Sennheiser PMX 685i Sports In-Ear Neckband Headphones - Black/Blue, 3.5 mm, angled (Discontinued by Manufacturer)

This review is both a review of the Sennheiser PMX 685i Adidas Sport In-Ear Neckband Headphone and a comparison with a previous Sennheiser PMX70 headphones. This is an initial review prior to even my first full run with these headphones. I will update as I use them more.I will start by first stating that I simply loved my PMX70 headphones. I had been using them – a lot – since 2009. They had been used for local runs as well as having been stuffed in a travel bag for runs literally around the world. They held up great, sounded great, fit great. I used them with multiple devices, several MP3 players, a BlackBerry, an iPod touch, and for the last year an iPhone 5s. I also used them some for use in a gym, more below on that. While the sound was not absolutely fantastic, for a sport headphone they were great. The maintained a fairly constant seal without changing sound with position as many headphones do when running. They had decent bass, but not overbearing, and were fairly balanced.Recently one of the rubber tips came off and became lost. While Sennheiser does have replacements available on their web site, the cost with shipping was almost half of the PMX 685i on Amazon, and shipping was free as I am a Prime member. It didn’t seem to make sense to invest in the PMX70’s that are showing signs of wear, and the remote would be extremely useful with an iPhone. So I purchased the PMX 685i. The PMX70s still work, so I can perform a comparison.First off the style is slightly modified from the PMX70. The headband is smaller, and does not have the safety reflective area that PMX70 had which would be reflective in the back of the head. Overall, smaller is fine, so far so good.The rubber covers are also gone. They did eventually get lost, but they were fine for years. The PMX 685i does come with foam covers, but foam and sweat are definitely not good combinations, so I will at least initially use without the foam covers. I’m wearing them now while writing this review, and overall they are comfortable. They don’t shift at all. They don’t feel quite as comfortable as the PMX70s though.Sound quality:The PMX 685i has a lot more bass than the PMX 70. If you like bass you will like these. They aren’t overly bass heavy, but noticeably more bass than the PMX 70s. The PMX 70s were definitely more balanced. The PMX 685i are bass heavy to the point of being a bit muddy. Perhaps not Beats bass heavy, but lots of bass. Many people will likely prefer this as they sound “fuller.” I prefer more accuracy, a hallmark of Sennheiser. So personally I am bit disappointed. Perhaps a few hours of burn-in will change the sound signature. The PMX 70s have hundreds of hours on them at this point, so they are well burned-in. Ultimate sound quality isn’t my goal for sport headphones, but I definitely do care about sound quality. I would prefer a more accurate balanced sound.Microphonics:Microphonics is the effect of noise and vibration from the cord being heard in the headphone. Meaning hearing the wire rubbing on clothes, etc. The wire of the PMX70 was amazingly good in this regard with nearly no audible microphonics. The PMX 685i has MUCH more microphonics than PMX 70. The short wire from the left ear to the remote is fairly sensitive. Perhaps they are not as bad as some other headphones, but noticeable for a sport headphone. Hopefully this doesn’t rub on anything when running. The wire below the remote is much less sensitive, no doubt attenuated by the remote itself.Remote:The remote itself is very close (about 5”) to the left ear, so you will need to use the remote mostly by feel. It would be better further down the wire so that you could actually see it. It does put the microphone right about where my mouth is, so from that perspective it might be good.Initially I thought the remote was defective though. I plugged the headphones into my iPhone 5s with the case on. The headphones played fine, but none of the remote buttons worked. After taking the iPhone out of the case the remote started working. The plug design has changed from the PMX70 (besides adding the 4th conductor for the remote), and is a wider diameter, and the portion after the right angle bend is shorter with less of a strain relief. This likely makes it interfere with more cases, and the strain relief design does not seem as good as the PMX 70. Hopefully it holds up as well. Time will tell.Hum:I noticed a hum when I had my phone plugged into a charger while sitting on my desk and the PMX 685i in my ears, but no music playing. Picking up the iPhone, now with no case reduced the hum. It sounded like some sort of ground loop. I had never heard this before on my iPhone with any other headphone (I’ve used a LOT). I switched back to the PMX 70 and the hum was gone. I’m not sure if it is just because the PMX 685i has more bass and thus the hum is louder, but I didn’t hear it at all with the PMX 70, and it was to the point of being annoying with the PMX 685i. Overall this probably won’t be much of a problem as I won’t be using the charger while running. Normally I use other headphones when not running, although I could see using the PMX 685i for phone calls given the microphone, and in that case it could be an issue. I can’t totally fault the headphone, but it does seem odd that I’ve never heard this with any other headphone with my iPhone.General:Many areas are quite similar to the PMX 70. The cable length is nearly the same, about 2” shorter than the PMX 70. That should be fine, the PMX 70 was fine, albeit a bit long. This should