TechtalkRadio took the opportunity to take a look at the latest Sennheiser Portable headset, the PXC 250-II which featured the companies acclaimed Noise Cancelling Technology.
The Phones themselves are foldable and fit nicely in a handy carrying pouch which is provided in the box. The pouch is multi-function and includes a couple of pockets for storage, the largest area for the folded Sennheiser PXC 250-II. There’s a smaller pocket (3×7 inches) where an included in-flight audio adapter and spare batteries for powering the Noise Cancelling can be held. For those carrying many different items, they may enjoy the designers inclusion of a belt loop to carry the pouch.
Carrying the headset is one way to get them from point A to point B, the other is to wear them! As the Sennheiser PXC 250-II rest on the ear, users will note that the headphones are very light and comfortable, great for those on long flights or train rides. We also found that if you are laying in bed, and your head is on a pillow, the pillow should not interfere with them (as can happen with headphones that have larger cups).
Total cable length is 4.9 feet: 2 feet of cord from the plug to the battery compartment, and 2 feet 8 inches of cord from the battery compartment to the headphones. The plug is 1/8 inch (3.5mm). An in-flight audio adapter (dual 1/8 inch, 3.5mm mono plug) is included for use on some airplanes.
Optimized for portable media players and in-flight entertainment systems, using one AAA battery, the NoiseGard technology can cancel up to 80% of noise. Without NoiseGard activated, the headphones also function well.
On the in-line volume control, which houses the battery, is a belt clip. The headphones, and the volume control, will function without a battery inserted into the unit…when the switch in the “on” position the headphones will mute. With a battery installed, and when powered-on, the red light will glow on the switch. I noticed that the audio quality improved with Noisegard: there was more bass. The frequency response is 10 to 21,000 Hz. We were impressed with the quality of the sound and comfort level of these Portable headphones. The MSRP for the phones is currently $259.95 and more information can be found at http://www.sennheiserusa.com/private_headphones_noise-cancelling-headphones_502818
<Update> Sennheiser has announced new Gaming Headsets – visit http://www.techtalkradio.com/hardware/sennheiser.html for the latest