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These earbuds sound way too good for their price point. And that's not even their best feature
The Sennheiser Accentum earbuds are a best in class for their price.
ZDNET's key takeaways
- The Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless earbuds are available on Amazon for $199.
- These earbuds offer brilliant, rich sound with all-day comfort and excellent active noise canceling.
- However, they only get around eight hours of playtime (with ANC off).
I've been a fan of Sennheiser for a long time, starting decades ago when I bought one of my first audiophile-grade headphones. I loved their high-quality sound and appreciated the engineering that went into a well-made pair of headphones. Since then, however, that relationship has seen its share of ups and downs.
Also: The best noise-canceling earbuds: Expert tested and reviewed
One instance involved a less-than-stellar pair of earbuds that offered tinny, hollow sound, too-delicate wires, and lack of substance. But that didn't sour my opinion of the company because every time they hit a home run, it is so far out of the park that the ball is forever lost.
View at AmazonSuch is the case with the Accentum True Wireless earbuds. When I opened the package and flipped the lid on the clamshell case, my first impression was that they looked sleek, but there wasn't really anything that stood out design-wise.
Then, I connected them to my Pixel 8 Pro and launched "Analog Kid" by Rush, my go-to tune when I test earbuds, earphones, and speakers. It took me eight measures to realize Sennheiser had done it again. These earbuds are just fantastic.
More on that in a bit. First, the specs:
Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless earbuds tech specs
- Driver type: 7mm dynamic
- Frequency response: 5 Hz - 21 KHz
- Sensitivity: 107 dB
- Speaker THD: <0,08% (1 kHz / 94 dB)
- Hybrid noise-canceling circuitry with dual mics
- Transparency mode to hear external sounds
- Bluetooth 5.3 (with LE audio and Auracast support)
- aptX, LC3, ACC, SBC decoding
- IP54 water resistant (earbuds only)
- Six hours of continuous playback with noise canceling on (eight hours with noise canceling off) and an additional 20 hours from the charging case
- Wireless charging support
- Weight: 0.5 oz
I compare every pair of earbuds I test to the Denon PerL Pro, which is still the best-sounding pair I've heard to date, and sells for around $350. Given that the Accentum buds cost roughly $150 less, it was a safe bet they wouldn't stand up to the PerL Pro.
They did.
I'm not going to say they beat the PerL Pro on every level, but this was as close as any I've tested. The Accentum earbuds offer deep, rich sound with a soundstage to best any earbud at this price point.
Also: These $80 earbuds changed my mind about low-cost headphones
Usually, with similarly priced earbuds, I have to install the companion app on my phone to adjust the EQ to get them to achieve a sound profile that accommodates my taste. With the Accentum buds, the default sound was fantastic. They reproduced just the right mixture of lows, mids, and highs to create a state of aural bliss. And no matter what piece of music I threw at these earbuds, they didn't blink and produced smooth and beautiful noise for my ears to enjoy.
- "Analog Kid" by Rush sounded agile, with beautiful separation and tone.
- "Halcyon and On" by Orbital was heavenly.
- "Kingdom" by Devin Townsend was as brutal and dynamic as a prog metal song can be.
- "Adagio for Strings" by Samuel Barber was just the right amount of heartbreak and zero distortion at the end of the first movement (which is a feat).
- "The Road Home" by Stephen Paulus—I could close my eyes and feel as if I were right there before the choir.
I can't praise the sound produced by these earbuds enough. But that wasn't the only thing to catch my attention. If there's one area where the Accentum earbuds outrank the Denon PerL Pro, it's comfort.
Also: This small Bluetooth speaker is secretly a powerhouse with room-shaking audio
The Accentum earbuds fit perfectly, and can be worn for extended periods of time without issue. Because of how the Denon earbuds fit, they can put slight pressure on the back of the ear after an hour or two, so I only wear them when I know I'm having a short listening session. On the other hand, the Accentum buds have a natural and relaxed fit, and they feel as comfortable when you take them out as they did when you first put them in.
As far as the noise canceling is concerned, I didn't bother testing the transparency mode because the ANC on these earbuds is fantastic. As soon as the music started playing, all sounds were drowned out and it was just me and the tunes. This ANC beats every pair of earbuds I've tested to date (even the Pixel Buds Pro).
ZDNET's buying advice
If you're choosy about how your earbuds' sound and are looking for an unrivaled fit, the Sennheiser Accentum earbuds are the way to go. At a price considerably lower than other earbuds with this high-quality sound, you cannot beat these.
Yes, you can certainly find earbuds that sound a bit better than the Accentum buds, but you'll likely be paying at least $100 more for them. If that's not in your budget, you won't be sacrificing much with the Accentum earbuds, and there's no denying these are the most comfortable earbuds out there.
Also: I tested Sennheiser's new mid-range headphones and they're so close to perfect
The Accentum buds' only drawback is their battery life. Eight hours is on par with other premium earbuds, but I'd like to squeeze out a little more juice. Still, I'll take an entire day's worth of battery life in exchange for great sound, high-performing noise-canceling tech, and all-day comfort.