Over-Ear
Austrian Audio Hi-X15
84Great
$149
Full review dataAustrian Audio Hi-X15 vs Sennheiser PXC 550-II Wireless: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Austrian Audio Hi-X15 comes out ahead with an HearWiki score of 84. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: Austrian Audio Hi-X15 - Great overall at around $149.
Over-Ear
Sennheiser PXC 550-II Wireless
78Great
$82
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Austrian Audio Hi-X15
Sound8.5
Value9.0
Sennheiser PXC 550-II Wireless
Sound8.0
Noise cancelling8.0
Battery7.5
Calls7.0
Value7.0
Specifications
| Spec | Austrian Audio Hi-X15 | Sennheiser PXC 550-II Wireless |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Over-Ear | Over-Ear |
| Price (USD) | $149 | $82 |
| HearWiki score | 84 / 100 · Great | 78 / 100 · Great |
| Released | 2021 | 2019 |
| Audio | ||
| Driver | dynamic | dynamic |
| Driver size | 44 mm | 32 mm |
| Drivers per side | 2 | 2 |
| Frequency response | 12Hz-24kHz | 17 Hz - 23,000 Hz |
| Impedance | 25 Ω | 46 Ω |
| Sensitivity | 99 dB/mW | 110 dB/mW |
| Sensitivity (dB/Vrms) | 113 | - |
| Wireless | ||
| Bluetooth | - | 5.0 |
| Bluetooth version | - | 5.0 |
| Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Low Latency |
| Multipoint pairing | No | Yes |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | - | 20 h |
| Full charge time | - | 180 min |
| Wireless charging | - | No |
| Features | ||
| Active noise cancelling | No | Yes |
| ANC type | - | feedforward |
| Transparency mode | - | Yes |
| Companion app | - | Yes |
| Custom EQ | - | Yes |
| Wear detection | - | No |
| Controls | - | touch |
| Voice assistant | - | voice assistant support |
| Design | ||
| Weight | 255 g | 227 g |
| Water resistance | - | none |
| Foldable | Yes | - |
| Detachable cable | Yes | - |
| USB-C | No | No |
| Calls | ||
| Microphones | - | 4 |
| Call noise reduction | - | 3-microphone beamforming |
What reviewers said
Austrian Audio Hi-X15
The Austrian Hi-X15 is a wired over-ear headphone that brings studio-grade clarity and detail to a budget-friendly price point. Its lightweight, foldable build and low-impedance design make it a practical choice for on-the-go engineers, while the 44mm dynamic drivers deliver a balanced, revealing sound that suits tracking and mixing tasks. It offers impressive value for those seeking transparent monitoring without breaking the bank.
- Pro:Excellent price-to-performance ratio
- Pro:Lightweight and foldable for portability
- Pro:Easy to drive with low impedance and high sensitivity
- Con:Lacks Bluetooth or multipoint connectivity
- Con:No active noise cancellation
- Con:Some technical specifications are not fully disclosed
Sennheiser PXC 550-II Wireless
The Sennheiser PXC 550-II Wireless are over-ear headphones that combine solid active noise cancellation with a clean, balanced sound signature. They offer a long battery life that can stretch further with ANC off, plus support for several high-quality Bluetooth codecs and multipoint connectivity. While they perform well overall, they are seen as a modest update over their predecessor rather than a major leap forward.
- Pro:Excellent noise cancellation for blocking ambient noise
- Pro:Balanced, mature sound quality that suits most genres
- Pro:Long battery life, especially with ANC disabled
- Con:Only a minor upgrade from the previous model
- Con:No USB-C charging port
- Con:Touch controls can be finicky for some users
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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