[jude]

​

Last year, in the Head-Fi Buying Guide, I wrote a "letter" to Sennheiser that, while tongue-in-cheek in tone, was also a genuine request. This is what it said:

Dear Sennheiser,

Why don't you make a wireless exercise headphone? I'm not sure if you've noticed, but everyone else is doing it, and while that's often not a good reason to do something, it actually is in this case.

The only reason I'm asking you, Sennheiser, to make a wireless exercise headphone is because your line of wired sports headphones has been among the very best sounding--and the very best fitting--in the entire industry.

As you've proven with products like the Sennheiser RS220, RS185, PXC 550, MOMENTUM Wireless, and the Presence--not to mention the ubiquity of your wireless technologies in pro audio--you definitely know wireless.

This year, for the first time ever, wireless headphones have eclipsed wired headphones in terms of dollar sales. The sport/exercise headphone market is one of the most popular categories and wireless ones especially. I've been waiting for years for a move from you here. Don't get me wrong, though, your wired exercise headphones are, again, superb:

Your behind-the-neck sports headphones like the Sennheiser PMX 686 SPORTS have been my absolute favorite type of wired exercise headphones, providing minimal isolation (which is a must for me, when I want to do outdoor activities, and still be able to hear approaching people, animals, and vehicles). I've always found your behind-the-neck bands to be secure, light, and comfortable.

Over the years, your other non-isolating earbud models--like the current Sennheiser MX 686G SPORTS model--have been paragons of secure, comfortable-fitting non-headband earbuds that can withstand sweat and gym bag abuse. I love its Slide-to-Fit mechanism, which I find far more convenient than swapping out easy-to-lose fins and flaps. Don't you think a model like this that's wireless would be a strong competitor to the likes of Jaybird, Bose, and Beats? I do.

Your sealed, isolating models are fantastic for indoor gym rats. The Sennheiser OXC 686 SPORTS with their over-ear hook design are among your most secure fitting exercise pieces in my experience. And your Sennheiser CX 686G SPORTS--the sound-isolating counterpart to the aforementioned (and outstanding) MX 686G SPORTS--is another indoor health club headphone winner.

Fantastic exercise headphones, all of these. However, it's time now to free them with your vast experience with wireless technologies. Pretty please?

Sincerely,
Jude
​

The fitness headphone category is a big, important segment that's still growing, and in this category wireless is where it's at. This week Sennheiser finally announced it is entering the wireless exercise headphone space with the Sennheiser CX SPORT, which is available now via Sennheiser's web store, and then worldwide in June for €129 or $129.95 (MSRP).

​

I haven't tried the CX SPORT yet, but, from the photos it looks to be more of a closed-type, sound-isolating earbud (which I'll confirm later). The fact that their promotional photos seem to show it in indoor settings perhaps confirms this. Most of my exercise is indoor, so this isn't a deal-killer for me, but I really do hope they also offer some of their previous minimally-isolating fitness models in wireless versions down the road.

The CX SPORT uses Sennheiser's ergonomic "fin" design that lock them in place. They've had versions of this fin-type design for years now, and I've found these types very comfortable for extended wear.

In terms of water and sweat resistance, I don't see any specific IPX rating listed, but they're describing the CX SPORT as sweat and splash resistant, specifically mentioning its use "in the rain or a sweat soaked gym session," and, as I haven't had issues with Sennheiser's wired sports headphones in this regard, I'm not concerned here.

In terms of the CX SPORT's wireless specs, it is Bluetooth version 4.2, with aptX, aptX LL (low latency), AAC, and SBC. I am very happy to see these aptX-enabled, but do hope Sennheiser offers aptX HD and/or LDAC in the future, as even their moderately priced earphones have enough fidelity to benefit from it.

Sennheiser describe's the CX SPORT's battery life as six hours from a full charge, and also offers one hour of play time from just a ten-minute charge.

I'm just excited to see Sennheiser finally making wireless fitness headphones--this is long overdue. Now if they ever make a wireless version of their behind-the-neck Sennheiser PMX SPORTS model (a form factor I've always liked a great deal for activity and exercise), I'll be even happier still.

 

[Tex Irie]

​

Last year, in the Head-Fi Buying Guide, I wrote a "letter" to Sennheiser that, while tongue-in-cheek in tone, was also a genuine request. This is what it said:

Dear Sennheiser,

Why don't you make a wireless exercise headphone? I'm not sure if you've noticed, but everyone else is doing it, and while that's often not a good reason to do something, it actually is in this case.

The only reason I'm asking you, Sennheiser, to make a wireless exercise headphone is because your line of wired sports headphones has been among the very best sounding--and the very best fitting--in the entire industry.

