# Sennheiser PXC 250 Active Noise Canceling Headphones... anybody got 'em? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 1, 2008, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sennheiser-pxc-250-active-noise-canceling-headphones-anybody-got-em/458466 "2008-08-01T06:01:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2008, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sennheiser-pxc-250-active-noise-canceling-headphones-anybody-got-em/458466/1 "2008-08-01T06:01:38Z")
My mom has some and I’ve been testing them a little. So far I like them, but I don’t have any high quality audio files to test them on here on my laptop and I’m away from home until the end of August. I found a really good sale price plus a rebate, so I’m considering them… I trust you guys more than “random [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) reviews” so I figured it doesn’t hurt to ask… Here is what I’m looking for: - COMFORTABLE (these seem to be so far but I haven’t worn them for any lengths of time.) I have very sensitive ear cartilage. - Lightweight - Easy to stuff in a purse - Decent sound quality that other people can’t hear here is what I’d use it for: - Listening to music while doing artwork in a school studio setting with a decent amount of ambient noise, while not wanting to annoy others with sound bleed. - Listening to music while I paint late at night at home - Airplanes. So far these seem to fit the bill, but I’d love to hear some more first-hand thoughts from people who own them. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2008, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sennheiser-pxc-250-active-noise-canceling-headphones-anybody-got-em/458466/2 "2008-08-01T09:56:12Z")
I’ve had a pair for about 2 years now and I really really like them. However, in a recent thread, **beowulff** said he tried them and doesn’t like them: > **[Recommendations on noise-canceling/reducing headphones](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=475768)** > > My wife and I will be traveling to England in September so we have a nice long flight to look forward to. We recently took a couple of short flights and it made me realize that noise-canceling/reducing headphones would be great because it is just so... [QUOTE=OpalCat] Here is what I’m looking for: - COMFORTABLE (these seem to be so far but I haven’t worn them for any lengths of time.) I have very sensitive ear cartilage. [/quote] They’re on-the-ear headphones, so they do hurt the ear if worn for long periods. Anything over a couple hours I would say. > [@](#): > > - Lightweight The headphones themselves are light weight enough in that you they don’t feel heavy on the head/ears. However, the dangling battery compartment is a bit heavy, but it doesn’t bother me much because it’s usually lying on the bed or the airplane seat so I don’t have to bear the weight. > [@](#): > > - Easy to stuff in a purse It actually folds up into its own “purse”. Folded and stowed, it’s about the size of a small-ish paperback and will sit easily in a regular purse or a side zipper of a carry-on bag. > [@](#): > > - Decent sound quality that other people can’t hear I love Sennheisers, but I’m not an audiophile. The sound quality is really good, and unless it’s really loud no one around you can hear sounds coming out of the phones. If you have the noise cancelling on and the music at a decent volume it cuts off a lot of background sounds for the listener as well. Works especially well for airline background noise and for low-pitched sounds. Doesn’t cut off high-pitched sounds (including high-pitched voices). > [@](#): > > here is what I’d use it for: > > - Listening to music while doing artwork in a school studio setting with a decent amount of ambient noise, while not wanting to annoy others with sound bleed. Except that the wires are a bit “tangly” because of the battery compartment. So I’m not sure if they’re the best phones for use while painting or some such. I’ve used them in the office when I don’t want to be disturbed by ambient sounds, and they work well for that. > [@](#): > > - Listening to music while I paint late at night at home Same as above. > [@](#): > > - Airplanes. They’re best for airplane use. They fold well, and travel light. And they come with an airplane adapter (the two-pronged thingie). I bought them for about $79 then, and they’re still around the same price now. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2008, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sennheiser-pxc-250-active-noise-canceling-headphones-anybody-got-em/458466/3 "2008-08-01T14:45:43Z")
Yeah my mom’s are in the little case, which would fit well in my purse. I don’t think many over-the-ear headphones would fit in my purse easily. As for the cord, I usually put the cord down my back when I’m wearing headphones, so it doesn’t get in the way. I imagine it would be the same with these. Thanks for your opinion and the link–I will check it out now.