[re41verse]

Introduction

 

Hi guys! Paul B. here, bringing you my first legit headphone review. Today, I’m focusing on my Sennheiser PX 100-II.

 

Before anything else, let me tell you that, while I’m really into this hobby, it’s only recently that I somewhat got the grasp of describing sound, thanks to this pair, apparently.

 

I purchased this pair last December at almost PHP3000, so this marks my first major headphone purchase. (PHP3000 translates to about $60-$70, which is probably the SRP for these)

 

After almost 10 months of training and intensive use, I’m finally ready to sum up my thoughts about this pair. And I’m telling you now, those 10 months were blissful, and they continue to amaze me whenever I listen to songs I used to load up in my smartphone. It’s like listening to them for the first time all over again!

 

I use this pair for all-around listening, be it from my smartphone or while watching anime and movies. It might be wrong, but I use these in the library.

 

Read on for more impressions on this fantastic pair of headphones.

 

Packaging

 

The headphones come in a cardboard box that shows off the portability of this pair; in the box, they’re folded down to the size of a pair of shades!

 

Unlike the first PX 100 (that I never owned or heard), which had a hard case for storage, thePX 100-II only comes with a drawstring pouch. While others may see this as a deal breaker, especially to those who owned the first gen PX, I see them as a plus due to portability; it isn’t that bulky.

 

Build Quality, Comfort and Feel

 

These headphones are clearly built well. The beefed up headband made of hard plastic and stainless steel really live up to my expectations; while I didn’t try to bend the headband, it definitely feels solid. Maybe Sennheiser was confident of the pair’s build that it ditched the hard plastic case for a drawstring pouch. There is quite the heft to the pair, which is quite reassuring of the build quality of this pair. Despite the heft, the headphones are still lightweight.

 

The cable is pretty thin and rubbery. I really didn’t expect much with the cable. It sometimes tangles, but it isn’t that bad. On the other hand, it adds up to the lightweight overall feel of the pair.

 

This pair definitely screams portability in every aspect.

 

Now, despite the portability, Sennheiser made this pair comfy, yet it remains cool during use.

 

The foam earpads are of adequate thickness. After 10 months, no sign of wear was seen. Given that this is a pair of open supras, my ears remained cool even after long use. And this is outdoors while walking around the university under the sun! One thing I noticed is that the foam tends to soften a bit when used for quite a while.

 

Underneath the headband, there’s some foam padding that cradles my head in comfort.

 

Overall, this makes up my ideal pair of on-the-go headphones: comfortable, cool, lightweight and durable.

 

Sound Quality

 

Now, you’ve read so far that I’m giving this pair a glowing review. That’s just the aesthetics. Let’s move on to the sound, for watching/gaming purposes, out of the box and after burn-in. Before anything else, let me clarify that this pair is open, so it doesn’t isolate outside noise in exchange for natural sound, impressive soundstage, imaging and instrument separation.

 

1. Watching/gaming purposes

 

I’ll keep this section short: being an open pair, this is perfect if you’re after theatrical bass. Lifelike and definitely has impact. As for gaming, I can tell where things are coming from; perfect for FPS gaming.

 

1. Out-of-the-Box Initial Impressions

 

My player back then was the Sony Ericsson Xperia mini, modded with Walkman for NXT series of Sony Smartphones, unamped. I’m a bit of a clarity freak, setting the Walkman player to a combination of easy listening + treble boost. As expected, the headphones do sound pretty clear, albeit sibilant. Despite the toned down bass, it’s still there, and quite a lot of it. It gets quite muddy on some bass-heavy tracks, and mids are a bit recessed. Despite the negative impressions, I found them really good for my tastes, given that I came from a pair of Urbanears Bagis. There’s just no contest here; I sold my Urbanears a month later and replaced them with the CX 200 (pending review) hoping to find in-ears that perform just as good as the PX. That aside, to sum up my initial impressions, the pair is bass-heavy, has recessed mids and is pretty sibilant, but makes up for it with the widest soundstage I heard from headphones to date.

 

1. After burn-in, Xperia mini

 

Still using the Xperia mini, this time upgraded to Jelly Bean Timescape UI (with the improved Walkman), I tried again. This time, instead of my usual sibilant configuration, I ticked the ClearAudio+ option. Indeed, ClearAudio+ made a clear difference, but the burn-in made a more significant difference. Bass was punchy, but this time, it isn’t overdone. Mids became quite smooth, but not forward. Highs tamed down a bit. Overall, the sound became much smoother and more refined. The soundstage widened up a bit more, too. However, after letting go of my player at the time, I discovered that it wasn’t fully burned in yet.

 

1. After more burn-in, Xperia L

 

I upgraded to the Xperia L almost 2 months ago. Just like with the mini, I ticked the ClearAudio+ option. This time, the clarity is astounding! And I definitely felt the burn-in this time! Bass was very punchy, not bloated, though it rarely bleeds with the midrange. I mean it, RARELY. The mids became much smoother, more prominent and more refined. The highs tamed down a bit more; shimmers and sparkles are rarely sibilant. Overall, the sound reached its best after all this time! Quite revealing, refined and smooth, however, I finally noticed the infamous Sennheiser veil that many people talk about. It doesn’t bother me one bit, as it adds up to the lush, warm sound. Moreover, the soundstage widened up a bit more, further enhancing that lush, warm sound. It’s worth waiting for the headphones to reach their max potential. Even after auditioning other budget pairs, I never thought of selling the PX. It’s fun-sounding, yet it has that hi-fi pedigree that you’d find in pairs that cost twice to four times as much! I auditioned the HD 518, 598, 600 and the 650, and found the PX to be very similar to them, in a small form factor and a significantly lower price tag!

 

These are great all-rounders, even for classical or old songs. I can definitely hear distinct instruments and perceive their respective distances from me, upon listening to a few symphonies such as those by Rachmaninoff. In addition, it’s a definite match for modern songs, be it Rock, Metal, Hip-hop, or Electronic. Even if the bass does bleed a bit in the midrange in some of these genres, it’s like what most Head-Fi’ers say when it comes to the XB500 (or any other bass-heavy headphone): it’s a guilty pleasure, like chocolate!

 

Final Words

 

For a pair of mini-headphones, these sure pack a punch! Great all-rounders, and sometimes a pretty awesome guilt trip, these headphones are a great way to get into audiophilia. Hi-Fi sound that's clear if you configure your source right and if you're patient enough to burn them in. For the SRP, it’s worth it! Just give it time to burn-in, trust me it’s worth it. This is not just any other portable, this is an ULTRA portable!

 

Pros:

1. Hi-Fi pedigree on a budget, surprisingly big sound from such a small pair.
2. Solid build quality.
3. Deep, punchy bass that rarely bleeds in the midrange.
4. Lush, textured mids.
5. Shimmering highs that are rarely sibilant.
6. The most compact pair of headphones next to in-ears that I know of.
7. The most comfy pair of headphones I tried, and I eventually owned.
8. Being an open pair, the soundstage, imaging and instrument separation are phenomenal.
9. The famous Sennheiser veil; warm, lush and smooth sound that’s much fun to listen to every single time.

 

Cons:

1. Lack of a hard case might be troublesome to those who owned the first gen PX 100s
2. Lack of isolation might be a miss for commuters.
3. The infamous Sennheiser veil that hampers the clarity of this pair.