[Gamerphile]

[quote name="blub" url="/forum/thread/557750/head-fi-tv-episode-007-sennheiser-mm-450-travel-and-the-wowee-one-for-the-traveling-head-fi-ers#post_7531139"> Could you share your opinion/experience/preferences on this specific topic: MM450 vs IEM's on public transport?
[/quote]

Just to give MHO I would take a good IEM anyday for noise but the comfort and such. Also heard from many that Bose's damping should be a bit better but thats is wired version that are not the same at all. I mean the MM450 even has exchangeable battery so you can charge one while the other is work as integrated AMP when you use the MM450 wired! But my IEM's and theses are Sennheiser so not even highest end stuff, MM80 I think, I always use for my smartphone for music as they can take calls with mic and then I have a comfortable bluetooth headset for support calls when grandma' can't get her laptop to work
In that respect the MM450 sucks a little since IEM's fit in your pocket by your smartphone and I often don't carry a bag to when out.

 

[Audiophile1811]

Quote:

 
I'm really curious about your opinions and experience of the MM450 compared to IEM's (e.g. Shure se215/315/425 or Westone 2/UM3), specifically on noise isolation and SQ when used on public transport such as airplanes and trains.
I'm asking this as you seem to have a lot of field-experience with both during travelling while being a head-fier

.
 
I use public transportation quite often. That's why I'm looking for the right balance between sound quality, portability, comfort (!) and high background-noise isolation.
(For use in quieter places or places where I need to here the outside environment -such as at home, on the streets or at work- I have other headphones I really like such as the Yuin G2, Senn mx880 and Sony MDR7056)
 
So I'm really curious about the MM450 (~cheaper PXC310 or PXC310BT) as I suppose it should be much better than the PXC215, but I don't know how they would compare to IEM such as the Shure & Westone's on public transport.

 
Could you share your opinion/experience/preferences on this specific topic: MM450 vs IEM's on public transport?

I'd also like to know how the MM450 compare to IEMs.
Thanks.
 

 

[Crenshaw]

I've been using a Hippo Vase for awhile. They make two models, I'm not sure what the difference is, but They are great for that same exact purpose of listening to music/movies in a hotel room, and still having decent bass. If mine is any indication, the console the hotel TV is likely resting on is actually one of the better surfaces to use such a speaker on.
 
That said I do want to get the wowee, simply becase it runs on batteries! no other vibration-thingy speakers do this as far as i know.
 
I'm curious though Jude,what would you reckon are the advantages of the MM450 over, say, a pair of good IEMs coupled with a bluetooth receiver?

 

[cusx]

Hi, I was wondering what wooden speakers  are you using ? The one that is on the table.
 
and did you Colorware'd your MacBook Air ? It looks whiter rather than the metallic.

 

[PhaedraCorruption]

I was a few minutes into the video, very impressed with the 450s, considering getting one (at this point I was expecting a $150-200 price tag) but when the white numbers started appearing on the screen I just swore out loud.

 

[Ckrap]

@ blub & Audiophile1811 
 
I'm using the Sennheiser PXC 310 BT (difference between the 2 HPs, no talk feature on 310BT), from my experience you can't really compare the Sound quality of these headphones to IEMs (as headphones in general have better soundstage than IEMs).  I've use SE 215, SE315, SE425 and SE535 and first of all,
 
1) Noise Isolation vs. Noise cancellation... passive noise isolation of the Shure IEMs beat it straight up.  The supra aural design of the mm450 or pxc 310 coupled with noise cancellation isn't perfect for external sounds of trains or gyms.  Noise cancellation doesn't block screeching noise of train tracks or bad songs they play at the gym (not low frequencies)  And the design is not over the ear you so wont get great noise isolation from them either.  So you try to drown the sound out by pumping up the volume but these headphones have the limitation of pumping up the volume (maybe limitation of BT HPs in general) really loud - about 75% of maximum sound that you can get from Shure IEMs.    I haven't use the PXC 310 bt on an airplane so I can't comment on this.
 
2) Sound Quality- In my opinion I prefer the sound quality of PXC 310 BT to IEMs because you have more stage presence or airiness to them.  I'd say the 310BT has better bass than the SE425 and SE 535s but the Shures beat it in treble.  Mids I would give the 310Bt a slight advantage.  It all depends on your preference though.  But if I had the choice I would rather listen to the sound signature of an MM450 or PXC 310 over SE 425 or SE535.   
 
