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.

It’s not often big over-ear headphones can be described as ‘discreet’ - but that’s how the PXC 550-IIs look and sound

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

Intolerant of careless recordings, An absolute stack of competition

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 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.

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

Intolerant of careless recordings; An absolute stack of competition;

Build and materials quality, battery life and sound quality are all impressive. Only latent treble troubles prevent a whole-hearted recommendation.

Judicious sound, Good battery life, Subtly premium looks

Struggles on trebly recordings, Not showy, Competition from other Sennheiser cans

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.

While Bose remains the top name when it comes to noise-cancelling headphones, it's been seeing some awfully strong competition from the likes of AKG, Apple, Bower & Wilkins, Sony, and others. You can add Sennheiser and its $349.95 PXC-550-II headphones to the mix, which deliver an elegant design with built-in Amazon Alexa support, strong audio performance, and some of the best ANC (active noise cancellation) available. The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are still an overall better pair, so Bose doesn't need to worry too much, but its once-dramatic lead over other competitors is narrowing, and there are reasons you might prefer the Sennheiser PXC 550-II. Design Available in black, the PXC 550-II headphones have a matte finish with leatherette accents on the headband and the circumaural (over-the-ear) earcups. There are touch-sensitive controls on the outer panels of the earcups, but you wouldn't know it from looking, as the panels are blank. The earcups themselves are ear-sh...

The Sennheiser PXC 550-II headphones deliver excellent noise cancellation and strong audio performance in a user-friendly design.

Strong audio performance with rich bass depth and sculpted highs; Good active noise cancellation; Amazon Alexa support; Easy-to-operate controls; Detachable audio cable included

Headphones can feel a little tight; Limited maximum volume

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