Product test
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by Florian Bodoky
Sennheiser Accentum: a lot of headphone for your money
16.11.2023
Translation: Veronica Bielawski
The new Accentum headphones from Sennheiser are replacing the HD family. With this first model, Sennheiser wants to appeal to price-conscious listeners who still expect high quality sound. And it succeeds almost across the board.
So far, Sennheiser has covered the high-end segment with its Momentum series. The HD series, meanwhile, was intended for listeners with elevated expectations but a lower budget. While the Momentum line remains unchanged, the German sound manufacturer is retiring its HD series.
It’s made way for Accentum-line headphones, which were introduced at the end of September. The idea is to offer a long battery life, active noise cancellation and good sound at a low price.
The exterior: lightweight, understated, stable
The new mid-range over-ears are available in an understated black or white. I have to search long and hard to find the branding, which is at the bottom of the right temple. The ear cups are made of sturdy, torsion-resistant plastic.
The inside is padded with nearly two centimetres of imitation leather, which makes it very soft and comfortable to wear. Even after several hours, I don’t feel any uncomfortable pressure.
What’s more, the headphones only weigh around 200 grammes. Sometimes I even forget that I have them on. Fair warning: the underside of the band is coated with silicone. Because of its grip, longer hair can stick to it – which can be a bit painful.
There are three buttons on the right earpiece. The ones on the left and right control the volume, while the centre button controls everything else – playback (press once), song skipping (press twice), skip back one song (press three times), battery status (hold down button). For pairing and turning the headphones on and off, there’s a separate button.
It’s positioned far away enough from the other buttons that you don’t accidentally press it. The Accentum headphones have a USB-C port for charging, but no jack port. Accordingly, only a USB-C cable is included in the box. There’s no carrying case or extras such as replacement ear pads, which is hardly surprising given the price.
The swivel earpieces allow you to turn the ear cups all the way out, which comes in handy when wearing the headphones around your neck, for example. And that’s something you’ll likely be doing regularly, as the ear cups can’t be folded in. Alternatively, you can get a carrying case (none is supplied).
Connectivity and codecs: on par with their «big brother»
Behind the branded fabric covering the ear cups are two 37-millimetre-wide drivers. They cover a frequency range from 10 hertz to 22 kilohertz – standard.
The headphones rely on Bluetooth (5.2), and they support a lot of codecs: AAC, SBC as well as AptX and AptX HD for higher bit rates. The Sennheiser Accentum also offer multipoint, meaning you can pair two devices at the same time. That way, you can easily switch between your smartphone and your laptop, for instance.
The Accentum in practice: grab and go
The sound check also filters out certain frequencies in order to create your desired sound image. I’m not a fan. I delete the app and leave the headphones as they are.
To test the sound, as always, I listen to three pieces of a very different nature:
- A classical piece, purely instrumental
- A pop song that fuses vocals, instruments and electronic elements
- A rap song in which the human voice takes centre stage.
Piano Concerto in A minor Op. 54 (piano and orchestra) by Robert Schumann
I start with a rather demanding orchestral recording. Right from the start, I feel the Accentum balances the large number of different instruments well. It captures practically every nuance and reproduces the sound faithfully. The drama of the piece comes across well without droning on.
You Know I’m No Good by Amy Winehouse
You Know I’m No Good is a piece with a natural sound and not many effects. The Accentum’s precise audio signature is also evident here. The drums are given a little more power, but they never sound unnatural. Winehouse gets a nice blend of mids and additional highs, while the drums’ higher pitches are bright and detailed.
Bling Bling – Juju44
The Accentum deliver a strong bass on this rap track – unusual for their otherwise precise sound signature. But it’s worth listening to. The lows in the background are intense, but offer a good contrast to the artist’s rather high voice. Despite the bass, the vocals remain clear and distinct and aren’t pushed into the background.
Making calls with the Accentum: two microphones are enough thanks to solid noise cancelling
Overall, the phoning experience is okay. But if outdoor calls are part of your everyday life, you might want to take a look at the competition. The Sony WH-XB910N, for example, offer less in other areas but are better suited for calls thanks to four mics and come with a similar price tag.
Overall, the Accentum’s noise cancellation is solid. It filters low frequencies particularly well, even really loud noises like in a train station or a busy restaurant. High-frequency noises, on the other hand, are trickier. For example, I could still hear the tram’s squealing brakes. The Sony WH1000 XM5 do a more thorough job, but also cost twice as much.
In transparency mode, the external microphones slightly amplify ambient sounds. My surroundings sounded louder through the headphones than in reality, and sibilants were slightly overemphasised. Unfortunately, there’s no way to turn down transparency.
Battery: all you need
The lowdown: one of the best steals for this price
Yes, the ANC has some weaknesses. If noise cancellation is your top priority, you should opt for a different model. Just be aware you’ll also have to spend more money. For this price, you’d be hard pressed to find better ANC in over-ear headphones – assuming you find it at all.
In terms of sound, build quality and battery life, the Sennheiser Accentum play in the big league – but don’t put the same strain on your wallet. If you’re after good value for money, definitely consider the Sennheiser Accentum. They have the balancing act down perfectly.
Header image: Florian Bodoky
I've been tinkering with digital networks ever since I found out how to activate both telephone channels on the ISDN card for greater bandwidth. As for the analogue variety, I've been doing that since I learned to talk. Though Winterthur is my adoptive home city, my heart still bleeds red and blue.