be just fine.The color is more pleasing, but less noticeable. Personally I prefer the looks of the black with blue highlights over the bright canary green of the PMX 70. The wire definitely was noticeable though. That and the reflective back probably is a bit safer for running at night. At least for me this isn’t a significant difference. Originally I disliked the green of the PMX70s, but got used to it.The shape/form factor is the same as the PMX 70. They go behind your head, and are held in place by spring effect of the band. To me this is an absolute perfect design for running. It is much better and more stable than most earbuds. The audio isolation seems similar to the PMX70. They do partially block outside noise but are not fully noise isolating. Again, this is a near perfect balance. You hear your music well blocking out low distractions such as water fountains, foot falls as you run etc. You WILL hear car horns, people coming up on you (somewhat) etc. The headphones are also easy enough to lift off your ear that if someone is talking to you they can be lifted off your ear to talk then placed back easily. This is much easier than earbuds that need to be properly inserted to make a good seal for proper sound. Those are great for other applications, but not running.While perfect for running, and likely biking, this design is just OK for working out in a gym. As others have commented the headband does stick out from the back of your head, so it can interfere with cushions on some machines, or if laying down on a bench or other similar use. While I sometimes switch to buds for the gym, overall they work pretty well for me at the gym as well. Mostly I use machines, so for the few that it interferes with I just lift them a bit or whatever. It has never been a significant problem for me.As I wrote above, I just received these, and other than a couple of minutes on my treadmill they haven’t been put to any real test. I will update more as I use them. Hopefully I don’t have the remote problems others have complained of.While the remote will be convenient with an iPhone in many ways I think the now discontinued PMX 70 (and the nearly identical PMX 80) were better headphones. They sounded better, and were a bit more comfortable. These are pretty much the closest replacement though for what to me was a near perfect product. I will initially give these 4 stars, subject to change after more use.Amazon:These were shipped from 6save or something, fulfilled by Amazon. I ordered them with the 2 day free Prime shipping. The original delivery date was for Tuesday. They ended up being delivered 1 day early!! I wasn’t even expecting them until the Amazon app notification on my iPhone said they were at my front door! There was the box, a day early!! Wow Amazon did an awesome job with that part!FIRST UPDATE:Before even the first run I've noticed another problem. The cord on the PMX70 came out the bottom of the frame on the left side considerably away from the ear. On the PMX 685i this has been moved to right behind the left transducer (speaker). This puts the wire right where it hits the protrusion on my ear just above the lobe. After wearing the headphones now for about an hour not even running this has started to really annoy me. Why or why did the mess with what was a near perfect design... I'm not dropping a star yet, but close. If I could drop half a star I would at this point. So just consider my review 3.5 stars now.SECOND UPDATE:I've now taken these headphones for a first run. Many things seem to point to these having a tighter fit with better seal and better isolation than the PMX70s. To some extent this explains higher overall sensitivity (louder at the same volume setting), more bass, and less background sound. This also creates some new issues. First, as I wrote above high isolation is not a great feature in sport headphones for running. While out on my run some neighbors said hello, but I only saw lips move, and the music wasn't that loud. They definitely have more isolation than PMX70s.The tighter seal also seems to create some new issues. When I run, especially between songs when there is silence I hear the boom of the shock from my feet hitting the ground - basically like if you stuck your fingers in your ears. This isn't "that" bad, and I mostly don't hear it when the music is playing. Again, the PMX70 was superior.The tight seal also seems to exacerbate wind noise. The day I was running was not very windy at all. There was a light breeze of at most 2 to 3 MPH. Even with this, when I was running into the breeze I had distracting wind noise. If it was this loud in this wind, I have to believe it will be a real problem on truly windy days, or along a beach or similar breezy locations. Sure the PMX70s had this to some extent, but this is much worse. This also seems related to the tighter seal.One good point was that wire from the headphone to the controller was in a position that it didn't contact anything else, so there really weren't noticeable problems with microphonics. The wire did still hit the protrusion at the bottom of the ear (looked it up, it is actually called the antitragus). Even with a 4.5 mile run it didn't seem to bother me as much as just sitting at a desk wearing them. Still it is a bit annoying, and something the design of the PMX70 totally eliminated. As I wrote in the first update, I would still rate these a 3.5 stars if I could, so I will stay at 4 stars, but consider it 3.5. I will update further as I use these if I notice other issues, problems, or features.I did use the volume control of the remote, but only once during the entire run.

