Sennheiser’s budget headphones sound surprisingly good to me, but there’s one problem

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The Sennheiser Accent headphones are perfect for individuals in search of knowledgeable sound for lower than $200. They’re on sale proper now for $150.
• Sound high quality is top-notch and simply outperforms flagship headphones from different manufacturers on this class.
• A very tight match makes them uncomfortable for long-term put on, which is unlucky given the spectacular battery life.

I’ve worn just a few too many headphones this yr, ranging in worth from $60 to $450, from manufacturers like Sony, Bose, and all the things in between. However one factor has remained true: Sennheiser’s sound high quality is the one to beat for me.

Sennheiser and I’ve some historical past. Earlier this yr, I examined the Sennheiser Momentum 4the corporate’s flagship client headphones, and I fell in love with the sound. To me, they’re like that one ex you possibly can’t recover from. I search for the Momentum 4’s sound in each pair of headphones I strive, and it is but to be replicated.

Additionally: Sennheiser Momentum 4: One of the best headphones for detail-oriented listeners

For my part, Sennheiser competes solely with itself within the sound division, so once I noticed the corporate launched the Sennheiser Accentan inexpensive twin to its flagship headphones, I used to be very happy to get my fingers on them.

The Accentum are a stripped-down model of Sennheiser’s flagship headphones, providing “a lot of probably the most fascinating DNA” of the Momentum 4, based on the corporate. So, a possible purchaser’s large questions embrace: Are the Accentum a worthy budget-friendly choice, must you save your cash for the Momentum 4, or must you look elsewhere? Here is my verdict after two weeks of testing.

Let’s speak about sound first, since Sennheiser focuses closely on audio efficiency, and that is the metric I used to be most taken with, too.

The Accentum’s 37mm dynamic drivers ship tight, full-bodied bass that stays clear and by no means will get muddy, even after a spherical of bass enhance. After I listened to Participant’s Child Come AgainI might hear the bassline and the kick of the drums deep in my ears. The long-lasting guitar solo on the finish of the track was so clear and vibrant that I needed to hearken to it over and over.

Additionally: Do not overpay for noise-canceling headphones when this $60 pair sounds this wonderful

In songs like Michael Jackson’s Human NatureI might hear clearly the layered vocal harmonies and each small element discovered within the higher vary of the high-pitch tones. Sennheiser’s dedication to its highly-detailed signature sound is obvious, even in a pair of $150 cans just like the Accentum.

Nevertheless, the Accentum’s ear cups are small and shallow, which impacts the out-of-the-box sound. If I gently push on the surface of the ear cups, my ears contact the audio system contained in the ear cups, which isn’t very best.

Consequently, listening to greater than two songs can really feel tiring and unsightly. After tweaking the EQ settings and lowering the treble, I lastly discovered the candy spot. You must most likely try this, too.

Additionally: One of the best headphones for music

After testing each the Sennheiser Momentum 4 and the Accentum, it is clear that Sennheiser nonetheless has some methods to go together with its noise-canceling expertise. The Accentum boasts hybrid noise canceling, a sort of lively noise canceling that makes use of mics on the within and outdoors of the ear cups to pay attention for exterior noise and assist cancel it.

Nonetheless, conversational noises can skip previous the Accentum’s ANC, and solely the high-frequency pitches of droning noises, like a washer or operating fridge, are successfully canceled. Nevertheless, for the Accentum’s worth level, the ANC is not dangerous. Plus, they’ve a really comfortable match that in the end helps with noise isolation.

Talking of comfortable match, the headphones teeter the road between comfortable and tight. I wore the headphones for one hour earlier than my ears wanted a break, and if in case you have a bigger head, you could discover these uncomfortable across the 30-minute mark.

Additionally: How to decide on one of the best over-ear headphones: ZDNET’s shopping for information

You will must take them off and let your ears recuperate earlier than the battery runs out, because the Accentum can hold for 50 hours. You aren’t getting a headphones jack with these, however the marathon battery makes up for it.

Like Sony’s inexpensive twin to its high-end headphones, Sennheiser ensures you are paying for what’s contained in the ear cups, as a substitute of what is exterior. The Accentum’s construct is sturdy, and should you shut one eye and squint, you would possibly mistake it for the Momentum 4, as their builds are very comparable. Nevertheless, you’ll find extra fashionable and cozy headphones for much less cash.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

Here is the deal: If you need spectacular sound high quality for underneath $200, the Sennheiser Accent are the way in which to go. Their sound is unquestionably extra detailed than the most recent flagship headphones from Sony, Bose, and Apple.

You will need the Momentum 4 should you want a higher-quality, extra refined construct with up-to-date software program options and even higher sound. Nonetheless, even the Momentum 4’s ANC is nothing to brag about.

In case your precedence is noise-canceling, Sennheiser cannot give it to you. As a substitute, you possibly can go for the Sony XM5 over-ears, the Bose QuietComfort Extremely, and — for rather less cash — the Bose QuietComfort 45. If these are all too costly, take into account the Monoprice BT-600ANC.