Sennheiser PXC 550-II User manual

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PXC 550-II
Around-ear headphones
SEBT5
Instruction manual
Important safety instructions.................................................................2
Package contents.................................................................................4
Product overview..................................................................................5
Getting started....................................................................................11
Using the headphones........................................................................12
Care and maintenance.......................................................................30
FAQ/If a problem occurs …................................................................31
Specifications......................................................................................33
Manufacturer Declarations .................................................................34
Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG
Am Labor 1
30900 Wedemark
Germany
www.sennheiser.com
Version: 09/19 A01

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Important safety instructions
▷Read this instruction manual carefully and completely before using the product.
▷Always include this instruction manual when passing the product on to third parties.
▷Do not use an obviously defective product.
▷Only use the product in environments where Bluetooth® wireless transmission is permitted.
Preventing damage to health and accidents
▷Protect your hearing from high volume levels. Permanent hearing damage may occur when
headphones are used at high volume levels for long periods of time. Sennheiser headphones
sound exceptionally good at low and medium volume levels.
▷The product generates stronger permanent magnetic fields that could cause interference with
cardiac pacemakers, implanted defibrillators (ICDs) and other implants. Always maintain a distance
of at least 3.94"/10 cm between the product component containing the magnet and the cardiac
pacemaker, implanted defibrillator, or other implant.
▷Keep the product, accessories and packaging parts out of reach of children and pets to prevent
accidents. Swallowing and choking hazard.
▷Do not use the product in an environment that requires your special attention (e.g. in traffic or when
performing skilled jobs).
Preventing damage to the product and malfunctions
▷Always keep the product dry and do not expose it to extreme temperatures (hairdryer, heater,
extended exposure to sunlight, etc.) to avoid corrosion or deformation. The normal operating
temperature is from 0 to 40 °C/50 to 104 °F.
▷Use only attachments/accessories/spare parts supplied or recommended by Sennheiser.
▷Clean the product only with a soft, dry cloth.
▷Use the product with care and store it in a clean, dust-free environment.
Safety instructions for the lithium polymer rechargeable battery
WARNING
If abused or misused, the rechargeable batteries may leak.
In extreme cases, they may even present a risk of:
•heat generation,
•fire development,
•explosion,
•smoke or gas development.
Only use rechargeable batteries and chargers
recommended by Sennheiser.
Only charge the product / rechargeable batteries at
ambient temperatures between +10 °C to +40 °C/+50 to
104 °F.
Do not heat the product / rechargeable batteries above
+70 °C/140 °F. Avoid exposure to sunlight and do not
throw the product / rechargeable batteries into fire.

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When not using the product / rechargeable batteries for
extended periods of time, charge them regularly (about
every three months).
Switch rechargeable battery-powered products off after
use.
Dispose of defective products with built-in rechargeable
batteries at special collection points or return them to your
specialist dealer.
Notes on data collection and processing and on firmware updates
This product stores individual settings such as the volume and the Bluetooth addresses of paired
devices. This data is required for the operation of the product and is not transferred to Sennheiser or
companies commissioned by Sennheiser and is not processed.
Using the “Sennheiser Smart Control” app, you can update the firmware of the product for free via an
Internet connection. If the device on which the app is installed is connected to the Internet, the follow-
ing data is automatically transferred to and processed by Sennheiser servers in order to provide and
transfer suitable firmware updates: hardware identifier, hardware revision number, firmware version of
the product and version of the app. The data will only be used as specified and will not be stored
permanently. If you do not want this data to be transferred and processed, do not connect to the
Internet.
Intended use/Liability
These headphones have been designed as an accessory for Bluetooth compliant devices. They are
intended for wireless audio communication such as music playback and phone calls via Bluetooth
wireless technology.
It is considered improper use when the product is used for any application not named in the
corresponding product documentation.
Sennheiser does not accept liability for damage arising from misuse or improper use of this product
and its attachments/accessories.
Sennheiser is not liable for damages to USB devices that are not consistent with the USB
specifications.
Sennheiser is not liable for damages resulting from the loss of connection due to flat or overaged
rechargeable batteries or exceeding the Bluetooth transmission range.
Before putting into operation, please observe the respective country-specific regulations.

