Home Wireless Earbuds Apple Airpods Pro (2Nd Gen) Vs. Sennheiser Cx 500Bt

A Review By Comparison of the Apple Airpods Pro (2Nd Gen) Vs. Sennheiser Cx 500Bt

Last updated on Apr 12, 2023   8 min read
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Sennheiser CX 500BT

Sennheiser CX 500BT

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Reasons why you might like the Sennheiser CX 500BT

Overall Score 6.6 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX4
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 8 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 4 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode
VS
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

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Reasons why you might like the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Overall Score 6.4 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX4
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 6 hours
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode

A summary of the review by feature comparison

Category Features Sennheiser CX 500BT Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IPX4 IPX4
weight 12g 10.6g
has no wires or cables
sweat resistance
has stereo speakers
SOUND QUALITY has active noise cancellation (noise control)
has passive noise reduction
driver unit size 11mm
lowest frequency 5Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 21000Hz 20000Hz
sound pressure level 94dB/mW
POWER battery life 8hours 6hours
battery life of charging case 16hours 24hours
charge time 1hours
battery power 49.7mAh
has wireless charging
has a battery level indicator
CONNECTIVITY has usb type-c
bluetooth version v5.2 v5.3
maximum bluetooth range 10meters 10meters
has aac
has aptx adaptive
MICROPHONE number of microphones 4only 6only
has a noise-canceling microphone
highest mic frequency 10000Hz
lowest mic frequency 100Hz
EXTRAS has ambient sound mode
has in/on-ear detection
has find earbuds feature
supports fast charging
multipoint count 2only
has a mute function
control panel placed on a device
warranty period 2Years
has voice prompts
travel bag is included
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A breakdown of the review per specifications

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Sennheiser CX 500BT IPX4
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) IPX4

IP ratings refer to the rating of protection given by an enclosure, against solids and water. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value means protection against solids say dust, followed by the one that refers to protection against liquids (sweat).

Scoring IPX4, the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s rating for solids indicates that no data available to specify a protection rating, and the second number of 4 means that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes.

Compared to the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), Sennheiser CX 500BT have a rating of IPX4 meaning that we are not yet certain of their rating with solids (dust) and that of liquids is that, they both have the same rating against liquids

Weight

Sennheiser CX 500BT 12g
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 10.6g

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a weight of 10.6g . We consider a lower weight better because lighter devices are more comfortable to carry.

The Sennheiser CX 500BT, at 12g weigh more than the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) by of 1.4g

Has No Wires Or Cables

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

For a device to be true wireless it should have no wires connecting any part of the device together, Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) are true wireless for this case since they have no wires. This is a key distinction as some wireless earbuds have wires linking the two earbuds together.

Sennheiser CX 500BT also is true wireless since it has no cables connecting the 2 earbuds .

Sweat Resistance

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have sweat resistance

Sennheiser CX 500BT's resistance to sweat makes both devices ideal for use during long-distance running, marathons, training in workout bodysuits, etc

Has Stereo Speakers

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have stereo speakers, what this means is that Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better listening experience.

The Sennheiser CX 500BT also have stereo speakers

Sennheiser CX 500BT
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Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Active noise cancellation makes use of advanced kind of tech to reduce ambient sounds. ANC works when, it studies the sound pattern of incoming noise and after inverts the soundwaves to cancel it out. In simple terms, it's like taking +1 (sound from your surrounding) then producing -1 (inverted noise) giving 0 hence "diluting" the noise.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have Active Noise Cancellation enabling you to listen at lower volume levels, good for your ears as you don't have to crank up the earbuds volume to overcome background noise.

Sennheiser CX 500BT too have Active Noise Cancellation which makes either of the earbuds ideal for flights and rush hour travels. Each work with different noise cancellation modes, pick the noise cancellation type that suits your commute or that enhances your relaxation time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) stay well in place, creating an acoustic seal that reduces your environment noise while preventing the device music from leaking out .

Both of these devices have passive noise reduction which means that they reduce ambient noise without using ANC to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 11mm

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a unit size of 11mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, therefor producing better bass. The driver unit is the component that produces sound in the earbuds, the unit size dictates the loudness of the device.

Lowest Frequency

Sennheiser CX 500BT 5Hz
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 20Hz

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well a particular audio device produces low frequencies that can be heard, and if it alters the signal on its way through.

Sennheiser CX 500BT's lowest frequency is at 5Hz, this implies that Sennheiser CX 500BT can produce a juicier bass than the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Highest Frequency

Sennheiser CX 500BT 21000Hz
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 20000Hz

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s highest frequency is at 20000Hz, high-frequency response shows how well a particular audio component produces high recognizable frequencies and if it changes to the signal while at it.

Sennheiser CX 500BT's highest frequency is at 21000Hz, this means that Sennheiser CX 500BT produce a clearer and crispier treble than the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Sound Pressure Level

Sennheiser CX 500BT 94dB/mW
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

SPL, is the level of pressure of sound, in decibels, dB, Sennheiser CX 500BT's measurement is 94dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.

Power

Battery Life

Sennheiser CX 500BT 8hours
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 6hours

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s battery life is 6 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average for a single charge. A device's battery life is given by the manufacturer, and with more battery hours, you get to use it for longer and have to charge the device less often.

