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Sennheiser PX-200ii Headphone Review by Dale
Posted by dale from Akron Ohio on 2012-05-18Posted on Sennheiser PX 200-II
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Great sound
Cons: Embedded volume control
Notes for this review: The PX-200ii has a significant and broad midrange emphasis, or conversely, a rolled off low and high end. The sound thus comes off as somewhat lightweight, and most reviewers have noted that long ago. Since the PX-200ii is small and light and made for portable music players, even sporting a version with iPod controls as the 'PX-200-IIi', I was curious about how it would respond to iPod/iPhone EQ to correct (even partially) for the recessed lows and highs. It turns out that the i-device 'ROCK' EQ pushes down the mids just enough that the resulting sound is much better, very near high fidelity except lacking just a slight bit of clarity and detail.
For this review I mostly used the iPod Touch, iPhone 4s and iPad 3, although I also used the Objective2 headphone amp to see what difference that would make (it did help, so when using the PX-200ii at home, a decent amp will make it sound even better).
So how is the EQ'd sound? Excellent. The bass is now very solid and deep, the highs are pretty good, and the mids are neither forward nor distant. During my 200-track listening session, I did a few non-critical comparisons to the Shure SRH-1840, the Philips L1 (with bass reduction), the Beyer DT-1350, the Bose OE2i, and the B&W P5. The B&W P5 played flat with no EQ does not sound good compared to the EQ'd PX-200ii - it sounds muffled and very forward at the same time, and although the best EQ I could find for the P5 was 'Treble Booster', it only helped a little. The PX-200ii won that one. The Bose OE2i fared slightly better having a near-perfect bass and decent mids, but it has a very rolled off high end and also requires a treble boost, so with that EQ adjustment the OE2i is a closer competitor but still the loser.
The Beyer DT-1350 is the real competition here, although like the B&W P5, it costs several times as much as the PX-200ii. The DT-1350 has a noticeable edge in clarity, detail, and even smoothness of response, however the DT-1350 has a large midrange emphasis that needs EQ to sound its best. Using the same 'Rock' EQ as the PX-200ii, the DT-1350 wins that contest, but not without certain reservations. I have no fit issues with the PX-200ii, but I find the DT-1350 to be difficult sometimes, and in cool dry weather the earpads take a long time to seal effectively for good bass and proper balance. The Shure 1840 and the bass-reduced Philips L1 have the clarity and detail of the Beyer DT-1350, but without any fit or coloration issues.
Being a closed-back design, the PX-200ii offers decent isolation against the higher-frequency sounds that make up most background noise in an office or home. The soundstage is average for a closed headphone, which is fine for myself and most other headphone users. Listening to the PX-200ii on its own, I don't get a sense of constriction, compression or any other such factor - the sound is very musical and well balanced for quality listening. Playing my worst-case tracks for sibilants, it seems about average in that respect.
A final word on the PX-200ii's EQ'd sound: I'm surprised that it's as good as it is. I don't hear any significant colorations, there is no mid- or upper-bass emphasis adding extra warmth to the sound, yet the bass goes deep and has good impact - not as good as the Shure 1840 or bass-reduced Philips L1, but close enough to be very satisfying. And neither is the bass bland or muddy - it has pretty good detail comparing to most other headphones.
The PX-200ii has a single-entry fixed (non-detachable) cable that's about four feet long and straight (not coiled), terminated by a standard straight (not angled) miniplug. Since the rubber fitting ahead of the miniplug is only about 5.5mm wide, it should fit into any of the recessed sockets on music players that have such things. The PX-200ii's cord has an embedded volume control of the old-fashioned variety, which I don't particularly like. The PX-200-IIi's Apple controls would be better, but the price of that version is way higher for just that feature.
The earpads are the on-ear type and made of a plastic that will deteriorate within a year or two of frequent use. Third-party earpads are available but I haven't see them in person, and I see that Sennheiser's website requires you to call a phone number to inquire about earpad replacement. The headband has small spongy pads underneath which are made of the same plastic, and in my experience they will also require replacement at about the same time as the earpads. The earcups fold flat and the headband also folds up for compact storage, although the PX-200ii comes with only a small cloth bag so there's no protection against anything but dust and dirt. I've folded the earcups up on my PX-200ii many times, but looking close at the plastic joints they use, I would avoid doing that any more often than necessary.
