Sennheiser CX Plus True Wireless review

Whereas Sennheiser’s newest true wi-fi earbuds, the CX Plus, might look similar to their predecessor, the upgraded earbuds sport new options together with energetic noise cancellation and a transparency mode that permit them to higher compete with the likes of Samsung and Apple.

However whereas the audio efficiency is little question spectacular, connectivity points and a better price ticket than the extra succesful Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 make the CX Plus wi-fi earbuds a problem to advocate.

Design & Construct

• Obtainable in both black or white
• Customisable contact controls
• Chunky buds, not an important match for these with small ears

Design-wise, the Sennheiser CX Plus are very a lot the identical chonky little bois we’ve come to anticipate from Sennheiser. Whereas they fortunately aren’t any larger than the kaiju-bothering CX, these buds are nonetheless noticeably fatter than similarly-priced rivals. Whereas for many this gained’t actually be a lot of an issue, it does imply they will not be suited to these blessed with adorably small ears.

Fortunately, for these with average to giant listening to flaps, Sennheiser’s finished its finest to make sure you’ll be capable of discover a good match. Coming with earbuds starting from further small to giant, the CX plus ensures that crucially comfortable match contained in the ear canal.

When you adapt to a few of the more unusual quirks, the CX develop into a surprisingly sensible piece of equipment. All controls on the headphones themselves are contact operated. From a single contact permitting you to listen to the world round you, to the tap-and-hold quantity swap, it’s all slick and pretty intuitive stuff. It’s a system made even higher by these controls being utterly adjustable, though that comes with some problems with its personal. However, extra on them later…

Specs & Sound High quality

• Sturdy sonics
• First rate ANC
• Transparency mode

Proper out of the field the CX Plus delivers admirably – it doesn’t matter what style you throw at it. From the sub-heavy thump of Banks’ broody banger ‘F*ck With Myself’ to the chaotic low-fi swagger of Glassjaw’s 2000 anthem ‘Ry Ry’s Tune’, Sennheiser’s newest presents up a persistently clear and charming audio efficiency.

As it’s possible you’ll anticipate from mid-range earbuds, the audio profile and sonic house aren’t precisely the widest, but when you’re unlikely to get misplaced in a galactic-bothering combine, snare hits, vocals and bass drops all match snugly into place, missing the cramped tinny profile of some cheaper rivals.

For Audiophiles, these might seem a bit heavy on the treble, however once they churn out vocal hooks and guitar traces with such sheer assured swagger, it’s arduous to not be impressed.

Nearly each style sounds crisp and clear, with solely the actual sub-bothering dance flooring fillers missing the groove you’d anticipate. The brass-led beat of Damage Reserve’s ‘S on Ya Chest’ impresses whereas Sennheiser’s commendable isolation approach separates you out of your environment, transporting you proper into the midst of your vibey playlist.

For the players amongst us, the CX Plus perform as an excellent Nintendo Swap companion. From Kazuya’s unhinged grunts in Tremendous Smash Bros Final, to the haunting snarls of the undead in Resident Evil Zero, CX Plus provide up a surprisingly atmospheric, filmic efficiency.

Tom Regan / Foundry

Considerably predictably, much less spectacular is the mic. Providing up a muffled and distant voice seize, I couldn’t efficiently take calls on these buds, having to swiftly disconnect them and resort to taking a name the normal means. It’s a disgrace, however poor mic efficiency sadly appears to be the norm on most wi-fi buds.

Battery Life & Charging

• Pretty common battery life
• Charging solely doable with an open case

As anticipated from wi-fi earbuds, the battery life on the CX Plus isn’t something to put in writing dwelling about. With every bud churning out 5 and half hours use out of a full cost – and the charging case managing a extra spectacular 16 – they do the job. Nonetheless, it’s a far cry from the promised 24 hours Sennheiser whacked on the field.

Not like Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2, there isn’t a wi-fi charging on provide right here. As a substitute, you’ll be supplying juice to the charging cradle by way of the now industry-standard USB-C connection.

