Sennheiser PXC 450 Active Noise-Canceling Headphones

It is impossible to be completely objective when reviewing headphones without resorting entirely to audio measuring equipment, and that is boring. While these kinds of measurements are helpful, they can be very misleading. Two headphones that look identical on paper may sound totally different, and since I can't promise to be both objective and helpful at the same time, I try to be methodical. If my standard stays consistent, at least it gives the reader an idea of what to expect. My system is mostly the same as in my other reviews. I listen to six songs from various genres of music, and score each of them on a scale of 0 - 10, where 0 - 2 is abysmal, 2.1 - 4 is poor, 4.1 - 6 is mediocre, 6.1 - 8 is above average, and 8.1 - 10 is excellent. These ratings are also relative to the price range of the headphones; I take that into account.I have changed a few of the songs used in my review to eliminate all the lower fidelity tracks, but the new ones are all within the same genre. The current roundup is "The Chain" by Fleetwood Mac (encoded in 256 Kbps Ogg Vorbis), "Every Planet We've Reached is Dead" by Gorillaz (256 Kbps .ogg), "The Four Seasons Winter Allegro non molto" by Vivaldi (256 Kbps .ogg), "I Know You Are, But What Am I?" by Mogwai (500 kbps .ogg), "Mr. Clean" by Roy Hargrove (256 Kbps .ogg), and "The Patient" by Tool (500 kbps .ogg).The source I am listening from is still a Cowon iAudio 7 with the equalizer and sound effects turned off, but I have added a Head Room Total Airhead amplifier (with cross-feed turned off). I also rate other aspects of the headphone (e.g. comfort), but because the primary purpose of headphones is to listen to music, I give sound quality the highest weight. So, let's begin.The Chain (5/10) - bass was clean and tight. The mid-tones were particularly prominent - they really shined, which was my favorite thing about these headphones. The highs, however, were pushed to the background. They seemed underrepresented in comparison to the lows and mids. Instrument separation was decent, but nothing to write home about. The sound stage was quite shallow. I was definitely conscious of the fact that I was listening to a pair of headphones.Every Planet (4/10) - the lows were disappointing. They just weren't there. I am not at all a fan of bloated bass - I prefer tight, clean, deep bass - and these didn't sound very deep at all. I was again quite satisfied with the mids, and the highs were consistently mediocre. Instrument separation was a bit better this time - I thought I could pick them all out. The sound stage, however, did not improve.Four Seasons Winter (2/10) - the highs jumped out at me right away in this song. Not because they were good, but because they weren't there. And the instrument separation was actually pretty weak, even muddy. Sound stage was tiny, and once again, the only particularly appealing aspect was the mid-tones, which I did enjoy.I Know You Are (7/10) - familiar story with the highs. These are definitely one of the PXC 450's weak spots. The lows were back to being tight and clean. I appreciate how little distortion these headphones have. Many headphones distort this song quite badly, especially closed headphones. Not these. Instrument separation was also good again. Sadly, this is a song that I have always believed showed off a headphone's sound stage, but it did nothing for the PXC 450.Mr. Clean (6/10) - immediately I appreciated the bass. It was tight and clean, and had a wonderful vibrancy to it. Mid-tones were also nicely done. The PXC 450's usual deficiency in the upper frequency range wasn't particularly noticeable here. Instruments were separated clearly, and the timbre of the trumpet was very pleasant. Sound stage wasn't great, but like the highs, it wasn't notably bad this time, either.The Patient (6/10) - the bass guitar near the beginning was delightfully crisp. The electric guitar also had a satisfyingly intense texture and presentation. Instruments did tend to blend together, but the usual problem with the highs wasn't as noticeable. The tiny sound stage of the PCX 450 also wasn't such a downer.Overall Sound Quality (5/10) - the PCX 450 has bass that is tight and clean, but not particularly deep, and a bit lacking in impact. The upper frequencies were disappointing, as was the sound stage. Instrument separation was mediocre, and depended heavily on the genre in question - it was fairly good with some genres, but not so good with others. Sound stage was tiny across the board. Again, this was more of a problem with some songs than it was with others, but it was a weak point of the PCX 450. There was also a noticeable amount of noise from the PCX 450's internal amplifier, which is annoying, since it can't be replaced. The one area where the PCX 450 consistently shined was the mid-tones, which were always vibrant and lively. I thought the PCX 450 paired fairly well with metal, jazz, and post rock. They were very mediocre with pop rock and hip hop, and abysmal with classical, which is ironic, considering Sennheiser's reputation with classical music.Comfort (10/10) - the PCX 450 is an extremely comfortable headphone. It