Of all the headphones we've tested recently, these were the toughest to nail down, and that’s because their greatest asset is also their greatest weakness: precision.
The CX 880is can define the leading edge of a note like nothing else at this price, and that makes for lots of exciting punch and drive.
But that also comes with a balance that edges towards thinness, to make any recording with a hint of brightness sound a bit hard.
And unfortunately, that includes a lot of modern pop.
If you’re the type who listens only to sumptuous recordings, the Sennheisers are unbeatable at the money, offering terrific insight and attack.
They’re very comfortable to wear, too, and we like the new three-button remote. The problem is that for many people, it will make their music sound worse – so though these are clearly very capable, we can’t grant five stars.
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