Best buds as snug as they are savvy
Sennheiser gives total control of what you hear based on where you are
Sennheiser CX Plus SE True Wireless
From €179
★★★★★
Sennheiser has been one of the world’s great audio companies for decades, and you’re likely to find its equipment in TV and radio stations around the world. Its consumer products such as earbuds and soundbars have been equally successful with audiophiles, so I was a little fearful when I learned earlier this year that this division was being acquired by Swiss firm Sonova.
I needn’t have worried – it appears the companies’ proposed plan for a permanent partnership to strengthen the Sennheiser brand is going well.
To this end, they’ve already announced new products, including the Sennheiser CX Plus SE True Wireless. The SE stands for special edition, and this version differs from the CX version with a brushed matte finish to the outside of the buds.
THINK MY EARS ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SO I USED TWO SIZES
In the box was the charging case, with the buds inside, a USB-C charging cable, user guide and replaceable silicone ear adapter sets. I’m convinced my ears are slightly different sizes, so I swapped one medium for a large and tried them for size. They were an excellent fit.
These are are not micro-buds though – with a cube-style design, they’re bigger than, say, Sony’s LinkBuds, though each Sennheiser bud weighs only 6g and are very comfortable.
The wireless Bluetooth buds needed to be paired to my phone. I then downloaded the Sennheiser Smart Control app – not vital but very handy.
I have a couple of pairs of Sennheiser wireless headphones, and they are all available for customisation in the same app.
I also have the buds paired to my LG TV, so I can switch the connection for the source I want and, late at night, I often watch Netflix, listening through the buds.
Also in the app you can personalise your listening experience by adding presets for your music or movies. You can also access the transparent hearing feature. This is also possible using the touch controls on the buds. Transparent hearing allows the outside world in – incredibly useful if you run or cycle on a busy road or want to hear announcements at an airport or train station.
Touch controls on these buds are very effective and you can easily pause, play, skip etc without fumbling for the exact spot. The noise cancellation is great and I found myself completely oblivious to the crowd as I watched Netflix on an iPad at a busy train station.
There’s also a very clever Sound Zones feature to customise these settings, based on where you are – so, you could set your local gym for maximum noise cancellation and pump up the the bass while you’re on the spin-bike.
There’s lots of impressive tech for customisation in here, but most importantly, everything – from spoken word, jazz and easy listening to pop and rock – sounds good.
The buds can be challenged by complex pieces of music and, while the sound remains good, the soundstage isn’t that broad and instruments can overlap in your head as you listen back.
Phonecalls are good, and the aptX codec really does make these buds work well for movies or Netflix.
The €150-€200 price range is a competitive part of the market in which Sony, 1More, Panasonic and others have excellent offerings and, while they might edge it depending on the type of music you listen to, for features and functionality Sennheiser has the edge.