Now that I've covered the basics of the sound, it's time to describe how the PX-200ii performs with a variety of music that's available on CD's or as high-quality downloads from Internet music stores. I've used the following examples in other reviews, so these will serve as good test tracks for this review and the results can also be compared to the results noted in the other reviews. Note that the following are all based on using i-device 'Rock' EQ.
Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead (~1980): Strong midrange sound effects - this is a good worst-case test for resonant-type sounds in the most sensitive midrange area. Handled very well by the PX-200ii.
Beethoven Symphony 9, Solti/CSO (1972): Excellent overall sound and particularly striking how the PX-200ii reproduces the triangles, bells and other background instruments that are often obscured with other headphones that have limited high frequency response. Although the Solti is my long-time favorite, I recently got the Abbado/Berlin Philharmonic version in FLAC format from HDTracks, and the dynamics in that version are so wide that it took some time to get used to. The PX-200ii makes listening to that version a very rewarding experience.
Blues Project - Caress Me Baby (1966): Rarely mentioned, but one of the greatest white blues recordings ever. The loud piercing guitar sound at 0:41 into the track is a good test for distortion or other problems. Handled well by the PX-200ii.
Boz Scaggs - Lowdown (1976): Good sound quality - this is a great test for any nasality in the midrange. Handled very well by the PX-200ii.
Buffalo Springfield - Kind Woman (~1968): A Richie Furay song entirely, rarely mentioned, but one of the best sounding rock ballads ever. This will sound good on most headphones, but it's a special treat with the PX-200ii.
Cat Stevens - Morning Has Broken (early 70's): A near-perfect test for overall sound - this track will separate the best sounding headphones from the lesser quality types. Nothing specific, except that almost any deviation from perfect reproduction will stand out with this track.
Catherine Wheel - Black Metallic (~1991): Goth with industrial overtones - I like this since it's a great music composition and the sound effects are smoothly integrated into the mix. This may sound distorted or mushy with some headphones, but the PX-200ii renders the deliberate instrumental distortions clearly.
Def Leppard - Bringin' On The Heartbreak (1981): MTV goth/pop/metal at its best - good ambience and high energy - the better headphones will separate the details and make for a good experience. Lesser quality and the details tend to mush together.
J.S. Bach - E. Power Biggs Plays Bach in the Thomaskirche (~1970): Recorded on a tracker organ in East Germany, the tracks on this recording have the authentic baroque sound that Bach composed for, albeit the bellows are operated by motor today. The PX-200ii plays the tones seamlessly through the upper limits of the organ, which are near the upper limits of most people's hearing.
Jamming With Edward - It Hurts Me Too (1969): Intended originally as a test to fill studio down time and set recording levels etc., this was released a few years later for hardcore Rolling Stones fans. Although not as good technically in every aspect as the Chess studio recordings of 1964, and in spite of the non-serious vocals by Mick Jagger, this rates very high on my list of white blues recordings, and sounds absolutely delicious with the PX-200ii.
Jimmy Smith - Basin Street Blues (early 60's): This track has some loud crescendos of brass and other instruments that don't sound clean and musical on some headphones. The PX-200ii provides very good reproduction. Listen particularly to the second crescendo at 15 seconds in, for maximum detail effect.
Ladytron - Destroy Everything You Touch (~2009): Featured in The September Issue, this song has heavy overdub and will sound a bit muddy on some headphones.
Milt Jackson/Wes Montgomery - Delilah (Take 3) (1962): The vibraphone is heavily dependent on harmonics to sound right, and the PX-200ii plays it very well.
Pink Floyd/Dark Side of the Moon - Speak To Me (1973): Strong deep bass impacts will be heard and felt here.
Rolling Stones - Stray Cat Blues (1968): Dirty, gritty blues that very few white artists could match. On some headphones the vocals and guitar lack the edge and fall more-or-less flat. If you're a really good person, playing this song will probably make you feel nervous and uneasy.
Tony Bennett - I Left My Heart In San Francisco (1962): Frank Sinatra's favorite singer. Highest recommendation. With some of the best headphones, the sibilants on this recording are very strong, but they're not bad with the PX-200ii.
