Sennheiser Accompanies Ultrarunner Karl Meltzer for the Long Run

Meltzer Counts on Sennheiser adidas PMX 680 for Sound Clarity, Durability and Comfort

Old Lyme, Conn., – February 1, 2012 – For ultrarunner Karl Meltzer, a 100-mile run is almost routine. Having run ultramarathons now for 15 years, he originally took up running after moving to Utah to become a ‘ski bum’ and has since gone on to raise the bar in this physically demanding sport, achieving several ultrarunning records while also becoming a respected ultrarunning coach. Music plays an enormous role in Meltzer’s running regimen, and he prefers the Sennheiser PMX 680 Sports headphone for its sound quality, comfort and durability.

Ultrarunner Karl Meltzer prefers the Sennheiser PMX 680 Sports headphone
for its sound quality, comfort and durability
(click on image for hi-res. Photo credit: T Martens)

In the running world, it’s safe to say that Meltzer is something of an over-achiever. He holds several records including the most 100-mile trail race wins on Earth (30), most 100-mile race wins in a year (six in 2006 — four of which were record performances), a speed record for the Pony Express Trail from Sacramento, California to St. Joseph, Missouri (which he did for the 150th anniversary of the Pony Express; he ran the 2,064-mile trail in 40 days), and several 100-mile and course run records.

Sound Quality and Fit, Ready for the Long Haul

Each day, Meltzer runs two to three hours with music playing on the vast majority of his runs. He tried many headphones from other manufacturers before honing in on his Sennheiser/adidas PMX 680s. With these, he says he experiences not only clarity and sound quality, but a new level of comfort and durability not typically found in a sports headphone. “They feel very secure on my head and fit into my ears just right,” he says. “I can barely even feel them, and that’s the whole idea.”

Meltzer appreciates the support of the neckband, which also includes a reflector on the back as an added safety measure. The PMX 680 also enables him to make volume adjustments on the fly with its dedicated volume controller that conveniently clips onto his shirt, so he can remain focused on the trail ahead: “It’s important for me to have great sounding music but I don’t want to have to fumble with anything while I’m running,” he says.

Playlist of a Champion

When it comes to choice of music, Meltzer is all about variety, but his 15-hour playlist includes plenty of jam bands like the Grateful Dead, Widespread Panic, Strangefolk and moe. His playlist rarely changes — and on a typical running week, it takes about six days before Meltzer hears the same song twice. His playlist generally starts with some easygoing tunes and then gradually pick up in intensity and tempo. As the music gets faster, so does his pace.

Meltzer tallies an average of approximately 75 miles per week, and spends about three hours per day running in the Utah mountains where he lives. On days when he is training for an ultramarathon, those days can be a lot longer. Since he ran his first ultramarathon in 1996, he has completed a total of 89 ultramarathons in 96 starts in addition to 12 trail marathons. His ultimate goal? To go as far as he can as fast as he can.

With a true passion and love for running, Karl Meltzer doesn’t just use music to pass the time, but instead he uses it to enrich his enjoyment of the sport. With music playing, he says that running becomes more like a dance.

About Sennheiser

Sennheiser is a world-leading manufacturer of microphones, headphones and wireless transmission systems. Established in 1945 in Wedemark, Germany, Sennheiser is now a global brand represented in 60 countries around the world with U.S. headquarters in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Sennheiser's pioneering excellence in technology has rewarded the company with numerous awards and accolades including an Emmy, a Grammy, and the Scientific and Engineering Award of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.