Sennheiser Earphones: Music to the Ears

Premium audio brand Sennheiser has evidently come to realize that India is a big market, and you can now look forward to seeing its products in stores across the country. Though sales is currently limited to Class A cities, the company is all set to invest money to increase visibility in smaller cities as well.

I have to admit the visibility hasn’t been great so far. Currently, I have seen only 'Imagine' (the Apple stores) stocking Sennheiser in Mumbai, but the company claims this was only the first step. The next step, they say, would be to establish outlets in major malls and hypermarkets.

For the non-professional crowd, Sennheiser has always come across as a brand that’s out of reach due to the decidedly premium prices, but this is likely to change. The company has slowly started looking at the mid-range segment as well.

If you're interested in MP3 players and PMPs, Sennheiser's new line of Sports and Style earphones is worth a look. I called some in for review, and here are my observations.

OMX 90 VC Style
Our Rating: 4
The OMX 90 VC is a stylish pair of clip-ons from the Style series (the other two being Street and Sport). Sound notwithstanding, the form factor itself is an appealing mix of metal and rubberized holders. The rubber on the clip-ons can be extended from the main earpiece to accommodate all ear sizes.

As far as sound quality is concerned, the 90 VC is simply brilliant. The sound is highly dynamic, with the right frequencies for any genre of music. The highs are well defined and don’t interfere with other frequencies. The bass, while not too punchy, is tight. A tuned damping system helps to eliminate any rattles.

You may be wondering if this is the right piece for you. First of all, you should be aware that it costs Rs 4,990, so if you're a performance freak who's willing to spend that much, I would say go for it. You also get a compact carry case, and extra rubber buds for different ear sizes.

Those looking for a cheaper option could try the Cresyn in-ear earphones, which retail for about Rs 1,000.