The Sennheiser PMX 686i review is a mid-range earphone tailored to athletes and active sports enthusiasts. The company’s effort to team up with Adidas may prove an added attraction for gym-goers. After reviewing the model, we think that the earphones offer good sound quality, particularly for music listeners looking for something in the price range of under a hundred dollars. On the downside, the headphone design has limitations as it does not fit well for everyone.
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Sennheiser PMX 686 Headphones Review – Who Should Buy It?
Design of PMX 686i and Sennheiser 686G Models
Opening the box reveals a subtle, thin, and trendy-looking bright neon green headset with an ingrained Adidas logo. The 1.2-meter cable length is suitable for most, as it allows users to tuck in the headphones under their shirts. The cable also features a stand-alone control consisting of three buttons.
Perhaps the location of the controls could have been further down, allowing users to retain control of the buttons during workouts. Besides, its presence close to the ears makes it inconvenient to change settings. It means that users may struggle to take control while running and jogging. The complexity increases further as a single button in the headphone accounts for multiple settings.
Not everyone may feel that the location of the switch control is a problem; they will need to readjust the headband and earphones frequently. The headband is provided as extra support to sustain high-intensity workouts. Still, the extra support will do little to help, as numerous tests found that the earpiece is frequently dislodged during intense exercise regimens.
Overall, it seems that the old-school plastic earbuds are not a universal fit. For buyers, it also means that the Sennheiser PMX 686i is mostly practical for low-intensity runs for jogging and exercise. However, when wearing it in high-intensity situations, it is more practical to try it before spending $100.
Voice Quality
If you are not going to do intense exercise or feel that it will be an acceptable fit for your head size, good sound performance at this price is a hefty bonus. Regarding sound, numerous tests reveal that the headset smoothly filters out high-volume noise from trains, traffic, and television. There is no visible degradation or distortion when the sound is raised from low to high.
Still, it does not mean that the headphones are able to cancel noise like their pricier counterparts. There will be some noise in and out of the microphone, depending on the volume and the environment. It should also be noted that people who are accustomed to very high levels of sound quality may be distracted because the sound levels do not match their pricier counterparts. Still, this is some of the best sound quality that you can get for the price.
Value-Added Features
Image Credit: Amazon.com
Another feature that makes these earphones stand out from the crowd is the sweat-free coating. According to the company, these earphones are specifically designed to cater to excessive sweating resulting from hard exercise. It seems that the company is very confident of its claims, as the accompanying literature suggests users wash the earphones under tap water to remove sweat particles. Perhaps the plastic design of the headsets was introduced to make it easier to apply sweat-proof and water-proof coatings.
Some users have complained that the anti-bacterial coating is visible after some months of extensive workouts. Although online reviews of such complaints are rare, thankfully, the company also offers a 2-year warranty to deal with any issues. For most users, Sennheiser-approved service centers are mostly available everywhere in North America and Europe, which should help take care of the issue.
Final Verdict After Sennheiser PMX 686i Review
Overall, the two models, Sennheiser 686G and Sennheiser 686i, offer a decent quality headphone choice that can be used during workouts. Not as good as the similarly styled Plantronics Backbeat Fit, as these model specifications fall short of the perfect design.
As a result, users may find it difficult to keep the earbuds in place during intense workout sessions. Also, prolonged use of the earphones may induce uneasiness and discomfort. Still, the voice quality is good enough to warrant its use because additional features such as anti-bacterial sweat-proof coating and resistance of the plastic cable to water make it a viable alternative to various pricier models.
