Sennheiser Urbanite XL
The Beats revolution has been good for audio fans. Prior to
Beats, most people didn't care about their headphones and now, due to
their popularity, several companies have redesigned or introduced
entirely new lines to cash in on the craze. Sennheiser, the venerable
manufacturer of both affordable and pro-level headphones, has recently
begun releasing more fashionable options like its Momentum series. Now
we have the Sennheiser Urbanite XL, a $xxx USD over-ear pair that is
obviously positioned to compete with Beats. Before the audio purists
start shaking their heads in disbelief, let it be known that this is not
a booming bass headphone pair. There's certainly low end, but the most
Beats-esque part of the Urbanite XL is its physical design. The sound
signature is incredibly crisp, and only reaches for deep lows when they
are already in the mix. If the trendy style isn't a factor for you at
all, the Editors' Choice remains one of the best headphone pairs in
this category.
Design
Like many pairs on the market lately, the Urbanite XL seems visually
like a response to Beats. Unlike so many pairs that actually resemble
the Beats brand by using red cables and glossy finishes, though, the
Urbanite XL has its own personality. The design for our test unit was
all black with crisp white accents, and a touch of brushed aluminum on
the headband sporting the Urbanite name. There are five color options in
all, ranging from muted neutral tones to a purple-and-black color
combination. The resemblance to Beats comes more from the overall shape
of the headphones and their chunky, circumaural (over-the-ear) design
with a wide headband.
The Urbanite XL has a matte finish, with a classy canvas covering
stitched onto the headband. The earpads are incredibly plush and soft,
and extend down from the headband in an interesting way: An extremely
wide, flat cable connecting to each ear extends or retracts into the
headband depending on how much you adjust the fit of the headphones. The
earpads are replaceable, but the Urbanite XL doesn't ship with extra
pairs.
The linguini-style black cable attaches to the left earcup, is
removable, and includes an inline remote control and microphone intended
for use with Apple iOS devices. You can adjust volume, play/pause
tracks, answer/end calls, and skip forward or backward through
playlists. The Urbanite XL ships with a protective drawstring pouch, and
the headphones collapse at hinges on the headband to fit inside. Unlike
several options in this price range, the Urbanite XL doesn't include an
extra audio cable. For the price, the accessories seem a bit scarce.
Performance
On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife's "Silent
Shout," the Urbanite XL dutifully provides deep lows to the listener,
but it's not a wildly boosted bass experience. In fact, while you get a
perfect sense of the sub-bass on this track, it's the high frequency
content that stands out, and the vocals and some of the percussive
transients are as likely to catch your attention as anything in the
realm of the subwoofer. The low-frequency levels are not very similar at
all when compared to most big bass headphone pairs, and Sennheiser has
not abandoned it sense of balance and commitment to the mids.
Bill Callahan's "Drover" further demonstrates the crispness of the
Urbanite XL's mids- and highs-focused sound signature. Callahan's
baritone vocals are delivered with a perfect amount of treble edge to
remain well-defined and in front of the mix, and they receive little in
the way of bass boosting (which they really don't need in the first
place). The drums on this track also receive little in the way of
low-end sculpting, which keeps them from occupying more space in the mix
than they should—a common problem with this track when deep lows are
painted onto the mix.
On Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild," the sub-bass synth
hits are not delivered with the intense deep bass power you expect from
a Beats-like pair. Instead, the focus is once again on mids and highs.
While the track doesn't sound brittle, you notice more of the raspy
high-end of the synth hits than the deep lows, and the vocals and the
attack of the kick drum loop remain clear and in the spotlight. This
isn't a weak, bass-free sound, but it is more focused on balance than
booming lows.
Classical tracks, like the opening scene in John Adams' "The Gospel
According to the Other Mary," have a decent sense of low end. Lower
register strings get a natural resonance, but nothing deep or intense is
added to their presence. The overall sound here is crisp and bright,
with a pleasant, subtle bass response.
Basically, the Urbanite XL isn't about big bass—it's about refined
bass. If you're looking for a whopping amount of deep bass, both the and
the should satisfy you demands. If the balance of the Urbanite XL is
what you're after, but for less money, both the Editors' Choice
Sennheiser HD 558 and the are wonderful-sounding, slightly more
affordable options. For $xxx USD, the Sennheiser Urbanite XL combines
style with a quality audio experience. It's not our absolute favorite
pair from Sennheiser, but we're talking about a company that doesn't
really deal in mediocrity. If you like the look of these headphones—and
you're not looking for booming low-end—you won't be disappointed.
