Bose doesn’t need to worry too much because its once-dramatic lead over rivals is narrowing; however, there are some reasons you might prefer the Sennheiser PXC 550-II over the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. The Sennheiser PXC 550-II Wireless headphones are respectable and versatile. The most striking difference between these upscale over-ears and their predecessor, the Sennheiser PXC 550 Wireless, is their significantly enhanced ANC performance. They have a very well-balanced sound, and they ought to be adaptable enough for the majority of musical genres. They fit very comfortably and securely, just like the previous model, making them a good option even if you prefer over-ear headphones for the gym. also you can read our article on Sennheiser PXC 550-II review.
Design
The PXC 550 series is about utility and mobility if Sennheiser’s Momentum Wireless headphones are about premium elegance and refinement. It appears that every aspect of how this set of headphones is made has been considered to make it simple to wear and carry around. The earcups’ lightweight plastic exterior is given a modest, understated matte black finish. There isn’t any extraneous decoration. We enjoy the fact that it has a single, straightforward paint job very much. Wearing them won’t make you stick out needlessly, but they also offer a subtle aesthetic that is difficult not to like. Because of this emphasis on aiming to achieve a seamless appearance, the PXC 550 has few buttons or connections. It’s not like the less expensive HD 450BT, which has an excessive number of buttons grouped together on one earcup. That has both good and terrible aspects. Since there are no physical buttons, you must use the touch-sensitive panel on the outside of the right earcup to play and pause your music. When used deliberately, it is simple to use and effective: a single tap plays or pauses the track; a swipe from front to back skips backwards; a swipe up or down adjusts the volume. However, it is far too simple to unintentionally pause the music by accident. There is a switch to change the level of noise cancellation you desire, and a button to activate your Alexa speech assistant. Sadly, there is also a Micro-USB port. Sennheiser chose not to use USB-C for these headphones for whatever reason, so if you have a modern phone, you will need to carry along an additional wire for charging. Some of the design and finish options are so obviously retro. The lovely and soft leather-like outer covering on the earcup pads and headband makes the headphones comfortable to wear for extended periods of time without causing any of those delicate pressure points on the top of the scalp. These cans feel slimline and don’t add a lot of extra bulk or protrude too far from the head because the band fits snugly around the head as well. The movement of each component makes the previous model and this pair particularly well-fitting while also enabling simple folding for portability, which is something we appreciate about them. The earcups rotate flat, conveniently turning off the headphones as they do so. Additionally, the earcups’ hinges fold inward so you can tuck them under the headband and keep them neatly compact for slipping into the fabric carry case that is also included.
Sennheiser PXC 550-II review: Features
Compared to the Sony WH-1000XM3, the Sennheiser PXC 550-II Wireless has a more conventional sensibility, although not in terms of technology. Instead of buttons, they have touch controls; the right cup’s outer panel is touch-sensitive and, mercifully, employs well-known motions. To adjust the volume, swipe up and down. To play/pause, tap once. Swipes to the left and right change music, and a quick double-tap changes the ambient mode. You can hear what is happening on around you because this employs the external microphones to let in outside sound. It works well for announcements on trains and aeroplanes. A three-way switch for active noise cancelling is also present. When you turn it up a notch, it switches to an adaptive mode and adjusts the ANC’s strength to the surrounding conditions. In most cases, the maximum setting reduces noise more while increasing the noise bed just a tiny bit. You can use an anti-wind ANC mode if you download the Sennheiser Smart Control app to your phone. As air blows around the pinhole mics, all noise-cancelling headphones experience some wind noise; this mode makes an effort to reduce it.
Connectivity
The inclusion of Bluetooth 5.0 is one of the main advancements in the new Sennheiser PXC 550 headset. Because of this fast connection, you may listen to your music without being concerned about latency or connection drops. AptX low latency support is another feature included with the Sennheiser PXC 550-II headphones, which is great for giving you complete peace of mind while you’re on the go. you will check our article on Sennheiser PXC 550-II review.
