Sennheiser CX 680i

Design

There’s no real competition here: the SE535s feature a much better design than the CX 680is. Their cable detaches from the ear buds to allow inline accessories and to easily replace a broken cable.

Sennheiser CX 680i	Shure SE535

Frequency Response

The Shure SE535s had a significantly more consistent frequency response.

Sennheiser CX 680i	Shure SE535

Distortion

Neither set of headphones had many issues with distortion.

Sennheiser CX 680i	Shure SE535

Tracking

While the CX 680is’ tracking wasn’t exactly all over the board, the SE535s were much more balanced.

Sennheiser CX 680i	Shure SE535

Isolation

The Shure SE535s isolate much more external noise.

Sennheiser CX 680i	Shure SE535

Comfort

We didn’t really think either set of headphones was more comfortable than the other, but their wear styles are pretty different. The SE535s are meant to be worn with the cable draped around the back of the ear. The CX 680is feature a more traditional wear style. We’d recommending trying out each before making a final purchasing decision.

Wear
Sennheiser CX 680i	Shure SE535

Verdict

This match-up is really an issue of budget. Both are good headphones within their respective price points, but those price points are pretty far apart. If you don’t mind taking a hit in durability and sound quality for quite a bit of savings, the CX 680is are the better choice. If you’d rather make the investment up front and not have to deal replacing the entire set of headphones when something breaks down, the SE535s are for you.