I run 30+ miles a week on the road and on the trail, and I have had trouble finding the perfect running headphones I have tried tons of different earbuds and headphones on the market ranging from $20 to $200. I usually do high intensity running, involving sprinting and high speed running, not just jogging. I have never found any type of earbud type of headphones that stay in my ear while sprinting, they just fly out. I have found that only neckband type of headphones will stay on my ear while sprinting and running. I have owned several of the Sennheiser PMX series and these are the best yet. I use an ipod nano clipped to my shorts while I run and thread the headphone wires underneath my shirt. I don't use the control system, but I have found that it only works properly with apple phone products(I just use the controls on my ipod nano) so this does not bother me. The control system is light compared to the previous versions and will not bounce around. The coord is the perfect length to thread underneath my shirt to my shorts (i'm 6ft tall). The awful extension coord from the previous versions is gone. The sound has great quality and is a true improvement over previous versions, and is better than most earbud isolating headphones. As a runner, headphones staying on my head is my number one priority, if they fall off that makes them worthless. These headphones will never fall off or even loosen, you could do flips in the air and they would never move. One minor complaint is that they are pretty tight and after about an hour they can become slightly uncomfortable. These headphones seem to be waterproof and sweatproof so far, as with earlier versions. I sweat mildly and try to run in cold conditions, so I may not sweat as much as others. I have taken these out in the pouring rain though and no damage as occurred.Overall, I think these are the best running headphones you can get on the market. If you are just working out in the gym or jogging, earbuds or regular headphones will suffice. But if you run at high speeds or long distances and don't want to fiddle with earbuds, then these are the headphones for you, look no further. If these are too expensive I would recommend Philips SHQ4200/28 Sports Neckband Headphones, they are very similar, but can snap easily, and the sound quality is not as good.Sum up:Pros:1. These will stay on your ears and NEVER fall off.2. Excellent sound quality(for running headphones).3. Coord and control system is light, no bouncing.4. Seems to be sweatproof and rainproof. If you sweat a lot though and water pools in your ear lobe and these sit in it, then I'm pretty sure any headphones will stop working.5. Previous versions were very durable, and these seem to be the same and they are lighter.Cons:1. After long runs may become slightly uncomfortable. But, the tightness of the headphones allows for excellent sound and fit.2. For some, if you have your mp3 player on your arm, the coord will be too long, as there is no longer an extension coord with this version. If you are using your cell phone to run with you, you should probably be using bluetooth products anyway. This is a positive thing for me, as I hated the extension coord on the previous versions.Conclusion: If you are a runner, throw your earbuds out and get these. They are pretty amazing.Alternatively: Phillips sport neckband headphones are very similar and a little cheaper, but do not have the sound quality or durability. http://www.amazon.com/Philips-SHQ4200-28-Neckband-Headphones/dp/B00CM2RYYE/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1425332316&sr=1-1&keywords=phillips+sport+neckband

