CX680 review

Design: 8/10

Great eye-catching design, colourful. Designed as part of a series of earphones, between BMW and Sennheiser. Additional (extra) branding by Adidas.

Sound: 8/10

Check out my review of the CX870 for more information as the sound signature and tuning are almost the same.

Overall, sound is great, good bass response. But strangely, the CX680 is pretty loud, much louder than the CZ870. The CX680 is also of a slightly less refined sound than the CX870.

Durability: 9/10

These are waterproof sports earphones with Kevlar reinforcing on the cables!

Usability: 5/10

I don't know what Sennheiser had in mind when they designed this, but the earphone is too short to use normally without the extension, and too long and heavy to use with the extension. It's only good if you're wearing an armband, but even then, it might still be a little short. In conclusion, it sucks.

Go for the CX680i if you really need a Sennheiser sports in ear, as the cable is at least of normal length lol.

Overall: 7/10

Sennheiser CX870 review

Design: 10/10

The design of this earphone is amazing! The design is actually part of a series of earphone designed in collaboration between BMW DesignWorks Singapore Studio and Sennheiser. Naturally, Sennheiser provides the drivers and sound, while BMW the design. 

These pair of earphones look really sweet and will definitely catch people's attention. It is lighter and more plasticky than the commercial photos. The 'chrome finishing' on the earphone is just painted plastic, but it is needed to keep the earphone lightweight. The only real chrome part is at the cable splitter.

In conclusion, these earphones won't disappoint with the practical yet beautiful looks. It's minimalistic but at the same time stands above the crowd, just like an Apple product.

Sound: 8.5/10

These phones are worth exactly their value, and are mid range earphones, good enough for the general consumer, unless you're a golden ear audiophile (which I'm not).

Although the balance and separation isn't as good as the original Klipsch S4, overall bass response is a lot better, fuller and has a heavier thump than the S4. Generally, I feel the highs, vocals and bass are more emphasized and possibly better than the S4, although the bass is slightly muddier but not too noticeable. Also, the mids and lows are not as well brought out as the S4, although it's there.

The sound preference will really differ from person to person, but generally I feel the sound signature is really warm, with instruments well brought out. The sound is also generally balanced with bass response being just right for my tastes. I would put it on par or even better than the Beats Tours (lol)

Durability: 9/10

Sennheiser being Sennheiser, will definitely design lasting and durable products. They design more for practicality than the general feel of the product, unlike their competitors, like Klipsch.

The Klipsch S4, and possibly even S4 II will not last very long due to their weak cable housing and poorly designed connectors (usually stress points). But the CX870 feels really durable, and the connectors feel strong and supple. You can definitely put these in your pocket without fear of stressing the cables.

Usability: 9/10

Although the earphones seem quite large, they are actually really lightweight. But sometimes, they might just loosen with a little walking. I fix that by fitting the earfins from my CX680 (totally adaptable and is a perfect fit).

Overall score: 9/10

In conclusion, an earphone good enough to last and for everyday on the road use. Great sound, affordability, quality, design and durability. The only company able to pull this off is Sennheiser. Buy it without hesitation.

Sennheiser CX280 review

Product Overview:

The CX280 mid tier Sennheiser in ear earphones are good for normal everyday use. These pair of in ears also features a volume control compatible with Apple iPods.

Design: 7/10

These pair of earphones are moderately well designed. They stand out well from normal earphones, thanks to its unique zig-zag pattern on the earphones. However, these pair of earphones aren't overly attention grabbing, due to its dull dark colours. Therefore, these pair of earphones are perfect for those who are looking for a pair of discreet earphones with solid sound! 

Build Quality: 9/10

As expected of the Sennheiser company, these in ears are extremely durable, and also feels tough and solid. The plastic used to make these earphones are extremely strong, and the cable housing is also slightly rubbery and feels strong (slightly stiff, a good sign of quality). When on my daily commutes, I usually just stash them in my pocket along with my phone, and they show absolutely no signs of wear and tear at all. Unlike most other earphones, the audio jack connector is L-shaped, thus its extremely reinforced and durable, which eliminates the problem of the cable housing wearing off at the jack connector, unlike most other earphones.

Sound Quality: 9/10

These pair of earphones offers very decent sound quality, as expected of Sennheiser. Clarity was very good in the in ears, and the violins and cellos felt alive when I listened to Vivaldi's 'The Four Seasons - Spring'. The sound stage is also quite decent, or even better than most other in ears. Bass was strong, not overpowering, but yet clear and satisfying at the same time. In fact, they have even more bass than Dr Dre's iBeats.

As for the mids and trebles, they were pretty average and neither is lacking. Vocals were also clear but not piercing. Overall, for its price, the sound quality is very good, I even feel that they can go on par with higher end earphones, such as the Klipsch S4.

Usability: 8/10

There wasn't many problems with using these in ears. Comfort is very high and sound quality is good. My only complain is the cable often feels slightly heavy, due to the volume control located near the wire splitter. 

Durability: 8/10

These earphones are definitely made to last, from the way it is designed! Jacks, connectors are all really well made. 

Overall Score: 8/10 

Though these are not an extremely high end pair of in ear earphones, the sound quality is definitely very good for normal everyday use, and are even on par with higher end earphones like the Klipsch S4. You definitely will not regret getting these pair of earphones!