Having owned a pair of px100-II before, as an uni student I found it troublesome having music listened literally by the whole carriage when commuting to school due to the horrible sound leak. As an obvious result, the px200-IIi came as a necessary upgrade.
Pros:
- My main worry, the sound leak, is no longer there. The thick cushions (significantly thicker than its predecessor, the px200) do a perfect job in preventing noise leakages ,and thus, I can enjoy my cheesy music to my heart's content without wierd glances from others on the go.
- Improved sound quality compared to the px100-II. After 8- 10 hours of burning in, the pair began to show its true potential. The px200-IIi does not lean on the heavy bass side like the px100-II, however that does not mean that it can't handle bass-demanding music genres like rock and hip-hop. It offers clearer, crisper and warmer sound compared to that of the px100-II and the music now fells much "fuller" than it used to be without leaving you being overwhelmed by the sometime-stronger-than-necessary bass level of the px100-II.
- Robust build quality despite being very light weight. If you're a fan of the sennheiser px franchise then this should go without saying,although it is still an undeniable merit compared to some 140 GBP+ pairs that can easily snap merely by putting on once or twice.
- The smart remote and mic are absolutely icing on the cake. They are completely compatible with my iphone and ipod touch. Also, the mic provides significantly better conversation qualities compared to the iphone's original headphones.
Cons:
- Although the cushions are excellent in blocking your music, they don't do the same with the external noises, so you will still suffer in noisy environments like the underground for example.Still, unlike the px100-II, you can still hear your music properly, so your best bet might just be turning the music a bit louder to suppress them.
- The thicker cushions also come with stronger grip on your ears, making the first few attempts of using it a bit painful before you get used to it.
- The middle button of the smart control (play/talk/forward song/ stop/ etc...) is significantly shallower than the adjacent volume control ones, therefore is really hard to press properly.
Sennheiser has pulled it off, again with the px200-IIi. They are definitely not a brand which skyrocket their prices only by wagering their name on it. Thus, you truly get what you pay for. If you're not some audiophile, not willing to pay hundreds of quid to not be sure whether it is even worth paying that much and only want to casually enjoy good music, the px200-IIi without a doubt is for you.