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Package contents
PXC 550-II around-ear headphones
SEBT5
USB cable with micro-USB connector,
length approx. 1.2 m
Analog audio cable with 2.5 mm jack plug and
3.5 mm jack plug,
length approx. 1.4 m
In-flight adapter
Carry case
Quick guide
Safety guide
Online you can find:
•this detailed instruction manual and additional information www.sennheiser.com/download
•the Sennheiser Smart Control app for configuring the headphones and for additional
functions www.sennheiser.com/smartcontrol
A list of accessories can be found on the PXC 550-II product
page at www.sennheiser.com. Contact your local Sennheiser
partner: www.sennheiser.com > “Service & Support”.

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Product overview
PXC 550-II
Headband
Ear cup joint with on/off function for the headphones
Ear cups, steplessly adjustable
Microphones for active noise cancellation ANC:
2x directed outward, 2x directed inward (not visible)
Touch pad (right ear cup)
Bluetooth on/off switch
position: off “0”, on “I”

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Ear pads
Speech microphones (3x) for phone calls
Active noise cancellation (ANC) switch
position: off “0”, USER mode “I”, MAX mode “II”
Voice assistant button
pressing for 4 seconds activates the Bluetooth pairing
mode
LED
Input for USB micro-B;
for charging and music playback/data connection
Input for analog audio cable;
when a cable is connected, flight mode is activated/
Bluetooth is deactivated
Overview of the LED display
During operation
LED
Meaning; the headphones...
flashes white 3x
... switch on
flashes white 3x
... are connected to a device via Blue-
tooth
flashes red 3x
... switch off
flashes red 3x
... are not connected to a device via
Bluetooth or the connection has been
lost
flashes white
sequentially
... are in Bluetooth pairing mode
flashes red
A charging error/battery error has
occurred (> Information on the built-in
rechargeable battery)
During phone calls
LED
Meaning
flashes white 3x
Incoming call

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flashes red 3x
Incoming call and the rechargeable
battery of
the headphones is almost empty
During charging
LED
Meaning
1 red
Rechargeable battery is almost empty
(less than 2% charged)
1 white
Battery is approx. 2-20% charged
2 white
Battery is approx. 20-40% charged
3 white
Battery is approx. 40-60% charged
4 white
Battery is approx. 60-80% charged
5 white
Battery is more than 80% charged
If the LED display does not light up immediately during
charging, clean the charging contacts and charge the head-
phones until the LED lights up again (> Charging the
headphones' rechargeable battery).
Notes on voice prompts
The headphones output voice prompts for various functions (see examples below). Using the Smart
Control app, you can change the language of the voice prompts, choose between voice prompts and
beep sounds, or deactivate the status messages with a few exceptions (e.g. rechargeable battery is
empty).
Voice prompt
Meaning/headphones
“Power on”
are switched on
“Power off”
are switched off
“Device (1) (2) connected”
are connected to device 1 or 2
“No connection”
are not connected via Bluetooth
“Pairing”
are in Bluetooth pairing mode
“Pairing successful”
Bluetooth pairing successful
“No device found”
cannot connect to a paired device
“Volume min”
volume set to minimum
“Volume max”
volume set to maximum
“Call rejected”
incoming call rejected
“Call ended”
call ended
“Mute on”
Microphone is muted, active call is put
on hold
“Mute off”
Microphone is reactivated
“More than xx % battery left”
Rechargeable battery has the stated
charge level

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“Recharge headset”
Rechargeable battery is empty.
Recharge the headphones.
Overview of the buttons and switches
ANC switch
Position
Function
See
ANC is deactivated
> Information
on active
noise
cancellation
ANC
ANC is activated
USER mode (can be adjusted via the
Smart Control app)
ANC is activated
MAX mode
Bluetooth on/off switch
Position
Function
See
Bluetooth is activated
> Deactivating
Bluetooth/activating
the flight mode
Bluetooth is deactivated

