Special Headphone Award
ASpecial Headphone Award? Indeed — we have no suitable category where these easily fit, yet they are among our favourite headphone products of all time. These are Sennheiser’s home wireless headphones — not Bluetooth, heaven forbid, rather they use full CD-quality digital wireless transmission. So there is zero penalty for going wireless in the home, you can enjoy fine headphones and glitch-free full-quality audio wherever you roam, at least within range of the transmitter base.
So you have the transmitter base near your hi-fi, perhaps also near your TV, as Sennheiser has added an optical input to the latest generation — plug your TV optical output into that and these headphones are perfect for late-night TV or movie watching, blasting full bore while your housemates sleep. The other input is an analogue input, into which we plug the tape loop output of our main amplifier (not using much tape these days), to deliver all our regular sources to the transmitter.
The new range replaces a trio of models that were showered with awards following their release a few years back — the RS 160, 170 and 180. The new range follows up with the RS 165, 175 and 185, plus an RS 195 model which was originally intended to be released only as a specialist model for audiologists (it enables specific corrections for hearing deficiences). Here we are awarding the middle two — which vary significantly. They differ first in the RS 185 model ($599.95) being a semi-open design — open headshells allow a more airy open sound, but of course they also spill sound into the environment. They’re no good if you intend listening in the same room as others — we were barely through our first song before the missus, focused on some CSI murder, banished us from the sitting room couch and sent us up to the music room to spill our audio in peace.
The RS 175 ($499.95) is a closed-back design, keeping your music in, and external sounds out. Both pairs are exceptionally comfortable — the RS 175s have leatherette pads which we find can develop wear under a few years of Australian heat and sweat, where the velour pads of the RS 185s seem to avoid this. The controls differ as well — the RS 185’s circle of controls offers volume up and down at the bottom, left and right balance adjustments above that, and a ‘Level’ button between those. We are delighted by the ‘Level’ button, as it addresses our main (almost only) criticism of the first generation, which used automatic gain control to achieve the optimum transmission level between base and headset. While this made sense in some ways, it also caused the audio to ‘pump’ as it transitioned between quiet and loud passages; this was especially noticeable and undesirable with classical music. Now you have the choice — fix the level manually, or let the auto gain to do its thing.
The control options on the RS 175 ditch the Level and Balance adjustments to include instead ‘Bass’ and ‘Surround’ — both of which should be avoided since they do dreadful things to the otherwise delightful sound. Turn it all off, keep it all flat, and the sound of the RS 175 delights almost as much as the RS 185s. Their bass range is immensely strong without additional boosting; kick drums can pop a little, overhanging rather than utterly taut, but as the frequencies rise, there is a luscious midrange that presents male and female voices delightfully and without any recessing, while the treble is detailed but smooth, never harsh.
If you will be listening alone, or if you just don’t care two hoots who you disturb, then the RS 185s are definitely worth the extra money. They sound delightful — bass is solid but entirely without bloom, and treble vibrant and open. We so rarely spend time with open headphones these days that it was a reminder how much they free the ears from any sense of enclosure.
Every home should have one. Or two. Sennheiser’s home wireless headphones can be absolute life-changers.
More info: www.sennheiser.com.au