Reasonably priced but delivering decent sound quality, the CX 300 and subsequent CX 300-II were some of Sennheiser's most popular in-ear headphones; it wasn’t uncommon to see them bought on impulse at the airport ahead of a long flight, and if you didn't actually own a pair yourself there's a good chance you know someone that did. The originals date back to 2008 so were definitely due an update, which arrives as the CX 3.00.
There have been a few notable changes to the design, with the most obvious being the angled resonator. This lets the earpieces sit more comfortably in your ear canal and rest on your outer ear - a big improvement over in-ear headphones that go straight in and are then gradually pulled out by the combination of gravity and the weight of the cabling.
The CX 3.00 is one of the most comfortable pairs of in-ear headphones we’ve worn outside of custom moulded IEMs, and we were never worried about the earphones falling out when using a suitable silicone tip. There are tip four sizes included, between XS and L, so it should be possible to find a pair that fit comfortably. With the correct fit we also got a reasonably good seal, isolating us from all but the loudest of ambient sounds.
The rubberised cable has also been improved. It uses an oval-shaped design, rather than round or flat, which is designed to reduce tangling. Throughout our comprehensive testing time with the CX 3.00 we had no complaints. The sound of the cable rubbing against clothing, known as microphonics, wasn't an issue at all.
The cable is a standard Y-shape, with equal length left and right earphone cables. We generally prefer these to headphones that are designed to be worn behind your neck. The cable terminates in an L-shaped 3.5mm jack that sits very flush to your connected device when plugged in. The connection seemed robust and we didn’t have any concerns with the cable becoming frayed or damaged at the termination point, so are confident these headphones should survive typical use. A hard carry case with integrated cable management is included but we the square shape makes it inconvenient and slow to use.
The CX 3.00 is available in black, white or red and we were particularly fond of the latter, which injected a bit of colour and are no doubt designed to go after the “Beats” crowd. All of the colour options have a silver accent on each earphone with subtle Sennheiser branding. There’s also now an anti-counterfeit sticker on the headphone’s cable tie that should bring some reassurance to customers, as the original CX 300 was widely counterfeited.
Sound quality was very respectable for a budget-friendly pair of headphones. The frequency response has been improved slightly to 17-21,000Hz, meaning there is stronger representation in the bass frequencies compared to the old models. We occasionally found the bass slightly overpowering, which meant the sound sometimes became muddy. If we were being particularly picky, we would say the headphones lack some crispness in the mids and trebles. It’s difficult to judge these headphones too harshly considering their price, however.
If you were a fan of the CX 300-II the CX 3.00 is a worthy follow up. All of the changes have been an improvement. We were also glad to see a two-year warranty is included. However, in terms of sound quality for the price, we prefer the Rock Jaw Alfa Genus - it was a pleasant surprise for a sub-£50 pair of headphones, with its user-selectable tuning filters for changing sound signatures.
| Hardware | |
|---|---|
| Headphones subtype | In-ear |
| Headphones driver | CLosed |
| Active noise-cancelling | No |
| Power source | None |
| Headphones sensitivity | 118dB |
| Frequency response | 17-21,000Hz |
| Headphones impedence | 18 ohms |
| Plug type | 3.5mm jack plug |
| Inline volume | No |
| Weight | 120g |
| Cable length | 1.2m |
| Accessories | Carry case, silicone tips |
| Buying information | |
| Warranty | Two-year RTB |
| Supplier | www.amazon.co.uk |
| Details | www.sennheiser.co.uk |
| Part code | CX 3.00 |
