Our Verdict
The CX-05 are below-average mixed usage headphones. They have a sturdy and durable build quality and a somewhat portable design. Unfortunately, they do not block enough noise for commuting and they have a sub-par sound quality that's barely passable for casual listeners.
- Above-average build quality.
- Minimal leakage.
- Poor noise isolation.
- Mediocre-at-best audio reproduction.
- Bass delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
Below-average for Critical Listening. They have an overly Mid Range heavy sound that makes most tracks sound a bit honky. They also push instruments to the front of the mix but due to their lackluster treble performance, the instruments and vocals lack detail and clarity. Unfortunately, they also have a poor Soundstage because of their small closed back ear cups.
Poor isolation performance for noisy commutes. They're fairly portable and somewhat comfortable but won't block much ambient noise.
Mediocre for sports use. They're moderately comfortable and stable enough for a light jog. However, they get a bit hot for an on-ear design because of the faux leather pads and they do not have the most efficient control scheme.
Mediocre for office use. They don't block a lot of noise but they barely leak even at high volumes so you won't distract your colleagues in quieter settings.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Oct 02, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
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You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
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