think it is a good thing to test. The rest of his review is valid and good.
@@evcanada1451 bose is muffled and narrow when playing music. pxc has more clarity and wider soundstage. The Bose has more bass and is punchier, has more depth and better instrument separation so basically better spatial audio. I prefer the bose for watching movies on my tv. And the Senns for listening to music on my phone or gaming on my pc.
Hey man, what are your thoughts on these at $199.00 price point ? I am using ATH Sr50 Wired with Balanced cable ($100). Considering either these or sr50bt or Sony hear on 3. I love good clarity decent base and fantastic sound stage. I also like to have the best Bluetooth tech. Don’t care much about anc to be honest as I listen loud. Also have to stay under 200$ .I have used the Sennhesier momentum true wireless 1 and they sound amazing to me. Thank you !
I'd really love to know how cushioned/comfortable the headband is, because I bought and returned the QC 35 II's because the headband really dig into my head...
I am having issues with the headband contacting on a single point and becoming uncomfortable. I found the Momentum's far more comfortable for a much longer period with any contact spread over a larger area or even able to remove contact altogether and still have enough pressure to hold on the ears alone.
Can someone please help - my right ear on pxc 550-ii is slightly louder than the left. (I have the last update and also tried to swipe the headset, but still the 'R' earcup is louder.
Although the xm4s have superior anc, I went with these as I prefer the sound signature of these and the mic for calls is top notch. Xm4 call quality is a disappointment.
I’ve had there previous model I think that it is better than the pervious one cause, the previous pxc 500s anc was decent blocking about 85 percent of noise but did have some let downs like there old eq app which alright but not the best, there sound stage blew me out of the water in a good way, since I had previous model a while back but don’t any more cause they broke by me dropping them on tile, but since the new ones came out pretty impressive since if you wondering which anc headphones I have now it’s the bang& olufsen h9 3rd gen which these are ok by anc sound is excellent but do not have the same enjoyment as of sennheiser
Please don't compare the sound quality with 700. Those sound absolutely rubbish ( significantly worse compared to QC35/25) This is definitely the most natural sounding BTNC portable headphones. And ANC changes the sound considerably ( much less than Sony/ Bose though) Sennheiser knows a thing or two about driver tuning in headphones.
hopefully i get a response, since black Friday is right around the corner what headphones around $200 should i try and get I would like them to be wireless but can still be wired when the battery died or if i don't need anc. Thanks for the reply's if any
@@GYMCADDY Thank you so much for the reply! What makes the difference that makes the 900's so much better? I'm not an extreme bass head, so would they still be worth it? Is there a huge difference in sound quality? And I've read in some reviews that the bass on the 900's can be muddy if you don't tweak them right in the app, how is your experience with that?
I bought them and yes, the teble is a bit worse than the first gen. Also the bass was very weak with the volume being really low, even at 75%. I was a bit disappointed but with constant use and letting them play over night for about a week, ig "Burn in" the treble wasn't bad at all anymore. It actually sound neutral but with a bit of sparkle in it, adding detail and excitement to you music. The bass also got tighter and punchier with more presence. The bass is also very accurate with no distortion at all. Also, the lows, mids, and highs, sound extremely detailed! Also, the volume gets louder. And yes, a lot of people will conclude that these headphones sound wore than the previous gen but you also have to consider that you need to let the drivers of these headphones lose their rigidity with use. These actually take a while but the sound completely changes when you let them burn in and you'll see that they're absolutely worth it for the sound your getting. I went through the Sony's Xm3, Bose QC35's, and 700, Jabra 85h and returned them all. The only ones that I really liked were the M50xbt and these the PXC550-ii.
@@kennykhoo1689 To be honest, it's ok. It's way too sensitive that it makes not very accurate. Sometimes with even the slightest adjusted or just turned your head a little too fast, the smart pause kicks in and the music is paused. I just turned it off since it's not a need rather than a nice little add on.
@@carlosesqueda9753 thanks for the feedback. tgt it was the unit that is faulty. My experience was sometimes when take if off the music doesn't turn off..haha. yeah, now i just switch off too.
The case is a major disappointment. Luckily there are $12 hard cases on amazon that look pretty decent, but should not be necessary. In my mind, these are a love child of the qc-35 and 1000xm3. They should better than the Bose, but nowhere as good as the Sony. The Sony lack of connectivity was the deal breaker for me, I have no idea how they lack the ability to connect to multiple devices. The app PXC 500-ii are very comfortable, with good not great sound. The NC is good not great. For me they are the best set out there. They are the best ones to use for phone calls, connect easily to multiple devices, ok app that may get better, very comfortable and not bad looking. I wish they came with a good case and had usb-c. Sony has a USB-C, but you can't use it to listen to music, and they are unusable for phone calls. The only USB-C headphones that can be used while charging are the B&W PX7 which are a major major disappointment. Overall pxc- 550 ii has more positives than negatives.
