Sennheiser PXC 550 vs. COWIN E8 vs. Silensys E7 PRO: And Our Winner Is…


Between the Sennheiser PXC 550 vs. COWIN E8 vs. Silensys E7 PRO; Which is the best pair of over-ear headphones?

Here it is ladies and gentlemen. Three highly popular headphones side-by-side facing off. While each pair has its standard ups and downs, they also have their own unique benefits. 

Depending on what you’re looking for in a pair of headphones will determine which of these might be the best choice for you. After extensive research, personal experience, and reviews; We formulated an in-depth comparison between each one. May the battle commence!  

But first…

What Makes A Pair Of Headphones Good?

  • Sound Quality: How good the overall audio quality of music, phone calls, or video.
  • Comfort: The ability to remain comfortable for extended periods of time without itchiness, annoyance, or ear pain.
  • Build Quality: The overall durability and longevity. Able to withstand harsh conditions for extended periods of time.
  • Noise Isolation/ Active Noise Cancelling: If any at all, how well the active noise cancelling or noise isolating abilities are.
  • Battery Life: How long the battery life of the pair of headphones is at a full charge.
  • Added Features: A few examples of added features headphones offer can be Bluetooth capabilities, built-in AI assistant, headphone controls, built-in microphone for phone calls, flexibility, rotatable ear cups, etc.

We compared and contrasted each of these factors for the Sennheiser PXC 550, COWIN E8, & Silensys E7 PRO

 

Sound Quality

Especially for music listeners, the overall quality of sound is a massive factor in finding your perfect pair of headphones. There are various factors that impact a pair of headphones’ sound quality.

Sennheiser PXC 550
Like most Sennheiser headphones, the PXC 550 produces very good sound quality. As a matter of fact, they possibly provide the very best sound quality in this price range. The audio is natural and clear. I’m also a big fan of the call quality. It produces a crystal clear sound with a punchy bass and even mids/highs. The highs are sparkly and bright without getting too harsh.

COWIN E8
The Cowin E8 produces a powerful and well-balanced sound quality. While listening to music, these headphones separate the frequencies so well that it almost feels like your in an open hall filled with surround sound. The highs are sparkly, the mids are crisp, and the bass is full. These headphones produce astounding sound quality for the price.

Silensys E7 PRO
For the affordable price, the Silensys E7 PRO produces great sound quality. It has 45mm large-aperture drivers that provide an accurate and responsive deep bass. One thing I noticed was when the volume was turned to the max without noise-canceling, the audio got a bit boomy. Around 90% volume and down, the sound quality was very good with great bass response. However, when the active noise-cancellation is turned on, the music sounds a bit more hollow and loses some of the mids /highs.

Overall, the Sennheiser PXC 550 has the best sound quality. However, the Silensys E7 PRO is better for its price.

Comfort

The ability for headphones to remain comfortable for extended periods of time without itchiness, annoyance, pressure, or ear pain. Considering many people use headphones for commute, air travel, or work; Comfort is a vital factor.

Sennheiser PXC 550
These headphones are pretty comfortable. The padded headband is ergonomically engineered. I also live the thick padding on the earcups. You can use these for extended periods without fatigue. Overall, I give it an 8.8 out of 10 for comfort.

COWIN E8
These headphones have comfortable padding and clamp on the head pretty tightly. However, the tight clamp is in no way uncomfortable or overbearing. Overall, I give the comfort a solid 8.6 out of 10. Especially for the price, it’s very comfortable for long periods, but it’s certainly not the best.

Silensys E7 PRO
One of my favorite things about the Silensys E7 PRO is its comfort. The faux leather material in the ear cups feels very nice on your ears. Many people even go as far as to sleep with them. I’m also a big fan of how thick the ear padding is. The soft top headband fits very well, while the earcups feel like clouds. Overall, I give the comfort a solid 8.3 out of 10.

Overall, the Sennheiser PXC 550 is the most comfortable pair of the three.

Build Quality

What good are your amazingly sounding headphones if they break in a few months? The overall durability and longevity are crucial for any investment you make. Especially for those who need headphones for commute, it’s important they’re able to withstand vigorous traveling conditions consistently.

Sennheiser PXC 550
These headphones are very well-designed, durable, and have a robust feel. For those who prefer the headphone earcups with more space, you will absolutely love the comfort of the PXC 550. Earcups with more space such as this pair tend to have better passive noise-cancelling abilities. It is expandable and fits very nicely for just about any head type. Since they are foldable and the ear cups are rotatable, PXC 550 is very convenient to travel with. I give the overall build is a solid 9 out of 10.

COWIN E8
For the price, the build quality is robust and built to last. Unfortunately, some of the buttons are a bit flimsy. However, the metal arms and soft but stable padding certainly give it a boost. If you were to compare these headphones with other pairs in the same price range, the build quality is fantastic. Compared to the top tier headphones, the overall build is a solid 8 out of 10.

