Sennheiser Accentum hands-on: Powerful battery life and noise canceling for less

Unveiled today (September 25), the Sennheiser Accentum over-ear noise canceling headphones are the first model in an all-new range aimed at introducing the maker’s signature sound, strong noise-canceling tech and class-leading battery life at a mid-level price point. The new model is pitched to bridge the gap between the Sennheiser HD 450BT ($139 / £129) and the Momentum 4 Wireless ($349 / £309), and has a similar fold flat family design with companion app control and high levels of comfort.

Features and accessories have been slimmed down at the price. Probably the most outstanding thing about the new Accentum noise-canceling headphone is the 50-hour battery life and 10-minute quick charge that’s said to achieve up to 5 hours of listening time. 

That makes the new Sennheiser nearly twice as long lasting as Sony’s WH-1000XM5, and only 10 hours short of the incredible Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless that’s twice the price. If the Accentum’s noise canceling performance lives up to Sennheiser’s usual high standard, then this could be another great contender for the best noise-cancelling headphones. 

I’ve been lucky enough to get to try out the new model for this hands-on review ahead of the announcement. Keep scrolling to read my early thoughts on the Sennheiser Accentum headphones, and check back for my full review coming soon to discover even more.

Sennheiser Accentum: Price and availability

The new Sennheiser Accentum noise-canceling headphones are on sale now priced at $179 / £159 / AU$279 (approx.). They’re available to buy in black via the Sennheiser website as well at Sennheiser dealers and online retailers. 

A white color option will be available from December, although there’s no fixed on sale date at the time of writing. A USB-C charging cable is supplied, but there’s no carry case and they cannot be used with an audio cable. 

In these financially challenging times, it’s refreshing to see big-name brands introducing mid-range models. Even though they’re more expensive than the Sony WH-CH720N at $149, the Accentum headphones score highly in terms of overall value, and look set to be a strong alternative mid-price option.

Sennheiser Accentum: Design and features

With similar geometry to the Momentum 4 Wireless, the new Accentum headphones are a compact design that can be folded flat but they’re not entirely collapsible. The earcups can be replaced should the foam/leatherette cushions get damaged. The cushioned headband is nicely contoured and has a slight indent in the center to aid weight distribution and improve comfort level while it rests on top of your head. Even though I’ll be doing further tests in different scenarios, I’m happy to vouch for the comfort levels early on as I’ve been wearing the headphones for 2 hours straight while I write this hands-on and haven’t needed to remove them once. 

Connectivity is via Bluetooth 5.2. with aptX HD support. There are no touch controls on the earcups, but you do get 4 physical buttons to control volume up/down, playback/call, and power/pairing modes. The optional Smart Control companion app allows users to manage Bluetooth connections, adjust the sound with a 5-band equalizer, and set sound preferences based on zones/locations. There’s also a sound check mode that helps identify your preferred sound balance if you’re not into tinkering with the EQ mode yourself. There’s an auto standby mode that shuts down the headphones after a preset time, but no on-ear detection mode that I could find.

Sennheiser Accentum: Sound quality

The drivers fitted into the new Accentum are a little smaller than the versions found inside the Momentum 4 Wireless  (37mm compared to 42mm), but that doesn’t prevent them from delivering much of what I love about Sennheiser’s signature sound. Based on my short listening test so far, the Accentum’s have a ‘warm’ sound that many will enjoy. There are plenty of rich bass notes on hand to give whatever you’re listening to the right level of energy without over emphasizing low frequencies as can sometimes happen with some low-cost models. Everything feels nicely proportioned. Should you feel the need to add more boom though, there’s a bass boost mode in the app to ramp up energy levels. 

There’s plenty of mid-range clarity to make all kinds of vocals sing, and the only minor compromise I can find in my brief listening test is that some upper-mid and high details appear to be rolled off. This is where the 5-band equalizer comes in handy though, and I was able to lift the 4kHz and 8kHz modes to bring more insight into the upper parts of the frequency range. 

Sennheiser Accentum: Active noise canceling

As an over-ear headphone fitted with soft ear cushions, the Accentum gets off to a good start in terms of protecting your ears from external ambient noise. Activating the ANC mode is very effective at reducing background sounds to a pool of silence, and I was barely able to hear the sound of the Sonos system blaring away in the next room while I worked away in my home office, and the external microphones targeted both low and higher frequencies. Transparency mode was effective, although there didn’t appear to be a shortcut to easily activate it without going via the Sennheiser Smart Control app. 

When it comes to taking voice calls, the Accentum has two built-in microphones and a dedicated wind-reduction mode. Multipoint seamlessly switches from one Bluetooth device to another without the need for re-pairing the devices, and there’s an adjustable side-tone to help keep conversations feeling natural. 

Sennheiser Accentum: Outlook

The robust design and secure fit feel smart, but the Accentum does compromise on some nice-to-have features at the price. Although I’ve yet to complete my full review, so far the 50-hour battery life, effective noise-canceling and punchy sound make up for any shortcomings at the price. As with the Momentum 4 Wireless, the new Accentum are built for a life on the road rather than tethered to a mains socket regularly needing battery top ups, and are stacking up to be a great buy at the price. Check back for my full review coming soon.

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