[aeidein]

I won a pair of CX-300s on eBay for $28. (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWN:IT&ih=009)

They arrived today.

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/9...0109101ss0.jpg
http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/9...0109161px1.jpg
http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/3...0109141gk7.jpg

The case looks a bit different than the one in the official Sennheiser CX-300 pdf (which look like the one here), but everything else looks genuine. The sound quality is certainly better than the stock iPod earbuds, but I'm no audiophile. Can anyone tell if they're fake? Or did Sennheiser redesign the case?

 

[PeterDLai]

It looks real to me, the packaging is probably different because the one you bought is normally sold in Europe (my guess).

 

[aeidein]

Made and shipped from China, actually.

 

[GlorytheWiz825]

Yikes, any CX300 coming out of China I don't trust. :/ Just pay $15 more and have a piece of mind knowing its real.

 

[exec_]

Looks like an original for me.

Most fakes come in a cardboard box or with kinda blister package, which is not properly glued on the edges.

But these you got are "generation 2" of the CX300 - shiny back (the part where the sennheiser symbol is printed on). They also will make a popping noise when inserted in the ear. Normally this was a sign for fakes, but this no longer holds true due to the fact, that sennheiser actually changed the manufacturing process.

When you open the package, look for the cable: must be a J cable (Y cable -> fake), cable legths about 195/535mm (mesaured after the cable splits up and incl. the length of the ear plugs), plug must be 90° silver.

Edit: On the other hand, you might think about getting some AKG K 324 P or Creative EP630. Afaik they're all coming out of the same manufacture in china, but there aren't so much AKG/Creative around.

 

[aeidein]

Quote:

sennheiser actually changed the manufacturing process

That's good to know, thanks. And yeah, they fit all the physical criteria of the real ones, and they sound pretty good, even to my ears.

I didn't know about the EP630s till after I won these, but if I ever need a replacement I'll definitely consider them, since they're only about $30.

Thank you!

 

[304290]

Just do like a friend of mine did. He paid 9.99 shipped for a pair he knew was fake. He then went to circuit city bought a real pair, swapped them out, and returned the fake pair. They even let him keep the original receipt. So for less than 10 dollars he have a new pair of cx300s with a two year warrantee.

 

[lt.milo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 304290 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just do like a friend of mine did. He paid 9.99 shipped for a pair he knew was fake. He then went to circuit city bought a real pair, swapped them out, and returned the fake pair. They even let him keep the original receipt. So for less than 10 dollars he have a new pair of cx300s with a two year warrantee.

thats dirty

 

[kamal007]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 304290 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just do like a friend of mine did. He paid 9.99 shipped for a pair he knew was fake. He then went to circuit city bought a real pair, swapped them out, and returned the fake pair. They even let him keep the original receipt. So for less than 10 dollars he have a new pair of cx300s with a two year warrantee.

thats a return fraud...i wont do that..

 

[mattr762]

Quote:

Originally Posted by exec_ /img/forum/go_quote.gif Looks like an original for me. Most fakes come in a cardboard box or with kinda blister package, which is not properly glued on the edges. When you open the package, look for the cable: must be a J cable (Y cable -> fake), cable legths about 195/535mm (mesaured after the cable splits up and incl. the length of the ear plugs), plug must be 90° silver.

I disagree. I bought a fake pair for $.99 + $12 shipping and the box looks real. And it is a "J" cable.

 

[exec_]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattr762 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I disagree. I bought a fake pair for $.99 + $12 shipping and the box looks real. And it is a "J" cable.

I just wanted to point out that you know on the first sight that it's a fake, when it comes with another packaging or Y cable. But there are also "better" fakes out there. In this case, you will have to get a look on the drivers to be sure.

But in most cases, listening to them for a short time would be sufficient when you know what you can expect of such phones in this price range.

 

[facelvega]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aeidein /img/forum/go_quote.gif they sound pretty good, even to my ears.

It doesn't matter if they're "real", it matters if they sound good. They do, case closed. Hey kids, even the real ones come from crappy factories in China, and possibly the very same factories sell some of the "fake" ones on the sly. There have been actual bad copies in circulation too, but they were easy to spot because they sounded awful. If you can get the good-sounding ones, there isn't even much bad karma because Senn, AKG, Creative, and Sharp didn't design these headphones (though some think they tweaked them), and only license the rights to sell them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 304290 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just do like a friend of mine did. He paid 9.99 shipped for a pair he knew was fake. He then went to circuit city bought a real pair, swapped them out, and returned the fake pair. They even let him keep the original receipt. So for less than 10 dollars he have a new pair of cx300s with a two year warrantee.

This is the kind of thing you think is really cool when you're fifteen or an Enron executive and fraud just seems like another word for free money. You won't find much sympathy for that sort of thing on these boards.