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Voice assistant button
Press the
button
Function
See
Activates/deactivates the voice
assistant
> Using the
voice
assistant/voice
dialing
Activates the Bluetooth pairing mode
> Pairing the
headphones
with a
Bluetooth
device
Overview of the smart control
Basic control
Switch-on
Switch-off
Gesture control via the touch pad
Briefly tap the touch pad once
Briefly tap the touch pad
twice

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Tap the touch pad and hold for
2 seconds
Tap the touch pad and hold for
3 seconds
Vertical swipe
Horizontal swipe
Vertical swipe and hold
Horizontal swipe and hold

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Getting started
1. Charging the rechargeable battery
The headphones' rechargeable battery is not fully charged upon delivery. Before using the
headphones for the first time, charge the rechargeable battery for a complete charging cycle without
interruption (> Charging the headphones' rechargeable battery).
2. Installing the Smart Control app on your smartphone
The Sennheiser Smart Control app allows you to use all functions and settings of the headphones and
to e.g. adjust the sound to your liking using the equalizer (> Installing the Smart Control app).
3. Connecting the headphones to a Bluetooth device
Connect the headphones to your smartphone via Bluetooth (> Connecting the headphones to a
Bluetooth device).
4. Putting the headphones on and adjusting the headband
For good sound quality and best possible wearing comfort, the headband can be adjusted to properly
fit your head (> Putting the headphones on and adjusting the headband ).

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Using the headphones
Information on the rechargeable battery and the charging process
The headphones have a built-in rechargeable battery. A complete charging cycle takes about 3 hours.
The headphones provide 1.5 hours of playback time with a charging time of approx. 10 minutes.
Before using the headphones for the first time, charge the rechargeable battery for a complete
charging cycle without interruption.
When the headphones are being charged, the LED lights up (> Overview of the LED display). When
the battery charge drops to a critical level, a voice prompt asks you to recharge the headphones
(“Recharge headset”).
Sennheiser recommends using the supplied USB cable and a compatible standard USB power supply
for charging the headphones.
While the headphones are being charged, you can still listen to music or make phone calls. In this
case, however, the charging time may be longer.
Charging the headphones' rechargeable battery
1.Connect the micro USB connector of the charging cable to the micro USB socket of the headphones.
2.Connect the other USB connector of the charging cable to a corresponding socket of a USB power
source (* to be ordered separately). Make sure that the USB power source is connected to the power
supply system.
The charging process of the headphones begins. The LED displays the charge status:
LED
Meaning
1 red
Rechargeable battery is almost empty
(less than 2% charged)

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1 white
Battery is approx. 2-20% charged
2 white
Battery is approx. 20-40% charged
3 white
Battery is approx. 40-60% charged
4 white
Battery is approx. 60-80% charged
5 white
Battery is more than 80% charged
If the LED does not light up immediately during charging, clean
the charging contacts and charge the headphones until the
LED lights up again (> Charging the headphones' rechargeable
battery).
You can speed up the charging process by charging the head-
phones when they are switched off. For more information on
listening to music using the USB cable, > Connecting the
headphones using the USB cable.
Connecting the headphones to a Bluetooth device
To be able to use the Bluetooth connection, you must register both devices (headphones and e.g.
smartphone) once. This process is called pairing.
If operation differs from the steps mentioned, also refer to the instruction manual of the Bluetooth
device you are using.
When you switch on the headphones for the first time, they
automatically switch to pairing mode.
Information on the Bluetooth wireless connection
The headphones are compatible with Bluetooth 5.0.
If your audio source supports one of the following high-resolution audio encoding methods, music is
automatically played in high audio quality: aptX, aptX LL or AAC. Otherwise the headphones will play
your music in normal audio quality (SBC).
Paired devices establish the Bluetooth wireless connection immediately after switch-on and are ready
for use.
On switch-on, the headphones automatically try to connect to the last two connected Bluetooth
devices. The headphones can save the connection profiles of up to eight Bluetooth devices with which
they have been paired.

