World-renowned headphone maker Sennheiser has announced two new models for CES 2021. First, let’s take a look at the IE 300, a new in-ear headphone (IEH), featuring a refined version of the company’s 7mm Extra Wide Band (XWB) transducer, with an optimized membrane foil that minimizes natural resonances and total harmonic distortion, which is specified to be less than 0.08% at 1 kHz/94 dB.
In addition, the space behind the transducer is designed to minimize reflections within the housing, and a resonator chamber in front of the transducer removes masking resonances in the ear canal. The end result is a promised frequency response from 6Hz to 20kHz (no tolerance given). According to Sennheiser, the IE 300 “delivers clear high frequencies with a subtle and warm musicality that brings greater intimacy to vocals.”
Of course, durability and comfort have not been overlooked. The IE 300 comes with several sizes of silicone and memory-foam eartips, because using the right size for your ears is crucial for getting the best sound out of any IEH as well as maximizing noise isolation. Each earpiece features an individually adjustable ear hook for stability, and the included cable is reinforced with para-aramid that can withstand thousands of bend cycles.
The cable is detachable from each earpiece thanks to its gold-plated Fidelity+ MMCX connector that’s seated in a recessed socket for additional strain relief. In addition, you can use an alternate cable, including balanced cables with 2.5- or 4.4mm connectors that are available as optional accessories.
The IE 300 will be available by the end of January for an MSRP of $299.95.
Sennheiser’s latest addition to its wireless-headphone stable is the entry-level HD 250BT, which has been available in Europe since last year but is now coming to the U.S. market. Touted as offering “club sound for everyday life,” the HD 250BT offers 25-hour battery life and Bluetooth 5.0 wireless connectivity with support for high-quality codecs such as AAC and aptX. In addition, you can tailor the sound to your individual tastes with an intuitive equalizer offered by Sennheiser’s Smart Control app.
Sennheiser says this This over-the ear, closed-back headphone offers rugged construction, soft earpads that provide surprisingly effective noise isolation, and intuitive onboard controls. Even better, it’s highly affordable with an MSRP of only $69.95. Like the IE 300, it will be available in the US at the end of January.