When comparing Phiaton Chord MS 530 vs Sennheiser PXC 550, the Slant community recommends Sennheiser PXC 550 for most people. In the question“What are the best portable Bluetooth on-ear/over-ear headphones?” Sennheiser PXC 550 is ranked 2nd while Phiaton Chord MS 530 is ranked 6th. The most important reason people chose Sennheiser PXC 550 is:
The feature works really well in preventing outside noise from intruding into your music listening experience. Also, there are very little to no reports of a feeling of pressure in the ears when the feature is active.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Good sound quality
Chord MS 530 offers a balanced sound experience with no glaring flaws.
Pro Comfortable
Both the fit is comfortable and control buttons are easily accessible.
Pro Good battery life
Chord MS 530 has between 17 and 30 hours of battery life depending on whether you use active noise canceling or not.
Pro Optional, good active noise cancelling
Chord MS 530 offers high quality noise cancelling that you can choose to use or ignore completely with an easy to access switch at the side of the earphones.
Pro Can be paired with two devices simultaneously
You can connect to two different devices at the same time.
Pro Good call quality
Clear sound, good noise cancelling and easy access to call buttons.
Pro Wireless & wired modes
Works both as a wireless and a wired device.
Pro Effective noise cancelling
The feature works really well in preventing outside noise from intruding into your music listening experience. Also, there are very little to no reports of a feeling of pressure in the ears when the feature is active.
Pro Powerful bass with good detail on the mids and highs
The sound tuning of these headphones is focused on the lower frequencies. The bass is quite powerful with good sub-bass extension. Users who listen to a lot of hip-hop, dance and bass-heavy music will certainly enjoy the oomph that these headphones can give. The mids sound natural and smooth, yet the lower regions of these frequencies can be overwhelmed by the powerful bass. The highs are crisp and clear though, which prevents the sound from getting too muddy.
Pro Comfortable to wear for long periods
Soft foam and leather are used in the interior and exterior of the ear pads respectively which makes them feel really soft and smooth on the head. The same material choices can be found in the headband.
Pro Headphones automatically pause/play when put on/removed
The Smart Pause feature detects if you are removing or putting on your headphones. These gestures will trigger the music to pause or play automatically.
Pro Right ear cup functions as remote
When in wireless mode, you do not need to use buttons in order to control the functions of the headphones. The right ear cup lets you control the headphones through touch gestures. You can swipe left or right for next or previous track, swipe up or down to increase or decrease the volume or tap on the ear cup to pause or play track as well as answer or end calls.
Pro Noise cancelling levels can be adjusted
You can set just how much noise is cancelled by the headphones, from maximum active noise cancelling, to an ambient mode which allows some sound into the headphones. You can also turn the feature off entirely.
Pro Great passive noise isolation
These headphones are quite effective at preventing sound leakage, and also passively block out noise really well. This is achieved by the closed ear cup design along with the effective seal from the leather-surfaced ear pads.
Pro Can fold down for easier travel
You can twist the ear cups and then fold them into the headband for a smaller, more travel friendly size. In this state, it should take up a lot less space inside your bag for less hassle when used on the go.
Pro Companion smartphone app offers extra functionality
Sennheiser offers the CapTune smartphone app which allows users to see the battery level of the headphones, adjust the headphones' EQ, and control other functions.
Pro Carrying case gives headphones extra travel protection
The case is made from a tough fabric material which should protect the headphones from minor bumps and scratches.
Cons
Con Padding might get warm with extended use
If you live in a warm climate, the padding tends to get warm after a couple of hours of use.
Con Gesture tracking can be too sensitive
Simply brushing your finger onto the right ear cup can trigger a command for the headphones. This can be annoying for some people.