AVForums Home Hi-Fi Hub > Headphones > Reviews > Hop To What is the Sennheiser PXC-550? Specifications Design How was the PXC-550 tested?

Clear; accurate and detailed sound; Excellent Bluetooth implementation; Comfortable and well built

Some volume limits; Noise cancelling less effective used on its own; Quite Pricey

For many of us, music is an entirely necessary distraction from the grind of daily life. But what happens when the hum and hubbub of living tries to drown out your chosen playlist Sennheiser's PXC 550 has the answer.

Compact; portable design; Sharp and detailed sound quality

Midrange can be a touch harsh; Touch control is finicky

Wirelessheadphones received a big boost last year when Apple removed the 3.5mm socket from their iPhones, however while Headphones have a big advantage sound wise over earbuds they also have a large size disadvantage so a small Wireless Headphone set has a ready-made market.

The Sennheiser PXC 550 Wireless is an audio first, noise cancelling second headphones. Among the ANC headphones I have reviewed so far, I would rank it the highest for its audiophile excellence with pristine treble delivery .

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 cost just shy of $200, making them a high-value pair of active noise cancelling (ANC) headphones. Listeners in need of a lightweight, effective ANC solution should get these.

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

Easy to accidentally power the headset on/off; microUSB charging; No fast charging

The list of excellent wireless headphones that also provide stellar noise cancellation is a short one, but things are turning around. Earlier this summer, Bose introduced its first wireless QuietComfort option, the QuietComfort 35 ($299.00 at Amazon) . Now Sennheiser brings us the PXC 550, a $399.95 noise-canceling Bluetooth headphone pair with lots of bells and whistles. Some additional features backfire, like a power switch controlled by swiveling earcups that can make the headphones inadvertently easy to turn on and off. But audio performance is balanced and vibrant, the headphones are ridiculously comfortable, and the noise cancellation circuitry here is good enough that Bose should be nervous. DesignVisually, the PXC 550's ($299.95 at Amazon) design is spare, with luxurious leather and a black-and-silver look reminiscent of the early days of the QuietComfort lineup. The circumaural (over-the-ear) cups have a rounded, almost ear-shaped contour. The earpads and headband are not...

The Sennheiser PXC 550 headphones deliver excellent Bluetooth audio and noise cancellation in a feature-packed—if occasionally problematic—design.

Powerful, adjustable audio performance with rich bass depth and bright highs; Excellent noise cancellation circuitry; Includes a detachable audio cable for passive listening; Exceptionally comfortable

Control pad is easy to misfire in certain modes; Possible to accidentally power the headphones up or down because of swiveling earcup controls; Digital signal processing is not for purists

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

Great sound quality goes hand in hand with portable design – the PXC 550 hold their own in 2018 despite the stiff competition

Compact, portable design; Sharp and detailed sound quality;

Midrange can be a touch harsh; Touch control is finicky;