features abundant, soft padding on the headband and around the ears. It is lightweight, and has just the right balance of staying firmly in place without clamping too tight on the head. The inner ear cups also feature a novel design based on the shape of an ear that adds even further to their comfort. After a few minutes of wearing these headphones, I forgot they were even there. I've worn them for hours without experiencing any discomfort. In fact, these are the most comfortable headphones I own.Design and Build Quality (8/10) - although lightweight, the PCX 450 does not feel cheap. It is supported by metal in many places instead of plastic, and several components are screwed together instead of glued. It is sturdy and has quite a solid structure, and I expect it to last for years to come. It's also a relatively stylish headphone. It might not turn heads, but it looks classy and professional, and I certainly wouldn't be embarrassed to wear it in public. It also comes with a convenient compact travel case into which it can fold up nicely. I imagine this will be great for plane flights.Noise Isolation (9/10) - the noise isolation in the PCX 450 is achieved in two ways - passive isolation and active isolation. The passive isolation is due to the padding and closed, circumaural (around-the-ear) design. This acts a lot like a pair of earmuffs, naturally muffling outside noise. It also cancels noise actively, by using a microphone to capture outside sound and generating opposing wave phases to destructively cancel the outside noise. There are two problems with this. The first is that active noise cancellation is only effective in the lower frequencies. This isn't too terrible, since passive noise isolation works in the upper frequencies, and they complement each other well. But it does limit its effectiveness somewhat. The other problem is that active noise cancellation requires a built-in amplifier. These amplifiers aren't generally top quality, and that rule is true of the PCX 450. The noise floor of its amplifier is definitely noticeable. However, one nice thing about these headphones is that you can turn active noise cancellation off when it isn't needed, bypassing the built-in amplifier. Very nice.As far as the effectiveness of the noise isolation, I'm happy to report that it works well. I haven't used these headphones on a plane yet, but I have used them in front of my washer with two loud fans turned on (to test their effectiveness), and they did the job. They didn't completely block out all noise, but it was reduced enough that I could listen to my music in peace. I also tried simulating a jet engine by playing a recording over my computer. Perhaps this isn't the same as the real thing, but the PCX 450 was as effective as any of the in-ear monitors I own, and I was able listen to my music where I would not have been able to otherwise. I can also report that they do not leak noise at loud volumes, so you won't annoy anybody who happens to be close to you.Other Comments - the PCX 450 contains a few more features worth mentioning. Noise-canceling headphones have built-in amplifiers, and the PCX 450 makes use of it in a novel way - it allows you to control the output of the amplifier with volume buttons on the side of the right ear cup. It has a "pass-through" button that, when pressed, mutes your music and uses the noise-canceling microphone for communication (i.e. you could use this to talk to the flight attendant without taking the headphones off). I'm not sure how useful this is in practice, although it is kind of neat. It also only requires a battery for the active noise cancellation feature. This is good because it allows you to continue listening to music after the battery dies. This means you can bypass the low-grade internal amplifier by turning noise cancellation off, which is a huge plus for audiophiles who like to use their own amplifiers. And about the battery itself - the PCX 450 doesn't have a built-in rechargeable battery. I like this, because I can supply my own rechargeable AAA that is cheap and easy to replace when the battery wears out. I can also carry an extra so I don't have to wait for it to charge before I can use the noise cancellation feature again.Bottom Line (7.2/10) - I will tell you immediately that these headphones do not sound the best at this price point. Not by far. If sound quality is your main concern, look elsewhere. However, if you're looking for a good pair of comfortable, noise-canceling, circumaural headphones, they are worth consideration. Sound quality varies widely depending on the genre, and for some genres they sound good, if not altogether great. They are better than the Bose QC3 in terms of sound quality, and better than the Monster Beats in terms of noise isolation. My recommendation depends on the genre of music you listen to, and how important comfort and noise cancellation are to you. As always, research other headphones before buying (read my other reviews), and most importantly, audition them for yourself if you're able. Your own ears are the best review; do not base your decision off of my opinion or anyone else unless auditioning them for yourself isn't an option.