Thx 4 the reviews like these People like us can save a lot from burning their hard earned cash ... By not flooding in the hype of these type a new launches... But sticking to the old ones instead
@@GYMCADDY the AnC test caught me off guard. I can get passed the micro USB. Comfort/fit is what people will go for. But I got mixed feelings for what they offer, and don't offer
It’s not that hard m8, there’s people who bought the original version and waited for an upgrade in the 3 years from its release till this “newer” version. Yet Sennheiser failed to deliver since they blew their budget on the Momentum 3’s and _every other_ headphone/earbud in their lineup _besides_ this one. And now they’ve sold out which ensures they’ll never rectify this mistake.
Hello I really like your detailed reviews and quality I highly recommend you check meizu hd60 check them out are very cheap $ 80 I really think they are the best headphones for money tanks🤪
Those headphones are complete garbage. When they work they are not bad, but they don't work most of the time and I'm forced to go back to my wired logitech headphones that are 5 years old and have about 3 times lower price range. I plug them in and everything works. This $200+ piece of shit doesn't. First of all, they are supposed to support connecting multiple devices at once. Well, if you do that, anything you play will just pause after 5 seconds. I found a "solution" on the forums, which suggests turning off one of the drivers (the one for controls on the device). Doing this will render the buttons useless and will also show you error when connecting the headphones, so I cant really call this a solution. More of an attempt of the consumers to continue using this product. And ofcourse, nothing is said from the side of seinheiser. Beside that I cannot rely on these headphones to do anything right. One moment I'm having video conference with no problems and the next day, without doing anything differently, other participants tell me they are hearing unbearable noise from my side. Nothing solves this, you know, it might work the next day; it might not. Sometimes they also decide not to play any sound even though they are connected and sources are chosen correctly. Sometimes in calls i have great sound and sometimes i can hear my surroundings so much, it again becomes unusable. Not buying seinnheiser ever again. Rant over. TLDR; Those headphones are so bad, I'm forced to default back to my logitech 5 years old wired headphones, with 3 times lower price tag.
They were a disappointment from the beginning since the original version was _3 years_ behind it and they _still_ didn’t upgrade it as much as they should have (instead they did this for Momentum 3 and almost every other headphone in their line).
Buying a headphone is the most confusing choice ever. I’ve been checking reviews for 2 weeks with no decision
Wait a little longer. 1000xm4 are rigjt around the corner
MX4 is here, and got it, but I think pxc550-ii is on sale now too and I'm considering that instead. But I dunno I'm going nuts of which to choose, and I'd be crazier to get both!
@@stevenl4543 get the xm4, and future proof your purchase. Sennheiser with their micro usb is a pain tbh.
@@stevenl4543
Both are good, Sen is my personal favorite brand. But, Sony makes great stuff.
Just want to point out that I contacted Sennheiser costumer service. First off, they said that the PXC 550-II should still get updates and that the app doesn't have all the features yet (I know, kinda weid for a released headphone). According to them, a fully adjustable EQ will be coming soon.
I also asked them about the ambient mode. According to Sennheiser they got asked about this a lot, and they have notified the development team to see if they can put an ambient mode on these headphones nonetheless.
If those updates do happen then I'll re review them.
@@GYMCADDY I will be keeping an eye on them. Maybe I should ask them about improving ANC for low and mids too haha.
@Ezugo Obuekwe That's something that cannot be changed, I only asked them about things that can still be improved/added through software updates.
Any updates on this? I've been looking to buy some new headphones because of the quarantine.
@@ToonHermans18 how about the smart pause? Anyone have issue with their smart pause? At times, the smart pause doesn't work well. Not sure if the unit or the function.
Any idea where they place the sensor in the cup?
It is kind of funny that he calls the build quality on this cheap when the wh 1000 xm3s are built 1000 times cheaper
He is weak, man.
I'm the one person who thinks the 550 ii's are perfect. I'm an audiophile and put sound above everything else, and while these aren't exactly audiophile cans, they seem to come very close. And besides, I need a companion to my Sennheiser CX 400BT's because I need a break from sticking things in my ears.
