Sennheiser takes on Bose with new noise-canceling headphones
Sennheiser PXC300
The product: Last year, Sennheiser's $150 PXC250 active noise-canceling headphones earned high marks from CNET, as we considered them a nice alternative to Bose's more expensive QuietComfort 2 model. Now Sennheiser has announced the step-up PXC300 noise-canceling headphones, which will retail for $219.99. The new model features improved noise-canceling circuitry--Sennheiser has dubbed it Noise-Gard Advanced--but it retains the foldable design of the PXC250 and an in-line battery pack.

• Compact, foldable design
• Improved noise-canceling circuitry that's less susceptible to interference from cell phones and other radio-frequency sources
• Two AAA batteries provide up to 80 hours of noise canceling
• Even with depleted batteries, the headphones continue to function
• Carrying pouch and airline jack adapters included

The price: The PXC300 headphones should be available later this month for $219.99.

The prospects: The price is a little steep, but hopefully you'll be able to find them on the street for less than $200, making them a great alternative to the Bose QuietComfort 2.

By David Carnoy, executive editor, CNET Reviews