Sennheiser Accentum: Ended up buying a pair

Today we will talk about dynamic full-size Accentum Wireless Bluetooth headphones from the famous German company Sennheiser . Colleagues dared to give them to me for a test, despite the risk of my eternal criticism, for which I am grateful, I am really interested in evaluating this new product. ‘

Judging by the presentation, the Accentum is such a characteristically modern model, multifunctional, compact, durable on a single charge, more budget-friendly than the older Sennheiser Momentum 4 (the declared price is only $180 instead of $350, the difference is twice as much). Logically, not everyone can afford a flagship, it was necessary to develop a more affordable option for its audience, some sweet “top for its money”. But what did they save on anyway? And, most importantly, what about the sound? Let’s figure out what kind of beast this is. To the point.

Visual impressions

Immediately in the process of unpacking, we plunge into the world of democratic audio. A small flat Sennheiser Accentum box in company colors with a picture of the headphones and a short list of features, inside is an ascetic supply kit in the form of a USB-C/USB-A cable for charging or wired listening. That’s all. There is no case for transportation, nor is there a standard 3.5 speaker cable. And even the cord they put in, personally, I would like to see it in the USB-C/USB-C format, but that’s a small thing. In general, be prepared that the number of equipment does not differ.

About design

 

In Sennheiser Accentum, it is restrained, neutral, without any stylish design features, but it is suitable for any user. Such a classic workhorse for every day, to throw in a bag and not worry. A wise strategy. The body of the headphones is completely made of matte black plastic, the surface is not branded, the design is thin, flexible and light, the cups rotate freely, the arc adjustment system works smoothly. The assembly is more or less solid, at least out of the box there were no creaks or wobbles. What I didn’t like was the silicone coating on the inside of the headband, it’s so-so to the touch. The leatherette ear pads are a little more pleasant, the shape allows them to cover the ear well, but I still felt hot in them. Instead, the passive sound insulation here is excellent.

In fact, outwardly, the headphones are very similar to Momentum 4, only more compact. The brand emphasizes the practicality and portability of Accentum in the description, sorry for the pun. The weight of the headphones is 222 g, they are comfortable for daily use, the pressure is not excessive, they do not press and do not tire.

In addition to the USB Type-C port, there are no other connectors, the cable connection is one-way. Management, as expected, is not touch-sensitive, but button-based, but the keys are quite comfortably located under the right hand. You can answer calls, switch tracks, change the volume, choose a mode. There are voice prompts, in particular, the model informs about the charge level. I found this out when, out of habit, I familiarized myself with the gadget by long pressing on everything possible.

Interactions and Features

 

I can’t say that Sennheiser Accentum disappointed me with its list of features. This does not remove complaints about the missing set of accessories, but adds points in more important aspects.

First, here we are promised the signature sound of Sennheiser Signature Sound, realized with the help of custom 37 mm speakers. The latest Bluetooth version 5.2 offers AAC, aptX and even aptX HD codecs. Too bad there’s no LDAC, but that’s something I want a lot again. Compatibility with the Smart Control application opens access to the equalizer, sound zones, sound modes such as Bass Boost and Podcast mode, as well as to the technology of individual adjustment of music to your ears. In addition, in the application, you can set the time for the headphones to automatically turn off, update the firmware, see the list of connected devices, etc.

Secondly, on the box it was stated that the model is “Made for iPhone. Works with Android”. In my experience, I have not had any compatibility issues with any sources. The connection is fast, the connection is mostly stable. MultiPoint is available, it is implemented perfectly.

Thirdly, the thing everyone was waiting for – how well did the Hybrid Active Noise Canceling ANC perform? It is a rare case when I can praise an inexpensive product at this point. Surprisingly, the Accentum noise canceler does a good job without causing a headache. Not perfect, but better than many. There is also Transparency Mode, it transmits surrounding sounds quite clearly and naturally. Background hissing is present, but not very obtrusive.

Now about microphones for calls. I was satisfied with them, in a quiet environment my interlocutors did not even understand that I was talking through headphones. By the way, the Zenkhivs have almost no problems with this, I give them credit. And as a headset, full-size headphones always work better than TWS headphones . Also, the model received a wind protection function, but I would not particularly count on it.

Battery

We have a record 50 hours from the battery, and thanks to fast charging in 10 minutes, you can feed the Accentum for another 5 hours of music. Actually, this is what is needed from them – to play and discharge less. But will you want to listen to them for so long?