24 out of 29 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Listen to Home Audio Outside
Posted by Shooter from NW FL on 2012-02-11Posted on Sennheiser PX 200-II
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Sound Quality
Cons: Not as Comfortable as Others
What an incredible deal, high quality and sound that folds up to fit in your pocket. Little known secret- a pair of these, a $50 Sansa Fuze and a Total Air Head will deliver close to high end audio on the go. I have demo-ed these to friends with expensive Ipods and they just shake their heads when I tell them what the entire package costs. Don't let the comfort issue scare you away, this may be a highly individual thing. Of course these portables are not as good as my 650 cans but what would be this portable?
11 out of 12 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Wish They Were Comfortable
Posted by CptRetro from Seattle, WA on 2011-09-16Posted on Sennheiser PX 200-II
Recommend Product: No
Pros: Sound Quality, Portable, Sturdy, Sleek
Cons: Uncomfortable
I wish my ears were different so that these headphones wouldn't cause them to get hot and hurt after an hour of use. This product got great reviews but I am returning them simply due to my ears. I'm sure these feel comfortable for other people. Good audio quality, not a super amount of bass, and it folds up like sunglasses for good portability.
11 out of 17 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Love 'em!!
Posted by ecruz from Wixom, MI on 2011-02-14Posted on Sennheiser PX 200-II
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Sound Great! Comfy, portable, great price, etc.
Cons: A little concerned that the thin cable will wear out & break, but no sign of that yet.
I own several pair of headphones, from the big Sennheiser HD 650's and Audio Technica ATH-AD700A's, to Grado SR 60's, to Shure e4c's. Well, these little PX-200-II's are my new favorite! Seriously! Maybe not quite as good as the HD 650's, but they're small, comfy and sound great. I can carry them around, use them at work or while waiting for the kids at swim or soccer and I can drive them straight from my iPod or Macbook with no amp required and did I mention that they sound GREAT! Detailed, smooth, punchy, nice bass, I have absolutely no complaints. For the price these are a no brainer!
29 out of 31 people found this review helpful. Did you?
fair choice for pop r&b and maybe rock like music
Posted by mummypie on 2010-05-11Posted on Sennheiser PX 200-II
Recommend Product: No
Pros: Cool figure, Sturdy design, good analysis, sound stage, nice bass qulity
Cons: bad wearing,dark treble, poor music expression, bass amount may be too small
I ve had this for nearly 2 month but it did not really give me anything that I was looking for and it made my ears hurt. When listen to pop from my computer/mp3 I dont get the music, the feeling just dont flow like I was listening to my px100. I think its because that the bass does not "tough" and the treble is too dark and maybe my attention was too attracted by the good analysis. When listening to PX100, it always brought out the feeling of music. However this does not happen on PX200II. Its more like a cold mechine than a ear pad for music lovers to me. I dont really get it from what I ve heard. For this kind of money like $90 I would have other choices.
I dont see so many people talking about the wearing, so the bad wearing may be just for me.. Or maybe I just love PX100 too much:D
40 out of 58 people found this review unhelpful. Did you?
Superb mini headphones
Posted by jaywalkra from Singapore on 2010-04-15Posted on Sennheiser PX 200-II
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Great soundstage, pocket sized, lightweight, foldable
Cons: May not be suitable for bassheads
My previous headphone experience were the HD202 and HD228. Upon getting these, I'm utterly impressed and have been loving these little cans; listening to music using these everyday. Not only do they sound much, much better than the 228s, but also the fact that they really represent what portable headphones are all about. Small, rotatable ear pieces, and a foldable mechanism which works well, you can have great sound with you wherever you want it with this.
The sound is a little towards the darker side, but the overall presentation gels up the PX200-II well. Volume control is handy too. Isolation is very decent for such a small headphone of this size. Plus, it's comfortable enough to use it for hours on end before your ears get warm or you start noticing that there's some sort of metal headband on your head. A great improvement from the first-gen PX200. The design team for this headphone definitely deserve credit for what they have created here.