Sennheiser CX 500BT's battery life is more than that of Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) by 2 hours . Every time you recharge your device, they get a little less playing time. The effect is not noticeable at first, but over time, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Sennheiser CX 500BT 16hours
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 24hours

This is given by the manufacturer, and Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s case is said to have a full charge of 24 hours. A charging case with more battery hours enables you to recharge your earbuds on the go several times before recharging the case itself.

Sennheiser CX 500BT's charging case has a battery life of 16 hours, less than that of Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) by 8 hours

Charge Time

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 1hours

It requires 1 hours to fully charge the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s battery. It is recommended to charge fully the battery before using the earbuds when they have been unused for extended periods.

Battery Power

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 49.7mAh

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s battery power is 49.7mAh, battery power, represents the amount of electrical energy that a battery can store.

Has Wireless Charging

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), the device supports wireless charging. To charge the device, you just put down on a compatible charging pad.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a battery level indicator, an indicator alerts you when the device has a low battery. The battery indicator lights show the charging state of your device and case.

Sennheiser CX 500BT too have a battery level indicator, charging indicators allow you to determine the charging state of your earbuds, whether fully charged, or having a low battery.

Sennheiser CX 500BT
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Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The Sennheiser CX 500BT use USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power through a single cable.

Bluetooth Version

Sennheiser CX 500BT v5.2
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) v5.3

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have Bluetooth version of 5.3, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows data transfers between devices placed in range, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.

Sennheiser CX 500BT has a Bluetooth version of 5.2, older than that of Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Sennheiser CX 500BT 10meters
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 10meters

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a 10meters distance to connect via Bluetooth.

Sennheiser CX 500BT have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Has Aac

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support AAC, a codec that is used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Since it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it can provide better results than other codecs at a similar bit rate.

Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) will work fine with your iPad. If you are planning on using these with Android you need to pay even closer attention to codec support for if they only have AAC they won't provide the best audio quality possible, ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well.

The Sennheiser CX 500BT support AAC as well. Designed to be the successor of the MP3 format, AAC generally achieves higher sound quality than MP3 encoders at the same bit rate.

Has Aptx Adaptive

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The Sennheiser CX 500BT support APTX Adaptive, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It has a variable bit rate (between 279kbps and 420kbps).

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

Sennheiser CX 500BT 4only
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 6only

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have 6 microphones.

Sennheiser CX 500BT microphones are 4, less than that of Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) by 2 . More microphones result in better sound quality and help the device to filter out background sounds.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are made to reduce noise from the desired sound.

The Sennheiser CX 500BT too use a noise-canceling type of microphone. This is useful in noisy environments.

Highest Mic Frequency

Sennheiser CX 500BT 10000Hz
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Sennheiser CX 500BT's highest mic frequency is 10000Hz, high frequencies are best for recording treble. The highest mic frequency of a microphone is defined as its upper limiting frequency.

Lowest Mic Frequency

Sennheiser CX 500BT 100Hz
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Sennheiser CX 500BT's lowest mic frequency is 100Hz, low frequencies are better for recording bass. The lowest mic frequency of a microphone is defined as its lower limiting frequency.

Sennheiser CX 500BT
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Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient noises so that they can still be heard even when wearing them

The Sennheiser CX 500BT support ambient sound mode as well, helpful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of what’s happening around you, for example when you’re having a jog but would still want to be able to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the earbuds can detect when they are removed from your ears .

Sennheiser CX 500BT too support in/on-ear detection, automatically pauses your music, or audiobook when you remove earbuds from your ears saving battery life.

Has Find Earbuds Feature

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

When lost in a room, or can't be found in your bag, the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a find earbuds feature.

Sennheiser CX 500BT also have the find earbuds feature. Use the earbuds app on your smartphone to play an alarm from your earbuds to help you find them.

Supports Fast Charging

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support fast charging. Usually, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to reduce the amount of time it takes to fully charge the earbuds.

The Sennheiser CX 500BT support fast charging. This kind is similar to regular charging, only that the battery is filling up much faster. Say, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in 30 minutes.

Multipoint Count

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 2only

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a multipoint of 2 connections, this feature allows you to link to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. Say, you can easily switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect.

Has A Mute Function

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a mute function, they have the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the earbuds.

The Sennheiser CX 500BT also support the mute function. It means that you unilaterally turn off the earbuds' microphone, but you can still hear the other party talk.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

With the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), so you can access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the device.

The Sennheiser CX 500BT too have a control panel on them.

Warranty Period

Sennheiser CX 500BT 2Years
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Sennheiser CX 500BT have a warranty period of 2 Years, the period of time that warrant free repair and adjustment services in case of a malfunction occurring under normal use that has followed instruction manuals.

Has Voice Prompts

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have voice prompts. With voice prompts, you receive information through audio messages, like if there is an issue with the connection.

Sennheiser CX 500BT too have voice prompts meaning the device will notify you when the battery is running low, and you need to recharge the earbuds.

Travel Bag Is Included

Sennheiser CX 500BT
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) come with their own special case. Carrying earbuds without a case, or placing them in your bag without a cover may easily put them at risk of getting damaged.

Sennheiser CX 500BT also have a travel bag included, which offers safe transportation.

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