Review: Sennheiser Accentum Plus Wireless headphones tried-and-tested. Is it worth the price tag?
How to choose the right headphones. We’ve got your back. Read on for our honest review, the pros and cons, and decide if the Sennheiser Accentum Plus Wireless is for you.
I’m no sound engineer but I do appreciate good music, and music is a huge part of my life. I usually have it playing in the background as I work, during commutes, or while engaging in mundane things like household chores. I toggle between different genres of music for the different activities I’m engaged in. For example, lofi or classical music when working, K-Pop or Eighties music when cleaning the house, and binaural beats or singing bowls when lulling myself to sleep. So when I had the opportunity to review the Sennheiser Accentum Plus Wireless, I was curious if headphones would add to my aural pleasure.
First impressions of the Sennheiser Accentum Plus Wireless
The headphone comes with a lightweight, colour-matched, zippered portable bag for mobility. Weighing a mere 227g, its fold-flat design and plastic chassis means you can bring it everywhere you go, including overseas where you may require your headphones for a good night’s sleep on the trains or airplanes. It also comes with a manual, a 3.5mm jack, and a USB-C charging cable.
Sennheiser Accentum Plus Wireless: What’s good and what could be better
In a nutshell, here are the top features of the new headphones.
1. Fast charging
A 10-minute charge provides a good 5 hours of playtime on medium volume.
Love:
This is by far, one of my favourite features. For those of us who are constantly on-the-go, who has time to wait for our electronic devices to charge fully for a day out?
2. Noise cancellation
The Hybrid Adaptive ANC blocks out outside noise for an uninterrupted listening experience.
Love:
One of my top pet peeves about using the gym is the loud pounding on the treadmills and gasps of exertion when lifting weights. Or worse, those who blast music or videos loudly as they work out! If you are a gym-goer like me, you would probably have experienced the above at some point or another. The experience could be worse if the gym is a small one and the sounds bounce off the walls. Save me!
I personally tried the Sennheiser Accentum Plus Wireless several times in the gym, and boy, it is a game-changer to my gym experience. I no longer need to tolerate noisy and selfish gym-goers, thanks to its noise cancellation feature. External noise pollution was blocked out by up to 95%.
The experience using the Sennheiser Accentum Plus Wireless during my MRT commute was a pleasant one as well. It helped block out quite a bit of the loud track noise, especially during the underground journey where the trains tend to go at higher speeds. The downside was I had to be vigilant in looking at the signboards to ensure I didn't miss my stop.
I can think of more scenarios such as staying in an estate where noisy construction or renovation works in ongoing. What a delightful solution to external noise pollution.
What could be better:
I would not recommend donning the headphones when en route home at night for obvious safety reasons. The great thing is that you can switch off the noise cancellation feature with a tap on the headphones, which allows you to hear ambient sounds. Call me paranoid about safeguarding my safety in super-safe Singapore, but you never know if danger is just around the corner. As they say, low crime doesn’t mean no crime! And you know how it is, music draws us in and the tendency to continue with our playlist until we reach home is high.
3. In-built wear detection
Headphones automatically go to standby mode when taken off.
Love:
You know how it is when someone stops a tune you are listening to midway. Super annoying. In instances of interruption, leave it to the Sennheiser Accentum Plus Wireless headphones to pause automatically when you take them off, and resume your listening pleasure when you re-wear them. The headphones are designed for calls and texts to prompt you in the midst of whatever you are listening to whatever you are listening to.
4. Easy EQ settings adjustment
The Smart Control app lets you tweak your sound settings such as the transparency or bass mode.
Love:
For those who are more particular with sound quality, Sennheiser’s Smart Control app allows you to make adjustments according to your personal preferences.
What could be better:
I found this feature a little cumbersome. Although I do appreciate Sennheiser engineers incorporating Equalizer presets with a range of music genres such as Sound Personalisation where the bass, drums, and strings could be adjusted easily, I found it a hassle since I listen to different music genres, and because there is no function to save different settings, it would require me to reset my Sound Personalisation every time I switch to a different type of music.
5. 3.5mm connector
This lets you plug into the source to enjoy a fully lossless connection.
Love:
For those who value a seamless audio experience or those who plug in when playing a musical instrument, the 3.5mm analog input will probably help in reducing noise disturbance to your housemates and neighbours. In situations where wireless listening is not permitted, think how this headphone can help you to fully enjoy your in-flight entertainment and transport you to movie/gaming magic despite wailing babies thanks to a simple USB-C audio plug. How nice to not have to deal with screaming babies inflight!
6. Touch-enabled earcup on the right
Use taps and swipes on the outside of the right earcup to control everything from playback to volume.
Love:
Swipes and taps were consistently responsive.
7. The fit
The oval earcups offer comfort even after a couple of hours of continued listening.
Love: As a multitasker, I move a lot with the Sennheiser Accentum Plus Wireless headphones at home. Be it making myself a drink, doing laundry, or listening to audio ebooks, the headphones stayed snug in place.
What could be better:
On days when I know I have long commutes, I enjoy bringing the headphones out. However, I discovered that sunglasses and headphones do not go hand-in-hand, or at least the type of sunglasses I was wearing. The fit was awkward and uncomfortable. I had to sacrifice one or the other during my walks out in the sun towards the train station. Bespectacled friends would probably need to wear glasses with thin frames for a better fit.
What could have been better
With only two options of Black and White to pick from, music lovers who are looking for a fashionable accessory to complement their OOTDs will probably need to contend with the classic colours. Perhaps the brand could consider a collaboration with an artist to jazz up the headphones.
Are Sennheiser Accentum Plus Wireless headphones worth its price tag?
I will not go as far as to compare the headphone's sound quality to music akin to a concert hall. But there are certainly many great features to the Sennheiser Accentum Plus Wireless headphones. It blocks out adequate ambient noise in noisy and busy environments. Call quality was decent and I love that I did not need to juggle with cumbersome wires during calls when listening to podcasts or an audio ebook.
There’s an intrinsic plus point in donning headphones, as compared to earbuds. Wearing headphones when you wish to focus or increase your concentration especially when you are back in the office (hello hybrid working arrangement) or when meditating at home, can send a visible cue to those around you that you need that time for some peace. I've been there and trust me, it works.
Where to get it: Yahoo-exclusive discount
The Sennheiser Accentum Plus Wireless headphones are currently retailing at S$331.50 on Amazon.sg. It is no small investment but Sennheiser is known for its quality and this model is a leg up from its predecessor. Let's do some girl math. If you are planning on using the headphones daily, it works out to less than S$1 per day! Now you can shave off S$20 using the voucher, on top of the existing credit card discount. Plus, use our Yahoo-exclusive promotional code "YAHOO15AP" to enjoy an extra S$15 off already discounted price! Be sure to check out by 10 March 2024 when the promo ends!
Get the additional Yahoo-exclusive S$15 off existing offers