Update 12-3-2014: If you're reading this review now, be advised that it is 6 years old. You should check out this review of the PSB M4U 2 NC headphones: http://www.amazon.com/review/RNFCGA4RI70O3/ref=cm_cr_rdp_permOriginal Review:I compared these headphones side-by-side with five other noise cancelling headphones: Bose QC2 & 3, JVC NC250, Audio Technica ANC7, and Sennheiser PXC-250. I was in the market for a noise cancelling headphone because I travel a lot and I wanted to be able to watch movies or listen to music in relative isolation. With the ipod earbuds, you have to blast your ears in order to compete with the airplane's engines and I want to preserve my hearing. My main criteria were sound qualifty, noise cancelling, and comfort. All three were very important and I didn't really want to compromise on any of those categories. The only headphone that excelled at all three was the PXC-450. I disqualified all but the PXC-450 on the basis of out of the box testing.The JVC was disqualified right away on the basis of its cheap build quality. It does not fit snugly on your head, it is very loose. The slightest movement of my head and the earphones would slide around on my ears. Because of that these headphones offered zero passive noise cancelling. Sound quality was okay but nothing special. These headphones never really merited serious consideration.The Audio Techicas are one of the most popular headphones on Amazon. I read the reviews of this headphone extensively, and most people rave about these headphones. The only criticism of them I saw was sound leakage. People complained that when you listen to these headphones, people around you can hear what you're listening to. They were right. It really is a shame because other than that flaw, these are very good headphones. The sound and noise cancelling is amazing considering the price. However, as I was buying this for use in very close quarters (airplane travel), I didn't want to have to worry about bothering people around me.The PXC-250 sounded amazing. I couldn't believe such small headphones could sound so good. However, the battery wand I felt got in the way a bit and I just didn't think the noise cancelling on these on ear headphones was as good as the other more expensive headphones. The 250s had another odd problem in that very slight movements would cause the earpads to rub slightly on your ear. This rubbing created a noise that would reverberate inside your ear that was very noticable if you were watching a movie or listening to softer music.When I was testing the Bose and the PXC-450, comparing them to the other headphones I tested, it made me realize that noise cancelling technology must just be expensive which is why if you want a quality noise cancelling headphone, you have to be willing to shell out some cash. The Audio Technicas are by far the best of the cheaper NC headphones, but the Bose (particularly the QC3) and the 450 really stand out from the pack.The Bose are very good headphones, but they have some issues that I just couldn't get over. First, I don't like the way Bose headphones sound. They push the bass into your face and the mids and highs sound muddy. Most of the reviews of these headphones mention these issues. The QC2 got very warm and I could feel the heat radiating inside on my ears and it was not comfortable.The QC3s are really amazing. They are on ear headphones, yet they had the best noise cancelling of any of the other headphones I tried. The earpads are made of a material that just kill sound. Without even turning the earphones on, you are immediately immersed in silence. However, in addition to the sound quality issue, there is something about their noise cancelling function that creates a pressure on your eardrum. This pressure bothered me enough that it was hard to ignore. If the PXC-450 did not exist, I would have gone with the QC3 and just sucked it up, but I was glad that I didn't have to.Finally, the PXC-450. For me, these were the perfect headphone and I just fell in love with them and didn't have to think very hard about which ones to keep.Bass. I read a lot of reviews and a lot of people complained about a lack of bass on these headphones. When I first put these headphones on, I admit that I was a little let down because it seemed to me like they were very weak. Then I realized that I needed to adjust the volume control on the headphones. I basically turned the volume on the headphones all the way up and just adjust the volume on my ipod. With the volume issue fixed, my concerns about the bass went away. These headphones do not have as much bass as