Also, I was wondering - since it's been a while since you have reviewed offerings from Bose, Sony, and Sennheiser, have you thought about doing a follow-up for 2021? All the major headphone/earbud offerings from the aforementioned companies have updated their software and added features since they first came out so it would be nice to know if you think these cans are still worth getting for 2021 and if the software updates have made them better in some way. Or worse.
Anyway, keep up the good work. Enjoy the content.
After checking out the latest models from other brands, particularly listening to them at the store, I went with PXC. Hands down best neutral/natural sound. As per micro-USB I got cables which are universal at both ends micro/Type-C, don't see any or problems there. Just wish it had quick charge, and couple more notches for volume when used wirelessly, as via wire+DAC they are loud - but not a deal breaker.
You would have been served just as well in sound with the 3-year-older original version. This one is a disappointment and 3 years down the line they haven’t even made a proper upgrade.
I returned them, they honestly did not live up to my expectations, especially considering it's not a big upgrade from the 1st gen - which now costs half price!
@Ezugo Obuekwe I didn't find them as comfortable as he did, so I am thinking of ordering a pair of Bose QC 35 II
You can get these brand new on Amazon today for $188. Good luck finding anything else in that range that sound as good or are as comfortable now.
@@nathenoneptoh I bought the Sony WH-1000XM4 instead
@@philipmrch8326 I just ordered a pair myself. It wasn't even 12 hours after I posted that and my 550-ii stopped wanting to charge
You are one of the best headphone reviewers in UA-cam hope you get more famous💪
One pro this review misses is that the headphones can be used while charging, which other sets don't support. It supports audio over the usb cable too. Useful if you're wearing these all day for work and don't want to sit there waiting for your headphones to charge. I don't see this pair as being enough of an improvement over the original though, which can now be purchased at a discount.
After checking out the latest models from other brands, particularly listening to them at the store, I went with PXC. Hands down best neutral/natural sound. As per micro-USB I got cables which are universal at both ends micro/Type-C, don't see any or problems there. Just wish it had quick charge, and couple more notches for volume when used wirelessly, as via wire+DAC they are loud - but not a deal breaker.
what about the Bose qc 35 ii sound quality ?
it has quick charge. 10 mins for 1.5 hours. although its probably a lie since I have to charge these things overnight to get the dam light to stop blinking. and 30 hours my ass. more like 10 lol.
@@evcanada1451 Bose qc 35 ii sounds more muffled and narrow when it comes to music on the phone and pc. But when it comes to movies it has more depth and better instrument separation for better spatial audio with harder hitting bass and drums for more immersive cinematic experience. I prefer the bose when connected to bluetooth on my tv. And prefer the senns when listening to music on my phone or gaming on my pc.
@@cooloutac thanks for the feedback, I purchased one week ago the pxc 550 ii
@@evcanada1451 how do u like it?
I bought them by 199€ in a Fnac promotion. I prefer the sound quality versus the good base of the Sony M3/M4! Very happy with my bought!
heard there wasn't a major difference between pxc 550-ii and the pxc 550 (2016). grabbed the pxc 550 . impressed alrdy
Ambient mode isn't necessary. you here enough as it is. Just be more aware of the space around you. And it's good to take off the headphones every once in a while so your ears can breathe.
Enjoyed the review, might buy them. I don't have stock in Sennheiser, I am not bothered if people don't like their products. But, it just seems a little inappropriate to describe the materials or construction as low quality or lesser quality. I'm guessing of course but I suspect you don't actually know if the materials are good quality or not or how they were made. A subjective opinion is OK but asserting that they are poor quality seems wrong.
This guy is a Sony fanboy, don't listen to him. I have the PXC 550 ii and the build, audio and just overall quality is wayyy better tthan the XM3 and XM4 :D
Why the hell do they have Micro Usb?
Seriously like wtf?
Sennheiser is not worth the money. Sony is the only way to go.
@@michialphelps2339 Audio Technica is where its at!
@@michialphelps2339 for Bluetooth headsets sure. For wired open backs they're amazing
What is the advantage of a c type on headphones?
@@hebejeebies2452 Faster Charging.
And faster data transfer speeds.
And better cable overall.
Plugs in both ways.
Most value sennheiser NC headphones are the HD 4.50s for decent price and noise canceling, pretty good sound quality which personally I find better than the sony and bose flagships for nearly half the price
Yeah I like the hd 4.50. But I just wish they were more comfortable
Blocking out high frequency sounds is far more important than lower ones. The key is to block chatter. It's to block loud human voices. that is really hard but that shows how well active noise cancelling works. Locking low frequencies se easy. It's an easy sell. So now that you said that it's better with the higher frequencies, which actually thought it wasn't that good, I will look into it more.
actually its the opposite. Low frequencies go right through things. right through walls even. High frequencies are easier to drown out with passive blocking and sounds.
