Dr. Music
Super Member
I've had these for some time now - about two months - but have been hesitant to post any kind of review or opinion because I hated doing so without giving them some time to break in, and they are only used in the gym, meaning 2-3 times each week, depending on whether or not I use my iPod during a given workout.
Now that I've used them a dozen or so times I feel like I can speak up on some of my conclusions. First of all, are very, very light and fit the head fairly well, but I've got a big head and they might could be a tad more accommodating. Still, its a pretty decent fit. As for the accompanying folding case for phones and cord, I'm not using it, nor do I intend to. It looks like a LOT more trouble than it's worth, so I just hang them on a hook inside my (locked of course) locker after each gym session. They are pretty unassuming in appearance - one would never think "Sennheiser" looking at these without closer inspection, to be sure, and in my mind that's not necessarily a bad thing, as mine live at the gym 24/7.
As for the the sound? the thing that struck me immediately was how much bass these little fellas could produce given their size. I won't exaggerate and state that they will give the user the kind of ground shaking bass that some closed back phones will produce, because if you compare them to a similar pair of closed back phones from a good manufacturer, they won't. However, I've tried closed back phones in the gym and they aren't for me. They will give very good, thumping, low frequency bass that should surprise the wearer given their light weight and open backed design. The same can be said for the midrange across the board.
I do think they require a bit of breaking in. They sound better with each successive trip to the gym - the soundstage seems to open up a bit more with use. I'm only driving these with the amp in my paltry latest generation iPod, so they aren't really being given much to work with, but I bought these for portable, decent sound without a lot of expense or hassle.
I can't make comparisons to decent quality in ear phones/buds because I've yet to own a pair, nor do I intend to. Different strokes for different folks, and I've never found any that I like the fit and feel of, so why throw money at something I don't enjoy wearing? You folks who swear by yours, my hat is off to you, but some of us want something on our ears and not in them. I can also safely state that even if you have the volume of your portable player cranked, those around you aren't going to hear your music in an active environment while wearing these.
I think what surprises me the most about the PX-100 is how well they are able to produce a decent soundstage - deep, full, rich, decently balanced - again, they won't challenge the big dogs in the headphone game, but if you're buying these for convenience and sport/activity/occasional use you're probably going to like them. I'm a dedicated headphone wearer, so I'll be the first to admit that my tastes can be a bit more demanding than some. I think they are sound very good for what I use them for. I can't see these as my main headphones, nor would I recommend them to others for that purpose - while they aren't exactly flimsy, I don't think they are built to give many years of dependable service, either. If I were in the market for home use headphones this isn't the route I would go, but if you're looking for good sound and convenience I highly recommend these little fellas.
Now that I've used them a dozen or so times I feel like I can speak up on some of my conclusions. First of all, are very, very light and fit the head fairly well, but I've got a big head and they might could be a tad more accommodating. Still, its a pretty decent fit. As for the accompanying folding case for phones and cord, I'm not using it, nor do I intend to. It looks like a LOT more trouble than it's worth, so I just hang them on a hook inside my (locked of course) locker after each gym session. They are pretty unassuming in appearance - one would never think "Sennheiser" looking at these without closer inspection, to be sure, and in my mind that's not necessarily a bad thing, as mine live at the gym 24/7.
As for the the sound? the thing that struck me immediately was how much bass these little fellas could produce given their size. I won't exaggerate and state that they will give the user the kind of ground shaking bass that some closed back phones will produce, because if you compare them to a similar pair of closed back phones from a good manufacturer, they won't. However, I've tried closed back phones in the gym and they aren't for me. They will give very good, thumping, low frequency bass that should surprise the wearer given their light weight and open backed design. The same can be said for the midrange across the board.
I do think they require a bit of breaking in. They sound better with each successive trip to the gym - the soundstage seems to open up a bit more with use. I'm only driving these with the amp in my paltry latest generation iPod, so they aren't really being given much to work with, but I bought these for portable, decent sound without a lot of expense or hassle.
I can't make comparisons to decent quality in ear phones/buds because I've yet to own a pair, nor do I intend to. Different strokes for different folks, and I've never found any that I like the fit and feel of, so why throw money at something I don't enjoy wearing? You folks who swear by yours, my hat is off to you, but some of us want something on our ears and not in them. I can also safely state that even if you have the volume of your portable player cranked, those around you aren't going to hear your music in an active environment while wearing these.
I think what surprises me the most about the PX-100 is how well they are able to produce a decent soundstage - deep, full, rich, decently balanced - again, they won't challenge the big dogs in the headphone game, but if you're buying these for convenience and sport/activity/occasional use you're probably going to like them. I'm a dedicated headphone wearer, so I'll be the first to admit that my tastes can be a bit more demanding than some. I think they are sound very good for what I use them for. I can't see these as my main headphones, nor would I recommend them to others for that purpose - while they aren't exactly flimsy, I don't think they are built to give many years of dependable service, either. If I were in the market for home use headphones this isn't the route I would go, but if you're looking for good sound and convenience I highly recommend these little fellas.
Last edited: