Home > Consumer Reviews > Sennheiser PXC 350 Active Noise Cancellation Headphone (Black)

I bought these headphones without actually holding them or testing them first, so I had no idea what to expect. I took them on a trip to Africa and was completely satisfied with them. So, here are my oppinions:
Sound: 5 stars. Could use a little more bass, but that can be changed with your equalizer. Noise Canceling: 5 stars. Took out all the engine noises and most of the talking around me. Comfort: 5 stars. They took a bit of getting used to, but after wearingthem for 10 hours stait, they are very comfortable. They also work without the noise canceling which is very nice. There is alittle white noise with the NC on, but all NC's have that. VERY sturdy feel, and nice case. Love them.

Review of the Sennheiser PXC 350 Noise Cancelling headphones.
These sound just like Sennheiser high-end headphones, very clear detailed sound. The only problem with that is, this unique "Sennheiser " sound is different than typical closed-ear headphones and not something that everyone may like. Before you buy these, make sure you like the "Sennheiser " sound. See if you can at least try out a high end pair of Sennheisers, even if they're not noise-cancelling, just to hear the sound. Sennheisers have really large cans with lots of air between the speakers and your ears. This might be preferable for classical music where you want an open airy soundstage, but personally, I didn't like this at all. To me, this ends up making the upper mid range sound just slightly wrong and distant sounding. I had the strange sensation that I was hearing music outside of the headphones. Typical close-ear headphones have the drivers closer to you ear and the sound is much clearer and directly injected into your head without any airy distance. This to me gives the most accurate transfer of music into your brain without any discoloration.

Another point about the Sennheiser is that the can diameter is very large, referring to the pad ovals that go over your ears. I might have smaller than average ears, and it was hard to get them to seal evenly over them. If I turned my head left or right a tiny bit, the pads would open a little, letting in noise.

I ended up getting the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7, which sound much better to my ears. The ATH-ANC7s sound very much like the Bose QC2's but better in fact with a clearer high end. This search started because my old Bose QC2s broke. They are just too flimsy. I didn't want to get another set of QC2s because they had a slightly muted high-end. The ATN-ANC7s have a much clearer high end and sound really balanced.

If you know you like Sennheiser headphones, like that more open sound and are used to the larger cans, then by all means get these. They are built super high quality and have heavy duty parts and cable. I'd have no concerns about reliability, these things are rock solid. They do cancel noise very well, on equal par with the Audio-Technicas.

Hope this helps!
Jim

Almost perfect. I have been using noise canceling headphones since their commercial inception, mostly for air travel, and the Sennheiser PXC350 are the best sounding NC (noise canceling) headphones I personally have ever used. I have been carrying Bose NC over the ear headphones from product introduction, and prior to that Sony and others, logging many hours with different devices. Here's the difference; the Bose have slightly more cancelation of airplane engine noise, but they cannot compare to the clarity of the Sennheiser. To put it another way, the PXC350's have the flattest response, similar to my Etymotic canal phones, which I consider an excellent reference point. The difference was significant and noticeable to not only myself, but companion business travelers as well. One small issue; the earcups on the PXC350 are quite large. This permits a very comfortable fit but this may have also contributed the noise leakage due to the earcup not completly sealing against my head. I was able to adjust them so that they were fairly snug, but after time and subtle movements, I could feel that they were not making tight contact at the bottom below my ear. Therefore you may want to try them for fit, especially at this price point. But either way, I would not trade them for other models.

It is hard to be disappointed by the Sennheiser PXC 300 headphones. You hear music like a professional does with tremendous detail, clarity and across the whole sound spectrum. Bass is precise and effortlessly well defined, mid range is rich and treble is crystal clear. These are easily the Porsche of headphones. Not everyone's cup of tea, though everyone simply respects and admires their performance, design and quality.

PROS + :
Sound clear and well defined with a variety of music, and are very comfortable to wear for long periods. Outstanding ergonomics mean the cups can effortlessly fit a wide variety of head shapes. However, people with very small heads may find them too large. The protective carry case has gold plated airplane and larger socket adapters, good for travel. My iPods work very well, though you start to notice imperfections of MP3 encoding in your favourite tracks recorded in lower resolution. Build quality is absolutely outstanding, headband, critical hinges drivers and the cord are built to last. They feel and look good when wearing them, avoiding the exaggeration of the "aircraft-marshaler-ear-muffler" look and feel of other brands.

CONS - :
Expensive (but easily worth it). Don't suit smaller heads/ears.

In conclusion, I would challenge anyone in the market for this type of headphone to be anything less than truly delighted with the PXC 350. I don't do the audiophile BS, but I will say the sound is "brilliant". For the price you are getting standard setting technology, solid build quality and fresh enjoyment of your music, as well as comfort in noisy environments (aircraft, bus, trains...etc.). Which all equals very good value for money.

Background to my buying criteria priorities: 1) over-ear, 2) noise cancellation, 3) iPod friendly, 4) Audition Quality, 5) portability. I would recommend the PXC 350 to anyone who wants to hear music professionally, on the move as well as at home or in the studio too.

Great quality .Little to no hiss I compared the bose, they hissed more or felt like a negative pressure. These were larger and around the ear Very nice. Very happy with my purchase! Had to cll around for this particular model-it was worth it