Sennheiser recently presented their latest high-end travel headphone that satisfies all of the above criteria. The PXC 450 is perfect headphone for the enjoyment of music and films even in high-noise environments. Moreover, the PXC 450 also features TalkThrough, an innovative technology which allows the user to conduct a conversation without removing the headphones. The PXC 450 has passive and active reduction of unwanted background noise and feature practical fold-up design.

With the launch of the PXC 450, Sennheiser introduced a high-end circumaural travel headphones which have much more to offer than conventional models. Music lovers and film buffs in particular will appreciate the circumaural ear pads which not only efficiently cancel out background noise, but also deliver unprecedented sound quality.

This quality can be attributed to three different factors which complement each other ideally: adaptive baffle damping guarantees consistently good bass reproduction. The patented Duofol diaphragms effectively prevent unwanted partial oscillation, guaranteeing crisp, crystal-clear sound. And finally, NoiseGard™ noise compensation technology actively neutralises unwanted noise: a tiny microphone mounted on the outside of the headphone picks up ambient noise, a processor calculates and superimposes the relevant phase-inversed sound signal. The result: the two acoustic signals cancel each other out and the unwanted noise no longer reaches the user’s ear. The new NoiseGard™ 2.0 system featured in the PXC 450 actually reduces noise by up to 90 per cent. In this latest system, the filters, microphones and processor efficiency have been optimised to ensure a virtually unrestricted sound experience even in high-noise environments.

In the past, travel headphones with these deluxe features still posed one problem. They screened off all unwanted outside noise so thoroughly that it was not possible to carry on a conversation without removing the earphones, even when the NoiseGard™ system was switched off. However, the new TalkThrough function now offers an innovative solution to that problem.

This technology, which Sennheiser is now introducing for the first time in the PXC 450, works with the help of efficient miniature microphones mounted on the outside of the headphones, which record the noise from the immediate environment and distinguish between simple noise — e.g. from turbine engines — and noise such as the voice of the person sitting next to you, which is isolated and passed on into your ear. It is now possible to enjoy a conversation without removing your headphones and, above all, without having to resort to a model which has no noise filter system. The volume control is located directly on the headphone in the PXC 450. And even if the batteries are empty, the PXC 450 still work efficiently, as sound transmission functions even without a power source.

Soft padding on the headband and circumaural ear pads guarantees maximum comfort. Both ear pads and the single-sided cable are replaceable so that users can be sure of long-lasting enjoyment of these sturdy headphones. As it is designed primarily for travel requirements, they can be folded up easily and quickly and carried in the space-saving practical transport case. They are supplied complete with adaptor for in-flight entertainment systems (3.5 mm double mono) and 6.3 mm jack adaptor.