These days, every music lover wants their own pair of powerful noise-cancelling headphones. These headsets are ideal for both your professional life, and your personal life, allowing for excellent audio quality without external distractions.

Fantastic sound quality, Great noise cancellation functionality, Comfortable and lightweight design, Excellent app control, Access to smart assistant, Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, Low-latency Codecs, Convenient for travel

Power slider can click during exercise, Not as much bass as some competitors

Let me get this out of the way; I'm not an audiophile. Granted, I really love good audio. I do have a pretty good ear and I really enjoy music. However, I don't believe that there are a lot of objective ways to test headphones.

Good quality construction, Good, balanced audio, Quality fit and finish, Lightweight and built for the road warrior, Super comfortable, Works well with Android devices, Multi-modes of noise cancellation (Adaptive, Wind, Max), Equalizer through app saves to headphones (not just through software),...

Super light-weight construction leaves me worried about longevity and durability

The Sennheiser PXC 550-II are a high-value pair of active noise cancelling (ANC) headphones. Listeners in need of a lightweight, effective ANC solution should get these. The companion application could use some work, but it’s functional and allows access to firmware updates.

Sound quality, Excellent low-frequency noise cancelling, Bluetooth multipoint support, Portable, comfortable design, Bluetooth 5.0, SBC, aptX, aptX Low Latency, AAC, Fast charging, Microphone quality

Easy to accidentally power the headset on/off, microUSB charging

The Sennheiser PXC 550-II are decent over-ear headphones for mixed usage. They're quite comfortable and their ANC blocks a good amount of ambient noise, making them great for commuting or using in the office.

Great ANC performance., Very stable and comfortable fit., Very accurate bass and mid-range performance., Premium look and feel.

Minor upgrade over the first generation., Uneven treble performance hurts overall audio reproduction., App lacks advertised EQ settings.

An already well-functioning model has been updated with variable noise reduction and voice control. The user interface, on the other hand, has become somewhat messy.

The sound is among the best on the market, and the noise reduction works smoothly. Comfortable fit, without taking up too much space in the luggage.

The new features seem a little ill-considered. The combination of microscopic buttons and a jumble of hand signals makes steering more difficult than necessary.

Sennheiser is without a doubt one of the most renowned names in the headphone business. The manufacturer, based near Hanover, Germany, caters to the professional, audiophile and consumer sectors of the market.

The Sennheiser PXC 550-II looks and feels a lot like its predecessor. But does it sound better? Let's find out....

Full of bier and weisswurst, I can finally report on the headphones that pretty much stole the IFA show for me – the Sennheiser PXC 550 II. Priced at a solid $349, this headphone’s impending release seems to be overshadowed by the more premium Momentum M3.

There’s definitely more audio excitement to be had from a pair of Sennheiser Momentum Wireless, but the PXC 550-II do plenty of good work in a more understated manner. And they don’t yell ‘look at me!’ quite so much when you’re wearing them, either. It’s a fine line between ‘dull’ and ‘sophisticated’ sometimes - and these latest Sennheisers fall just on the right side of it.

aptX Bluetooth (and low latency too); Decent battery life; Deft noise-cancelling; Balanced, enjoyable sound;

Intolerant of careless recordings; An absolute stack of competition;

The Sennheiser PXC 550-II are fantastic headphones with ANC. They miss out on a full-throated recommendation only because of the strength of rival units from Sony, Bose and Bowers & Wilkins. Boasting a clean, grown-up sound with relatively accurate bass plus effective noise cancellation, these headphones are definitely worth a look

Clean and clear sound; Large, comfortable pads; Effective noise cancellation;

Bose and Sony ANC is better; Power slider clicks during runs; Slight BT lag; Mild treble sibilance, and less rich mids than some;