Sennheizer could have given you 10 wishes as you desire, still you would have found ways to criticize them. Such an overtly biased review.
I think it's a fair review. These retailed for $350 and we should expect them to be better than anything under that price point and they're not. If they were sold at $200 at launch, which is what they're priced at now, then I'd say they're perfect. I bought them at the lower price because that's how much I think it's worth. Excellent sound and ANC. Pretty happy with the purchase.
Think, the original came out *3 years* before. That fact alone makes this one a lazy disappointment.
Got a pair based on my 2 main requirements of 1. Comfort...and these are just so light and fit so well... and 2. sound quality...for me these are near perfect, just a tad light on bass... but overall fab phones that keep getting updates, so am sure some of the other issues around ANC will get sorted. Overall worth it, especially now they are available on discount...
Just bought it and I’m keeping it. For reference, I had returned the XM4 and NC 700.
micro usb? bro wat
1. Carrying case is not very important as long as everything else is dynamite.
2. Build quality is irrelevant as long as comfort is top notch and they don't break easily.
3. Micro USB is indeed irritating but not quite a deal breaker, as long as they sound great and are comfortable.
Personally I wouldn't get them over the momentums as the latter sounds phenomenal and are of acceptable comfort.
Micro USB in 2019 😂😂😂
why does it matter though?
@@coffeebreakhero3743 literally every device uses USB C. Imagine your laptop, iPad, phone, battery bank, earbuds etc all use one cable. But then this 350$ product comes alone and you need a seperate cable for it. No thanks 🤦🏻♂️😂
@@dylanwhisnant6772 I agree that's an issue but it's so minor. why do all of you care about it so much. the sound quality and comfort are the real things to care about
@@coffeebreakhero3743 it's not a small issue. This is a $350 product. It's a huge deal for me. It used to not be. I used to bring around all 3 major cables, but ever since I sold everything but USB C products and replaced with USB C it's quite literally life changing in the tech world. Literally only needing to bring a type c to type C and 45W brick with me everywhere is great. If you haven't tried it you wouldn't understand
@@dylanwhisnant6772 I don't bring things with me. I charge them at home, and leave the charges at the same place. so for me it's a none-issue. but I understand.
the battery for the headphones is more than enough for a full day though (I think) so why do you need to charge it on the road? do you have a flying job?
22 hours with everything turned on !!!!!!
more like 11 lol. and thats if you don't have battery problems like many people do. Thats really the big defect with these. No different then the first ones.
Thanks for great review of these headphones! Gonna get them soon as I can.
Micro USB??!🤮
That's what I'm saying
Is not by any means a deal breaker. Don't be picky.
@@franciscobutte it's 2019, with wh1000m3, n900xb and nc700 on the market, why even bother with this
I know not everyone cares about the charging port but sennheiser are gonna lose the people who cares for sure. Personally, I don't buy anything that's not type c charging anymore
@@franciscobutte yea just like boom said. I own a pair of XM2's but always preferred the looks of the sennheisers. I was really hoping that this generation of PCX was gonna be great. I like all of the features on the momentums but just not a huge fan of their design. And for $400 I want a pair of headphones that I'm not self-conscious abt wearing. Just really hoping that these where gonna be the ones. Guess I'm still gonna be waiting for the XM4's
@@franciscobutte Yes not a deal breaker but not consistent since their momentum true wireless is usb-...I still have devices with microusb but my last smartphone is the first with usb-c
How much sound do they leak? I'm in an office and don't want to disturb my neighbors. Quality vid as always!
Price down to $200🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
The Solo Pro's did better than these at ANC? Man that changed my perspective big time especially since the Solo Pro's are selling at $249.00 right now.
I think Sennheiser is about to discontinue this last model and just focus on the momentum future models with better noise cancelling then Sony and Bose without cabin pressure and without sacrificing sound quality for better noise cancelling....
@Ezugo Obuekwe as a consumer I'm gonna say that Sennheiser need people like us on they team...
There is nothing peculiar about this pair.They are the most natural sounding BTNC cans under 300 bucks. They sound a lot cleaner than XM3s/ much more resolving compared to Bose 700. They can even be used for tracking and mixing music (impossible with XM3), the ANC is above average and the micro USB is the only true annoyance. When the battery runs out, use them passively with a good DAC/ amp, they scale extremely well showing the real quality of the drivers ( practically identical to HD598, of course not open back)
After all these are headphones, and at the end of the day, it is the quality of sound that matters the most. Not the DSP corrections/ ANC etc.
