Sennheiser’swireless earbudsrarely disappoint when it comes to sound calibre — the German brand ’s reputation for solid acoustic engine room is one of the dear in the business . But many would agree that the company has shin with ergonomics . Chunky and a bit bulky , Sennheiser ’s earbuds just have n’t been as well-heeled as the competition .
Withthird - gen Momentum True Wireless , that began to change as Sennheiser found ways to make its earbuds small . Now , with the Accentum True Wireless ( $ 200 ) , things have improved substantially .
Here ’s what you ask to know before grease one’s palms Sennheiser ’s newest midrange option .
From a invention perspective , with their flatness lily-white or felt contraband finish , the Accentum seem almost irksome . There are no glossy open and unlike the fellowship ’s flagshipMomentum straight Wireless 4(MTW4 ) , you wo n’t find bronze or titanium stress . The Sennheiser logo is barely noticeable .
And yet , this reductivism is welcome . The MTW4 ’s case is one of the biggest in the wireless earbud world , a fact that is n’t changed by the handsome fabric that roll the exterior . By contrast , the Accentum case is light and far more pocket-size . Access to the earbuds is just as gentle , thanks to the clamshell design , and you are n’t pass up gadget — wireless charging is still endorse .
However , the most noticeable difference is the shape of the earbuds themselves . Where the MTW4 ( and all previous Sennheiser models ) are squarish and boxy , the Accentum are elongate , quiet , and curvy all over .
The company read this shape evolved using the data from thousands of spike models , which parent company , Sonova ( a hearing economic aid manufacturer ) , provided .
It ’s surd to fence with the result — the Accentum are by far the most comfortable Sennheiser earbuds I ’ve ever get into , though I allow I was skeptical at first .
I ’ve come to believe that so as to fit securely , an earbud ’s silicone tip needs to sit correctly up against the entrance of my ear channel — even pressing into it a scrap . The MTW4 ( and their predecessors ) did that hands down with their long towers ( the part to which the tip is attached ) . If you read my review of the MTW3 or MTW4 , I heap a lot of praise on their comfort and tantrum . The Accentum are better .
If you ’ve ever shy away from Sennheiser ’s buds in the past , because of their chassis , it ’s time to judge again . As with any conformation , they wo n’t suit everyone , but I distrust they ’ll fit many more masses than before . The four sizes of included eartips will certainly help . Workouts and running should n’t be a job . Like the MTW4 , the Accentum are ratedIP54 for weewee and junk aegis .
Sennheiser ’s hint control are typically with child , and the Accentum True Wireless are no exception . you’re able to pretty much tap anywhere on the outer surface of the earbuds , which is far easier than on some model that have a specific touch - senstive area .
Every feature can be activate using the touch controls ( manoeuvre / pause , track skipping , volume , call answer / end , ANC / transparency , and voice adjunct access ) , and you’re able to also customize the tap motion within the Sennheiser Smart Control app ( iOS / Android ) . With four available gestures per earbud , your pick are nearly limitless .
These control are augmented by the Accentum ’s wear sensing element , which get you automatically break and resume audio frequency as you remove and supercede either bud . It work seamlessly , but you could also disable it if you find it teasing .
Out of the box , you may find the Accentum ’s sound conservative . Balanced , yes , achromatic even , but also lacking vigour . This will be even more apparent if you ’re listening at 50 % volume or less .
Some wireless earbuds ( and headphones too ) have a volume sweet spot — a level at which the drivers are getting enough input to really shine . On the Sennheiser Accentum , that spot is somewhere between 60 - 70 % . At that layer , you set about to hear a bunch of detail that feels trapped when listen at lower volumes .
This is where the Accentum deliver that Sennheiser vocalise — an idealistic balance of frequencies that works with a immense variety of genres .
You get readable highs , detailed mids , and resonant bass , each of which avoids muddying the others . As I ’ve done many times with other Sennheiser tuner earbuds , I found myself effortlessly running through my common psychometric test rail , but enjoying the euphony .
The Smart Control app ’s five - ring equalizer , basso boost mode , and presets can all help to finesse the sound to your liking , but do n’t expect massive shifts in the profound signature tune — these are small tweaks .
inquisitively , Sennheiser uses a wakeless personalization feature of speech called “ Sound Check ” on the Accentum , which is different from the generically named “ sound personalization ” from the MTW4 .
Each cave in me dissimilar consequence . Where the MTW4 sounded more lively and dynamic after personalization , I could barely tell the difference after personalizing the Accentum .
It would have been nice if Sennheiser had included supporting forhi - Re audiocodecs like LDAC or aptX Adaptive , but I think it needed to keep something in reserve for its top - of - the - line earbuds . Besides , for iPhone owner , AAC will ( for the foreseeable future ) be as good as it have .
One of the few domain where the Accentum noticeably underperforms compare to the MTW4 is noise cancellation . Not that it ’s speculative — it actually does a nice chore of halt most of the background haphazardness that pops up in our day-after-day lives like dealings , droning engine , and the din of many simultaneous conversations . But it ’s not as muscular a filter for these sound as the MTW4 .
Transparency style comply the same flight . The Accentum furnish plenty of admission to the world around you , but the MTW4 ’s clearness is better , especially as it relates to hear your own voice clear .
Both models allow you pause your medicine mechanically when introduce foil modality — I love this feature article ; it ’s one that all ANC wireless earbuds / headphone should adopt .
Speaking of , well , speaking , call lineament on the Sennheiser Accentumcanbe excellent . But you may call for to speak louder than you ’re used to . The microphones do an admirable job of forestall desktop sound from interfere with your voice ; however , this come at the cost of a more or less lowered gain ( the amount of boost the mics impart to the sound they beak up ) . caller-up on the other end may say you fathom a bit far away .
I ’m still look for Sennheiser to improve sidetone on its earbuds . On a call , you’re able to pick out to turn transparency manner on . This let you try your environment as you babble out . But much like foil mode at other times , your voice is n’t one of the sound that gets distinctly piped back to your pinna — it stay clean muffled , which can make tenacious calls fatiguing .
The Accentum supportBluetooth Multipointfor simultaneous connections to two gadget , and Sennheiser articulate the earbuds will welcome a firmware upgrade toLE Audio , withAuracastsupport , though no timeline has been committed to so far .
There ’s also an interesting feature called Sound Zones , which lets you geofence fix and then select which ANC and EQ setting you want to enable / disable as you enter / leave each zona . Sony does something similar in its Headphones app , and I ca n’t say I understand the appeal . I ’m more than capable of grow ANC on and off by myself , and I seldom change my EQ once I have it dial in the way I wish it .
I ’m a bit surprised that if Sennheiser is using its app to track location ( which it clearly is ) , why does n’t it put up a Find My - style locator for lost earbuds ?
Battery sprightliness on the Accentum is a very acceptable eight hours per commission , but Sennheiser observe that this number assumes you ’re not using ANC . If you become it on , length of service drop to about six hours — still equal for most tribe , but less than some of the competition . The charging case ups these numbers to 28 and 21 hours respectively , giving you plenty of time before count for a USB cable television service or wireless charging pad . There ’s a debauched - charge mode that turn over you an excess hour of playtime after 10 hour of excite should you start to scarper low .
For now , the Sennheiser Accentum is a true midrange ware : It carry most ( but not all ) of the strengths of the flagship Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 , at a price that ’s $ 100 more affordable . And yet , regardless of savings , the Accentum ’s frame might be all the grounds you need to consider it over Sennheiser ’s best role model . For some , it will simply be a more comfortable experience . For others , it could be the difference between buying Sennheiser and reckon elsewhere .
