sennheiser urbanite Archives | HiFiheadphones

Sennheiser Urbanite XL Wireless Review

John — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 16:29:48 +0000

In recent years, Sennheiser has introduced some wildly popular headphones for more portable uses; from the almost ubiquitous PX100 series to the larger closed back Momentum and Urbanite models, both full-size and on-ear.

And never one to sit still, Sennheiser has introduced another flavour for the similarly restless – the Urbanite XL Wireless.

Pros

Wireless operation and track/volume control
Amazing sound
Foldable for easy storage
Comfortable for long periods
Cable can be used to save battery power

Cons

Non-removeable battery
Supplied pouch could be more protective

Verdict

Overall, a very good quality headphone with versatility to match. Perfect for travel and for relaxing at home alike, the Sennheiser Urbanite XL Wireless presents the great Sennheiser sound which anyone can enjoy. A good all-rounder, with which any genre can be enjoyed.

Key Features

The main point of note is the wireless bluetooth feature of course, and there is an intuitive touch-sensitive panel on the right side by which the user can select tracks, alter volume and answer calls. There are no buttons, a more ‘swipey’ approach has been employed, so a tap pauses, a double tap skips to the next track and a swipe up or down changes the volume.

Should the battery become depleted, a universal cable is included with similar functionality so the music needn’t stop.

The battery can be recharged via the supplied Micro-B USB cable, and like its wired forebears the Urbanite XL Bluetooth can be folded up for easy storage.

An audio cable is also supplied to save on battery power or if it is exhausted, and a soft cloth pouch for storage.

First Impressions

Given that we’re no strangers to the previously released Urbanite XL model, the design and extras are no surprise. The stylish looks, solid build and comfortable fit are never a problem to experience again but even so, the extra Bluetooth functionality has stolen the show! With an Android handset playing on one side of the office here, the headphones made it all the way to the other side of the building (some 15 metres) and no drop-outs were encountered.

The control panel on the right side is a very slick feature; however there’s always a chance that a quick touch to adjust the position of the headphones might result in an unintentional track skip but with practice this can be avoided.

Sound Quality

It should go without saying that a certain amount of quality is lost within the Bluetooth transfer method, but the result is still very pleasing; also with the MP3 still being the king of formats for many, this is not a major concern.

The bass is very well controlled and clear with plenty of punch; the micro-velour type earpads may soak up a little of the lower sub-bass region but overall the bass impact is very impressive.

Midrange gives a wonderful sense of space and both male and female vocal are well complimented, with reverb/echo easily cutting through. There’s next to no clutter here and harmonics shine.

Treble is rolled off slightly; the Urbanite XL Wireless does not hold it back, but there are brighter-sounding headphones. As it is, there is enough treble to enhance details such as percussion, but without much chance of fatigue – it’s a good comfortable sound.

Separation and soundstage are excellent; individual instruments can be picked out with the soundstage extending beyond the physical confines of the headphones themselves.

Using the cable, maximum volume was lower although this of course depends on the maximum amplification of the smartphone being used. The Urbanite XL Wireless has an internal amp which only comes into play when used along with its wireless capability.

Isolation is fair, but you may be inadvertantly sharing your music with those nearby if listening at high volume levels.

Summary

It’s a time of year when we are all looking forward to the longer days and warmer temperatures promised by summer (at least in the northern hemisphere!) and we’re to be found making plans and dreaming about lazy days in the sunshine. Snag-free music seems like a great way to enhance that feeling of freedom and those carefree (cable-free?) moments out there. With the Urbanite XL Bluetooth being worn with it’s XL earpads, our ears might be in the dark but at the same time most enlightened!

The post Sennheiser Urbanite XL Wireless Review appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

10 Best Headphone Christmas Gifts 2014 – Under £250

John — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 15:52:58 +0000

With Christmas coming, we thought it would be a good idea to suggest what we think are the best headphone gift ideas our site has to offer. Here is a rundown of our favourite headphones, earphones, portable players (DAP), amps and DAC’s that 2014 has to offer.

SoundMAGIC ES20 – £24.95

Coming in under £30, the ES20 punches well above its weight. The build quality is superb with braided cables and tough speaker housing. The sound quality will blow you away – fun and punchy with great detail!

Similar Items – Fidue A31s £19.99 | DUNU DN12 £29.99

Shure SE112 – £42.99

Shure are famous for their high end IEMs, but their lower priced earphones follow Shure’s high standards. The SE112’s build quality is very solid and comfortable. The sound is rich with plenty of power and smooth detail – these earphones will sound great with whatever you throw at them. There is also the Shure SE112M+ for those who will use them with a smartphone.

Similar Item – SoundMAGIC E10S £39.99

SoundMAGIC P30S – £69.99

SoundMAGIC’s new portable on ear, the P30S, not only sounds great but it can work with any smartphone out there – thanks to their compatibility switch you can manually set the headphones to work with your phone. The P30S is extremely comfortable and folds up nicely for easy storage. The sound is fun and punchy with plenty of detail and great bass!

Similar Items – Sennheiser PX100-IIi £44.95 | SoundMAGIC P21S £49

Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear – £89.99

For the asking price, the Momentum In-Ear is incredible value; giving great sound as well as swish styling and all in a very rugged and classy looking case. They are available in versions compatible with Apple devices as well as Android, so you needn’t be cutting down your choice of handsets with the Momentum In-Ear.

Similar Items – Beyerdynamic MMX102iE £79.99 | RHA MA750i £89.95

FiiO X1 – £99.99

Now that high quality audio is becoming more commonly available, it is time to upgrade your music player. The FiiO X1 supports very high audio (up to 192kHz/24bit) and will play most formats (APE/AAC/FLAC/ALAC/WMA/WAV/MP3) – most devices like mobile phones and more basic players can’t handle the higher quality and different audio formats. There is enough power to drive some of the more demanding headphones and the sound is crystal clear and very well balanced. The X1 will hold one micro SD card – with this you can have up to 128GB of storage.