Would a Fiio Q3 go well with them?
@@fluffypenguin888ramirez6 No idea, must be...
First review on YT good job...
I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed my original PXC 550's before I passed them on to a family member. Their touchpad is more responsive & reliable than that of my XM3's that I have held on to. Sonically, I also thought that they were better. I gave the PXC 550 away in anticipation of these. I will say that I am disappointed that they kept the Micro USB port. I am assuming that it's a cost saving step or a leftover parts situation. It could also be that they didn't want to make so good as to steal sales away from the Momentum since there is only a $50 price difference. Be that as it may, they should have offered these at about the $250 level just based on the port alone. That would've made them a good value worth jumping on. They'll be going for that by next year anyways......
Great review.. i just wanted to ask you that which headphone do you pefer in terms of sound quality out of pxc 550 , b&o h9i or b&w px7 ?
Px7's for sure
Thank you for the review! Great job! 😁
Which pair sounds best - these or the akg n700nc m2 ?? Thanks, and keep up the great reviews.
I’m looking for great sounding headphones for music, TV, and movies so would the MX3s or M3s be better?
momentum 3 wireless. I think she is the winner on sound stage and bass, If you don't like bass , Maybe shure is better.
Great Work mate
I own these for a year now.
They're great!
BUT
they have bugs if you plan to voice chat while gaming!
why did you have to say this I bought for my laptop ;(
@@user-xc9do2ly1y Better than finding out yourself.
The Sony WH 1000xm3 are still on top
Yeah they are. But if they don't fit that well then these are a good alternative
@@GYMCADDY that's true. They fit me perfectly on the shortest setting. I don't have to adjust them I just push them all the way in and put them on and they fit like a glove, I have small ears too lol. I can definitely see bigger people having issues though.
No, unless you are listening hip-hop/ EDM only. Thy are absolute rubbish for any other genre, even podcasts. They possibly use Sony`s worst drivers.
So, I just got the PXC 550II for my home office and have a question.
When I have ANC activated (maximum setting) and no music is playing I know that I can activate pass through mode by tapping twice on the right earcup. It works like it should but it makes a strange electric beep sound when activating it and also when disabling it with another double tap. This might be intentional of course but I feel like this sound...well does sound strange and not like for example when changing the volume etc.
I also don't hear this sound when ANC is completely off. Then, activating/deactivating the pass through mode via a double tap is done without this strange little sound.
Long story short: Do others have/hear it as well or is it just on mine?
Thanks in advance!
Edit: I can also hear it when I switch the button from position 1 (adaptive ANC) to position 2 (full ANC) without activating pass through mode!
you have very very good hearing my friend. I never noticed until you pointed it out lol.
I have a very strange bug with them. During the first week, mine was playing music with ambient mode on!! And the smart pause was extremely sensitive ( pausing music with head movements) so I turned it off.
Now ambient mode stops music ( as it should be according to the reviews) and the smart pause has stopped working completely. Followed the instructions very carefully. Reset the headphones, even reinstalled the app, but it's just not working anymore with both android and iOS.
Was thinking of visiting the service center. But decided against it. Must be some software issue and the smart pause was buggy anyways.
But I love these headphones simply because of the sound and pretty decent microphones.
Can't tolerate the sound and microphone quality of XM3.
Plus the usb audio is just awesome... absolutely stellar for a wireless BTNC headphone.
Love the comfort also. Also despite the apparent poor build, these can really take lot more beating compared to XM3 and Bose 700.
Hey. I'm thinking of getting these (currently selling @ Rs. 17k on Amazon). Are you still using these? Any specific issues I need to look out for? Would you recommend these? I have seen this auto turn off issue bug reported by several users. They say it stops working. I even saw that this is due to a magnet mechanism being used on the right earcup. I don't mind not using auto turn off feature. But is there a specific turn on/off switch? If yes, then this wouldn't be a big deal to me. Are there any hissing issues? I ruled out the XM3 because of highly reported hissing issues and muddy sound quality. For me, sound quality is top priority.
@@2wheels2lives25 The first one I had, died, Sennheiser sent a new pair, working fine now.
@@Forwhomthebelltolls24 Alright. I saw your review on Amazon! I bought it. Hopefully it'll be free of defectives.
I think that dropping support for NFC on these is a bit of a step backwards. Blutooth 5.0 is a plus especially for iphone and TV viewers with good BT5.0 transmitter. Alexa support is just cumbersome as it is a pain to use and having to re connect to alexa app every time you pair with another device and then return. Comfort not as good as the Momentum series....for my head.....as everyone will be different when it comes to comfort. Micro USB.....WTF?
Good review Gym. How is the volume on these?
Great headphones with great follow up support!
In the Australia service centers anyway.
Not much difference between first generation PXC550 and PXC550 ii if using android.
SAVE yourself $ if you use android.
I honestly wouldn't pay more than $200 for these.
They don't seem to be any different from the original PXC 550 that I have. Besides maybe improved ANC, everything else looks the same. Even the micro USB port is still there and the design is totally the same except for the color of the ring around the touch pad which used to be silver and is now black.
I'm not sure why everybody is making such a fuzz about the ambient mode. Just be aware of your surroundings. And if I want to talk with someone, I find it impolite to keep my headphones on.
ambient mode must of been added cause I have it on mine.
I believe Sony Wh100mx3 is still the ANC king.
Yeah. I'll have an ANC test with the Bose and Sony in the versus video
@@GYMCADDY Thanks brother and waiting for that :) and your reviews are brutally honest.
Hi, I bought the pxc 550 ii because they were on sale. Do you hear a static noise when the headphone is powered on? I heard of something called the noise floor.
Could you please tell me about the size of these headphones for small heads? I have audio téchnica ath-50bt and i feel them a little bit wide for me when I walk
I have a problem. My new PXC 550-II is on pairing mode and I open Smart Control app. The app says looking a device and connecting PXC550-II or LE-PXC550-II, my headphone is restarting. This steps is looping.
Which headphone has stronger bass and louder than the XM3 with good mid to high of course. Is there such thing yet?
Hi, I was wondering if I should buy the Sony wh1000xm3 during Black Friday or wait for the new model coming in 2020. The only thing I was concerned about the wh1000xm3 is that it’s using Bluetooth 4.2 instead of 5.0. Is there any big latency between them.
What a let down...these are way to small! Granted I have a big head, size 64/65 for my motorcycle helmet for example. But what's wrong, well clamping force is a bit high. Also they can't be extended far enough, my ears will not fit. My ear lobes are between the cushion. And because of that the head band presses down on the top of your head which is uncomfortable. If they could be extended more they would be okay-ish....the clamping force remains. I send them back an got a QC35-II, indeed super comfortable and much better fit.
what about the sound quality between Bose qc 35 ii and Sennheiser PXC 550ii. ?
@@evcanada1451 the sound is on par, for me it was just the size and clamping force. But as I've written, it is just me....fitment is personal. However not big head head approved in my opinion. Although I think it is a good thing to test. The rest of his review is valid and good.
@@Tijn1972 honestly I've tried the Sennheiser
@@evcanada1451 bose is muffled and narrow when playing music. pxc has more clarity and wider soundstage. The Bose has more bass and is punchier, has more depth and better instrument separation so basically better spatial audio. I prefer the bose for watching movies on my tv. And the Senns for listening to music on my phone or gaming on my pc.
you aint lying about the size. They do run very small compared to the bose. But at the largest size they fit my big noggin.
Forgot to mention if they make a hissing sound when NC on and no music playing. A big problem with the mx4. Bose 700 has very little hissing.
Hey man, what are your thoughts on these at $199.00 price point ? I am using ATH Sr50 Wired with Balanced cable ($100). Considering either these or sr50bt or Sony hear on 3. I love good clarity decent base and fantastic sound stage. I also like to have the best Bluetooth tech. Don’t care much about anc to be honest as I listen loud. Also have to stay under 200$ .I have used the Sennhesier momentum true wireless 1 and they sound amazing to me. Thank you !
Hope you got them cause they are amazing :D Got mine for 260 bucks
what's the latency on windows PC when watching movies or youtube videos?? and is it noticable?
Does the volume get loader then previous generation ? The original did not have much volume the Bose QC35 was loader.
Well i am thinking of buying these for 223$ in my region, so any recommendations or suggestions..
I'm always on the lookout for spacious ear cups.
Can it be used wired and at thw same time so mic is working and without power and ANC?
I'd really love to know how cushioned/comfortable the headband is, because I bought and returned the QC 35 II's because the headband really dig into my head...
I am having issues with the headband contacting on a single point and becoming uncomfortable. I found the Momentum's far more comfortable for a much longer period with any contact spread over a larger area or even able to remove contact altogether and still have enough pressure to hold on the ears alone.