Silensys E7 PRO
The durability and longevity of these headphones are surprisingly very good. However, there is a minor trade-off for their more robust than expected build. They are a bit heavy and bulky, but don’t let the picture fool you. They are much smaller and compact in person. A convenient factor is the rotatable ear cups. They can swivel 90-degrees allowing you to place them comfortably around your neck. There are two different ways to turn the headphones on; Either Bluetooth mode or active noise-canceling mode. Overall, I give the build quality a 7.5 out of 10.

Overall, the Sennheiser PXC 550 has the best build quality.

Noise Isolation/ Active Noise Cancelling

Don’t be confused between active noise cancelling and noise isolation headphones. They are both entirely different. Noise-cancelling technology is very unique. Unlike noise-isolating headphones, noise-cancelling headphones do not eradicate outside noise by physical insulation. Within the ear cups, they have a mini microphone that picks up the outside environmental noise. It then triggers a frequency entirely opposite to the outside ambient noise. Thus, canceling out most outside ambient sound.

Sennheiser PXC 550
The active noise-cancelling works exceptionally well. Do not expect the ANC to be as good as the Bose or Sony, which is nearly double this price. However, it blocks out a significant amount of noise. If I had to put a number on it, these headphones cancel 70-80% of outside noise once ANC is initiated.

COWIN E8
With its active noise-cancelling, these headphones eradicate the majority of outside noise. If you want your daily commute, plane travel, bus, or office work to be in peace and quiet, the COWIN E8 works exceptionally well. While many ANC headphones in this price and below hurt the sound quality, it does not negatively affect the audio when the ANC is initiated.

Silensys E7 PRO
The Cowin E7 Pro has active noise cancelling abilities. It eradicates an enormous amount of lower frequency hums and ambient sounds. However, while it is still reduced, the mid and upper frequencies can still be heard. This includes the human voice, beeping cars, etc. Like mentioned before, the music loses a bit of its meat once the active noise cancelling is initiated. However, it was easily fixed after a bit of EQ.

Overall, the Sennheiser PXC 550 has the best active noise cancelling.

Battery Life

Battery life is an overlooked subject when speaking about over-ear headphones. Obviously, the only headphones that have a battery life are those which are wireless. Many headphones on the market do not have wireless capabilities. But for those who do, a more extended battery-life becomes a convenient factor.

Sennheiser PXC 550
They provide an excellent battery life of 30 hours. 

COWIN E8
These headphones give you an exceptional battery life of 18-20 hours.

Silensys E7 PRO
As crazy as it may seem, the Silensys E7 PRO’s only advantage over the Cowin E8 is it has a longer battery life of 30 hours.

Overall, the Sennheiser PXC 550 has the most-extended battery life.

Added Features

Here we summarize each pair of headphones and talk about some of the added features.

Sennheiser PXC 550
The Sennheiser PXC 550 are wireless headphones with a fantastic Bluetooth connection. They have great touch-sensitive controls, a triple mic array for very high-quality calls, and they’re foldable, as well. Something cool about them is they power off instantly by folding both earcups inward. They also automatically power back on when folding the ear cups to the normal position.

COWIN E8
With a built-in mic, there is no need to try and over speak during your phone calls. It picks up your voice incredibly well and is articulated clearly. Even though these headphones are at a much more affordable price, their call quality stands toe-to-toe with most of the top-tier and more expensive pairs. These headphones provide a stable and secure Bluetooth connection. In my opinion, these headphones are worth $50 more than they are currently priced at. We highly recommend them for anyone who wants a high-quality pair of headphones at a relatively affordable price range.

Silensys E7 PRO 
One of the most famous pair of affordable noise-cancelling headphones on the market, the Silensys E7 PRO is the safest overall choice for the money. These headphones offer a solid Bluetooth 4.0 connection. It also has a great built-in microphone that produces clear quality phone calls. You can get these headphones in 7 different colors. Frequent flyers who don’t want to pay too much for headphones tend to gravitate towards the Silensys E7 PRO for a few reasons. They are comfortable, they have decent active noise-cancelling, they are wireless, and they produce quality sound clarity.

Overall, the Sennheiser PXC 550 has the most added features.

Similarities Between The Sennheiser PXC 550 & COWIN E8

  • All cover the ear
  • All have Bluetooth wireless
  • All have active noise cancelling capabilities
  • All have a solid built-in mic for phone calls
  • All are very popular
  • All are highly-rated and reviewed

Our Winner

Keep in mind that our opinion is not the end all be all. Like mentioned earlier, everyone has different needs, requirements, and budgets for their headphones. However, our winner between both noise-cancelling headphones is the Sennheiser PXC 550 for many reasons. They have excellent call quality, great active noise-cancelling, impressive sound quality, tough build, and a great design.

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