Bose. However, that's because Bose changes the sound from the way it was intended to push the bass forward. If you like a lot of bass, these headphones might not be for you. However, the bass is definitely there. Just listen to Pon de Replay (Rihanna) or Pass that Dutch (Missy Elliot) for a demonstration of how good the bass is on these headphones.Sound Quality. Moving past the bass to sound quality as a whole, these headphones are in a different league. I mean, I am hearing details in songs I have heard dozens or even hundreds of times and never noticed. Background singers that before were lost with all of the other sounds can be heard clearly on these headphones.Noise Cancelling. These headphones have a tight fit, which gives them a lot of passive noise cancelling. They are not so tight, however, to become uncomfortable. Combined with the active noise cancelling, and these headphones are *almost* as good as the QC3s. I feel like the QC3s were a little better at cancelling the higher frequencies, but I think that is why they have the pressure on the eardrum problem. I didn't feel any pressure with the 450. The slight advantage the QC3s have on noice cancelling is more than outweighed by the 450s superiority in sound quality and comfort.Comfort. Despite being snug, the 450s are very comfortable. The material that the earpads are made of is very soft and I quickly forgot I was wearing them on my flight. The headphones are very big--much larger than the on ear QC3s. However, because they are snug they don't slide around and they really do melt into your head after a while. Also, they don't get hot like the QC2s did.Portability. Because they are bigger, they are slightly more difficult to manage than the Bose. However, they fold up quite nicely and their case, though larger than both of the Bose cases, is still rather small (and light!).In the end, once I tried the 450s, there was really no way I could settle for any of the other headphones I tried. All of the other headphones had too many flaws and the 450s were near perfect. Oh, I should mention that I listened for the "ticking sound" that other reviewers complained about in the right earpiece and there was absolutely nothing. Either those reviewers had defective units or Sennheiser has fixed the problem.Update 3/31/11:I can't believe it's been three years since I bought these headphones. They still work great and I have no plans to replace them. I only use them when I travel, so they're not getting wear and tear every day, but I was travelling A LOT when I first got these. I have not tried the Bose QC15s, so I can't compare the 450 to those.Someone in the comments suggested that I work for Sennheiser -- I do not.I didn't mention the Talkthrough feature in my review. After a lot of use, I have found this feature to be very handy. It's nice when the flight attendant comes by to be able to just press the button and talk to them without having to take the headphones off.

Anyone who is seriously contemplating parting company with £375 for a pair of headphones is going to be someone who takes their listening very, very seriously: so do this pair of top-of-the-range travel 'phones from Sennheiser live up to that price point? Yes, they do. Oh very yes.Shipped in a fairly chunky 30x30x15xm cardboard box [a little flimsy, if I'm honest - this is "shiny" retail packaging, not sturdier mail order material] these active, noise-reducing headphones come with a beautiful, sturdy and nicely-finished travel case, an adapter for the "traditional" size headphone jack, still popular with domestic amplifiers, plus a second adapter suitable for use with aircraft systems. A leather coated metal headband supports a pair of exquisitely fashioned enclosures that are attached by way of rotating-joint brackets, which means that the ear cups can fold flat for compact storage. An excellent quality, silicon-rubber coated cable of a little over 1.5 metre length connects the phones to a top-quality, gold-plated jack-plug. The cable enters the left ear-piece, with that on the right sporting all the controls: on/off, speak-through and volume. The right-side ear-piece also houses the battery compartment [1 x AAA, with 2 batteries provided], which provide the energy for the active noise-deadening electronics. Build quality, then, is top-notch.If anything, the audio performance is even more impressive. Given the inherent limitations of a single-driver headphone, the PXC 450's acquit themselves with aplomb. Unlike competitors, Sennheiser really seem to have mastered the art of dampening noise without touching the music. There's no hiss, no pumping, no