I recently reviewed the Sennheiser CX 150BT, and I was quite impressed. It sports a high quality, no frills design. And with respect to sound, it shares some of the elements of higher priced Sennheiser models. For 80 bucks, it’s a good deal. Now, my boss throws a new Sennheiser model on my desk, which looks almost exactly the same as the CX 150BT. Only it’s the CX 350BT, and it’s $20 more expensive. What makes the CX 350BT a pricier earphone? Let’s find out in this Sennheiser CX 350BT Wireless Review.
Sennhesier CX 350BT Wireless Review
IN the BOX
FIT
As with the CX 150BT, I appreciate the no bull-$%^*, minimalist design of these earbuds. They easily pop into the ears and create a secure seal with great sound isolation. You’ll also have a few different sized eartips to choose from. So, unless you have freakishly shaped ear canals (nothing to be embarrassed about), you should be fine.
DESIGN
Functionality
On the remote, you’ll find the usual controls – play/pause, track skipping and volume control. But there’s also a voice assistant button. And this is one of the added features that is not available on the cheaper CX 150BT model.
Battery Life
Like the CX 150BT, the CX 350BT offers 10 hours of battery life. This is on the higher end of standard for wireless earbuds at this price point. Similar Audio-Technica models, for example, only offer 8 hours of playtime.
These earbuds also use a USB-C connection for charging, which is preferable to micro-USB. More durable and faster charging time.
Call Clarity
No issues here. The caller sounded clean and clear, and the microphone had good sensitivity as well.
Bluetooth and Supported Codecs
Like the CX 150BT, the CX 350BT supports the Bluetooth 5.0, which is the latest Bluetooth version. And in theory, it might mean fewer dropped signals.
Like the CX 150BT, the CX 350BT supports AAC, which is a hi-res codec for iPhones and Androids. But unlike the CX 150BT, the CX 350BT also offers aptX Low Latency, which ensures that your videos will play in sync with your audio. (Sorry Apple folks, iPhones don’t support the aptX codec).
Extra Features
Sennheiser offers an accompanying app that, with higher priced models, allows you some added control over your headphones, such as the ability to change equalizer settings. When I paired the app with the more affordable, CX 150BT, it didn’t offer any extra features. But this time, when I paired the app with the CX 350BT, it showed an equalizer button that says “coming soon.” So, hopefully, after the next update, these earbuds will have an equalizer. And I don’t know of any other wireless earphones at this price point that offer this neat feature. Oh, the app also has a battery life indicator. Forgot to mention that in my other review.
SOUND
Lows
Rich and punchy without feeling overblown, this is the kind of luxurious bass that I’m used to hearing from Sennheiser’s higher priced in-ear models. Plenty of warmth in rock tracks, a little sub bass oomph for my hip-hoppers, and classical music fans will also enjoy the stately feel of string instruments in this range.
Mids
This is an easy listening midrange. The upper mids aren’t too in your face, so, you won’t experience any harshness. And vocals avoid sitting too forward in the tracks, so the mix doesn’t feel too contrived. The bass overshadows the lower mids a bit, but you’ll still get an expansive feel when listening to tracks with heavy instrumentation. The level of detail is also solid for a pair of in-ear wireless headphones at this price point. And overall, the CX 350BT offers good separation and clarity while maintaining a rather lush profile.
Highs
You’ll hear a little snap up here, lending funk to percussion in pop tracks. At the same time, these buds avoid becoming too bright. So, this sound signature is a fatigue free listening experience. Vocals are pleasant in this range as well, offering some honey-like thickness without sounding too dark or blunted at the peaks.
Soundstage
There’s a decent sense of dimension here. You may not feel like you’re floating in a 3D constellation of instruments, but you will hear some depth and height in tracks that present colorful imaging.
PROS and CONS
Pros: Rich and satiating bass, easy listening balance; good call clarity; solid battery life; aptX.
Cons: Not suitable for folks who like a light and bright sound signature.
SUMMARY
No complaints. I wouldn’t call the listening experience mind blowing, but the CX 350BT certainly gets the job done in a very satiating and inoffensive fashion. Calls sound clear, battery life is decent, and when you feel lonely, you can always talk to Siri. Furthermore, with aptX technology, you can rest assured that your movies will be in sync. So, if you plan to use your earbuds for videos, I certainly think the CX 350BT is worth the extra $20 over the CX 150BT. Otherwise, the Oscar nominated, “Marriage Story” will just look like another Bruce Lee flick.
You can find the CX 350BT for the best price here:
Sennheiser CX 350BT at Audio 46
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