Sennheiser CX200 Street II Review
Affordable wired in-ears from an audiophile brand. After weeks of near all-day use, they became my daily drivers. Here is why.
The short version
Coming from a rotation of dollar-store earbuds, the Sennheiser CX200 Street II were a revelation: a comfortable, secure fit that stays put all day, tangle-resistant cables, and sound with crisp highs, clear vocals, and bass you can feel without the headache. For an affordable wired pair from an audiophile brand, they became my daily drivers. My rating: 4.5/5.
Verdict: superb budget in-earsUpdate: The CX200 Street II has been discontinued, but Sennheiser still makes excellent affordable wired in-ears in its current CX line. This review stands as my honest experience; shopping through the storefront below supports more reviews like it.
Why I upgraded my earbuds
I had been on an audio-upgrade kick, and the first thing to go was the in-ear headphones I use pretty much all day. For years I cycled through cheap dollar-store earbuds that would work for a while, then break for no reason and get replaced with another. After enough rounds of that I got tired of it and sat down to research quality but affordable in-ears.
Why the Sennheiser CX200
Sennheiser is the premium brand for audiophiles, which I am not, but I wanted to see if they made anything in the "broke people who still want good audio" section. That is where the CX200 series came in. Their flagships run into the hundreds, so a wired pair at an entry price felt like a low-risk way to try the brand. The nearly one thousand positive reviews and a two-year warranty sealed it.
How do the CX200 feel to wear?
Nothing fancy about the packaging, but it was good to see a variety of ear tips in the box, since one size never fits all; the middle size was perfect for me. These feel like a quality product. Even the cables have a nice rubbery texture and resist tangling: I rolled them into a ball and let them get shuffled around my camera bag, and they still unwound without a fight. Each earpiece is marked for its side, and the buds are incredibly soft, still feeling great after two weeks of nearly 18-hour days.
The first thing you notice is how light they are; you forget they are in. They fit so well that they stayed put even while I ate, which cheaper buds never managed because just chewing would work them loose. I could even fall asleep with them in without discomfort.
How do the CX200 sound?
Audio is personal, so take this as one average guy with average hearing upgrading from dollar-store buds. Sound isolation alone, with nothing playing, was impressive, enough to block the annoyingly loud heating system in my office. Playing a range of music, the highs are crisp and the vocals do not get drowned out the way they do on cheaper headphones. The biggest difference is the bass: you can literally feel it, but it never gets overpowering or gives you a headache. Music, news, YouTube, it all sounds great, and I love them.
Keep in mind
- Wired, in keeping with their era.
- Discontinued; the current Sennheiser CX line is the equivalent.
What they nailed
- Comfortable, secure fit that stays in all day.
- Tangle-resistant, quality-feeling cables.
- Crisp highs, clear vocals, feelable but non-fatiguing bass.
- Strong passive isolation and a two-year warranty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the Sennheiser CX200 Street II good earbuds?
Yes. For the price they punch well above dollar-store buds: comfortable all day, tangle-resistant cables, crisp highs, clear vocals, and bass you can feel without it becoming fatiguing.
Do the CX200 Street II stay in your ears?
Yes. With the right ear tip they stayed put even while eating or sleeping, which cheaper earbuds never managed for me.
Are the Sennheiser CX200 still available?
The CX200 Street II is discontinued. Sennheiser's current entry-level wired in-ears, such as the CX line, are the modern equivalent.
Do the CX200 have good sound isolation?
Yes. Passive isolation was strong enough to block a loud office heating system with nothing even playing.
Should you buy the CX200?
I would highly recommend these headphones, and Sennheiser in general, especially if you can catch them at a good price or try them first. They turned a lifelong cheap-earbud user into someone who actually looks forward to putting them on.
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