The cordless allrounder ?!

After more than two months with daily use BT with the Sennheiser 360, I would like to talk about my experiences here. I have long been looking for "the perfect headphones for my needs" - already tried some headphones or at least for the best compromise and have ...

Short background on my situation: I consume media today almost exclusively digital. While I can still while listening to an analog record with a tube amp feel goose bumps, but unfortunately I do not currently enjoy the time or patience in this way music.

Today I listen to my music on the move on iPhone, iPad, or at home on the Mac Mini, which has the Record, compact disc and DVD player replaced as a media center at the LCD TV in the living room as far as possible. Music is stored in my in AAC or MP3 (Lame Encoder) files with a minimum of 256 KB. So much for the framework.

After much trying out different headphones Seeking a headphone now the:

- Not too big and heavy is, so I can take it on the move and stow
- The ear surrounds completely (as eyeglass wearers were previous "sitting on the ear" headphones uncomfortable In-Ear Headphones were the seat and her sound so far only an interim solution for me.
- Has a good fit on my head
- The sounds of the outside world but attenuates not 100% swallows (a horn or bicycle bell as a pedestrian I also want to hear)
- Wirelessly but can also be operated with a cord (Bluetooth ban on the aircraft or when the battery is empty Earphones)
- Has a stable radio transmission
- Sonically true music enjoyment and allows the frequency ranges reproduces Harmonious
- Looks even halfway reasonable
- Is easy to operate
- Is still priced under

For all these points, I had not yet found adequate. Now I'm on the Sennheiser PX 360 BT encountered. The predecessor of this headset was sitting "on" the ear (Sennheiser PX 210/310 BT) and it was not comfortable enough for me as eyeglass wearers.

The PX 360 BT was brand new in August 2010 and it was to my time of purchase no reviews available. The technical data and the Circumaural mussel have me then but once convinced and Amazon gave the headphones even two weeks before the announced Erstverfügbarkeit.

Scope of supply:
When I opened the packaging I was ever surprised. There really have been included every conceivable connector, cable, adapter and a small travel bag.

Processing:
Although the headset is now come entirely new to the market and this must be the first production series, I am very satisfied with the processing. The strap is made of solid and flexible steel which is sheathed in synthetic leather and upholstered. The folding mechanism makes a stable impression and the gap dimensions and pressure points of the keys were perfect.

Portability:
The two earcups can be rotated by 90 ° and put the buckle strap to two to reduce the pack size of the now flat-lying headphones. Thus, the headset fits well into the included carrying bag, which then, however, but the volume size of about 6 packs of cigarettes reached (rough estimate of a non-smoker). The transport bag could quite incidentally can be supplemented by a small Gummitrennnetzt so the plugs and cables are not flying around loose.

Battery:
Charging the battery can be made via the included USB power adapter to the USB Micro plug the headphones. But it is also possible via an active USB Dock or another charger to charge the battery. So you can, if necessary, also traveling with only one USB charger for multiple devices. The special thing about this battery is that the USB charging plug is located directly on the battery. Thus, one can draw the little battery out of the headset and directly on to the wall outlet or charge the USB dock without having to put all the headphones on the desk. It is then also possible an optional second battery in the headset to sticking, while the other invites. A full charge lasted about 2.5 hours. With me and the cordless entire duration of a full battery charge I guess in about 9 hours, when the headset is switched off when not in use always the same.

Bluetooth connection / reach:
The wireless connection via Bluetooth pairing went to my "i" devices without problems. The compound is stable and free from noise, the specified 10 meters can be reached on the open level and viewing distance quite, but reduced greatly by direct influence of interfering radio sources, such as microwave oven or direct radio radiation on board a ship. In such cases, you can then connect but the headphone cable.

My home test is the transition from the living room (there, the iPhone or the Mac Mini is) in the kitchen more a room. Then I'm about 6 feet and a reinforced concrete wall from the Bluetooth transmitter. The Sennheiser PX 360 BT is the first Bluetooth headset I've tested, the music or the sound from the movie in this situation will continue playing without any interference. That's really nice when I eg want to briefly get something to eat or drink without being surprised by noise or static.

Sound:
But now to the sound. Everyone has to test his favorite songs to speakers or headphones. I hear mainly songs from the genre Jazz, Singer songwriter and rock. For testing, I have a collection of songs in which the recordings were particularly elaborate and well-produced and therefore the speakers or headphones giving enough food to be able to prove himself. Classic would be for such a test certainly makes sense, but when I hear too little classical music I can here do not allow qualified judgment. Perhaps logs still another reviewer about his impressions with classical music on this headset.

