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Products in this category are scored under Frontum Headphones Methodology v1.0: technical specifications plus authentic consumer ratings, with 0% commercial bias.
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Sennheiser CX 685 Sports Review | 93 Data compared

Avg. price:~£55Form factor:in-earConnectivity:wiredBattery life:N/A hoursActive noise cancellation (ANC):no

Sennheiser CX 685 Sports Review: Compare 93 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Headphones category and whether it is worth buying.

Sennheiser CX 685 Sports
5.4/10

Overall score

Score
5.4/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of the headphones' quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference to identify the best headphones on the market.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 90% of models
Score components

80%

5.4

Technical score

20%

?

User score

â–¼Worse than 90% of headphones
6.8

Value for money

Value for money
6.8/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the headphones' overall rating with their cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for headphones that offer a strong balance of performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 84% of models
Score components

70%

5.4

Overall score

30%

10

Price

â–¼Worse than 84%
5.4

Technical score

Technical score
5.4/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Headphones category across these key areas: Sound, Calls & Controls, Connectivity, Features, Battery, Design.
When it matters
When you want to compare headphones based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 80% of models
Score components

52%

5.7

Sound

20%

4.0

Features

10%

7.2

Design

8%

4.8

Connectivity

6%

6.9

Battery

4%

3.8

Calls & Controls

â–¼Worse than 80%
?

User score

User score
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the headphones.
When it matters
When you want to understand how headphones perform in real listening and how reliable they are in terms of comfort, audio quality, battery life, and long-term use.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 58% of models
Score components

70%

?

User ratings

30%

?

Number of reviews

  • sennheiser-cx-685-sports
sennheiser-cx-685-sports
Where to buy
*As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
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Technical Specifications of pair of headphones Sennheiser CX 685 Sports

Technical score
Technical score
5.4/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Headphones category across these key areas: Sound, Calls & Controls, Connectivity, Features, Battery, Design.
When it matters
When you want to compare headphones based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 80% of models
Score components:

52%

5.7

Sound

20%

4.0

Features

10%

7.2

Design

8%

4.8

Connectivity

6%

6.9

Battery

4%

3.8

Calls & Controls

5.4
User score
User score
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the headphones.
When it matters
When you want to understand how headphones perform in real listening and how reliable they are in terms of comfort, audio quality, battery life, and long-term use.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 58% of models
Score components

70%

?

User ratings

30%

?

Number of reviews

?
Popularity
Popularity
1.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the headphones.
When it matters
When you prefer headphones that have already been chosen and reviewed by many other users.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 99% of models
Popularity:
Sennheiser CX 685 Sports has a popularity score of 1 point, which is lower than that of 73.4% of products in this category.
1.0
Value for money
Value for money
6.8/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the headphones' overall rating with their cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for headphones that offer a strong balance of performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 84% of models
Score components:

70%

5.4

Overall score

30%

10

Price

6.8
Active noise cancellation (ANC)
no
This pair of headphones does not support active noise cancellation. 27.5% of headphones support active noise cancellation.
Driver type
dynamic
Driver size
9 mm
Market range: <10 mm – >50 mm
This pair of headphones uses a driver size of 9 mm, smaller driver size than 92.3% of headphones and equal to 2.6% of headphones.
Number of drivers
1
Market range: <1 – >4
This pair of headphones uses 1 drivers, fewer drivers than 4% of headphones and equal to 96% of headphones.
Lowest frequency
18 Hz
Market range: <5 Hz – >20 Hz
This pair of headphones reaches a lowest frequency of 18 Hz, lower lowest frequency than 49.6% of headphones and equal to 3.6% of headphones.
Show more
Noise-canceling microphone
no
This pair of headphones does not support a noise-canceling microphone. 39% of headphones support noise-canceling microphones.
Can be used as a headset
no
This pair of headphones is not headset-ready, while 15.1% is. 84.9% of headphones can be used as headsets.
Number of microphones
0
Market range: <0 – >4
This pair of headphones has 0 microphones, fewer microphones than 73.2% of headphones and equal to 26.9% of headphones.
Boom microphone
no
This pair of headphones does not include a boom microphone. 13.5% of headphones have a boom microphone.
Microphone SNR
N/A
Show more
Connectivity
wired
This pair of headphones supports wired connectivity, less flexible connectivity than 49.2% of headphones and equal to 50.8% of headphones.
Bluetooth version
N/A
Maximum Bluetooth range
N/A
Audio latency
N/A
Multipoint support
no
This pair of headphones does not support multipoint. 30.6% of headphones support multipoint.
Show more
Ambient sound mode
no
This pair of headphones does not offer ambient sound mode. 24.9% of headphones support ambient sound mode.
EQ support
no
This pair of headphones does not support EQ customization. 23.2% of headphones support EQ.
Companion app
no
This pair of headphones does not work with a companion app. 21.6% of headphones support companion apps.
Adjustable ANC levels
N/A
Voice assistant support
no
This pair of headphones does not support voice assistants. 60.9% of headphones support voice assistants.
Show more
Battery life
N/A
Battery life with ANC
N/A
Charging time
N/A
Quick charge
yes
This pair of headphones supports quick charge. 67% of headphones support quick charge.
Battery capacity
N/A
Show more
Brand name
Sennheiser
Form factor
in-ear
Weight
14 g
Market range: <14 g – >340 g
This pair of headphones weighs 14 g, lighter than 89.7% of headphones and equal to 1.3% of headphones.
Acoustic design
closed-back
Clamp force
N/A
Show more