As you've proven with products like the Sennheiser RS220, RS185, PXC 550, MOMENTUM Wireless, and the Presence--not to mention the ubiquity of your wireless technologies in pro audio--you definitely know wireless.

This year, for the first time ever, wireless headphones have eclipsed wired headphones in terms of dollar sales. The sport/exercise headphone market is one of the most popular categories and wireless ones especially. I've been waiting for years for a move from you here. Don't get me wrong, though, your wired exercise headphones are, again, superb:

Your behind-the-neck sports headphones like the Sennheiser PMX 686 SPORTS have been my absolute favorite type of wired exercise headphones, providing minimal isolation (which is a must for me, when I want to do outdoor activities, and still be able to hear approaching people, animals, and vehicles). I've always found your behind-the-neck bands to be secure, light, and comfortable.

Over the years, your other non-isolating earbud models--like the current Sennheiser MX 686G SPORTS model--have been paragons of secure, comfortable-fitting non-headband earbuds that can withstand sweat and gym bag abuse. I love its Slide-to-Fit mechanism, which I find far more convenient than swapping out easy-to-lose fins and flaps. Don't you think a model like this that's wireless would be a strong competitor to the likes of Jaybird, Bose, and Beats? I do.

Your sealed, isolating models are fantastic for indoor gym rats. The Sennheiser OXC 686 SPORTS with their over-ear hook design are among your most secure fitting exercise pieces in my experience. And your Sennheiser CX 686G SPORTS--the sound-isolating counterpart to the aforementioned (and outstanding) MX 686G SPORTS--is another indoor health club headphone winner.

Fantastic exercise headphones, all of these. However, it's time now to free them with your vast experience with wireless technologies. Pretty please?

Sincerely,
Jude
​

The fitness headphone category is a big, important segment that's still growing, and in this category wireless is where it's at. This week Sennheiser finally announced it is entering the wireless exercise headphone space with the Sennheiser CX SPORT, which is available now via Sennheiser's web store, and then worldwide in June for €129 or $129.95 (MSRP).

​

I haven't tried the CX SPORT yet, but, from the photos it looks to be more of a closed-type, sound-isolating earbud (which I'll confirm later). The fact that their promotional photos seem to show it in indoor settings perhaps confirms this. Most of my exercise is indoor, so this isn't a deal-killer for me, but I really do hope they also offer some of their previous minimally-isolating fitness models in wireless versions down the road.

The CX SPORT uses Sennheiser's ergonomic "fin" design that lock them in place. They've had versions of this fin-type design for years now, and I've found these types very comfortable for extended wear.

In terms of water and sweat resistance, I don't see any specific IPX rating listed, but they're describing the CX SPORT as sweat and splash resistant, specifically mentioning its use "in the rain or a sweat soaked gym session," and, as I haven't had issues with Sennheiser's wired sports headphones in this regard, I'm not concerned here.

In terms of the CX SPORT's wireless specs, it is Bluetooth version 4.2, with aptX, aptX LL (low latency), AAC, and SBC. I am very happy to see these aptX-enabled, but do hope Sennheiser offers aptX HD and/or LDAC in the future, as even their moderately priced earphones have enough fidelity to benefit from it.

Sennheiser describe's the CX SPORT's battery life as six hours from a full charge, and also offers one hour of play time from just a ten-minute charge.

I'm just excited to see Sennheiser finally making wireless fitness headphones--this is long overdue. Now if they ever make a wireless version of their behind-the-neck Sennheiser PMX SPORTS model (a form factor I've always liked a great deal for activity and exercise), I'll be even happier still.

I would have loved a wireless 686G with AptX HD and LDAC. The earhooks were secure and never got in the way of working out.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Nice to see them catching onto AAC.

 

[AlwaysForward]

Yeah I bought the Bose while I was waiting for these. Super happy I did. Hope the senns turned out well.

 

[rantng]

I'm glad to see controls on one side and another module (not sure what it's for) on the other. Most earbud-style wireless sport headphones have the controls on one side with nothing on the other side to balance out the weight and I've never understood this. I always wear them behind the neck and they always pull to one side.

 

[DoctaCosmos]

As a man, having two obstacles swaying around bouncing off my body is enough. Adding two more for my neck doesn’t seem like anything I want to mess with

 

[Tommy C]

That cable tho...

 

[Walderstorn]

I agree that cable doesn't make sense to me.

 

[jant71]

6 hours battery with a second pod, low IPX rating(or they would mention if it were better most likely), no HD BT codecs, and a $130 price tag in 2018. Not that impressive.

 

[AlwaysForward]

Yeah Sennheiser seems to have released these about a year or so after these features became the standard. They seem firmly rooted in tradition, almost to a fault for my taste.

Sometimes they're out front with things like Ambeo but most of their headphones just don't fit the way I use headphones.