What are the main differences between the pxc 550 2 and the standard pxc 550
Thanks very nice review
Can someone please help - my right ear on pxc 550-ii is slightly louder than the left. (I have the last update and also tried to swipe the headset, but still the 'R' earcup is louder.
Bought them for $157. If it wasn’t great in the $350 market, it definitely is in the sub 200 market
Do you still liking yours?
Damn sennheiser and I was waiting for these also👈🏾🤔🤔🤔 I'm sticking with my xm3's ✌🏾
This or the ath-SR-50bt?
For $350 I understand why one would dismiss them, but are they a great deal for $200?
yes, even in 2021.
@@cooloutac Na, they should have gotten a _proper_ upgrade by now.
I work at very noisy Environment Headband on xm3 cracked so i return them.I like to listen classic rock and roll. So the choice this or bose 700 ? Ty
Is it just me that I crank the noice cancelling up even when walking around the city?
in the words of MKBHD, "a poor use of space"
it's on sale for 180 on amazon right now
Although the xm4s have superior anc, I went with these as I prefer the sound signature of these and the mic for calls is top notch. Xm4 call quality is a disappointment.
Micro USB? U good bro??
I’ve had there previous model I think that it is better than the pervious one cause, the previous pxc 500s anc was decent blocking about 85 percent of noise but did have some let downs like there old eq app which alright but not the best, there sound stage blew me out of the water in a good way, since I had previous model a while back but don’t any more cause they broke by me dropping them on tile, but since the new ones came out pretty impressive since if you wondering which anc headphones I have now it’s the bang& olufsen h9 3rd gen which these are ok by anc sound is excellent but do not have the same enjoyment as of sennheiser
Please test the Falcon true wireless earbuds from Noble Audio
What are the 5 bt NC headphones withe the very best sound quality?
funny how you say that the px7 are even close to neutral. those things are just terrible
Please don't compare the sound quality with 700. Those sound absolutely rubbish ( significantly worse compared to QC35/25)
This is definitely the most natural sounding BTNC portable headphones.
And ANC changes the sound considerably ( much less than Sony/ Bose though)
Sennheiser knows a thing or two about driver tuning in headphones.
Can anyone please tell me what is so bad about Micro USB?
hopefully i get a response, since black Friday is right around the corner what headphones around $200 should i try and get I would like them to be wireless but can still be wired when the battery died or if i don't need anc. Thanks for the reply's if any
The Sony xb900n are currently on sale for $150. Get those
@@GYMCADDY alrighty I'll have to look into a review and see.Thanks for the reply I appreciate it. I love your reviews
Still Micro-USB in late 2019? Maybe they should add modern tech to the new device.😆😆😆
@Ezugo Obuekwe Yeah, lots of people will pass on these due to micro USB.
@Ezugo Obuekwe You are quite right. The first step in exceeding customer's expectations is to know those expectations before releasing a new product.
Would you go for either the Sony WH-CN700N or XB900N?
Xb900n hands down. Besides I think the wh-ch710n are right around the corner.
@@GYMCADDY Thank you so much for the reply! What makes the difference that makes the 900's so much better? I'm not an extreme bass head, so would they still be worth it? Is there a huge difference in sound quality? And I've read in some reviews that the bass on the 900's can be muddy if you don't tweak them right in the app, how is your experience with that?
I don't care about any of your cons for THESE HEADPHONES
Doesn’t matter what you think, they’re _still_ a disappointment compared to the original.
Fav menu item at chick fil a?
thumbs down micro usb !
You just saved me $300.
Thank you for your review.
I was really planning on buying this headphone but i went to bose and i bought the nc 700 from bose because of better ANC and USB type C.
Sell me why USB C is needed?
Is the upgrade Worth it from PXC to PXC 2?
No
I can't say I don't have any experience with the original pxc 550's. All I can do is compare them to current crop or headphones
@@GYMCADDY alright👍
The Momentum 3s are much better. I bought them a week ago and love the comfort, sound quality and the premium build quality.
Is the sound quality the same as the 550?
I bought them and yes, the teble is a bit worse than the first gen. Also the bass was very weak with the volume being really low, even at 75%. I was a bit disappointed but with constant use and letting them play over night for about a week, ig "Burn in" the treble wasn't bad at all anymore. It actually sound neutral but with a bit of sparkle in it, adding detail and excitement to you music. The bass also got tighter and punchier with more presence. The bass is also very accurate with no distortion at all. Also, the lows, mids, and highs, sound extremely detailed! Also, the volume gets louder. And yes, a lot of people will conclude that these headphones sound wore than the previous gen but you also have to consider that you need to let the drivers of these headphones lose their rigidity with use. These actually take a while but the sound completely changes when you let them burn in and you'll see that they're absolutely worth it for the sound your getting. I went through the Sony's Xm3, Bose QC35's, and 700, Jabra 85h and returned them all. The only ones that I really liked were the M50xbt and these the PXC550-ii.