26 out of 27 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Great Headphones
Posted by A HeadRoom Fan on 2010-02-05Posted on Sennheiser PX 200-II
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros:
Cons:
I never tried the original version of the PX 200, which was generally panned. But I always wanted to, given that there is such a need for compact, great sounding, closed portables in that price range. The HD 228 satisfied for a little while, but its design and sound quality were less than perfect. The PX 200-II has solved those problems, and is a worthy companion to its venerable, open sister headphone, the PX 100. Great sounding, stylish, providing decent isolation and limited leakage, this is a no-brainer. The only complaint I might have is that these are small, earpad headphones, so as always with that type of design, they do not melt away on your ears like some cushioned full-size headphones can. After a few hours, you can become quite aware of them sitting there. But that is simply the price you pay for the compact form and high portability. Also, like most Sennheiser models I have heard, they lean at least slightly toward the dark side. Great headphones.
17 out of 19 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Can't get better in this form factor
Posted by Napilopez from New York on 2010-01-30Posted on Sennheiser PX 200-II
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Very Comfortable, Sturdy, neutral tone color, tight bass, impressive soundstage
Cons: Nothing. Anything that could be considered a
I bought these looking for something that would be portable and still sound great. I most definitely made the right choice! This thing is built to feel like it will last decades, is very comfortable and nice looking to boot! The folding mechanism is great, I can easily fit these into my pants pockets. I personally prefer the pouch to the hard case the original series brought, as it allows me to put them in my pocket more easily. Comfort is exceptional, I've worn them for over 5 hours without any feeling of discomfort, especially once you've broken them in a bit. The volume control is very useful in a portable like this. Isolation is also impressive, I wasn't expecing the kind of isolation I get with these, and with music on, the music will be the only thing you can hear. I can use these on the NYC subway comfortably at moderate volumes.
They sounded great out of the box, and after burn-in I got the extra tightness and power from the bass I thought was lacking somewhat at first. These headphones won't disappoint you no matter what you listen to; I say so because I listen to virtually every genre there is =P. They are however very neutral. If you are looking for big boomy bass, you're not going to get it, although there is certainly plenty of impact and power if the song calls for it. Likewise, the treble isn't going to saturate you with detail, but there is no semblance of harshness whatsoever either, unless the track you are listening to itself is harsh. They are neither warm nor cold sounding, they strike a great balance. Perhaps the most impressive aspect is how open the sound for being such tiny closed headphones. The soundstage has good width and depth that you wouldn't expect for a closed headphone, especially of this size. They are more laidback in their sound than upfront with detail. The detail is definitely there though, it just doesn't impose it upon you like some other headphones do.
Overall, a great buy.
21 out of 24 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Exceptional Headphones
Posted by Tycho from Mitchell, South Dakota on 2010-01-20Posted on Sennheiser PX 200-II
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Comfortable, light weight, great sound
Cons: None
This is one of the best sets of headphones I have ever heard. I bought these as a gift for someone, and the moment they put it on, they leaned their head back and closed their eyes because of the awesome sound quality. I then got a chance later to listen to the sound quality, and even with musician's ears... these are the best headphones I have ever listened to. I highly recomend this to anyone (that can afford it). You are definetely getting your money's worth.
11 out of 16 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Great Upgrade from the PX 100
Posted by Hari from Urbana, IL on 2010-01-16Posted on Sennheiser PX 200-II
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: More isolation, Foldable, Clarity
Cons: Not as much isolation as in-ear or over-ear, no hard carry case
I just got these for my wife and for my father. Neither are audiophiles but were both really impressed with these phones. My wife, however, still uses her old PX 100s because of the hard case --- the little bag that came with the PX 200-II is not nearly as nice for making these a pair of phones that you can toss into your bag without worry. I couldn't find a hard case for them online either. It is too bad to have something so nicely foldable but harder to protect than the cheaper (and less nice sounding product).
8 out of 10 people found this review helpful. Did you?
EXcellent small headphone
Posted by nickman from Canada on 2010-01-15Posted on Sennheiser PX 200-II
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Compact, sturdy, clear sound
Cons: Bass may be lacking
The Sennheiser PX200-II are excellent compact headphones. The materials and finishing feels high quality. The hinges and headband are of metal, which vastly improves its durability. The steel headband helps maintain the headphones on your head without too much pressure, but if you do find it too clamping you can always bend it outwards a bit. The earpads are comfortable enough to be ignored, but the sound isolation is not the best. Sound-quality wise, these headphones produce clear sound with a slightly pronounced midrange, however the bass may be lacking to some. I believe these are very good for pop music and is recommended for anyone using an iPod or equivalent DAP.
7 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Did you?
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