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We've recently released our Test Bench 1.6 update for Headphones! Read the Latency R&D Article to learn more.

Sennheiser PXC 250 II Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.3.1
Reviewed Apr 07, 2016 at 01:54 pm
Latest change: Test bench update Nov 21, 2019 at 11:21 am
Sennheiser PXC 250 II Picture
5.8
Mixed Usage
6.3
Neutral Sound
5.9
Commute/Travel
6.0
Sports/Fitness
5.9
Office
4.2
Wireless Gaming
5.7
Wired Gaming
2.1
Phone Call

The Sennheiser PXC 250 II are compact, lightweight on-ear headphones that have great audio reproduction and don't leak much sound. Unfortunately, they feel very flimsy and the small, poorly padded ear cups are uncomfortable and let a lot of ambient noise seep into your audio.

Our Verdict

5.8 Mixed Usage

The PXC 250 IIare not designed specifically for studio recording or critical listening. They're compact noise cancelling headphones ideally for traveling and commuting. However, lacking a strong isolation performance they are best used as everyday casual headphones.

Pros
  • Great audio reproduction.
  • Minimal leakage.
  • Compact, lightweight design.
Cons
  • Poor isolation.
  • Flimsy build.
  • Uncomfortable.
6.3 Neutral Sound

Average for neutral listening. They have an above average sound but a poor soundstage. Also, they lack a bit of bass and can sound sharp at times.

5.9 Commute/Travel

Not ideal for commuting. They're compact but don't block much noise, and they're not comfortable.

6.0 Sports/Fitness

Mediocre at best for sports. They're lightweight and compact. However, they lack a decent control scheme and the noise cancelling module is cumbersome.

5.9 Office

Mediocre for office use. They won't block the chatter of a busy office but on the upside, they don't leak much.

5.7 Wired Gaming
  • 5.8 Mixed Usage
  • 6.3 Neutral Sound
  • 5.9 Commute/Travel
  • 6.0 Sports/Fitness
  • 5.9 Office
  • 4.2 Wireless Gaming
  • 5.7 Wired Gaming
  • 2.1 Phone Call
  1. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
  2. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
  3. Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
  4. Updated Aug 10, 2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
  5. Updated Mar 01, 2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
  6. Updated Apr 07, 2016: Review published.
  7. Updated Apr 05, 2016: Our testers have started testing this product.
  8. Updated Mar 22, 2016: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Test Results

Design
Design
Style
Type On-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless No
Transducer Dynamic

The PXC 250 II look a little flimsy. They have a compact, collapsible and sleek design with a two-tone black and metallic silver color scheme. The small circular ear cups are given a little more flare with their stylized metallic backs. They look good but are not especially remarkable.

6.0
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.15 lbs
Clamping Force
0.51 lbs

The PXC 250 II are uncomfortable. The small ear cups are poorly padded and do not rest well on the ears. They are lightweight but the thin headband is not stable, which gets uncomfortable if you are often on the move.

4.1
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Mediocre
Feedback Subpar
Call/Music Control No
Volume Control Yes
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
N/A
Noise Cancelling Control No
Talk-Through
No
Additional Buttons No

There are only two control options offered by these headphones: A noise cancelling switch and a volume dial. They are functional but disappointing, as all major changes to the audio need to be done on the audio source or device, which can be quite frustrating for some.

8.9
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 1.1 °C
7.4
Design
Portability
L 2.76"
W 5.51"
H 1.57"
Volume 23.87 in³
Transmitter Required N/A

The PXC 250 are above-average portable headphones. They fold up into a compact format and have a thin frame that easily fits into your bag. They are smaller than most on-ear headphones and may even fit in jacket pockets however the control module is slightly bulky and could be cumbersome to carry around.

7.0
Design
Case
Type Soft case
L 4.53"
W 7.48"
H 1.57"
Volume 53.32 in³

Comes with a soft case that will protect the headphones from scratches. However, the case adds a little bit of bulk to the headphones, and it will not protect them from physical stress and hard falls.

6.0
Design
Build Quality

Build quality feels flimsy and susceptible to breaking. The metal headband is very thin and would easily warp if too much physical stress is applied. The joint connecting the ear cups to the frame also looks a little weak, making these headphones fragile and unlikely to survive many drops.

