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SINGAPORE : When it comes to mobile music, wires get in the way. Whether you're on the train or training for that marathon, there's always a chance your earphones might get yanked out of your ears by someone or something.
So, when Sennheiser's MX W1 arrived on our desks, we were quite taken by how small and portable this wireless audio solution is.
What sets it apart is that it comes in the form of earphones rather than the usual Bluetooth-based headphones, which are much bigger. The MX W1 uses aproprietary (but interoperable) wireless audio technology called Kleer, which aims to provide CD-quality sound with low power consumption.
The earphones come with a portable docking station, a wireless transmitter and a set of cables for charging via USB or via a power brick. Sennheiser provides three sets of earpads so you can choose one that best fits your ears.
Using a 3.5mm stereo audio jack, the wireless transmitter plugs into your sound system, computer and iPod, and is able to transmit music to two pairs of earphones simultaneously. The wireless range of the earphones and transmitter averages around 10m in our tests and reconnects seamlessly in and out of range.
Though relatively small, the MX W1 earphones still look big on our ears, no thanks to the button-sized rechargeable and removable batteries they house. The earphones blink in blue, which makes us look a tad odd.
Though Sennheiser boasts that the MX W1 delivers pristine stereo sound, we found that the audio lacks resonance in the mid range. The bass is well-rounded, but lacks kick. Tweaking the equalisers fails to raise the performance of the MX W1 to that of our premium hardwired earphones. However, audio remains undistorted even as sound levels are cranked up.
The MX W1 provided us with up to 4.3 hours of music, more than the three hours stipulated in the manual. The matchbox-like docking station serves as a portable battery when you plug in the earphones.
With its great battery life, the MX W1 makes a nice solution for casual users and travellers who value being untethered as they listen to music. But audiophile snobs might like to, well, steer Kleer of this till Sennheiser improves the audio quality.
And by the way, the Sennheiser MX W1 costs S$799. - TODAY/fa
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