Sound

In terms of presentation, Sennheiser Accentum turned out to be quite versatile. Of course, this is not a story about a serious audiophile with subtle matters of overtones, you should not expect fantastic technicality or effectiveness from headphones of this category. And, taking this fact as a basis, one can assess their level as quite satisfactory. They play softly, cheerfully, with powerful basses, give a signature color, warm and velvety. If you’re picky about sound, you’re definitely better off looking at a higher price point, and ideally not going with Bluetooth at all, but for most users the resolution here will suffice. Personally, I listened to the novelty calmly, but without enthusiasm.

As for the quality of the Accentum recording, they are omnivorous, the scale of the scene, despite the closed form factor of the bowls, is not bad, there is basic holography and the correct positioning of the instruments. Priority is given to macrodynamics and emotionality, the headphones confidently engage in listening, this cannot be taken away from them. The noise reduction mode, as expected, affects the handwriting, here you will have to make a compromise. Although I was more concerned about the somewhat limited volume resource

Frequencies

The bass is massive, pumped up, rolling. But, by the way, I had no particular complaints about them, despite their obvious strengthening. We remember the fact that many competitors here are in general a complete roaring chaos, rumbling and drumming, for the sake of the mass market. Well, the Sennheiser Accentums avoid overt overkill. The strokes on the bases are dense, embossed, the rhythmic line is readable, although it does not indulge in any variety of textures. Overall, the model builds the foundation in an entertaining manner, bashheads will approve. True, due to the thick response on overloaded recordings on the bass, distortions begin, and the wireless codec does not allow the sub to go deep enough, but for its tasks it is counted.

Mid frequencies are merged, rounded, smooth. The familiar singing of the Zenkhs is felt on them, the vocals and long after-sounds have additional juiciness. However, they are poorly detailed, which can steal naturalness. And among the minuses, I will note the lack of contrast, the spectrum is smoothed, this simplifies it. Although the transparency is already a little better in the upper middle, the model highlights this part of the range, the performers’ voices seem rich, expressive. Again, the picture is simple, but colorful, complete, the presentation does not require special getting used to.

High frequencies are fast, defined, energetic, at the same time soft and comfortable. On the one hand, the budget role of Accentum is very felt here – the spectrum is muted, it does not have exemplary accuracy, so it is not an option for gourmets who prefer complex acoustic genres. On the other hand, HF will not cut your hearing. They are relatively clearly articulated, but only at the base, and then there is a noticeable decline. Unless the most sensitive people might need to play with the EQ. That is, the tuning is controversial, but at least not annoying. Predictable result, I had few illusions about it. At least, all the instruments are timbrally recognizable, this is already pleasing.

Competitors

 

Of course, I have tested the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless in the past, you can find my review of them somewhere. I remember that I spoke coolly, I like the third generation in this line more. Sennheiser Accentum sound, as you understand, did not surprise either, they are less clear and driving, but for their price, they are probably more like a successful compromise. Purely in terms of characteristics, they are distinguished from the flagship by the operating time (it is 10 hours longer in Momentum 4), the absence of a “smart” pause, and the presence of the aptX HD rather than aptX Adaptive codec. Whether it is worth paying twice as much – decide for yourself.

Comparing the hero of the review with cult full-size Bluetooth headphones from DALI, Focal, Shure, Beyerdynamic, HiFiMAN and other companies, I see no point, again, because of the huge price difference. A little closer to Accentum in class are the charming Dali IO-4 , they impress with technical, analytical, bright, open, airy and detailed sound, as well as a beautiful elegant design, but they have no ANC at all, modest autonomy, few features, so this model is for audiophiles. Choose according to your requests.

Conclusion

So, does it now make sense to buy the Sennheiser Momentum 4, if the daring Accentum Wireless turned out to be so close to them in many characteristics, while being noticeably more affordable? I would say it depends on the initial goal. If you just need reliable wireless headphones in which you can hear the same signature color of Sennheiser, you are not a perfectionist and are ready to put up with certain nuances. In my opinion, a more reasonable investment of money. But if you need a flagship to take once and for a long time, you also liked the sound of the Momentum 4 – the conclusion is obvious. I also think that Accentum is very interesting in terms of an upgrade after Bluetooth full-sizes of the most initial segment, it will be a step forward in everything.