flat top-end, just glorious, glorious audio quality. Compared with the Bose QuietComfort in-ear phones these are replacing, the PXC 450s don't just have vastly superior musical performance - they are more agile, poised, dynamic and, well, musical, but they are able to reproduce a soundstage far more effectively, whilst exposing far more information from a recording.Perhaps the greatest revelation is the sheer range of music that these headphones can transform. Give them tracks from Enya, for example, Watermark's "Storms In Africa" reveals a lovely deep undercurrent of drums and subsonics that I normally expect to hear on my main system; offered Agnes Obel's Aventine and her lyrics and exquisite voice just coast out of a near-perfect sound stage. Go to the other end of the spectrum - Iridescent by Linkin Park yields glorious texture, subtle shifts in vocals from Chester and a vice-like grip on timing. The more I tried, the greater diversity of music I pushed at these headphones, the better and better they sounded.If you are a commuter, or someone who listens to music in a noisy environment, but who appreciates and enjoys *music* [in it's finest, truest form] then you will not find better at this price point. Absolutely **stunning**...Pros:-1. Sound Quality. Just: this.2. Build - impeccable design and engineering from Germany. Pretty much flawless.3. Value for Money - these were about £80 more than I paid for my Bose QuietComfort in-ear headphones, and they wipe the floor with them without trying.Cons:-1. OK, as one other reviewer has spotted, the lovely, deeply cushioned and "envelopingly soft" ear cups will, after a couple of hours, leave the sides of your temples and head a little sticky. Small price to pay for this audio perfection.2. At a pinch, these are not what you'd describe as "compact". But lets be honest, if you want compact, you would not be selecting over-ear headphones. No. These up for consideration because you want audio perfection over ergonomic convenience - and despite their size and bulk, they do fold down to fit in a sturdy travel case.Sum-Up: you know that utterly glorious sensation you get when you hear a familiar song played back through a system that is massively superior to what you are used to? That's the step-change you should enjoy with these headphones - it's like having a brand-new music collection to listen to and turns a trudge to the office into a voyage of musical discovery. Fabulous.

I have had these break down and just stop working every year - I have now given uo on them as they want £114 to repair them again.

I waited to write this review until I had my first flight. All I can say is the headphones are spectacular. They are very good at dampening noise and the sound is stellar (by comparison, the sound of my older Bose QuietComfort 25 is mediocre). I literally wore them (even during a short slipping time) for more than 7 (seven) hours continuously without feeling any pain or fatigue. And the battery is lasting like forever (after more than 15 hours still up and running - if out of juice you can still use these in passive mode and they will still dampen a lot of noise).Highly recommended

I'm not an audiophile, but the sound is incredibly good off these even on poorly sampled MP3s.The noise cancelling is fantastic though. I had flooding in my apartment and they left several incredibly noisy fans and dryers running for 48 hours. The noise was jarring and constant and bled through my HTPC headset's insulation very clearly. When I put these on as soon as I hit the power on them and the noise cancelling kicked in before even starting the music it knocked everything down to a level like I was standing in a completely insulated room. It was mind-blowing. I sat there for several minutes and couldn't even hear the industrial dryer blowing 10 feet away from me.

These have been awesome headphones. The ANC lasts about 8 to 10 hours which is fine for since the case has space for 4. They sound incredible and let's you hear old songs like you never did before. The noise cancelling is really good, but not as good as Bose sets. I find they have better all around sound than Bose though, so that's the trade off. Talk through is a handy feature, but sounds a little like you have a mic directly in your ear. With ANC turned off I find these still sound really good which is big plus for me. The inly con for me is the lack of music control on the wire. It would be great to have in-line control for the music , even if it was an aftermarket purchase. Overall, very happy with the purchase and likely a new Sennheiser repeat customer.