Sennheiser RS 170 Vs Rs 180: Comparison Review

Sennheiser RS 170 and RS 180 are best wireless headphones, which both are capable to produce high quality sound with good bass. Both provide comfortable listening experience with better performing drivers and high quality wireless audio transmission features. However, the prices of both are in difference of $100. So, people confused to choose which is best or better. Is there any benefit to spend 100 more dollars for buy RS 180? Therefore, we need a detailed comparison between Sennheiser RS 170 and RS 180.

First, we have to see the both headphones key features. Then we move to compare in the aspect of design, Performance, comfort, portability and money.

The Pros

• Good Sound reproduction
• No sound leakage
• High Wireless signal transferring efficiency

The Cons

• Bass is little flat
• Button arrangement ( On/Off button between Volume buttons)

• Closed circumaural design
• High quality sound with good bass production
• Digital wireless audio transmission up to 260 feet
• Multipurpose transmitter
• Up to 4 people can listen music from the single station
• Bass boosting and surround sound modes included
• 2 AAA batteries is required

Read Sennheiser RS 170 Full Review on TopicSpotter

The Pros

• Amazing sound quality
• Comfortable than RS 170
• Wireless range improved

The Cons

• Higher price
• Sound leak due to open-aire design
• No noise cancelling

• Open circumaural design
• Great Sound quality with huge bass reproduction
• Digital wireless, uncompressed audio transmission up to 320 feet
• Automatic audio level control
• Multipurpose transmitter and receiver like RS 170
• 2 AAA batteries is required

We can see the most of the features are similar in both over-ear headphones. It is obvious because of same brand. They always keep their standard while making each version. However, Sennheiser manufactures always try to improve their product performance and other features each version. That would also reflect when we compare between RS 170 and RS 180. Let us see comparison in terms different features of Sennheiser headphones.

In Sennheiser RS 170 have a CLOSED circumaural design, which prevents sound leakage and you can enjoy the listening item without been disturbed by outside noises. It closed design also provide complete privacy in what you hear. However, in RS 180 have OPEN circumaural design which leaks to sound to outside and losses the privacy of listening and experience disturbance of outside noises. That means, if you put RS 180 to your ears and set the low volume for listening and sit in between two talking person in your family. You can hear both listening part as well as conversions.

As consider the looks of headphones, RS 180 has glossy finish at body and speaker is covered with open, perforated grill body, where as in RS 170 have vinyl finish at speaker body and it is fully closed.

Both headphones controls buttons (power, volume control etc) are find on the lower surface of right side speaker. In RS 170, dynamic bass boost helps to improve the bass of your listening item. Both have same dimensions and weight.

As per sound quality, RS 180 is far better than RS 170, more detailed, excellent bass setting, but I experienced huge sound loss because of open-aire circumaural design, where as in RS 170 sound quality is nice and disappointed due to the flatness of bass.

When I turned on dynamic bass boost, it will suddenly minimize flatness and make my music more clear and enjoyable without any sound leakage and external noises. Overall, in terms of sound performance RS 170 is preferred.

Sennheiser RS 180 is more comfortable the RS 170, which provides open-aire design, minimizes the heating effect inside your ear. The closed type headsets will easily generate heat due to the complete sealing and reduce comfort than RS 180.

Both of the headphones use different types of ear pads. RS 180 uses Velour ear pads, where as RS 170 uses leatherette type pads. Velour type is more comfortable than leatherette. Both of them are headbands are cushioned also helps to improve the comfort feature.

Both Sennheiser headphones have digital wireless transmitter of type KLEER. RS 180 have uncompressed digital transmission of range up to 320 feet, where s RS 170 has up to 260 feet. Both of them are automatically tunes if you loss connection and transmit audio with higher efficiency without any loss or interference.

In terms of money, you can see around $100 dollar price difference between RS 170 and RS 180. In my opinion, there is no need of buying RS 180 by spending $ 100 more dollars, if you prefer loss-less audio experience. I recommended RS 170 for such people and worth for your money.

As conclusion, Sennheiser RS 180 is best in sound reproduction, but sound leakage due to the open-aire design reduces its value as compared with RS 170 (Closed design). There are many over-ear digital headphones are available all over the world. For the slight increase in features you should pay more. To get more hands-on product reviews, visit my review website, HonestReviewNet