Tag Archives: travel headphones

Sennheiser Momentum Headphones

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Summary

Verdict

Natural materials, modern look and superior sound combine in the Momentumto create the perfect headphones for style conscious music enthusiasts.

Pro’s

Lightweight design, attractive looks, very comfortable fit and fantastic build quality.

Con’s

Larger than some would like as a portable headphone, also doesn’t fold.

In-Depth Review

Introduction

Sennheiser’s new Momentums are a stylish model designed to look and feel good in any situation. Dark brown leather and black leather with red stitching, are the two available colour ways.

Description

The looks of the Momentum are very engaging, handsome with beautiful quality leather pads and headband. The design looks modern enough but has classic elements too – Sennheiser have been very successful in creating a desirable object. They feel very comfortable, due to the very best quality leather being used, but stay put well considering clamping force is minimal.

Included peripherals

Included in the momentum box is a headphone cable with smart controls, a second standard headphone cable, an attractive hard carrying case and 6.35mm jack adapter.

Application

Not only great for wearing in the home using with your Hifi set up, the computer or with the TV but they are also small enough to make a great commuting or travel headphone. They come with a protective carry case which also has space for other portable audio equipment. Compact headphones you would want to take everywhere!

Describe the sound

So are the Momentums all looks and expensive leather? The short answer is no. Sennheiser have worked just as hard on the sound as well as the looks and come up with a comfortable yet fun sound which is on the right side of relaxed. Plenty of detail and instrument separation in the sound but they never step into fatiguing territory, soundstage is short but imaging impressive for the size of the cups. This sound fits very well with the target group of commuters and business travellers who will use them. It’s certainly not boring, tons of bottom end is there when needed, bass drums have a satisfying thump without ever kicking you in the eardrum. Altogether the sound is warm and smooth without becoming sluggish – a hard balance to find!

Comparisons

Few headphones offer the same luxury in this travel size. Look at the Beyerdynamic DT1350, Ultrasone Edition 8, Focal Spirit One or Parrot Zik.

Product Information

Product Type – Closed Back Portable Audiophile Headphones

Price at the time of review – £259.99

Product Link – Buy Sennheiser Momentum

Sennheiser MM550-X TRAVEL Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones – Product Review

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Product Information

Product type – Wireless Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones

Price at the time of review – £349.99

Product Link – Buy Sennheiser MM550-X

Summary

Verdict – Portable headphones with built-in noise cancellation, bluetooth connectivity and mic/remote features.

Pro’s – The MM 550-X sound good enough that you’ll feel like it’s money well spent, especially when using it wirelessly. Its active noise cancellation, while not class leading, is still fairly effective; if you want the best and don’t need a wireless pair, the PSB M4U2 is a great alternative.

Con’s – There is huge choice in the world of portable headphones, if you do not require all of the features on offer here you can save yourself money without experiencing a big drop in sound quality.

In-Depth Review

Introduction – This is Sennheiser’s portable that does it all, and at £300 most people would be expecting that. Although they are not the most beautiful cans we have ever seen the build quality is excellent, they are more a model of German Efficiency than a statement of urban sophistication. The Sennheiser MM550X are circumaural with soft pleather earpads for long listening sessions in comfort. Despite the generous cups they are a small size, easily transportable. The right earcup is laden with controls, not surprising given the list of available functionality. Extremely flexible headphones, impressive technology, of course as with all wireless headphones, not all of the money goes into sound quality. The MM550Xs pair with a phone easily, charge over USB, and they fold easily into a portable carry case.

Included peripherals –As well as a lovely pair of foldable travel headphones, you get – USB mains charger, USB charging cable, in-flight adapters, an audio cable, a neat carry case and the user manual.

Application – Headphones don’t come much more feature-packed than the Sennheiser MM550X. CD quality apt-X, NoiseGard sound cancelling technology, TalkThrough (a button turns on the external microphone so you can talk without removing the headset), Invisible microphone, cable option when power runs out, neodymium drivers, SRS WOW HD technology, integrated track and volume controls. To save on weight, most of the unit is plastic, Steel runs through the headband to give flexibility and strength.

Description – Sennheiser say the battery should provide 8 hours of listening with Bluetooth and NoiseGuard enabled, 10 hours Bluetooth without NoiseGuard and 20 hours using the cable with NoiseGuard activated. If you are looking for all the features on offer here then the MM550X are a good bet, however if you want the best sound quality then a well isolated closed back cabled headphone may be a better fit. If the NoiseGuard is the most appealing feature there are similar quality alternatives which have excellent noise canceling abilities for less.

