Sennheiser CX300-B Earbuds (Black)

Comment: I got these because my old $25 Sony Fontopia buds seemed to be on their last leg after about 5 years of daily use. I was pretty optimistic about these, because they've gotten decent reviews and because I have some excellent sennheiser headphones for my computer.

I got them and tested them out, and the sound quality was good! It was about the same as the Sony's, maybe a little bit better, but not as good external noise cancellation. I used them for a few days happily, the only problem being this clicking noise on the right one whenever I pushed it into my ear (small noise, by sharp and not comfortable when its right next to your eardrum.)

Then the bads started coming. I noticed quickly that the cord was a bit short. Some of my pants have fairly deep pockets, and the cord would stretch to its length in them. I'm about 6'0, so about average guy height. The cord just needs to be about 2" longer. Then, I was walking into a room, and the cord got caught on the door handle and pulled a bit. It didnt even pull them hard enough to loosen them from my ears or my mp3 player. I have done this dozens of times with the Sony buds, much harder as well... no problems. These Sennheisers immediately messed up, though. The sound goes in and out with the slightest movement, so I have to constantly hold the cord in a very exact position if I want my music to be more than a whisper. Not really acceptable, even for a cheap pair of buds. Maybe mine are defective, but I have to say they are by FAR the least durable buds I have ever had, including extremely cheap free ones.

So, sound quality is good.
Durability is beyond awful. Again, maybe just defective, but not acceptable.

Comment: OK, take 2. My original review of this product got hijacked somehow. After writing it, I checked back a couple hours later and my screen name and original title were there, but my review got replaced with what seemed like some guy's journal entry. It had absoluterly nothing to do with this or any other product. Strange.

Anyway - as mentioned in my original posting, this review is more a condemnation or earbud headphones in general than the Sennheiser CX300-B, which I decided to try after my "over ear" style Sony noise canceling headphones went on the fritz. My past experience with earbuds was not good, although I had only ever tried the type that come with the iPod and not the "ear plug" type that go in the ear canal, like the Sennheiser CX300-B. However, having owned a pair of Sennheiser over the ear headphones back in the 70's, my impression of the company and their products was good. So, I decided to take the plunge. What a mistake.

After opening the package (no easy feat - damn sound welded plastic clamshells!), I popped on the medium-sized bud covers (appropriate for my size ears) and inserted them into my ears. I turned on my mp3 player and listened for a few minutes. The sound was adequate - nothing spectacular. I did notice they had decent bass and did block some external noise. I kept listening as I stepped outside to go to the store. I couldn't believe what I heard. Every step I took was amplified in my head - like a booming bass drum. Even the gentle bumping of the cord against my chest was amplified - a constant thump, thump, thump that was impossible to ignore. As it turns out, the very feature that blocks a modicum of external noise, also amplifies any sound that travels through the body. Even breathing is amplified! As I walked, it sounded as though I was listening to someone breathe over a PA system! I had hoped to use these while running, but there's no way that's going to happen. In fact, the problem with amplified sound is so bad, I won't use them at all.

I am very disappointed in this product and will never buy any ear plug style headphones again. I don't understand why anyone would sell them, let alone use them. They may have great sound reproduction, but the listening experience is totally ruined by the sounds that get amplified through the body. It amazes me that people buy similar style products that sell for hundreds of dollars. The only way you can enjoy the sound they produce is to sit perfectly still. I'm glad I only paid about $16 for these things. I won't return them because it'll be too much of a hassle - probably cost more to ship them back than I paid.

BTW - The photo of the product is misleading. The cord looks thicker than it actually is and there's no way it can be coiled as is shown in the photo. It gives the impression the cord is more supple and flexible that it really is. Also, one end of the cord is longer than the other. Not sure why this is, but the thinness of the cord makes it prone to kinking and tangling. In fact, since one side of the cord is longer than the other, it makes it even more prone to tangling.

Bottom line - steer clear of the Sennheiser CX300-B and all ear plug style earbuds.

Comment:
Works great. Only Con : Wires are too thin & need to be handled with care.

Comment: I bought these through Amazon 2 years ago. I use them 5 days a week and have enjoyed them thoroughly. For two years of use they still work flawlessly and other than normal wear and tear inflicted by me, they are perfect. The sound and bass response is very crisp for such a small speaker. They are comfortable to wear and cancel out extra noise well. Like the other reviews state, if you rub the cord you can hear the friction in the headphones which is annoying but for sitting somewhere and reading or studying they are perfect. If it's super windy outside you can also hear the wind whistle through them. Occasionally I'll use these walking somewhere and can ignore the rubbing noise but I would not use these to workout or run with. I had never owned headphones with one end of the 'Y' split being longer than the other which weirded me out at first but after using them I actually think it works well. I gave 4 of 5 stars because of the rubbing noise. I knew this when I bought them but only planned to use them while studying/reading so this was not a deal breaker for me. Overall I would recommend these headphones if you are looking for a cheap earbud with fantastic sound quality.

One last tip, if they don't sound great at first, make sure the music you are listening to is 192-320kbs quality. You can really notice the difference with these and some 128kbs tracks make these earbuds sound horrible, but fortunately it's an easy fix by ripping your CDs at a higher quality.

Pros:
Price
Sound Quality
Durability
Sound Deadening

Cons:
Rubbing Noise From Cord

Comment: I've bought three pairs of these (previous pairs lost/stolen) and been satisfied every time with them. They produce the best sound for the dollar that I can find, and are comfortable in my ear. Despite other reviews I've read, I've found no issues with durability from the thin cord. However, with moderate tension the buds will fall out, so these might not be the best for jogging. The design of the cord and buds are such that the cable runs down the left earbud with a loop behind the neck to put the right earbud on the other side of the head. I personally prefer that this be switched, since the cable must cross my body to put the player in my right pocket, but maybe lefties will find this advantageous.