Advantages
- High-quality sound
- Extensive setting options
- Solid ANC
- Premium codecs are supported
Disadvantages
- Slightly clunky headphone design
The Sennheiser CX Plus are the improved version of the Sennheiser CX. They offer active noise cancellation and better audio quality than the cheaper version. In addition, the in-ears offer extensive adjustment options, making them an excellent in-ear all-rounder. The headphones are available in black and white.
The sound
This is how good the Sennheiser CX Plus sound.
With the Sennheiser CX Plus, you get first-class in-ear sound in the mid-price segment. The bass is solid and present without overpowering other aspects of the songs. Even with bass-heavy rap songs like Pray For Me by Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd, the headphones dose the low tones with playful ease.
The sound of the Sennheiser CX Plus is pleasant and equally convincing across different genres.
Even rockier tracks like Don’t Stop Me Now are mastered by the True Wireless headphones from Sennheiser and present quite a wide stage when listening. The individual components of the songs are not quite as clearly and cleanly presented as with more expensive models, but the overall sound always sounds pleasant and makes you want more. Lovers of spoken content such as podcasts or audiobooks can enjoy a melodious, non-overdriving sound even at high volume.
In its price class, the headphones thus convince with an above-average sound that leaves hardly anything to be desired.
In practice
How the Sennheiser CX Plus perform in everyday use
Of course, wireless headphones should not be without a rechargeable battery. The Sennheiser CX Plus have a battery life of eight hours and, thanks to the mobile charging case, are ready for 24 hours of mobility. So you are also perfectly equipped for longer trips. The battery life is comparable to most competing products.
The Sennheiser CX Plus can be charged three times in the charging case.
Thanks to the quick-charge function, you can use the in-ears for an hour after 10 minutes of charging. A complete charge cycle takes about 1.5 hours. The Sennheiser headphones come with a USB to USB-C cable for charging.
Plastic attachments in three different sizes are included in the scope of delivery, so there is the right one for every ear.
Who hasn’t experienced it: in-ear headphones that don’t sit securely in the ear or start to cause an unpleasant feeling of pressure after just a few minutes. Fortunately, the Sennheiser CX Plus are the antithesis to this. Thanks to their lightweight and pleasant plastic top, the headphones always feel comfortable, even during prolonged use. You also don’t have to worry about the headphones falling out of your ear during everyday use. However, due to the design, which shifts the centre of gravity of the headphones to the outside, it can get a little wobbly from time to time during faster movements.
Operation
Control and app of the Sennheiser CX Plus in the test
Sennheiser offers an app for iOS and Android for the Sennheiser CX Plus headphones. The headphones can be conveniently paired and set up via this app. When you first open the app, it gives you a step-by-step introduction to the setting options, which is very helpful for further operation.
You can control playback via the touch field.
The Sennheiser app allows you to customise the headphones extensively. You can adjust the equaliser and thus the sound to your preferences. You can even change the volume of the feedback tone of your voice during phone calls using the slider. The touch commands with which you can control the playback directly on the earpieces can also be reassigned. Only the ANC and the transparency mode cannot be adjusted for intensity.
Automatic playback stop:
If you take one of the ear tips out of your ear, playback stops automatically. If you put it back in, it continues automatically. A feature that is very practical for daily use.
Numerous settings can be made via the Sennheiser app.
The fields for direct operation are located outside the earpieces and respond to a light touch. On the one hand, this has the advantage that you do not have to press the earpieces uncomfortably deep into your ears to operate them. However, it does happen from time to time that you accidentally touch the fields when inserting the earplugs and adjust something.
Overall, the operation of the headphones works very well and comprehensively. You can skip and stop songs, accept calls and switch the listening mode. You can even control the volume directly via the headphones.
ANC
Plus suppress ambient noise
Unlike the standard version, the Sennheiser CX, the Sennheiser CX Plus offer active noise cancellation. This ensures that ambient noise is suppressed. The headphones tested here do an excellent job of this. As you would expect from in-ears with ANC, continuous noises in the low-frequency range are suppressed very well, while distinctive sounds such as the ringing of a mobile phone or honking cars remain very audible.
Within the scope of the possibilities, especially in the mid-price segment, the ANC of the headphones is convincing. As is usual with ANC headphones, the CX Plus also have a noise-cancelling counterpart, the transparency mode. This allows extra ambient noise to pass through so you remain attentive in traffic, for example. Both modes can only be switched on and off, and the intensity cannot be adjusted.
Bluetooth
Sennheiser offers the current Bluetooth standard 5.2 and thus ensures a stable and easy-to-set-up connection for Android and IOS devices. This also works without the app. However, to access all features, it is recommended to use the associated app. In addition to the standard codecs SBC and AAC, the headphones also support aptX and aptX Adaptative. The premium codecs are rarely found in this price range.
Design
The headphones look stylish but could be a little more discreet.
The Sennheiser CX Plus True Wireless make a solid visual impression. Although the headphones are a bit chunky and not precisely inconspicuous in the ear, they do without the stick known from the AirPods. If you like this type of design better, the in-ears could be just suitable for you. The charging case is pleasantly slim and small, and the entire product range makes a high-quality impression.
Conclusion
The Sennheiser CX Plus are above-average headphones. ANC is just as much a matter of course at this price as the high-quality sound across all genres and the premium aptX and aptx Adaptive codecs. In addition, the Sennheiser app offers a range of settings that even much more expensive models do not offer. Although the design of the headphones is a little clunky and the earpieces could sit even more securely in the ear, overall, the headphones are convincing all along the line.