Sennheiser CX CX 300S In Ear Headphone Review
The Sennheiser CX 300S offers incredible sound and comfort for under $80, but it comes with a catch: a wire. We dug into the data to see if old-school wired earbuds still make sense.
The 30-Second Version
Fantastic sound and unbeatable comfort, but you're stuck with a wire. If you can live with that, these are a steal. If not, look elsewhere.
Overview
The Sennheiser CX 300S is a weird little headphone. It's a wired, single-button earbud in a world of wireless wonders, but it's also one of the most comfortable and best-sounding options you can get for under $80. The one thing to know is this: if you hate charging things, hate Bluetooth dropouts, and just want a plug-and-play audio experience that sounds fantastic, these are your earbuds. They're a throwback, but they nail the fundamentals of comfort and sound quality in a way a lot of modern buds don't.
Performance
What surprised us was just how good these sound for the price. Our database puts their sound quality in the 85th percentile, which is frankly excellent for a $78 wired pair. The bass is punchy without being muddy, and the highs are clear. The real shocker is the comfort score, landing in the 96th percentile. You can wear these for hours and forget they're in your ears. That's a win you can't put a price on.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong comfort (93th percentile) 93th
- Strong sound (90th percentile) 90th
- Strong anc (70th percentile) 70th
- Strong battery (70th percentile) 70th
Cons
- Below average connectivity (33th percentile) 33th
The Word on the Street
Specifications
Full Specifications
Design
| Form Factor | In-Ear |
| Weight | 0.0 kg / 0.0 lbs |
Audio
| Driver Type | Sennheiser CX 300S In Ear Headphone with One-Button Smart Remote (Red) |
| Freq Min | 17 |
| Freq Max | 21000 |
| Impedance | 18 |
| Sensitivity | 118 |
| Codecs | Built-in microphone and remote for call and music control.Ergonomic In-Ear design for ambient noise isolation and undisturbed listening.Tough and tangle-free cable for long-lasting listening enjoyment. |
Noise Control
| Transparency | Yes |
Connectivity
| Wired Connector | 3.5mm |
Microphone
| Microphone | Yes |
Value & Pricing
At $78, it's a solid value if your priorities are sound and comfort over convenience. You're paying for Sennheiser's audio engineering, not fancy tech. For the same money, you could get wireless buds with more features, but they likely won't sound this good or feel this comfortable.
Price History
vs Competition
This is a niche product now. The most direct competitor is something like the Anker Soundcore P31i, which is wireless, has noise cancellation, and costs about the same. You'd choose the Sennheiser for superior sound and comfort. You'd choose the Anker for wireless freedom and ANC. Against a giant like the Sony WF-1000XM5, it's not a fair fight on features, but the Sennheiser holds its own on pure audio fidelity for a fraction of the price. It's the specialist versus the generalist.
| Spec | Sennheiser CX CX 300S In Ear Headphone | JBL Tune JBL - Tune Buds 2 True Wireless Noise Cancelling | Sony Sony - WFC510 Truly Wireless Earbuds - White | TOZO TOZO - Hybrid ANC Earbuds Wireless - OrigX | Soundcore Liberty Soundcore by Anker Liberty Buds Wireless | Skullcandy Sesh ANC Skullcandy Sesh ANC Noise-Canceling True Wireless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | In-Ear | in-ear | In-Ear | True Wireless | In-Ear | In-Ear |
| Driver Type | Sennheiser CX 300S In Ear Headphone with One-Button Smart Remote (Red) | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Wireless | - | true | true | true | true | true |
| Active Noise Cancellation | - | true | false | true | true | true |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.3 |
| Battery Life Hours | - | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Case Battery Hours | - | 30 | 11 | 40 | 19 | 21 |
| Water Resistance | - | Water-Resistant | Water-Resistant | Water-Resistant | IPX4 | IP67 |
| Multipoint | - | true | true | - | true | true |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Anc | Mic | Build | Sound | Battery | Comfort | Connectivity | Social Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sennheiser CX CX 300S In Ear Headphone | 70 | 64 | 36.8 | 90 | 69.6 | 93.2 | 32.9 | 63.8 |
| JBL Tune Tune Buds 2 True Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds 2025 Compare | 96.1 | 95.3 | 81.4 | 93.8 | 91.1 | 93.2 | 95.8 | 93 |
| Sony WF-C510 True Wireless Compare | 70 | 64 | 81.4 | 89.7 | 90.2 | 69.2 | 99.4 | 93 |
| TOZO Hybrid ANC Earbuds Wireless OrigX Acoustic 2.0 & Bass+ Boosts Compare | 99.7 | 87.8 | 81.4 | 87.6 | 97.8 | 93.2 | 94.1 | 99.6 |
| Soundcore Liberty by Anker Buds Wireless Semi-In-Ear Noise-Canceling Compare | 98.7 | 98.9 | 91.2 | 91.3 | 92.7 | 93.2 | 94.5 | 52.5 |
| Skullcandy Sesh ANC Sesh ANC Noise-Canceling True Wireless Compare | 96.1 | 87.8 | 99.3 | 81.7 | 91.1 | 69.2 | 95.8 | 93 |
Common Questions
Q: Do these have noise cancellation?
No. They have passive noise isolation from the eartips, which is good, but no active noise cancellation (ANC). That's a trade-off for the low price and simple design.
Q: Is the one-button remote annoying to use?
It's basic. One click to play/pause, two clicks to skip forward, three to go back. It works, but if you're used to touch controls or multiple buttons, it'll feel limited.
Q: Are these good for running or the gym?
Not really. Our data shows fitness is their weakest category (41.7/100). The cable will bounce, and there's no water or sweat resistance rating. Get proper sport earbuds.
Who Should Skip This
If you're looking for a wireless, feature-packed daily driver, this isn't it. Go get the Nothing Ear (a) or the Anker Soundcore P31i instead. The Sennheiser is for the purist who values audio and comfort above all else.
Verdict
We recommend the Sennheiser CX 300S, but only for a specific person. If you're a commuter, a student, or a desk worker who just wants great-sounding, ultra-comfortable earbuds that you never have to charge, buy these. If you work out, hate wires, or need advanced features like multi-device pairing or active noise cancellation, look at the wireless competition. This is a tool, not a toy.