Bluetooth stereo audio has certainly helped many people cut the cord between their PMP, cellphone or laptop and their headphones, but the underwhelming default audio codec also generally means cutting out some of the fidelity, too. Sennheiser are hoping to change that with their PX 210 BT headphones, which use the proprietary apt-X codec for what’s promised to be “true hi-fi quality”. Question is, how do they hold up to existing wireless-quality kings Kleer? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut.
In the box there’s the headphones themselves, an AC adapter with interchangeable plug inserts for travel use, a USB to microUSB cable for charging, a zip-case, printed instruction guide and an “animated manual” on a CD. You also get a 3.5mm to 2.5mm stereo cable, for using the PX 210 BT as a set of wired headphones instead.
Physically, there’s little to fault the Sennheiser design or build quality. Lightweight and made from a combination of sturdy matte black plastic, brushed stainless steel and faux-leather, the PX 210 BT’s fold in on themselves for easy transport; they’re not exactly pocket-sized, true, but it’s certainly easier to drop them into a bag that way. As well as extending to suit larger heads, each earcup has a small amount of twisting adjustment so as to sit on the ear fully; they’re comfortable though they do grip quite tightly.
All of the controls are on the right-hand earcup, with a five-button cluster on the outside face – power together with pause/play in the centre, surrounded by volume up/down and skip/back – and a small Bluetooth pairing button on the lower edge. There’s also the 2.5mm input jack for the included cable. On the right-hand earcup, under a small rubber flap, is a microUSB port for recharging; you can either use Sennheiser’s bundled AC adapter or a USB port on your laptop. An LED next to the port shows charging status.
We paired the PX 210 BT headphones easily with various Bluetooth devices, including a MacBook Pro and an iPad. The default PIN is 0000, and it was simply a case of holding down the Bluetooth button until it flashed red. Of course, the PX 210 BT headphones will work with any regular Bluetooth source – as long as it supports the A2DP stereo profile – but you can’t expect the higher-quality apt-X sound unless the device has that too. Sennheiser provided us with their BTD 300i apt-X Bluetooth dongle for Apple’s dock connector, which not only supports the higher-quality audio but adds remote AVRCP track skip control too. That profile is missing from Apple’s portable devices (iPod touch, iPhone and iPad) so with a direct Bluetooth connection the Sennheiser’s track controls are non-functional.