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If you pair the headphones with the ninth Bluetooth device, the saved connection profile of the least
used Bluetooth device will be overwritten. If you want to re-establish a connection with the overwritten
Bluetooth device, you have to pair the headphones again.
Paired and connected Bluetooth device
Paired Bluetooth device (currently not connected)
Pairing the headphones with a Bluetooth device
1.Switch the headphones on (> Switching the headphones on) and place them close to the Bluetooth
device (max. 20 cm).
2.Press and hold the voice assistant button for 4 seconds until you hear the voice prompt “Pairing”.
The LEDs flash white one after the other. The headphones are in pairing mode.
3.Activate Bluetooth on your Bluetooth device.
4.Via the menu of your Bluetooth device, start the search for new Bluetooth devices.
All active Bluetooth devices in the proximity of your Bluetooth device are displayed.
5.From the list of found Bluetooth devices, select “PXC 550-II”. If necessary, enter the default pin code
“0000”.
If pairing was successful, you hear the voice prompts “Pairing successful” and “Device (1)
connected”. The LED flashes white 3 times.

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If no connection is established within 5 minutes, pairing mode
is terminated and the headphones switch to standby mode. If
necessary, repeat the steps described above.
If you switch on the headphones for the first time (the pairing
list is empty), they automatically switch to pairing mode.
Disconnecting the headphones from a Bluetooth device
▷Via the menu of your Bluetooth device, disconnect the connection to the headphones.
The headphones are disconnected from the Bluetooth device. You hear the voice prompt “Device
(1) disconnected”. The headphones switch to standby mode.
To delete the Bluetooth pairing list of the headphones,
> Deleting the Bluetooth pairing list of the headphones.
Installing the Smart Control app
To make full use of all the settings and functions of the headphones, you need to have the free
Sennheiser Smart Control app installed on your smartphone.
Download the app from the App Store or Google Play and install it on your smartphone. Alternatively,
you can use your smartphone to scan the following QR code or to call up the following Internet site:
www.sennheiser.com/smartcontrol

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▷Connect your smartphone to the headphones using Bluetooth (> Connecting the headphones to a
Bluetooth device).
▷Start the Smart Control app.
The Smart Control app recognizes the headphones and activates all available settings and functions.
Switching the headphones on
WARNING
Danger of hearing damage due to high volume levels!
Listening at high volume levels can lead to permanent
hearing defects.
▷Before putting the headphones on, adjust the volume to
a low level (> Adjusting the volume).
▷Do not continuously expose yourself to high volume
levels.
1.Unfold the headphones.
2.Turn the ear cups outward until you hear a click in both ear cup joints.
The LED flashes white 3 times. If Bluetooth is activated on the headphones, you hear the voice
prompts “Power on” and “Device (1) connected”.
If Bluetooth is deactivated on the headphones, you hear the voice prompt “Power on”. If necessary,
connect the USB cable or the audio cable to the headphones.
Make sure that Bluetooth is already activated on your Bluetooth
device when switching on the headphones.
If Bluetooth is activated and the headphones cannot find a
paired Bluetooth device within a few minutes, you hear the
voice prompt “No device found”. The first LED of the LED dis-
play flashes red. The headphones switch to standby mode.

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Switching the headphones off
1.Hold the headphones so that the left hand holds the right ear cup and the right hand holds the left ear
cup. Turn the ear cups inward until you hear a click in both ear cup joints and the touch pad faces
toward you.
2.You hear the voice prompt “Power off” and the LED display flashes red 3 times. The headphones
switch off.
The red dot displayed on the hinge of the right ear cup also
indicates that the headphones are switched off.
Putting the headphones on and adjusting the headband
For good sound quality and best possible wearing comfort, the headband can be adjusted to properly
fit your head.
▷Wear the headphones so that the headband runs over the top of your head. The markings Rfor the
right side and Lfor the left side can be found on the inside of the ear cup joints.
▷Move the ear cups up and down the headband slider until:
–your ears are comfortably covered by the ear pads,
–you feel even, gentle pressure around your ears,
–a snug fit of the headband on the head is ensured.
For optimal sound quality and active noise cancellation ANC, the ear pads must completely surround
your ears.

