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High (HiFi?) quality headphones for iPhone "shut out traffic noise"

The MM50 iP is described by Sennheiser as "the first high quality music headset for the iPhone," and the promise is: "upgraded music quality to take and make calls; tailor-made for the iPhone. "

Purists will instantly stand up and say: "But the iPod isn't a HiFi device, so it can't be a HiFi system.

Well, Sennheiser sort of admits that. The in-ear capsules are described as "from the Sennheiser CX Hi-fi range" and the mouthpiece is "a quality microphone from the professional mic maker."

Or, to quote Sennheiser's full blurb, it is: "a Stereo Music Headset for the Apple iPhone that adds communication capability to top of the class sound and is a major quality upgrade to the supplied Apple headset."

Featuries include a claimed improvement on battery life because of "very high efficiency" and "an advanced, miniaturised driver, tailored by Sennheiser for smooth, acoustically correct in-ear operation.

This provides the MM 50 with an extended response (18 Hz- 22 kHz) "for satisfying musical detail and impressive yet well-defined bass."

Here's the rest of the spec:

Supplied with three different sizes of ear adapters for a perfect fit

High isolation against environmental and ambient noise

Good bass response, excellent clarity, smooth treble

Natural sound reproduction and strong dynamics

Integrated in-line microphone with convenient answer/end button

Button also controls iPhone music pause/skip etc

Asymmetrical cable for optimum wearing comfort

3.5 mm mini jack, 4-pole

3 ear sleeves (small, medium, large)

Extremely small and lightweight

2-year warranty

There's one caveat: make sure these don't get you killed, crossing the road. Chances are, you won't hear the bus:

"Unlike Apple's headset which leaks noise, the MM 50s are built like earplugs, to reduce background noise, allowing the user to listen at lower volumes. Due to the earplug effect, very little sound leaks out, so people are not irritated."

Yes; and you'll be able to hear the music on noisy trains like the London Underground; but you will hear very little traffic noise when walking along the road. Look both ways!

For further information, please visit the website at http://www.sennheiser.co.uk/