I love these headphones.  I got them for my store but I use them everyday instead of IEMs although they're not as good at blocking out external noise because of the convenience of being wireless and sound quality.  What the review didn't mention or maybe I missed it was that 310BT supports APTX codec, so you have to pair them to a APTX compliant dongle or an IOS 4.3 device or Macbook/OSX with APTX support built in to the bluetooth.     

 

[MicroNik]

stupid question..
 
Where is Episode 006? On the site page I only saw 5 and now 7

 

[Audiophile1811]

Quote:

stupid question..
 
Where is Episode 006? On the site page I only saw 5 and now 7

I meant to ask how they compare for portable use, not sound quality.

 

[jpelg]

 
Quote:

so you have to pair them to...an IOS 4.3 device...

Incorrect (as is your post on Macrumors). iOs 4.3 does not support APT-X. Only Apple's OSX does at the moment.
 
 

 

[Fistulator]

Great video, as always. 

 

[Ckrap]

Quote:

 

Incorrect (as is your post on Macrumors). iOs 4.3 does not support APT-X. Only Apple's OSX does at the moment.
 
 

Ok Jpelg.  What evidence do you have to support your answer instead of saying no it doesn't?  Cause it's not really helpful... And you go out of your way to
 
look up my post on Macrumors as well to refute this?  
 
Have you ever used the Sennheiser PXC 310BT with and without BTD 300 audio on your iphone like I have?  Cause I couldn't hear the difference in sound quality...
 
I don't have any scientific proof to back my opinion but do you?  
 
DO you work for Apple or iOSs development team, if so please enlighten me with your knowledge.   So I can be corrected in my false opinion.   
 

 

[Riverback]

Mind if I ask, What speakers are those next to the desk?

 

[Sorensiim]

Any chance of a comparison of the MM450 against the HD25-1 II? I have the latter, but the thought of bluetooth with decent sound sure is alluring...

 

[Sorensiim]

Quote:

Mind if I ask, What speakers are those next to the desk?

Cue Post #13 in this very thread:
uote:

Jude - I see a pair of AudioEngine P4 speakers and their N22 amp on your desktop - any chance we can get you opinion on that setup?

 

 

[blub]

Quote:

@ blub & Audiophile1811 
 
I'm using the Sennheiser PXC 310 BT (difference between the 2 HPs, no talk feature on 310BT), from my experience you can't really compare the Sound quality of these headphones to IEMs (as headphones in general have better soundstage than IEMs).  I've use SE 215, SE315, SE425 and SE535 and first of all,
 
1) Noise Isolation vs. Noise cancellation... passive noise isolation of the Shure IEMs beat it straight up.  [...]   I haven't use the PXC 310 bt on an airplane so I can't comment on this.
 
2) Sound Quality- In my opinion I prefer the sound quality of PXC 310 BT to IEMs because you have more stage presence or airiness to them.  [...]  
  

Thanks a lot for the input, Ckrap!!!
I'm very happy to hear you're positive comments about the 'stage presence' of the Sennheiser, as presentation is something very important to me for enjoying musci listening.
I'm quite troubled about the low isolating value you seem to attribute to the Sennheiser though, as I would buy I mainly for use on public transportation.
I e.g. use the Yuin G2 at work or when I'm on the move and don't want/need isolation. I just love it's sound (eventhough it lacks in the lower frequencies/bass), but it's just not up to the isolation-task when used on trains or airplanes. I have the Sony MDR7056 which is better for that, but still, I hoped to find in the Sennheiser better isolation in a more compact form...
I don't really mind hearing the (attenuated) casual high pitches of a train's breaks when entering a station or noticing that the train conductor is announcing something, but I'm mainly looking at eliminating the constant train-noises (motor, wind-noise when the windows are open, rithmic sound on the train-tracks, most of the background noise of the people...)
 
I'm also quite intrested in a comparison with the HD25. I suppose the HD25 might have better SQ, but I'm wondering if this SQ-difference can even be exploited in noisy environments, comparing the excellent passive isolation of the HD25 with the active+passive isolation of the MM450. I'm also wondering how their passive isolation compare.