Sennheiser CX Plus True Wireless Earbuds Review

The Sennheiser CX Plus is the follow up to Sennheiser’s CX and CX 400BT true wireless earbuds. Sennheiser definitely has a firm foot in the market when it comes to true wireless earbuds, so a new product from them in this category always has big shoes to fill. At $179, let’s see what’s in store with the brand new CX Plus.

Look and Feel

These look just like the original Sennheiser CX and CX 400BT, with a slightly smaller size. This size difference is supposed to reduce ear fatigue, and a smaller footprint is always welcome with earbuds as far as I’m concerned. The square backing of these does not suggest as much comfort as their very molded, curved fit possesses. The CX Plus comes in black or white.

Design

The CX Plus are a true wireless, noise canceling earbud, as apposed to its predecessors, which lacked noise cancelling abilities. They feature active noise cancelling, meaning they pick up on the noises around you and block them accordingly. These also feature customizable touch controls on each ear along with splash resistance. They have 8 hour battery life on a full charge, and can get 16 more hours of charge using the included case. They take 1.5 hours to fully charge, and 10 minutes for a 1 hour quick charge.

Sound Impressions

Soundstage

The CX Plus has a soundstage on par with many other Sennheiser TW earbuds. I’d put its width somewhere between the original CX and the Momentum 2, which is about what I expected. Sennheiser is a great company if you want bang for your buck in terms of width and depth. The CX Plus is definitely one of the more holographic TW earbuds in its price range, and creating a considerable amount of space and immersion.

Lows

Similar to Sennheiser’s Momentum series, the CX Plus have great low end capabilities, able to pump up the bass a large amount without causing muddiness or disrupting the rest of the frequency range. If you like a bit of oomf from your low end but still prefer a tight grip and lots of cleanliness, the CX Plus have you covered. They do a great job balancing out the sub frequencies and upper-lows, making for a more natural, impactful sound. If stronger low end is a turn off for you, these could still be enjoyable, as they don’t sound like they’re trying to push the bass too much, instead just making sure it is fully represented and tastefully intensified.

Mid
The first thought I had about the mids on the CX Plus were that they'd be great for sensitive ears. These certainly are not for those who want a sharper edge or increased snap. However, if you’re in the market for something with a very high level of warmth, smoothness, and grooming in the mids, this is just where to look. While the CX Plus definitely subdues its midrange a good amount, namely the high mids, it doesn’t do it in such a pointed manor that it sounds hollow or scooped out. Instead, there’s an even slope down from the lows that crescendos up into the treble. 

Highs

The CX Plus have a neutral brightness to them, meaning they’re not dark but they’re also not super shiny. The warmth from the mids is definitely carried up into the highs a fair amount, making them much more even-keeled and avoiding any sort of hiss. I liked the high end on the CX Plus a lot, it felt like it was able to maintain detail but without overdoing glossiness, all the while avoiding blunting or dulling the sound. These are great if you want something that’s got a more natural brightness to it but is still well aware of intricacy. The CX Plus are able to keep the music alive and airy without driving it too far forward.

Sennheiser CX Plus vs Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus

Finally, we've had a lot of customers asking us about how the Sennheiser CX Plus compares to the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus earbuds. So, we've added a comparison table of specs below. But it might be helpful to mention that the difference in sound profile is very obvious between these two models. While the CX Plus presents and very warm and lush profile, the Galaxy Plus is more neutral and less bass heavy, conveying a classic AKG sound signature with a very even balance. So, if you're interested in a more clinical/reference sound, the Galaxy Buds Plus may be more suitable.

Summary

The Sennheiser CX Plus True Wireless are a real bargain for the sound quality and functionality they offer. Their noise cancelling is as effective as top of the line true wireless earbuds on the market right now, and their sonic performance comes much closer to some higher priced Sennheiser earbuds than one might expect. If you weren’t sold on the CX or CX400BT, the CX Plus may finally have you convinced.

You can purchase the Sennheiser CX Plus True Wireless at Audio 46