OVERALL
ALTERNATIVES
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REVIEWS
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Sennheiser CX 686G Sports Review | 93 Data compared

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

Sennheiser CX 686G 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 686G Sports
6.2/10

Overall score

Score
6.2/ 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 52% of models
Score components

80%

5.8

Technical score

20%

7.6

User score

â–¼Worse than 52% of headphones
7.3

Value for money

Value for money
7.3/ 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 51% of models
Score components

70%

6.2

Overall score

30%

10

Price

â–¼Worse than 51%
5.8

Technical score

Technical score
5.8/ 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 53% of models
Score components

52%

5.6

Sound

20%

5.4

Features

10%

7.2

Design

8%

4.6

Connectivity

6%

7.7

Battery

4%

6.5

Calls & Controls

â–¼Worse than 53%
7.6

User score

User score
7.6/ 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 72% of models
Score components

70%

7.7

User ratings

30%

7.3

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
â–¼Worse than 72%
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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 686G Sports

Technical score
Technical score
5.8/ 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 53% of models
Score components:

52%

5.6

Sound

20%

5.4

Features

10%

7.2

Design

8%

4.6

Connectivity

6%

7.7

Battery

4%

6.5

Calls & Controls

5.8
User score
User score
7.6/ 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 72% of models
Score components

70%

7.7

User ratings

30%

7.3

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
7.6
Popularity
Popularity
7.3/ 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–² Better than 68% of models
Popularity:
Sennheiser CX 686G Sports has a popularity score of 7.3 points, which is higher than that of 67.9% of products in this category.
7.3
Value for money
Value for money
7.3/ 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 51% of models
Score components:

70%

6.2

Overall score

30%

10

Price

7.3
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
7 mm
Market range: <10 mm – >50 mm
This pair of headphones uses a driver size of 7 mm, smaller driver size than 97.9% of headphones and equal to 0.8% 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
yes
This pair of headphones is headset-ready, 84.8% is not. 15.2% of headphones can be used as headsets.
Number of microphones
1
Market range: <0 – >4
This pair of headphones has 1 microphones, more microphones than 26.9% of headphones and equal to 50.9% 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
?
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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
yes
This pair of headphones supports EQ customization. 76.8% 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
yes
This pair of headphones supports voice assistants. 39.2% 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
23 g
Market range: <14 g – >340 g
This pair of headphones weighs 23 g, lighter than 83.9% of headphones and equal to 0.3% of headphones.
Acoustic design
closed-back
Clamp force
N/A
Show more

Sennheiser CX 686G Sports vs the average pair of headphones

246810TotalDesignSoundBatteryConnectivityCalls & ControlsFeatures
  • EQ customization
    This pair of headphones supports EQ customization, the average pair of headphones does not. 23.2% of headphones support EQ.
  • 89.4% lower weight
    This pair of headphones is lighter than the average pair of headphones (23 g vs 218 g). The average pair of headphones weighs 218 g.
    23 g vs 218 g
  • 16 dB/mW higher sensitivity
    This pair of headphones has a higher sensitivity than the average pair of headphones (118 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW). The average headphones have sensitivity of 102 dB/mW.
    118 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.
  • In-line controls
    This pair of headphones includes in-line controls, the average pair of headphones does not. 36.6% of headphones support in-line controls.
  • Wind noise reduction
    This pair of headphones reduces wind noise, the average pair of headphones does not. 34.3% of headphones support wind noise reduction.
  • Water resistance
    This pair of headphones is water resistant, the average pair of headphones is not. 20.2% of headphones are water resistant.
  • 89.4% lower weight
    This pair of headphones is lighter than the average pair of headphones (23 g vs 218 g). The average pair of headphones weighs 218 g.
    23 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.
  • 16 dB/mW higher sensitivity
    This pair of headphones has a higher sensitivity than the average pair of headphones (118 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW). The average headphones have sensitivity of 102 dB/mW.
    118 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW
  • 15 dB SPL higher sound pressure level
    This pair of headphones has a higher sound pressure level than the average pair of headphones (118 dB SPL vs 103 dB SPL). The average headphones reach a sound pressure level of 103 dB SPL.
    118 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.
  • In-line controls
    This pair of headphones includes in-line controls, the average pair of headphones does not. 36.6% of headphones support in-line controls.
  • Wind noise reduction
    This pair of headphones reduces wind noise, the average pair of headphones does not. 34.3% of headphones support wind noise reduction.
  • EQ customization
    This pair of headphones supports EQ customization, the average pair of headphones does not. 23.2% of headphones support EQ.
  • 33 mm smaller driver size
    This pair of headphones has smaller driver size than the average pair of headphones (7 mm vs 40 mm). The average headphones use a driver size of 40 mm.
    7 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 %
  • 5.7% lower user score
    User score
    7.6/ 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
    ▼▼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    Sennheiser CX 686G Sports
    the average pair of headphones
    Sennheiser CX 686G Sports has a lower user score than the average pair of headphones (7.57 vs 8).
    7.57 vs 8
  • 5.7% lower user score
    User score
    7.6/ 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
    ▼▼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    Sennheiser CX 686G Sports
    the average pair of headphones
    Sennheiser CX 686G Sports has a lower user score than the average pair of headphones (7.57 vs 8).
    7.57 vs 8
  • 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.
  • 33 mm smaller driver size
    This pair of headphones has smaller driver size than the average pair of headphones (7 mm vs 40 mm). The average headphones use a driver size of 40 mm.
    7 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 %