Sennheiser CX 685 Sports vs the average pair of headphones

246810TotalDesignSoundBatteryConnectivityCalls & ControlsFeatures
  • 93.6% lower weight
    This pair of headphones is lighter than the average pair of headphones (14 g vs 218 g). The average pair of headphones weighs 218 g.
    14 g vs 218 g
  • 18 dB/mW higher sensitivity
    This pair of headphones has a higher sensitivity than the average pair of headphones (120 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW). The average headphones have sensitivity of 102 dB/mW.
    120 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW
  • Direct 3.5 mm plug
    This pair of headphones includes a direct 3.5 mm plug, the average pair of headphones does not. 39.8% of headphones have a 3.5 mm male connector.
  • Quick charge support
    This pair of headphones supports quick charge, the average pair of headphones does not. 33% of headphones support quick charge.
  • AAC codec support
    This pair of headphones supports AAC, the average pair of headphones does not. 32.2% of headphones support AAC.
  • Water resistance
    This pair of headphones is water resistant, the average pair of headphones is not. 20.2% of headphones are water resistant.
  • 17 dB SPL higher sound pressure level
    This pair of headphones has a higher sound pressure level than the average pair of headphones (120 dB SPL vs 103 dB SPL). The average headphones reach a sound pressure level of 103 dB SPL.
    120 dB SPL vs 103 dB SPL
  • 93.6% lower weight
    This pair of headphones is lighter than the average pair of headphones (14 g vs 218 g). The average pair of headphones weighs 218 g.
    14 g vs 218 g
  • Water resistance
    This pair of headphones is water resistant, the average pair of headphones is not. 20.2% of headphones are water resistant.
  • 18 dB/mW higher sensitivity
    This pair of headphones has a higher sensitivity than the average pair of headphones (120 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW). The average headphones have sensitivity of 102 dB/mW.
    120 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW
  • 17 dB SPL higher sound pressure level
    This pair of headphones has a higher sound pressure level than the average pair of headphones (120 dB SPL vs 103 dB SPL). The average headphones reach a sound pressure level of 103 dB SPL.
    120 dB SPL vs 103 dB SPL
  • Quick charge support
    This pair of headphones supports quick charge, the average pair of headphones does not. 33% of headphones support quick charge.
  • Direct 3.5 mm plug
    This pair of headphones includes a direct 3.5 mm plug, the average pair of headphones does not. 39.8% of headphones have a 3.5 mm male connector.
  • AAC codec support
    This pair of headphones supports AAC, the average pair of headphones does not. 32.2% of headphones support AAC.
  • 31 mm smaller driver size
    This pair of headphones has smaller driver size than the average pair of headphones (9 mm vs 40 mm). The average headphones use a driver size of 40 mm.
    9 mm vs 40 mm
  • Non-replaceable earpads
    This pair of headphones has non-replaceable earpads, while the average pair of headphones has replaceable ones. 75.6% of headphones have replaceable earpads.
  • No voice assistant support
    This pair of headphones does not support voice assistants, the average pair of headphones does. 60.8% of headphones support voice assistants.
  • Fixed cable
    This pair of headphones has a fixed cable, while the average pair of headphones has a detachable one. 62% of headphones have a detachable cable.
  • Not headset-ready
    This pair of headphones is not headset-ready, while the average pair of headphones is. 84.8% of headphones can be used as headsets.
  • No battery indicator
    This pair of headphones does not show battery level clearly, while the average pair of headphones does. 56.3% of headphones have a battery level indicator.
  • 1 fewer microphones
    This pair of headphones has fewer microphones than the average pair of headphones (0 vs 1). The average headphones have 1 microphones.
    0 vs 1
  • 5.87x less popular
    Sennheiser CX 685 Sports is less popular than the average pair of headphones (1 vs 5.9).
    1 vs 5.87
  • 5.87x less popular
    Sennheiser CX 685 Sports is less popular than the average pair of headphones (1 vs 5.9).
    1 vs 5.87
  • 7.1% worse value for money
    Sennheiser CX 685 Sports has worse value for money than the average pair of headphones (6.79 vs 7.3).
    6.79 vs 7.27
  • Non-replaceable earpads
    This pair of headphones has non-replaceable earpads, while the average pair of headphones has replaceable ones. 75.6% of headphones have replaceable earpads.
  • Fixed cable
    This pair of headphones has a fixed cable, while the average pair of headphones has a detachable one. 62% of headphones have a detachable cable.
  • Tangle-prone cable
    This pair of headphones uses a tangle-prone cable, while the average pair of headphones is easier to manage. 64.2% of headphones use a tangle-free cable.
  • 31 mm smaller driver size
    This pair of headphones has smaller driver size than the average pair of headphones (9 mm vs 40 mm). The average headphones use a driver size of 40 mm.
    9 mm vs 40 mm
  • 0.2 % higher distortion
    This pair of headphones has a higher total harmonic distortion than the average pair of headphones (0.5 % vs 0.3 %). The average headphones have total harmonic distortion of 0.3 %.
    0.5 % vs 0.3 %
  • No battery indicator
    This pair of headphones does not show battery level clearly, while the average pair of headphones does. 56.3% of headphones have a battery level indicator.
  • Not headset-ready
    This pair of headphones is not headset-ready, while the average pair of headphones is. 84.8% of headphones can be used as headsets.
  • 1 fewer microphones
    This pair of headphones has fewer microphones than the average pair of headphones (0 vs 1). The average headphones have 1 microphones.
    0 vs 1
  • No voice assistant support
    This pair of headphones does not support voice assistants, the average pair of headphones does. 60.8% of headphones support voice assistants.
  • 4 older release date
    This pair of headphones was released earlier than the average pair of headphones (2012 vs 2016). The average headphones were released in 2016.
    September 2012
    2012 vs 2016

