Good, but there are better phones for the money...
Written: May 16 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Carrying Case, Easily Powered by Portables, Foam Pads Included
Cons: Short (3 feet) cord; At $24.95, other phones are a much better value
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| hyprxtension's Full Review: Sennheiser MX 4 HiFi Headphones |
The name Sennheiser is usually associated with quality. Their HD580s have long been considered one of the best pairs of phones money can buy. However, most of the fame of the Sennheiser line comes from their more expensive phones. The HD580s, for example, have been discontinued and are being sold at 50% or so discount for $180. I was surprised to see these headphones packed with my RaveMP, as I wasn't sure that Sennheiser HAD a lower-end line. Needless to say, knowing Sennheiser's reputation, I was eager to try them out.
Initial Impressions
I was pleased at the inclusion of both a carrying case and foam earpads. Unlike other earbud cases, the case was the perfect fit for the Sennheisers. The foam pads, which will increase the bass response drastically, are a welcome sight, but gave me the impression that Sennheiser only included them because they knew their MX4s had poor bass.
The First Aural Experience
I prepared my two test CDs: Tragic Kingdom by No Doubt and a collection of music by Mozart. Gwen Stefani sounded very thin and wispy on the MX4s, even more so than I heard on bright headphones before. The music by Mozart sounded pleasant but not quite "full." I didn't get a warm sense of the music. Putting the foam earpads on improved the warmth of both tests.
Burning In?
The term "burning in" is the loosening of the headphone drivers that usually will increase bass response or change the sound of the headphones, sometimes drastically. This is accomplished usually after 40+ hours of use, but some people refuse to accomplish it naturally. I left them playing at mid-high volume for 2 days straight, then performed another test. Only a slight change toward the bass was evident...which leads me to believe the MX4s sound they way they should right out of the box.
Final Words
Overall, I was not impressed by the MX4s; however, I was not disappointed with them either. The phones seems kind of bulky compared to some of the Sony earbuds around now. The cord is only 3 feet long, rather short. I was expecting a little more from the Sennheiser name, which may have been biased on my part. Still a solid pair of phones, but for the price, I would much rather go with the Aiwa HPV-165s, which are better all around and only $15. Lower end Sony earbuds, sub $25, also may a good choice. Remember, headphones are subjective; since it's kind of unsanitary to open a package and try them in the store, or to return them for that matter after they've been in your ear, I would recommend demoing a friend's pair before making any decisions.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
hyprxtension
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Member: Kenneth Yu
Location: Yorba Linda, CA
Reviews written: 19
Trusted by: 10 members
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