Edit: 25/11/14 After the last pair's remote failed again, I decided to take a 3rd punt on these headphones. Why? They sound great and Amazon's policy on return is robust and fair. The third pair arrived but gave out after one week - the remote stopped being responsive to volume change. That's it - I've been patient, I've tried but am now convinced that the manufacturer is selling a faulty product. Never buying a sennheiser product again.Edit: 28/3/14 Dropped from 5 to 3 stars. After 6 weeks of great use, the same problem others had mentioned happened to me. Suddenly, within a five minute window, the volume drifted up for no reason (so I turned it down), the 'volume up' control on the remote then stopped working and the headphones flicked back and forth between voice mode and music. Essentially, they had a meltdown. After contacting Amazon, they're going to swap them for a new pair - they do have great sound - but if this happens again, I'm done with this model.After trying - and failing - to get a decent replacement pair of running headphones for less than £30, I bought these. They are brilliant.1. The sound is incredible. Detailed and bassy.2. The remote control works well - it's chunky, solid and does what it should (a good fast forward function too).3. They're light and fit perfectly.Simple: they cost £50 but they're the best running headphones I've ever had.

I'm old enough (now in my mid 50s) to have bought and experienced dozens of pairs of headphones over the years and to remember those ten-band graphic equalisers people used to add to their hi-fi systems.I bought these to be used when walking the dogs. The ear-bud Sennheisers I've been using sound fine but tend to drop out which is annoying so I thought these would be a good choice. I've had several pairs of Sennheiser headphones over the years and rarely been disappointed.But these sound horrible - just dreadful. The bass is overwhelming. You can hear nothing but booming bass, with some tinny treble. All the mid-range sounds as though it's coming from three streets away. It's as thought someone's feeding the music through one of those 10-band equalisers, whacked the lowest three sliders up the max, as well as the highest one, and pushed everything else down to zero.I tried listening to pop, jazz, metal and trance. They all sounded terrible. I guess I should have paid attention to the one-star reviews instead of the five-star ones. Sigh.

The sound on these is excellent , good solid base line and because I have been able to turn down the volume because the sound is so clear my mp3 player battery last longer .. result!They are very comfortable to wear (tested up to around 90 minutes ) and my only reservation is that sometimes the cable can bang on the plastic head band arm - but you just need to adjust it to stop thatThe sound as a I say is great - and it does allow some outside sound in which I prefer because I go road running so it is saferone unexpected restriction is that because its a fixed arm you can't really share it with someone else - say on a flight , so take another set for thatBut for running these are very good indeed - would not use anything else now.(New Quirk)- when these are plugged into the latest generation Ipod nano it then shows an option on the nano for voice memos - and then the nano will not shut up and voices over the songs announcing them - really frustrating and makes them unusable

My experience with these super hi-rated headphones has been a sad story.First brought the previous version PMX 680i, the feeling was very good, very light, every time in place even running fast or jumping, excelent...until that day. During a long run (~18Km) the left earbud died. A lot of money last only 2 or 3 months.After that desolation, I was looking for alternatives, but again I made the same mistake and bought this one, the new PMX 685i, mainly because of the good reviews and approved by Apple to use with iPhone 5 etc.After 2 weeks or so using the 685i, I'm confident enough to say that the initial bad experience with Sennheiser was not bad luck!These version is even worst than the 680i, in the first usages the audio was chocking, apparently the problem was in the jack (proved by a little twist in the cable), still I could live with it and gave it another shot.Unfortunately today the switch developed issues and is no longer usable: - The volume controls no longer works - The micro no longer works also (unable to speak in phone calls).Conclusion, NEVER EVER buy products from Sennheiser again...

The sound is decent, but a bit muddy, and they definitely stay put once you put them on. The ControlTalk functionality works great, and the cable is a good length. However, they don't fit very well in my ears and hurt a bit after I have worn them for longer than 30 minutes. There's no way to adjust the neckband or the ear pieces to get a better fit, which is very annoying. Also, there are these protective caps on each of the ear phones, that come off after sometime, and without them the earphones are hard and hurt the ear a bit.Another problem with them, is that you can't use them while lying on the floor, lying on a workout bench, or standing against a wall; the neck band will press against the surface of whatever you are standing against or lying on, and push the earphones out of your ears.Long story short: I ended up re-selling them because my ears got very sore after each usage.