The Sennheiser CX True Wireless are the next-generation version of the Sennheiser CX 400BT True Wireless. These in-ears are well-built, very portable, and have a stable, breathable fit. Their bass-heavy default sound profile may not suit all listeners, but thankfully you can adjust this via their in-app EQ. On the downside, they're relatively bulky by the standards of truly wireless in-ears, which could lead to some discomfort during longer listening sessions. They also lack an ANC feature and do a poor job of blocking out bass-range ambient noise like the rumble of bus or plane engines.
Our Verdict
The Sennheiser CX True Wireless are okay for neutral sound. Out-of-the-box, they have a somewhat warm, bass-heavy sound profile that adds thump and rumble to EDM and hip-hop tracks but can muddy some vocals and lead instrumentals. Their underemphasized treble response can also veil and muffle higher notes. Thankfully, their companion app features a graphic EQ that allows you to tweak their audio reproduction to your liking.
- Full-featured companion app.
- Compact soundstage.
The Sennheiser CX True Wireless are good for commuting and traveling. They're compact and sturdy, which makes them a good option for on-the-go use. Their six-hour-plus battery life is decent, and their charging case supplies enough power for roughly two additional charges. They also have very low Bluetooth audio latency on mobile devices, though this can vary in the real world. Unfortunately, they struggle to block out bass-range ambient noise, like the low rumble of bus or plane engines.
- Great build quality.
- Full-featured companion app.
- Struggle to block out bass-range ambient noise.
The Sennheiser CX True Wireless are a great option for sports and fitness. They have a fairly stable fit, though they can start to loosen if you move your head around too vigorously. They're also highly breathable, so you shouldn't sweat more than usual while wearing them. Their control scheme is also fairly fully-featured, allowing you to make a wide range of adjustments without requiring you to pull out your phone and ruin your rhythm. In addition, they feel very well-built with an IPX4 rating for water resistance, but we don't currently test for that.
- Great build quality.
- Stable, breathable fit.
- Comprehensive control scheme.
- Bulky design protrudes from the ear.
The Sennheiser CX True Wireless are alright for office use. They do an excellent job of blocking out ambient chatter and high-pitched background noise, like the hum of an AC unit. They also leak very little noise, so you can listen to content at a high volume without worrying about annoying nearby coworkers. They should also last most of your workday on a single charge, though this can vary in the real world. On the downside, they don't support multi-device pairing, so you can't stream music from your phone while remaining connected to your computer.
- Full-featured companion app.
- Minimal audio leakage.
- Excellent isolation against ambient chatter and high-pitched background noise.
- Poor mic recording quality.
- Struggle to block out bass-range ambient noise.
- No multi-device pairing.
The Sennheiser CX True Wireless aren't recommended for wireless gaming. They're fully compatible with Bluetooth-enabled PCs, but their latency is likely to be too high for gaming. They're also incompatible with Xbox and PlayStation consoles.
The Sennheiser CX True Wireless are Bluetooth-only headphones that can't be used on a wired connection.
The Sennheiser CX True Wireless are passable for making phone calls. The integrated microphone makes recorded speech sound muffled and thin, but it does a satisfactory job of isolating your voice from background noise, so people on the other end of the line should still understand you even if you make a call in a moderately noisy environment. While these headphones do an excellent job of blocking out background chatter and high-pitched ambient noise, they really struggle with low-end background noise, so you may have a hard time hearing what's being said if you take a call on a bus or a train.
- Decent microphone noise handling capability.
- Excellent isolation against ambient chatter and high-pitched background noise.
- Poor mic recording quality.
- Struggle to block out bass-range ambient noise.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sennheiser CX True Wireless are available in two color variants: 'Black' and 'White'. We tested the 'Black' variant, and you can see its label here. That said, we expect the other color variant to perform similarly overall.
Let us know in the discussions if you come across another variant.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Sennheiser CX are well-rounded truly wireless in-ears. Compared to their predecessor, the Sennheiser CX 400BT True Wireless, these in-ears have an auto-off timer to help conserve battery life but perform very similarly otherwise.
If you're looking for alternatives, take a look at our list of recommendations for the best earbuds and in-ear headphones, the best true wireless earbuds, and the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds.
The Sennheiser CX True Wireless are better than the Sennheiser CX 400BT True Wireless for most uses, though the two pairs of headphones are similar overall. The CX have longer battery life and an auto-off timer to help conserve power when not in use. Their companion app also has a slightly wider range of configuration options. Conversely, the CX 400BT offer better microphone recording quality.
The Sennheiser CX Plus True Wireless are the upgraded variant of the Sennheiser CX True Wireless and offer a slightly better overall performance. While both are fairly comfortable and well-built, the Plus have a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer. They also have active noise cancelling, and while they outperform the base model, they only do an okay job of blocking out noise. The Plus also have a significantly better battery performance, and they support aptX Adaptive codec.
The Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport have more features than the straightforward Sennheiser CX True Wireless. With the MOMENTUM Sport, you get active noise cancelling and biometric monitors integrated into the app. Their fit feels less invasive, and they're more water and dust-resistant. Their battery life is shorter, however. The CX True Wireless use the same app and can access similar EQ and control features. Their battery life is longer, but they lack noise cancelling and have a chunkier shape, and although they share the same water-resistant IP rating for the buds, their case is notably more basic.
The Sennheiser CX True Wireless are better than the Beats Studio Buds True Wireless. The Sennheiser are better built, more stable, and have better performing ANC. They also have a longer battery life along with an auto-off timer, and a companion app with a graphic EQ. However, the Beats do charge faster, have superior microphone recording quality, and feel more comfortable to wear.
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