As such, charging the CX Plus is pretty easy, if unnecessarily unintuitive. Bizarrely, the buds solely cost if the case lid is left open – feeling counterintuitive to just about each different wi-fi set of buds – and I encountered a irritating problem the place the buds would hook up with my cellphone however refuse to play any audio by them.

Connectivity & Sensible Options

• Infuriating bugs on Samsung telephones
• Customisable contact controls & EQ
• Prompt ‘actual hear’ audio mode

Like nearly each audio product in the marketplace, the CX plus true wi-fi work in tandem with an app. Dubbed Sennheiser Sensible Management, this digital companion app appears to be like refreshingly slick. It’s surprisingly in depth, too, permitting customers to customize particular person contact controls on every bud – remapping double faucet, swipe, and so forth – in addition to letting you arrange customized EQ and even location-specific noise-cancelling profiles.

When it really works, the sensible management app is genuinely sensible, the issue is, nonetheless, that syncing your buds to Sensible Management usually causes a slew of infuriating points.

Tom Regan / Foundry

Bizarrely, connecting by way of Bluetooth to your cellphone appears to confuse the sensible management app. On a number of events, I’d be listening to music, solely to aim to vary a setting within the app – after which lose all audio solely. The answer? A manufacturing unit reset of the earbuds, costing me all my saved profiles and settings.

Whereas this can be an issue relegated to Samsung telephones (I encountered the difficulty on each an S10 and S21) It’s an undeniably infuriating problem, and one which largely renders what might be a reasonably helpful app, redundant.

What does work with out a hitch although, is Sennheiser’s transparency mode. With only one contact, you may go away your music behind, permitting you to tune into the hustle and bustle of your real-world environment. It’s a pleasant characteristic, permitting you to immediately chat along with your bus driver, reply a passerby or just eavesdrop, must you be so inclined. It’s a characteristic that feels aimed squarely at commuters, and as international locations more and more return again to the workplace, it’s a welcome addition.

Value & Availability

The CX Plus True Wi-fi can be found now worldwide for $179/£129/€139.

Coming in simply £10 cheaper than Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 and $20 dearer than Samsung’s buds within the US, the potential app points and lure of wi-fi charging might make Samsung’s bud the superior possibility. But, app points apart, Sennheiser’s newest undeniably presents an admirable array of options for what’s finally an affordable price ticket.

For those who’re tempted, you may decide up the Sennheiser CX Plus wi-fi earbuds from Sennheiser immediately alongside retailers together with Amazon within the US and Amazon and John Lewis within the UK.

To see how they evaluate to the wi-fi competitors, check out our choice of one of the best true wi-fi earbuds and finest headphones too.

Verdict

From slick sensitive controls on both bud to an excellent default EQ profile, it’s arduous to not be impressed by Sennheiser’s newest. Certain, the overly giant appear and feel of the buds could also be off-putting for some, however look previous the so-so aesthetic and the CX Plus True Wi-fi provide up a shocking quantity of bang for his or her buck.

Samsung customers might discover themselves battling with the frustratingly buggy companion app, however for everybody else, these earbuds are an utter delight. Considerably predictably, the mic is a disappointment, providing up muffled poor sound. When at dwelling, it’s usable, however when roaming a crowded avenue or pushing previous a bustling throng of commuters, they’re inaudible.

Regardless of these caveats, the CX Plus’ admirable audio efficiency makes them a worthy contender in your hard-earned money. For Android customers, the Galaxy Buds 2 would be the higher possibility, however in any other case, there’s quite a bit to like with these chunky little buds.

Specs

• TrueResponse Transducer 7mm dynamic driver
• Clear listening to/ Lively noise-cancellation
• Customisable contact controls
• Bluetooth 5.2 with Aptx adaptive
• IPX4 water-resistance
• Charging case with USB-C and wi-fi charging
• Earbud: 5 and a half hour battery
• Charging case: 16-hour battery
• Black, White