5.5
Design
Stability

These headphones are not stable. Their lightweight design applies enough pressure to maintain a stable fit during casual listening sessions. Unfortunaely, the small earcups do not rest well on the ears and move a lot when simply tilting your head. They quickly slip off your ears, while running or doing any physical activity and the long audio cable can easily get tangled or hooked by something in your environment. Also, the noise cancelling generator is big and heavy enough to cause the headphones to sway, especially, while doing sports

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • Sennheiser PXC 250 II Headphones
  • 1/8" to 1/4" Adapter
  • AAA battery (x2)
  • Airline Adapter
  • Manual
  • Carrying case

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
-6.94 dB
Treble Amount
-0.38 dB
8.1
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.38 dB
Sound
Raw Frequency Response
7.4
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
3.47 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
53.39 Hz
Low-Bass
-7.12 dB
Mid-Bass
-0.21 dB
High-Bass
1.13 dB
7.3
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
3.66 dB
Low-Mid
0.64 dB
Mid-Mid
-0.02 dB
High-Mid
5.77 dB
5.6
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
5.39 dB
Low-Treble
2.42 dB
Mid-Treble
2.47 dB
High-Treble
-1.63 dB
5.9
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
2.93 dB
Dips
2 dB
7.5
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.52
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
1.59
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
2.21
Weighted Phase Mismatch
8.11
2.3
Sound
Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
4.84 dB
PRTF Size (Avg.)
-0.54 dB
PRTF Distance
0.63 dB
Openness
4.9
Acoustic Space Excitation
2.2
7.0
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.205
WHD @ 100
0.612
Isolation
4.8
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-11.12 dB
Noise Cancelling Yes
Bass
-1.06 dB
Mid
-10.26 dB
Treble
-22.9 dB

Poor isolation overall. The isolation provided passively by the ear cups is decent, considering the on-ear design of these headphones. The mid range performance is also below average, but not too bad, considering the design. However, these headphones don't isolate any bass, and are a little high on self-noise.

8.2
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
32.13 dB

Very good leakage results. The leakage happens only in the treble range, with its peak around 6KHz. The overall level of leakage is also quite low.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
N/A
In-line
N/A
Boom
N/A
Detachable Boom
N/A
Mic No
0
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
N/A
LFE
N/A
FR Std. Dev.
N/A
HFE
N/A
Weighted THD
N/A
Gain
N/A
0
Microphone
Noise Handling
Speech + Pink Noise N/A
Speech + Subway Noise N/A
SpNR
N/A
Active Features
7.8
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
AAA
Continuous Battery Life
44.6 hrs
Additional Charges
N/A
Total Battery Life
44.6 hrs
Charge Time
N/A
Power Saving Feature
No
Audio While Charging
N/A
Passive Playback
No
Charging Port N/A

The PXC 250 II have an above-average battery life that delivers up to 44.6 hours of continuous playback. They use a AAA cell but thanks to their surprisingly long battery life, you won't need to change the battery as often. They can also play audio passively when the battery is dead by switching off the noise canceling. Unfortunately, they do have any additional battery saving features so they will run out of power if you leave them on.

0
Active Features
App Support
App Name N/A
iOS N/A
Android N/A
macOS N/A
Windows N/A
Equalizer
N/A
ANC Control
N/A
Mic Control N/A
Room effects
N/A
Playback Control
N/A
Button Mapping N/A
Surround Sound N/A

No compatible app.

Connectivity
0
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
N/A
Multi-Device Pairing
N/A
NFC Pairing
N/A
Line of Sight Range
N/A
Default Latency
N/A
aptX Latency
N/A
aptX(LL) Latency
N/A
0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
9.0
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
Yes
USB Audio
No
Detachable No
Length 5.3 ft
Connection 1/8" TRS
Wired Latency
0 ms
Connectivity
PC / PS4 Compatibility
PC / PS4 Analog
Audio Only
PC / PS4 Wired USB
No
PC / PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
Xbox One Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
Audio Only
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Wireless
No
0
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
N/A
USB Input
N/A
Line In
N/A
Line Out
N/A
Optical Input
N/A
RCA Input
N/A
Dock Charging
N/A
Power Supply
N/A