Sennheiser, the audiophile brand that also makes professional studio equipment is now making its foray into popular consumer products. Their new communications division is also focusing on good quality headsets and headphones for use with Voice over IP solutions such as Skype, and online/network gaming. Here we will take a look at the m145 USB headset that has been launched recently.

FEATURES: The microphone on the headset features noise cancellation. The headphones do not offer any isolation from background noise and are thus not suitable for use in noisy environments. This, however, ensures that the user is not cut off from the environment and can continue conversation with others in a typical office environment. The headset connects to computers via the USB port as it features an in line soundcard. The soundcard can be disconnected from the headphones which can then be used with normal computer earphone and mic sockets, or any other sound source that has a headphone out. The USB soundcard is class-compliant and does not require any drivers on Windows XP and Mac OS X.

BUILD QUALITY: The m145 USB is a behind¬the-ear headset which is the usual design type for communication applications.The headset has wires coming out from only one side providing relief from the tangle of wires that is usual in today's digital lifestyle. This wire is extremely long at about seven feet and can easily be connected even behind big computer desks. It has an inline remote with volume control for the headphones and an on-off switch for the microphone.

VERDICT: The headphones themselves are of very good quality but their frequency response is more suited to speech applications. The bass is tJipped to reduce booming sounds and even the extreme highs are reduced to a significant extent. These headphones can only be used to listen to vocal-heavy music as that is all they will properly deliver.

FOR: Very good as a headset for VoIP, plug and play use with the included soundcard.
AGAINST: Expensive.


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Specifications
Type: Behind-the-ear;
Interlace: USB,
3.5 mm EP;
Frequency response: 40 Hz - 20 KHz;
Impedence: 32 Ohms;
SPL: 109 dB;
Cable length: 3 m.