Here are my subjective impressions for playing individual instruments from various albums by Sennheiser. I try to describe my impressions through true for me Anjektive:

The votes with Vocals are clear and natural. Akkustikgitarren are beautiful voluminous. Percussions and drums strong and crisp. Electric Guitars lively, dynamic and clear. Pianos play all octaves on course. The frequency range of Sennheiser has no problems. An acoustic and electronic bass have a rich, clear bass is not overridden. It seems to me through the PX 360 BT as naturally tuned 3-way bass reflex speakers. But not like that of an overdriven subwoofer, the all deafened with its dominance in ruins.

Gladly again anytime I hear a CD of Dave Brubeck Quarter. The tracks on the CD to piano, drums and saxophone solos alternate and let me always close your eyes and think that I'm live in a small jazz club here.
This is wirelessly and via bluetooth? No, that's almost like live to be there! Friends of the natural sound should come with the headphones on their costs.

Comfort:
After 3 hours, it is already hot under the ear, particularly of course where the headphone is applied to the artificial leather foam on the skin. It was clear that it will come to constructional reasons, but I feel in this headphones as absolutely bearable because the cushioned pad is large enough to comfortably distribute even pressure, but narrow enough to prevent a widespread outbreak of sweat. The pressure can be infinitely adjusted via the length adjustment of the strap slightly. So should actually find anyone perfect setting.

SRS WOW:
For me rather SRS WHAT? Maybe I'm too purist or perhaps listen to the wrong music to really have a use for this feature. But in direct comparison SRS on / off I never felt the SRS function as a gain in quality - on the contrary - as a loss! It is the music locatable heights taken, making the sound darker and not as good locatable depths dominate. Perhaps there is still some times a benefit to this feature, but currently I lay it down rather loudly and save even manual power!

Service:
The controller is of the headphones over a flat Mittelnopf, which is enclosed by a control ring button on the right ear cup. The keys might well have to be somewhat distinctive to them better feel for blind can, but after a short habituation encountered unerringly the correct keys.

The button in the center is responsible for on / off, pairing, and Start / Stop. The arrow keys up and down to control the volume of the headphone. But beware: The iPhone 4 is also controlled separately, the output volume on the headphones - ie the volume on the headset must be adjusted again in addition. When iPad OS 3.2, however, you control on the headphones, the overall volume of both units.

From iOS 4.1 on the iPhone you can on the headphones finally, the back and forth buttons to jump from song to song use. When this function is only iPad with the next update (iOS 4.2) support in November.

Volume and equalizer:
The recording level of my songs, it was not possible to overdrive the headphones. I did not feel the maximum volume now loud as painful. I could even imagine situations where one due to high ambient noise would still have a bit more volume to me. But to produce as part of the reason and to avoid unnecessary damage to your ears, that is certainly a reasonable compromise with the possible maximum volume
Incidentally, I have achieved, depending on the ambient noise, the best sound results only from a total volume of about 70% and higher. Here I leave the equalizer in the iPhone, iPad and Mac always off because I felt the sound with equalizer as no longer in harmony!

Conclusion:
There are certainly better sounding high-end headphones, but my claim to a portable, convenient and good-sounding Bluetooth headphones for that price, the Sennheiser PX 360 BT has lived up and has even surpassed the wireless technology my expectations.

I believe that Sennheiser has succeeded with this headset a great success.

Positives:
+ Extensive scope of delivery
+ Good workmanship
+ Smart Battery solution loadable via USB and also outside of the headphones (optional second battery)
+ Very good Bluetooth transfer
+ Using the supplied cable you can operate the headset also wired
+ In cable operation only 1 cable goes to the ear. This is positive for the freedom of movement
+ Natural and dynamic sound, but nothing for lovers especially pronounced subwoofer bass orgies
+ Good comfort for a closed headband headphones
+ Good operability after a short familiarization phase
+ Good price / quality ratio

Negatives:
- SRS WOW is not relevant in my opinion a Marketinggimmick and for a sound-based purchase decision
- The operating instructions are stored only on the CD as PDF. A brief "Getting Started" manual in paper form would be useful
- The regular blinking Bluetooh diode at the start / stop button should already be in the default setting "off"

My ratings for Amazon points for a BT headset in this price range (5 = best, 1 = worst)

Scope of supply: 5
Processing: 5
Documentation (PDF / CD): 3.5
Operation: 5
Sound: 5
Price / Performance: 5

Total: 5