Sennheiser and Plantronics are two renowned and well-respected brands in the audio industry that produces high-quality speakers, headphones, soundbars, subwoofers, and amplifiers.
In this article, we will cover a general overview of both brands, looking specifically at the sound quality, durability, price, and so on. Of course, each brand has different devices at different price points. However, we will compare them as closely as we can.
Sennheiser products are known for their excellent sound quality and wide range of products, while Plantronics products are known for their high-quality sound and wide range of products.
Pros and Cons of Sennheiser:
Sennheiser is a well-respected brand in the audio industry, known for producing high-quality headphones, microphones, and other audio products. Here are some pros and cons of Sennheiser products:
Pros:
- Known for producing high-quality audio products with excellent sound quality and build quality.
- Strong reputation in the audio industry.
- Offers a wide range of products to choose from.
Cons:
- Some products may be on the expensive side.
- May not have as wide of a product range as some other brands.
Pros and Cons of Plantronics:
- Pros: Offers a wide range of headphones, headsets, and other audio products for both personal and professional use. Known for producing products with good build quality and durability.
- Cons: Some products may not have the best sound quality compared to other brands in the same price range.
Quick History
Sennheiser Quick History
Sennheiser was founded in 1945 in a laboratory called Laboratorium Wennebostel (Lab W) by Fritz Sennheiser and seven other engineers of the University of Hannover. Lab W started producing microphones in 1946 with DM1 and in 1947 with DM2.
The company produced many different products, including the Noise-Compensated microphone (DM4) and miniature magnetic headphones, before it was transformed into a limited partnership (KG) in 1973.
In 1982, Sennheiser started producing modern wireless microphones and won the 59th Academy Awards for its MKH 816 shotgun microphone.
Sennheiser is headquartered near Hannover, in the municipality of Wedemard, Germany. Today, Sennheiser is well known for producing professional-grade headphones and microphones.
Plantronics Quick History
Plantronics (now Poly) is an American electronics manufacturer that has been in the consumer audio communication business for over 50 years.
Plantronics manufactures headsets for home use, office, and games, as well as Bluetooth devices, unified communications solutions, and PC audio devices. The company’s headquarters is in Santa Cruz, California, but the majority of its products are manufactured in China and Mexico.m Following the acquisition of Polycom on March 18, 2019, Plantronics announced that it would change its name to Poly while it continues to trade on the New York Stock Exchange as Plantronics.
Sound Quality
Sennheisser Sound Quality
Sennheiser produces robust headphones with versatile performance built with an ANC system (active noise-canceling technology).
ANC blocks out the low rumble of plane engines and vehicles together with ambient chatter. With aptX and aptX-LL codecs, these headphones deliver incredible sound quality with lower latency.
The bass is heavy and decently adds extra thump, rumble, and boom to mixes. This makes Sennheiser headphones more suited for genres like EDM and hip-hop.
In addition, the infrared transmission technology and the multi-channel RF wireless transmission technology contribute to the popular Sennheiser sound signature.
Plantronics Sound Quality
Plantronics makes some of the best noise-canceling headphones on the market. They have good audio reproduction and do a great job of reducing the low background rumble that you experience on trains, planes, and other vehicles.
Their sound is well-balanced, with a little more thump and rumble, making them ideal for bass-heavy music genres like EDM and hip-hop.
Features
Sennheiser Features
The following features are characteristic of all Sennheiser headphones:
- Modular construction that makes it easy to repair or replace parts
- Snug fit
- Excellent cup padding
- Air Traffic Control
- Professionally inspired
- Total harmonic distortion <0.08% (1kHz, 94 dB)
- Resonator chamber to remove masking resonance
- Para-aramid reinforced cables
- German-made 7mmXWB transducer – for naturally balanced sound
- Intuitive controls
- Lightweight (around 140 grams)
- Supra-aural design
Plantronics Features
Plantronics is one of the most well-known manufacturers of high-quality wireless headphones for use in the office or at home. Here are a few features that make Plantronics devices a great option.
Plantronics devices have some beneficial features such as noise cancellation, a long battery life with a range of power-saving features, multi-device connectivity, and even support for low-latency Bluetooth codecs. They have NFC for fast pairing, and their talk-through modes are all standard.
