As a wireless noise-canceling headset, the Sennheiser PXC 550 has been well received by audio experts. At the Consumer Electronics Show in Berlin last September, Sennheiser launched a new generation of PXC 550-II wireless headsets, which supports Bluetooth 5.0. Also, it adds transparent listening on the basis of active noise reduction.
Now, this headset is available for sale at Xiaomi, priced at 2899 yuan ($418).
The black shell of the new generation PXC 550-II is made of mixed brushed metal technology, which is very comfortable with soft leather wrapping. Touch the touchpad of the right earcup to easily control music or answer calls. There is also a dedicated voice assistant to turn on Smart Control. There is some EQ customization available here, as well as degrees of noise-cancellation (‘anti-wind’ to reduce wind-borne noise, ‘adaptive’ to respond to changing levels of external noise, and simply ‘on’).
Compared with the previous generation 550, the adaptive noise reduction function in the second generation can provide accurate background noise suppression by analyzing the surrounding environment to achieve the best noise reduction effect.
In terms of features, the Sennheiser PXC 550-II is compatible with Bluetooth 5.0 and supports high-quality AAC codecs. A three-microphone array has also been adopted, allowing users to easily stay connected while traveling.
In terms of battery life, when Bluetooth and ANC are enabled, it can be used for up to 20 hours. When using ANC and wired connection, battery life can be up to 30 hours.