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Retrieving information on the battery charge status
When the headphones are connected to your Bluetooth device, the battery charge status can be
displayed on the screen of your smartphone (depending on the device and operating system used).
The Smart Control app also displays the battery charge status.
On the headphones, you can check the battery charge status via the voice prompts (not possible
when listening to music or on a call):
▷Tap the touch pad and hold for approx. 4 sec.
You hear beep sounds and a voice prompt informing you of the remaining battery life. Depending on
the battery life of the headphones, the LEDs flash or light up.
Voice prompt
Meaning
“Recharge headset”
The rechargeable battery is empty.
Recharge the rechargeable battery
(> 12).
In addition, the LED flashes red.
“More than xx % battery
left”
The remaining battery charge is
displayed as a percentage.
LED
Meaning
1 red
Rechargeable battery is almost empty
(less than 2% charged)
1 white
Battery is approx. 2-20% charged
2 white
Battery is approx. 20-40% charged
3 white
Battery is approx. 40-60% charged
4 white
Battery is approx. 60-80% charged
5 white
Battery is more than 80% charged

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Adjusting the volume
WARNING
Danger of hearing damage due to high volume
levels!
Listening at high volume levels can lead to permanent
hearing defects. Toggling between the audio sources
may cause enormous volume jumps that can perma-
nently damage your hearing.
▷Before putting the headphones on and before toggling
between audio sources, adjust the volume to a low
level.
▷Do not continuously expose yourself to high volume
levels.
You can adjust the volume for music, voice prompts, beep sounds, and phone calls.
▷If you are playing music or are on a call: Swipe vertically up or down on the touch pad to increase or
reduce the volume for music and phone calls.
▷If the headphones are in idle mode, i.e. if you are not playing music or on a call: Swipe vertically up
or down on the touch pad to increase or reduce the volume for voice prompts and beep sounds.
When the minimum or maximum volume is reached, you hear the voice prompt “Volume max” or
“Volume min”.
Depending on the length of the swipe motion, you adjust the volume in smaller increments (short
swipe motion) or larger increments (long swipe motion).
When switching the headphones off, very high volume levels are automatically reset to a moderate
level to protect your hearing when you switch the headphones on again.
You can also adjust the volume using the connected Bluetooth
device.
Information on active noise cancellation ANC
Due to its closed design, the headphones offer effective passive isolation from ambient noise.
In addition, the headphones have an active noise cancellation (ANC) function, which allows you to
reduce ambient noise to a minimum.
Even when ANC is activated, your headphones' sound quality is always at its best.
You can activate or deactivate ANC when the headphones and your audio source are connected
using Bluetooth, the USB cable, or the audio cable (provided that the battery is sufficiently charged).

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If you want to create a quiet space in a noisy environment, you can simply use the headphones –
without cable and disconnected from any Bluetooth device –with ANC activated (> Deactivating
Bluetooth/activating the flight mode).
The Smart Control app allows you to select different ANC modes that offer the optimal settings
depending on the application/situation. For example, low-frequency noise can be suppressed, wind
noise can be minimized or a possible feeling of pressure on the ears can be avoided.
Activating/deactivating the active noise cancellation ANC
To activate the active noise cancellation ANC:
▷Slide the ANC switch to the position:
–“I” (middle switch position): adjustable ANC mode “USER” (> Setting the ANC USER mode );
–“II” (lower switch position): maximum ANC mode “MAX”.
To deactivate the active noise cancellation ANC:
▷Slide the ANC switch to the upper position “0”.
Setting the ANC USER mode
To be able to set the ANC USER mode, you require the Smart Control app (> Installing the Smart
Control app).
▷In the Smart Control app, select the desired ANC mode that is to be activated for the USER mode:
ANC USER
mode
Reduction of low-frequency noise and
background noise
“Adaptive” *
Reduction depending on the noise conditions
“Anti Wind”
Slight reduction to minimize disturbing wind or
movement noise
* default setting