Build Quality
Sennheiser Build Quality
The headphones are built with a rugged and flexible design. The durable metal hinge and sliders add appealing style.
Even for long periods of use, they often remain in good condition. The latest ones are made from ZR01 amorphous zirconium, a metal used to drill the face of Mars, ensuring toughness and longevity.
Plantronics Build Quality
Plantronics is known for its excellent build quality. Most Plantronic devices are water and liquid resistant because they come with a soft-touch rubber layer cover.
Their headset fits comfortably on your ear and can be adjusted for left-hand or right-hand use.
The ear tips are constructed of a soft plastic that is unnoticeable and provides effective call sealing.
Ease of Use
Sennheiser Ease of Use
Sennheiser headphones come with various connectivity options making them very easy to connect and use for multiple occasions.
The customizable touch controls put you in control of your listening experience, from audio and phone calls to Siri and Google Assistant.
Plantronics Ease Of Use
Plantronics products are simple to use because they provide smooth communication with your PC and smartphone, allowing you to customize the device to your preferences. Taking the Voyager Focus headset, for example, allows you to enjoy mobility while calls and music stay crystal clear, whether you’re at your desk or not, with a wireless range of up to 98 feet (30m).
Cost
Sennheiser Cost
Headphones: $20 – $500
Microphones: $50 – $1000
Plantronics Cost
Plantronics headsets are relatively less expensive than similar products. They provide high-quality sound at a low cost. Plantronics products range in price from $50 to $200 on a broad platform, which is a reasonable price for their performance.
Space Requirements
Sennheiser Space Requirements
Sennheiser headphones are perfectly built for the ear. Whether you are buying over-ear, on-ear, or in-ear headphones, their construction is compact and easily fits the head and ear without exerting extra pressure.
Besides, the headphones are lightweight, and wearers may not feel the weight even after longtime use.
Plantronics Space Requirements
Most Plantronics headsets are in-ear or over-ear devices. While their conference phones are portable enough that they use only a very small part of the space provided.
Remote Controls
Sennheiser Remote Control
Although Sennheiser headphones do not come with remote controls, they support wireless streaming such as Bluetooth listening.
Also, you can control some of your Sennheiser headphones with the Sennheiser Smart Control app. The app helps you access firmware updates and allows you to choose adaptive ANC and anti-wind ANC for the first noise-canceling level.
Plantronics Remote Controls
Most Plantronics devices do not have a remote control. Some of the Plantronics devices that have a remote control are the Polycom realpresence group series and the HDX System EMS.
Connectivity Options
Sennheiser Connectivity Options
Here are the connectivity options for Sennheiser:
-
- Bluetooth multipoint
- Fast auto-connect
- SBC
- aptX
- aptX LL
- AAC
- Wired listening with a 2.5 mm cable
Power Range
Sennheiser Power Range
Sennheiser headphones consume very little power to deliver incredible sound quality. Besides, the potable ones utilize either rechargeable or non-rechargeable AAA batteries and will deliver up to 100.45 dB/mW SPL.
Plantronics Power Range
Most Plantronics devices have a battery power range of around 250 mAh and above, which makes them last for a longer duration than some other products.
Frequency Response
Sennheiser Frequency Response
Sennheiser headphones perform well and widely exceed limits with ranges of 4 Hz to 51 kHz. The wide range helps prevent bass or treble roll-offs. Users also feel more frequencies and get a more immersive listening experience.
Plantronics Frequency Response
Plantronics devices have a very good frequency, but vary from device to device. Most Plantronics wireless headsets, such as the Plantronics BackBeat PRO has a frequency range of about 20-20000 Hz while the Plantronics DECT Headset System series has a frequency range of around 1.7 GHz to 2.0 GHz
Conclusion
Sennheiser produces high-quality headphones and microphones. The devices support numerous features and are energy efficient. They are, however, more expensive than the competition. Overall, Plantronics produces versatile devices that are reasonably priced. Their headphones include some of the greatest control schemes you will see, alongside a lot of useful features such as active noise cancellation and power-saving modes.
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