Works with
All iPods
The Good
Clear, detailed sound
Pleasantly loud
Stay secure on the head
The Bad
Sound is too sharp sometimes
No selection of colors
The Price
US$49.95
While the earbuds that come with ever iPod are nice headphones, they don’t fit every ear, nor are they always ideal for exercisers: Since they just rest in the ear, they can easily fall out due to the jostling that comes with running or an elliptical machine.
Luckily, Sennheiser has a great set of headphones for exercisers or those whose ears aren’t a good match for the earbuds.
The PMX 70 Sport headphones immediately distinguish themselves from the iPod earbuds thanks to their shape, color, and fit. The PMX 70s snake over your ears and run around behind the head to prevent headphone hair. Unlike earbuds, which come only in white, these come in grey and bright lime green (it would be nice if they came in other colors, too. Green iPod nano users will appreciate these, but those with other colors might want something to match their models) and fit very differently in the ear. Just like earbuds, they feel a little odd at first, but quickly seem at home.
When using the PMX 70s with an iPod, they quickly distinguish themselves as high-quality headphones. The sound they produce is crisp and clear and revealed to me new textures and details in songs that I’ve long known – a very nice surprise.
On the downside, though, sometimes the sound is so detailed as to be a little sharp, hard on the ears. This isn’t too common, and isn’t a huge problem, but it will crop up in some songs.
Because the earphones face outward to the world, rather than inward toward the ear, I initially thought that sound quality might be an issue. Not only was it not an issue, the headphones were plenty loud and even seemed to dampen some ambient noise. By no means are these noise-canceling headphones — loud voices and noises will still come through — but incidental noise definitely sounded quieter.
The industrial design of the headphones is appealing and stylish, and the cable clip is a nice touch for keeping wires from entangling exercisers.
So, if you’re one of the many who finds that iPod earbuds are either uncomfortable or too prone to falling out, you’d do well to check out the Sennheiser PMX 70 Sport headphones.
