Sennheiser PC141

Another model in Sennheiser's range of PC headphones, the PC141 is designed as an all-purpose computer headset for gaming, music and internet telephony. The headphones sport a comfortable over-the-ear design with a microphone, and while the audio quality may not be stunning, it's more than adequate for day-to-day use.

We ran a combination of audio tests on these headphones and, in general, they performed relatively well. They had nice balance during our music tests, with no one element overshadowing the others. The mid-range had a reasonable amount of detail, although it was a little unrefined. This lead to quite a harsh sound which, at times, became fatiguing.

Meanwhile, the bass extended quite deeply, but sounded a little hollow, which was noticeable in several of our music tracks. This also extended through to our music and game testing, where this model didn't perform as well as the previous Sennheiser headset we've looked at, the PC 161. These types of media tend to benefit from powerful, high-quality bass, and while the PC141 did a relatively good job here, it wasn't mind-blowing. The bass rumbled quite nicely, but lacked the impact necessary to really make games and movies enjoyable. It was fine for occasional use, but if you're a regular movie-watcher, you may want to look elsewhere.

We found the positional audio solid in both tests. During games, we were adequately able to locate people around us, which should satisfy first-person shooter fans. Meanwhile, our music was presented with a good, but not outstanding soundstage, which resembled a small hall with a somewhat airy sound.

We also tested the quality of the recorded audio and found everything to be in order. Recordings were crisp and clear, and the included microphone will be perfectly suitable for internet telephony or voice communication for games.

The PC141 has an over-the-ear design typical of many portable pairs of headphones. They are quite comfortable to wear, even for long sessions, although some people with larger ears can find the band digs in a little after a while. The cups are covered with foam, which sites nicely on the ears, however it can get hot at times. The main downside to an over-the-ear design is the inability to adjust the size of the headset, so if you find it uncomfortable there is little you can do to fix the issue.

As this is an open pair of headphones, sound leakage is a concern. When music was pumping through them, it could be heard by all the people seated in the vicinity. Furthermore, external noise was readily audible, even with volume at high levels. This is to be expected from a pair of headphones with such a design, but keep it in mind if you plan on regularly using them in a quiet environment.