Video reviews

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

7.7
SoundGuys
✓ explicit
05/05/2015
Short review · fit, sound and remote tests
Verdict
Sennheiser CX 686G Sports is a decent, bare-bones pair of in-ears that suits gym use well.
Shop video

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

computerbild.de
20/05/2015
Hands-on test · Lightweight earphones
Verdict
The Sennheiser CX 686G is a light, comfortable sports earphone with balanced, detailed sound, though its volume buttons only work with Android phones.
K
konsument.at
25/08/2016
Summary of the review
Sports Headphones: Only Five at Their Best
(Translated)Show original
A
av-online.hu
11/06/2015
Summary of the review
Review of Sennheiser OCX 686G, PMX 686G and CX 686G sports earphones
(Translated)Show original
O
outzer.fr
01/10/2018
Summary of the review
Sennheiser CX 686 review 2018
(Translated)Show original
T
trailandrunning.com
28/08/2020
Summary of the review
Sennheiser OCX 686G Sports: review
(Translated)Show original
S
socialandtech.net
06/08/2019
Summary of the review
SENNHEISER CX SPORT headphones review
(Translated)Show original
A
afdigitale.it
09/11/2018
Summary of the review
Sennheiser CX Sport: the wireless in-ears just one step away from excellence
(Translated)Show original

Third-party reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
Reviews last updated: November 2026 · How we calculate this

What customers like about Sennheiser CX 686G Sports

  • Secure fit during high-intensity activities thanks to the adjustable slide-to-fit ear hooks
  • Balanced audio performance with powerful yet natural-sounding bass
  • Sweat and water-resistant (IPX4 rating) design suitable for gym use
  • Lightweight and comfortable for extended wear compared to previous sport models
  • Tangle-free, reinforced oval cables that minimize cable noise (microphonics)
  • Convenient inline remote with integrated microphone for calls and music control

What customers don't like about Sennheiser CX 686G Sports

  • Inline volume control is incompatible with iOS/Apple devices (works primarily for Android)
  • Cables are still prone to tangling despite the flatter design
  • Bass response may be insufficient for users who prefer very heavy bass
  • High-end frequencies are rolled off, leading to a slightly 'strangled' or constricted sound
  • Remote buttons can feel chunky and sometimes require multiple presses to register

Verdict

The Sennheiser CX 686G Sports is a wired, in-ear headphone designed specifically for fitness, featuring an IPX4 sweat and water-resistance rating and a secure Slide-to-Fit mechanism with adjustable hooks. It delivers a punchy frequency response of 18 Hz to 20,000 Hz, with a sound pressure level of 118 dB and a low 20 Ohm impedance for easy driving on mobile devices. Main pros include a durable, para-aramid reinforced oval cable that minimizes tangling and noise, along with an integrated three-button inline remote and microphone for hands-free control. However, notable cons include limited remote compatibility where volume controls may not work on iOS devices, and some users report that the flat cable can still be prone to tangling.

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