Sennheiser PXC 550-II review: Noise cancelling
The PXC 550-II offers active noise reduction in addition to reasonable passive attenuation of outside noise, so that you and the person sitting next to you are not bothered. In our perspective, this enhances the signal-to-noise ratio rather than having a detrimental impact on the audio quality. The effect is pleasantly efficient and intense, without giving you the impression that you are being kept in isolation. Full noise reduction is achieved in “on” mode. You can make a comfortable environment for relaxation that removes you from the bustle of daily life, whether or not there is music playing. Low-frequency noise, static noise levels, and vehicle noise all fade into the background. Ambient noises that aren’t normal, such speech or traffic, are likewise significantly diminished. It is possible to successfully suppress wind sensitivity under the right circumstances, allowing one to wander around outside without being bothered. Sennheiser claims that the “adaptive” mode is an alternative to the aforementioned settings and dynamically adjusts to ambient noise or movement patterns. Unfortunately, it’s unclear exactly what occurs in this situation. As a result, even though it operates less intensely than the maximum level, this mode doesn’t feel very active. Sennheiser remains at the top of the noise cancelling league with these headphones, though they fall short of Sony’s WH-1000XM3 in terms of depth and configurability.
Audio performance
It comes as no surprise that Sennheiser continues to produce earphones and headphones with excellent acoustics with the most current PXC 550. If you point the inside of the headphones at a light source, you can see a pair of 32mm dynamic drivers through the material. The end result is extremely enjoyable sound. These cans can produce a lot of bass without distorting higher frequency tones or the vocals’ clarity. It was just as enjoyable to play some contemporary acoustic singer-songwriter music as it was to listen to old 90s hip-hop. When listening to Human Love by Newtown Faulkner, for instance, the deep bass complements the acoustic guitar’s clarity beautifully. Similarly, it was enjoyable to listen to recordings that were accompanied by orchestras since the headphones let you hear the intricacies of the music. A harp can be heard playing steadily in the background of Frank Sinatra’s song Send in the Clowns, while woodwind, brass, and strings swell and interact with one another. A few low, bowed strings serve as the track’s constant bass throughout, giving it presence and providing a solid grounding. Switching to something entirely more contemporary, these Sennhesiers sound amazing with Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia, which features a terrific synthesized bass, high impact percussion, and lots of funk. We did discover that we needed to access the Smart Control software and change the sound properties in order to achieve the sound we actually desired. Contrary to some manufacturers, there are only a few general Acoustical Settings options—no actual equalizer (EQ) settings. The presets include Speech (which is far too flat and vocal focused for music enjoyment), Movie (which adds rumbling bass), Club, and Neutral. You can swipe through them.
Call performance
It’s also the gesture you’ll use to accept or reject incoming calls. Tapping twice to place a call on hold will reject an incoming call. A forward/backward swipe mutes or unmutes the microphone while on a call. With a single double tap, you can turn off automatic noise cancellation (ANC), stop the music, and activate Transparent hearing mode, which uses the ambient microphones to pick up your speech and your surroundings to make communication easier.
Battery and charging
These headphones’ battery life is up to 20 hours when used wirelessly and 30 hours when plugged into a cable. However, charging proceeds somewhat slowly. There doesn’t seem to be much playtime available on an emergency charge. It takes three hours to fully recharge. In this area, the Sennheiser PXC 550-II Wireless falls short of competitors; quick charging is now fairly common. A dated micro-USB connector is also employed. The vast majority of contemporary headphones have switched to USB-C. also you will learn our article on Sennheiser PXC 550-II review.
Sennheiser PXC 550-II review: Conclusion
The Sennheiser PXC 550-II headphones are excellent for travelling or commuting. They are comfy and may be worn for extended periods of time without becoming tired or painful because of their well-padded design. They also have excellent battery life, making them ideal for lengthy travels. They are excellent at blocking out the engine noise on a bus or aeroplane thanks to their excellent ANC performance. They fold flat and come with a soft carrying case to provide some protection, but unfortunately they aren’t the most portable.
