Sennheiser's brand new Urbanite line of headphones is visually reminiscent of the Beats lineup, with bright colors and sharp design. The less expensive of two options, the Sennheiser Urbanite is a $199.95 on-ear pair that offers a substantial amount of bass response without ever sounding unnatural.

Excellent, balanced audio performance with crisp highs and rich, powerful bass response; Comfortable, handsome on-ear design

Light on accessories; Not for those seeking super-mega-bass sound

Headphones have become more flamboyant in recent years. These days it's not just about the sound, but also the looks. Increasingly, we see headphones not on people's heads, but around their necks. Sennheiser is keenly aware of this – hence the Urbanites, which promise "urban style on the move".

Strong; well-defined bass; Solid build; Stylish design

Midrange could be more open and expressive; Could do with more subtlety and greater rhythmic precision

The Sennheiser Urbanite On-ear take the lifestyle angle the company started playing with in the great Momentum and Momentum On-ear headphones and move it a step further. These headphones aren't just style-infused, they are – as the name suggests – positively urban.

Comfortable; Good looks; great build; A more refined approach to bassy headphones; Very good sound quality

Thick; dark sound not for everyone; Evil hinge hurts fingers

The headphones are of good quality, comfortable and work as intended. Although after a while the faults begin to emerge, namely the wire remote just stops working after around a month.

Sennheiser's Urbanite beat Beats at their own game. Once bass-heads get their ears on these headphones, they'll never turn back.

Incredibly detailed treble and midrange; Just the right boost in bass; Highly dynamic; Awesome stereo separation and soundstage; Comfortable and stylish

Headband lacks padding; can slip while active; No ?-inch adapter included

Whenever we receive a set of headphones to review, we have a set criteria that we compare them to: quality, performance and price. While there are other factors that come into play, these really are the main three concepts that we focus on.

Sennheiser has been one of the top headphone manufacturers mainly due to the impeccable performance of most of their products; not just in the sound department, but also in terms of build and comfort they provide.

Balanced sound; Super comfortable earcups; Simple yet attractive design; Premium build; Tangle-free cable

Balanced sound reproduction might only appeal to specific individuals; Cable length could be longer to use for desktop

The premise behind Sennheiser's Urbanite series is to bring performance and style together in a compact package, a departure from their usual no-nonsense looks and audiophile focus.

The Urbanite hits on all cylinders. The headband rests at the top of your head, but the headband cushion is very soft and the contact patch large enough to disperse the modest weight of the headphones.

Sennheiser has just released the new Urbanite on-ear headphones that-according to the box-allow you to take your club music with you, providing an emphasis on "massive bass and clear treble." The headphones are designed with fashion in mind, and they fold for easily storage and travel.