Describe the sound – The sound quality is pretty impressive in standard mode although maybe a tiny bit Mid shy. On most occasions Bluetooth headphones still don’t match up to their cabled cousins but here the sound is nearly identical in cabled or Bluetooth mode, feeling much better than most traveling wireless headphones. Sennheiser’s NoiseGard canceling technology is a different matter though, audibly degrading the great sound from standard mode. The SRS WOW HD button is in our opinion a pointless addition. It seems to add an aggressive smile curve EQ simultaneously making the top end a little scratchy and the bass muddy and over emphasized.

Comparisons – Also see Sennheiser PX210, Jaybird SB2, Volume DH-B38, Sennheiser MM400X.


Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 Noise Cancelling Headphones – Review

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Audio Technica ATH-ANC7 Noise Cancelling Headphones

Audio Technica ATH-ANC7 Noise Cancelling HeadphonesIf you travel often by aeroplane or long distance train and you have a passion for music it’s likely you’ve considered (or maybe already own) a pair of active noise cancelling headphones. The clever electronics in these headphones does an excellent job of removing the low frequency boom of aircraft engines, train air conditioning and any other consistent rumbling noises. While some feel the addition of this electronics interferes with the quality of audio reproduction, there is no doubt that the technology is impressive and very effective at reducing low frequency noise.

Visit the HiFi Headphones online store for a closer look at the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7

What about Bose?

The obvious choice for many when it comes to noise cancelling headphones is the Bose range. The Bose Quiet Comfort noise cancelling headphones have long been regarded as the standard by which other noise cancelling headphones should be measured. This domination of the market has meant that Bose has been able to justify a hefty price tag for their superior technology.

In recent years manufacturers such as Sennheiser, Panasonic and others have to some degree caught up with Bose, but many feel Bose still have the upper hand with their noise cancelling technology..

Audio-Technica’s ATH-ANC7’s headphones are well and truly aimed to challenge the position of Bose.

ATH-ANC7 Quietpoint Overview

Upon opening the box the ANC7’s are immediately impressive, with excellent build quality and a comfortable fit on most ears. The headphone ear cups have a rather handy pivoting link to the headband that means they can be folded 90 degrees for convenient storage of the headset. Also included with the headphones is a useful airline connection adapter, the single AAA battery needed to power the active electronics and a practical carry case to protect your headphones.

Audio-Technica’s ATH-ANC7 Quietpoint noise cancelling headphones come in a full size headset package with sealed (or closed) ear cups to help reduce high frequency noise from leaking in, while the active electronics handle the suppression of low frequency noise. The ear cups do not completely enclose the ears, but instead rest on the outer ear with soft pads that mould to fit comfortably on most ears.

Clever Cable Design

The headphone connection cable design of the ANC7’s is worth a mention. The convenient 1.6 metre cable is terminated with a full size 6.35mm (1/4”) jack at the source end and a 3.5mm (1/8”) mini jack at the headphone end. While the length is perfect for using with a portable music player on the move, the use of standard connectors means the cable can be easily replaced with a longer item for other applications such as home or office listening. The ANC7’s can also be used without the cable attached to just perform noise cancelling duties – handy if you are looking to get some sleep on a long flight.

How Do They Sound?

The quality of audio reproduction is excellent. The sealed ear cup headphone design means there is very little bass leakage and the lower frequency response is very strong. Moving through the mid-range and high frequencies the sound is pure and crisp and very accurate.

The closed back design does give the sound an enclosed character, which owners of good quality open back headphones may find immediately noticeable. The difference between open and closed back headphones can be compared to listening to a band in a large open concert hall and then hearing the same band playing a small intimate venue – it’s just different. There is no doubt that the ANC7’s close back design does change the character of the sound, but without the sealed ear cups the listener would be disturbed by high frequency external noise.

The active noise reduction technology of the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7’s is very impressive. Low frequency external noise is dramatically reduced, while still managing to maintain excellent quality audio reproduction.

More Information

Visit the HiFi Headphones online store for a closer look at the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 Quietpoint Noise Cancelling Headphones.

For more information on how noise cancelling headphones work see our Noise Cancelling Headphones Buyer’s Guide.