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

9.0
DB Tech
≈ estimated
28/05/2015
Hands-on review · running fit, comfort and sound
Verdict
Sennheiser CX 685 Sports suits running well, with a secure fit, comfort and good sound, though earlier pairs wore out.
9.0
Techinbits
≈ estimated
26/08/2013
Hands-on review · gym fit, sweat and sound
Verdict
Sennheiser CX 685 Sports suits gym use, with a secure fit and balanced sound, though bass is less deep.
Not graded
Overview video

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

pcmag.com
05/06/2013
Listening test · Sports earphones
Verdict
The Sennheiser CX 685 Sports is a sweat-proof workout earphone with deep, clean bass that is a bargain if you can live without a remote.
tomsguide.com
14/04/2015
Hands-on test · Workout earphones
Verdict
The Sennheiser CX 685 Sports is a comfortable, well-balanced workout earphone that suits the gym, though it has no remote and its cord tangles easily.
uk.pcmag.com
21/01/2014
Listening test · Exercise earphones
Verdict
The Sennheiser CX 685 Sports sounds excellent, with rich lows and crisp highs, and is a bargain if you can live without a remote.
au.pcmag.com
05/06/2013
Listening test · Sports earphones
Verdict
The Sennheiser CX 685 Sports is a sweat-proof exercise earphone with deep, clean bass, though its lack of a remote and microphone holds it back.
maximalpuls.de
No date available
Running test · Sports earphones
Verdict
The Sennheiser CX 685 is a light, secure earphone for running, though its sound is not outstanding and it has no cable remote.

Third-party reviews

What customers like about Sennheiser CX 685 Sports

  • Secure and stable fit due to the unique 'Slide-to-Fit' ear-fin design, even during high-intensity running
  • Excellent audio quality with well-balanced sound, rich bass, and crisp highs
  • High durability with sweat-proof and moisture-resistant materials suitable for workouts
  • Comfortable for extended wear once adjusted properly
  • Good passive noise isolation, though it still allows some ambient sound for safety during outdoor runs

What customers don't like about Sennheiser CX 685 Sports

  • Lacks an inline remote control and microphone, requiring the device to be used for volume and track changes
  • The cord is thin and prone to tangling
  • Noticeable 'cable noise' (microphonics) when the cord rubs against clothing during movement
  • Can become uncomfortable for some users with smaller ears after several hours of use
  • Fitting mechanism can be 'fiddly' or take time to adjust correctly at first

Verdict

The Sennheiser CX 685 Sports are rugged, sweat-resistant in-ear headphones featuring a secure 'Slide-to-Fit' system with adjustable ear fins and a high-strength para-aramid reinforced cable. Technically, they offer a frequency response of 18 Hz – 20,000 Hz, a sound pressure level of 120 dB, a low 16-ohm impedance, and less than 0.5% total harmonic distortion for clear, punchy audio even at high volumes. Main pros include their exceptionally stable fit for intense physical activity, balanced sound profile with deep bass, and durable moisture-resistant construction. However, a significant con is the complete lack of an inline remote or microphone, meaning users cannot control volume or take calls directly from the 1.2m symmetrical cable.

Compare Sennheiser CX 685 Sports with other products in the Headphones category

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