Simon Lucas reckons this pair of wi-fi noise-cancelling headphones represents nice worth for cash…
Sennheiser
ACCENT Wi-fi Headphones
AUD $299.95 / NZD $319.95
Everybody likes a flagship, in fact, however for a model like Sennheiser, it is important to have merchandise that compete in as extensive a variety of worth factors as is realistically potential, which leads us to the Accentum wi-fi over-ear noise-cancelling headphones. They value roughly half as a lot as the corporate’s range-topping Momentum 4 wi-fi over-ear noise-cancelling’ telephones, so if the Accentum can carry out higher than half in addition to their pricier, extra glamorous and extremely well-regarded siblings, then they symbolize good worth, proper?
UP CLOSE
Actually, the Sennheiser Accentum look very comparable ‘up shut’ as they do ‘far-off’ – like a traditional pair of over-ear headphones. Few are the businesses foolhardy sufficient to mess with the elemental design of over-ear headphones, and Sennheiser is most actually not amongst them…
Obtainable in both black or white, they’re constructed from unremarkable however completely serviceable supplies – plastic, largely. The earpads and the within of the scarf take pleasure in a considered quantity of padding, and the scarf adjustment mechanism strikes easily. It is largely hid inside the scarf, and has adjustment adequate to accommodate all however essentially the most generously proportioned heads.
Getting a cushty match is aided by the general weight (a contact over 220g) and likewise by the quantity of articulation the earcups have inside their yokes – they rotate by means of 180 levels, and there is a truthful quantity of ‘fore/aft’ motion, too. It is value noting, nevertheless, that the fabric protecting the padding of the earcups retains and returns physique warmth extra readily than fairly a number of various designs I might point out. And there is not any carry-case within the packaging, not even a mushy journey pouch, so care can be wanted to maintain your new headphones trying spiffy.
The headphones use Bluetooth 5.2 for wi-fi connectivity, and there is compatibility with SBC, AAC, aptX and aptX HD codecs. As soon as digital audio is aboard, it is delivered to your ears through a pair of 37mm dynamic drivers with a claimed frequency response of 10Hz to 22kHz. On this respect, there appears to have been little-to-no economising as a way to deliver the Accentum in at their eye-catching asking worth.
There isn’t a scrimping the place battery life is worried. Sennheiser is claiming 50 hours of playback from a single cost, and that is with adaptive noise cancellation switched on and quantity set to ‘reasonable’. Charging occurs through the USB-C socket on the precise earcup; from flat to full takes round three hours, however simply 10 minutes on the mains needs to be sufficient to purchase you 5 hours or so of playback.
The noise cancellation system here’s a binary ‘adaptive’ or ‘transparency’ selection; there is no such thing as a ‘off’ possibility. It is potential to toggle between the 2 positions utilizing one of many bodily controls on the precise earcup, or Sennheiser’s exemplary ‘Good Management’ app that is free for iOS and Android. The one button that takes care of your ANC choices additionally covers ‘energy on/off/Bluetooth pairing’ and ‘summon native voice assistant’, whereas a basic three-button strip handles ‘play/pause’, ‘skip forwards/backwards’, ‘quantity up/down’ and ‘reply/finish/reject name’. Every earcup has a single beam-forming mic that takes care of telephony, voice-assistant interplay and noise-cancellation.
The management app provides in a five-band equaliser with bass enhance and podcast-enhancing settings additionally out there. There is a ‘wind noise discount’ toggle, the flexibility to pause music (or not) when ‘transparency’ is engaged, and a slider to regulate the quantity of your personal voice you hear by means of the headphones when making a name. You may also register with Sennheiser to make use of the ‘sound examine’ perform that means that you can create bespoke EQ presets for particular environments, and the ‘sound zones’ characteristic that switches between them routinely. There are not any contact controls right here – financial savings must be made someplace – however given the quantity of affect Sennheiser means that you can exert over the Accentum, I am tempted to ask what else you may fairly count on.
THE LISTENING
‘Rapid’ just isn’t a phrase I might use to explain the best way these headphones sound. Whenever you break down their sonic efficiency into its constituent elements, there’s an terrible lot to love – and the best way the Accentum unifies these elements into an general presentation is fairly admirable, too. But for those who’re hoping to be grabbed by the metaphorical lapels by the sound of your good new headphones, you might discover the Accentum somewhat undemonstrative.
Nonetheless, these of us who do not take pleasure in being harangued by our personal electronics will benefit from the Accentum’s angle. Given a pleasant large, high-resolution file of Fanny’s model of Hey Bulldog to take care of, for example, most of the Accentum’s strengths are given full expression. The soundstage, for instance, is broad and properly outlined, with every component of the dense and busy combine simple to observe. There’s greater than sufficient elbow room for each instrument and voice to precise itself.
These aren’t essentially the most dynamic sounding headphones you’ll ever hear, however the Accentum breathe deeply sufficient to trace the adjustments in assault and depth faithfully. The design is fairly adept in terms of the much less apparent, however no much less vital, harmonic variations obvious in devices and voices, too. Element ranges are gratifyingly excessive in all circumstances, and consequently, there is a stage of perception into each space of the frequency vary that is in no way a given – particularly in headphones as fairly priced as these.
One grinding gear change later, and we’re taking part in a equally hefty file of Chick Corea’s Return to Eternally. It is a recording that demonstrates their tonal constancy in each space. Stanley Clarke’s elastic bass guitar taking part in enjoys deep, straight-edged assault and carries an absolute stack of wonderful element together with it. There’s not the easy punch that some various designs can muster, however the Accentum however persuade because of their facility with management, their alertness to texture and their means to precise rhythms in essentially the most pure and unforced method.
They take care of excessive frequencies in a equally assured and optimistic trend. Treble sounds assault with crisp dedication, however there’s sufficient substance to the sound to forestall them turning into in any approach splashy or exhausting. In final phrases, the highest finish is ever so barely rolled off – these claims for 22kHz extension however – however there’s nonetheless a well mannered quantity of aggression within the Accentum’s high-range copy.
So far as the midband is worried, the totally honest model of Misplaced in Music by The Fall is a memorable second. Mark E Smith was nobody’s thought of an excellent vocalist, in fact, however in terms of manner, character and straight-ahead angle, he was in a league of his personal. The Accentum enable him full expression, and his earnest makes an attempt to hold the tune and melody are fairly endearing, because of the quantity of perception that these headphones convey. Everything of the frequency vary is built-in properly, and this constant tonality would not distract the listener from having fun with the music as nature meant.
The energetic, adaptive noise cancellation that is on provide right here is simply as efficient, in its personal approach, because the sound that the headphones make. Different costlier fashions can do a extra full job of sealing out exterior sounds, however the Sennheisers are not any slouch. Virtually every part from the midrange upwards which may intrude in your listening is eradicated, whereas a lot of the low frequencies are additionally equally despatched. Except it is the higher bass drone of an plane – or, to a lesser extent, the drone of its passengers – that you simply want to eradicate, it is unlikely that you’re going to be dissatisfied with the noise-cancellation out there to you.
THE VERDICT
It is exhausting to select holes in the best way the Sennheiser Accentum carry out and hold a straight face – particularly once you hold the asking worth uppermost in your thoughts. No, they don’t seem to be essentially the most luxurious objects you will ever put in your head, and no, they do not have fairly the top-end sparkle or out-and-out vitality of considerably pricier designs. However that is the purpose, in fact, as context is every part, and by the requirements of equally priced alternate options from different credible producers, these are very completed headphones certainly.