I love bass-heavy headphones. But let me tell you, a good chunk of the headphones available on the market today have no idea what bass means. Without naming names, most amp up the bass to torrential levels. What you get sounds like wet cardboard. Because they think that being bass-heavy means just cranking up the bass, you get an often-neglected treble end. Being bass-heavy means feeling the boom while speeding through clear and precise notes.
When we were invited to the launch of the new Sennheiser Urbanite last November 18 at the Your Local restaurant in Makati, red warning lights sounded all around me. The new headphones were being advertised for the “generation of Millenials… who love their tunes heavy and love to look good. They want bass but want it down right.” A concentration on bass is enough to deter me, but Sennheiser has thoroughly blown my expectations through the roof.
Sennheiser launched the Urbanite headphones, the MOMENTUM earphones, and the CX series of earphones all in one go. All promised to deliver deep bass while keeping the amazing clarity throughout the frequency range. The Urbanite is said to be set apart from other fashionable headphones. From testing it out briefly with a FLAC version of some Empire of the Sun, we can confirm that these aren’t just fashion statements. It’s highly foldable. We can attest to that as the band was turned inside out right in front of us. Each side’s height is adjustable according to the wearer. It comes with an in-line remote control and microphone. It’s available in black and denim for Apple and Samsung devices. But Apple has their own exclusive colors: sand, nation (a combination of white and red), and olive. It’s available in Urbanite XL with larger ear cups for more comfort, which will retail for P15,900. The original Urbanite retails at P11,900.
But who says they can’t be fashionable, too? The MOMENTUM In-Ear earphones are carefully designed for stylishness and ease of use. The earphones are a black gloss with a dark shiraz accent. It’s in beautiful chrome that stands out with high sheen surfaces. Looking like a wineglass, its ergonomic curvature fits snugly in the ear. The cables are curved outward to prevent it from tangling and scratching your face incessantly.
The new CX series continues the Sennheiser earphone tradition. Evolving from previous designs, the CX delivers a better sound catered to all markets. The entry-level CX 1.00 intensifies music with powerful sound and deep bass. Its new ultra small design provides excellent comfort. The CX 2.00 improves on the CX 1.00 by adding an in-line remote with integrated mic. The CX 3.00 blows the music away with added transducers and a hard case for easy organizing. The CX 5.00 adds the in-line mic to the mix. The CX 1.00 and the CX 2.00 will retail at P2,259 and P2,790, respectively. The CX 3.00 and the CX 5.00 will be made available in Asia soon.