@@carlosesqueda9753 how the smart pause function? Sometimes to me the smart pause doesn't work properly in the gen2.
You encounter this?
@@kennykhoo1689 To be honest, it's ok. It's way too sensitive that it makes not very accurate. Sometimes with even the slightest adjusted or just turned your head a little too fast, the smart pause kicks in and the music is paused. I just turned it off since it's not a need rather than a nice little add on.
@@carlosesqueda9753 thanks for the feedback. tgt it was the unit that is faulty. My experience was sometimes when take if off the music doesn't turn off..haha.
yeah, now i just switch off too.
@@carlosesqueda9753 ya the smart pause is pretty shitty on these. Can get annoying.
The case is a major disappointment. Luckily there are $12 hard cases on amazon that look pretty decent, but should not be necessary. In my mind, these are a love child of the qc-35 and 1000xm3. They should better than the Bose, but nowhere as good as the Sony. The Sony lack of connectivity was the deal breaker for me, I have no idea how they lack the ability to connect to multiple devices. The app PXC 500-ii are very comfortable, with good not great sound. The NC is good not great. For me they are the best set out there. They are the best ones to use for phone calls, connect easily to multiple devices, ok app that may get better, very comfortable and not bad looking. I wish they came with a good case and had usb-c. Sony has a USB-C, but you can't use it to listen to music, and they are unusable for phone calls. The only USB-C headphones that can be used while charging are the B&W PX7 which are a major major disappointment. Overall pxc- 550 ii has more positives than negatives.
Ezugo Obuekwe anc isn’t as good as the Bose or Sony, but it’s good.
Ezugo Obuekwe haven’t tried the m3, but the B&O H9i are on the way and i believe they can transfer audio through usb-c
Thx 4 the reviews like these
People like us can save a lot from burning their hard earned cash ...
By not flooding in the hype of these type a new launches...
But sticking to the old ones instead
you are way too hypercritical in your reviews
That's a really interesting pair of headphones
I kinda like them tho
@@GYMCADDY the AnC test caught me off guard. I can get passed the micro USB. Comfort/fit is what people will go for. But I got mixed feelings for what they offer, and don't offer
How the fuck would these headphones be a disappointment to some people ?
It’s not that hard m8, there’s people who bought the original version and waited for an upgrade in the 3 years from its release till this “newer” version.
Yet Sennheiser failed to deliver since they blew their budget on the Momentum 3’s and _every other_ headphone/earbud in their lineup _besides_ this one.
And now they’ve sold out which ensures they’ll never rectify this mistake.
Hello I really like your detailed reviews and quality I highly recommend you check meizu hd60 check them out are very cheap $ 80 I really think they are the best headphones for money tanks🤪
Davis Jessica Rodriguez Charles Taylor Carol
Those headphones are complete garbage. When they work they are not bad, but they don't work most of the time and I'm forced to go back to my wired logitech headphones that are 5 years old and have about 3 times lower price range. I plug them in and everything works. This $200+ piece of shit doesn't.
First of all, they are supposed to support connecting multiple devices at once. Well, if you do that, anything you play will just pause after 5 seconds. I found a "solution" on the forums, which suggests turning off one of the drivers (the one for controls on the device). Doing this will render the buttons useless and will also show you error when connecting the headphones, so I cant really call this a solution. More of an attempt of the consumers to continue using this product. And ofcourse, nothing is said from the side of seinheiser.
Beside that I cannot rely on these headphones to do anything right. One moment I'm having video conference with no problems and the next day, without doing anything differently, other participants tell me they are hearing unbearable noise from my side. Nothing solves this, you know, it might work the next day; it might not. Sometimes they also decide not to play any sound even though they are connected and sources are chosen correctly. Sometimes in calls i have great sound and sometimes i can hear my surroundings so much, it again becomes unusable.
Not buying seinnheiser ever again. Rant over.
TLDR; Those headphones are so bad, I'm forced to default back to my logitech 5 years old wired headphones, with 3 times lower price tag.
They were a disappointment from the beginning since the original version was _3 years_ behind it and they _still_ didn’t upgrade it as much as they should have (instead they did this for Momentum 3 and almost every other headphone in their line).